Xiao Yan: No one understands Otherworlder players better than I do

"Ahem." Xiao Yan was thrilled, but he knew that showing his hand or seeming too eager was taboo in business negotiations, so he feigned calm. "I'm not even a Dou Zhe yet. I haven't practiced a cultivation method or learned Alchemy. It's too early to talk about heavenly flames."

Yao Lao nodded inwardly. Little Yanzi had done a fine job of concealing his excitement.

At his age and with his experience, ordinary things could hardly stir his emotions, but heavenly flames were different.

Heavenly flames were crucial to whether Xiao Yan could master the Flame Mantra, as well as to the important matter of his own resurrection.

"True, true." Chu Zhou nodded at once, cutting in before Xiao Yan could say "but." "It's too early to discuss heavenly flames with you, then. Are you looking to trade for pills, cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, or Heavenly and Earthly Spirit Medicines?"

Xiao Yan nearly choked on his own breath.

Why wasn't Chu Zhou following the script? Why had he taken his words at face value?

"Botched your act, didn't you?" Yao Lao's slightly amused voice rang out.

"Teacher, you're still making snide remarks at a time like this?" Xiao Yan was speechless.

"Just say it outright. You need a thick skin to do business." Yao Lao chuckled. "And a thick skin is the one thing you certainly don't lack."

Xiao Yan felt helpless, but he still planned to come right out and say "but."

Instead, he heard Chu Zhou speak first. "Besides, information about heavenly flames is extremely valuable. I wouldn't be willing to trade it for just one or two Grade Four Pill Formulas."

Xiao Yan nearly coughed up blood. Afraid that Chu Zhou would say something else detrimental to the deal, he immediately said, "You're right. Information about heavenly flames is precious. Many Alchemists spend their entire lives without obtaining any."

"An Alchemist who doesn't want a heavenly flame isn't a good Alchemist. Although I have no use for one right now, since I've come across some information, I should at least learn about it."

"Perhaps that senior will return to visit me someday, and I can pass the information on to him then."

Xiao Yan was clever, too, and immediately thought of a good excuse.

He wanted information about heavenly flames not merely for himself, but also for a chance to build a relationship with that powerful senior.

Chu Zhou rested his chin on his hand and nodded, asking, "So you want to trade for information about heavenly flames?"

"Yes." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. "That senior left me cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, and notes on the experiences of Grade One through Grade Four alchemists. After thinking it over, only information about heavenly flames and heavenly and earthly spirit medicines would be useful, especially the former, which might be useful to that senior."

"Then I want ten Grade Four Pill Formulas." Chu Zhou immediately named his price. "Do you have that many?"

"I do have that many." Xiao Yan didn't reveal exactly how many he had, leaving himself some room to maneuver. After consulting Yao Lao inwardly, he replied, "But ten Grade Four Pill Formulas for one piece of information about a heavenly flame is rather steep. After all, it's only information. Its authenticity is difficult to verify, and there's no guarantee I can obtain the heavenly flame."

"The Mittel Auction House can stake its reputation on the information's authenticity." Ya Fei spoke up at just the right moment to support Chu Zhou. "If the information is wrong, we'll pay you twice the market value of the Pill Formulas you provide."

Xiao Yan nodded slightly. "The Mittel Auction House's credibility isn't in question. We can proceed with the trade, but Master Chu's asking price is too high."

"Then how many are you willing to offer?" Chu Zhou countered.

"Five." Xiao Yan cut the price in half outright.

"Too few. Make it eight." Chu Zhou bargained back.

After pretending to hesitate, Xiao Yan said, "Six. I can guarantee that three of the Grade Four Pill Formulas are particularly valuable. I'm sure you know that even among Grade Four Pills, the value of their formulas varies—for example, the Qi Gathering Powder Formula."

"All right." Chu Zhou pretended to wrestle with the decision before nodding. "Give the six Pill Formulas to Miss Ya Fei first, and I'll tell you the information. If you find no issue with it, have Miss Ya Fei hand the formulas over to me. How does that sound?"

"Agreed." Xiao Yan trusted the Mittel Auction House's reputation, and he trusted Yao Lao's strength even more.

In truth, Grade Four Pill Formulas were nothing in Yao Lao's eyes. Even trading a hundred of them for information about a heavenly flame would be a huge bargain, but he certainly couldn't reveal that attitude and let the other party demand an exorbitant price.

"Here." Xiao Yan took out the six Pill Formulas Yao Lao had written on blank scrolls inside the ring and handed them to Ya Fei.

These scrolls were special. They recorded only basic information; obtaining all the specific details required reading them with Soul Force.

Once read, the contents of the scroll would disappear. Only someone who had mastered the pill's refinement method to perfection could write it down on a scroll again by themselves.

Teachings were not to be passed on lightly. This method of transmitting cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, Pill Formulas, and secret arts ensured the information retained its value.

"Then I'll tell you." After Ya Fei confirmed that everything was in order, Chu Zhou said, "The heavenly flame I have information on is called the Three Thousand Burning Flame. It's in the Pill Tower's possession."

Xiao Yan: ?

Do I look like someone who can go to the Pill Tower and snatch a heavenly flame?

As though he had seen through Xiao Yan's thoughts, Chu Zhou said, "This information came from my Otherworlder friend. At the Pill Gathering held ten years from now, the Pill Tower will offer a chance to subdue the Three Thousand Burning Flame as one of the rewards for the top three."

"In other words, as long as you or that senior place in the top three at the Pill Gathering ten years from now, you'll have a chance to obtain the Three Thousand Burning Flame."

Xiao Yan: "..."

I'm only at Sixth-Stage Dou Qi right now, and I've never even tried alchemy. Do I look like someone who can enter the Pill Gathering ten years from now and place in the top three?

Still, Chu Zhou's information about the heavenly flame was genuine, and in theory, he did have a chance to compete for it.

Upon hearing this, Yao Lao immediately told Xiao Yan, "Ten years is enough. As long as you work hard enough, I'm confident I can train you to a level where you can compete for the top three. If this information is true, it has value and counts as a fair trade."

Xiao Yan couldn't help feeling a sense of longing. After looking thoughtful for a moment, he nodded. "All right. We have a deal."

Chu Zhou immediately asked Ya Fei for the scrolls and gave them a cursory look.

Qi Gathering Powder, Burning Blood Pill, Blood-Suppressing Pill, Beast Spirit Pill, Extreme Fire Pill, and False Realm Pill.

None were common Grade Four Pills. Yao Lao was broad-minded and generous; the Qi Gathering Powder, False Realm Pill, and Extreme Fire Pill were especially valuable.

But none of these were the cultivation-boosting pills Xiao Ting wanted most right now. Never mind the Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill or the Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill—there wasn't even a Qi Condensation Pill or a Fire Cloud Pill.

Putting away the scrolls, Chu Zhou spoke again. "I also have information about another heavenly flame, the Wind Fury Dragon Flame. It's within the Jia Ma Empire. Would you like to make another trade for it?"

Xiao Yan: !

Yao Lao: !!

"Little Yanzi, you really must build a good relationship with this Chu Zhou. These Otherworlders' ability to gather information is far too powerful, and it will be a great help in your search for heavenly flames," Yao Lao reminded him. "Keep trading with him."

"I know, Teacher." Xiao Yan thought that no one on the entire Dou Qi Continent understood Otherworlders better than he did.

If the Dou Qi Continent was understood as a game world like Legendary World, but with more open-ended exploration, then these Otherworlder "fellow countrymen" were players.

Players had a Chat Channel, giving them a truly exceptional advantage in gathering information.