Chapter 334: Demanding an Exorbitant Price

Seeing Tong Yao, Hua Changxi was somewhat embarrassed: "I wonder if it's still too late for me to say sorry now?"

Tong Yao sensed Hua Changxi's apology and smiled: "I'm fine, but as for the Great Elder... when we see him later, I'm afraid he will have a few words for you."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi quickly said: "I am willing to pay compensation for using the hot spring pool."

Tong Yao led Hua Changxi out of Tang Valley, saying as they walked: "The water level in the hot spring pool has dropped. The Great Elder will definitely demand an explanation from you. You... should be mentally prepared."

Hua Changxi, upon hearing this, hurriedly explained: "I didn't do it on purpose." She paused, gauging Tong Yao's expression, "The water level of the hot spring pool should be able to rise again, right?"

Tong Yao couldn't answer that question, probably because he didn't know either.

However, thinking of Great Elder Yiming's reaction upon learning of the drop in the hot spring pool's water level—showing some dissatisfaction but not too much anger—he guessed in his heart that the hot spring pool should be recoverable.

But these words were not suitable to say to Hua Changxi, so Tong Yao just smiled and shook his head at her.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi instantly felt a premonition that she was going to bleed heavily.

Suddenly, she had a brainwave and thought of Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen.

"Tong Yao, I'm a bit scared to see Great Elder Yiming alone. Could you bring Jingliao and Zhenzhen along to accompany me and give me some courage?"

With Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen watching on the side, presumably Great Elder Yiming wouldn't be too lion-hearted.

Tong Yao chuckled: "Do you know how long you soaked in the hot spring pool?"

Hearing him ask this, Hua Changxi had a bad feeling: "How long did I soak?"

Tong Yao: "You soaked for over half a month. Today is already the seventh day of the first lunar month."

Hua Changxi was stunned: "So much time has passed? Even the New Year has come and gone."

Speaking of the New Year, Tong Yao added: "On New Year's Eve, your third brother asked me about you. It should be that your family wanted you to come home for the New Year."

Hua Changxi fell silent upon hearing this. It was one thing not to go home on ordinary days, but not returning for the New Year would definitely make her family displeased with her.

As they spoke, they reached the teleportation array. Without saying anything else, the two stepped into the teleportation array.

After exiting the teleportation array, Tong Yao directly took Hua Changxi to the Council Hall to see Great Elder Yiming.

"Great Elder."

"Hua Changxi pays respects to the Great Elder."

Great Elder Yiming looked at Hua Changxi with a forced smile: "Young Friend Hua, was the hot spring pool comfortable to soak in?"

Hua Changxi did not make excuses: "Great Elder, entering the hot spring pool without your permission was my fault. I am willing to offer compensation."

Great Elder Yiming snorted: "The hot spring pool has dropped nearly ten meters. We don't know if it can recover in the future. What do you plan to use to repay?"

Tong Yao felt that Great Elder Yiming was being too harsh and wanted to say a few words for Hua Changxi, but received a warning glare from Great Elder Yiming.

Great Elder Yiming, seeing Hua Changxi with her head down and silent as if she was in the wrong, seized the opportunity to continue: "Young Friend Hua, you refined that drop of Vermilion Bird essence blood that I gave you in the hot spring pool, didn't you?"

Hua Changxi didn't speak, which was taken as silent admission.

Great Elder Yiming asked again: "Did you obtain the Vermilion Bird's inherited divine ability?" There was a hint of eagerness and anticipation in his tone that was barely perceptible.

Hua Changxi glanced at him and still didn't speak.

Instead, Tong Yao recalled the earlier scene of "Hua Changxi controlling flames to devour flames," and looked at her thoughtfully.

Great Elder Yiming seemed not to care about Hua Changxi's answer and continued speaking to himself: "Regardless of whether you obtained the Vermilion Bird's inherited divine ability, when you refined the Vermilion Bird essence blood in the hot spring pool, you must have consumed a large amount of energy in the pool."

"The drop in the hot spring pool's water level is only the most superficial consumption. In places we cannot see, who knows how much of the Artifact Saint Palace's foundation has been 'stolen'?"

Hearing the Great Elder even say "stolen," Tong Yao really couldn't help it: "Great Elder..."

"You shut up!"

Great Elder Yiming gave Tong Yao a fierce glare. Didn't he see the guilty look on Hua Changxi's face? That proved he wasn't wrong.

"Young Friend Hua, you and Tong Yao are friends. I think you didn't mean to do it."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi nodded hastily.

Great Elder Yiming, seeing her like this, his expression finally softened a bit: "I don't think Young Friend Hua would take advantage of the Artifact Saint Palace for nothing."

Hua Changxi nodded again, and was about to say something, but Great Elder Yiming spoke first.

[]

"Since we're all friends, the Artifact Sage Palace won't take advantage of you. As long as Young Friend Hua tells me or Tong Yao the method for merging the Seven-Colored Mutant Flame into the Great Sun Divine Flame, we'll call it even."

Hua Changxi: "..."

Tong Yao couldn't help it—he raised his hand to cover his face.

As expected, the Grand Elder really was... making an exorbitant demand!

Hua Changxi was dazed for a few seconds before snapping back to reality. Looking at Yiming Elder, he said, "I was lucky enough to stumble upon the method for converting the Seven-Colored Mutant Flame into the Great Sun Divine Flame, but I almost lost my life in the process."

"Yes, I did consume some resources from the Artifact Sage Palace in the hot spring pool—I won't deny that. However, during my cultivation, the Artifact Sage Palace also benefited. In other words, I gave back to the Artifact Sage Palace."

Hearing this, Yiming Elder's eyelids twitched as he thought of the sudden calming of the Earth Fire Vein, but his tone remained stubborn. Instead of pressing for details, he simply insisted, "Just tell me—are you going to pay compensation or not?"

Seeing that Hua Changxi said nothing, Yiming Elder began to speak sarcastically to Tong Yao.

"Hmph, and you think of certain people as friends. But what about them? They used your things without even saying a word, and after using them, they won't even offer compensation. Your judgment in friends is truly..."

Tong Yao knew that Yiming Elder was trying to provoke Hua Changxi with these words. He had already experienced this tactic from the Grand Elder before.

Similar rhetoric had been used on Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen.

Tong Yao felt utterly embarrassed...

Seeing Tong Yao in such a difficult position, and recalling how much she had benefited from the Fusang Divine Tree space, Hua Changxi pondered for a moment, then looked at Yiming Elder and said, "I can tell you the method for converting the Seven-Colored Mutant Flame into the Great Sun Divine Flame."

Upon hearing this, Yiming Elder's eyes lit up instantly.

Hua Changxi continued, "But the Artifact Sage Palace must give me ten artifacts of Grade Five or above."

Yiming Elder's face visibly fell. "Ten artifacts, and all Grade Five or above? Young Friend Hua, are you planning to rob the Artifact Sage Palace's treasury?"

Hua Changxi's eyes darted, looking somewhat eager to try.

Seeing this, Yiming Elder's face darkened even more. After a deliberate pause, he said, "The Artifact Sage Palace can open its Grade Five treasury for you, but you can only pick one artifact from it."

Hua Changxi wouldn't agree. "One is too few. At least five."

Seeing that Hua Changxi had directly cut his offer in half, Yiming Elder had to restrain himself from smirking. "Two. I'll let you pick two at most."

Hua Changxi: "Three. That's my bottom line—no less, or there's no deal."

Yiming Elder: "Fine, three it is!" Not pausing even a second would be disrespectful to Hua Changxi's "decisiveness."

Hua Changxi: "..."

Yiming Elder, feeling he had lost a bit of dignity, quickly tried to smooth things over. "Considering you're Tong Yao's friend, the Artifact Sage Palace will just take a small loss."

Even Tong Yao couldn't stomach that. "Grand Elder..."

"You shut up!"

Yiming Elder cut Tong Yao off, then turned to Hua Changxi with a grin. "Young Friend Hua, would you rather tell me or tell Tong Yao?"

Hua Changxi, expressionless, held out her hand. "Give me a Taiyin Stone. I'll inscribe it with my divine sense and hand it over."

Hearing this, Yiming Elder and Tong Yao exchanged a surprised glance.

Yiming Elder laughed. "I don't have a Taiyin Stone on me. Wait here—I'll go get one."

Hua Changxi quickly added, "Grand Elder, I'm not very familiar with controlling divine sense yet. To ensure you get the 'Seven-Colored Mutant Flame to Great Sun Divine Flame' conversion method sooner, you might want to bring a few extra Taiyin Stones for me to use."

"..."

Yiming Elder's face went blank. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "The Artifact Sage Palace's treasury doesn't have many Taiyin Stones either. I'll have to check if there are any."

Once he left the hall, Tong Yao asked, "You can control your divine sense now?"

Hua Changxi looked at him. "Can't you?"

Tong Yao shook his head. "The Artifact Sage Palace has methods to strengthen the soul, but controlling divine sense requires the appropriate techniques."

Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi nodded without adding anything else.

Seeing that, Tong Yao didn't press further. Instead, he said, "I'll accompany you to the treasury to pick out artifacts later. I can explain things to you."

Hua Changxi, noticing his expression as if she had been shortchanged and that he owed her, rolled her eyes and smiled. "If you think I've been taken advantage of, you could always throw in an extra artifact as a gift."

Tong Yao refused without hesitation. "No way."

Seeing how decisive he was, Hua Changxi was exasperated: "I've finally figured it out — every single one of you is an Oscar-worthy actor!"

Pretending to be embarrassed, yet unwilling to accept compensation — isn't this obviously just putting on a show!