Chapter 108 Bloody Maiden

"Headmaster Blake! You really broke through? Congratulations!" Captain Jack acknowledged excitedly which put even more pressure on the Headmaster.

Number One's message was quite clear. He would continue to help as long as Headmaster Blake would stay on his side. There was clearly a conflict of interests as he was still the leader of the Winged Soul Academy. It was better for him to support Number One in order to advance in ranks but the Academy would lose its leverage.

Being the one who was providing Number One all the Soul Herbs forced him to cooperate with the Academy and in turn prevented him from leaving. He was already in debt and it would only increase if he wanted more expensive Soul Herbs. All of that would be gone once Number One was gifted a mine that could pay his debts easily.

"You don't need to congratulate me," Headmaster Blake admitted as he gazed at Number One. "He was the one who gifted me a pill that helped me breakthrough. I'm just lucky I was able to meet him or I would probably waste a few more years before I can advance."

Headmaster Blake was self-aware of the help he received and suggested, "You already know that I can't decide on such important matters alone. I will bring this up to the board and let you convince them on your own. If you can do it then I have nothing else to say."

"That's good enough for me," Number One agreed and turned to Captain Jack. "I will leave the protection of the mine under your control until we settle the logistics and bring the miners. It might take a while so I will reimburse you for the time spent here."

Captain Jack raised his eyebrows as Number One began pulling out vials of shiny pills and introduced, "Here are thirty Body Revitalizing Pills and thirty Soul Boosting Pills. They are Earth Rank of supreme quality so they are worth quite a while. You can split them between anyone who wants to stay and work."

"This…" Captain Jack was clearly dumbfounded while inspecting the vials and his jaw dropped further after listening to the pill descriptions. "I guess now I understand why you are so confident… Being a disciple of a Legendary Alchemist is for sure a blessing…"

Number One already decided to stop using his ex-master's influence so he corrected that statement, "I was the one who made them. My skills are not worse and I would say they are even better than his own. I even invented the Soul Boosting Pill the other day."

It was just the three of them so Number One didn't mind sharing it. He already confirmed that the heavenly space was the one providing all the knowledge which meant he already surpassed the Legendary Alchemist by improvising his recipes.

"Hah, you are really pulling my leg now," Captain Jack commented jokingly but Number One and Headmaster Blake weren't laughing which made him suspicious. "Wait, you are serious… Did you really make them? At this young age? Better than your Master?"

"Do you think the Legendary Alchemist is coming from the Inner World to constantly supply me with hundreds of pills? Of course, I had to make them myself," Number One replied casually and dropped the topic. "Anyway, I will showcase my skills in front of the board later. We already spent enough time in this place."

Captain Jack was still stupified when Number One reminded him while pointing at the vials on the ground. "Don't forget to distribute the pills and make sure to allocate some people to extract all the Soul Beasts we killed. You can also start cleaning the hideout and preparing it for the base. It would be a good place for the workers to sleep."

"You are literally doing my job but if all of this is true then I don't really mind," Captain Jack pointed out with a smile as he collected the vials. "Anything else Boss?"

Number One chuckled and added, "You can actually call your friend over and tell him to meet me in the Winged Soul Academy so we can discuss the deal. Everyone will be well compensated."

"Are you sure you want to proceed with everything before you convince the Board?" Captain Jack asked one more time just to make sure and Number One nodded again.

Even Headmaster Blake wasn't stopping him which was a clear tell that he was supporting him. Everyone had a selfish side in them and sometimes one had to choose what was better for them. If Number One could improve his Cultivation which in turn would give Headmaster Blake a longer lifespan, it was definitely worth staying on his side.

The three finally separated as Captain Jack returned to the rest of the team while Number One walked back to the ladies that were waiting together with Leon. They seemed to be having fun as the old man was storytelling cheerfully and only stopped when they approached.

"Leon invited us over to his house for dinner today. His wife is expecting his return so she will cook all his favorite dishes," Luna explained to Number One. "His house is in the Winged Soul City so we don't even need to change our destination."

"Oh, definitely," Number One agreed immediately. "We still have a lot to discuss so that would be perfect for us. I already planned to visit Leon's wife for business as well."

Headmaster Blake seemed confused so Number One introduced the old man, "This is Leon, the miner we found in the mine. He has been mining here for years so he will help us set up our mining operation. His wife is also an Artifact Crafter who can process the Green Essence Stones for us."

Number One didn't plan on mentioning Leon's abilities as he wanted to discover the secrets for himself first. If he could really start mastering Soul Arts then no one would be able to stop him anymore and the whole world would open for him.

Leon brightened at the introduction and added, "My wife is the best in the field. If you need a Soul Artifact, she can make anything as long as you provide her the materials. You will definitely be impressed when you meet her."

Headmaster Blake's eyes widened at Leon's words as he paused with a question, "Wait, are you Blood Maiden's husband?"

"Blood Maiden?" Leon tilted his head in confusion. "My wife's name is Elina and she dislikes blood. That was the main reason why she retired from being a Soul Artist. I think Sir mistook my wife for someone else."

"Is there another strong Artifact Crafted in the Winged Soul City?" Number One questioned as he grew suspicious of Leon's wife. It was clear that she wasn't telling him everything.

"Not any that I know of. There are many skilled craftsmen but only the Blood Maiden can protect herself if needed," Headmaster Blake replied dreamily. "She used to be one of the top experts during the era of our founder but she always hated the Soul Academies. If that's really her then you might have a problem visiting her. We tried to cooperate with her in the past but she never agreed and almost killed me one time. We always have to use a middleman whenever we want to buy goods from her."

Number One recalled Leon's words and questioned, "Didn't you say that your wife dislikes Soul Academies?"

"She does hate them but she never told me why. I once asked her and she said she had bad experiences with them which she didn't want to talk about. I naturally respected her wishes and never asked her again," Leon commented innocently. "Blood Maiden, right? I will make sure to ask her about it once I return home. Don't worry, I am sure it's just a coincidence since my wife would never try to kill anyone. She has been an angel to me since we met thirty years ago."

Number One grew even more suspicious since the timing matched perfectly. Leon has a white talent and manages to master a Soul Weapon the same year he met with his wife. It was too big of a coincidence to overlook it.

"Do you mind if I tag along for dinner?" Headmaster Blake didn't hesitate to invite himself over. "If it is really Blood Maiden then I wish we can finally bury the hatchet and become friends again. We have nothing but good intentions and the people she had conflicts with in the past are already dead. I hope you can be a bridge for us to have a peaceful resolution."

"Of course! I also wish she can forget about the past and start working with the Winged Soul Academy again as that would definitely expand her business. She can be stubborn but she might agree to cooperate after hearing the good news," Leon nodded excitedly. "Shall we return? We should be able to reach the city before dinner time if we depart soon."

Headmaster Blake was still a scheming man and he immediately capitalized on the situation. Number One didn't really know how important it was until after they finally gathered all the students and Headmaster Blake pulled him off to the side.

"If this man is really Blood Maiden's husband and you can convince her to cooperate with the Academy then you don't even need the Board's approval. I will use all my authority and grant you this Essence Stones mine within a heartbeat," Headmaster Blake informed seriously.

"How bad is her relationship with the Academy…?" Number One questioned speechlessly.

"I guess it's best if you find out on your own," Headmaster Blake replied with a sigh. "I will for sure stay at the back in case she tries to kill us."