Chapter 96: Chapter 92: Flowing Flame Golden Fruit and the Rich Lady Chuyao

"Was the Illusion Realm encountered in the Crossing True Star Array the same scene as the Cloud Mist Mountain?"

Gu Yuan turned his head and asked.

"Indeed, the six magical combats simulated by the Crossing True Star Array are all from the Cloud Mist Mountain’s demon evils. With your unrivaled means, you broke through the six barriers and can proceed directly into the Cloud Mist Valley!"

"With such skills, together with the Cyan Jade Order I gifted you, you can directly scour the Secret Realm. Is this not a grand gift?"

Bian Chuyao softly smiled, her gaze seemed somewhat admiring as she looked at Gu Yuan.

But Gu Yuan only looked at her indifferently, without responding.

He knew this woman surely had more to say.

A stalk of Profound Grass, with this much fuss, was definitely for some scheme.

Coincidentally, this matter involved the location of the Three Heart Seal, so Gu Yuan patiently listened.

Seeing her "smiling offensive" had no effect, Bian Chuyao restrained her smile and solemnly said, "To be honest, Brother, Chuyao went to all this trouble precisely to choose the strongest in magical combat, to accompany Chuyao to the Cloud Mist Mountain and retrieve an item."

"But don’t worry, Brother. Chuyao needs only that item, and besides, everything obtained in the Secret Realm can belong to you!"

"The treasures in Cloud Mist Mountain are abundant, not completely plundered on the day of breaking the gates, many remain. Furthermore, as I know it, some Tribulation Cultivators have taken it as their lair, storing Secret Technique Manuals, you are sure to reap rich rewards when you go!"

Yet Gu Yuan was not concerned about these, he only asked, "I wonder, what does Junior Sister wish to obtain?"

Bian Chuyao looked somewhat troubled, but she understood in her heart that facing someone like Gu Yuan, decisive by nature, without sincerity, the cooperative business would undoubtedly fall through.

After a sigh, she reluctantly said, "It’s for obtaining a ’Flowing Flame Golden Fruit.’"

"Flowing Flame Golden Fruit?"

Gu Yuan immediately furrowed his brow.

He had seen the introduction of this fruit in the Scripture Pavilion; it’s a rare Spirit Fruit for the Qi Refining Stage, capable of transforming the mana of a cultivator entirely into Red Flame Gilded Gold in color, containing extremely strong firepower, enough to burn to death a cultivator of the same stage with just mana alone.

One must know that the mana of a normal Qi Refining Cultivator, though capable of limitless transformation with intangible Qi Power to move mountains and open seas, cannot burn hills and boil seas; to use Fire Technique requires the power of the Dharma Seal.

But if one consumes the Flowing Flame Golden Fruit, there is no need to rely on the Dharma Seal, the formidable might of the Fire Technique is possessed.

However, though this fruit is remarkable, it merely adds a fire technique for the cultivator, why does Bian Chuyao go to such great pains?

"Brother may not know, but I cultivate one of the Daoist Academy Seven True Diagrams - the Golden Sun Great Sun True Diagram. This True Diagram has been in my visualization for over ten years, with no plans to switch techniques; to establish the Foundation, I must seek the Golden Sun Red Flame Type of Fire Attribute Heaven-Earth Qi to consume, refining Qi into the Foundation."

"Foundation Establishment Spirit Qi is already prepared by my ancestor, but to fully refine this Qi with absolute assurance, I must first transform all my mana into Red Flame Gilded Gold."

"This is a necessary step; only upon completion can I silence the rumors."

"And fruits to transform mana are extremely rare; I searched extensively and only found the trace of a ’Flowing Flame Golden Fruit’ in Cloud Mist Mountain!"

"Cloud Mist Mountain has turned into the Land of Annihilation, so I urgently need someone with powerful magical combat ability to join me in retrieving the fruit."

Bian Chuyao’s beautiful eyes turned, appearing honest yet admiring as she softly requested Gu Yuan, "Brother, with your unrivaled techniques, could you lend Chuyao a hand?"

Foundation Establishment Spirit Qi is already prepared?

Gu Yuan listened to many words, but only this phrase impressed him deeply.

As expected of a noble descendant, such treatment is indeed enviable.

Yet why choose me?

"Junior Sister comes from a great family, with substantial heritage, myriad experts in the clan, why choose someone like me, an unknown?"

Gu Yuan sighed deeply.

"Why belittle yourself, Brother?"

Bian Chuyao straightened her look, gazing at him with burning determination, as if not allowing him to speak of himself in this way.

"Brother, though from humble origins, reached the peak of Qi Refining Eighth Layer in only a few short years. Is your talent and nature not incomparable to noble descendants?"

"Moreover, Brother is an Inner Sect Disciple noted in the Daoist Academy, granted True Techniques, with a grand future ahead, a status that scheming family guardians cannot compare to!"

"Although our family has numerous cultivators and attendants in a glorious show, those who establish the Foundation and attain the Great Dao are few, merely benefiting from ancestral protection with additional resources."

"Cultivators wield great strength within themselves; Brother defeated the Jade Hall heroes, unless I invite Foundation Establishment seniors from the clan, who among Qi Refining dare claim victory over Brother?"

"Only someone with such overwhelming talent, formidable means and determined nature as you, Brother, can lend Chuyao a hand, whom else should I choose but you?"

Gu Yuan heard this and couldn’t help but sigh deeply in his heart.

This woman, she knows how to praise someone well.

But what she says is true; the honor of noble families all comes from the top, providing abundant resources, greatly increasing the number of clan cultivators, with Dharma Artifacts and Cultivation Techniques surpassing common disciples.

Yet truly powerful ones, there are hardly any.

Gu Yuan also cultivates True Techniques and practices superior Dharma Seals; his Spiritual Sense is top-grade, how does he pale compared to those elite descendants?

"But thank you for your kind intentions, Junior Sister, Gu Yuan has other pressing matters, I shall take my leave!"

Still, Gu Yuan refused Yun Chuyao’s goodwill.

He waved his robes, mounted the Flying Shuttle, and left the place, though his speed wasn’t rapid.

...

...

"Oh! Infuriating, infuriating, infuriating!"

"Little Miss, you requested him like this, yet he refused, so rude, indeed a bad guy!"

"But no worries, this fellow seems untrustworthy; being with him might risk him snatching your Spirit Fruit, not going with him is fine, let’s find someone else!"

"Exactly, exactly, humph humph humph, does having a top-grade Spiritual Sense make one great? Without him, we can still enter the Secret Ruins!"

Gu Yuan had just left, when small figures emerged between Bian Chuyao’s sapphire hairpin, hands on their hips, spat a heap of words at Gu Yuan’s departing figure.

"Top-grade Spiritual Sense... it is truly significant!"

Yet Bian Chuyao merely sighed gently, muttering a sentence.

"Without top-tier Spiritual Sense, against the Cloud Mist Mountain’s Evil Cloud Poison Miasma, one’s strength weakens by at least thirty percent, and it easily tempts one’s nature. I thought such a person wouldn’t exist in the humble lineage, unexpectedly he indeed possesses such fortuitous encounters, and is equally formidable in means, if aiming to retrieve the Golden Fruit, he’s the best choice..."

"Ah, we can choose from the Seven Vein Direct Disciples, surely stronger than this grouch!"

"Fool! Flowing Flame Golden Fire is top-tier Spirit Qi, even Master cannot directly arrange it, Little Miss must quietly obtain the Spirit Fruit to become an irreplaceable candidate, only then can Master request the school to bestow Spirit Qi. If others from the Seven Vein know, they’ll surely fight fiercely, although Little Miss has exceptional talent, the Seven Vein folks are tough to deal with!" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Ah, what to do, Gu the Evil already knows of this, will he spread it, should we secretly eliminate him?"

Flower Spirit’s innocent, cute face forcefully wore a fierce expression as she suggested to Bian Chuyao.

But the delicate little face was hardly intimidating.

Bian Chuyao pinched Flower Spirit’s small face, smiling as she said:

"No need to worry... he actually already agreed."

"Ah? Since when, I didn’t hear it!"

"Such a person, cautious yet daring, moved heart once he learned the causes and effects of Cloud Mist Mountain, or he wouldn’t get overly involved. His refusal to leave is merely because my offer wasn’t high enough..."

"But no matter, I, Bian Chuyao, have more than enough Spirit Stones!"