.
Half an hour later, the figure of the Old Demonic Ghost appeared at the entrance to the reception room.
His presence was like a giant mountain slowly approaching, his imposing presence suffocating. "All of you remain outside. Do not move without my permission."
Upon hearing the Old Demonic Ghost's order, the guards quickly stepped aside, clearing a path.
In recent years, in order to focus on his cultivation and strive to achieve Dou Zun before his death, the Old Demonic Ghost has rarely appeared in the valley, leaving most matters to the three elders.
However, as the founder of the Demon Flame Valley and the only Dou Zong expert within the valley, even with his rare appearances, he still commands absolute authority within the valley.
A short while later, Xiao Ling met the Old Demonic Ghost, a renowned figure in the Black Horn Region.
He wore a yellow skull-like robe, his face gaunt, almost skin and bones, like a skull. Those deep-set eyes shone with a faint luster, like will-o'-the-wisp, evoking a sense of strangeness and eeriness.
Although Xiao Ling had long anticipated the image of the Earth Demon Old Ghost, he still felt a touch of surprise when he actually saw him.
He knew that this old ghost's strength was unfathomable and his methods were ruthless. Although he had many hidden cards, he still had to be cautious.
The Earth Demon Old Ghost's gaze swept over Xiao Ling, and those eyes that seemed to see through people's hearts made Xiao Ling feel a little uncomfortable.
But Xiao Ling did not retreat. He met the Earth Demon Old Ghost's gaze, and their eyes met in the air. Although there was no actual confrontation, the tension in the air suddenly increased.
"Are you the Tang San the dialect refers to? From the so-called Bashu Tang Sect?" The Earth Demon Old Ghost's voice was hoarse and low, each word forced from the depths of his throat, carrying a chilling power
. Xiao Ling nodded slightly and replied solemnly, "That's me. I know the Valley Master is busy, but I've taken the liberty of visiting you today to discuss a mutually beneficial deal."
A playful smile played at the Earth Demon Old Ghost's lips. He studied Xiao Ling, as if assessing the young Dou Zong's true intentions. "Deal? My Demon Flame Valley is rich in resources and rarely requires anything from the outside world. What bargaining chips do you have that will impress us?"
Xiao Ling smiled faintly, knowing that at this crucial moment, whether he could attract the Earth Demon Old Ghost's interest depended on whether his bargaining chips were compelling enough.
A flash of white light flashed in his hand, and a pill hovered in Xiao Ling's palm.
"This is a Sect Breaking Pill. For any peak Dou Huang powerhouse, its value is self-evident. I am willing to exchange this pill for the recipe for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet from your valley." Xiao Ling's voice echoed through the reception room, tinged with unquestionable resolve.
Fang Yan, standing nearby, saw the Sect Breaking Pill Xiao Ling held out, his eyes gleaming with a golden light. He knew the pill held great significance to him; if he could obtain it, perhaps he could fulfill a long-cherished wish.
However, the Earth Demon Old Ghost's eyes showed no emotion. Only a few high-ranking members of the entire Devil Flame Valley knew about the Heavenly Demon Puppet. Now that someone outside the Devil Flame Valley had gotten the news, the Earth Demon Old Ghost couldn't help but suspect a traitor within the Devil Flame Valley.
His voice suddenly grew cold, and the aura around him gradually grew icy. The temperature in the reception room plummeted by dozens of degrees in an instant.
"Tang San, how did you know that my Devil Flame Valley possessed the Heavenly Demon Puppet? This is a secret within our Devil Flame Valley."
As the Earth Demon Old Ghost finished speaking, the atmosphere suddenly became tense, as if even the air itself had frozen.
"Haha, this is naturally information I, the Tang Sect, gathered while outside. As for whether there was a traitor within the Devil Flame Valley who leaked the news, I have no knowledge."
Xiao Ling answered with neither humility nor arrogance, secretly gathering strength to prepare for any potential conflict.
If this old Earth Demon ghost truly intended to attack him, Xiao Ling would have no choice but to accept this Dou Zong Seven-Star body.
A flicker of doubt flashed across the old Earth Demon ghost's eyes, then a gloomy expression replaced it. He was silent for a moment, as if weighing something. Finally, a strange smile curled his lips.
"Haha, I remember now. A few years ago, a traitor did escape from our Devil Flame Valley. However, I personally killed him not long after. I believe he spread the news of the Heavenly Demon Puppet during his escape."
As for whether this was true or not, Xiao Ling had no way of knowing.
"But Tang San, while the Sect Breaking Pill is precious, it's not enough to exchange for the recipe for the Heavenly Demon Puppet," the old Earth Demon ghost said slowly.
When Xiao Ling heard this, his brows furrowed slightly. He knew very well that the old demon was just trying to drive up the price.
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However, he also clearly realized that if he wanted to successfully complete the transaction, he would have to demonstrate greater sincerity.
In his view, the current resources invested to obtain the secret method for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet were insignificant compared to the potential benefits of refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet.
Taking a deep breath, he calmly removed an exquisite jade box from his storage ring. Gently opening the lid, a shimmering emerald light filled his eyes: the Qingming Longevity Pill.
"In addition to the Sect Breaking Pill, I'd like to add this Qingming Longevity Pill as a condition for exchange," Xiao Ling said calmly, though he felt a hint of reluctance at this sudden extra expense. "Such a generous offer should be more than enough to obtain the method for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet."
Suddenly, he recalled the origins of the Qingming Longevity Pill.
Back then, Xiao Yan had traded the pill he had obtained from Yun Yun with Xiao Ling in exchange for numerous rare medicinal herbs to improve his alchemy skills. Now, this pill had become a crucial bargaining chip in his deal with the Devil Flame Valley.
The old demon's eyes flashed as he gazed at the Qingming Longevity Pill.
He was well aware of the pill's value. Pills that extended lifespan were priceless treasures for any cultivator, even a Dou Zong master like him.
Furthermore, with his own lifespan now limited, he naturally desired such a pill even more.
The atmosphere in the reception room grew tense. Xiao Ling and the old demon's gazes met again, each trying to gauge the other's bottom line.
The old demon remained silent for a long time, seemingly weighing the value of the two pills against the method for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet.
Finally, a satisfied smile curved his lips, and a hint of pride lingered in his voice: "Tang San, I sense your sincerity. I can give you the method for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet, but remember, if this method gets out, my Demon Flame Valley will pursue this matter to the bitter end."
With those words, the old demon raised his hand, and an invisible suction force gently drew up the two pills in front of Xiao Ling, then securely placed them in the storage ring between his fingers.
Then, the old demon pulled an ancient bamboo slip from his sleeve, densely engraved with patterns.
Though worn, it radiated an indescribable luster, a quality quite remarkable.
He casually tossed the slip toward Xiao Ling, who swiftly snatched it up. A heavy weight finally settled within him. His goal for coming to the Devil Flame Valley had finally been achieved.
Xiao Ling took the slip and glanced at the three blood-red characters on it: "Heavenly Demon Puppet." He slowly unfolded the slip, and the minute, blood-red characters, tinged with bloodlust, suddenly materialized before his eyes.
"The Heavenly Demon Puppet, this method is not a martial art, nor is it an ordinary fighting skill, but a puppet technique passed down from ancient times.
To refine the Heavenly Demon Puppet, three things must be gathered together: the body, the soul, and the magic core.
With the body as the tool, the soul as the guide, and the magic core as the heart, and then matched with many materials, it will eventually become a demon puppet. The demon puppets are divided into three levels: heaven, earth, and man. The difference in level depends on the refining materials and the refining fire.
The demon puppet is infinitely powerful and has no joy or sorrow, no pain or injury. It is indeed a killing tool...
Xiao Ling roughly browsed through the refining method of "Heavenly Demon Puppet", confirmed that the old demon of the earth did not tamper with it, and then nodded with satisfaction and put away the bamboo slips in his hand.
A faint smile appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly. Xiao Ling vowed: "Don't worry, I, Tang San, have always been upright, and naturally I will not spread the content of this transaction. "
As for Tang San's promise, whether it had anything to do with Xiao Ling was hard to say.
Having gotten what he wanted, Xiao Ling didn't waste any time and left the Devil Flame Valley.
The old demon stood at the door of the reception room, watching Xiao Ling leave. His eyes were deep, as if he was pondering something.
His intuition over the years told him that attacking Xiao Ling was definitely not a wise move. This young man possessed an indescribable aura that filled him with a deep fear.
(End of this chapter)