Chapter 67: Heavenly Tier? Quasi-Heavenly Tier?

«Like what?» Yao Lao straightened his body slightly, his eyes becoming serious, ready for a bargain.

«For example…» Wei Yang looked directly at Yao Lao, «A Heavenly Tier cultivation technique with the fire attribute!»

«What?!» Yao Lao's expression was spot-on. His hand trembled, nearly pulling out a few strands of his beard, his eyes wide with anger as he roared, «Are you out of your mind? Why would you think I have a Heavenly Tier cultivation technique? And a fire attribute one at that? You might as well go steal one!»

«That's a Heavenly Tier technique! Do you think it's like cabbage? And a fire attribute one?»

Wei Yang, however, smiled. He could see that Yao Lao was just angry, but… it didn't mean he didn't have it.

Hehe.

Old fox!

«Senior, no need to act like this.» Wei Yang relaxed, looking confident. He raised his hand, extending a fair and slender palm from his wide sleeve, examining it under the moonlight as if it had flowers on it.

«Though I have never left the Jia Ma Empire, I'm not an ignorant bumpkin.»

«Given my background, do you think I've come this far without any opportunities?»

«So, senior, don't try to fool me.»

«An extraordinary fire, a rare treasure of heaven and earth, and a matured one at that… isn't it worth at least a low-level Heavenly Tier technique? Even if it's just a low-level one.» Wei Yang said calmly.

He directly set the price: low-level Heavenly Tier!

Yao Lao withdrew his expression, stroking his white beard, staring at Wei Yang in deep thought.

Wei Yang smiled calmly in return.

After a moment, Yao Lao spoke, «Heh heh, Wei boy, you are cunning. Don't try to deceive me. Although in my homeland, the value of an extraordinary fire is indeed worth a low-level Heavenly Tier technique, but… heh heh, this isn't my homeland!»

«Senior's homeland must be Zhongzhou.» Wei Yang smiled.

«Oh, you even know about Zhongzhou.» Yao Lao was slightly surprised, «It seems your opportunities are not ordinary.»

«Opportunities that seemed great before are now somewhat insufficient.» Wei Yang smiled, speaking frankly, «A high-level Xuan Tier fire attribute technique, along with matching battle skills.»

Yao Lao nodded, «A high-level Xuan Tier fire attribute technique with matching battle skills is barely passable. At least it's a legacy left by a Dou Wang.»

He glanced at Wei Yang, laughing, «With your age and talent, having this foundation, reaching the peak of Dou Huang within five years shouldn't be a problem… endure a bit, and entering Dou Zong within ten years is also not impossible, isn't that enough?»

«Heh.» Wei Yang laughed carelessly, «Of course, people always strive for higher. Though I'm not yet nineteen, ten years would make me nearly thirty, Dou Zong?»

Wei Yang shook his head, «Even if I survive the nine deaths and devour the Green Lotus Core Flame, I'd at most be a mid-level Dou Zong.»

«These ten years are crucial for me to advance courageously, but ending up as a mid-level Dou Zong, don't you think it's a pity?»

«Indeed, it is a pity!» Yao Lao nodded in agreement, «With your talent and your innate gift in soul arts, you shouldn't be confined to this small Jia Ma Empire.»

«So, I need to make some choices. After all, you can't have your cake and eat it too!» Wei Yang said, «Should I choose the future or the extraordinary fire?»

«Of course, the future! There are more than one extraordinary fires in this world, but the future only comes once!»

Wei Yang looked at Yao Lao, «A low-level Heavenly Tier fire attribute technique, that's my bottom line! If senior can't offer this, I can go to Zhongzhou myself.»

«As a foreigner and just a small Dou Wang, it's not easy to survive in Zhongzhou!» Yao Lao's tone carried a hint of intimidation, «Moreover, with the extraordinary fire, you might not be able to protect it.»

«I'm not just a Dou Wang, but also an alchemist.» Wei Yang retorted, «In a short time, I have confidence in reaching the fifth tier, within six months, the peak of the fifth tier. In a year, I aim for the sixth tier! A sixth-tier alchemist, isn't that quite valuable in Zhongzhou?»

Yao Lao was momentarily speechless.

With his once prominent position as the top alchemist on the continent, a sixth-tier alchemist might not impress him much.

But it didn't mean sixth-tier alchemists weren't valuable; even in Zhongzhou, they weren't common.

In the Alchemist Guild, they would be recognized and protected.

Even first-rate forces with Dou Zong experts wouldn't neglect them.

Mid to high-level Dou Zong forces? They would be treated as honored guests.

The two exchanged glances.

«Old fox!»

«Little fox!»

Both cursed each other in their hearts.

Their previous dialogue was just a bargaining ploy.

Negotiations, after all, are slowly worked out.

Of course, if their strengths were not equal, the deal could be forced.

Now, after this exchange, they vaguely understood each other's bottom line.

Thus.

Yao Lao lightly stroked the black, ancient ring in his hand, pondering, «I won't hide it from you; I do have a low-level Heavenly Tier technique, but not a fire attribute one.»

Upon hearing this, Wei Yang flipped his hand.

Immediately, a three-foot wide blue lotus appeared in his palm.

Yao Lao's eyes lit up, staring at the lotus, his breathing slightly quickened for a moment.

The blue lotus had eight leaves, each leaf resembling the most perfect jade carving, exuding a sense of natural perfection.

At the center of the lotus was a small hole, from which a palm-sized blue flame quietly flickered.

With the appearance of the lotus, the temperature at the mountaintop seemed to rise, yet strangely gave a sense of coolness.

Fire attribute energy from the surroundings swarmed in, pouring into the lotus seat.

Around the blue lotus were several layers of transparent soul power barriers, isolating all fluctuations inside and out.

In Yao Lao's eyes, a trace of white flame flickered, quickly hidden.

Wei Yang held the blue lotus, looking at Yao Lao, smiling, «How about this?»

A flash of heat crossed Yao Lao's eyes, quickly concealed. Stroking his beard, he nodded slowly, «The Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame List, born in the depths of the earth, forged by countless earthly fires, fused, compressed, sculpted…»

«It takes ten years to become spiritual, a hundred years to form, a thousand years to bloom into a lotus. At its peak, it turns blue, with a blue flame at its core, known as the Green Lotus Flame, or the Green Lotus Core Flame!»

«This flame has unpredictable power. Near volcanic areas, it can even trigger eruptions, creating the destructive force of nature!» Wei Yang interjected.

Yao Lao glanced at Wei Yang, nodding.

Clearly, Wei Yang's understanding of the Green Lotus Core Flame wasn't less than his own.

It seemed he had read the Heavenly Flame List too.

Not just some ignorant genius from a small place.

Yao Lao took a deep breath, and with a thought, two scrolls, one red-gold and the other dark red, floated from the ring in his hand.

Immediately, a mysterious and scorching aura filled the air.

Wei Yang's expression changed, staring intently at the scrolls.

Yao Lao looked at the two scrolls floating before him, then turned to Wei Yang, saying, «Wei boy, I won't waste time with riddles. Here are two techniques: one is a low-level Heavenly Tier fire attribute technique. The other is a quasi-Heavenly Tier fire-sun attribute technique, with matching quasi-Heavenly Tier battle skills. Choose.»

Yao Lao first pointed to the dark red scroll, indicating it was the low-level Heavenly Tier fire attribute technique.

Then he pointed to the red-gold scroll, indicating the quasi-Heavenly Tier fire-sun attribute technique with matching battle skills.

(End of Chapter)