The Nine-Tailed Flame Fox was, in fact, a defiant soul spirit — violent and savage, difficult for ordinary people to absorb.However, before Yun Ze, all its ferocity was meaningless. After enduring the burning of its very soul, it finally chose submission.
The absorption process went smoothly, without harming Yun Ze in the slightest — it felt almost natural, like water flowing downhill.
While Yun Ze was absorbing the soul spirit, Zhang Ge Yang had already begun a conversation with Di Tian.His goal was simple: he hoped to establish a partnership with the Dragon Phoenix Palace — and if that succeeded, then the loss of the soul spirit could be considered a gift in exchange.
Di Tian was shrewd; he easily saw through the man's intentions. He didn't outright reject the proposal, nor did he agree.Before Yun Ze finished absorbing the soul spirit, it was best to give the other party some face — no need to make them angry and ruin the situation.
The two of them traded polite words like masters of diplomacy: one attacking, pressing for cooperation; the other defending, calmly deflecting.
Time passed quickly. Before long, more than three hours had gone by.Yun Ze had completed the absorption of his soul spirit — his third spirit, the Nine-Tailed Flame Fox.
His soul power broke through smoothly, reaching Level 41. The energy in his body grew thicker and denser, taking on a viscous, almost condensed quality.
As soon as the absorption finished, Yun Ze was transported out of the Soul Spirit Tower, reappearing in the main hall.
"Yun Ze! Are you alright?"Gu Yue Na had been waiting anxiously. The moment she saw him appear, she rushed forward.
Di Tian and Zhang Ge Yang stood not far away. When they saw Yun Ze, Di Tian clearly relaxed, while Zhang Ge Yang's expression was far more complicated.Initially, Zhang Ge Yang had wanted Yun Ze to die. But after speaking with Qian Gu Dong Feng, he found himself hoping the boy would live. The contradiction stirred up a mess of emotions inside him.
"I'm fine," Yun Ze said, shaking his head. He stepped back a few paces, avoiding Gu Yue Na's attempt to hug him.
"…Was that really necessary?" Gu Yue Na pouted, stopping in place, her small mouth curling in mild annoyance.She was clearly referring to him backing away. In such a moment, shouldn't there be a happy embrace to celebrate?
Yun Ze didn't answer. He smiled faintly, then changed the subject:"What kind of compensation are they asking for?"
He had already noticed the man standing beside Di Tian. Judging by the aura of a Super Douluo, this was clearly the person in charge of the Soul Spirit Tower here.
"They said they don't want any other compensation — only cooperation," Gu Yue Na replied, her mood gradually settling.
"I see…" Yun Ze looked toward Zhang Ge Yang. The latter met his gaze; their eyes locked briefly.There was no fiery clash of will — Yun Ze's eyes remained utterly calm, without the slightest ripple.
"So strange," Zhang Ge Yang thought. "This child gives me such an odd feeling… but I can't tell why."
Yun Ze walked toward them, his tone polite but steady."I wonder, how much would the Nine-Tailed Flame Fox soul spirit be worth?"
Zhang Ge Yang's thoughts darkened. "Such a precious spirit… does he really think he can just pay for it?"
"This soul spirit is extraordinarily rare — priceless, in fact. It's considered a non-sale item," he said aloud, slowly."Its appearance here was an accident. We tried to stop the process, but your actions were too fast for us to intervene."
"Now that things have already happened, it's unrealistic to strip the soul spirit away. So we'll consider it an exception — a special case — and say that we've 'sold' it to you."
"But since it's a non-sale item, its worth cannot be measured — nor compensated — with mere money."
He spoke deliberately, leaving no room for the other side to settle this with coin. He had to push for cooperation — the alchemical formulas those people possessed were worth far more than money.Even if he couldn't obtain the miraculous Hundred-Year Longevity Pill recipe, other pill formulas would still be immensely valuable.
"I see… If it can't be compensated with money, can it be with a medicinal pill instead?" Yun Ze asked, smiling faintly.
Zhang Ge Yang smiled back but quickly shook his head."That won't do. What we truly want is cooperation with the Dragon Phoenix Palace. You know how it is — the Spirit Transmission Tower is half a commercial organization. Long-term business is more important to us than a one-time deal."
Finished pills could be bought anytime — formulas, on the other hand, meant continuous profit. Did they think he was a fool?
"What if we use a Hundred-Year Longevity Pill as compensation?" Yun Ze said casually — a heavy statement that dropped like thunder.
"That's not poss— wait, what did you just say?" Zhang Ge Yang had begun to refuse instinctively, but when the words registered, his eyes went wide.
"Why so loud?" Gu Yue Na muttered under her breath.
"The Young Master said he could use a Hundred-Year Longevity Pill as compensation. Are your ears not working?" Di Tian's tone was ice-cold, his eyes like those of a predator staring down prey.
"I—I heard you, I heard you…" Zhang Ge Yang stammered, nodding rapidly, unable to take his eyes off Yun Ze. His heart was racing.
The Hundred-Year Longevity Pill — the very mention of it was monumental. He had heard of it before; his clan had even sent elders to the Federation to bid for it, but they had failed.
The Zhang family was among the top families within the Spirit Transmission Tower, yet even they had limited funds — far less than the mighty Tang Sect or Shrek Academy.Even compared to another great clan within the Tower — the Qian Gu family — they came up short.
Qian Gu Dong Feng, the current Tower Master, could command far more wealth than they ever could.
Now, the chance to obtain such a pill was presented right before him. How could he not be thrilled?
"But… weren't there only five of those pills ever made?" Zhang Ge Yang asked, still cautious, unwilling to lose his reason to excitement.
"My grandfather's injuries have recovered well," Yun Ze replied calmly."He told me himself that refining another batch of Hundred-Year Longevity Pills shouldn't be a problem. Though… he said he could probably only make five more — any more, and he'd risk heavenly tribulation."
Zhang Ge Yang's eyes blazed with excitement. "It can really be refined again?" he asked, voice trembling.
A hundred extra years of life — it was too important to take at face value; he needed absolute confirmation.
Yun Ze turned to Di Tian, who understood immediately."This is true," Di Tian said firmly. "The Patriarch himself told me. Once his injuries heal, he's confident he can refine another batch."
"You mentioned five pills — clearly, you know the value of such medicine. Don't tell me you still think that soul spirit is worth more?"
His tone sharpened, and the pressure of an ultimate powerhouse filled the hall.
"Of course not," Zhang Ge Yang said quickly, nodding. To him, the Hundred-Year Longevity Pill was worth far more than any soul spirit.
"If you can truly give me one of those pills," he said solemnly, "then this matter is settled. We won't pursue it any further."
"In fact…" He hesitated briefly, then added, "To show our sincerity, I can even gift you another top-tier soul spirit for free."
He offered that last line hastily, worried the other side might think the deal unfair and back out.