Joining Forces to Put on a Show

"Your Majesty has misunderstood. Gu He has come this time with no ill intent. I merely wish to make a deal with Your Majesty!"

Dressed in a long robe, Gu He spoke with refined composure. Unfortunately, the Snake-People possessed magical beast bloodlines and did not care for that sort of thing. Instead, they preferred Yang Chen's overbearing, unquestionable dominance.

Medusa Queen merely chuckled, seemingly casually surveying Gu He, Yan Shi, and Feng Li beside him. At the same time, Yue Mei, Yan Ci, Mo Bas, and the other Snake-People tribal chiefs surrounded them.

"Is that so? The Snake-People Royal City is the holy city of our people, yet Master Gu He brought so many Dou Kings and barged straight in, only to claim he means no harm. That is truly difficult to believe."

Just as Gu He wanted to explain, Yan Shi and Feng Li both moved closer without prior agreement, pressing tightly against him. Gu He's mouth twitched.

Surrounded by the eight Snake-People chiefs, Gu He dearly wished he could say there was no need to be afraid. In the end, however, he held his tongue. Otherwise, he truly feared angering Medusa Queen and making her draw her sword without another word. This queen was notoriously temperamental.

"There may have been a misunderstanding. Earlier, Gu He sensed that Your Majesty was fighting someone and hurried over. As for these gentlemen, I invited them to escort me along the way. After all, the Tagore Desert is infamous for its dangers."

Gu He could only force himself to explain. No matter what, he could not fall out with the Snake-People. Otherwise, Medusa Queen might not kill him, but Yun Leng and the others would certainly die. When that happened, the Yunlan Sect would likely decline completely, and Yun Yun would hate him to death.

Yang Chen merely stood with his arms crossed, silently watching Gu He's performance while cooperating with Medusa Queen in the act. No, rather, Yang Chen, the great director himself, had personally arranged the entire show.

As for why he had captured Yun Leng but did not kill him, firstly, killing Yun Leng now would completely tear apart relations with the Yunlan Sect. Yang Chen did not care what situation Yun Yun would be in, but after such a major upheaval, Yun Shan would surely emerge from seclusion.

For the time being, Yang Chen did not wish to face an opponent like Yun Shan too soon. Though he had a way to kill Yun Shan, the price was rather steep. Moreover, once Yun Shan died, Soul Hall would certainly come after him.

Yang Chen did not want to come into contact with Soul Hall so quickly. The Yunlan Sect did not know his secrets, but Soul Hall certainly did. By then, the situation would slip beyond his control.

Secondly, although he would not kill Yun Leng, he could still use Yun Leng to accomplish certain things and maximize his value.

He had long passed the age of youthful impulsiveness. Now, he better understood how to weigh gains against losses, rather than seeking a momentary thrill.

"Hehe, so Master Gu He has also come for this Heavenly Flame?"

The corners of Medusa Queen's lips slowly curled upward. She did not bother concealing anything. With a flick of her jade-like hand, a delicate little azure fire lotus appeared at her fingertips, quietly blooming.

The instant Gu He saw the azure fire lotus, his eyes went wide. Even his breathing grew heavy as he said in a deep voice, "This is... the nineteenth-ranked flame on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the Green Lotus Core Flame!"

After taking several deep breaths, Gu He finally calmed the excitement and delight in his heart. Although he had been certain there was a Heavenly Flame here after sensing Yang Chen's aura earlier, nothing could be confirmed until he saw it.

But now, it was certain. The Snake-People truly possessed a Heavenly Flame.

"Your Majesty, name your price. So long as I can afford it, I will not haggle!"

As he spoke, Gu He deliberately glanced at Yang Chen, seemingly showing off his wealth. Yang Chen merely chuckled without speaking, his arms still crossed. He looked just like a gambler who had failed in negotiation yet was unwilling to leave, and who enjoyed watching others make fools of themselves.

"Oh? Does Master Gu He truly mean that?"

Medusa Queen's smile immediately deepened. She subconsciously glanced at Yang Chen, and a tender, watery softness flashed through her eyes. This was likely the meeting gift that this softhearted man with the hard mouth had prepared for her.

"Who in the Jia Ma Empire does not know that Master Gu He is immensely wealthy? Since that is so, I shall not stand on ceremony. It is not impossible for Master Gu He to have this Green Lotus Core Flame. You need only provide one seventh-tier Transformation Pill, six Sect-Breaking Pills, four Emperor's Extreme Pills, and eight Spirit-Fighting Pills. In addition, you must agree to refine one seventh-tier medicinal pill for me."

"Hiss!!"

After hearing Medusa Queen's offer, Feng Li and Yan Shi both instinctively sucked in a breath. Yan Shi even blurted out, "Damn, I've heard of lions opening their mouths wide, but why does this snake have an even bigger appetite than a lion?"

"Roar! Human, are you courting death?"

That low roar made Yan Shi shudder. When he turned his head, he met the enormous beastly eyes of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King. His heart seemed to skip several beats as he hurriedly said with an awkward grin, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

"Master Gu He, what do you say?"

Faced with Medusa Queen's questioning, Gu He's mouth twitched as well. What Yan Shi had said was exactly what he wanted to say. Every one of those pills was an extremely difficult sixth-tier pill to refine, while the Transformation Pill was even a seventh-tier pill.

Still, if one really thought about it, exchanging those pills for a Heavenly Flame did not seem particularly expensive. After all, Heavenly Flames possessed limitless power and were an enormous aid to alchemists. More importantly, they were the kind of treasure that had a price but no market.

"Your Majesty, forgive Gu He, but that price is truly beyond my means. However, Gu He is willing to offer one Transformation Pill, four Spirit-Fighting Pills, and agree to refine one seventh-tier medicinal pill for Your Majesty in exchange for the Heavenly Flame in Your Majesty's possession."

"Heh, Elder Gu He certainly knows how to calculate. No wonder you became the Pill King!"

Before Medusa Queen could speak, Yang Chen "could not help" sneering from the side. He looked exactly like a gambler who had failed himself and now enjoyed watching others make a fool of themselves.

Medusa Queen glanced at this dramatic actor, and the smile on her lips deepened further. She chuckled and said, "Master Gu He has heard him as well. Your price is truly far too low. Very well, both of you may leave. This is Snake-People territory. If you two have any grievances, it would be best to settle them elsewhere. Of course, you may fight here too. You are both high-tier alchemists and wealthy men, so simply offer a few pills as compensation afterward."

With that, Medusa Queen turned and prepared to descend into the Snake-People Royal City. Seeing her retreating figure, Gu He immediately grew anxious.

If Medusa Queen left, none of them would likely be able to get away. Medusa Queen would not kill Gu He, but Yang Chen might not show the same restraint. He was also a high-tier alchemist and did not fear Gu He's status.