Heretic Apothecary Genius

Chapter 43: Disciple at the Ninth Level of the Divine Power Realm

“After hearing your words I realized that I have been living in vain. No wonder they say that it kills to compare. My life is nothing compared to someone like you. I have always lived to gamble, and when I was eight I even broke off two of my fingers as a gift to my teacher in order to learn gambling from him. However, I have never regretted that because this is my only passion. My teacher told me that gambling is an endless art, but unfortunately, I have never been able to gain enlightenment.

“My teacher said that there is more to gambling than winning or losing and that it is something very sacred, worthy of devoting a lifetime to it. I have been working hard, but even though Chang Le Casino has become one of the three biggest casinos in the Jade Capital, it still feels like I have not changed anything, much less reached the level you just mentioned. After hearing your words, I have no regrets in this life. If not because of your status, I would be willing to cut my lifespan by 30 years and spend the remaining 20 years following you as a disciple to learn.

“Only you are of a distinguished status and I dare not put myself next to you. My only hope is to help expand the gambling scene. If I’m able to see it reach its full potential, then I can say that I have not lived in vain,” Chang Laosi said as he got down on his knees respectfully, becoming the one begging Ren Jie instead.

Nothing else was of more importance to Chang Laosi at this point in time.

F*ck!

Gao Ren was confused as he looked on. How could this be?

But when he thought about it, he realized that he would stop at nothing to follow a person who could show him such an unimaginable future in the Apocathery field.

Gao Ren was equally obsessed with Apocathery and he wished to become the most powerful Alchemist, even more so than the ones in legends.

Hence, he was able to understand Chang Laosi’s actions. But he felt strange as he looked at Ren Jie.

How did he not know after so long that he knew such things? He had been taken for a gullible fool in the past, and if not for Gao Ren’s help he would not have won a single time.

Meanwhile, Chang Laosi looked at him as though he was a loyal disciple who had just seen God. One look and you could tell how devoted he was. Besides this, nothing else mattered.

Yeah! Ren Jie also let out a huge sigh. Before he brought up this request to the Fangs he had recalled from his memories that Chang Laosi was crazy over gambling, and the casino he operated was more than just a casino, he was doing it for more than just profits.

Now that he had seen it, he knew he was right. People like this did not only want money, like how difficult it was for an Alchemist to reach the peak in their career if they did it merely for the money and not for a dream or passion. In every field there existed people obsessed over their trade, and this served as a motivation far greater than any monetary incentive, for that was their religion.

Ren Jie had prepared many things to persuade Chang Laosi, but he did not expect that he would achieve his goal simply by speaking. This was far more effective than he had imagined.

“I believe you can tell that if you have my full support, you’ll have 10 times more than you have now even with half the shares. What’s more…”

“No!” Chang Laosi said emotionally before Ren Jie finished. “If I was doing it merely for the money then I would have been able to make a name for myself somewhere outside the Jade Capital and made 10 times more money than I have now. With my gambling skills, I could rule over the scene instead of living like this in the Jade Capital. My cultivation technique depends on my gambling. Hence, I need to have some kind of breakthrough in my gambling in order to experience a breakthrough in my cultivation technique. I have to stay in the Jade Capital to achieve my dream as well as to break through to the Yin Yang Realm. This is also why I set up the Chang Le Gang.

“I was enlightened after listening to what you said, and I can even feel that I’ll definitely reach a higher level in terms of my strength and gambling skills if gambling can really reach such a state. You don’t need to give me anything, but if you don’t mind, Chang Le Gang can be yours in the future, even my own assets too.” What were all these assets and manpower to him?

Chang Laosi was at the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm, and with that alone, he had the status to disregard nobles. Moreover, he was skilled in gambling as well. As he said, he had many choices, and any of them would make him much better than he was now.

After all, someone at the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm was a truly powerful person and only a step away from reaching superhuman strength. While someone at the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm was incredibly powerful, it would not help them increase their lifespan. The Yin Yang Realm was different in the sense that once someone achieved that level, their lifespan increased as well. Such was the difference between the two.

Chang Laosi was already very impressive for reaching the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm at his age. This was why nobody was willing to trifle with him and why the Chang Le Gang was able to reach their position at the top 10 gangs in the Jade Capital. It was also why various forces tried to win him over.

If the same people who tried to win him over realized that he was now on his knees begging Ren Jie to accept his fortunes and gang so as to follow him, they would think they were dreaming.

“There’s no need.” Ren Jie waved his hand. “Listen to me now. I will not be giving you too much, but of course, it will not be little either. You must accept it because it is not just for you but for your men as well as your descendants. I will hold 70% of the shares in the future while you will hold 10%, and your men will split another 10%. The last 10% will be used for charity. And I do not mean that it will be donated. They will be used where we can to help the people. You may not believe in divine existences, but you must believe in having a conscience and living by it. Strive to have your conscience clear in everything you do. 10% is not a lot, nor is it very little, but your 30% will always be there. Any future investments will be provided by my 70%, so trust that the power of cumulative interests will do its work.”

If it could really reach a state as Ren Jie said, then 10% was beyond imagination as well. What’s more, he did not have to devote any capital to enjoy 10% of the profits as well.

Even though others may not understand it, Chang Laosi, who always saw this as his dream and even depended on it to reach the Yin Yang Realm, understood it all too well.

“Listen to me.” Chang Laosi was very emotional and wanted to speak, but Ren Jie stopped him. “Even if you don’t mention it I will. Because of my identity, it may not be suitable for me to appear at times, so you will have to handle everything.”

Chang Laosi nodded his head vigorously as a way to express his feelings since Ren Jie did not allow him to speak.

“Hence, I will not let you come to any harm as well. I will not be like Fang Yan and the rest who only wanted to make use of your abilities to make money. I will officially take you as a disciple then, as the Ren Family Head. I can teach you some things, that should not be a problem. As my disciple, you’ll have the support of the Ren family, and it’ll not be behind-the-scenes support but a recognized one. Also, I did not say this earlier because I did not want you to put your guard up against me, but I was the one who suggested that they buy the Chang Le Casino from you. I guess I do not have to say much more.” Ren Jie knew that he had to cut the Gordian knot.

The Fangs wanted to make use of this chance to take over Chang Laosi and the Chang Le Gang so as to benefit from them forever. Moreover, Ren Jie knew that if Chang Laosi merely wanted to follow him then the Fangs would definitely try to get rid of him as they would not want the Rens to have someone at the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm. Given his age, there was even a possibility that he might reach the Yin Yang Realm.

Fang Yan, Fang Qi, and the rest were sure to exact revenge. And since they dare not direct it at him, they would definitely go for Chang Laosi and gang instead. Ren Jie had been concerned over what he should do about that, but when Chang Laosi mentioned wanting to become his disciple, Ren Jie was elated and decided to take him as one.

Only, he wished to clear up the issue before taking him as a disciple as he did not want to hide anything. He did not wish for Chang Laosi to ignore his words just because he had his guard up, but since he wanted to become his disciple now, Ren Jie decided to clear things up with him.

“This…” Chang Laosi could not believe his ears. He could not believe that after he knelt down and expressed his wishes to follow Ren Jie that he would be dragged into a fight between the two family clans and might even become a sacrificial lamb.

But he knew that he would not give up even if it meant death.

What he did not expect was for Ren Jie to consider everything. Ren Jie was trying to protect him.

Chang Laosi was shocked. Warmth filled his heart by Ren Jie’s last sentence. Ren Jie had no need to say that, but this showed that he was sincere towards Chang Laosi and truly wanted to treat him like one of his own people. While Ren Jie was the one who started this, it was apparent that the Fangs had long been plotting to devour the Chang Le Gang, which led to the incident today. Chang Laosi quickly understood their intentions.

“Why, did you not mean what you said? Do you not want to become my disciple now or do you think I’m trying to fool you?” Ren Jie asked jokingly.

“Thud… thud… thud…” Chang Laosi gave three heavy kowtows and said emotionally, “Chang Laosi gives his greetings, Master.”

That’s it, that’s the damn end.

Insane, everyone had gone insane.

Fatty had lost all his words as he grabbed onto his hair wanting to tear them out.

Everything was too… too… too unbelievable.

How could Ren Jie take a disciple who was at the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm, ninth level of the Divine Power Realm! Even the Emperor would want to win over someone like him. What’s more, he had the potential to reach the Yin Yang Realm. He could become someone who could back a whole family clan for a century!

Someone at the ninth level of the Divine Power Realm could have started a clan by himself, and if he reached the Yin Yang Realm, he would definitely be of a caliber that even the family clans would not dare offend him.

Now… he was… becoming a disciple. That was insane!