Chapter 67: The Price of Cooperation

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Price of Cooperation

"I’ll tell you plainly that I won’t do it," Ye Xuan said.

Fairy Yu An smiled faintly, then sat back down in the pool and looked ahead again. Her eyes were fixed on Qingyu, who was transforming into a huge white python in the pool.

"I’m impressed," Fairy Yu An said. "No one has ever turned down my offer of dual cultivation. You’re the first."

"If you won’t do it, I won’t force you."

Ye Xuan stretched out his hand, pointing the domain ring at Qingyu. The snake understood what Ye Xuan meant.

She turned her body into a small orb of qi and flew back into the domain ring.

[Thank you, Ye Xuan.]

He nodded and looked ahead at Fairy Yu An, who sat in the clear water of the pool.

Although she had half her body submerged, the water was so clear that Ye Xuan could still see her naked body plainly.

"You, Yi Xin, and the Netherworld Palace Sect want me because of Qingyu’s identity as a descendant of the Thunder Crimson Python Clan. What is it you actually want?" Ye Xuan asked.

Fairy Yu An looked ahead, then waved her hand as a signal for her maids to leave the room.

Now only she, Ye Xuan, and Yi Xin remained. Fairy Yu An did this because she didn’t want the Netherworld Palace Sect’s grand plan to be overheard by anyone else.

It would be dangerous and would spark conflict.

"We need the devouring and purifying ability that is the main power of the Thunder Crimson Python Clan," Fairy Yu An explained.

"And Qingyu’s power can be used to purify the souls of ancient spirit beasts that are hard to control, using her bloodline," the woman revealed.

Ye Xuan instinctively looked at his domain ring again, where Qingyu stayed and took shelter for the time being, free from any threat.

The young man explained that Qingyu’s cultivation base didn’t allow her to do something so difficult.

Qingyu could devour, as proven by the abilities she had stolen from other spirit beasts.

But for something as complex as devouring and purifying souls, Ye Xuan was sure Qingyu still wasn’t capable.

"No need to rush. The sect leader and I are aware of your and Qingyu’s limitations. We’ll help you," Fairy Yu An said. "But if you ever try to betray us, even once, I will personally hunt you down and kill you!"

He realized those words were no ordinary threat. People in this region might be used to swearing and cursing, but the death threat from Fairy Yu An didn’t feel like an ordinary oath.

That was because she had spoken the death threat right after telling him the sect’s plan.

Which meant she would kill Ye Xuan if he betrayed them and revealed the Netherworld Palace Sect’s grand plan.

"I’m willing to help and stay loyal to you, as long as you provide what we want."

"Name it," Fairy Yu An said.

"I need the Soul-Possessing Demon Pill."

Fairy Yu An looked startled, and even glanced sideways at Yi Xin. Her reaction was natural.

It made sense that she and Yi Xin were shocked, since Ye Xuan, a Taoist cultivator, actually knew about that pill.

"You know that if you take that pill, you’ll turn into a full demon if your soul isn’t strong enough to withstand the turmoil," Yi Xin said.

Ye Xuan turned to her and nodded. From the pill’s name, he already understood what the consequences were.

Still, to learn that demonic technique, Ye Xuan had to take the pill at the very least.

"I understand the consequences. So you don’t need to worry."

Yi Xin glanced at Fairy Yu An. The woman sighed briefly and nodded, allowing Ye Xuan to take the pill. She held out her hand again and asked about Ye Xuan’s other wishes.

[Tell her I need a pill to break through to Profound-Beast.]

Ye Xuan listened to Qingyu. He looked ahead again and told Fairy Yu An about Qingyu’s wish.

He explained that Qingyu needed a spirit beast pill to help her break through to Profound-Beast.

Unlike before, Fairy Yu An agreed to Qingyu’s request right away. Ye Xuan told her that those two pills were what they needed right now.

If the Netherworld Palace Sect was willing to provide them, then Ye Xuan and Qingyu would help them achieve their sect’s goal.

"Take them to the Mystic Valley, Yi Xin."

"I’ll have people prepare the pills for you," Fairy Yu An said.

Ye Xuan thanked her. He took his leave and walked off after Yi Xin.

Yi Xin turned to look at Ye Xuan, curiosity plain on her face about the Soul-Possessing Demon Pill.

"Do you really want to become a demon?" Yi Xin asked.

"I need it to learn something."

"I don’t know what you’re thinking, but for a Taoist cultivator to take a demon pill outright is reckless," Yi Xin answered.

"If you turn into a demon, then Fairy Yu An and I will have no choice but to separate you from that snake," Yi Xin said.

"I won’t become a demon!"

They kept walking until they were outside the pleasure house pagoda. Their business in the city was finished, and there was no more time to relax.

The two of them walked to the nearest city gate before taking their flying swords to the Mystic Valley.

As Yi Xin had advised, Ye Xuan didn’t look around much and chose to focus on what was ahead.

After they left the city gate, Yi Xin immediately summoned her sword and flew off in another direction, with Ye Xuan following behind.

But before they could reach the Mystic Valley, several bandit cultivators with no sect showed up and blocked their path. Yi Xin narrowed her eyes.

"Get out of the way or I’ll kill you all!" Yi Xin said sharply.

"That woman is pretty. Take her so we can play with her."

"That man? Sell his body on the black market and take everything in his bag of holding."

The bandits charged forward, faces full of greed to rob them.

Ye Xuan noticed the threat, immediately gripped his lightning sword, and swung it sideways.

The lightning sword shot forward, releasing a slash of fire, startling Yi Xin with the power of the sword’s attack.

The bandits gasped. They formed a qi defense and held back Ye Xuan’s power. But the young man didn’t stop.

He formed a hand seal and pointed his finger forward.

"Mystic Flame Finger!"

"What?!" the bandits shouted.

BLAST!

A huge fiery explosion shattered their qi defensive wall, sending the bandits flying far back and wounding them.

But the attack wasn’t enough to kill them all at once.

Yi Xin was still stunned. Although Ye Xuan’s cultivation base was one level below hers, the power of that attack was clearly on par with a profound-grade combat technique.

She finally understood why she had always been wary of Ye Xuan: he had a power of his own inside his body.