Chapter 269: The Deal with Su Huan

Although Su Huan's appearance as a Great True Person was unexpected, Lu Yang remained calm, partly because he was surrounded by an army's protection.

Beside him stood a 【Son of Heaven】.

Su Huan and he were both Outer Realm Demons, both targets sought by the native inhabitants of 【Wan Wu Jie】; they stood on the same side.

On the other hand, Lu Yang had read Su Huan's intent—he had merely watched when Miaoyin True Person was killed, showing no intention to intervene, meaning he had no desire to involve himself in Lu Yang's affairs; thus, it was unlikely he would suddenly decide to strike now.

'So he sold out Miaoyin?'

Thinking this, Lu Yang's brows lifted slightly; he cast a skeptical glance, then probed: 'Elder, are you a True Person of our Holy Sect?'

'.'

Upon hearing this, Su Huan's expression froze—he felt insulted. What did that mean? Suddenly calling me a Holy Sect True Person?

'I am Su Huan, a wandering cultivator from beyond the seas, unworthy of being called a Holy Sect True Person.'

Su Huan did not adopt the haughty bearing of a Great True Person; instead, he spoke as an equal to Lu Yang: 'I originally intended to do you a favor.'

'Filth! How dare an Outer Realm Demon be so bold?'

At that moment, Chen Anmin suddenly roared, cutting off Lu Yang and Su Huan's conversation, his hostility fully exposed as he glared at Su Huan.

Seeing this, Su Huan's smile did not falter.

Lu Yang, however, remained calm and said to Chen Anmin: 'Step back. Reorganize your troops. I will speak with this Outer Realm Demon.'

'But—' Chen Anmin immediately grew anxious.

'Mm?'

Lu Yang emitted a low grunt from his nose, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Chen Anmin. At this sight, Chen Anmin instinctively stepped back in alarm.

After all, this army had been built entirely by Lu Yang; his prestige was so high that even Chen Anmin subconsciously obeyed—but once he stepped back and looked up at his own sunlike destiny star, remembering his identity as 【Son of Heaven】, a flicker of resentment surfaced in his eyes.

Seeing this, Lu Yang's expression grew even deeper.

On the other side, Su Huan smiled faintly: 'Well? If you are willing, I am ready to help you leave this place, ensuring your safety.'

'. Not necessary.'

After a moment of silence, Lu Yang shook his head: 'I appreciate your kindness, Elder, but I have my own plans—no need to owe you this favor.'

'Is that so? A pity.'

Su Huan was not surprised; he nodded, then shifted the topic: 'In that case, let us discuss another transaction.'

Hearing this, Lu Yang grew curious, but Su Huan spoke calmly: 'I wish to learn every detail of how Master Chongguang sought Jin Zhifa, and his method.'

'You were once Master Chongguang's trusted retainer. All who entered the Blessed Land had their merit and destiny drained—Miaoyin, that foolish woman, was one of them, compounding the loss. Only you retained most of your destiny. This cannot be coincidence… I am deeply curious as to why.'

This was also one of Su Huan's purposes in coming here.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator nearing completion, or a Great True Person, the most precious thing is the method to seek Jin Zhifa—only those with immense fortune and destiny can obtain it.

He himself had once been the destined child of a realm, granting him this opportunity.

'My method to seek Jin Zhifa is called the 【Wan Ling Gui Xu Dao Jing】, a Water-element technique, formed alongside the Blessed Land before 【Huan Xu Jie】 fell, bestowed upon me.'

Yet 【Huan Xu Jie】 had only formed a rudimentary prototype of the position; though it spontaneously evolved a method, flaws inevitably remained. Since escaping his realm six centuries ago, Su Huan had spent all that time patching and mending the flaws, slowly shaping the method into something usable.

But it still fell short by one step.

'A Great True Person like Chongguang, with deep roots and the backing of a True Immortal, could simply ask the True Immortal to perfect his method to seek Jin Zhifa.'

'I cannot.'

'I have no True Immortal I can trust. This matter must be resolved by my own contemplation alone—and only by borrowing Chongguang's experience can I hope to advance.'

Even if this only slightly increased his chance of seeking Jin Zhifa, he would spare no effort to seize even that sliver.

Thinking this, Su Huan turned to Lu Yang again and bowed deeply: 'I beg you, Elder, to teach me. If you have any demand, I will fulfill it. I have cultivated beyond the seas for six hundred years—I possess considerable resources. Should you one day seek to break through to the later stage, I can assist you.'

As he spoke, a circular aura appeared behind Su Huan's head.

Within the light floated countless scenes: ruins strewn across the ground, broken walls and pillars, radiating deathly stillness, yet beneath that stillness lay a faint thread of life.

'This is the 【Ling Xu Blessed Land】.'

Su Huan said earnestly: 'The Blessed Land holds the mystery of evading calamity. If you break through to the later stage within it, you can reduce the power of the heavenly thunder tribulation by over thirty percent.'

This was both a transaction and a favor offered.

Su Huan offered all his cards without hesitation, making no attempt to bargain—first, because Master Chongguang's method to seek Jin Zhifa was invaluable.

Second, because he had heard 【Zeng Cai Qiluo True Immortal】 mention Lu Yang's name, and with the presence of 【Qing Cheng Feixue True Immortal】, a mere True Person with at least two True Immortals watching over him—undoubtedly a favored figure of the Holy Sect—it was worth offering a little benefit to gain favor.

'Miaoyin's death was no injustice—how dare he provoke such a person?'

'I should be courting him!'

Perhaps the two True Immortals behind Lu Yang, upon learning of this, would regard him more highly? He would not miss any opportunity to try.

Lu Yang naturally saw through Su Huan's intentions.

'What a remarkable wandering cultivator!'

Lu Yang knew better than anyone how hard it was to achieve cultivation in this broken place—reaching Foundation Establishment mid-stage was already a miracle, a stroke of ancestral fortune.

Foundation Establishment late-stage?

And still seek Jin Zhifa?

Merely imagining it made Lu Yang realize this Great True Person was no ordinary being; his demeanor grew solemn: 'I currently have no need for the Blessed Land.'

'Since you are so kind, just give me a little.'

'.'

Upon hearing this, Su Huan's face fell. Give me a little? You want me to give you a bit of everything! Holy Sect True Persons are truly insatiable!

Yet his smile grew even brighter as he carefully studied Lu Yang, calculated for a moment, then whispered: 'I have some understanding of spirit-artifact forging. If you are interested, I can forge a spirit-artifact tailored specifically for you.'

As he spoke, Lu Yang's brows lifted.

So far, he had only used spirit-artifacts belonging to others; though he wielded them without issue, he still lacked that intimate bond.

Do not underestimate this bond—if a spirit-artifact fuses with its master's soul, entwining their lives, it can indirectly enhance the master's spiritual abilities, and only such a spirit-artifact holds the potential for 'Seeking Truth,' evolving alongside its master into the legendary True Artifact.

Just this alone was enough to make Lu Yang's heart stir!

Suo Huan had indeed put thought into this, knowing that a custom-made spiritual treasure belonging solely to Lu Yang held extraordinary value for him, which was why he had taken the initiative to propose it.

Seeing Lu Yang's face show that his heart was stirred, Suo Huan finally revealed a smile on his own face, then stepped back and said, "This matter can wait until I have set up the artifact furnace and everything is prepared; then I shall invite the Daoist friend to visit. At that time, you may wait until the spiritual treasure emerges from the furnace, and only then will you inscribe the experience of Master Chongguang seeking gold for me."

"Deal!"

Suo Huan's conditions were simply meticulous in every detail, considering all aspects; Lu Yang naturally had no reason to refuse: "Then I shall trouble the senior to take care of it."

"Dare not, dare not..."

Suo Huan clasped his hands in a bow, then his form gradually became illusory and vanished into mid-air, never displaying even a shred of the majestic power befitting a Great True Person from start to finish.

'Suo Huan...'

Lu Yang murmured to himself in his heart, still pondering and calculating the origins of this Great True Person, when suddenly a suppressed reprimand sounded beside him:

"Immortal Master, how could you let that otherworldly heavenly demon go!?"

Lu Yang came to his senses, turned his head to look behind him, and saw that Chen Anmin was now looking at him with a face full of anger, the 【Tomorrow's Son of Heaven】 above his head shining with brilliance.

(End of this chapter)