Eternal Cultivation of Alchemy

Alex arrived in the resting hall of the Dragon Palace a few hours after his arrival. He had let know the Dragon Emperor of his arrival and was taken to him afterward.

The Dragon Emperor was already there, waiting for him.

"I thought you would come earlier," the Dragon Emperor said. "I had told my son to let you message me as soon as you arrived. Did he forget"

"Greetings to you too, Dragon Emperor," Alex said, sitting next to the Dragon Emperor. "I took my time purposefully."

"Greetings are not needed between us. We only just talked not long ago," the man said, looking at Alex.

"Of course," Alex said with a smile. "To you who had lived for nearly 10 thousand years, a year or two is nothing. But for me it's quite honestly still a long time. Not as long as it would be for a mortal, but my age is still that of a mortal's."

"Showing off?" the Dragon Emperor asked.

"Of course not," Alex said with a chuckle. "Just saying."

The Dragon Emperor nodded, taking to heart no words. "So, why did you make me wait? You said it was purposeful."

"I thought you would need some time to go through the records your soldiers brought back," Alex said. "That was why you sent them away, didn't you?"

"I did," the Dragon Emperor said. "And I got them back as well. I had been intending to go through them later, but you decided to take your time."

"My wait served its purpose then," Alex said.

"Is it true that the country that you come from does not have a sovereign?" the Dragon Emperor asked. "No ruler, no king. Nothing."

Alex nodded. "There were some for a bring period in the past I believe, but they soon disappeared as the land was unified and what emerged was a single government, a group of people that did what the people wanted."

The Dragon Emperor mused. "Why did no one try to become its leader?" he asked. "Every other place has one."

"Not every place," Alex said. "The Northern Continent doesn't have a ruler of any sort."

"Those 5 major sects that they have rule 5 regions of their continent. They are rulers, although they don't name themselves as such," the Dragon Emperor said.

Alex thought for a moment and nodded. "You're right. I wasn't thinking of it that way," he said. He thought for a little longer and came to realize that the Central continent was really just the only place in this world without a ruler who could do things the way they wanted without noticeable repercussions.

As for why it was that way, Alex had some idea. It had to do with the world known as Earth, the place where the humans and the culture of the Central Continent had come from.

"I suppose the reason no one tried to become a ruler is because no one thinks like that. Not having a ruler is normal in the Central Continent, so no one wants to become one if that makes sense," Alex said.

"That makes sense under the context of isolation," the Dragon Emperor. "Your previous continent was isolated, never met with the culture of the outside world. But that is not the case anymore. People who have lived a considerable amount of time outside will have brought back a culture that they're used to. Will your continent still remain the same after this?"

"I hope so," Alex said, before thinking deeply about the topic. He hadn't seen anyone try such a thing, despite the strength they brought back and the knowledge that there are people outside that rule over them.

After considering all the facts, one truth remained in his mind. His continent wasn't without a ruler.

"I don't believe your isolated land is without a ruler," the Dragon Emperor said, following a similar logic that Alex took. "While not an outright ruler, your continent still has a secret ruler that people are afraid to go against. The only reason they don't see him as one is because he never shows himself, except sending a message once in a few years."

Alex didn't nod, but internally he knew that to be true. Senior Yang, whether he had wanted to or not, now ruled the broader aspects of the world.

"Maybe," Alex said.

"You know who it is, don't you?" the Dragon Emperor asked. "You've met them."

Alex nodded. "I have," he said.

"Who is he?" the Dragon Emperor asked curiously.

"I can't tell you," Alex said, somewhat surprised he even got the gender right. Senior Yang wasn't doing his best to hide himself it seemed.

"Why not?" the Dragon Emperor asked.

"If senior wanted to, he would reveal himself," Alex said. "I do not wish to be the one to spread his information when he doesn't wish to. I don't want to be on his wrong side."

The Dragon Emperor remained silent for a while, clearly judging Alex's words before letting go of the topic.

"So, moving on, it is time for you to complete that time of the trade, isn't it?" the Dragon Emperor said.

"Is it that time already?" Alex asked with a hint of chuckle. "I hadn't realized."

"You said you would do it before the Cave of Frost opens up. It's opening up in 2 months from what I hear, so it is about time," the Dragon Emperor said. "I already completed my half of the trade, so it's your turn."

Alex nodded seriously this time around.

The last time he had talked to the Dragon Emperor in order to let the people go back to the Central Continent, he had refused. Even after a lot of discussion, the Dragon Emperor simply didn't want to open up a connection between the two continents that had once been shattered.

As such, he had to give away a bit to the Dragon Emperor to open up the gateway to the Eastern Continent, so he could deal with the situation around the two seeds.

Perhaps because Alex had been considering the importance of the two seeds being dealt with a massive priority, the oath they had spoken on ended up giving a bit more leeway to the Emperor, and Alex ended up trading not just for this part, but also the one 6 years later.

As of yet, he only had the final trade some decade later remaining as the next two had been already settled upon.

It was unfortunate, but it was necessary. 

He brought out something from his storage ring. Despite his Soul Space, he wasn't using it all the time to not let people know he had it. At least, he would only use it in private.

From the storage ring came out a white mushroom, the second knowledge he planned on trading with the Dragon Emperor. He placed it before him and spoke.

"This is a—"

"World Defying Mushroom," the Dragon Emperor completed his words.

Alex paused. "You know about this?" he asked.

"Of course, we have many here," the Dragon Emperor said. He narrowed his eyes. "We use it all the time. Surely this isn't what you wanted to trade to me today, right?"