20 Deal With Frozen Cloud

"Big brother, are you okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Just perplexed that Fire is useless here." 

"Hmm…the plants here are full of Water and Ice Profound Energy. Fire would not work." 

Telling the obvious, I simply nodded. And started to think outside the box.

I summoned Water Profound Energy and created a slight amount of Profound Water and then proceeded to summon Fire Profound Energy.

Heating the water.

"...Waaa!"

"Wow…Big Brother!"

"You can Mix Fire Profound Energy with Water Profound Energy! How can you even do that!?"

The pair were shocked and exclaimed with awes while the other Mu girls were simply baffled without words.

Though eventually, I got something interesting…

*Ding* 

{You have created [Profound Alchemy] art!}

I have completely branched out from Alchemy Fire and instead started to use two types of energies. While not a complete merger, I am playing with the aftermath of two…

Eventually, I condensed a pill. It was dark blue.

I used my purifying flames to make the pill take a lighter tone.

"Here. Try it out." 

I handed the pill to the closest twin.

"Okay! My thanks Big Brother!" 

The girl swallowed it without even bothering to inspect it.

"...!?"

At that moment she experienced a breakthrough…as the ice she had in her veins turned into Profound energy and entered her Profound veins.

'Bottlenecks…of course… majority of the fairies here are at those…'

"Waaa! I just had a breakthrough!!! Big Brother, you are awesome!"

"No worries. You helped me to see how well it works."

At that moment the other twin hugged my other hand.

"Big Brother, don't be mean! You can't pamper Hanxue without pampering me!"

"Do I? Is Hanyue jealous?"

She pouted when she heard that.

"Hmph!"

The cute fairy then leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

As she pulled back there was a blush on her cheek. I could feel how the air got colder around Mu Lingxue… is she jealous as well?

"Well? I-Is it good enough? Hanyue is new to this…"

The twin got embarrassed for a second but then she asked me.

"Not bad… Since you are trying so hard I can make another pill for you. After all, this is new art to me as well. I need to practise." 

The cute fairy smiled brightly at me.

"Big Brother you are amazing! Hanyue likes you a lot!"

This girl is insanely… cluelessly cute, and naive…

"Hmm… good, now watch." 

Once again I repeated the same action I did before. Taking some of the ice-melting grass and creating another pill with Profound Alchemy, the water was slightly heated up. Once it was done I used purifying fire to improve its quality.

It only took a few moments but the pill was done. 

"Here."

I gave it to her. The cute fairy took it and swallowed it without even inspecting it.

A few moments later she experienced a breakthrough as well.

"Amazing! Big Brother, this pill is like Mistress Su but much more potent and easy to use! You didn't even mix anything else to improve its quality or power! Simply awesome!"

The pair giddily looked at each other. They have something else in mind.

This was where they both hugged each of my hands. They looked at me with nearly teary eyes.

"Big Brother…we heard from senior sister Yueli that you can open Profound Entrances… could…you help us? The Palace Mistress said that we have no potential to ever reach the Throne!" 

'These two…they are deadly foes…'

"This… well… it's not my place to help your Palace… after all, I don't want to make you Fairies break your Palace's strict rules."

This was where they smiled innocently at me.

"You don't need to worry. Palace Mistress said that she will support any of us no matter what happens when it comes to Big Brother Long!" 

For a second I had a blank look. Is this for real? 

They easily break their rules because of my average pills. I don't even use Profound Cores… I sell grass… or is it the reach I have now?

Well…doesn't matter…

Knowing my Grandmother she will find me women if she knows that I am not collecting my harem…

So, I will rather collect one myself…

The ones I like anyway…

"Hmm, I see… good to know… why don't we go and see your Palace Mistress." As I said that I looked at Mu Fairies. They had a blank look. Though Mu Lingxue had a hand mark on her face.

Did she just slap herself?

Women are weird…

Anyway…

"Let's go."

~~~~~~Gong Yuxian~~~~~~

The Palace Mistress was slightly spooked. One should, as the Young Master of one of Sacred Grounds is walking in their halls. Never in a thousand years of their existence, has such a thing happened!

"Young Master Xiao, Lanyi said you wish to talk to me."

"Yes. Feng's sisters want me to help them with their Profound Entrances. If I am going to do such a thing then they will be directly under my protection."

As he said that the Twins had a slightly blushing look. The fairies already know what he means by that.

"Young Master. May I offer a better deal?" The Palace Mistress said with a weird tone.

As if she is about to discuss some sort of anomaly, this was new ground to her after all.

"...Sure. If you have something better to propose I am all ears."

"...This…"

For a moment she tried to formulate the sentence in her mind before starting to speak.

"...I would like to offer Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace. I would like your protection for the whole Palace."

One of his eyebrows just went up. He tried to understand what this proud and no-nonsense fairy was saying to him.

"...Can you repeat that? You want to give me the whole of Frozen Cloud?" 

Even the four Fairies behind him were baffled and out of words.

"More precisely we wish to serve one Master. If you can agree with such a simple request then we have a deal."

Xiao Long didn't say anything for a while.

"...In other words…you offer the whole Palace… as a protection fee?"

"...Yes. The fairies will be useful. Gathering resources, executing missions, and attending to your needs."

His mouth slightly opened and then closed. 

"...I thought… Your Palace has its pride. What you are saying is against your Palace pride…or I am missing something?"

"...Survival…"

"?"

"Frozen Cloud simply does not have the same manpower as the other three Major Powers."

She said that with a sigh as the Mistress proceeded to explain more.

"We barely get any of the pills which Black Moon is selling at auction houses. As the money produced by the other three Major powers is greater than ours. Frozen Cloud simply does not have the manpower to outperform. If this continues we will be overwhelmed by the other three major powers. No one will come to our aid. Once those three powers unite."

"Hmm, not even The Heavenly Sword Villa?" 

*Snort*

"That man tried to court Chan'er for years. Do you think he won't do it if he has the chance?"

'Damn… she truly is biassed… though that man is far too big of a simp…he would never do anything to Chu Yuechan…'

"...If you say so…"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"So what is your decision, Young Master Xiao?"

"...What are the conditions apart from the one you mentioned? You want your whole Palace to serve just me?"

"Indeed. Young Master Xiao, as you said before we are proud fairies. And we would request this small condition. You men, after all, don't like to share, do you?"

"For a woman, who is naive to what men think, you do know what you are saying." He said with a twitchy smile on his lips.

"...I lived long enough to understand some basic things, Young Master Xiao." The Palace Mistress said with a tranquil tone.

"...Fine…I suppose I can't say no. My Grandmother will be extremely disappointed that I declined such an offer." He said with a sigh. 

"Good! Very good! Lanyi swiftly sends a word. I want all the fairies to gather!" Gong Yuxian looked at the younger Fairy and ordered her.

"...U-Understood Mistress…" The Fairy was still spacey from what she just heard.

This was after all…weird…even crazy…

~~~~~~Xiao Long~~~~~~

I was confused.

To say the least.

Here I was looking at hundreds of girls of different ages looking at me with an array of different expressions… many of them were pure awes…

Others were pure greed, others were just blank expressions. Though there were a few annoyed ones as well.

One of the annoyed ones was Chu Yuechan.

As one could expect she accepts it, but at the same time she doesn't like it. Frozen Beauty is all about the Palace rules. And she accepted the fact that she is supposed to serve me. 

However, she doesn't like it. Her Cultivator pride is in the way.

And I understand that. I will leave her be. My new 'job' is to take care of the Security of this place. So that's what I will be doing. 

I know what these females are thinking. Easy protection and easy resources. Sure some of them will be joining my harem…but the rest? The rest will have the benefit of having the Young Master of Sacred Ground take care of them. 

Crafty, I didn't expect that such proud females can become this crafty and underhanded.

But then again they are facing extinction. And just watching how their Palace and that 1000-year legacy get destroyed…

Yeah… cornered beast will snap at you.

Though these women don't realise that I will make them work. They haven't seen what I did to my fellow Xiao Clansmen. 

"As your Palace Mistress has said. I accepted the proposal given to me. This means that I will be protecting your Palace from external threats. 

In return, you all will be working for me. As an Alchemist I require materials, like grasses, herbs, roots, and other things. 

We will adjust the contribution system your Palace has. New pills will be added to the list, as well as other things."

After saying that I looked at Gong Yuxian. The Frozen Cloud Palace Mistress had an unreadable look, but there was a certain disappointment in her disposition.

Did she think I would just roll over and give things away?

"Now return to your duties, the changes will happen in a few upcoming days."

After saying that the fairies dispersed and returned to their duties.

"Young Master. What kind of mission do you have specifically?" Gong Yuxian asked me curiously.

"This Palace will adopt a similar system I have in place in my Xiao Clan."

"Of course. May we discuss the details?"

"Yes. Let's go, I have things to do."

~~~

Gong Yuxian frowned when she saw the list. Her proud Palace will become over-glorified gardeners and miners… she didn't expect that at all.

She thought Xiao Long would be over the moon that he would have a whole Frozen Cloud Palace. Full of beautiful women to serve him. 

The Mistress has even instructed her Fairies to drop hints and other things. But this didn't truly work.

Now they are going to do such basic things… The ones who take care of the gardens are the ones who are only going to reach [Sky Profound] at the end of their lifespan. This was how Frozen Cloud operated. 

She has miscalculated how Xiao Long will react.

Regardless… they can't pull out from this. The deal has been struck, they can't offend their Overlords. 

"Lanyi take these instructions and bring them to the Contribution Palace." 

The Fairy stiffly nodded and took the scroll.

"...Mistress…"

"...what is it?"

"...is it right what we have chosen?"

"The choice was to serve either one man or an army of men…which one do you think is the right choice?"

Mu Lanyi stiffed for a second.

"...B-But we always were fine taking care of ourselves…"

"We were. But, then Xiao Long came to be and we are no longer capable of producing the amount of wealth we need to outbuy the likes of Xiao Sect and Burning Heaven Clan. The buying ratio of the pills is 1 to 10. They get 10 while we get one.

Eventually, they will have an Army of Thrones, maybe even Overlord. We wouldn't be able to resist such odds." 

The 4th-ranked fairy stiffly nodded. Her expression was that of resignation.

Mu Lanyi proceeds to inform the Contribution Palace. This was where fairies used their contribution points to buy cultivation-related things. 

From pills to Profound Cores, to weapons. One could get anything here needed for a Fairy to cultivate.

Now Mu Lanyi brought a scroll with a list of missions… extremely basic ones, which could lead to fairies trying to get Xiao Long pills cheaply.

After all…for 10 specific grass, they can get a pill for a small amount of contribution points. 

Why would they do other missions now?

Regardless, hundreds of fairies were waiting to see the mission available for them on the mission board. 

"..."

"..."

"..."

When they saw gardening chores they all were out of words…

Same with mineral collections and other things…

The issue was that Profound Core's mission is that while giving a lot of points one doesn't get a discount to get a pill. So it's not worth it…

In other words… it's better to do just pure gardening!

Though…some late and early [Earth Profound] Fairies, as well as young [Spirit Profound] fairies, decided to get Profound Cores anyway.

This… the girls didn't realise that they were starting to create a gap between them… 

One of them was Chu Yuechan who snorted when she saw the Mission Board. This felt like a mockery of their abilities. So she didn't stay long and returned to her home to cultivate.

Though…some of them just shrugged their shoulders and proceeded to do just that. Going to the gardens to collect the grasses.

While this was happening Xiao Long proceeded to start his work as well.

He went to the medical gardens and started to make the list of pills he will make and allow the Fairies to exchange for.

The Water Profound energy sensitivity pill. This pill is a variant of his original pill. It allows the girls to pick up Water Profound Energy and in turn Ice Profound Energy.

Next is the pill which soothes the Profound Energy, it's the perfect pill to be taken when you consume a pill that sharply increases one's Profound energy. 

The progress is much faster afterward and easier to stabilise cultivation. Then some basic antitoxin pills. And of course, the pill will make fairies drool.

The Ice melting pill. This pill is their lifesaver…

With such a list Xiao Long proceeded to work.

~~~

While the Frozen Cloud is doing its reorganisation, the pair of bodyguards report the event to their respective Sects.

The third elder reported to Black Moon Merchant Guild who will spread this information and gain some more wealth.

While the Fifth Elder reported to the Sovereign of the Seas. 

The strongest woman in the Continent was pleased that her Heir is taking his duties so seriously. Taking a whole sect of females as his harem is something any Young Master should strive to do!

Competitiveness in such a circle would only breed stronger children so it's a win-win situation for her and she doesn't even need to do anything!

Though the news of the Frozen Cloud falling under Xiao Long has spread through the Blue Wind Empire. 

The Villa Master of Heavenly Sword Villa became devastated. 

The youngest Throne in the Blue Wind Empire could not believe such a thing happened! 

The thing was there is nothing he can do to change this! A Young Master of Sacred Ground took the whole Frozen Cloud under his wing.

One doesn't need to be a genius to know that he did this so that he could have a harem of cold beauties. At the top of these beauties is Chu Yuechan!

"How long do you intend to stare at the wall Yuefeng?" A cold voice said from behind him.

"...What is it, Yufeng?" 

"What is it!? Is this all you can say!? Are you still thinking about that woman!? After she ignored you for the past 10 years!?"

"...No…I mean…I can't believe…"

"...Maybe this is for the best. Let that Young Master have his way with your precious Chu Yuechan." The woman quite venomously said. 

The Villa Master's eyes narrowed for a second before he disappeared with his Throne speed. He needs to release some steam! Maybe kill some Profound Beasts?

The woman snorted seeing him just running away like this. Xuanyuan Yufeng is the daughter of the Ninth Elder of Heavenly Mighty Sword Region. One of the Sacred Grounds. 

Her status in Blue Wind Empire is considered apex. Even if she is exiled from the region for marrying some little master of some backwater place.

She thought that after marrying Yuefeng she would have her dream life. After all, she married for love and abandoned her status.

But… only a single name needs to be said to her husband and he will become like this… it makes her heart burn with jealousy. 

And now…

She can't do anything…

Protection of fellow Sacred Ground, the importance of Xiao Long… even her own Sacred Ground would not offend him.

This made her seethe inside for her powerlessness.

She needs to find a way to deal with this…

While Heavenly Sword Villa is the most affected by this news, the atmosphere in Xiao Sect is no better.

Once again furniture has been punished by Xiao Juetian. The Sect Master was throwing a tantrum for such a missed opportunity. His Sect is suffering immensely just from side effects! The name Xiao Sect is a joke by this point and he can't do anything!

'We need to fix this! Somehow! This can't go on! Even our subordinates are laughing behind our backs!'

Xiao Juetian dropped to the ground and crossed his legs. Since all the furniture has been destroyed there is nowhere to sit. 

He then proceeded to think about this issue.

~~~

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