Early the next morning, atop a towering mountain peak, a man and a woman leisurely sipped tea on the precipitous summit.
Yun Yun, dressed in a moon-white robe, extended her snow-white arm and handed a cup of tea to Xiao Yan. "Try it. No one has ever tasted tea brewed by me before."
Taking the teacup, Xiao Yan couldn't help but recall the Little Fairy Doctor from the Chu Yun Empire, who had also brewed tea solely for him.
Having cultivated the Three Paths Poison Codex to her level, the drawbacks of her Disastrous Poison Body had been completely neutralized. How far she could progress now depended solely on her own comprehension.
Xiao Yan inhaled the tea's fragrance. The same tea leaves and utensils produced different aromas in different hands.
Raising his gaze to the elegant, noble figure before him, Xiao Yan took a slow sip. The sweet, refreshing taste eased some of his fatigue.
Shortly after his enlightenment of the Blazing Spirit Robe, he had immediately set to work refining the corpses of several Dou Huang experts from the Chu Yun Empire into puppets—no easy task.
"Have you made your decision?" Setting down the teacup, Xiao Yan asked calmly.
Yun Yun, who had been eagerly awaiting praise for her tea ceremony, couldn't hide her disappointment at his blunt question.
Smoothing the wind-tousled hair at her forehead, she replied solemnly, "Secret techniques are not to be shared with outsiders. As for the Sea Heart Armor, it is my personal garment and certainly cannot be given to a stranger."
As she spoke, a faint heat rose in her chest. That night, she had already been thoroughly explored by the man before her.
Even the unyielding heat of his body had left an impression—though without proper guidance, there had been no deeper understanding.
Taking a sip of tea to suppress her fluttering heart, Yun Yun said gently, "Why don't you explain how I can assist in your cultivation?"
Xiao Yan had anticipated this. Glancing at Yun Yun's striking curves, he cleared his throat. "It's simple, really. As long as you can disturb my mental focus, the task is complete."
So it really was that kind of... cultivation! Yun Yun clutched her skirt tightly. Over the past two days, she had racked her brain but still couldn't recall any records of such a method.
Biting her red lips, her eyes flickered with complexity. "There must be a time limit. If your mental fortitude remains unshaken indefinitely, would I have to assist you for life?"
Truth be told, three days ago, she had been somewhat tempted. His strength and looks were exceptional—if they could form a union, a lifetime of assistance wouldn't be an issue.
Unfortunately, he showed no such intentions, his focus solely on cultivation.
"That's fair." Xiao Yan nodded earnestly. After a moment's thought, he raised three fingers. "Three years. Regardless of the outcome, you may leave after three years."
"Three years is too long," Yun Yun refused outright. "I have other matters to attend to. Three months at most."
"Three months?!" Xiao Yan's voice rose sharply, his face a picture of astonishment.
While he hadn't actually planned to keep Yun Yun by his side for three years, her counteroffer was drastic.
Seeing his flustered reaction lifted Yun Yun's spirits. Despite being younger, he always carried himself with an air of maturity—it was refreshing to see him rattled.
"Three months," she reaffirmed.
Xiao Yan poured himself another cup of tea, drank it, and formulated a new proposition. "Three months is acceptable—if you can procure a sixth-tier beast flame."
"A sixth-tier beast flame?!" This time, it was Yun Yun's turn to be shocked.
Beast flames were undoubtedly precious, but their value lay mainly with alchemists. Could this young man also be an alchemist?!
The realization struck her like a blow.
Yun Yun had always considered her talent formidable, yet this youth—far younger—not only possessed monstrous strength but also found time to study alchemy?!
"Indeed. If you can obtain a sixth-tier beast flame, I'll agree to shorten the duration to three months." Xiao Yan reiterated firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
The beast flame of the Jia Ma Empire's guardian beast had been something Ya Fei attempted to acquire. However, given her surface-level status in the Miter Family, brokering a deal with the imperial family proved impossible.
After several failed attempts, the matter had been dropped.
But with Yun Yun—the Yunlan Sect master—intervening, success was far more likely.
Yun Yun exhaled heavily. "I know a sixth-tier alchemist. I can ask him to procure a sixth-tier beast flame, but I can't guarantee it."
"However," she lifted her chin, her beautiful eyes locking onto Xiao Yan with uncharacteristic defiance, "don't be too confident. Three months might be overkill."
She felt somewhat insulted. In the Jia Ma Empire, her beauty might not be peerless, but she was undoubtedly among the most captivating. Yet in Yao Yan's eyes, she seemed worthless.
"Confidence is good. I look forward to your performance." Xiao Yan immediately grasped her meaning. To women, beauty was almost a second life.
His gaze swept over Yun Yun's figure once more. "Actually, there's no need for anger. If you were plain-looking, you wouldn't even qualify to assist my cultivation. From that perspective, you're undeniably a rare beauty."
Yun Yun snorted at his bluntness, yet an inexplicable delight bubbled within her. So he isn't blind or wooden after all.
"Now, only the Amethyst Winged Lion King remains." Xiao Yan's eyes grew profound as he gazed into the distance.
The lion king was a treasure trove—a potential mount, a source of Purple Spirit Crystals and Amethyst Birth Source.
Now, its mysterious Amethyst Seal could even aid in crafting the Blazing Spirit Robe.
Collecting herself, Yun Yun analyzed, "The Amethyst Winged Lion King is a sixth-tier magical beast with intelligence rivaling humans. As the ruler of the eastern Magical Beast Mountain Range, it undoubtedly commands many powerful subordinates."
Xiao Yan remained unfazed. Raising his voice, he called out, "Lion King, the three days are up. Show yourself."
"Did you hear anything I just said?" Yun Yun arched an eyebrow. "You're alone, while the lion king has an army. Let me be clear—I won't help you for free."
"A mere sixth-tier magical beast isn't worth my direct involvement." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, pouring himself another cup of tea as he waited.
Yun Yun frowned and immediately scanned their surroundings. Could there be some hidden expert nearby?
(End of Chapter)
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