Chapter 2295 — Conditions Met
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
How had he shaken off his pursuers? Could the Twelfth Elder, the Second Guardian, and the Third Guardian already be dead? At this thought, Lazi's face was consumed by terror.
Wei Zhao seized Lazi by the scruff of the neck and hoisted him up as though he were a chick, then lashed out a kick that sent Lazi's vehicle flying into the thicket by the roadside—in the darkness of night, at least, no one would notice a car hidden there unless they looked closely...
Although Wei Zhao judged that no one else was likely to come down this road, nothing in this world was absolute. Fearing some mishap, he disposed of Lazi's car, then hauled Lazi into the thicket and dumped him on the ground, planting a foot on his chest to pin him helpless. Only then did he ask, "What does Tagan Long want with a spirit beast's essence core?"
"Huh?" Lazi blinked, caught off guard by such a question. He had assumed Wei Zhao would press him about the Tagan clan's secrets, never expecting him to ask after a spirit beast's essence core. Was this not a rather enormous leap in logic?
"If you don't want to suffer, talk fast!" Wei Zhao had no patience for games.
"All right... A spirit beast's essence core can be used to forge an essence core necklace. Didn't you know that?" Lazi seemed genuinely puzzled. It was no secret—at least, every great clan in Ruileida Town knew of it. The only oddity was that no one forged such things, save the Tagan clan...
"Forge an essence core necklace? What is an essence core necklace? What can it do? How is it forged?" Wei Zhao was taken aback. He had not imagined a spirit beast's essence core could serve such a purpose.
"An essence core necklace? You don't know that either?" Lazi found it strange that Wei Zhao seemed to know nothing at all, yet he explained anyway: "An essence core necklace is a kind of necklace that can raise one's attack and defense. It has a chance to increase one's offensive and defensive power..."
"What do you mean, a chance?" Wei Zhao was startled. So such a thing actually existed? Then it was a treasure indeed!
"That I don't know..." Lazi shook his head. "Because it's only a legendary thing. I've never seen one myself... It's just what everyone says..."
Wei Zhao nodded. Lazi did not look as though he were lying; the man's eyes were already wide with fright, and it seemed unlikely he would dare deceive him. Moreover, from Lazi's tone, the essence core necklace was apparently nothing especially mysterious or secret—plenty of people knew of it, so there was no need for concealment. Wei Zhao pressed on: "Then how is an essence core necklace forged?"
"That I truly don't know," said Lazi. "They say only a legendary artifact forger can make one, and that one must also possess the proper forging method..."
"A legendary artifact forger?" Wei Zhao gave a cold snort. "If it takes only a legendary artifact forger, then why would your Tagan clan go hunting for this spirit beast essence core? Why fall out with me and come to blows over it? Do you think any sane man would start a fight over something so vague and legendary in nature?"
"This... All right, I'll talk. The Tagan clan—I've heard they have an artifact forger. He's only an Earth-Rank forger and has mastered but a smattering of the craft, but he happens to possess the forging method for the essence core necklace..." Lazi told the plain truth; it was only hearsay even to him. "As for whether such a forger truly exists, I don't know either, because I've never seen him. I'm a nobody—there's little I know..."
"Oh. Then you can die now..." Wei Zhao said.
"No... no, please, Mr. Zhang, I'm just a small fry—whether I live or die means nothing to you. Please don't kill me..." Hearing that Wei Zhao meant to do away with him, Lazi was on the verge of tears. "I have a sixty-year-old mother above—already dead—and children below, not yet born, still crying to be fed..."