Lin Yuan extended his right hand, his eyes turning slightly solemn. With a thought, wisps of icy-blue Qianlan Heart Flame surged out from within his body and gathered toward his palm.
Upon closer inspection, faint traces of ominous black could actually be seen mixed within the icy-blue flames.
The Qianlan Heart Flame intertwined and converged within Lin Yuan's palm, spinning rapidly before transforming into an icy-blue flame lotus. At the center of the lotus was a pitch-black "lotus seed," which emitted a strange aura that made one's heart tremble.
"This highly poisonous aura…" Xiao Yixian narrowed her eyes slightly and hesitated before asking, "Is it the poison from the Demonic Poison Spot?"
"Exactly!"
Lin Yuan nodded.
Looking at the pitch-black "lotus seed" within the flames, he explained, "The Demonic Poison Spot is a combination of Dou Qi and poisonous elements. During the refining process this time, I tried using the same method used to purify medicinal ingredients to extract the 'poison' component."
"Although some of it was lost, part of it succeeded. The result is this Poison 'Lotus Seed.'"
Although this step sounded simple, actually carrying it out was extremely difficult.
Refining and incinerating were only a hair's breadth apart. If not for his sufficiently powerful Spiritual Strength and mastery of flame control, Lin Yuan would not have been able to separate the two. He could only have incinerated the poisonous component along with everything else.
"Xiao Yixian, take a look. How do you think its quality is?"
As he spoke, Lin Yuan willed the Qianlan Heart Flame to return to the Blood Soul within the Nethersea Ring. He then flicked his finger, sending the Poison "Lotus Seed" toward her.
Xiao Yixian caught it with the Netherworld Poison Flame. After examining it for a moment, a look of pleasant surprise appeared in her eyes.
"As expected of the poison from the Demonic Poison Spot. The poisonous elements condensed within this 'Lotus Seed' are extremely excellent in both quality and quantity. If I refine it with the Netherworld Poison Flame, it should provide quite a substantial boost to my cultivation."
"That's good, then!"
Lin Yuan stretched lazily. "It seems this Demonic Poison Spot can become a resource for both of us to improve together…"
Xiao Yixian nodded, the corners of her lips curving upward slightly. She really liked the feeling of improving together.
Seeing the eager expression on Xiao Yixian's face, Lin Yuan's mood also improved. He chuckled and said, "Xiao Yixian, I'm going to meet a future 'friend.' Take your time studying it, but let me collect my payment first."
With that, Lin Yuan suddenly kissed her forehead. Before Xiao Yixian could react, his figure mysteriously vanished from the room.
A moment later, Xiao Yixian came back to her senses. Looking in the direction Lin Yuan had left, her shy eyes held even more tenderness.
Inner Academy, Rear Mountain
When Lin Yuan arrived at the agreed meeting place, Gu Zhen had already been waiting for quite some time.
"Brother Lin Yuan, please have a seat!"
Gu Zhen rose from beside the stone table and gently raised his right hand, gesturing toward the stone chair opposite him.
"My apologies. Clearly, I was the one who invited Brother Gu to meet, yet I ended up making you wait!"
Lin Yuan cupped his hands and spoke with a hint of apology. "I became somewhat absorbed in my cultivation just now, so I was delayed for a while."
Gu Zhen sensed Lin Yuan's aura, and a trace of surprise appeared in his heart. Compared to their battle earlier that day, the latter's aura had improved noticeably.
This guy's cultivation has improved again? Just as Ling Ying said, this person really is quite extraordinary.
Suppressing his curiosity, Gu Zhen revealed a warm smile that made one feel as though they were bathing in a spring breeze.
"Looks like your cultivation has broken through again. Congratulations. However, I'm curious, what exactly was the reason you sent me a voice transmission and asked me to meet you today?"
"To become friends. Or perhaps, I could say, to give you an opportunity."
Lin Yuan smiled faintly.
"Oh?"
The smile on Gu Zhen's face became somewhat playful.
"Becoming friends and giving me an opportunity. That's certainly an interesting way to put it. What exactly do you mean?"
"There's no deeper meaning. It's exactly what I said."
Lin Yuan casually waved his hand and chuckled. "I want to become friends with you, and you also need a friend like me. That's all."
"If I'm not mistaken, Gu Zhen, your position within the Gu Clan is somewhat lower than Gu Yao's, isn't it?"
Upon hearing this, a trace of gloom flashed deep within Gu Zhen's eyes, but his expression remained calm.
"That's right. Gu Yao's bloodline concentration is considerably higher than mine, so his position within the clan is naturally higher than mine. That's only natural. This has been the order of our Gu Clan since ancient times. Don't tell me you're trying to sow discord between us?"
By the end, Gu Zhen's expression had become considerably more serious, and a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.
If this man thought such words could drive a wedge between him and Gu Yao, then he was truly too naive and had greatly underestimated Gu Zhen.
"Heh!"
Lin Yuan chuckled softly.
"What are you thinking, Brother Gu? I'm not interested in the internal affairs of the Gu Clan. I simply saw a familiar shadow in you and wanted to give you a hand."
From the very first moment Lin Yuan saw Gu Zhen, he had vaguely sensed that they were similar.
Both were equally modest and courteous, yet both possessed an innate pride deep within their bones.
If his instincts were correct, Gu Zhen was essentially a weaker version of himself. He was a man with great ambitions, and someone like that would never willingly submit completely to another person merely because of the difference in bloodline rank.
"There are similarities between you and me."
Looking into Gu Zhen's eyes, Lin Yuan spoke slowly.
"You can't possibly have no ambitions regarding one of the four positions of Commander-in-Chief of the Black Annihilation Army. After all, although the outside world says that the upper echelons of the Black Annihilation Army consist of 'Eight Commanders and Four Commanders-in-Chief,' you and I both know that only the Four Commanders-in-Chief can truly be considered part of the core."
"Within the Black Annihilation Army's hierarchy, the people who can receive the Gu Clan's core resources and nurturing are also these Four Commanders-in-Chief. As for the Eight Commanders."
Lin Yuan shook his head and did not continue, but his meaning was obvious.
Even someone at Ling Quan's level could become one of the Eight Commanders. The value of the position of Commander could be imagined.
After a pause, Lin Yuan's tone became somewhat more blunt.
"You are currently the First Deputy Commander. If nothing unexpected happens, you should be able to smoothly become the Great Commander in the future. But between the Great Commander and the Commander-in-Chief, although they appear to be separated by only one step, in reality, the difference is like heaven and earth."
In the original timeline, if Gu Yao had not given up his quota after losing the battle, Gu Zhen would not even have obtained a quota for the Ancient Clan's Heavenly Tomb expedition.
"Elder Lin Yuan, you seem quite concerned about the affairs of my Gu Clan."
After listening to Lin Yuan's words, Gu Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly.
"To investigate and understand things to this extent must have taken quite some time, right?"
"Heh, not really."
Lin Yuan casually waved his hand.
"Once you reach a certain level, these things are common knowledge. You know the identity of our Dean. Within Jia Nan Academy, Senior Mang Tian Chi naturally left behind quite a bit of information."
This was one of the advantages of becoming the next Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy. He could use Mang Tian Chi's position as a high-ranking member of the Lei Clan to reasonably explain how he knew so many things.
"Senior Mang Tian Chi?"
Gu Yao nodded.
"Of course!"
Lin Yuan nodded slightly, his expression playful.
"I'm curious, Gu Zhen. With the great ambitions you possess, can you really calmly accept all of this? If you're unwilling to accept it, then the only way to break this situation is to use a rule even more absolute than bloodline…"
"Strength."
His words struck directly at Gu Zhen's heart.
How could Gu Zhen not understand this?
He believed that when it came to effort, he was inferior to no one. Whether it was cultivation or managing affairs, he had done exceptionally well.
However, within the Gu Clan, bloodline concentration determined far too many things.
The gap between him and the other four was not merely due to bloodline concentration. There were also all the things that stemmed from bloodline, especially the amount of resources allocated to them during the clan's nurturing.
The higher one rose, the more concentrated the resources became.
In the future, the difference in resources enjoyed by the Commanders-in-Chief and ordinary Commanders would only grow greater.
Even the Black Annihilation King would only select his successor from among the Commanders-in-Chief.
Gu Zhen took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment before slowly opening them again.
"Why don't you just be direct? What can you give me, and what do you need me to do?"
If the other party was genuinely friendly, he did not mind cooperating.
But if he harbored ulterior motives toward the Gu Clan, then he would have to forgive him for what came next.
"Rest assured!"
As though he had guessed what Gu Zhen was thinking, Lin Yuan spoke calmly.
"I don't intend to have you do anything that would harm the Gu Clan. I'm merely giving you an opportunity."
"An opportunity to cooperate with me and become my representative within the Gu Clan."
Upon hearing Lin Yuan's words, Gu Zhen was momentarily stunned.
"Representative me?"
"That's right. You."
"It won't be long before I can advance to become an Eighth-Grade Alchemist."
Lin Yuan gently tapped his fingers against the table and spoke frankly.
"I need a channel through which I can turn my alchemy skills into resources for growth. The Gu Clan is a very good choice."
"However…"
Lin Yuan's tone suddenly changed.
"I don't want to deal with some of the old stubborn fellows in the Gu Clan. I don't need to explain why, do I?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhen smiled helplessly. He understood the situation within the clan all too well.
Having spent years living in the comfortable environment of the Gu Clan, where bloodline was supreme and the Gu Clan was overwhelmingly powerful, many of the clan's elders had developed an arrogant and dismissive attitude toward outsiders, especially those who did not belong to the ancient clans.
"So that's how it is. You want to choose me as the middleman?"
Gu Zhen spoke solemnly.
"Exactly!"
"Your identity and personality are both just right for my purposes."
Lin Yuan looked at him with satisfaction and spoke calmly, "As your compensation, I will allow you to take a portion of the profits from these transactions."
"The gap between you and Gu Yao can be made up with nothing more than a few seventh-grade pills."
"And a few seventh-grade, or even eighth-grade, pills will not be particularly precious to me in the future. With my support, defeating Gu Yao or the other Commanders-in-Chief and earning the position of Commander-in-Chief through your own strength will not be difficult."
"You've seen it yourself. I don't even possess Dou God bloodline, yet dealing with Gu Yao wasn't particularly difficult for me And you have Dou God bloodline."
After saying this, Lin Yuan calmly looked at Gu Zhen, waiting for his answer.
After hearing Lin Yuan's words, Gu Zhen used his powerful mental fortitude to suppress the joy that had instinctively surged within him. His mind quickly began weighing the advantages and disadvantages.
In the end, he reached a conclusion.
Becoming Lin Yuan's representative seemed to have nothing but benefits.
This was a mutually beneficial cooperation. Lin Yuan could turn his alchemy skills into resources, while Gu Zhen could turn his identity within the Gu Clan into resources.
"Moreover…"
Gu Zhen took a deep look at Lin Yuan and thought to himself,
"This man became a peak seventh-grade alchemist before even reaching the age of twenty, and he will soon break through to the eighth grade. His achievements in alchemy are no less impressive than those of the geniuses of the Yao Clan."
"Judging from what I've seen so far, Lin Yuan possesses the potential to become a ninth-grade alchemist."
"If I can maintain a friendly relationship with him, it may bring tremendous benefits to both me and the future of the Gu Clan. I must agree to this. Even if I don't do it, someone else will. It would be better for me to take the initiative."
Thinking of this, a hint of eagerness appeared in Gu Zhen's eyes.
"I'm honored that Brother Lin Yuan thinks so highly of me. As for becoming your representative, Gu Zhen agrees."
He stood up and cupped his hands toward Lin Yuan.
This man is my financial backer.
"Brother Gu has made a very wise choice. I believe that in the future, you will never regret the decision you made today."
Lin Yuan nodded, the corners of his mouth curling upward slightly. He clapped his hands and chuckled.
"Then, I wish us a pleasant cooperation…"
"A pleasant cooperation…"
After reaching an agreement, the two immediately settled the details of their cooperation and divided their respective responsibilities.
Gu Zhen would be responsible for finding suitable people within the Gu Clan who could cooperate and conduct transactions with Lin Yuan. In addition, after returning to the Gu Clan this time, he would seek a position that allowed him to enter and leave the Ancient Realm at any time, and then establish a base in Yongning City in the Eastern Region of the Central Plains.
As for Lin Yuan, he would focus on improving his alchemy skills as quickly as possible and prepare for his future pill refining.
Each side would handle their respective responsibilities and obtain what they needed. The framework of a community of shared interests had begun to take shape.
Gu Zhen cupped his hands toward Lin Yuan.
"Brother Lin, Gu Zhen will await your arrival in the Eastern Region of the Central Plains."
"Don't worry!"
Lin Yuan waved his hand and chuckled.
"It won't be long before I head to the Central Plains to find you. As a gift for our reunion, I'll give you a Beginning Venerable Pill when the time comes. Brother Gu, you'd better leave some room for a breakthrough beforehand. Otherwise, that Beginning Venerable Pill will be wasted. Hahaha."
"Beginning Venerable Pill?"
Gu Zhen's eyes lit up, and a hint of joy appeared in his heart.
Even within the Gu Clan, a peak seventh-grade pill like this was not something that could be obtained casually. One pill could save him several months of painstaking cultivation.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony. I'll thank Brother Lin Yuan in advance for your generosity…"
"It's nothing. Please also keep an eye out for those things I mentioned…"
"Absolutely! Absolutely!"
Afterward, the two settled the channels they would use to contact each other in the future, various communication signals, and other details. Gu Zhen then bid farewell.
His figure quickly disappeared into the night, speeding toward Peace Town.
Watching Gu Zhen's departing figure, a hint of amusement appeared in Lin Yuan's deep eyes.
"With this, I have a trading channel that's even more useful than Gu Xun'er!"
"Gu Zhen has ambition and the desire to improve. If I make good use of him, collecting high-grade cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, medicinal ingredients, pill formulas, and other resources will become much easier. I hope this spur-of-the-moment decision today will bear some unexpected fruit!"
Before long, Lin Yuan would be setting off for the Central Plains.
He had already begun making preparations for it.
After all, the Central Plains was filled with countless powerful experts, and the relationships between its various factions were deeply intertwined. After arriving there, he would no longer be able to use the methods he had employed in the Northwestern Region, destroying sects and clans to obtain medicinal ingredients and resources.
Even Lin Yuan would have to start taking the proper path.
Therefore, after seeing Gu Zhen, he had immediately set his sights on the Gu Clan.
A powerful Ancient Clan like the Gu Clan was undoubtedly one of the highest-quality resource pools in existence. With so many heavenly treasures, cultivation techniques, and Dou Techniques accumulated over countless years, Lin Yuan would feel like he was doing himself a disservice if he didn't find a way to tap into it.
As for whether the people of the Gu Clan would be willing to cooperate with him?
Lin Yuan was quite confident about this.
After all, he intended to offer them an extremely favorable condition.
Whether it was a seventh-grade or eighth-grade pill, as long as they provided three sets of medicinal ingredients, he would guarantee one successfully refined pill.
At the same time, intelligence, pill formulas, and suitable cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, and secret techniques could all be used in exchange for medicinal ingredients.
According to the conventions of the Dou Qi Continent's alchemy world, when asking an alchemist to refine a pill, one normally had to prepare at least three sets of medicinal ingredients, and the alchemist would not even guarantee that a pill could be successfully refined.
Under such circumstances, the conditions Lin Yuan offered could be considered exceptionally generous.
Most alchemists did not have a high success rate. Only alchemists with extremely high success rates would dare to implement such a condition, which was practically a wager between both sides.
"I refuse to believe that under such generous alchemy conditions, no one will be willing to cooperate with me."
"As for Gu Zhen, I'll temporarily list him as one of the candidates for the Seven Star Masters. From here on, it will depend on how he performs…"
----
For additional chapter's
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu