Working Hand in Glove

Seeing Song Wen extremely tense and ready to violently erupt at any moment, the numerous guards outside the main gate of the Pill Room were somewhat astonished.

What was going on today? A mere outer sect disciple at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation dared to cause trouble outside the Pill Room?

Were new disciples nowadays all this bold?!

Did they really think these elite guards of the Pill Room did not exist?!

However, seeing Song Wen's vigilant gaze fixed upon Guo Tao as he slowly stepped backward, the guards instantly understood that this outer sect disciple was guarding against him.

Since this hostility was not directed at the Pill Room, the matter naturally had nothing to do with them as guards.

Immediately, the guards took on the expressions of spectators watching a good show, their gazes sweeping back and forth between Guo Tao and Song Wen. Their eyes were filled with anticipation, as if asking why they had not started fighting yet.

Guo Tao also noticed Song Wen's tension and the guards' mockery. He forced an awkward smile and spoke in the gentlest tone possible.

"Junior Brother Jiyin, do not be nervous. I harbor no ill intent. Rest assured, I definitely will not make a move against you."

Song Wen acted as if he had not seen Guo Tao's display of goodwill at all, continuing his slow retreat.

"The main hall of the Pill Room has Formation restrictions. How about we go there for a detailed talk?" Guo Tao continued.

Song Wen was also aware of the restrictions within the Pill Room's main hall. Inside, cultivators below the Golden Core realm would be affected by the restrictions, their strength severely suppressed.

Qi Condensation cultivators who entered would find it almost impossible to mobilize the Magic Power within their bodies. They would be unable to use any cultivation arts, talismans, or Magical Artifacts, leaving them barely stronger than mortals with robust physiques.

Song Wen pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Alright, I will do as Senior Brother Guo suggests. However, you must enter the pill hall first before I follow."

"Good. Junior Brother, please follow me."

After saying this, Guo Tao showed the guards his disciple token and assignment token, smoothly entering the Pill Room's grounds.

The Pill Room's grounds were vast. Standing at the main gate, Song Wen watched from afar until he saw Guo Tao truly enter the pill hall before showing the guards his own assignment and disciple tokens.

He said to the guards, "Senior Brother, I am outer sect disciple Jiyin. Previously, following Elder Shen's command, I went to the Yan family in the Poisonous Miasma Swamp to count the Seven-Color Grass. I must trouble Senior Brother to pass along a message for me. Tell him that Jiyin has completed the assignment and has come to report back."

After speaking, Song Wen headed straight into the pill hall as well.

There were quite a few people inside the pill hall-Pill Room disciples, as well as disciples who had come seeking to purchase Pills.

Guo Tao stood alone in a corner, anxiously waiting for Song Wen. Seeing him step into the Pill Room, Guo Tao's anxious expression finally eased somewhat.

He knew that placing all his hopes on Song Wen now was undoubtedly a massive gamble.

But the current reality was that the entire Yan family were fish on a chopping block, entirely at the mercy of others. The Yan family had no other choice.

"Junior Brother Jiyin, everything Gui San said was utter nonsense. You must not believe his lies. The Yan family is utterly loyal to the Sect; it is absolutely impossible for them to betray the Sect."

Guo Tao's voice was very low, hushed to the point where only the two of them could hear.

Song Wen raised an eyebrow, a smile appearing on his face.

"Oh! Is that really so? It does not look that way to me. I think what Gui San said is the absolute truth."

Upon entering the pill hall, Song Wen had felt a heavy pressure descend upon his entire body. The circulation of Magic Power within him ground to a halt. He tried to circulate the Corpse King Blood Refining Art, only to find absolutely no response.

He was completely certain that it was impossible to utilize Magic Power within this pill hall, so naturally, he no longer had anything to fear from Guo Tao.

Seeing Song Wen's calm demeanor, Guo Tao felt a wave of dismay. Clearly, the other party would not be easily fooled. He could only change his approach and said.

"Junior Brother, you need to think clearly. Offending the Yan family will bring you no benefits."

Song Wen smiled faintly, completely unbothered by Guo Tao's threat.

"Indeed, there are no benefits. On my way back to the Sect, I was hunted by six Yan family cultivators."

Guo Tao's heart skipped a beat, inwardly cursing the bad situation. Yan Feng and the other five had indeed died at Song Wen's hands. Those six were truly useless-six mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivators actually failed to kill Jiyin alone.

Guo Tao quickly said, "A misunderstanding, these are all misunderstandings. They must have mistaken Junior Brother for Gui San's accomplice. Besides, isn't Junior Brother completely unharmed right now? Please be magnanimous and forgive the Yan family this once."

Song Wen chuckled. "Forgive the Yan family? I wouldn't dare. If I hadn't possessed a few life-preserving treasures on me at the time, I'd likely have died several times over by now."

Guo Tao offered, "Compensation. I can compensate Junior Brother on behalf of the Yan family."

"How about one thousand Spirit Stones?"

"Junior Brother is not satisfied? Then three thousand Spirit Stones!"

"How about five thousand Spirit Stones?"

Seeing Song Wen remaining silent, Guo Tao continually raised the price on his own.

Song Wen neither agreed nor disagreed. Instead, he sized up Guo Tao with great interest and said.

"I am rather curious, Senior Brother Guo. What exactly is your relationship with the Yan family? Why are you so humbly acting on their behalf?"

Guo Tao gave an awkward smile. "How could I have any ties to the Yan family? I am merely mediating the relationship between Junior Brother and them. We all belong to the Corpse Demon Sect; there is no need for us to become bitter enemies."

After speaking, he added another sentence.

"Five thousand Spirit Stones. Is Junior Brother still not satisfied? With this sum of Spirit Stones, I believe it will be enough for you to cultivate all the way to Qi Condensation Perfection."

Seeing the other party so anxious to give him money and smooth everything over, Song Wen said leisurely.

"If the Sect catches wind of this, it is a capital offense. A mere five thousand Spirit Stones..."

Song Wen's implication was crystal clear: He needed more money!

"Ten thousand Spirit Stones. I cannot offer any more," Guo Tao said decisively.

"Good, deal. When will you give me the Spirit Stones?" Song Wen asked.

Guo Tao took out a Storage Bag and stuffed it into Song Wen's hands. "Here are one thousand Spirit Stones. The rest of the Spirit Stones will be given to Junior Brother afterward."

Song Wen extended his spiritual sense into the Storage Bag. It contained exactly one thousand Spirit Stones, neither more nor less. He unhurriedly tucked the Storage Bag into his robes.

"Only one thousand Spirit Stones? Senior Brother Guo won't go back on his word, will he?"

Guo Tao replied, "Junior Brother, rest assured. Absolutely not."

"That is hardly a given. We are demonic cultivators; what credibility do we have to speak of?"

Guo Tao took out another Storage Bag from his robes. "I have another one thousand Spirit Stones here. Junior Brother, take it. I truly do not have any more Spirit Stones on me. The rest can only be given to Junior Brother later."

Song Wen tucked the second Storage Bag into his robes as well, but the expression on his face was still full of greed as his gaze swept back and forth over Guo Tao.

Seeing Song Wen's greedy appearance, Guo Tao cursed endlessly in his heart, but he had no other choice. Gritting his teeth, a palm-sized boat appeared in his hand. It was his flying vessel.

"I will gift this flying vessel to Junior Brother. I have already erased the residual spiritual imprint on it, so you may refine it with ease."

"Then it would be impolite for me to refuse," Song Wen said with a satisfied expression, storing the flying vessel into his Storage Bag.

Seeing a satisfied look finally appear on Song Wen's face, Guo Tao asked anxiously.

"Junior Brother, what about the Yan family matter?"

Song Wen replied, "This assignment to count the Seven-Color Grass was originally led by Senior Brother Guo anyway. Naturally, everything will be exactly as Senior Brother Guo says."

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