Chapter 137: What Do You Need

Walking on the stairs to the second floor, Lin Qi carefully observed the details of this mansion.

On the Black Spirit Continent, there was an extremely rare and precious type of wood called ‘Radiant Black Ebony’. It was a special type of enchanted wood. Only the unique ebony from the Black Spirit Continent could produce this exceptionally expensive Radiant Black Ebony, if their saplings managed to survive on certain special mineral veins for hundreds of years.

Those special mineral veins were highly harmful to all living creatures. Ordinary humans who approached these veins would quickly suffer from skin rotting, nails falling off, and eventually death. Therefore, it was extremely difficult for ebony saplings to survive on such mineral veins. Only a very few lucky ones survived for unknown reasons.

Radiant Black Ebony, as its name suggested, had the unique characteristics of ebony: pitch-black like ink, fine and smooth, and as hard as steel. However, it could also emit a pearl-like glow in the dark. This light was very penetrating and could only be completely covered by three or more layers of black cloth.

If one was exposed to the light of Radiant Black Ebony for a long time, both men and women could receive a unique nourishing effect. Their skin would become as smooth and delicate as that of a teenager, and their faces would remain free of wrinkles. Even at seventy or eighty years old, they could still maintain the physical strength and enthusiasm of a person in their prime. There were even rumors that if one lived in a house built entirely of Radiant Black Ebony, their normal lifespan could double.

Of course, Radiant Black Ebony was extremely valuable, and its price was beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

However, in this mansion, all the stairs and railings were made of Radiant Black Ebony. Skilled craftsmen had carefully polished the wood until it was as bright as a mirror. The glowing light illuminated the surroundings, and a faint fragrance enveloped the area. Lin Qi indeed felt a gentle warmth gradually seeping into his body. This warmth was very beneficial to the body, and Lin Qi, who had practiced Combat Qi since childhood and consumed countless beneficial herbs, immediately recognized this.

When he reached the reception room on the second floor, Lin Qi was deeply shocked once again.

The entire reception room, which was about a hundred square meters in size, had its floors, wall panels, and all furniture made entirely of Radiant Black Ebony. The room needed no lamps, as the glow emitted by the Radiant Black Ebony made it as bright as day. There was no fireplace lit in the room either, because Radiant Black Ebony had the unique ability to regulate temperature. The warm fragrance filled the air, and no chill could be felt at all.

“Please, have a seat!” Elham slightly nodded and gestured toward the sofa in the center of the reception room.

Tixiang held his head high, trying his best not to look at the mysterious and alluring blackness around him, which was darker and more captivating than night. He cursed inwardly again, wondering why someone would be so extravagant and corrupt as to decorate an entire reception room with Radiant Black Ebony.

Where did that former Minister of Internal Affairs of the Empire get so much Radiant Black Ebony? Damn it, how much Radiant Black Ebony did the Empire import from the Black Spirit Continent each year? And how much Radiant Black Ebony could the Black Spirit Continent produce annually? It was worth noting that harvesting this precious wood was life-threatening. A qualified worker could only cut down two or three Radiant Black Ebony trees before dying from the mysterious toxins in the mineral veins.

All these factors ensured that the production of Radiant Black Ebony was scarce. Yet, everywhere he looked in this room, he saw this outrageously expensive wood.

Taking a deep breath, Tixiang sat on the sofa, while Lin Qi stood behind him. Through the colored crystal lenses of his mask, Lin Qi scanned the priceless reception room. His gaze quickly swept over a hanging painting.

The painting was several meters in length and width, depicting the legendary Victory Goddess slaying a Demon from Hell. The paralyzed Demon on the ground had deep, glowing eyes, which were clearly two black gemstones embedded in the painting. To someone like Lin Qi, who was observant, this mechanism stood out strikingly. There was no doubt that someone was standing behind the painting at that moment, peeping through those two gemstones to observe the happenings in the room.

Two male servants, whose movements were as precise and rigid as puppets, brought hot tea and snacks. They then stood in the corners of the reception room, expressionlessly awaiting Elham’s orders. Elham picked up his teacup and gestured to Tixiang, saying, “Please, help yourself. This is the finest black tea from The East. It was fermented for two years during transportation, giving it a very rich flavor.”

After taking a sip of tea, Elham sighed lightly and said, “On a cold winter night, having a cup of hot tea is truly a joy in life.”

Tixiang raised his teacup in response, but a sharp glint suddenly flashed in his eyes.

The tea was indeed of very high quality, even comparable to the tea his grandfather used daily. However, the creamer and sugar added to the tea were undoubtedly not the best. It was like a fresh cream cake topped with rotten strawberries—completely ruining the taste.

If it were Lin Qi, he wouldn’t have been able to notice such details. But Tixiang was different. As one of the top playboys in the Imperial Capital, discerning subtle changes in the taste of tea had become his instinct. It was a necessary survival skill for a qualified playboy.

With a faint smile, Tixiang put down his teacup—since the tea wasn’t the best, he had lost interest in it.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Tixiang Hualishi,” Tixiang said with restraint. “As I mentioned earlier, I can represent my grandfather’s will. Without a doubt, my grandfather’s will holds the highest authority in the Empire, second only to the Emperor’s.”

Elham’s eyes flickered. He glanced at Tixiang and then at the strangely dressed Lin Qi before saying calmly, “Elham, the seventh son of the Golden Sails Family from the Vias Commercial Federation. I am curious, what kind of message has Lord Hualishi sent through you, Tixiang?”

Tixiang smiled. He leaned back on the sofa, gently stroking the gold thread on his pants’ seam, and said with a light laugh, “Oh, Mr. Elham. Well, I just wanted to ask, what do you need?”

Elham frowned and said in a deep voice, “Is this the will of the esteemed Lord Hualishi?”

Tixiang raised his eyebrows and said matter-of-factly, “Oh, of course, this is his will. If you don’t believe me, you can go and ask him yourself. I want to ask, what do you need? You, or the two esteemed ladies beside you!”

Elham’s face darkened. He said coldly, “Ya and Ling? They are my sisters.”

Tixiang immediately continued, “What do you need? I can help these two lovely ladies solve all their troubles.”

Elham’s expression grew even more unpleasant.