Bargaining!

"Director Ling, the Tang Sect has technology like this?"

Xu Li looked at Ling Zichen in astonishment. As one of the Tang Sect's top healing-type Soul Masters, how had she never heard of such technology?

Facing Xu Li's puzzled gaze, Ling Zichen gave an awkward smile and did not answer.

Of course the Tang Sect did not have such technology. This was her private research.

As the Tang Sect's infamous mad scientist, Ling Zichen was responsible for researching new weapons, but she also conducted some unspeakable research in secret, such as human modification.

Although she used herself as the test subject for her human modification experiments, the public would not care about that. They would only know that she was conducting human modification.

To prevent the matter from leaking and damaging the Tang Sect's reputation, Ling Zichen had always carried out her research alone and in secret.

She had invited Su Mo this time because he had overdrawn his life force and did not have long to live.

Rather than waste time trying to fulfill that impossible requirement, he might as well take a gamble with her.

As long as Su Mo was willing to be her lab rat, she was eighty percent confident she could complete her research on human modification before he turned eighteen.

Once her research succeeded, Su Mo, as the first test subject, would completely break free from the shackles of lifespan and achieve Mechanical Ascension.

Seeing Ling Zichen speak with such certainty, Mu Xi was just about to urge Su Mo to consider it when she heard him confidently reject Ling Zichen's proposal.

"Forget it. Rather than place my hopes in someone else, I prefer to hold my fate in my own hands."

"Then I won't force you."

Ling Zichen was not surprised by Su Mo's rejection. After all, words alone were no proof.

Although she could prove to Su Mo that she was telling the truth, she could not reveal her current research results to him in front of so many people.

This matter was far too shady. If word got out, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Seeing that both Su Mo and Ling Zichen had fallen silent, Xu Li softly said, "Director Ling, please step back a little. I need to treat Su Mo now."

Although she could not remove the aftereffects of Su Mo overdrawing his life force, healing his injuries and restoring his ability to move normally would not be a problem.

After Ling Zichen and the others stepped back, Xu Li raised a hand. A deep green tree silhouette radiating immense vitality appeared behind her.

This was Xu Li's Martial Soul, the Tree of Life, one of the pinnacle existences among plant-type Martial Souls. Its history could be traced back ten thousand years.

Under Xu Li's control, countless lush green leaves gently drifted down from the tree silhouette.

Each leaf shimmered with a faint green glow and slowly floated down onto Su Mo's body, carrying dense life energy.

The moment the leaves touched Su Mo's body, they transformed into specks of light and merged into him, flowing through his meridians and nourishing his injured body.

Under Xu Li's treatment, a cool sensation swept through Su Mo's entire body. He felt as though his whole body had been renewed, brimming with strength.

"All right, Su Mo. All your injuries have been healed."

After confirming that Su Mo's injuries had fully recovered, Xu Li withdrew her Martial Soul. "You can remove the bandages now."

"Mm!"

Su Mo nodded, then suddenly exerted force. The bandages around his body instantly tore into countless snowflake-like scraps.

"Phew, finally free. I was almost suffocating!"

Su Mo jumped off the bed, let out a long breath, and stretched his limbs in front of everyone.

"Beep beep~"

A message suddenly popped up on Ling Zichen's Soul Guidance Communicator.

While Xu Li had been treating Su Mo, Ling Zichen had already informed Tang Sect Vice Sect Master Zang Xin of everything that had happened here.

After learning that Mu Xi was Zhen Hua's niece, Zang Xin also took the matter seriously and sent a reply immediately.

Ling Zichen lowered her head and glanced at the message before saying calmly to Su Mo, who was stretching, "A message has come from headquarters. They can satisfy one of your not-too-unreasonable requests."

"A not-too-unreasonable request..."

Su Mo frowned and put on a thoughtful expression.

That definition was far too vague. Whether something was unreasonable or not was entirely up to the Tang Sect.

"With the Tang Sect's resources, having you forge me a complete set of Three-Word Battle Armor wouldn't be too unreasonable, would it?"

After a moment of silence, Su Mo cautiously said to Ling Zichen.

Ling Zichen laughed. Su Mo's shamelessness had amused her.

"A complete set of Three-Word Battle Armor? Why don't you just ask us to forge you a complete set of Four-Word Battle Armor instead?"

Three-Word Battle Armor was something even Super Douluos dreamed of.

Even though the Tang Sect was wealthy and powerful, not every hall master possessed a complete set of Three-Word Battle Armor.

Yet Su Mo had opened his mouth and immediately demanded a full set of Three-Word Battle Armor.

Su Mo spread his hands and blinked innocently at Ling Zichen. "If the Tang Sect is willing, I wouldn't mind."

"No. That condition is too excessive. Pick another one."

Ling Zichen gritted her teeth as she looked at Su Mo's innocent act.

"But that's the only thing I want!"

Su Mo raised his chin, looking as though nothing else would do.

"Dream on!" Ling Zichen refused to yield an inch.

Seeing Su Mo and Ling Zichen reach an impasse, Mu Xi tugged at Su Mo's sleeve and whispered, "It's okay, Junior. If you want a full set of Three-Word Battle Armor, I'll ask my dad to forge one for you."

Although Mu Xi had deliberately lowered her voice, Ling Zichen and the others still heard her clearly at such close range.

Mu Xi's words, "I'll ask my dad to forge one for you," instantly dealt ten thousand points of critical damage to Ling Zichen's heart.

The matter she and Su Mo had been arguing over until they were red in the face was, to Mu Xi, this little rich girl, nothing more than acting cute with her father.

She was jealous. Truly jealous.

Although Ling Zichen was the Tang Sect's chief scientist, the Tang Sect was still an organization, and every department had a limited budget.

As a result, her experiments often faced funding shortages.

If she had a Saint Craftsman father like Mu Xi, why would she need to worry about research funding every day?

Su Mo patted the back of Mu Xi's hand and said gently, "Senior, this has nothing to do with you. This is compensation the Tang Sect owes me!"

Hearing Su Mo's words, Ling Zichen was so furious she wanted to curse.

Mu Xi had clearly agreed to have a complete set of Three-Word Battle Armor forged for him, yet Su Mo seemed determined to make the Tang Sect foot the bill.

"There's no room for negotiation. Pick something else."

"Otherwise, even if I agree, the Vice Sect Master won't."

Ling Zichen gritted her teeth and refused to budge no matter what.

Seeing that Ling Zichen absolutely refused to back down and had even used the Tang Sect's Vice Sect Master as a shield, Su Mo had no choice but to make a concession.

"I can give up on a complete set of Three-Word Battle Armor, but the Tang Sect must find me an External Soul Bone no inferior in grade to the Soul Bone in my right hand."

"That works!"

The moment Su Mo relented, Ling Zichen agreed without hesitation, afraid he would change his mind.

External Soul Bones were rare, but they were nowhere near as precious as a complete set of Three-Word Battle Armor.

Besides, what good Soul Bone could a Soul Grandmaster like Su Mo possibly have? When the time came, she could just dig one out of the Tang Sect's inventory.

"Here, this is the Soul Bone in my right hand!"

Seeing Ling Zichen agree, Su Mo stopped pretending and cheerfully held out his right hand.

"Fuck!"

Seeing Su Mo's right claw gleaming with dark golden light, Ling Zichen immediately understood that she had fallen for his trap.