Blackmailing Yao Chen, Plotting for the Ancient Jade!

As the sun set beyond the western hills and night fell, the entire Wutan City sank into silence.

Outside Wutan City, Huo Xuan was completely swallowed by the darkness of night. He had been waiting for Yao Chen here for quite a while.

"Is Yan Yang a turtle or something? I only told him to bring Yao Chen over. Why is such a simple task taking so long?"

After a long while, Yan Yang finally brought Yao Chen over.

Upon seeing Huo Xuan, Yao Chen spoke first. "May I ask why Young Clan Leader Yan summoned this old man here?"

"Old Ya, I want to make a deal with you."

As he spoke, Huo Xuan flipped his right hand, and a pale white flame slowly rose from his palm.

"This is the Bone Chilling Flame? No, it does indeed possess the Bone Chilling Flame's aura, but it seems somewhat weak. Could this be a Child Flame of the Bone Chilling Flame?"

A Child Flame was a Strange Fire incarnation formed when the Strange Fire itself, or someone who had devoured it, split off a portion of its origin flame. Such a Strange Fire incarnation looked no different from the real Strange Fire, though its power was somewhat weaker. However, if nurtured properly, it could soon possess the same power as the true Strange Fire.

"Old Ya, you are currently in a soul state. Your strength is likely less than one-tenth of what it was at your peak. Taking your Bone Chilling Flame must have had a considerable impact on you. I hope you will accept this Child Flame of the Bone Chilling Flame. In addition, I would like to trade this Child Flame for something."

"Young Clan Leader Yan, tell me. What do you wish to trade with this old man?"

Seeing Yao Chen get straight to the point, Huo Xuan said, "I want some of the Pill Recipes in your possession, Old Ya."

"Pill Recipes? Fine! This old man will trade ten Sixth Grade Pill Recipes and one Seventh Grade Pill Recipe for this Child Flame." Yao Chen thought for a moment before replying.

"Old Ya, you are the Continent's Number One Alchemist. Isn't that offer a little stingy?"

After hearing Huo Xuan's words, Yao Chen knew this fellow would not be satisfied unless he bled him dry!

"Then this old man will add another ten Sixth Grade Pill Recipes."

"Add three more Seventh Grade Pill Recipes."

"Add one Eighth Grade Pill Recipe."

After several rounds of bargaining by Huo Xuan, he ultimately took ninety percent of the Pill Recipes in Yao Chen's possession. Pill Recipes such as the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid and the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, which Yao Chen had created himself, all ended up in Huo Xuan's hands. He even obtained several Ninth Grade Pill Recipes, while also promising to help Yao Chen refine a Flesh Bone Regeneration Pill.

"I never expected Yao Chen's reserves to be this abundant. He truly deserves to be called the Continent's Number One Alchemist!" Huo Xuan sighed as he looked at the Storage Ring containing the Pill Recipes.

Trading one Child Flame of the Bone Chilling Flame and one Eighth Grade Flesh Bone Regeneration Pill for so many Pill Recipes, Huo Xuan had made an absolute killing.

Meanwhile, Yao Chen stared at the Child Flame of the Bone Chilling Flame in his hand, his heart bleeding. He deeply resented the heavens now. Why had they made him encounter this bandit? Not only had he lost the Bone Chilling Flame, but he had also handed over so many of his treasured Pill Recipes.

Now that he had obtained the Pill Recipes, Yao Chen was no longer worth much. His next target was the Tou She Ancient God Jade!

Huo Xuan's plan to seize the Ancient Jade was actually very simple and could roughly be divided into three steps. The first was to make the Xiao Family the leading force in Wutan City, thereby arousing the vigilance of the Jia Lie Family and the Ouba Family. The second was to wait until Canaan Academy came to recruit students and Gu Xun'er and Xiao Yan had left, then stir up hatred and provoke the Jia Lie Family and the Ouba Family into attacking the Xiao Family. The third was to secretly destroy the Xiao Family himself, then pin the blame on the Jia Lie Family and the Ouba Family.

With Xiao Yan's help, the first step of the plan was swiftly completed. Over the next few months, Huo Xuan remained in Wutan City. During that time, the conflict between the Xiao Family and the Jia Lie Family steadily intensified. The Jia Lie Family hired a First Grade Alchemist and produced large quantities of the healing medicine Spring Return Powder, drawing away all the customers from the Xiao Family's marketplaces.

Later, the Xiao Family also launched a counterattack with Xiao Yan's help. With the Blood Coagulation Powder refined by Xiao Yan, the Xiao Family thoroughly defeated the Jia Lie Family.

Next, Xiao Yan had the Mittel Auction House refuse to provide medicinal ingredients to the Jia Lie Family and killed the alchemist they had hired. Before that, Xiao Yan had also burned all the medicinal ingredients the Jia Lie Family had purchased in another city. Burdened by enormous debts, the Jia Lie Family then had several important marketplaces seized by the Xiao Family. From that point on, the Jia Lie Family was severely weakened, and the Xiao Family became the leading force in Wutan City.

This was precisely what Huo Xuan wanted to see. He then spread rumors that the Xiao Family intended to wipe out the Jia Lie Family and the Ouba Family. Huo Xuan refused to believe that the Jia Lie Family and the Ouba Family would not feel threatened.

"Young Clan Leader, the Jia Lie Family and the Ouba Family are already considering forming an alliance against the Xiao Family," Yan Yang reported to Huo Xuan.

"Very good. The first step of the plan has been completed."