Chapter 15

C15 – Level-4 Runemaster?

Shang Qiongsi didn’t venture elsewhere but instead took the Flying Shuttle straight back to the Lord’s Mansion. She found herself once more standing before the panoramic window, facing Shang Ruiming.

Shang Ruiming could tell from Shang Qiongsi’s swift return that her mission hadn’t gone as planned. “You didn’t encounter the Runemaster?” she inquired.

“No, he had left in haste, and by the time I arrived, it was too late,” Shang Qiongsi replied, shaking her head. “However, I’ve instructed the shopkeeper accordingly. Should the Runemaster reappear, she’ll notify us at once.”

Shang Ruiming chuckled and shook his head. “That’s futile. The shopkeeper might not inform us even if the Runemaster does show up.”

Shang Qiongsi’s brow furrowed as she responded sternly, “How could she dare not to?”

“Which do you think poses a greater risk: crossing the Lord’s Mansion or a Runemaster?” Shang Ruiming posed the question calmly, fixing Shang Qiongsi with a measured gaze. “Unless the shopkeeper is a fool, she certainly won’t betray the Runemaster.”

With Shang Ruiming’s words sinking in, Shang Qiongsi came to a realization. He was right; one could simply leave Black City to avoid the wrath of the Lord’s Mansion, but angering a Runemaster could be lethal.

Grasping this, Shang Qiongsi couldn’t help but express her concern, “So, are you saying we may never get a chance to meet this Runemaster?”

“Not at all,” Shang Ruiming countered, shaking his head. “His willingness to act indicates an interest in the Spirit Containing Array and the Spirit Immersion Array. It’s likely that no one else in Skyhaven possesses the methods to inscribe these arrays besides us. If he wishes to learn, he’ll have to come to us. All we need to do is wait patiently for him to seek us out.”

Shang Qiongsi’s eyes sparkled with understanding, and she exclaimed with a hint of surprise, “Father, your foresight truly surpasses mine!”

“Father, I do have one question, though,” Shang Ruiming said, his tone reflecting his confusion. “Why opt for the indirect approach of posting notices instead of directly inquiring with the runemasters we’re acquainted with?”

As the Lord of Black City, Shang Ruiming held a revered status in Skyhaven and was well-acquainted with numerous runemasters. If he chose to intervene, those runemasters would undoubtedly extend him the courtesy due to his position. So why bother with the extra effort?

In response to Shang Qiongsi’s query, Shang Ruiming offered a slight smile and explained, “The majority of runemasters in Skyhaven are at the second level. Only the Speaker’s friend has reached the third level. However, the Spirit Containing Array and the Spirit Immersion Array are both fourth-level constructs, far beyond their ability to inscribe. Seeking their help would only draw unwanted envy and offer no real advantage. Why invite unnecessary complications?”

“And regarding the posting of the notice, consider how many of the people passing through Black City daily are actually runemasters, let alone those who would take an interest in such cryptic talismans. Even if someone were curious, could they truly comprehend it? Honestly, not just the second-level runemasters, but even the Speaker himself might fail to discern the nature of these arrays. The runemaster who provided the solution at Caitlin’s Store today may not be a fourth-level runemaster, but is undoubtedly a runemaster at the pinnacle of the third level, with extensive knowledge.”

“Why do you think I only asked you to gather information instead of inviting that runemaster over as a guest? It’s not just me; even the influential figure backing the Black City Alliance wouldn’t dare to cross someone on the cusp of becoming a fourth-level Runemaster!”

Upon hearing Shang Ruiming’s rationale, Shang Qiongsi involuntarily inhaled sharply. She hadn’t anticipated that the enigmatic runemaster could possibly be at the fourth level—a rarity even within the Federation, where such individuals are esteemed by leaders as grandmasters.

If Lu Lixing were privy to Shang Ruiming’s remarks, he’d surely burst into laughter. Forget being a fourth-level runemaster; he wasn’t even at the first level. Shang Ruiming could hardly imagine someone as peculiar as Lu Lixing existed—a man who, despite not being a runemaster, had stumbled upon a stroke of luck, allowing him to instantly recognize various runes. He was, indeed, an extraordinary anomaly.

“I came across this Spirit Containing Array and Spirit Immersion Array in an ancient ruin. It’s likely that we’re the only ones in possession of the inscription methods for these arrays. I can’t imagine that a mysterious runemaster wouldn’t be intrigued by them!”

Shang Ruiming was convinced that the Runemaster would seek him out sooner rather than later. When that time came, he planned to trade the secrets of the rune inscription methods for two complete sets of inscribed arrays. That seemed like a fair exchange, didn’t it?

It was nearly midnight, 11:50 p.m. to be exact, yet Lu Lixing had not yet retired for the night. He stood in Wen Shi’s office, his gaze fixed on the sealed cultivation room with palpable excitement. In just ten more minutes, it would be Sunday, and he would gain access to the opulent advanced cultivation room. He only needed to spend two hours sleeping in the high-tech rest pod, and he could devote the remaining time to his training!

As the clock hands aligned at midnight, Lu Lixing wasted no time using the access privileges Wen Shi had granted him. He swung open the cultivation room’s door and strode inside. Every minute was valuable, and he intended to use them wisely.

Lu Lixing tossed his backpack aside and hurried to the rest pod. But as he prepared to step in, he froze. To his astonishment, someone was already inside the pod!

He gaped at the girl lying there, clad in nothing more than a tiny tank top and sports shorts. Confusion reigned in his mind: Who am I? What am I doing here? And who is she?

While Lu Lixing was still reeling, the girl in the pod seemed to detect his presence. Her eyes snapped open, and she fixed a piercing gaze on him, her eyes flashing with a startling ferocity.

In that instant, Lu Lixing felt a chill run down his spine; he was paralyzed, the sensation of death’s gaze upon him instilling a deep fear. “My name is Lu Lixing. I’m a student of Mr. Wen; he sent me here to cultivate!” he managed to blurt out, mustering all his strength.

As his words hung in the air, the intense malice that had targeted him withdrew as swiftly as the receding tide. Freed from the lethal intent, Lu Lixing’s body relaxed, and he nearly collapsed onto the floor in relief.

Just then, the door to the rest cabin swung open, and the tall girl emerged. Towering over Lu Lixing, she spoke with an icy tone, “I’ll verify this with my dad. You’d best not be lying to me, or you’ll meet a gruesome end!”

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