Chapter 88: A Deal

Qin Ming’s mind went blank.

“What?!”

“All of you have perished?!”

“What about Lin Zi?”

Qin Ming’s heart churned violently.

Among them, only the Feng brothers were at Qi Refining eighth layer; the other three were all at Qi Refining peak.

Even so,

with such a force, only Feng Yuan survived.

“Sigh, I’m ashamed to say it—if not for fleeing at the last moment with Lin Zixiao, using his array to hold them off, I wouldn’t have made it back.”

“As for Lin Zi, when I escaped, I saw him surrounded by several Qi Refining peak cultivators—he’s likely dead.” Feng Yuan sighed, speaking softly.

No sooner had he finished speaking.

Feng Yuan’s face suddenly flushed crimson; a trickle of black blood seeped from his lips. He grimaced in agony, clutching his chest as he gasped for breath.

Qin Ming clearly saw a faint shadow of death pass through the man’s pupils.

Seeing this, Qin Ming quickly pulled out a healing elixir, preparing to give it to him.

“Cough! Cough!”

“Qin Dao You , don’t waste the elixir—I’ve suffered a fatal wound. My meridians are all shattered, my dantian and qi sea destroyed. No healing pill can save me now.” Feng Yuan spat out a mouthful of black blood and raised his hand to stop Qin Ming.

“I know full well I’m a dying man—right now, I’m barely clinging to life thanks to Gen Xue Pills.”

Qin Ming looked at Feng Yuan with a complex expression. Though their relationship was merely average, as neighbors who had lived side by side for years,

the straightforward nature of the Feng brothers had always left a good impression on him.

“Ambushed?”

“Didn’t you all go to the ruins seeking a Foundation Establishment opportunity?” Qin Ming frowned, puzzled.

Feng Yuan wiped the black blood from his lips, glanced at Qin Ming, then explained: “We did go to the ruins—but we only entered the outer region. Even so, we still obtained the Foundation Establishment spiritual item: Tianhuo Spirit Liquid.”

“We gained other valuable items as well.”

“But just as we were preparing to leave, a large group of sect cultivators suddenly appeared, ambushing us.”

“Most were from the Hundred Flowers Sect and Shen Nong Gate, with some from Lingyu Gate and Jin Yun Valley. All the items we took from the ruins were seized by these sects.”

“All our effort was for nothing—just making clothes for others.”

“My brother and the others were killed by them.” As he spoke, Feng Yuan’s eyes burned with hatred.

Hearing this, Qin Ming was unsurprised.

These sects had openly spread word of the ancient ruins, then leaked rumors of Foundation Establishment resources inside.

Their goal was to lure cultivators from the outside to act as cannon fodder—anyone who managed to gain something would never escape the sects’ grasp.

“Sigh, Feng Dao You , please accept your loss.” Qin Ming didn’t know how to comfort him.

For a moment,

the two fell silent, the air thickening.

Feng Yuan hesitated for a long time, as if making a final decision.

Then he suddenly lifted his head, fixing his gaze on Qin Ming, and said seriously: “Qin Dao You , I have a deal to propose. Will you accept it?”

“Oh? What deal?” Qin Ming was taken aback.

Feng Yuan pulled from his storage pouch a jade vial, a dragon-shaped token, and a torn map, placing them on the table.

He then spoke slowly: “This is our greatest prize—the jade vial contains the Foundation Establishment spiritual item, Tianhuo Spirit Liquid.”

“But this spirit liquid was discovered by me alone, secretly hidden—even my brother didn’t know.”

“As for this token and map, the five of us found them together on the corpse of an ancient corpse in a cave at the ruins’ edge—they’re clearly tied to entering the ruins.” When Qin Ming heard that the items before him were the legendary Foundation Establishment spiritual item, Tianhuo Spirit Liquid, his heart pounded wildly.

His Dao heart began to waver.

For cultivators attempting Foundation Establishment, besides taking a Foundation Establishment Pill, using the spiritual item Tianhuo Spirit Liquid increases success rate by twenty percent.

For a major realm breakthrough, a twenty percent boost is an enormous advantage.

“I can give you these three treasures, but in exchange, you must agree to two conditions,” Feng Yuan said solemnly.

“First, if you ever get the chance to reach Foundation Establishment, kill one core disciple from each of these sects—to avenge us!”

“Second, my brother and I have no blood relatives in the cultivation world—only a single descendant remains in a mortal village somewhere in Wei State. If you ever have the chance, please look after them within your ability.”

Qin Ming’s brow furrowed into a deep crease.

Though he was deeply tempted by the Tianhuo Spirit Liquid, the man’s conditions demanded he take revenge against multiple sects.

After a moment’s thought, he immediately refused: “Feng Dao You , I cannot accept the first condition. I’m merely a spirit plant cultivator, low in strength—I dare not oppose several sects.”

“As for the second condition, if the opportunity arises, I can agree to it.”

“As for the token and the ruins map—I cannot accept them.”

Qin Ming instantly recognized the dragon-shaped token and torn map as a burning coal.

Countless people were searching for these items.

He had no desire to invite trouble and become the target of everyone.

Hearing Qin Ming’s reply, Feng Yuan’s face showed disappointment.

But he had no recourse—given Qin Ming’s cautious nature, this response was entirely understandable.

After long hesitation, he gritted his teeth: “Fine. Then as you say—I hope you won’t break your word.”

Saying this, Feng Yuan retrieved the dragon-shaped token and torn map.

Then he gently pushed the vial of Foundation Establishment spiritual item, Tianhuo Spirit Liquid, toward Qin Ming.

Qin Ming’s gaze burned hotly. He picked up the jade vial, uncorked it, and swept his spiritual sense inside.

Inside, half a bottle of flame-like spirit liquid glowed, radiating astonishing spiritual aura—truly miraculous.

“It really is Tianhuo Spirit Liquid!” Qin Ming rejoiced, sealed the vial tightly, and silently stowed it in his storage pouch.

Then again—he could accept this spirit liquid without guilt, for he had personally slain Jiang Kun, a core disciple of Lingyu Gate.

Feng Yuan took out a handwritten letter and a jade token, handed them to Qin Ming, and gave him a few final instructions.

Then,

their conversation ended.

“That’s all. I must take my leave, Qin Dao You , no need to see me off.” Feng Yuan bowed to Qin Ming and rose to leave.

Qin Ming watched Feng Yuan’s unsteady figure recede, his heart filled with mixed emotions—a strange sense of kinship in shared fate.

Once, the Feng brothers had been notable figures in Qingyang Market—now they met such an end.

As Feng Yuan reached the door,

he suddenly turned back, forcing a weak smile, and mocked himself to Qin Ming: “I know my days are numbered. After this, I’ll just find a good burial site and wait to die. The token and ruins map will surely go with me to the grave—if you ever change your mind, feel free to come and take them.”

He whispered a location to Qin Ming.

Then, without further delay, Feng Yuan left Qingyang Market.

Qin Ming watched Feng Yuan disappear into the distance, and chuckled bitterly:

“You’re going to find a good burial spot and sleep peacefully—why tell me about it?!”

…

PS: Thank you, Dao friends, for following along! Thank you for your recommendation votes and monthly tickets—this newcomer bows deeply in gratitude!

(End of Chapter)