Chapter 65: Transaction
Upon hearing Yao Yan's definitive answer—
The Amethyst Winged Lion King's heterochromatic beast eyes flickered, and the intense hostility around it completely vanished. Its voice rumbled low and firm: "Refine a Tier 5 medicinal pill to nourish this king's child, and I will let you leave safely."
Its tone was resolute, providing both parties a step down. Continuing the battle now was clearly meaningless for either side.
For the sake of its newborn cub, the Amethyst Winged Lion King was willing to swallow its pride. Living in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, it couldn't enter human territory—let alone make a deal with a high-tier alchemist. Now that it had come across Yao Yan, it wouldn't let the opportunity slip.
In truth, if Yao Yan had revealed his identity from the start, the lion might not have fought with Cai Die at all.
Unfortunately, the girl's earlier words had been far too provocative. As the ruler of the mountain range, the lion couldn't tolerate being spoken to that way!
Yao Yan's smile deepened. He chuckled and said, "Sure. But you should know how alchemists operate—we provide the refining, you supply the ingredients. I'll also need an additional payment."
"This king is aware of your rules. What compensation do you want?"
The lion's voice grew gloomier, like thunder trapped in its chest. Clearly, it was not in a good mood—but it had no choice and had to hold back, letting Yao Yan name his terms. For a magical beast, finding a high-tier alchemist was nearly impossible.
Seeing the lion's mood, Yao Yan didn't press further. He eased his tone and replied, "No rush. Let me refine the pill first. If the result satisfies you, we can discuss compensation later. After all, under these current conditions, I imagine you wouldn't trust me just yet."
Glancing at the lion's miserable state, even Yao Yan found it difficult to ask for anything too unreasonable. After all, this entire conflict had been somewhat orchestrated by him—to help train Cai Die's adaptability.
"What ingredients do you need?"
The Amethyst Winged Lion King fell silent for a moment before responding.
Yao Yan knew the lion wouldn't be able to identify herbs properly. Beasts typically consumed rare treasures whole—wastefully—but that was the only way for them to grow stronger. They lacked the cultivation techniques that humans used. So, Yao Yan didn't bother handing over a list.
After a short pause, he said calmly, "I have a stock of some herbs already. The rest, we'll have to see if you have them. If not, we'll need to visit a human city. Also, I'd like to examine your child to determine which type of medicinal pill would be most suitable."
"Human, if you're planning anything, this king swears—you both won't walk out of the Magic Beast Mountain Range alive."
The lion growled coldly, then spread its still-intact wings, flames flickering as it floated upward. Its aura erupted again—though battered, it remained a fearsome Tier 6 beast king.
It scanned the surrounding area, releasing a wave of pressure that forced nearby Tier 4 and 5 beasts to retreat. Then it looked down at Yao Yan and said, "Follow me."
With that, it flew into the mountains.
"Let's go."
Yao Yan, this time, didn't fly on his own. He wrapped an arm around Cai Die's slender waist and coaxed, "You carry me this time. I overdid it earlier—feeling a bit drained now."
"Are you okay?"
Cai Die quickly supported him, her long lashes fluttering as her soft gaze filled with concern. She didn't doubt him for a second. After all, the way Yao Yan had blocked the lion earlier had been terrifying. Who would've thought a Da Dou Shi could unleash such raw strength? If he wasn't tired, that'd be even more terrifying than the lion itself.
"I'm just drained. A bit of rest will fix it. Let's move."
Yao Yan leaned into her without hesitation, knowing full well she was a Dou Huang and more than capable of carrying him.
Blushing, Cai Die didn't object. She even held him tighter. Her back shimmered as a pair of pale violet Dou Qi wings formed. With a flap, she lifted into the sky, flying after the lion. As they flew, she whispered, "You really scared me back there. I thought you were going to get eaten."
With his head resting on her soft chest, Yao Yan grumbled, "Who told you to space out in battle? Didn't you know if an enemy can't beat you, they'll turn on your teammates?"
If it had been someone else, they might already be dead.
Cai Die looked at him apologetically and replied softly, "I felt like it had lost its hostility. I thought it didn't want to fight anymore…"
"It had lost hostility toward you. Because it knew it couldn't eat you. So it turned it all toward me," Yao Yan snorted.
Cai Die pursed her lips. Her gentle gaze turned serious, and she clenched her tiny fists. "I was wrong. Next time this happens, I'll make sure the enemy can't move before relaxing."
Her tone was grave. Clearly, the near-death experience had shaken her.
Violence isn't always the answer…
That thought briefly crossed Yao Yan's mind—but he quickly dismissed it. This wasn't some modern civilized world. This was the Dou Qi Continent. He nodded. "Good thinking. From now on, strike first, and strike hard. Don't go easy—hit vital points like the heart, the head… Forget about 'fair fights.' Learn to sneak attack too."
He began instilling her with the mindset of a real powerhouse—all while subtly watching the lion ahead.
Yao Yan wasn't clinging to Cai Die just to take advantage. He wanted to see if the lion would go back on its word now that he was "weakened." If it did, he had a surprise ready.
But it seemed Yao Yan underestimated beastly morality. Compared to humans, magical beasts had a far more rigid sense of honor. They almost never went back on agreements once made.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King showed no hostility during the flight. Even after realizing Yao Yan was "exhausted," it didn't react. It simply led them to a cave.
It was a beautiful valley, filled with rich natural energy—comparable to the Shennong Mountains. A small pool shimmered in front of the cave, with fish occasionally darting through it. Unlike most beast lairs, this one was clearly built with comfort in mind. It even had a certain… aesthetic.
Yao Yan released his soul perception. Within several miles, he detected three hidden Tier 5 magical beasts—obviously guards.
"Wait here."
The lion didn't invite them in. It dropped those words and walked into the cave.
Moments later, it returned—with a puppy-sized cub beside it and a bundle of herbs in its mouth, which it dropped at Yao Yan's feet like a pile of weeds.
Purple Crystal Flower, Ice Flame Fruit, Longevity Grass…
Savage beast… Yao Yan cursed silently. To an alchemist, nothing was worse than seeing precious herbs treated like junk. Among them were core ingredients for refining Tier 6 and 7 pills!
"Any of these what you need?"
The lion didn't know the value of what it had brought. It simply asked in its usual tone. Magical beasts judged herbs by their energy, appearance, and attraction—not actual rarity.
Fire-type herbs appealed greatly to the Amethyst Winged Lion King. Ice-type ones didn't.
Yao Yan didn't hesitate. He sat cross-legged and began sorting the herbs. The valuable ones went straight into jade boxes, then into his storage ring. At the same time, he explained, "These few are useful to me. I'll refine two extra pills for you as compensation."
He wasn't about to cheat a beast. So long as the lion kept its word, he would too.
The lion didn't object. It didn't care even if all the herbs were taken—as long as it got the pill for its child. It lay down before Yao Yan, licking its wounds while glancing affectionately at the cub curled beside it.
"…This is a Tier 3 Healing Pill for external injuries. It'll help your wounds close quickly."
Yao Yan tossed a bottle toward the lion. Seeing its surprise, he added, "I've already examined your child. I can make a custom-tailored pill, but I need to know—did it have a Violet Gold Core at birth? If so, I can use it as a primary ingredient to make a perfect Tier 5 pill. It would eliminate bottlenecks up to Tier 5 and greatly improve its odds of reaching Tier 6."
He could already tell the cub's bloodline wasn't pure—it was likely the product of crossbreeding. Its innate strength was limited. Tier 5 would be its likely ceiling. That was why the lion had humbled itself to ask for help.
Whether beast or human—for their children, they'd do anything.
"Yes!"
The Amethyst Winged Lion King looked at the healing pills, then at Yao Yan, and nodded firmly.
(END CHAPTER)
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