Chapter 170: Bargaining Chip!

"Hmph! Whether I can obtain the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus is my business, but you must die now! I'll kill you first, then slowly figure out a way."

Exposed by Ye Yuan in his awkward predicament, Fang Yaojiang appeared somewhat furious from shame.

His current situation was like walking into a mountain of gold but lacking the tools to move it. That feeling was truly frustrating.

And this point was mercilessly revealed by Ye Yuan—how could Fang Yaojiang not be enraged?

Ye Yuan sneered without mercy: "Slowly figure out a way? You don't naively think those two outside will let you take your time, do you?"

Fang Yaojiang's face was dark. Killing a mere Liquid Essence First Layer brat was irrelevant; the two outside were the real trouble.

He had exhausted every means to slip past their eyes and enter here, only to find he could see but not touch. How could this not grieve him?

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Fang Yaojiang sensed Ye Yuan had something behind his words and asked darkly.

"If I can help you, senior, collect the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus, would you spare me?" Ye Yuan said.

Fang Yaojiang laughed heartily: "You? Don't joke! Even I, a Crystal Condensation Realm martial artist, can't do it. You're only Liquid Essence First Layer, yet you claim you can help me subdue the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus? Ridiculous. Don't scheme to make me let you go—it's impossible!"

"Is that so?"

Ye Yuan didn't waste words; he dashed to the edge of the magma pool in one stride.

The Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus was a spiritual creature born of heaven and earth. Though it had not yet awakened intelligence, it possessed instinctive awareness.

Sensing someone approaching, it seemed startled, and the lotus actually spat out a tongue of fire, attacking Ye Yuan!

Fang Yaojiang sneered coldly, making no move to stop Ye Yuan. This brat was seeking death himself, saving him the trouble.

Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame was a fourth-rank primal flame; a rookie at Liquid Essence First Layer would die upon contact.

Even though this was just an instinctive attack from the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus, its power was terrifying. Even Fang Yaojiang dared not face the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame head-on, let alone a Liquid Essence First Layer.

Fang Yaojiang seemed to already see Ye Yuan being burned to ashes.

But the next moment, as the tongue of fire spread before Ye Yuan, Fang Yaojiang's pupils contracted sharply, as if he had seen something unbelievable!

"This... how is this possible? This is a fourth-rank primal flame! Even a Crystal Condensation Realm martial artist would almost certainly die upon contact. This Liquid Essence First Layer brat is completely unharmed?"

Though he didn't believe it a hundred times, the fact before his eyes forced him to accept: the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame really couldn't harm Ye Yuan!

The Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame had charged fiercely like a tiger, but once it reached Ye Yuan, it became utterly docile, like a gentle kitten.

Then Ye Yuan waved his hand, and the tongue of fire dissipated into nothing.

This... was too incredible.

Oh, right, that brat seemed to have formed a hand seal, but given Fang Yaojiang's level and vision, he couldn't understand it at all!

This brat was strange!

Having shown this skill, Ye Yuan drifted back and smiled at Fang Yaojiang: "Now, do I have the capital to negotiate with you, senior?"

Fang Yaojiang snapped back to reality and said, "Of course! I never expected you to possess such an exquisite flame-controlling hand seal. Naturally, you have bargaining chips. However, I'll add one condition: you must teach me this flame-controlling hand seal!"

Greed flashed in Fang Yaojiang's eyes.

Ye Yuan showed a troubled expression: "This... this is a family heirloom seal. If I rashly teach it to you, senior, my elders will punish me!"

"Haha, it's just the two of us here. If you don't tell and I don't tell, who will know? At most, I'll swear not to use this seal in front of others. But if you don't teach me the seal, I'd rather kill you! If you lose your life, what punishment is there to talk about?"

At this moment, Fang Yaojiang was like a big bad wolf, coercing and cajoling Ye Yuan.

Ye Yuan was silent for a moment, appearing deeply conflicted inside. Fang Yaojiang didn't rush; he held Ye Yuan's life in his hands, so there was no need to hurry.

"Alright, but you must swear, senior, not to use this seal in front of others. Otherwise, I will be expelled from my clan!" Ye Yuan said with some concern.

"Naturally!" Fang Yaojiang agreed readily.

"Hehe, this brat seems to be from some reclusive family out for training, but he's an inexperienced novice. Once I learn this seal, how could I let you leave? If you go back and bring reinforcements, I, Fang Yaojiang, would have no way to escape. A reclusive family with such a powerful seal must be extremely strong. So, a dead man is more reliable!" Fang Yaojiang sneered inwardly.

Clearly, Fang Yaojiang had never intended to let Ye Yuan go and had already harbored murderous intent.

Hearing Ye Yuan agree, Ye Yuan's face showed great joy: "Good, senior, first swear a Heavenly Dao oath, then we'll work together to subdue the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus. After we subdue it and get out, I'll teach you the flame-controlling seal. Otherwise, if those two come in, we'll both lose our lives."

Fang Yaojiang found Ye Yuan's arrangement quite reasonable and nodded in agreement: "Alright, let's do as you say."

"My strength is insufficient; I can only barely restrain the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame. Subduing the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus itself will be up to you, senior." Ye Yuan said.

"Haha, naturally. As long as you draw away the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame, leave the rest to me." Fang Yaojiang patted his chest and said.

What he feared was the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame. If Ye Yuan could draw it away, refining the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus would be a piece of cake for him.

"Good, there's no time to lose. Let's act now—we can't delay any longer!"

Having said that, Ye Yuan turned and headed straight for the magma pool. He wasn't worried about Fang Yaojiang attacking him from behind, because the benefits Ye Yuan brought were too great.

The Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus plus the flame-controlling seal would elevate Fang Yaojiang's strength by several levels—how could he let that go?

As for Fang Yaojiang's little schemes, how could Ye Yuan not know? He was just playing along.

Ye Yuan reached the edge of the magma pool. The Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus, startled again, actively attacked Ye Yuan.

Ye Yuan repeated the trick, and the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame dissipated once more.

As if provoked, the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus spat out another stream of Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame, this time far more powerful, so intense that even Fang Yaojiang felt the heat.

Ye Yuan formed a seal again, but this time he only suppressed the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame, unable to make it dissipate.

The flames spewed by the Pure Sandalwood Fire Lotus grew stronger, yet they still couldn't harm Ye Yuan. Finally, a pale yellow fireball flew out from the lotus, and the entire underground cavern's temperature soared, as if it would melt everything.

This pale yellow fireball was the primordial essence of the Pure Sandalwood Sacred Flame!

"Senior, now!" Ye Yuan, looking greatly strained, shouted at Fang Yaojiang.