Chapter 270: The Deal Is Done

Su Che made up his mind and said loudly, “Elder Chen Xu, I agree to the exchange!”
The importance of the Tianying Dan to his master was self-evident, and the ninth-level Yin Fire was also a treasure he desperately wanted. Getting both at once, Su Che certainly wouldn’t refuse.
“Good!”
Elder Chen Xu chuckled and first placed the two bottles on the lotus platform of the Peacock Sovereign.
Su Che took out a lotus seed from the Immortal Prison, handed it to Zi Xiao first, who then delivered it to the Peacock Sovereign. This was done as a precaution to prevent anyone from trying to snatch the lotus seed from Su Che.
After verification by the Peacock Sovereign, both sides’ treasures were confirmed to be genuine. The lotus seed was given to Elder Chen Xu, and Zi Xiao received the two bottles.
After opening the bottle caps and checking again, Zi Xiao handed them over to Su Che.
Since even Master Zi Xiao had confirmed their authenticity, Su Che happily stored them, eagerly anticipating, “If my master sees this Tianying Dan, he will surely be very pleased…”
Not far away, Elder Jie E’s expression was extremely gloomy. While others’ deals were mutually beneficial and satisfying, the puppet he had bought had become a laughingstock. This filled him with resentment, making him feel as uncomfortable as if sitting on needles, wishing he could leave immediately…
Next, several Yuan Ying Elders offered various conditions to exchange for Immortal Lotus seeds or petals. Unfortunately, the items they brought didn’t address Su Che’s core needs as effectively as Elder Chen Xu’s did, leaving him no choice but to refuse.
It wasn’t that these Yuan Ying Elders couldn’t provide top-tier treasures; rather, they were weighing whether a single lotus seed or petal was worth the effort to exchange for.
If the treasure was too insignificant, Su Che wouldn’t be interested; if it was too valuable, they were reluctant to part with it…
After about half an hour, both Su Che and Zi Xiao thought the deal regarding the Immortal Lotus was concluded. Having obtained the ninth-level Yin Fire and the Tianying Dan that day was already a success worth celebrating.
The Peacock Sovereign agreed as well and suggested, “We can put the Immortal Lotus matter on hold for now and proceed with other deals. If any fellow cultivator is determined to exchange precious treasures for Immortal Lotus seeds or petals, we can revisit this topic later. What do you all think?”
Everyone, including Su Che and Zi Xiao, agreed unanimously.

The trade fair continued, and the various treasures that appeared one after another were nowhere near as valuable or significant as the Black Domain Immortal Lotus or the Heavenly Infant Pill. Yet, Su Che still gained a great deal of knowledge from it and reaped many benefits. During this time, Yin Ling also sent a message: “Brother Tian Yu, in the entire cultivation world, there is only one Black Domain Immortal Lotus. The longer it stays in your hands, the more valuable it becomes. When some Yuan Ying ancestors run out of lifespan and have no other way to extend it, they would even be willing to exchange their life spirit treasures for it. I reckon that after this trade fair, more Yuan Ying ancestors will come to Tian Xuan Sect to trade with you…” “That’s right,” Su Che said with a smile. “This is purely a case of those who volunteer to fall into the trap. I’m not in any hurry at all.” “That’s good,” Yin Ling giggled and then asked, “Also, since you already have the entire lotus plant, have you thought about cultivating its next generation?” “I have,” Su Che nodded. “Unfortunately, I don’t know the method and haven’t dared to try. If cultivated improperly, it would be a waste of a lotus seed.” “I might be able to help with that,” Yin Ling said softly. “Oh?” Su Che raised his eyebrows in disbelief. After all, even the elders of the medicine gardens on Tian Xuan Sect’s ten main peaks didn’t know the method of cultivating the Immortal Lotus. How could Yin Ling, a demon girl, be an expert in this area? Seeing Su Che’s puzzled expression, Yin Ling whispered with a smile, “You misunderstand. It’s not that I know it, but someone else does.” “Great,” Su Che nodded. “If I really can learn the method of cultivating the Immortal Lotus, I will definitely thank you properly.” “How will you thank me? Tell me first,” Yin Ling tilted her head playfully. “The Immortal Lotus is useless to demons…” Su Che pondered for a moment before asking back, “Just tell me what you need.” If he really learned how to cultivate the Immortal Lotus, it meant there would be more lotus seeds and petals, allowing him to exchange for even more treasures. Su Che certainly understood the difference between having fish and knowing how to fish. Yin Ling blinked her big eyes, staring at Su Che in silence for a while before saying, “Right now, I don’t want to ask for anything… How about you promise me that when you become a great cultivator at the Yuan Ying stage and return to the Floating City, you won’t forget me or ignore me. That’s all.” Su Che smiled silently and nodded. “No matter when I come to the Floating City, I will look for you.”

As he made his promise, Su Che inwardly admired Yin Ling as truly a sly little fox. Given her nature, the less demands she made, the more generous his future rewards to her would be. This showed that she had also seen through his own character…

“Very well!” Yin Ling said with a smile. “Go back to Tianxuan Sect and wait for good news. Within a year, that person will come to see you on his own. But be prepared—he might make some strange requests. Whether you accept them is up to you.”

“Understood.”

Su Che nodded and thanked her again. Yin Ling, however, playfully complained that he was too polite and formal…

The trade fair continued until the early hours of the morning. During that time, Zi Xiao took advantage of his position several times, using Su Che’s name to spend public funds on several rare treasures, reaping some benefits for himself. The aforementioned “Nirvana Divine Wood” was also purchased by Zi Xiao for seventy top-quality spirit stones. Eventually, it would surely end up in Su Che’s possession—a divine wood capable of upgrading the level of spiritual flames, which someone like Su Che, who cultivated flames, would need sooner or later.

After the trade fair, in a luxurious room on the ninth floor of the Lingxiao Tower, Zi Xiao paid 150 top-quality spirit stones to Patriarch Shengying, and another Sacred Demon combat puppet came into Su Che’s ownership.

The combat puppet was first stored in Su Che’s storage bracelet, and then taken by Lao Hei into the Immortal Prison. Since both the storage bracelet and the Immortal Prison Pagoda were inside Su Che’s body, such a hidden transfer process wouldn’t be detected by the Yuan Ying Patriarch.

Inside the Immortal Prison, Lao Hei transformed into a Heavenly Demon form and possessed the combat puppet. With a series of combat stances, he shouted loudly, “Master, we need a large amount of gold-type top-quality spirit stones. Every time we fight, we must maximize its power.”

“There’s no problem with spirit stones,” Su Che replied in his mind. “I’ll exchange all the hundreds of spirit stones I have for gold-type ones, and ask the sect for more. That should be enough for our needs. After all, we don’t fight every day.”

“Haha, I can’t wait any longer!” Lao Hei controlled the Sacred Demon puppet, charging forward like a beast and raising clouds of dust.

At that moment, in the room, Patriarch Shengying put away the spirit stones and smiled at Zi Xiao. “I guess Ji E, that old scoundrel, still hasn’t figured out that it was you and me working together to trick him. Making three hundred spirit stones this way is truly satisfying!”

Zixiao nodded and said, “Ji E Lao Gui is the most disgusting guy I’ve ever met—he lived a useless life of over six hundred years.”
“Still, your Tianxuan Sect should be extra careful…” Saint Ying Laozu turned his gaze to Su Che, implying, “Protect this precious treasure well. I’ve heard that many people want to prevent it from reaching the stage of Ning Ying.”
“I know,” Zixiao replied seriously with a nod.
The two discussed the current situation in the cultivation world for a while longer, after which Saint Ying Laozu took his leave.
After he left, Su Che asked, “Master Zixiao, shouldn’t we return to the sect as soon as possible, so as to avoid being intercepted by Ji E Lao Gui and the others from the Wan Gui Sect along the way?”
“No problem!” Zixiao waved his hand confidently. “If I want to leave, no one on entire Qi Yuan Star can stop me.”
Su Che nodded without saying anything further.
Three days later, with Yin Ling’s reluctant farewells, the two left the floating city using a teleportation array and returned to the small town guarded by that Yuan Ying-stage rat spirit.
Next, Zixiao used the Star Emperor Compass and returned to the entrance of Tianxuan Sect in less than an hour.
Along the way, they indeed encountered no obstacles. Su Che thought, “It seems Master Zixiao’s strength is already well-known. Ji E Lao Gui must also realize that trying to intercept us is completely pointless.”
Su Che could also imagine that if a battle between Yuan Ying-level sect masters did occur, Master Zixiao could simply put him in his spiritual treasure space, so he wouldn’t become a burden…
Upon returning to the sect, the first thing Su Che did was head to the Mysterious Golden Hall to see his master, Venerable Mysterious Insight.
“What is this…?”
Venerable Mysterious Insight took the blue-and-white porcelain bottle and saw the words “Lingyao Tianying” carved at the bottom. He immediately exclaimed, “It’s the Tianying Dan from Lingyao Mountain!”
“Yes, master,” Su Che said with a smile. “During this trip to the floating city, I exchanged one lotus seed for both the ninth-level Yin Fire I needed and this Tianying Dan.”
“Tianying Dan!” Venerable Mysterious Insight murmured, clearly distracted, not even hearing clearly what Su Che had just said.
The surprise came too suddenly!
Su Che stood quietly, patiently waiting for him to calm down.
After a dozen breaths, Venerable Mysterious Insight finally snapped out of his daze, raised his head, and asked loudly, “Che, tell me again how you obtained the Tianying Dan.”
“Sure.”

Su Che then recounted in detail his experience in the Floating City, and finally asked, “Master, with this Tianying Dan, what is your confidence level in achieving Ningying?”
“What confidence level?”
Elder Xuanji had long passed through the initial shock of excitement. At this moment, his face shone with vigor, and he laughed while looking up at the sky, “Immortal crystals, Tianying Dan, and the fortune of the main peak—all are in my possession. What confidence level does that require? Che, in three days, I will enter seclusion to strive for the Yuanying realm!”
Huh?
This time, it was Su Che who was shocked. He instinctively wanted to persuade his master not to rush, but he quickly regained his senses and swallowed back the words that were about to leave his mouth.
He thought to himself, “The master is by no means reckless. If he has made such a decision, it must be because he feels all the conditions are met and his condition is excellent, giving him such confidence. This momentum and drive might even invisibly increase the chances of success by ten to twenty percent…”