Battle Through the Heavens: A Dragon at the Start

Chapter 14 Mittel Tengshan

The Milt family, the capital of the Gama Empire.

Outside the luxurious mansion, an old man and a young boy stood there.

"Old Hai, doesn't your pride work at all?"

"The guards don't recognize me. My influence is only useful if I meet with the higher-ups of the Mittel family... No, even if I do, it might not be useful."

"..."

Qi Lie was speechless and shook his head helplessly. Then he looked at the guards blocking his way, his fighting spirit surged, and his wings suddenly spread out.

"Go and report it."

"A Dou-Wang level expert... Please wait a moment, my lord, I'll go and inform him right away!"

The guards at the gate were shocked and immediately ran into the mansion.

Five minutes later, a middle-aged man hurriedly walked out of the mansion, followed by the guard who had gone in to report earlier.

"I apologize for keeping you both waiting." The middle-aged man apologized sincerely, then said, "Young master, sir, my name is Mittel Tengqing, an elder of the Mittel family. The Grand Elder is currently in a meeting, and I have already sent someone to inform him. Please come with me into the mansion and have a seat, shall we?"

Qi Lie, thinking about how he would have to offend Hai Bodong later, suddenly remembered that respecting the elderly and caring for the young was a fine virtue. He looked at Hai Bodong, extended his hand, and smiled, "Elder Hai, please."

Hai Bodong knew exactly what this guy was thinking, but he was polite nonetheless. He snorted, tilted his head back, and strode into the mansion first.

Qi Lie followed half a step behind Hai Bodong.

Led by Mittel Tengqing, the two arrived at a reception room.

"Please wait a moment, the Grand Elder will be here shortly."

Mittel Tengqing said apologetically, and then left under the pretext of urging others to hurry.

Qi Lie leaned back in his chair, relaxed. He glanced around the reception room, then looked at Hai Bodong and said, "Elder Hai, how about we make another bet?"

Hai Bodong raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are we betting on?"

Old gambling addict!

Qi Lie made his judgment about Hai Bodong in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He smiled and said, "Let's bet on whether I can refine a fourth-grade pill within six months. The stake is..."

"No gambling!"

Hai Bodong resolutely refused; he would no longer gamble with Qi Lie on the other's alchemy skills!

"I haven't even said the stakes yet. If you win..."

"No gambling!"

Qi Lie chuckled and didn't bring it up again.

A few minutes later, an elderly man dressed in a magnificent robe strode into the reception room.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. My name is Mittel Tengshan. I greet you both."

The old man greeted him with a smile, but when his gaze swept over Hai Bodong, he suddenly stopped, looking somewhat suspicious and incredulous, his eyes scanning Hai Bodong up and down.

Hai Bodong glanced at the old man and said calmly, "It seems I've changed a lot; even you didn't dare to recognize me at first."

"Elder Hai! It really is you!" the old man in the splendid robe said excitedly. "I never thought I would see you again today. Back then, you left and never returned. I used almost all my strength, but I couldn't find a trace of you."

"Some things happened back then, so I went into seclusion for so many years, but thankfully, everything is fine now..." Hai Bodong glanced at the excited old man, his indifferent face softening considerably, and said.

"Tengshan, it's been so many years. You've become a Dou Wang powerhouse. You've shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Mittel family well. From now on, you should continue to manage the Mittel family. I don't want to interfere too much right now. I think it won't be long before that old monster in the palace finds out about my return."

"Hehe, Elder Hai's return is naturally the greatest joy for the Mittel family." The old man known as Tengshan is naturally the head of the Mittel family and one of the ten strongest people in the Gama Empire, Mittel Tengshan.

Hai Bodong waved his hand, saying that they could reminisce later, as they had important business to attend to now.

"Tengshan, I've come back this time because I need the Mittel family's help. Of course, the final decision is in your hands."

"Mr. Hai, you're being too serious. Your matter concerns the Mittel family. Please speak."

Hai Bodong stared at Tengshan for a moment before looking away and slowly standing up.

"Tengshan, let me introduce you. This is Qi Lie, Young Master Qi. Please get to know him first... Young Master Qi, his name is Mittel Tengshan. You can discuss that matter with him."

Tengshan turned his gaze to Qi Lie. He had thought Qi Lie was just a follower, but he hadn't expected that Elder Hai would introduce him so solemnly.

"My name is Mittel Tengshan. I greet Young Master Qi." Tengshan greeted him politely with a cupped hand.

Seeing this, Qi Lie finally stood up slowly and said with a light laugh, "Elder Tengshan, you're too kind. Let's all sit down first."

"good!"

After everyone was seated, Tengshan looked at Hai Bodong and asked, "Elder Hai, what was it you were referring to earlier?"

Hai Bodong glanced at Qi Lie, and seeing that the other party had no intention of speaking, he had to speak himself.

"Tengshan, for some reason, I am now an attendant of this Young Master Qi, and the matter I mentioned that requires the help of the Mittel family is also related to Young Master Qi."

"Attendants?" Upon hearing this, Mittel Tengshan's expression changed slightly.

Hai Bodong said to himself, "I have a bet with Young Master Qi. If he can advance to the third-grade alchemist within six months, I will have the Mittel family fully support him to continue improving his alchemy skills. Now, there is still one month left until the agreed six months, and I have already lost this bet."

"It should be added that when the bet was made, Young Master Qi had only successfully refined a first-grade pill once."

"What?!"

Teng Shan jumped to his feet, his face filled with shock. In just six months, he had gone from almost zero knowledge to a third-grade alchemist. Was he even human?!

Tengshan subconsciously glanced at Hai Bodong, even doubting the truthfulness of what Hai Bodong said!

Hai Bodong calmly took a sip of tea. He wasn't as surprised as Tengshan was back then; Tengshan was still too young.

Teng Shan slowly suppressed his shock and looked at Qi Lie.

"Young Master Qi, it is not that I intended to offend you, but this matter is simply too unbelievable... I find it hard to believe!"

Hai Bodong said calmly, "Only I can prove the six-month bet. However, Young Master Qi previously purchased medicinal herbs and pill formulas in bulk twice at the Mittel Auction House, and also sold a large quantity of first and second-grade pills. You can confirm these with the rotating elder at the time. Moreover, even without mentioning the past six months, Young Master Qi is only twenty-one years old. A twenty-one-year-old third-grade alchemist is a top genius in the Jia Ma Empire based on this alone."

Tengshan was caught in a dilemma. He believed that Hai Bodong would not lie to him, but the matter was too unbelievable for him to accept for the time being.

If such talent—advancing to a third-grade alchemist in half a year—is genuine, and if they can be recruited, it would be the greatest opportunity for the Mittel family. Elder Hai's bet with him was probably also driven by this idea: to secure an opportunity for the Mittel family to support this young master Qi.

That's right, it's an opportunity!

Such talent would be highly sought after by powerful forces even in the Northwest Continent. To be able to come to the Mittel family is simply incredible luck!

However, as the head of the Mittel family, he had too many things to consider. To fully support an alchemist would require a huge investment of resources. If it failed and this young master Qi was stuck at the third rank, then he would be a sinner to the family.

Hai Bodong quietly sipped his tea. If the Mittel family didn't listen to him, he would only lose face in front of Qi Lie. But if that were the case, once he recovered his strength and returned to the family, all the foolish high-ranking members of the Mittel family could be thrown into the desert to mine for the family.

Qi Lie didn't care at all. When he made the bet, he had no concept of his talent. He thought that improving his alchemy skills would require burning through countless amounts of money. He didn't have that much money himself, so he thought of finding a power that could support him. Unexpectedly, he only spent a few million gold coins to improve his alchemy skills to the third rank. Judging from the proportion he had spent before, he could completely refine medicine to support himself and continue to improve. It would just take a little more time. The investment from the Mittel family was not indispensable.

After a long silence, Teng Shan's expression hardened. He looked at Qi Lie and asked, "Young Master Qi, I believe what Elder Hai said and am willing to help him fulfill the bet and forge a good relationship with you. However, this matter is of great importance, and I need to discuss it with the elders of my family. What do you think?"

Qi Lie chuckled and nodded, saying, "No problem."

After saying that, he looked at Hai Bodong and said with a half-smile, "Old Hai, you wait here and let me know when you have the results."

Hai Bodong's expression was somewhat unpleasant, but he still nodded, still harboring some hope for the final outcome.

Qi Lie withdrew his gaze, not even glancing at Teng Shan, and stood up to leave. The moment he turned around, the smile on Qi Lie's face vanished, replaced by an indifferent expression.

What a waste of time!