A Transaction

In the southern part of Sacred Pill City, above a vast plaza, a huge silver vortex was slowly rotating. Upon closer inspection, the vortex was found to be composed entirely of Space Power hidden in the world.

The square was bustling with people. Some were there to attend the Pill Gathering, some wanted to meet Alchemist, and others came to sell rare and precious materials in exchange for Pills.

A black warship, with an extremely unassuming appearance and measuring tens of meters wide and hundreds of meters long, suddenly burst out of the whirlpool.

There's nothing particularly special about this place. It's Space Wormhole connecting Sacred Pill City to other parts of the Central Continent. People who are too far away will generally reach Sacred Pill City through the Space Wormhole.

As for warships, there is also a special mode of transportation in the Space Wormhole called a space ship, which can travel at high speed in the Space Wormhole. Every day, hundreds or thousands of space ships sail out of this wormhole.

However, when the warship hovered above the plaza for a long time without shrinking and being retracted like the other spaceships, everyone began to realize that something was wrong.

A wild and untamed aura slowly emanated from the warship, and then one after another, jet-black Four-Winged Unicorn took flight from the deck of the warship and came into everyone's sight.

"What kind of Magical Beast is that?!"

"A single horn on its head and four wings on its back, could it be Four-Winged Unicorn? Weren't those Magical Beast extinct in ancient times?"

"Four-Winged Unicorn?! This kind of Magical Beast is probably second only to the Three Great Beast Races, right? The best among them can break through to the Eighth Grade Magical Beast, comparable to Dou Zun expert!"

"These Four-Winged Unicorn are all at the level of Fifth Grade Magical Beasts, and they have already formed groups and become a race. In other words, there is a high probability that there are also Eighth Rank Unicorn..."

"I'm more curious about which faction this is. None of the four major sects, One Hall, One Tower, two sects Three Valleys, or Four Directions Pavilion in the Central Continent have ever been known to have tamed Unicorn..."

Upon hearing this, the square fell silent.

Each Unicorn had a Dou Wang expert standing on its back, but these Dou Wang expert were dressed like soldiers, wearing complete sets of armor, clearly belonging to the "lower ranks" of a certain force.

At the center of them were two beings who stood on the void, able to float in the air without needing Dou Qi Wings. Although they had concealed their auras, their ease in using Space Power clearly indicated that they were Dou Zong experts.

These were just some of the creatures that flew out of the warship; there seemed to be other people on board...

The warship hovered there quietly, without blocking the Space Wormhole. The people maintaining order in the square noticed that something was wrong and immediately reported it to the higher-ups of the Pill Tower.

Before long, an old man with a dark complexion arrived, once again causing the crowd in the square to gasp in surprise. This man was Tian Lei Zi, one of the Pill Tower Three Giants, and a legendary figure who had once fought against the Soul Hall Master.

The captain gave Tian Lei Zi an arrogant look, showing none of the humility he displayed in front of Xiao Yan.

"People of the Gu Clan?" Tian Lei Zi asked with a somewhat solemn expression.

Although Tian Lei Zi is Eighth Grade Alchemist and Peak Dou Zun, these are nothing compared to the Gu Clan. Only his status as one of the Pill Tower Three Greats gives him the right to communicate with the Gu Clan.

It's important to know that while the Gu Clan have no overt presence, they actually send out invitations to all the major powers of the Dou Qi Continent for each coming- Coming of Age Ceremony.

All the forces that received the invitations had one thing in common—they possessed true Dou Sheng Expert.

In other words, if he weren't a member of the Pill Tower, Tian Lei Zi wouldn't even know about the existence of the Gu Clan.

"My young master has a business deal to discuss with your Pill Tower," the captain said casually.

Tian Lei Zi frowned, his face full of wrinkles. In his memory, the Gu Clan seemed to be hostile to the Soul Hall. Now that they had come to the Pill Tower, he wondered if they were going to take action against the Soul Hall...

However, since the young master of the Gu Clan had come in person, Tian Lei Zi couldn't refuse him. He could only step aside slightly and point to the tall tower in the inner city of Sacred Pill City, saying, "Please!"

After saying this, Tian Lei Zi led the way in front of the warship.

The unassuming warship followed closely behind Tian Lei Zi, slowly flying into the inner city, casting a massive shadow that left everyone speechless.

Finally, Xiao Yan and an old man with white hair and beard entered a secret room.

The white-haired old man was Xuan Kongzi, a good friend of Old Yao. As for Tian Lei Zi, he was entertaining guests outside, along with one of Xiao Yan's Half-Saint.

The warships were moored elsewhere, and they were also received by special personnel.

The Pill Tower were indeed incredibly arrogant, but they were much more polite to the Gu Clan and offered them many privileges.

"Senior's aura is solid; you have a good chance of breaking through to the Half-Saint realm within a hundred years!" Xiao Yan spoke first, breaking the silence between the two.

Xuan Kongzi raised an eyebrow, sensing Xiao Yan's goodwill, and immediately relaxed a lot, replying, "Young friend, you are already a Dou Zun expert at such a young age. With such talent, it probably won't be long before you break through to Dou Sheng."

"Then I'll take your kind words, senior." Xiao Yan replied politely the whole way, then suddenly made a face and said, "Junior Xiao Yan, my master Venerable Yao Chen, and I have been ordered to come and win the Pill Gathering Champion!"

Xuan Kongzi's face stiffened, his nostrils flared slightly, and he almost swore out in surprise.

Back then, Xuan Kongzi and Yao Chen were in the same Pill Gathering. Yao Chen, who won the championship. Now, Xuan Kongzi has taken on a very satisfactory disciple, Cao Ying from the Cao Family. In her early twenties, she has already broken through to become Eighth Grade Alchemist.

Xuan Kongzi originally intended to have his disciple win the Pill Gathering Champion to fulfill his own wish from back then.

Xiao Yan's words directly awakened Xuan Kongzi's less-than-pleasant memories.

Taking a deep breath, the joy of seeing his old friend alive finally dispelled the lingering regret of the past. Xuan Kongzi asked with concern, "How is that old fellow Yao Chen now?"

"I'm preparing to revive myself with the Half-Saint Skeleton, but my strength isn't enough to activate the Heavenly Flames to temper the Half-Saint Skeleton, so I'm still waiting." Xiao Yan's tone was very relaxed, and he added, "Once I win the Pill Gathering Champion and go back, I'll have Old Yao revive myself. I should be able to break through to the Half-Saint directly."

"Don't keep mentioning that you won the Pill Gathering Champion. This year, there are Three Thousand Burning Flame as prizes. Many old guys have abandoned their pride and signed up to participate in the Pill Gathering. There are even some Eighth Grade Alchemist among them," Xuan Kongzi said, sounding a bit breathless.

"Not only that, as far as I know, the Yao Clan from the Ancient Race has also sent people to register for the Pill Gathering, attempting to seize the Three Thousand Burning Flame. They're really willing to forgo even meeting with the Ancient Race for the sake of Heavenly Flames!" Xiao Yan instantly became indignant, sharing Xuan Kongzi's righteous indignation.

"..." Xuan Kongzi glanced at Xiao Yan with disdain, not wanting to speak.

"Actually, I came here this time to ask the Pill Tower for help with something, by leveraging my relationship with Old Yao and the senior." Xiao Yan said seriously.

Before Xuan Kongzi could speak, Xiao Yan plucked a lotus seed from the Green Lotus Platform in his dantian, opened his palm, and showed it to Xuan Kongzi.

This lotus seed had evolved along with the Green Lotus, and was naturally very different from the Earth Fire Essence. The pure and enormous fire attribute energy was firmly locked inside the lotus seed, and not a trace of its aura was released. Only a faint fragrance wafted into the noses of the two of them.

The lotus seed is about half the size of a fist, and its whole body is a Cyan Gold color. It looks metallic, but it feels warm and smooth to the touch, like warm Warm Jade.

"... What kind of Medicinal Herbs is this?" Xuan Kongzi instantly forgot about Xiao Yan's offer to help and began to study the lotus seed.

"Senior and my teacher are such good friends, you must have heard of the Flame Mantra, right?" Xiao Yan kept everyone in suspense.

"Oh?" Xuan Kongzi raised an eyebrow, then seemed to realize something and muttered to himself:

"It roughly resembles the lotus seed of the Green Lotus Core Flame; however, its concealed aura and vitality are somewhat like the Life Spirit Flame; its highly spiritual appearance is also like the Fallen Heart Flame; this golden color should be the Gu Clan's Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame? The Gu Clan gave you this Heavenly Flames?"

Xuan Kongzi analyzed for a while before looking up at Xiao Yan with some confusion and asking, "You've already refined four Heavenly Flames?"

This is unbelievable! When did Heavenly Flames start appearing in such large numbers?

"Senior's insight is truly remarkable," Xiao Yan said with a smile.

"..." Although he had some guesses, Xuan Kongzi was still shocked to receive the confirmation.

"You are Yao Chen's disciple. Since you asked me for help, I will naturally help you take this lotus seed back if I can. In the future, you will definitely be able to subdue more Heavenly Flames, and the lotus seed will be most useful if it is in your hands."

Xuan Kongzi stroked the Green-Gold Lotus Seed for a while before reluctantly putting it down and pushing it forward to Xiao Yan.

"Senior, please take it. I have ten more in my hand." Xiao Yan pushed it back.

Of course, the real reason Xiao Yan took out the lotus seed was that its potential had reached its limit.

Unlike the Heavenly Flames stored in the lotus heart, which is always nourished by the Green Lotus, the connection between the lotus seed and the Green Lotus is much weaker. After several evolutions, its potential has been exhausted. Now, the Green Lotus seems to be giving birth to new lotus seeds, rather than evolving the lotus seeds that have already formed.

If Xiao Yan doesn't collect those lotus seeds now, he won't be able to harvest any more.

However, the Green-Gold Lotus Seed of today are quite remarkable. These lotus seeds, which have gathered the power of various Heavenly Flames, can greatly temper the body and Dou Qi if consumed directly. They may even imbue the Dou Qi with special flames, making them comparable to some mid-to-lower-ranking Heavenly Flames.

Furthermore, the immense energy contained within the Green-Gold Lotus Seed is extremely suitable for breaking through the bottleneck of the Dou Zun Realm.

Most importantly...

"Senior, after being tempered by the Life Spirit Flame, this lotus seed might be able to grow into a new Green Lotus?"

Xiao Yan's calm and collected words struck Xuan Kongzi's heart like a heavy hammer, instantly shattering his mental defenses.

"Ahem..." Xuan Kongzi silently put away the Green-Gold Lotus Seed, trying his best to remain calm, and said, "I will try my best to help you. If your request violates the rules of the Pill Tower, then I can only act in my personal capacity, and the effect will be limited."

"That's how it is." Xiao Yan said seriously, "I am actually a member of the Xiao Clan. Back then, Xiao Xuan, the Patriarch the Xiao Clan, had a very good relationship with the Ancestor Fen Tian. Later, the Ancestor Fen Tian founded the Burning Flame Valley, and the Xiao Clan fell into decline. The relationship between the two deteriorated considerably."

"I hope that you, senior, can take the lead and let me get to know the current Burning Flame Valley Master better."

Xuan Kongzi thought for a moment and said in a deep voice, "Yao Chen has some connection with the previous Burning Flame Valley Master, so it won't be difficult for you to get acquainted with Tang Zhen."

"Besides, your talent is undeniable. Given the opportunity, Tang Zhen would actively try to build a good relationship with you."

At this point, Xuan Kongzi curled his lip and said, "I think you've got your eye on the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire of Burning Flame Valley, haven't you?"

"I do have that idea," Xiao Yan admitted without hesitation.

"Forget about the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire. It's the inherited Heavenly Flames of Burning Flame Valley, imprinted with an indelible... difficult... Blood Soul Mark. Every generation of Burning Flame Valley master refines the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire and then activates it with the Heavenly Fire Three Profound Transformations. It can increase one or two stars of strength at the Dou Zun Realm. It's impossible for us to give it up," Xuan Kongzi said, carefully choosing his words.

"Actually, the Heavenly Fire Three Profound Transformations was created by my ancestor Xiao Xuan and given to Ancestor Fen Tian," Xiao Yan added weakly.

"..." Xuan Kongzi narrowed his eyes. Is this about the Heavenly Fire Three Profound Transformations? Can't you tell the important thing?

"That's why I need to ask you for help, senior. My high moral standards prevent me from doing something like forcibly seizing the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire of Burning Flame Valley." Xiao Yan sighed, his face full of difficulty.

"Looking for me won't work. I'm one of the Pill Tower Three Greats, but I can't have the final say in the Pill Tower. It's even more impossible for me to persuade Tang Zhen to hand over the lifeblood of Burning Flame Valley to you."

Xuan Kongzi sighed and took out the Green-Gold Lotus Seed again—he was too embarrassed to accept this incomparably precious lotus seed since he couldn't get the job done.

"By the way, senior." Xiao Yan took out five more Green-Gold Lotus Seed and pushed them all in front of Xuan Kongzi: "Please use these Green-Gold Lotus Seed to purchase the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire from Valley Master Tang Zhen."

Xuan Kongzi was slightly taken aback, then his eyes widened suddenly.

"There are six Green-Gold Lotus Seed here. Hmm... theoretically, they can grow into six Green Lotus. Given enough time, who knows how many Heavenly Flames they can nurture."

"These six Green-Gold Lotus Seed are all entrusted to you, Senior. You can negotiate with Valley Master Tang Zhen. As for how many lotus seeds you can ultimately use to buy the Nine Dragon Thunder Gang Fire, that will depend on you, Senior."

Xiao Yan replied in a tone that left no room for refusal, even though it was a matter for discussion.

Xuan Kongzi fell silent.

Will he refuse? Is he able to refuse?

After struggling with inner turmoil for a full breath, Xuan Kongzi suddenly stared at Xiao Yan: "How could I be such a person!"

After saying that, Xuan Kongzi waved his sleeve, and several lotus seeds were put into his storage Storage Ring. He said coldly, "What do you take me for? I and Yao Chen are close friends. As Yao Chen's disciple, if you need help, how could I refuse?"

Xiao Yan apologized humbly, "Senior is very understanding and righteous. I underestimated you."

"Hmph!" Xuan Kongzi snorted coldly and waved his sleeve again, "You can stay in Sacred Pill City for now. This matter will be resolved soon."

"Can we get the results before I win the Pill Gathering Champion? I can't stay outside the Gu Clan for too long."

"Roll!"

"Okay!"