72: Transactions at the Crimson Lotus Heavenly Palace

As Xu Jinhuan arrived outside the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace's Reception Hall, he saw Jiang Luoyi, one of his defeated opponents from yesterday, standing gracefully by the side.

She had clearly been waiting for a long time. Seeing Xu Jinhuan appear, a hint of joy flashed in her cold eyes, and she quickly stepped forward to stop him:

"Young Master Xu, may I have a word with you in private?"

Xu Jinhuan raised an eyebrow, and seeing her solemn expression, he nodded:

"Of course, Saintess Jiang, please."

Had the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace finally lost its patience?

Xu Jinhuan naturally didn't believe that a Great Emperor Dao lineage would need several days to inspect a teleportation array.

The only explanation was that the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace didn't want him to leave easily and wanted to obtain something from him.

Now was the time for them to show their hand.

The two moved to a secluded side hall next to the main hall. After the maidservant served spirit tea, she quietly withdrew, leaving only the two of them seated opposite each other.

Jiang Luoyi picked up her teacup but didn't drink. After a moment of silence, she went straight to the point:

"Young Master Xu, to be frank, I sought you out today because I wish to make a transaction with you."

"A transaction?"

Xu Jinhuan's hand, holding the teacup, paused, his eyes filled with doubt.

"I have little interaction with the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace. May I ask what transaction Saintess Jiang wishes to make with me?"

"I want the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance."

Jiang Luoyi looked up at him, her gaze burning.

"Young Master Xu, you used Green Lotus Sword Intent to break our divine abilities that day. Such Emperor-level sword intent could never be self-taught; you must have obtained the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance. As long as you are willing to hand over the inheritance, or share it with my Red Lotus Heavenly Palace, my Heavenly Palace is willing to offer you great treasures in return."

"Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance?"

Xu Jinhuan's expression froze.

So, they thought I had obtained the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance.

And judging by Jiang Luoyi's demeanor, this inheritance was probably extremely important to the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace!

Perhaps this was a breakthrough point, a breakthrough point to control the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace.

But that was precisely the problem.

He hadn't found the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance at all.

There was indeed a coffin left by the Azure Lotus Great Emperor, containing a peerless sleeping beauty, but unfortunately, that thing was firmly nailed to his Sendai and couldn't be called out.

Considering everything, Xu Jinhuan could only feign difficulty.

"I'm sorry, Saintess Jiang, I don't have the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance."

He had indeed obtained the Green Lotus Sword Intent, but he had comprehended it himself.

It had nothing to do with inheritance; it was purely due to his high comprehension value.

Seeing Xu Jinhuan's reaction, Jiang Luoyi's brows furrowed instantly, feeling a little displeased in her heart:

He clearly possesses a great treasure but pretends not to know. Does he think the price isn't high enough?

She suppressed her displeasure and softened her tone:

"Young Master Xu need not pretend ignorance. As long as you agree, my Red Lotus Heavenly Palace is willing to offer three complete Great Saint cultivation methods. These cultivation methods are among my palace's secret techniques, and I believe they are sufficient for you to account for to the Taiyi Holy Land."

Xu Jinhuan still shook his head, looking innocent:

"Saintess Jiang, I truly don't know of any inheritance. That sword intent was indeed obtained by me, but it didn't come from any complete inheritance."

"Still pretending!"

Anger began to rise in Jiang Luoyi's heart, but she still patiently offered an astonishing price:

"As long as Young Master is willing to exchange, my Heavenly Palace is willing to present three immortal medicines!"

immortal medicines, the highest-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces, each capable of creating a Great Saint peak expert.

Even with the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace's long history, the number of immortal medicines it currently possessed was less than ten.

Giving out three at once was a significant drain on the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace's resources; ordinary cultivators would have been greatly tempted.

But Xu Jinhuan still gently shook his head:

"Miss Jiang, I'm telling the truth, I really don't have the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance."

There was nothing he could do; he really didn't have it.

He couldn't possibly take out the coffin nailed to his Sendai and give it to them, could he?

Oh, wait, I can't even move the coffin.

Then never mind.

Rejected twice in a row, Jiang Luoyi finally couldn't hold back.

I refuse to believe that with my peerless beauty of the Exquisite Ice Phoenix Body, if I offer myself, Xu Jinhuan still won't be moved!

She gritted her silver teeth, steeled her heart, suddenly stood up, and reached out to untie her robe.

Of course, it was strictly business, with absolutely no personal desires involved, and Jiang Luoyi herself was absolutely not secretly wishing for it.

Absolutely not!

"Miss Jiang!"

Seeing this, Xu Jinhuan's pupils constricted, and he quickly reached out to stop her, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and exasperation.

"Why go through such trouble? I truly have no inheritance to exchange. Why go to this extent?"

At their skin-to-skin contact, Jiang Luoyi's body trembled slightly, her cheeks instantly flushed, and even her earlobes were tinged with an alluring crimson, yet she still looked at him stubbornly:

"If Young Master truly has no inheritance, then where did the Green Lotus Sword Intent come from? It couldn't have been comprehended out of thin air!"

Seeing her so stubborn, Xu Jinhuan no longer concealed it and spoke frankly:

"It wasn't comprehended out of thin air, nor is it a complete inheritance. I only obtained a copy of the Azure Lotus Dao Severing Art from the stone wall in the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's former residence. That Green Lotus Sword Intent was derived from this scripture; besides that, there is nothing else."

"Only... only one scripture?"

Upon learning the truth, Jiang Luoyi was stunned, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Just one scripture allowed him to comprehend Emperor-level sword intent?"

She simply couldn't believe it.

How profound was Emperor-level sword intent, yet he could comprehend it thoroughly with just one sword art.

The talent of the man before her was simply too heaven-defying!

As if fearing that the person in front of him wouldn't believe him, Xu Jinhuan directly activated the Azure Lotus Dao Severing Art.

In an instant, a noble, upright, and heaven-supporting aura of righteousness spread from his body. The air in the hall seemed to become clear, making one feel righteous and free of evil thoughts.

As the aura circulated to its extreme, wisps of azure sword intent slowly emerged from around him, gathering into a blooming azure lotus, fierce yet not overbearing, clear yet mixed with a sharpness that could suppress all under heaven.

Feeling the righteous and pure aura of the Azure Lotus Dao Severing Art before her, a strong sense of shame suddenly arose in Jiang Luoyi's heart.

Young Master Xu had been telling the truth all along, but I never believed him and kept doubting him.

I truly am a scheming, wicked woman... "Miss Jiang, this is the source of my Green Lotus Sword Intent. Do you still wish to make an exchange?"

Xu Jinhuan looked at her and asked with a smile.

After a brief hesitation, Jiang Luoyi immediately took out her Voice Transmission Token.

"Master, this is what happened..."

"So, do we still need to make a transaction?"

The token flickered slightly, and another clear voice rang out, carrying an inviolable sacred majesty and a firm tone.

"Transaction."

"The most valuable part of the Azure Lotus Great Emperor's inheritance is precisely the Green Lotus Sword Intent!"

"Disciple, you must get your hands on the method for the Green Lotus Sword Intent; it is truly important to the Heavenly Palace!"

"…"

The majestic and firm voice echoed in the room.

Jiang Luoyi looked at the loud Voice Transmission Token, then at Xu Jinhuan, who was smiling in front of her.

She suddenly had a strange feeling of conspiring in front of him, and she put on an awkward but polite smile.

After a moment of silence, she whispered a reply via voice transmission.

"Master, I had it on speaker, Young Master Xu heard everything..."

"…"

A thud came from the token, its light quickly dimmed, and the voice transmission was cut off by the person on the other side.

The next moment, a figure in a red dress appeared between Xu Jinhuan and Jiang Luoyi.

Her flame-like skirt swayed, and a faint Sacred Might lingered around her.

She glanced at Jiang Luoyi, her red lips slightly parted.

"Luoyi, I'll talk to Young Master Xu."

Her voice was identical to the one on the other end of the Voice Transmission Token earlier; it was precisely the current Palace Mistress of Red Lotus Heavenly Palace.

Jiang Luoyi knew she had caused a great blunder and could only obediently give up her seat, feeling a little regretful.

Alas, such a good opportunity, I was about to trade myself away, but how did I make a mistake...? The Palace Mistress of Red Lotus looked at Xu Jinhuan, revealing an awkward but polite smile, and said:

"Young Master Xu, I am willing to use five immortal medicines to exchange for the Azure Lotus Dao Severing Art in your possession."

She had already made her calculations, fearing that this heaven-defyingly talented youth would demand an exorbitant price, so she preemptively stated a maximum price that she could still accept.

Greed is human nature.

Putting herself in his shoes, if she knew the importance of the Green Lotus Sword Intent, she would probably make the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace pay a huge price.

"Heh, I didn't expect the Green Lotus Sword Intent to be so important to your sect."

Xu Jinhuan spoke with a laugh, his tone somewhat surprised.

But in the Palace Mistress of Red Lotus's eyes, he was implying that she should raise the price.

"Three Great Emperor Scriptures, plus seven immortal medicines!"

Such a price was astonishing, almost emptying half of the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace's foundation, and completely exceeding the value of the Azure Lotus Dao Severing Art.

However, Xu Jinhuan still gently shook his head.

"Young Master Xu, one should know when to quit. Don't be too excessive!"

Rejected again, the Palace Mistress of Red Lotus grew increasingly displeased, and her tone became unfriendly.

"Palace Mistress, you misunderstand. I only need to borrow and read your sect's Great Emperor Scriptures; I guarantee I won't leak them, and I don't need any heavenly materials or earthly treasures."

Xu Jinhuan spoke, his tone still calm, not getting angry because of her suspicion.

Hearing his words, the Palace Mistress of Red Lotus was stunned.

"That's it?"

She hadn't expected Xu Jinhuan to only want to glance at the Great Emperor Scriptures.

Although the Great Emperor Scriptures were equally precious and the foundation of the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace.

But if he didn't leak them, that was different. Letting him see them would cause no loss to the Red Lotus Heavenly Palace.

"That's right."

Xu Jinhuan nodded.

"Then it's a deal. Young Master, hand over the Azure Lotus Dao Severing Art, and all of my Red Lotus Heavenly Palace's Great Emperor Scriptures will be open to you!"

The Palace Mistress of Red Lotus was afraid that Xu Jinhuan would go back on his word, and even more afraid that the accompanying Eighteenth Ancestor would come to obstruct, so she immediately finalized the transaction.

Great Emperor Scriptures were abstruse and unfathomable. Without guidance from an inheritance or pointers from predecessors, ordinary cultivators, even if they could see the original text, would find it like reading a heavenly book, and even getting started would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The Palace Mistress of Red Lotus didn't believe that this junior, merely borrowing to read, could cause any waves.

Behind her, Jiang Luoyi hesitated to speak.

Master, Master, you don't know how abnormal Young Master Xu's comprehension is.

If you really let him in, all of our Red Lotus Heavenly Palace's Great Emperor Scriptures will be lost!

By then, won't even my undergarments be seen through by him?

But looking at Xu Jinhuan's handsome face, Jiang Luoyi swallowed all her words.

Let him see, then. Who told him to be Young Master Xu?