"Is this a 100,000-year Ambergris?" Chen Xiaobei lit up. "Well then! It would seem that I've hit the jackpot this time! Wahahaha…"
Octopus man gasped, "Childe… Chen… You were the one who scored this Ambergris? Are you like a professional Ambergris gambler?"
"No, I'm just an amateur. It was a lucky pick." Chen Xiaobei grinned.
"A lucky pick?" Octopus man nearly tripped over himself. "Childe Chen... that is some phenomenal luck you have!"
"Childe Chen, you're too humble." Ao Chun'er put on a grim look but there was awe in her eyes. "You were able to find that Ambergris because you must have some special secret know-how!"
"Why? Are you going to back out, princess?" Chen Xiaobei smiled. "I'm not comfortable taking something so valuable for free. Why don't you name a price, princess? I am willing to pay with Spiritual Stones!"
"No! That's not what I meant!" Ao Chun'er said. "I gave you the rock. So, whatever is inside belongs to you too. I will not renege, but I want to know your secret!"
"Since it's a secret, how can I tell anyone about it?" Chen Xiaobei smiled politely. "If you mean what you say, perhaps you could enlighten me on how much of an increase in combat power I can get from this Ambergris?"
"What cultivation level you at?" Ao Chun'er asked.
"Early phase of Ethereal Cultivation." Chen Xiaobei answered
"Ethereal cultivation…" Ao Chun'er tapped a finger against her chin. "A 100,000-year Ambergris can help you gain an increase... 10,000 combat power."
"Why is it only 10,000? If a 10,000-year Ambergris can help increase a person's combat power by 3,000, then shouldn't a 100,000-year Ambergris mean an increase of 30,000 combat power?" asked a perplexed and slightly disappointed Chen Xiaobei.
"That's not how an Ambergris works!" Ao Chun'er explained. "Its effect and the user's cultivation are inversely proportional! The higher the cultivation, the weaker the Ambergris' effect! Take a 10,000-year Ambergris, for example. An elite whose cultivation is below Celestial Cultivation can have a 3,000 combat power increase whereas a Celestial Cultivation elite can only have a 1,000 combat power increase! For an Ethereal Cultivation elite, it's basically useless! Similarly, a 100,000-year Ambergris will add 30,000 combat power to elites who are below Ethereal Cultivation, 10,000 combat power to Ethereal Cultivators, and nothing to G.o.d-Ascension cultivators. If there were no such constraints, our race would have used Ambergris to produce a mult.i.tude of Earth-G.o.d level elites!"
Ao Chun'er had given a very detailed, and logical explanation.
Chen Xiaobei nodded. "I understand now. The higher the cultivation, the more difficult it is to advance. That's common sense!"
"Are you disappointed?" Ao Chun'er asked empathetically.
Chen Xiaobei shook his head. "No, a 10,000 combat power increase would actually be considered as pretty good. I can save quite a lot of time!"
There were still a lot of Demonic Beast essences stored inside his body. If all of that was absorbed, he could increase both his combat power and health by approximately 100,000!
The catch was, that it would take one hour to increase 100 combat power and 100 health.
It would take him a total of 100 hours to increase 10,000 combat power – that's four days and four hours!
Right now, Chen Xiaobei was on a time-crunch!
On one hand, was his three-month deal with Lady Nuwo! On the other, was Luo Puti's martial arts compet.i.tion.
Chen Xiaobei would never give up either one!
Every minute and every second of Chen Xiaobei's time had to be carefully planned!
Right now, being able to save four days was a result that Chen Xiaobei was more than happy to see.
"Childe Chen, you can use this Ambergris now." Ao Chun'er said.
"There's no rush." Chen Xiaobei said. "Octopus brother, why were you in a rush when you got here? What happened?"
"Oh no! I almost forgot about that!" Octopus man smacked himself on the forehead. "The prince asked me to send for you immediately! Your royal highness, and Steward Pi should come with me too!"
"I have to go too?" Ao Chun'er held her breath. "Could grandfather's condition be worsening?"
"Yes.." Octopus man swallowed nervously. "His majesty's condition is getting worse. He could…die… anytime…"
"How did it become like that… What are those useless doctors doing…" The rim of the princess's eyes reddened.
Whoos.h.!.+
Ao Chun'er rushed out of the store towards the crystal palace, with Chen Xiaobei and the others at her heel.
...
In the royal crystal palace.
Chen Xiaobei was in no mood to admire the magical palace. He followed Steward Pi at an increasing speed into the Imperial Palace.
In the Neptune holy emperor's bedchamber.
There were about a dozen people of varied races from Neptunes to humans kneeling at the foot of the stone steps outside the palace. They were the doctors who were hired to cure the holy emperor.
Another dozen men and women of varied ages were inside the palace. From their dress-code and their aristocratic demeanor, Chen Xiaobei could tell that they were the royalties of Neptune Starfield.
Once she entered the bedchamber, Ao Chun'er threw herself to the emperor's bedside, and began weeping.
"Grandfather…Grandfather… Chun'er is here… Open your eyes to look at Chun'er… sniff… sob sob…"
"Chun'er! Stop crying… Don't disrupt grandfather's rest…" A few beautiful young mermaids gathered around the crying Ao Chun'er and pulled her away.
"Liancheng! Where is that Miracle Doctor you found? Why isn't he here yet?" A middle-aged man who looked very much like Ao Liancheng asked with a sense of urgency in his voice.
"I'm here!" Chen Xiaobei walked into the room behind Steward Pi.
Every pair of eyes in the room turned towards Chen Xiaobei.
The middle-aged man was livid. "Ao Liancheng! What kind of joke is this?! Don't you know what condition your grandfather is in? This matter affects the survival of our entire race, and you've got us a kid? Have you lost your mind?"
"Father…" Ao Liancheng said with conviction. "Childe Chen is extraordinary! I've seen his skills with my very own eyes! He is worthy to be called a Miracle Doctor! Please let him take a look at grandfather!"
"Shut up!" The middle-aged man barked. "As the royal elite member of the Neptune race, I will not permit anyone to make a joke out of his majesty's life! This is equal to making a joke of the lives of the hundreds and millions of Neptune's citizens!"
"I…" Ao Liancheng was bereft of speech.
Chen Xiaobei stepped in. "I'm not joking around. If you don't let me cure your holy emperor. He will draw his last breath in 10 minutes' time!"
