Chapter 1419: Striking a Deal

The reason Jia Fugui had come to help Donglin Tingyue this time, apart from delivering the message, was also with the intention of further strengthening his relationship with Li Yan.

After all, the Donglin Family and the Broken Army Sect had always had a good relationship, and he could see that Li Yan and Donglin Tingyue’s relationship also seemed very close.

Otherwise, when Li Yan was in danger last time, why would he have pulled her aside to hide alone?

After hearing Donglin Tingyue’s brief account, Li Yan finally understood.

‘So she’s looking for my help. I remember Donglin Tingyue’s companion spirit beast is a Rouge Bird, right? Is she thinking of capturing a better and rarer demonic beast to replace her current companion spirit beast…’

As Li Yan was thinking quickly, another matter suddenly came to his mind. He then glanced at the big black dog lying on the ground.

And at this moment, Donglin Tingyue’s voice transmission suddenly sounded in Li Yan’s mind.

“It seems Fellow Daoist Li has already guessed it. This matter is not that I deliberately concealed it from Fellow Daoist Jia, but it doesn’t matter whether he knows it or not. Anyway, our goal is really that immature ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng.’ It’s just that the real reason for capturing this demonic beast, Fellow Daoist Li should have already guessed it. It is to capture this demonic beast for the Supreme Great Elder. Last time the Supreme Great Elder entered the prairie, it was actually for this demonic beast. But when he went to look for it, that ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ had disappeared. In the end, on his way back, he was even ambushed by others. Now, more than ten years later, the Supreme Great Elder is still in seclusion. But the Donglin Family has received news again that the ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ has appeared in the outer area of the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie.’ This is very important to my clan. However, the Second Elder went out on business half a year ago and has not yet returned. She left Elder Ye Huo behind to assist the Third Elder in handling the clan’s affairs. This time, after suddenly receiving news of the ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ again, the Third Elder planned to take people over. But his strength, to be honest, is not much higher than mine. Even with the help of others, it may not be successful. Later, I proposed that I invite Fellow Daoist Jia and Fellow Daoist Li to help. There should be a good chance of success. So, after Fellow Daoist Jia received the message and rushed over, we came to your place together.”

Listening to her voice transmission, Li Yan realized that her intentions were indeed as he had guessed. It was truly for the Great Elder of the Donglin Family.

In order to capture that “Golden-Winged Great Peng,” with the Supreme Great Elder and his wife unable to get away, Donglin Tingyue, having seen his and Jia Fugui’s good skills back then, had weighed the options and volunteered to come out.

And when she came here, even the big black dog had come along.

This was to be prepared for other possibilities, in case he didn’t agree. Then the two of them and the demon would probably set off directly from here.

If he agreed, then everything would of course be even better.

‘This should be because after seeing Shangguan Tianque’s successful Spirit Transformation, the Donglin Family is getting anxious!’

Yu Banjiang’s visit was very necessary. With him clarifying the current situation of the sect, Li Yan quickly made a judgment in his heart.

After a moment of contemplation, he began to ask some of his worried questions.

“According to what you said, after Fellow Daoist Jia received the message and came over, more than three months have already passed. Is that ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ still there?”

“There is a seventy percent chance that it is still there. Our family has some informants in the outer area of the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie.’ Those people are from our own family, and there are also hired informants. They will collect all kinds of demonic beast information and send it back to the Donglin Family. This is how the disciples of the Donglin Family can constantly get the information they want. These disciples will then choose the appropriate time to go over and find the demonic beast they need. And those informants usually won’t get too close to the demonic beast, but will constantly determine the demonic beast’s approximate area of activity, so as not to disturb the other party as much as possible. The news we have received in the past few days is that the ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ has still appeared in the outer area, but we can’t guarantee that when we go over, that demonic beast won’t happen to have disappeared.”

Donglin Tingyue explained.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to go over as soon as they received the news. But without being prepared, going over like that would basically not be successful.

The “Golden-Winged Great Peng” clan was in the deeper parts of the “Heavenly Demon Prairie.” They didn’t know why this one had come to the outer area alone.

Once it discovered that someone was following it, as long as it fled into the depths of the prairie, then there would really be no chance at all.

Moreover, once the other party was alerted, the “Golden-Winged Great Peng’s” bloodline level was very high, and its clan was quite difficult to provoke, so it could only be captured quietly.

Li Yan also heard the hidden meaning of explanation in Donglin Tingyue’s words, but Jia Fugui might not be able to hear it.

Donglin Tingyue’s last words were an explanation. Last time, after the Great Elder of the Donglin Family got the news, he had come up empty when he rushed over.

This was also why she only dared to say that the chance of finding the other party was only seventy percent.

“What rank is that immature ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’? What kind of divine abilities does it have?” Li Yan continued to ask.

“Oh, based on the analysis of the constantly sent back news, we can probably guess that its age is only about a hundred years old. For the long lifespan of a demonic beast, it is still on its way to maturity. But because its bloodline level is very high, it is already a fourth-rank demonic beast. The innate divine ability of the ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ is the law of space, which means that their control over speed and distance is very powerful. Therefore, we only have one chance. As long as we fail, more than ninety percent of the time, we should not think about being able to hunt it down.”

A solemn look appeared in Donglin Tingyue’s eyes.

“It’s fourth-rank before it’s even an adult, and it’s proficient in the laws of space. Without a precise deployment, it will be very difficult!” Li Yan nodded.

“With Fellow Daoist Jia and Fellow Daoist Li’s concealment divine abilities, if we can determine its range of activity and set up a formation to trap it, there is still a lot of hope.”

“In the ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ clan, what is the highest cultivation level of the demonic beasts?” Li Yan asked again.

“There should be a sixth-rank expert. According to their bloodline, the demonic beasts of this clan may all be able to advance to the seventh rank. But according to their current clan’s location, although they are in the deeper parts of the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie,’ it should actually be the middle section between the outer and core areas. Demonic beasts are the same as the human race. Similarly, for the human race, after they have the ability, they will come out on their own to establish sects or families, and will appear in various areas. This branch of theirs may be a branch of the ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng,’ which has established its own clan in this area. This is also the deepest location our family can inquire about. We don’t dare to go any deeper.”

Donglin Tingyue told him all the news her family had gathered.

“Oh? There might be a Void Refining Realm expert. And your Donglin Family still dares to provoke them? Aren’t you afraid of their revenge?”

Li Yan’s heart jumped when he heard this. This was a powerful existence equivalent to Pure Yang Hall. The Donglin Family’s courage was a bit too great.

Donglin Tingyue nodded and explained softly, “Of course we’re afraid, but the human race and the demon race have always hunted each other. We want to use them to cultivate, or directly use them for alchemy and artifact refining. They also want to get our Golden Cores, Nascent Souls, and Essence Blood to devour and upgrade. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a large number of cultivators sneaking into the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie.’ Experts can directly subdue powerful demonic beasts and make them their mounts, or become companion spirit beasts. Just like Senior Chongyangzi, whose flying demonic beast is a ‘Purple-Gold Flood Dragon Python.’ As for weak people like us, we can only hunt secretly in the outer areas of the prairie. However, this ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ that has come to the outer area of the prairie is most likely being ostracized in its clan. That’s why it left its clan and came to the outer area of the prairie to find a suitable place to live. This demonic beast has not gone back for so long. Their clan certainly does not value it too much. Otherwise, a fourth-rank demonic beast is not enough to protect itself, and a clan member would have come to find it long ago.”

A smile appeared on the half of Donglin Tingyue’s pretty face that was exposed outside the mask.

Their family had already analyzed all these situations. And if the Donglin Family wanted to become strong, of course they couldn’t just rely on those demonic beasts with little potential.

Since the cultivation art they practiced was like this, it was also necessary to take risks.

There were no free lunches in the cultivation world. A cultivator who went out normally might still be killed and robbed by others.

This time, what Donglin Tingyue valued most was the two’s concealment skills. She wanted to quietly capture this demonic beast.

After hearing this, Li Yan did not continue to ask, but fell into silence.

Jia Fugui and the big black dog had not spoken again. They were not like Li Yan who had only been in the Immortal Spirit Realm for a few decades. They knew more about the “Heavenly Demon Prairie.” Too many cultivators were doing this kind of thing.

Everyone knew the principle of “seeking riches amidst danger.” Just by cultivating diligently, one’s immortal path would not go very far.

If Li Yan ultimately disagreed, they would not try to persuade him. It was all up to Donglin Tingyue to decide.

“Fellow Daoist Li, if you have any conditions, just mention them. I will see if I can meet them.”

After more than ten breaths, Li Yan’s eyes just flickered slightly a few times. In Donglin Tingyue’s mind, Li Yan’s voice sounded.

“Fairy Yue, I wonder if the clone evasion art you used when you encountered the masked red-robed guest’s ambush that time is a cultivation art of the Donglin Family?”

After Donglin Tingyue heard this, her expression was first slightly stunned, and then she immediately understood Li Yan’s meaning. The other party was actually interested in her set of cultivation arts.

Li Yan’s question was also clever, leaving Donglin Tingyue with some room. If it was a legacy cultivation art of her family, there was a high probability that it could not be exchanged.

So, Donglin Tingyue only needed to answer “yes,” and Li Yan would understand her answer. He didn’t have to appear too blunt by directly refusing.

Then Donglin Tingyue would also take the opportunity to roughly know the direction of Li Yan’s needs and then propose other conditions, and the two could discuss it.

“Oh, this cultivation art is not a family cultivation art. It was obtained by me in a trade with another person in the past. It is called ‘Parting Flowers Brushing Willows.’ If Fellow Daoist Li is interested in it, I can use this cultivation art in exchange for your help this time.”

After Donglin Tingyue was stunned for a moment, she immediately answered. It was just that after she finished saying this, she herself was stunned in her heart.

Why had she agreed so easily? Although this set of cultivation arts was obtained through a trade, she had also paid a considerable price.

Logically speaking, since she had opened the conditions, she could bargain with the other party.

For example, this time, only after success could she give out the entire set of cultivation arts. If it was not successful, then she could only give out the first few layers or something like that.

Presumably, Li Yan would also agree. Of course, she couldn’t let everything go according to his greatest benefit.

But Donglin Tingyue had just thought about it for a moment just now. It turned out that Li Yan wanted this cultivation art. She actually subconsciously felt that it was completely possible to trade with the other party, and she didn’t have much rejection or dislike in her heart.

‘I… what’s wrong with me…’

Donglin Tingyue felt a little ashamed and annoyed in her heart, but she was unwilling to think in a certain direction.

Li Yan on the other side was also a little surprised. Donglin Tingyue had agreed too readily. That set of cultivation arts had the wonderful use of a clone-like body, which was quite miraculous.

A cultivation art that even he could take a fancy to was definitely a good thing in the Nascent Soul realm. But in the next moment, he thought of another judgment he had made before, and he immediately felt relieved.

‘After Shangguan Tianque succeeded, the current Donglin Family is really anxious this time. They are thinking of having a Spirit Transformation cultivator appear as soon as possible. For this purpose, even if they have to pay a heavy price, they are willing. ‘Parting Flowers Brushing Willows’? This name is a bit… a bit flowery!’

Li Yan thought to himself. He felt that he had guessed Donglin Tingyue’s thoughts.

“Alright then. In that case, I will accompany you, Fellow Daoist Donglin, on this trip.”

Li Yan did not transmit his voice this time, but stood up directly and did not ask any other questions.

When Jia Fugui heard this, his eyes lit up. The relationship between Donglin Tingyue and Li Yan was indeed a bit unclear.

He didn’t know the content of their voice transmission, but they had only made a decision after a few dozen breaths. This was a bit too fast.

When he had received the letter back then, he had considered it for a long time.

Although the conditions offered by the Donglin Family were very generous, when he thought of the dangers of the ‘Heavenly Demon Prairie,’ even just walking in the outer area, Jia Fugui had hesitated.

Later, when he thought that he might be able to take the opportunity to befriend Li Yan again, and also wanted to personally deliver the news he had gathered to Li Yan, he had agreed.

Li Yan knew that there was no time to lose. That ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ might lose its trace at any time. Of course, it was better to set off now. Moreover, he had always been a person who did not like to procrastinate.

“Fellow Daoists, I’ll go and talk to Elder Shangguan, and then we’ll set off immediately!”

Just before, Shangguan Tianque’s voice transmission had also appeared in his mind, telling him to go over later, that he had something to say to him.

A quarter of an hour later, several figures flew out from the Broken Army Sect. As soon as they reached the sky, a fiery red figure appeared at Donglin Tingyue’s feet. It was her companion spirit beast, the Rouge Bird!

This bird was also good at speed, but its bloodline level was much lower than that of the “Golden-Winged Great Peng.”

As soon as this demonic beast appeared, its body quickly grew larger. In just an instant, it had reached more than twenty zhang. Then, Li Yan and the others did not need to be told and all stepped onto it.

It was just that when the big black dog also landed on the Rouge Bird’s back, a clear look of apprehension flashed in the Rouge Bird’s eyes.

The big black dog’s bloodline was still a bit stronger than its, and it had a bloodline suppression effect on it. Being so close made this Rouge Bird very uncomfortable.

Of course, it knew that the big black dog would never attack it. After forcibly suppressing the discomfort in its heart, it could only flap its wings and disappear into the horizon. …

On the back mountain of the sect, Shangguan Tianque was also looking up at the sky with a smile on his face, watching Li Yan and his group go far away.

He had called Li Yan over before just to say a few words of congratulations on Li Yan’s emergence from seclusion, and then asked Li Yan if he had any needs.

Don’t underestimate this simple meeting. This represented an attitude of Shangguan Tianque.

Otherwise, after Li Yan came out of seclusion, he would not have met with him either. This might be seen differently in the eyes of some people. Even Li Yan might have other thoughts.

“You, Shangguan Tianque, have now advanced to a Spirit Transformation cultivator and have become a Supreme Great Elder. You are already high and mighty…”

Everyone had their own different views on human relationships. If not handled well, it could lead to bad consequences.

Of course, Li Yan understood Shangguan Tianque’s meaning. So, as before, his attitude was neither servile nor overbearing. After chatting with the other party for a few words, he said that he needed to go out for a trip.

His attitude was no different from before, which also made Shangguan Tianque feel relieved. He was afraid that Li Yan would feel that someone was suppressing him and would no longer be as casual as before.

On the top of the cliff, Shangguan Tianque looked at the Rouge Bird disappearing into the horizon, and he murmured to himself.

“He is still at the Mid-stage Nascent Soul, and his cultivation has indeed improved a little… But is this his real progress? Or is he deliberately slowly releasing a little bit of his increased cultivation…”

He had secretly observed Li Yan again when he was talking to him just now.

But to his surprise, even with his current Spirit Transformation realm cultivation, when he looked at Li Yan again, he could only see that Li Yan’s cultivation had only increased a little after these years of seclusion, and there had not been much change.

This made Shangguan Tianque even more surprised and suspicious. Could Li Yan really be a Spirit Transformation cultivator?

Otherwise, why was it that even with his current cultivation, he still couldn’t see through the other party’s reality?

Perhaps because he had had a guess for a long time, Shangguan Tianque could still discover some differences in Li Yan’s body.

Now, the more he observed Li Yan, it was as if under his seemingly calm and waveless aura, there was a power that made even him feel a little startled.

Shangguan Tianque now also had contact with some Spirit Transformation cultivators. For example, last time, a Spirit Transformation cultivator from the Blood Lantern Sect had come to congratulate him, which had given him a better understanding of Spirit Transformation cultivators.

In his eyes, Li Yan actually gave him the feeling that even he himself might not be able to defeat the other party.

“He… what is his cultivation? He is truly a terrifying Mid-stage Nascent Soul!”

Shangguan Tianque couldn’t help but smile bitterly. On the contrary, as his own cultivation grew, he was increasingly unable to see through this Elder Li.

And all of this was done by Li Yan deliberately, even though he knew that the other party already suspected his cultivation.

His caution was not just to make the other party careless, but also to make the suspicious person even more confused!