Trade, Persistence

Lu Fan shuddered, feeling as though he had been targeted by a fierce tiger, a chill endlessly crawling up his spine.

The woman before him, Luo Qingshuang, might be from the Haotian Sect, but who knew whether she would make a move against him?

After all, this was a desolate wilderness where no one would know what happened.

And now that his little movements had been noticed, he could only remain where he was.

Otherwise, any misunderstanding could prove fatal.

Luo Qingshuang soon approached Lu Fan with small, quick steps.

"Hmm, at least you're being honest by not moving."

After carefully sizing Lu Fan up, a trace of surprise appeared on Luo Qingshuang's lovely face.

"So why were people from the Blood Furnace chasing you?"

Faced with Luo Qingshuang's question, Lu Fan answered.

"Maybe I witnessed them silencing someone."

Of course, he had not revealed the full truth, but neither had he lied.

"Just because of that, that guy chased you all the way here?"

Luo Qingshuang clearly did not fully believe Lu Fan's words.

"If you don't plan to tell the truth, forget it."

Luo Qingshuang waved a hand, looking as though she did not intend to pursue the matter.

But she quickly added another sentence.

"Still, that man has remembered your face. He definitely won't let you off afterward. That's how the Blood Furnace operates."

"No matter where you hide, they'll find you."

"And not just you. Anyone connected to you will become their target as well."

Lu Fan's body trembled. He knew Luo Qingshuang was right.

Because not long ago, that man had said something similar.

"Hmm, come to think of it, someone gave me something like this before."

As he spoke, Lu Fan took the yellowed manuscript from his robes and handed it to Luo Qingshuang.

"This is..."

After taking it, Luo Qingshuang swiftly flipped through a few pages, intense delight blooming across her face.

"A Blood Embryo Pill? So there really is a pill that can help people break through."

"But... it consumes one's lifespan and potential?"

As Luo Qingshuang spoke, her expression gradually turned serious.

At that moment, she recalled what had happened within the sect.

No wonder those above had specifically assigned her to handle this matter.

If Blood Embryo Pills could be mass-produced, they might even alter the entire landscape of the martial world.

After a moment of silence, she shook her head regretfully.

"What a pity. If only there were a sample of this Blood Embryo Pill."

Hearing that, hesitation flashed through Lu Fan's eyes as his gaze settled on Luo Qingshuang.

Naturally, he understood the value of the Blood Embryo Pill. Even if he did not use it himself, he could sell it for a considerable sum.

But it was not something he absolutely had to keep. The question was whether Luo Qingshuang across from him was trustworthy.

At that moment, Luo Qingshuang did not notice the change in Lu Fan's expression. She closed the manuscript and looked at him expectantly. "Elder Lu, this manuscript is very useful to me. Name your terms. I want it."

"Hmm..." After pondering for a moment, Lu Fan took out the bottle containing the Blood Embryo Pill and handed it over.

"Actually, I happened to obtain a bottle. I don't know whether these are Blood Embryo Pills."

"There really is a sample?"

Excitement surfaced on Luo Qingshuang's face. She immediately took the bottle and examined it.

"This dense blood aura—it must be Blood Embryo Pills!"

"With this, those old fellows won't have anything to say!"

"Then we can find an alchemist to study it, and..."

Luo Qingshuang had already begun considering what would happen after she brought these two items back to the sect.

But she quickly remembered something.

"Ah, sorry, um... my name is Luo Qingshuang. May I ask who you are?"

Only then did Luo Qingshuang remember that she still did not know the name of this elderly Transformation Force martial artist.

A moment of hesitation flashed through Lu Fan's eyes, but in the end, he gave his real name.

After all, the Blood Furnace man knew his false name, Chen Liu. Since his face had already been exposed, there was no need to let Chen Liu "live" any longer.

"Lu Fan."

"Mm, Elder Lu, could you give these two items to me?"

"Of course, I definitely won't take them for nothing. Whether it's silver or any other condition, you may name whatever you wish."

Luo Qingshuang's eyes shone as she stared fixedly at Lu Fan.

Lu Fan was naturally no fool. The moment he took out the Blood Embryo Pill, he had already decided to part with it.

After all, Luo Qingshuang was a disciple of the Haotian Sect, Li Prefecture's foremost sect. She surely possessed quite a few valuable things.

Trading a bottle of Blood Embryo Pills with limited usefulness and side effects for resources of greater value was obviously a better deal.

At a time like this, what should he ask for?

Pills that could aid a Transformation Force martial artist's cultivation?

Or something that could speed up the recovery of injuries?

Either one was something he needed right now.

When he fought that Blood Furnace man earlier, he had forcibly torn free from the Blood Force Threads without regard for the consequences. His body had suffered many wounds, and in some places, bone was nearly exposed.

Recovering from his injuries was clearly the top priority, but pills that could improve his cultivation were equally important.

This time, had Luo Qingshuang not happened to arrive, he might have died at that man's hands. Zhang Yao and the others might even have been dragged down by him in the end.

The strength of the Early Transformation Force Stage was still not enough.

Furthermore, the previous battle had made him realize that he had far too few techniques.

Aside from the most basic Everlasting Spring Technique, his other technique, the Tortoise Breath Formula, could only help him condense force and conceal his aura.

He had far too few offensive methods.

The Haotian Sect was a super sect. It certainly possessed no shortage of offensive techniques like the Blood Force Threads used by that Blood Furnace man.

Asking for techniques would not be a bad choice either.

Luo Qingshuang, who stood opposite him, did not interrupt. Instead, she gave Lu Fan time to consider things carefully.

After all, for an ordinary martial artist who came from no established school, such an opportunity was exceedingly rare.

After remaining silent for a while, Lu Fan raised his head. A trace of determination appeared on his aged face.

"Miss Luo, I've made up my mind."

"Mm." Luo Qingshuang nodded, signaling for Lu Fan to continue.

"I want something that can help a Dark Force martial artist repair their meridians."

The moment those words fell, Luo Qingshuang froze.

She looked at Lu Fan in disbelief.

"Something to repair a Dark Force martial artist's meridians? Elder Lu, are you sure?"

"Your own injuries aren't light right now, yet you're thinking of someone else?"

"I'm sure."

Lu Fan's expression did not change as he nodded firmly.

Compared to himself, he had decided to first ask for something that could repair Zhang Yao's meridians.

After all, even Zhang Yao's meridians had been damaged. If they were not properly repaired, Zhang Yao might remain stuck at Dark Force for the rest of his life.

Lu Fan's injuries were serious as well, but they had not damaged his muscles or bones. At most, he would need to spend more time recovering slowly.

But once a martial artist's meridians were damaged, they could not be restored simply by waiting.

"Alright."

Luo Qingshuang understood Lu Fan's intentions and did not try to persuade him further.

"But I don't have that kind of pill on me. I'll need to return to the sect to retrieve it."

"You may need to personally accompany me to Lidu, Elder Lu."

Luo Qingshuang looked at Lu Fan with a hint of apology.

"It's fine. As it happens, Lidu is my destination too."

Lu Fan waved his hand.

"Is that so? Then that's wonderful."

"By the way, Elder Lu, I'd like to return to the sect first and hand over these two items."

"Once you reach Lidu, just bring this token to the sect and come directly to find me."

"Of course, I won't let you suffer a loss either. This bottle of Clear Spirit Pills can disperse bruising and invigorate the blood. While healing injuries, it can also accelerate cultivation."

"With this bottle of Clear Spirit Pills, Elder Lu, you should be able to recover from your injuries within three days."

As she spoke, Luo Qingshuang took out a bottle of pills and handed it to Lu Fan.

How could Lu Fan possibly refuse such good fortune delivered straight to his door?

Moreover, splitting up from Luo Qingshuang would be more convenient for him as well.

With that in mind, he immediately agreed.

After Luo Qingshuang had gone far away, he immediately poured out a Clear Spirit Pill and swallowed it. Surging blood and qi flooded every part of his body, repairing his injuries while also increasing his force.

And at that moment, the effect of the hundredfold amplification also came into play.