Chapter 119: Deal Reached

Wei Yang stood with his hands behind his back, lost in thought. Xiao Yan looked at Medusa with some surprise, yet he wasn't too taken aback. Wei Yang had once mentioned that Medusa was in search of a Heavenly Flame. Previously, Xiao Yan had found a multicolored scale at the bottom of the magma. This was an unusual scale that would only appear on Medusa's body during intense battles, very rare. Therefore, Xiao Yan was already aware that Medusa's quest for a Heavenly Flame, or her need for it, was related to her advancement.

"What does Her Majesty want the Heavenly Flame for?" Yue Mei, who was feigning unconsciousness as she lay there, blinked in confusion. A moment later, as if recalling something, her face suddenly changed drastically, and she could no longer pretend to be unconscious. She didn't need to pretend, really. Who present didn't know she was already awake? They simply couldn't be bothered with someone of her standing.

Yue Mei abruptly got up, exclaiming in shock, "Her Majesty!" 

"Silence!" Medusa shot her a fierce glare, her eyes cold and severe. Yue Mei immediately fell silent but felt deeply anxious inside. She knew very well that this method had an incredibly high risk of failure, almost a life-threatening endeavor. If Her Majesty met with any mishap, the serpent race would... She quickly looked toward Wei Yang.

At this moment, she actually hoped that this noble alchemist would refuse to agree, displaying the pride of a Grade Six Alchemist and leave directly. Forget about the Dou Ling Pill then.

However, she was disappointed. Wei Yang did not show any signs of anger and instead looked at Medusa with great interest, chuckling, "Why do you want to borrow my Heavenly Flame?"

"Although the power of a Heavenly Flame is immense, it doesn't seem to have too much attraction or usefulness to your serpent race, right? After all, compared to your cold bloodline, a Heavenly Flame, with its intense and devastating nature, is like water and fire with you, completely incompatible."

Hearing this, Medusa's gaze brightened slightly; she was somewhat surprised that he wasn't angry! Aren't alchemists supposed to have a bad temper? Could this Grade Six Alchemist be a fake? She gently shook her head, shaking off the random thoughts in her mind, took a deep breath, and cautiously said, "Forgive me for being unable to disclose the specifics of this question right now, Mr. Wei. I can only tell you when you agree and when I need to borrow your Heavenly Flame."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yang and Xiao Yan exchanged a subtle glance, a mysterious smile appearing in the depths of their eyes. This Medusa was quite cautious.

"So, what's your offer?" Wei Yang asked.

"An offer?" Medusa was initially taken aback, then her eyes widened in disbelief at Wei Yang. She hadn't expected him to agree so easily? So straightforwardly that she almost hadn't reacted. A Heavenly Flame! A Heavenly Flame is a treasure, a second life to an alchemist! Would it be so easily lent out?

"Why, did you think borrowing the Heavenly Flame wouldn't come at a cost?" Wei Yang inquired.

"No, no, no." Medusa hurriedly waved her hand and said, "The cost... How about giving you three pieces of Ice Spirit Cold Spring?" After finishing, Medusa looked at Wei Yang with some tension and anxiety.

"Hehe, you think quite highly of it... Discuss these matters with him." Wei Yang pointed at Xiao Yan, then clasped his hands behind his back, looking toward the bright moon in the sky, saying nothing more.

"..." Medusa.

You could at least name a price if you're not happy!

She felt a bit exasperated.

"Hehe, Your Majesty." Xiao Yan perked up immediately; he straightened his back and said with a grin, "I'm quite interested in the herbal storage of your serpent race and would love to have a look around... Of course, a few more pieces of Ice Spirit Cold Spring wouldn't hurt..." 

Heavenly Flame?

I've got one!

How about the Green Lotus Core Flame? 

I was worried about its power being too strong and hard to swallow. Meeting you is timely; I can weaken the Green Lotus Core Flame's power, increasing the chances of successfully refining it later, all while gaining some benefits.

Xiao Yan thought happily, his eyes burning as he looked at Medusa.

"You..." Medusa was stunned; here came the bargaining.

"… The herbal storehouse is a treasure trove of the serpent race, filled with precious herbs collected over many years, and can't be simply entered by outsiders... You can list the herbs you need, and I'll try to meet your requirements," Medusa quickly responded.

Is this a joke, letting an alchemist into the herbal storehouse? How could that end well? It'd be like letting a rat loose in a granary!

"Your Majesty... I can assure you, I'll take no more than ten herbs, alongside two pieces of Ice Spirit Cold Spring..."

"This won't do; I can give you three, no, five set of medicinal ingredients for a Dou Ling Pill..."

"I insist on entering the treasure trove myself, and you can't hide any precious herbs beforehand... Also, two more Sandalwood Mandalas..." 

Thus, Xiao Yan and Medusa engaged in a fierce war of words, bargaining intensely. On the side, Yue Mei quietly stood behind Medusa, not daring to speak, looking anxious and worried.

"Sigh, Her Majesty has been stuck at the pinnacle of Dou Huang for many years; perhaps she's grown impatient. Though she appears unconcerned usually, I know Her Majesty wishes to grow stronger, because once she reaches the Dou Zong level, our serpent race's strength will soar."

"Perhaps we won't be confined to this vast desert anymore. Despite years of adapting, our snake race is inherently not suited for this environment, as our bloodline is cold."

"The nights aren't bad, but the desert days are unbearable for us serpents!" Yue Mei sighed internally. But choosing such a risky path for advancement is too dangerous!

The bright moon hung high, gradually tilting to the other side of the night sky. Night deepened and the air turned increasingly cold. 

Woo woo~

The cold wind howled, sweeping up sand and striking against their faces. It seemed that an agreement was almost reached between both parties. 

Wei Yang's lips moved slightly, sending Xiao Yan a voice transmission, "One more thing, make sure she promises that once the Heavenly Flame is borrowed, regardless of the outcome, the serpent race must not hinder our departure for any reason. This crazy woman intends to swallow the Heavenly Flame into her body, using the flame's power to evolve her own bloodline..."

"Swallow the Heavenly Flame and let it burn her body? This is madness! Its danger is such that it could claim her life! If she comes to any harm, the entire serpent race might go berserk, and since we're the ones lending the Heavenly Flame..."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan was startled. Looking at the imposing and spirited Medusa currently bargaining with him, his scalp tingled. This crazy woman, so ruthless! Cruel to enemies and even crueler to herself. Swallowing the Heavenly Flame and letting it burn her body to purify her bloodline? My god, she could even imagine such a thing!

From within his storage ring, Yao Lao was also surprised, murmuring, "Using the Heavenly Flame for this purpose, this girl has quite the courage! Have the younger generation become so audacious? Xiao Yan, make sure she promises our safe departure, otherwise you mustn't lend the Heavenly Flame; if anything happens to her, the serpent race will want to tear us apart!"

"Understood!" Just imagining the serpent race chasing him made Xiao Yan shudder.

So Xiao Yan quickly said, "Your Majesty, although I don't yet know what you intend to do with the Heavenly Flame, it's an extremely dangerous object; thus, I have one condition that you must agree to and ensure can be upheld, or I absolutely won't lend the Heavenly Flame..."

"Go ahead," Medusa slightly frowned, then nodded.

"That is, you must promise that after borrowing the Heavenly Flame, regardless of what happens afterward, it has nothing to do with us, and we can safely leave with the Heavenly Flame, otherwise, it's a deal-breaker!" Xiao Yan said seriously.

"...Alright!" Medusa gave Xiao Yan a deep look, then glanced at Wei Yang who was silently gazing at the moon. After some thought, she nodded and agreed, chuckling, "Our serpent race doesn't wish to make a Grade Six Alchemist an enemy. Therefore, I can promise that after borrowing the Heavenly Flame, regardless of what happens afterward, it won't concern you. You can safely leave with the Heavenly Flame from our serpent race's territory without being obstructed."