Chapter 433 - 439: Negotiating Terms

He had studied it for so long, yet he had learned nothing.

Now he was only given three days. How could he possibly finish?

Huo Jinchuan’s expression didn’t change. His gaze toward Xiao Heyun was like he was looking at a dead man.

"The useless have no reason to live. Understand?"

The killing intent radiating from him was like the thickest night, pressing down and overwhelming.

At that moment, Xiao Heyun felt his vision go dark, and he could see nothing at all.

A feeling of near-suffocation washed over him.

This sensation didn’t begin to dissipate until after Huo Jinchuan had left.

His back was drenched in sweat, and his face had turned pale.

His eyes were filled with fear of Huo Jinchuan.

"What do we do? Huo Jinchuan is going to kill us!"

Xiao Heyun looked anxiously at Song Wanning and Baili Shang, hoping they could come up with a plan.

He was here to pursue his target, not to get himself killed.

But Song Wanning merely gave him a casual glance, her expression indifferent as she said, "We wait to die, I suppose."

Xiao Heyun: "..."

A corner of Baili Shang’s lip curled up, and he turned his head, no longer looking at Xiao Heyun.

He wasn’t worried about the Elixir Pill. Song Wanning, who was beside him, was clearly confident. He figured she must have the Pill Recipe for the Rejuvenation Pill.

At this moment, he was quite glad he had formed an alliance with Song Wanning. Although her Cultivation was a bit weaker, she was extremely useful.

Still...

He looked at Song Wanning, a complicated emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Even if we succeed in refining the Elixir Pill, they won’t let us go."

"Of course."

Song Wanning was noncommittal. She had thought of this long ago.

But whether or not they let her go wasn’t up to the members of the Huo Family.

A dark glint flashed in the depths of her eyes. The Rejuvenation Pill was her trump card, the source of her confidence to negotiate.

Since that was the case, she wasted no more time and began preparing to refine the Rejuvenation Pill.

Seeing this, Baili Shang also calmed down. If worst came to worst, he would fight to the death. As long as they could escape, that’s all that mattered.

’Besides, I have my own trump card...’

The stone chamber fell silent once more. Xiao Heyun watched Song Wanning begin the Alchemy process, a strange look flashing in his eyes.

’She actually knows how to refine the Rejuvenation Pill? It must be from that alchemy inheritance!!!’

’That was supposed to be mine!!!’

The inheritance had been just one step away from falling into his hands. If Song Wanning hadn’t interfered, things would never have ended up like this.

[Host, what you should be thinking about now is how to cooperate with them to get out of here together.]

’Not daydreaming about unrealistic things all day.’

The system was now increasingly disappointed with Xiao Heyun.

It wasn’t apparent when everything was going smoothly, but now that he’d run into a setback, it was clear just how foolish and selfish this person was.

Xiao Heyun faltered at its words. A moment later, he said, "Cooperate? Hmph, when they’re fighting the Huo Family, you just force-teleport me out of here!!!"

He had no intention of stooping so low as to cooperate with an enemy like Song Wanning.

[Host, I will not advance you any more points on credit.]

the system informed him coldly.

But while Xiao Heyun said he understood, he didn’t take it to heart at all.

’The system always says that, anyway. When real danger comes, doesn’t it always give in?’

Xiao Heyun was brazenly confident. He wasn’t going to die anyway, so what was there to fear from the Huo Family?

...

For the next three days, Song Wanning focused on refining the Elixir Pill. Baili Shang stood guard nearby, wary of Xiao Heyun, ready to kill him on the spot if he made a single move to cause trouble.

Fortunately, everything went peacefully, and Song Wanning finally finished refining the Rejuvenation Pill just before the three-day deadline.

Before she could even put the Elixir Pill away, the Huo Clan Leader arrived in the stone chamber with Huo Jinchuan.

"Have you finished researching the Elixir Pill?"

The Huo Clan Leader’s expression was grim as he strode inside.

He had already given up hope and was prepared to deal with the three of them himself.

The three held a high status in the Four Domains. If they were protected by a Divine Thought, only he would be able to eliminate them with ease.

But as soon as he stepped into the stone chamber, he smelled a peculiar medicinal fragrance.

He froze for an instant, then flashed over to the Pill Furnace in a hurry.

When he saw the Elixir Pill inside, his mind went blank for a moment before he regained his senses.

"Is... is this the Rejuvenation Pill?"

He had never seen a Rejuvenation Pill before, but just looking at its Pill Pattern, it was an exact match for the depictions recorded in the books.

Still, he found it hard to believe.

’Can someone really refine a Rejuvenation Pill?’

Huo Jinchuan’s brow also twitched, and his heart skipped a few beats as he strode over.

When he saw the perfectly round Elixir Pill, a dark glint flashed in his eyes before he quickly regained his composure.

’It seems my strategy was correct. Only someone with great fortune would have a chance of finding the fragmented Pill Recipe.’

"Yes, this is the Rejuvenation Pill."

Song Wanning nodded, her expression serene.

This Rejuvenation Pill had used countless precious medicinal ingredients and had drained too much of her spiritual energy. If she hadn’t been consuming Elixir Pills while refining it, she would have probably collapsed by now.

"Is that so?"

The Huo Clan Leader had also calmed down by now.

"How can you prove this is the legendary Rejuvenation Pill?"

Although he spoke of disbelief, he was already carefully placing the Elixir Pill into a vial.

"As for whether the Elixir Pill is real or not, you’ll know once you test it on someone."

Song Wanning took another Elixir Pill, quickly recovering her strength.

Now that the Elixir Pill was successfully refined, a tough battle was about to begin.

Seeing Song Wanning so confident, the Huo Clan Leader’s excitement grew.

But he didn’t show a hint of it, his face a mask of frost.

"Since the Elixir Pill has been refined, it’s time for you all to die..."

His gaze turned cold, and he immediately raised a palm to strike Song Wanning.

The matter of the Elixir Pill could not be leaked, so naturally, he had to kill these few to silence them.

However, Song Wanning neither dodged nor retreated. Instead, she raised her head with a smile.

Her smile was full of ridicule, causing the Huo Clan Leader’s brow to furrow. His raised palm also stopped.

"What are you smiling about?"

His face was sullen, and the killing intent in his heart was boiling over.

"I’m smiling because you’re going to regret this."

The mocking smile on Song Wanning’s lips grew more pronounced. She crossed her arms, completely unafraid, and watched him leisurely.

She didn’t look the least bit afraid that he would attack.

The more she acted this way, the more uneasy the Huo Clan Leader felt.

"I’ll regret this?"

"Why would I regret this?"

He was ready to strike at any moment. If Song Wanning couldn’t give him a good reason, he would definitely kill her on the spot.

"This Rejuvenation Pill of mine is different from an ordinary one. I’m sure you’ve noticed."

"If you want to use this Elixir Pill to save someone, I must be present. Furthermore, you will need my Heart Blood to activate it."

"The moment you kill me, this will become a useless pill."

"If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to try!"

Song Wanning spoke these threatening words, but the smile on her face only deepened.

’That person must be extremely important to the Huo Clan Leader. That’s why he went to such great lengths to find someone to refine the Rejuvenation Pill.’

’Therefore, he won’t allow even the slightest risk.’