The moment Lin Yuan finished speaking, two firm voices of refusal rang out in unison beside him.
"No!" Yao Lao and Ling Ying said simultaneously.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan revealed a perfectly timed look of confusion on his face, though inwardly he understood everything clearly.
Both Yao Lao and Xiao Yan were extremely prideful people at heart.
Yao Lao had personally witnessed Xiao Yan's persistence and hard work over the past three years. If Xiao Yan failed to attend this appointment, it would become an unresolved knot in his heart. And Yao Lao would never allow his disciple to miss this battle to reclaim his dignity merely because of some potential threat.
As for Ling Ying, his reasoning was even simpler, it was all for Gu Xun'er.
Before the Three Year Agreement was fulfilled, the engagement between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran could not truly be considered completely severed. That made Gu Xun'er's position somewhat awkward and uncomfortable. To Ling Ying, who had watched Gu Xun'er grow up since childhood, such a situation was unacceptable.
The fact that his young lady liked Xiao Yan was already difficult enough to accept. If that brat still had an unresolved fiancée on top of that, it would be even more intolerable.
Therefore, unless the danger was absolutely impossible to resist, neither Yao Lao nor Ling Ying would ever choose to let Xiao Yan miss the Three Year Agreement.
After a moment of silence, Lin Yuan nodded as though suddenly enlightened.
"My apologies, the two of you. It seems I underestimated the significance of the Three Year Agreement. Since I have already completed what I promised Senior, then this junior should take his leave."
After speaking, Lin Yuan drained the spiritual wine in front of him in one gulp and made a motion to stand and leave.
At that moment, Yao Lao's serious voice sounded out.
"Wait a moment, Tian Shu brat. This old man has a transaction to discuss with you. Are you interested in hearing it?"
"Oh?" Lin Yuan stopped in his tracks and replied with interest, "It's quite rare for Senior to initiate a trade. Please, go ahead…"
Yao Lao's gaze subtly swept across Lin Yuan's wrist before he said seriously,
"This old man wants you to accompany us to the Yun Lan Sect and protect Xiao Yan for a period of time."
Hearing this, Lin Yuan frowned.
"Senior Yao, this matter may very well bring us into conflict with the Hall of Souls. As an alchemist, I personally despise the Hall of Souls, but asking me to oppose them directly at this stage is something I'm unwilling to do. After all, both you and I know how powerful the Hall of Souls truly is."
"How about a Seventh-Grade medicinal formula?" Yao Lao directly named his price.
"A Seventh-Grade formula is indeed precious, but to me, it isn't particularly significant, is it? It's not worth taking such a risk for." Lin Yuan replied calmly.
Hearing this, Yao Lao thought inwardly, "He didn't refuse outright? Then there's still room for negotiation."
Thus, he continued increasing the offer.
"What about a Eighth-Grade medicinal formula?"
Lin Yuan shook his head and answered honestly,
"Senior, although high-tier medicinal formulas are highly attractive to me, I have no immediate use for them. And by the time I truly need them, obtaining high-tier formulas will not be especially difficult."
"A Earth Class Dou Technique." Yao Lao continued bargaining.
Lin Yuan shook his head again in refusal.
"A Earth Class Dou Technique and a Earth Class cultivation method."
Lin Yuan still shook his head indifferently and said while preparing to leave,
"In that case, if there is nothing else, this junior will take his leave first."
Seeing this, Yao Lao abruptly changed tactics and said softly,
"Tian Shu brat, your relationship with the Woeful Poison Body is quite close, isn't it? Don't you want to completely resolve the issue of the poison body's eruption for her?"
"Hm?" Hearing this, Lin Yuan stopped in his tracks.
He turned to look at Yao Lao, his brows slightly furrowed.
"What does Senior mean? Is the Poison Pill Method you gave me before unable to completely solve the problem?"
Seeing his reaction, Yao Lao inwardly rejoiced. It seemed Tian Shu's relationship with the Woeful Poison Body was indeed extremely close.
Someone who had remained unmoved by cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, and medicinal formulas had immediately changed his attitude the moment the Woeful Poison Body was mentioned.
Thus, Yao Lao calmly explained, "The Poison Pill Method can indeed be considered a solution, provided one stops advancing in cultivation after forming the Poison Pill. However, if cultivation continues to rise, the core of a Seventh-Grade Heaven Scorpion Venom Dragon Beast naturally will not be able to contain the increasingly terrifying Woeful Poison Qi."
"As expected…" Lin Yuan sighed softly.
"After obtaining the Poison Pill Method, I studied it for some time. Back then, I already vaguely had this feeling. Then what is the method Senior mentioned that can completely resolve the eruption of the poison body?"
Yao Lao stroked his beard and smiled.
"A certain ancient tomb. There, one can obtain a method to completely control the Woeful Poison Body. The Poison Pill Method itself was something I obtained from that place."
"Oh?" Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What kind of extraordinary person could create such a miraculous method? And why would they understand the Woeful Poison Body so thoroughly?"
"I'm afraid there could never be a second person in this world who understood the Woeful Poison Body better than she did. Because during her lifetime, she herself was also a possessor of the Woeful Poison Body. The method to control the poison body was something she created only when she stood on the brink of death."
"So she was also a possessor of the Woeful Poison Body, no wonder…"
Yao Lao smiled and said meaningfully,
"Well then? If I tell you the location of that ancient tomb, would that be enough for you and the friend hidden within your sleeve to take action?"
The moment those words fell, a few traces of seriousness and solemnity appeared within Yao Lao's smiling eyes.
The concealed aura hidden within Tian Shu's sleeve was exceptionally powerful.
Meanwhile, Ling Ying's expression changed drastically as he looked toward Lin Yuan and his sleeve with vigilance.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan sighed in admiration.
"Senior Yao's soul perception truly lives up to the phrase 'terrifying beyond compare.' Even with my Queen intentionally concealing her aura, you still noticed her so easily."
Then he gently patted his sleeve and said warmly,
"Your Majesty, you may come out now."
As his voice fell, a seven-colored rainbow light shot out from Lin Yuan's sleeve. In an instant, it transformed into an incomparably enchanting beauty standing beside him.
The vast aura radiating from her was actually slightly stronger than Yao Lao's.
Lin Yuan looked toward the two men and smiled lightly.
"This is my wife, Queen Medusa of the Snake-People Tribe. I hope the two of you will not mind."
Hearing Lin Yuan's introduction, a trace of satisfaction flashed through Queen Medusa's eyes. She proactively wrapped her arm around Lin Yuan's.
Afterward, she simply nodded toward Ling Ying and Yao Lao before falling silent, completely leaving the initiative to Lin Yuan.
Upon hearing Lin Yuan's words, even Yao Lao was somewhat surprised. He had naturally heard of Queen Medusa's famed beauty.
More importantly, the Queen Medusa before him had clearly already completely transformed into human form and advanced into the Dou Ancestor class. Furthermore, if he had not seen wrongly, the fleeting glimpse of her true form just now had been the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, a creature that should have gone extinct since ancient times.
One of the peak Magical Beasts of ancient times, long believed extinct, had actually reappeared in the world?
Thinking of this, even Yao Lao could not help drawing in a cold breath.
He deeply examined the two people before him and said meaningfully,
"Not simple. Truly not simple. Tian Shu brat, your fortune is indeed enviable."
Alongside Queen Medusa's famous beauty, the Medusa Queens were also renowned across the continent for their unwavering devotion.
And this generation's Queen Medusa had already given her heart to someone.
Hearing Yao Lao's words, Lin Yuan smiled.
"Senior flatters me. In truth, my Queen was my trump card from the very beginning. She was also the confidence behind my promise to Senior that Yun Shan would not appear at the Misty Cloud Sect during the Three Year Agreement."
"And she originally came here precisely for this matter."
Hearing this, Yao Lao carefully sensed Queen Medusa's strength before nodding.
"So that's how it is. With her strength, she indeed could accomplish such a feat."
Yao Lao did not continue dwelling on this topic and instead returned to the main issue.
"Then regarding what I mentioned earlier exchanging the ancient tomb of the previous Woeful Poison Body possessor for the two of you taking action, is it feasible?"
Hearing this, Lin Yuan pondered for a moment before replying seriously,
"I can take action, but my Queen cannot conveniently do so."
"After all, if we truly end up opposing the Hall of Souls, my foundations are not here. I can simply flee if necessary. But my wife is the Queen of the Snake-People Tribe and bears the responsibility of her entire race. If she takes action this time and ends up being targeted by the Hall of Souls, the consequences would be extremely troublesome. Therefore…"
Hearing Lin Yuan's words, Yao Lao gave Ling Ying a meaningful glance.
Ling Ying immediately understood and spoke, "The two of you may rest assured. If we truly end up opposing the Hall of Souls this time, then in the name of our Young Miss, I guarantee that neither of you will suffer any repercussions."
Lin Yuan pretended to be puzzled and asked,
"Your Young Miss? Just who is she, to be able to make such a promise?"
Yao Lao took over the conversation and backed up Ling Ying's words.
"Tian Shu, their Young Miss truly possesses such qualifications. Surely you know of the 'Gu Clan.'"
"Hiss—" Lin Yuan drew in a cold breath.
"So Elder Ling is actually from that clan. My apologies for the disrespect."
Hearing this, Ling Ying smiled proudly, though he still said modestly, "I am merely a minor guard. However, Your Excellency may trust the weight carried by our Young Miss's words."
Seeing that Lin Yuan still appeared somewhat hesitant, Yao Lao thought for a moment before saying, "Wait for me a moment."
Immediately afterward, his figure disappeared from the spot.
Two minutes later, when he reappeared before the group, there were two scrolls in his hands.
"The two of you, these items should be enough to eliminate your concerns."
----
For additional chapter's
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu