I Yue Luoxi was born within the oasis. By the time of her birth, the Blackrock Alliance had already reached the level of a Great Oasis, boasting a population of over a million and a Six-Sense Throne-level powerhouse presiding over it.
This powerhouse was her grandmother.
Her grandmother rose from the brink of the world's end, leading her displaced people to find an oasis. Through years of diligent effort, she expanded the oasis, constantly increasing its scale, and bringing it to its current state.
Her story was truly legendary.
Her grandmother was now over a hundred years old. For ordinary people, this was an advanced age, but for a Six-Sense expert who could live up to two hundred, it was merely past the halfway mark.
However, the theoretical lifespan of two hundred years for a Six-Sense expert was contingent on various factors such as one's own condition, pollution erosion, old injuries, and more. Most individuals did not reach this age; living to one hundred and seventy or eighty was considered a long life.
Her grandmother, however, appeared even more aged, carrying an aura of decline.
I Yue Luoxi understood the reason behind this.
Her grandmother had fought her way through cataclysms, enduring countless battles and sustaining numerous injuries. She had also resorted to inhuman states multiple times, leading to deep-seated pollution erosion of her body and soul. Early traumas, lacking adequate medical care, had also left lingering after-effects.
More importantly, the conditions for awakening back then were very poor, with little knowledge of awakening techniques and rudimentary awakening rituals.
To have ascended to the Six-Sense realm under such circumstances was both legendary and miraculous.
Many elders from her grandmother's generation had either perished in battle, died of old age, or succumbed to failed awakenings. Few remained today.
Her grandmother often said her life had been fulfilling, but I Yue Luoxi disagreed.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin unnoticed, her gaze fixed solely on An Jianyou.
"Are you telling the truth?"
"But... how can I prove it?"
After all, it was a treasure as valuable as legend, and she didn't recognize it.
Across from her, An Jianyou was also momentarily stunned, completely unexpecting such a strong reaction from I Yue Luoxi. After asking I Yue Luoxi to wipe her mouth, she herself fell into thought.
While outwardly contemplating, she was inwardly calling out to her mentor.
Beep, beep, beep—
After a while,
A peculiar large bird flew in and landed before An Jianyou.
…
The Abyss, Blackrock Oasis.
The silver-haired girl opened her eyes, her gaze filled with excitement, her hands trembling.
After a moment, I Yue Luoxi patted her cheeks, composing herself. With a mixture of three parts solemnity, three parts tension, three parts excitement, and one part feigned calm, she left her tower and walked towards the distant, grandest black tower.
On the way, she encountered a man dressed in black, elegant robes, accompanied by a dozen attendants.
He appeared middle-aged, his brown hair neatly combed. What drew the most attention was his prominent aquiline nose. He walked with his hands behind his back, exuding an aura of unspoken authority.
"It's Little I Yue Luoxi."
"Tower Master Bernigan, good day."
The man before her, though appearing only thirty or forty years old, was actually seventy or eighty. He was another Six-Sense powerhouse in the Blackrock Alliance, the second tower master of the oasis.
He inquired with seeming concern.
I Yue Luoxi maintained her politeness, offering a smile.
After a brief chat, the aquiline-nosed man watched I Yue Luoxi’s receding figure before turning his gaze to the first tower, the symbol of the Blackrock Alliance's apex of power, lingering for a moment.
"Let's go."
…
The first tower was magnificent and spacious, yet felt unnaturally cold.
Few servants were within. Lamps were lit, casting flickering, dim yellow light.
The servants and guards all recognized I Yue Luoxi, the Seventh Tower Master and the alliance's star, the granddaughter of the Tower Master.
No one stopped her.
She ascended towards the tower's heights, arriving at a wooden door. A hoarse yet kind voice emanated from within.
"Good granddaughter, you've arrived."
I Yue Luoxi pushed open the door. The interior remained frigid, with only a single lamp casting a faint candlelight.
Under the lamplight, a figure turned.
The old woman’s frame was hunched and frail. Her face was wrinkled like tree bark, and her white hair appeared dry. One eye was blind, and the remaining one glowed with a strange red light, seeming to writhe like a living creature.
Her arms were one slender and the other thick. The slender one was gaunt, while the thick one was covered in wrinkles, with bulging veins resembling a dense network of small snakes crawling across it, a terrifying sight.
This was the First Tower Master of the Blackrock Alliance, the strongest!
The old woman's health had been gradually deteriorating in recent years. She rarely left her chambers now, enveloped in an aura of twilight. Anyone could see that the life of this Throne-level powerhouse was nearing its end.
Seeing her grandmother in such a state, I Yue Luoxi felt no fear, only a near-uncontrollable urge to weep.
Her grandmother's condition worsened daily!
She gritted her teeth.
"Grandmother, your granddaughter has made a new discovery on Blue Star this time, which might help you extend your lifespan."
She recounted the matter of the longevity fruit and presented the photograph.
"Impossible!"
"My granddaughter…"
The aged old woman's eyes widened. Despite her hunched posture, she seemed to swell into a colossal figure, an invisible, terrifying aura emanating outwards, filling the entire first tower. The servants and guards within trembled and prostrated themselves.
In the old woman's view, Blue Star was merely a nascent world, where even the emergence of a non-human-level being was difficult, let alone the existence of such a precious treasure capable of extending life.
Fruits with countless spiral patterns were something she had never seen or heard of.
It could not be true!
A world that had only recently descended mysteriously and was incredibly backward dared to deceive her granddaughter.
"But Grandmother, I've already verified it. Using that 'Judgment Coin,' I can't say for sure if it can extend life by sixty years, but it can definitely extend it, and by a significant amount. It can also improve physical condition and remove some old injuries."
The old woman paused.
The photograph, caught by a gust of wind, fluttered and landed before her. The strange green fruit met her eyes.
Silence ensued.
I Yue Luoxi continued, "Based on past transactions, this world seems quite reliable. Moreover, the price for this 'Longevity Fruit' is not expensive, and it even comes with a small jar of Life Water as a gift."
"There's just one small additional condition."
…
…
The transaction was quickly concluded.
It was unclear what methods I Yue Luoxi had employed, but her transport of items was far more rapid and convenient. It was evident that her status within the Blackrock Alliance was extraordinary, far beyond that of an elite like Meidisha.
The intent was discussed last night, and the transaction took place at noon.
One hand exchanged goods, the other handed them over.
That Longevity Fruit was ultimately sold for the price of 'one Eternal Brilliance Stone,' along with a complimentary gift of about ten to twenty drops of Life Water.
It could be considered a very fair price.
Given I Yue Luoxi’s barely concealed excitement, Fang You was confident that even if he had asked for 'two legendary materials,' the deal would have gone through.
However, he, Mentor Fang, believed in the 'way of win-win.' Once a price was set, it would not change.
Ahem, the above is secondary.
The primary reason is…
"Treasures like the Longevity Fruit appear to be extremely rare. If it can only be produced by the Scarlet-level 'Yidola Life Tree,' then it's understandable that the Great Oases might not recognize it; perhaps even Super Oases have rarely seen it."
"No matter how precious a treasure is, if no one recognizes its worth, it's all in vain."
This time, if it weren't for the consistently pleasant cooperation with I Yue Luoxi, if it weren't for her possessing a peculiar artifact with special functions, and if it weren't for her desperate need…
Without these factors, sealing this deal would have been difficult, or at least not so swift.
Madam Snake next door seemed unconvinced, despite her outwardly flattering words. Mentor Fang wouldn't be fooled.
In the future, if he wanted to market the 'Longevity Fruit' as a specialty of Xin Huo, customers' skepticism would not suffice; thus, it wouldn't fetch a high price.
Therefore,
Fang You proposed a small condition.
—A Throne-level entity to endorse it.
Great Oases had their own circles. If the news of a twilight Six-Sense Throne regaining vitality spread among the Great Oases, the effect would be far greater than his own promotion.
Letting those in need seek him out would allow him to command a higher price.
"What a pity, Xin Huo cannot yet enter the circles of the Great Oases, and its current connections are very few. Otherwise, if we could subtly create buzz, fabricating the incredible effects of the Longevity Fruit, it would surely be a hundred times better than having the Blackrock Alliance post customer reviews."
"After all, when it comes to marketing, we on Blue Star have plenty of professionals."
Compared to many worlds that were still in feudal, slave, or even barbaric stages before their mysterious descent, his Blue Star was quite advanced, possessing many advantages.
These essences of Blue Star must be preserved and passed down.
This was also a part of human heritage.
"Operations among the Great Oases can only proceed slowly. Perhaps the next step could be to send envoys to the Great Oases? No, that would be a later step."
"Another point is to continuously accumulate the reputation of our Blue Star. As long as our name is renowned and our credibility is high, even if we offer niche and rare treasures in the future, most customers will tend to believe rather than doubt."
"Of course, if there were treasures or rituals akin to notarized contracts, that would be even better."
Fang You inspected the Yidola Life Tree. It was still small, with only a few immature fruits hanging on it. The previous one was specifically induced using Life Droplets and Liu Shang's abilities.
It had also incurred significant cost.
Well, compared to legendary materials, that was insignificant.
This Life Tree was a veritable treasure trove. Once it matured and grew, it would become a grand treasure trove, a super treasure trove.
"What a shame, the Blackrock Alliance seems to have no second Eternal Brilliance Stone."
"The current stock is still only enough to construct the Eastern Radiance Small Defense Circle."
A small defense circle could at most significantly delay the consumption by the abyss, but it was far from sufficient to resist erosion and form a delicate balance.
However, if it could delay for a considerable time, he would have more ample time.
And now, it was time to attend to another matter.