Chapter 728: You Take Me for an Idiot

Chapter 728: Chapter 729: You Take Me for an Idiot

What? Trade the Earth Fire for that black Crystal Stone?

As soon as Zhan Shang spoke, before Ye Xuan could even react, Diao Minghuang and the others were all stunned.

Damn it, is Zhan Shang’s brain full of shit? How could he possibly come up with a trade like this?

The Earth Fire in front of him was clearly extraordinary. Even if one couldn’t absorb it, taking it outside would be enough to make countless Alchemists fall all over themselves for it. What an incredible temptation that was!

But this Zhan Shang actually wanted to trade the Earth Fire for the black Crystal Stone in front of Ye Xuan. Everyone felt like their brains couldn’t keep up.

It was like someone who’d found gold but wanted to trade it for someone else’s rock. Besides a fool, would any normal person do such a thing?

As for the additional two million medium-grade Profound Stones Zhan Shang mentioned, it sounded like a lot, but it was nothing compared to an Earth Fire coveted by Tier Eight Emperor Level, and even Tier Nine Emperor Level, Alchemists.

For a moment, everyone present stared at Ye Xuan with a mixture of shock and envy. This guy’s luck was just too good! He’d only gotten a useless rock, yet someone was willing to trade an Earth Fire for it. This…

A complex mix of emotions churned within them, and their faces were frozen in shock. They couldn’t describe the feeling.

However, what would truly shock them was yet to come.

After hearing Zhan Shang’s offer, Ye Xuan didn’t seem excited at all. Instead, he said calmly, “Heh, that’s far too generous an offer. And if there’s one thing I hate, it’s taking advantage of others. So let’s just forget about it. I’ll keep this stone for myself, and you can put away your precious Earth Fire.”

The guy actually refused. Everyone’s expressions were no longer shocked, but dumbfounded.

Zhan Shang wanting to trade an Earth Fire for a black stone was surprising enough. Who would have thought Ye Xuan would actually disagree? What the hell was going on?

Only Ye Xuan was sneering inwardly. ‘Based on Zhan Shang’s fear of Celestial Fire, things like Earth Fire should be his bane as a member of the Soul-devouring Race. He shouldn’t be able to absorb it at all.’

‘That’s why even though he was the first one to open the Restriction Array, he still hasn’t taken the Earth Fire.’

‘If Zhan Shang had just offered to trade the Earth Fire for this Crystal Stone, I might have actually agreed. But the guy had to add that I should pay two million medium-grade Profound Stones and even claimed I was getting a great deal. Does he really take me for an idiot?’

Seeing that Ye Xuan had no intention of trading, Zhan Shang knew his ploy had been seen through. He quickly said, “Fine, forget it. I don’t want your two million medium-grade Profound Stones. How about this: one Earth Fire for your one Crystal Stone. Everyone’s happy.”

Ye Xuan looked at Zhan Shang calmly and said, “When did I say I wanted to trade for your Earth Fire?”

Zhan Shang froze. He never imagined Ye Xuan wouldn’t want to trade with him. The other party was turning down such an unbelievably good deal.

His expression turned ugly. “That black Crystal Stone is useless to you. It’s a waste for you to keep it.”

“Is that so?” Ye Xuan glanced at Erhei and the other Spirit Pet beneath him. “Really useless? It’s true that I can’t use it myself, but my two Spirit Pets have great need of this kind of thing. Besides, do you really think your Earth Fire is that attractive to me? You even wanted me to pay two million medium-grade Profound Stones. Do you take me for an idiot? I think you must’ve been asleep for too long. Your brain has gone fuzzy.”

Ye Xuan’s face was full of scorn.

“You…” Zhan Shang’s cold face turned livid, his body radiating killing intent. But in the end, he held back from attacking and said through gritted teeth, “Then what do you want?”

It wasn’t that Ye Xuan truly didn’t want the Earth Fire. After all, compared to the black Crystal Stone, the Earth Fire was far more useful to him.

“Two million medium-grade Profound Stones, plus the Earth Fire, in exchange for this one Crystal Stone of mine.”

Ye Xuan’s terms were practically a mirror image of Zhan Shang’s original offer.

“Damn you.” Zhan Shang was so furious he was about to explode. If it weren’t for so many people being present, and if he wasn’t afraid Ye Xuan would expose his identity, he would have killed him long ago for daring to treat him this way.

But under the circumstances, he could only calm himself down and say angrily, “Impossible. I don’t have that many medium-grade Profound Stones.”

Ye Xuan sneered. “Zhan Shang, stop playing poor with me. If you don’t have the medium-grade Profound Stones, that’s fine. Just trade treasures of equal value. Things like Spirit Medicines, I don’t mind.”

Zhan Shang had broken through from Tier Seven Peak to Tier Eight Second Layer in just over a year. Ye Xuan simply didn’t believe he didn’t have any treasures on him.

Zhan Shang’s expression shifted for a moment. Finally, he gritted his teeth, took out a Storage Ring, and said coldly, “Here’s one million medium-grade Profound Stones, over ten stalks of Tier Eight Spirit Medicine, plus this Earth Fire, in exchange for your one Crystal Stone. This is all I can offer. If you’re still not willing, I’ll have to trade with someone else.”

He felt incredibly aggrieved. If not for the fact that the Demon Stone in Ye Xuan’s hands was of great use to him, and that the Earth Fire was completely useless, how could he let himself be manipulated by Ye Xuan like this?

This time, Ye Xuan didn’t hesitate. “Alright, I agree.”

Seeing Ye Xuan agree, Zhan Shang’s anger subsided slightly. He couldn’t use the Earth Fire anyway, so in his mind, he was essentially trading the value of two million medium-grade Profound Stones for the Demon Stone in Ye Xuan’s hand. With that Demon Stone, the injuries he sustained from being suppressed for ten thousand years could at least recover somewhat.

To Zhan Shang, this was more important than anything else.

After tossing the Storage Ring to Ye Xuan for inspection, Zhan Shang received the Demon Stone from him.

‘Hmph, you brat of the Human Race! I’ll let you be arrogant for now. Just wait until I’ve restored more of my strength. Then we’ll see how I teach you a lesson!’

How could Ye Xuan not sense Zhan Shang’s killing intent? But he paid it no mind, quickly taking out a jade box, placing the Purple Wound Flame inside, and putting it into his Storage Ring.

Seeing this, the others were incredibly jealous, wishing they were the ones who had collected the Earth Fire.

After all this was done, Ye Xuan turned his gaze to Xu Guanglin and said lightly, “Brother Guanglin, your promise…”

Xu Guanglin said directly, “Young Master Ye, I haven’t forgotten my promise. But the Xu family obtained two items this time: one is a Soul Crystal, and the other is an Earth Grade cultivation technique. I wonder what Young Master Ye has in mind?”

According to their agreement, the Xu family was supposed to give Ye Xuan thirty percent of their gains, but with two treasures, it was difficult to split.

Ye Xuan pondered for a moment, then said, “I have two proposals. First, your Xu family gives me a copied version of the Earth Grade cultivation technique, but you cannot place any restrictions on how I use it. The second proposal is that you give me the Tier Eight Soul Crystal you obtained. And no matter which option you choose, Brother Guanglin, the Xu family won’t need to compensate me for any of the treasures you obtained in this mysterious land before this.”

“We choose the second option,” Xu Guanglin said in a low voice. “But we have one more condition: we want to dissolve our contract with you, Young Master Ye. After this transaction is complete, we will have no further connection. If we encounter danger in the future, we will not need your help, and you can no longer demand treasures from us.”

Ye Xuan frowned. “Brother Guanglin, are you planning to go back on your word?”

‘The previous deal might have seemed like Xu Guanglin and his family were getting the short end of the stick, since I was getting thirty percent of their profits for seemingly little effort. But they don’t seem to consider that without me, the Xu family wouldn’t have even qualified to enter this mysterious land. They would have been unable to move an inch in that foggy place and would have died long ago in the Bone-Rotting Spirit Miasma.’

Xu Guanglin shook his head. “Young Master Ye, this isn’t going back on our word. It’s just that times have changed.”

Ye Xuan gave a cold smile. “If you insist, then fine. I agree. But don’t you regret this decision.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Young Master Ye. We choose the second option.”

Xu Guanglin said with a hint of gratitude, and without the slightest hesitation, he chose the second option, immediately handing the Tier Eight Soul Crystal obtained from the Restriction Array over to Ye Xuan.

Xu Guanglin’s reasoning was simple. The most important thing about a cultivation technique was its exclusivity. If everyone in the world knew about it, its value would plummet.

And while that Tier Eight Soul Crystal had a unique aura and possessed extremely strong life Soul Power, it was ultimately just a single Soul Crystal. To the Xu family, it didn’t hold that much appeal.

What Xu Guanglin didn’t know was that to Ye Xuan, an Earth Grade cultivation technique was nothing special. What he had wanted all along was that very Tier Eight life Soul Crystal.

“Hehe, it looks like our little brother has had quite a harvest this time.”

After quietly watching Ye Xuan complete his trades with Zhan Shang and Xu Guanglin, Jiang Chonghuang suddenly let out a chuckle. A flash of greed crossed his eyes as he said with a strange smile, “This old man would also like to make a trade with our little brother here.”

His tone was chilling. As soon as he finished speaking, Diao Minghuang, Mu Jin, You Yuanming, and several other Martial Emperors all took a small step forward. Seemingly by chance, they had completely surrounded Ye Xuan. At the same time, a faint killing intent began to permeate the great hall.

“Jiang Chonghuang, Diao Minghuang, what do you think you’re doing?” Xu Guanglin shouted coldly upon seeing this.

Having just torn up his agreement with Ye Xuan, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

“Brother Guanglin, this matter has nothing to do with the Xu family, so we hope you won’t interfere. And don’t you worry, we just want to make a small trade with this little brother. No need to be so tense.”

Jiang Chonghuang spoke with the same smile on his face. But just as his words faded, with a BOOM, the ground before them suddenly trembled. Then, a brilliant light suddenly flared up from the ten broken Restriction Arrays.

RUMBLE!

A dark cavern materialized out of thin air in the wall before everyone. It was pitch-black inside, impossible to see a thing. Only a deep, decaying aura drifted out from within.

What is this?

This sudden development stunned everyone for a moment, then all eyes turned to the cavern, burning with fiery intensity.