2076 Terms

The guild master tried to persuade Alex to stop with what he was planning, to try and make him see how this was such a bad idea.

However, no matter how hard he tried, Alex wouldn’t listen. So, reluctantly as it may be, the man decided to help him.

Wang Yanwei was flustered when she realized what was happening but was too weak to stop it. All she could do at the end was leave and return to the store while Alex and the guild master made their way to the other Alchemy guild.

The Bluehorn Alchemy guild was as active as ever, with customers and alchemists walking in and out of the place. The giant board with their name shined even brighter these days with not a speck of dirt to be seen on it

“There are more people here than in your Alchemy guild, senior,” Alex said. “Well… yeah,” Blackfrost said. “They’re trying extra hard lately to get more customers, so we are losing a bit more too.”

“Why would they try that?” Alex asked.

“That’s always been their objective,” Blackfrost said. “To have a monopoly on the guilds here. Bluehorn may be wishing for me to leave this city as soon as I could.”

He turned to look at Alex. “What is happening with you is nothing more than a small part of a bigger plan to take my guild down.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Is it working then?” he asked.

“A little,” the man said. “I have fewer customers, so soon there will be fewer Alchemists willing to work in the guild, which will lead to fewer customers, which will lead to— you know the point. It will snowball into a meteoric downfall for us.”

Alex thought for a moment and nodded. “You don’t seem very worried though,” he said. “There must be a reason for that.”

Blackfrost chuckled a little. “I just know they won’t succeed is all. All of this, they’re bleeding resources to put up the show they have been doing lately. If they don’t find a way to recoup those losses, they will be in just as much trouble as me.”

“Will my victory or defeat matter at all in that grand battle?” Alex asked, curious.

“A little. Not as significantly as you might imagine,” the man said. “That is why I’m not stopping you from going through this. Even if you fail, that’s on you, and I barely get any of the backlash.”

Alex couldn’t help but grin a little. “Let us go in, senior.”

A few minutes later, they were invited by Guild Master Bluehorn to meet them in one of the rooms at the back of the guild.

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Alex and Blackfrost arrived and saw Bluehorn waiting for them.

“What an unexpected surprise,” the old man said. “I didn’t expect to see you two here today.”

“Surely you didn’t,” Blackfrost said and sat to the side. Bluehorn gave a smirk at that

Alex gave a small bow in greeting and sat down as well. Bluehorn gave a quick glance at Alex, raising his eyebrows a little. He was a little stunned that Alex had broken through once again.

‘Wasn’t this kid in the first realm just 10 years ago? How is he in the third realm now? Did I miss something?’

“I won’t waste your valuable time, senior Bluehorn, so let me get to the point. I am here to set up the duel,” Alex said.

Bluehorn raised his eyebrows. “You… want a duel?” the man asked. “I don’t see why you are coming to me for this. Isn’t it young Ming who is troubling you instead?”

“Let’s not kid ourselves here, senior. We all know who is behind all those actions. You want me gone from the market, and I want a duel. Our intentions align, so let’s get it done with.”

Bluehorn said nothing for a while, only staring at Alex. “Very well,” the man said after a breath of time. “I shall send young Ming to your shop within the week so the two of you may set up the terms of the duel.”

“I was hoping you would be the one I would be setting the terms with, guild master,” Alex said. “Since I’m here already, why not do it?”

The guild master was a little surprised, but he accepted it. “Very well, I shall make up the terms here and you will agree it with young Ming when he visits you.”

Alex nodded.

“My terms are simple. Should you lose the duel, you will have to shut down your business that very day and transfer all customers over to the shop next to you. Then, for the next millennia, you will not work under any guild in this city or under any other business that is run by, or has, one of your friends.”

Guild Master Bluehorn gave his own words some thought to see if that was all and nodded. “If you don’t agree to it, say it.”

Alex thought for a bit and said, “That’s acceptable. Although I would’ve thought it would be more severe.”

“I’m here to get rid of businesses, not talents,” the man said. “I know I’m not a good man in this regard, but I’m not a monster.”

“That’s quite kind of you,” Blackfrost said from the side, his voice laden with sarcasm. Bluehorn couldn’t help but snicker at that response.

He turned over to Alex and said, “If you win the duel, we will not open another apothecary store within 10 kilometers of where your store is located currently. All stores that were open will be closed by the end of the week after the duel’s end.”

“Within the day,” Blackfrost said.

“We have customers, Blackfrost. We cannot just shut down within the day. Or would you like this shop to hand over all of the customers the 3 dozen stores that we have opened up around his store?”

Guid Master Blackfrost remained silent.

Bluehorn looked back at Alex. “So, if those are the terms, we will have a deal be made by the end of the day, and announce the duel to the city. It may happen next weekend.”

“Actually,” Alex said. “I don’t agree.”

Bluehorn paused. “You don’t?” he asked. “Which part? That you don’t want to shut down your business? I fear that is not nego—”

“No, your end of the terms I agree with. It’s my end that I don’t,” Alex said.

“Young man…” Blackfrost said slowly, not understanding where Alex was going with it.

“It’s simple for my end really, guild master,” Alex said. “If I win, you and Supreme Alchemist Ming approve me so I can take the Supreme Alchemist exam. That is all I want from this duel.”

Both Blackfrost and Bluehorn remained in stunned silence as they could not believe what they were hearing.

“You are joking with me,” Bluehorn said.

“I assure you, I’m plenty serious about this, senior,” Alex said. “2 approvals for the Supreme Alchemist exam. That is all I want. I do not want you to shut down your stores or stop your attacks on me. I just want those approvals.”

Even when Alex clearly explained his words, neither of the Guild Masters could fathom just what exactly was happening.

“Dear god,” Bluehorn said after a long time. “You really do just want that.”