"Alright, I agree."
"Then, happy cooperation."
Xiao Tian and Yun Shan exchanged smiles.
Xiao Tian waved his hand in the void: "Since our cooperation is settled, I'll return them to you."
Wen Yan appeared instantly, throwing the seven unconscious individuals he held onto the ground. Yun Yun also emerged from a spatial rift.
Yun Shan looked at the appearing Wen Yan, his expression becoming extremely grave. This was a genuine high-level Dou Zong, not the kind of secret technique Xiao Tian used.
"This is Old Wen Yan," Xiao Tian said to Yun Shan with a smile. Seeing Xiao Tian's smile, Yun Shan shivered, thinking this young man's true strength was unfathomable.
"What's wrong with them?" Yun Shan asked, looking at the people lying on the ground.
"They shouldn't be conscious in our current situation. You can wake them up later. The rest is up to you."
After Xiao Tian finished speaking, he led Old Wen out of the hall. As he passed Yun Yun, he subtly winked and mouthed, "I'll come find you later."
Yun Yun reluctantly glanced at Xiao Tian, then walked up to Yun Shan: "Teacher, I've disappointed you."
"It's fine," Yun Shan narrowed his eyes. Being an old fox, he sensed that the relationship between Xiao Tian and Yun Yun seemed more complicated than it appeared, but he didn't ask anything.
Yun Shan woke up Gu He and the others. Yun Yun briefly explained that they were rescued, then they boarded the flying magical beast they arrived on and left Serpent-People City.
Except for Yun Yun and Yun Shan, the others looked at the gradually shrinking Serpent-People City with terror, vowing never to return there again.
Xiao Tian stood on a rooftop, watching Yun Yun depart into the distance.
"If you're reluctant, you can go after her," Medusa appeared beside Xiao Tian, her tone peculiar.
"Now that everything is resolved, I can help you begin your evolution tomorrow," Xiao Tian ignored Medusa's question and changed the subject.
"Mm, I've been waiting for a long time," Queen Medusa nodded lightly. "Do you think I'm more beautiful, or is Yun Yun more beautiful?"
Xiao Tian was startled by Queen Medusa's question, almost losing his footing.
Xiao Tian placed his hand on Queen Medusa's forehead: "No fever, why are you talking nonsense?"
He looked down to see Medusa's murderous gaze: "My pill cauldron is about to give birth; I'm leaving first."
Xiao Tian fully activated the World Piercing Needle, instantly appearing fifty meters away, and in a few breaths, he was out of sight.
"Hehehe…"
Watching Xiao Tian flee in disarray, Medusa let out a giggle. At this moment, Medusa's charm, combined with her smile, would mesmerize anyone who saw it.
"Hmph, you fickle little guy, do you think I don't know about you and Yun Yun?"
…
Just as Xiao Tian was fleeing, Xiao Yan, under the cover of Venerable Yao, had taken a pill to disguise himself as a Snake-Person and had already sneaked into Serpent-People City.
Xiao Tian, having escaped the scene, wandered leisurely through Serpent-People City. Because Queen Medusa had ordered that Xiao Tian be treated as an honored guest, and because Xiao Tian had previously helped the Snake-People Tribe, he quickly gained their approval.
"Hall Master, there's a human aura ahead," Old Wen, hidden in the void, spoke out.
Xiao Tian looked in the direction Old Wen pointed and saw a Snake-Person resembling Xiao Yan stealthily moving about.
Xiao Tian didn't go to find Xiao Yan, but instead used his soul power to send a soul message to the storage ring.
As night fell, Xiao Tian stood on a rocky wasteland in the west of Serpent-People City, gazing at the starry sky.
A soul body appeared behind Xiao Tian, looking at him with eyes full of admiration: "You've already broken through to Dou Ling? And your soul power seems very unusual as well."
"Just luck. I broke through to Dou Ling half a month ago."
Xiao Tian only spoke of his cultivation realm, not his soul realm.
In the Alchemist world, soul power is a crucial component. If you want to become a higher-level Alchemist, you must break through your soul power. Without a fortuitous encounter, cultivating soul power can only be achieved by slowly accumulating years, with the exception of geniuses.
And Xiao Tian, as he cultivated the Dream God Art, was a real soul cultivator first and then a Dou cultivator.
Given Xiao Tian's current age, with his soul level reaching the late Mortal Realm, he could at least become a peak Level 7 Alchemist in the future. If he had enough opportunities, becoming a Grade 8 Alchemist would be no problem.
Venerable Yao saw Xiao Tian avoid discussing soul power and didn't ask further.
"Xiao Tian, tell me, why did you ask this old man to come here?"
Xiao Tian turned around and said to Venerable Yao with a smile, "I want to make a deal with you, Senior."
Venerable Yao raised an eyebrow, stroked his long beard, and said with a smile, "What kind of deal do you want to make? I'm not interested in ordinary things."
Xiao Tian looked up, staring directly at Venerable Yao, and slowly said each word: "The Green Lotus Core Flame, number nineteen on the Strange Fire Ranking."
Venerable Yao's hands, stroking his beard, paused, and his eyes fixed on Xiao Tian: "Are you serious?"
"Naturally, it's true. I don't have a habit of playing tricks. Although different fires are important, I don't really need it that much."
Venerable Yao agreed with Xiao Tian's idea.
"Hoo, tell me, what do you want?" Venerable Yao exhaled, straightened his posture, and asked.
"Three things."
Yao Lao asked what they were.
"First, refine a sixth-tier pill for me. Second, if I face problems in my alchemy in the future, I want your suggestions. And last, a Heaven-tier Dou Technique without attribute restrictions."
Xiao Tian knew that different fires were very important to Venerable Yao, whether for cultivating Xiao Yan or for building his own physical body in the future.
A sixth-tier pill would help Hai Bodong break his seal. Even though Xiao Tian had full life-tier knowledge and the legacy of a Rank 9 Golden Tier Alchemist, he still needed guidance from an experienced one from time to time.
To revive himself, Venerable Yao needed three different fires, so each one was critically important. There were only twenty-three in the entire world, and many were already hidden or had owners.
Although Venerable Yao had experienced a lot with Xiao Yan and changed many of his views, his greatest goal at the moment was still his own revival.
Furthermore, Xiao Tian didn't believe Venerable Yao had no good items. This old fox was incredibly good at hiding things. When Xiao Yan was a Dou Practitioner, he brought out a Burning Technique and a low-tier Earth-grade cultivation technique. Wasn't that just to trick Xiao Yan into cultivating the Burning Technique?
With Venerable Yao's former strength as a Nine Revolutions Dou Zun and his reputation as the publicly acknowledged number one Alchemist, he was top-tier even in the Central Plains. Moreover, he had participated in many spatial trade fairs, so it was impossible for him not to have good Heaven-tier items.
Yao Lao was shocked to listen to the demands, and he said, "I can agree with your first two conditions, but I cannot agree with the last one."
"Do you think Heaven-tier cultivation techniques are like cabbages?"
"Old fox, come on, keep up the act for me."
"I don't believe that a dignified Venerable Yao, a Grade 8 Alchemist, would not have a Heaven-tier Dou Technique on him."
Xiao Tian said with a smile.
"Senior, you also know that in the Central Plains, a mature different fire can easily be exchanged for a Heaven-tier cultivation technique. My friendly offer here is only for one Heaven-tier Dou Technique; I'm not asking for too much."
Xiao Tian's condition was indeed very low for a different fire. A mature different fire ranked nineteenth, if auctioned in the Central Plains, would be something people fought over, with many rushing to exchange for it.
Venerable Yao's expression became serious. He floated in the void, staring at Xiao Tian in silence. Xiao Tian, unafraid, met his gaze with a smile.