Another Crippled Man

Yan Shi and Feng Li, who had planned to risk everything to capture Xiao Yan and win themselves a chance at survival, froze. Since Gu He's life was no longer in danger, notifying the Misty Cloud Sect to pay a ransom could be considered protective, couldn't it?

Moreover, Queen Medusa was clearly not the only strong expert here. The Snake Person waiting outside was also a Dou Wang. If they truly fought, two Dou Wangs would simply be throwing their lives away.

Just as the two hesitated, Yun Yun moved.

With a drawn sword in hand, Yun Yun shot straight toward Queen Medusa like a startled swan.

Queen Medusa smiled disdainfully and casually waved her hand. A massive energy serpent immediately rose to block Yun Yun.

Although Queen Medusa had only just completed her evolution and had expended a great deal of energy, she was still not someone Yun Yun, a Two Star Dou Emperor, could contend with.

However, Yun Yun twisted through the air, evading the massive energy serpent and instead stabbing toward Xiao Yan at the side, who had been utterly... fully armed.

At some point, Xiao Yan had leaped down from his seat. He planted the heavy Heavy Black Ruler before him, spread a pair of Green Crystal Wings behind his back, and covered his body in a layer of green crystal. Upon closer inspection, a faint layer of flowing green magma could be seen beneath the crystal.

"Clang!"

Yun Yun's sword struck the heavy Heavy Black Ruler before Xiao Yan. Yet, with a beat of his wings, Xiao Yan retreated to dissipate the force and used the momentum to widen the distance between them.

With that strike having failed, Yun Yun no longer had another opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Yun Yun sighed softly. "I never expected your alchemy to be so exceptional, nor that you would lack nothing in combat experience."

Then, Yun Yun gave up resisting and allowed Queen Medusa behind her to cast the Snake Seal Curse.

An illusory energy serpent drilled into Yun Yun's body. Almost instantly, countless wrinkles appeared across her skin, her full head of black hair turned gray-white, and her body involuntarily hunched over. Her Dou Qi had fallen to merely the level of a Da Dou Shi.

The Snake Seal Curse cast by Queen Medusa, now a Dou Zong, was even more terrifying.

"We are willing to stay temporarily with the Snake People Clan! Yan Shi, Feng Li, I must trouble you to bring the news to the Misty Cloud Sect and the Jia Ma Imperial Family!"

Seeing Yun Yun captured, Gu He could no longer remain seated. He stepped forward and supported the unsteady Yun Yun.

Yan Shi and Feng Li exchanged a glance. With Gu He's clear instructions, they no longer needed to struggle with their decision. They turned and ran out of the temple.

Xiao Yan drifted lightly to the ground and extended his hand toward Gu He, who had been knocked aside, and the aged Yun Yun. "Hand over your Storage Rings—consider it the price of trying to ambush me."

"My Storage Ring contains secrets passed down only within the sect. If you want it, you'll have to kill me first." Yun Yun's tone was calm, as though having her Dou Qi sealed had not affected her state of mind at all.

"I had prepared a Form Transformation Pill for the exchange of the Heavenly Flame. I believe that is enough to compensate for our offense."

Gu He hurriedly cut Xiao Yan off to stop him from actually killing the stubborn Yun Yun. He took a Jade Bottle from his Storage Ring and handed it to Queen Medusa.

Queen Medusa looked with some interest at the pill that was enough to drive all Magical Beasts mad, but ultimately withdrew her gaze. "The one whose forgiveness you need is not me."

Gu He immediately realized the gravity of the situation. He had never imagined that Queen Medusa, now a Dou Zong, would still show such respect to a Fifth Grade Alchemist.

"Heh, trying to sow discord, are you?" Xiao Yan sneered. "I can forgo the Misty Cloud Sect's secret inheritance, but you have to hand over everything else."

After a moment of silence, Yun Yun took three scrolls from her Storage Ring and hid them against her body before handing the Storage Ring over to Xiao Yan.

No matter how unwilling Gu He was, he had no choice but to hand over his Storage Ring and the Form Transformation Pill as well.

After checking them over, Xiao Yan found a few particularly valuable items: an ancient Medicine Cauldron, a Seventh Grade Pill Recipe, three Sixth Grade Pill Recipes, a Form Transformation Pill, and a Di Tier Low fire-element Cultivation Method.

Those were the good items found in Gu He's Storage Ring. As for Yun Yun's Storage Ring, it contained a jumble of miscellaneous things, such as Xuan Tier Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques, as well as Fifth Grade or lower pills.

Xiao Yan rummaged through them for quite a while before snarling, "Where's the Na Ling?"

"I didn't bring it. Nor could I possibly refine a Heavenly Flame here." Gu He had failed to obtain the Heavenly Flame and had lost over half his wealth, so he could not help but become somewhat defiant.

"You people are really poor!" Xiao Yan smacked his lips, put away the Medicine Cauldron, Pill Recipes, and Di Tier Cultivation Method, then tossed everything else to Queen Medusa.

"Who could compare to you? You gave me a Seventh Grade Pill like the Form Transformation Pill without even batting an eye." Even Queen Medusa found Xiao Yan's generosity a little hard to take.

"I'm already a Sixth Grade Alchemist. Wouldn't breaking through to Seventh Grade after a few years be easy? And the Form Transformation Pill is only a Seventh Grade Pill—what's so precious about it?" Xiao Yan gave Queen Medusa a puzzled look.

"...All right~ You do have a point." Queen Medusa put away the Form Transformation Pill. "Elders, please keep a close watch on these two 'guests.'"

"Wait." Xiao Yan suddenly thought of something. He took out an Earth Fire Lotus Seed from his Storage Ring and stuffed it into Gu He's hand. "Gu He, for the time being, you'll be refining low-grade pills for the Snake People Clan every day!"

A man could be killed, but not humiliated!

Gu He had wanted to loudly refuse Xiao Yan like that, but in the end, his lips merely moved. Without saying a word, he accepted the Earth Fire Lotus Seed.

"I'll be refining pills in the same place as you. If you can learn something from me and make a breakthrough in your alchemy, I may be able to recommend you to the Pill Tower someday."

Xiao Yan's casual words entered Gu He's ears.

Gu He's breathing instantly became heavy, and his last psychological defense crumbled at that moment. His lifelong dream had been to break through to become a Seventh Grade Alchemist, then travel to the Central Continent and enter the Pill Tower.

Gu He knew his talent was insufficient and that breaking through to the Seventh Grade would be exceedingly difficult. Thus, he had placed his hopes on refining a Heavenly Flame, allowing him to improve in every aspect and gain the Heavenly Flame's boost to his alchemy.

But what had Gu He just heard?

Xiao Yan could directly recommend him to the Pill Tower?

"Is that true?" Gu He stared at Xiao Yan with bloodshot eyes.

Xiao Yan straightened the Fifth Grade Alchemist badge on his chest. "I'm only fifteen years old. Ninety-nine percent of my current accomplishments are thanks to my Mysterious Teacher—he is an Elder of the Pill Tower."

"...Of course. Only an Elder of the Pill Tower could cultivate a genius as despair-inducing as you."

"With your talent, you may not necessarily be unable to break through to become an Eighth Grade Alchemist in the future. Even the Pill Tower would not overlook an alchemist of that level."

"Furthermore, your teacher is an Elder of the Pill Tower himself. You will certainly be able to become an Elder of the Pill Tower as well."

Gu He muttered to himself, his eyes growing brighter and brighter. Finally, he forced out a smile. "Over these next few days, Gu He will certainly give his all and earn Young Friend's recognition of my alchemy."

"Mm." Xiao Yan clasped his hands behind his back and nodded approvingly.

The aged Yun Yun looked at Gu He, who was overjoyed as if he had gained some tremendous benefit, then at Xiao Yan, who looked like a charlatan. Her mouth opened as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.