Baiting the Young Emperor Ye

With no outsiders present, Lu Zhou and Ye Fan were much less restrained in what they discussed.

They sat on a patch of bluestone beside a thousand-year-old peach tree and reminisced.

This time, Ye Fan took out some wine he had brought with him.

Though it was ordinary wine, it still added some flavor to their reunion.

They each spoke of what they had experienced over the past few years.

They only shared what could be shared.

From Ye Fan's account, Lu Zhou learned that Ye Fan's life trajectory over the past few years had basically not differed much from the original story.

"I never expected you to have met Old Man Jiang and Little Tingting too."

"They're very grateful to you. Little Tingting mentioned you to me many times, saying that if it hadn't been for you, they might still be getting bullied by the Li Family."

"Little Tingting said that she hoped she could see her Brother Lu again someday. She wanted to thank you properly."

"Oh, right. You probably didn't expect this, but Old Man Jiang and Little Tingting are actually descendants of the Desolate Ancient Jiang Family who had been stranded outside!"

"They've already been taken back to the Jiang Family. I just wonder whether they're doing well now."

Ye Fan had always been worried about this. Because Jiang Yichen had once sent people to hunt him down, he did not have a very favorable impression of the Desolate Ancient Jiang Family.

"Don't worry. I rescued the Jiang Family's Divine King from Purple Mountain."

"If I'm not mistaken, Tingting and Old Man Jiang should belong to the Divine King's lineage. Once the Divine King returns to the Jiang Family, Tingting will become the Jiang Family's true princess."

Some things had already been changed by Lu Zhou, but he did not know whether the harm that had befallen Old Man Jiang could also be changed.

Still, no matter what, Old Man Jiang and Little Tingting's final outcome in the original story had been fairly good.

Lu Zhou believed that with the changes he had made, their ending should not turn out worse than in the original story, no matter what.

"I never expected your life to have been so exciting these past few years. You even went all the way to the Northern Region."

"Not only have you already broken into the third secret realm and left me far behind, but you also rescued the Jiang Family's Divine King and established ties with Jade Pool."

"What? You want the Dao Palace Scroll of the Xi Huang Scripture?"

When the Xi Huang Scripture was mentioned, Lu Zhou was not worried about Yang Yi finding out.

Before he and Ye Fan came to reminisce beside this thousand-year-old peach tree, he had already used Origin Arts to turn this place into a sealed domain of its own.

Moreover, the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Seal and the Qiankun Pearl, which inherently concealed heavenly secrets, were floating within Lu Zhou's Wheel Sea and Dao Palace secret realms.

With all these methods combined, their conversation was more than secure enough to ensure that no third person could learn of it.

"I'd definitely be lying if I said I didn't want it!"

Ye Fan admitted it readily.

Ever since learning about the Dao Palace secret realm from Wu Qingfeng a few months ago, and discovering that the Dao Palace Scroll of the Xi Huang Scripture was universally recognized as the strongest scripture for the Dao Palace secret realm, he had constantly been thinking about how to get his hands on the Xi Huang Scripture.

For that reason, Ye Fan had even shamelessly asked Wu Qingfeng whether Jade Pool accepted male disciples and whether Jade Pool's fairies could marry outside the sect.

"I'll point you toward two clear paths!"

"Tell me!"

Ye Fan's interest was instantly piqued.

"First, that Big Black Dog that was chasing after you and trying to bite you earlier may be a little scheming, greedy, and unreliable, but it has an extraordinary background. Some of your wishes may perhaps be fulfilled through that Big Black Dog."

"Second, I do indeed possess some extraordinary scriptures and secret arts. But even brothers must settle accounts clearly. You'll have to offer something valuable enough to catch my eye in exchange."

"That's only proper! Do you have the Xi Huang Scripture?"

Though Ye Fan was crafty, he was never crafty toward his own people.

He was also an adult. Before coming to the Big Dipper, he had relied on his own abilities to build a respectable career in just three years, far surpassing some of his classmates.

He had long understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

And if one wanted to maintain a solid relationship, friendship alone was not enough; mutual interests had to bind them together as well.

Only an equal exchange could make a relationship last longer.

Otherwise, no matter how deep the friendship, it would eventually be worn away over time.

But honestly, if it had been anyone else in this situation, Ye Fan would most likely have either shamelessly clung to them or beaten around the bush, trying to see whether he could get some scriptures and secret arts directly.

For example, when he encountered Old Madman and Jiang Taixu, who had been trapped in Purple Mountain, he had done exactly that.

But now, he was facing Lu Zhou.

Having lived with Lu Zhou for quite some time, Ye Fan understood him to some extent. He knew that Lu Zhou was someone who valued fair exchanges.

At times, he was very principled.

"I obtained the Origin Master's inheritance. It contains a fragment of the Dao Palace Chapter of the Xi Huang Scripture."

"As far as I know, Ancient Sacred Pool Land possesses the complete Dao Palace Scroll of the Xi Huang Scripture, as well as some fragmented arts. You might try finding that damned dog and have it take you to Ancient Sacred Pool Land."

"What's the background of that damned dog?"

"I don't know either. I only know that it's far from ordinary. It may be connected to Great Emperor Wushi in Purple Mountain!"

Lu Zhou did not tell Ye Fan the truth about this. He could slowly uncover it himself.

If the Black Emperor wanted to talk, it would speak on its own.

"So what scriptures, secret arts, or treasures do you have that you can trade with me?"

Ye Fan pressed again.

Lu Zhou smiled when Ye Fan asked that. He began dangling bait before Ye Fan, preparing to hook the young Emperor Ye!

"There's plenty. Do you want the Origin Master lineage's inheritance?"

"Since ancient times, Origin Masters have been honored guests of all major powers. Searching for sources and exploring mines, reading mountains and terrain, drawing upon heaven-and-earth dragon veins, even Star Shifting and Constellation Changing, using Origin Arts to suppress and kill powerful foes..."

"To an Origin Master, all of that is as easy as taking something from one's pocket!"

"In short, with the Origin Master's inheritance, you'll never lack sources in your future cultivation!"

"Have you heard of the Nine Secrets?"

"They were created by the Nine Heavenly Venerates of the Mythological Era. Every secret represents the pinnacle of a particular field. I have currently gathered three of them, and before long, I'll be going to obtain the fourth."

"So? Do you want them?"

"Besides that, I also have an Emperor Scripture inheritance. Do you want it?"

"Other than those, I have the Quasi-Emperor Weapon Lihuo Furnace and the Ultimate Emperor Weapon Dragon Pattern Black Gold Seal. Do you want those too?"

"Oh, right. I also have divine source that will never sink, sacred springs that can be used to grow Immortal Medicine, Minor Medicine Kings, Medicine Kings, and Immortal Medicine liquid. Do you want those as well?"

Listening to Lu Zhou show off, Ye Fan's eyes were practically glowing green!

Only in comparison with Lu Zhou did he realize just how poor he truly was.

Only then did he understand just how enormous the gap between himself and Lu Zhou was!

He had thought that after bringing out some Saint Fruits and sacred spring water from the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, he was already quite well-off.

Within his Wheel Sea, he still had a mysterious bronze fragment of unknown origin, a golden page recording the complete Dao Palace Wheel Sea Scroll, the Bodhi seed, and several treasures refined by powerful cultivators.

He had thought that after all his efforts over the past few years, he was already wealthy enough to surpass cultivators of the same realm and make major figures and great powers covet what he possessed.

But what was the result?

Damn it, without comparison, there's no pain!

Ye Hei was a little shaken by the blow!

Thanks to Mr. Chen 000 for the two monthly votes!

Thanks to Mr. Chen 000 for the 100 coins!

Thanks to Divine Shadow for the two monthly votes!