Han Ming walked into the secret room, his mind alert.
In the secret room, there were only two people.
"Welcome, welcome." From the main seat, Sun Lingtong clapped his hands, his tone enthusiastic.
The main seat was in the center, with a row of chairs on each side, three seats in each row.
In the row to Sun Lingtong's left, the middle seat was occupied by an elderly man. His face was weathered, his expression gloomy. When he saw Han Ming arrive, he cast a scrutinizing gaze.
Han Ming's eyes flickered as he looked at the elderly man, finding his face somewhat familiar.
After thinking for a bit, she recalled, "He's the Mechanism Master from the black market who sells Top and Bottom Wishing Ropes."
"Please sit, please sit," Sun Lingtong invited.
Han Ming then sat in the right row, choosing the farthest seat, closest to the exit of the secret room.
"Sun Lingtong, you offered a large sum to invite me here. What do you want from me? Just say it." As soon as Han Ming sat down, he asked directly.
Han Ming, being a Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Cultivator, had a beautiful face with a layer of ashen gray. Combined with the chilling aura she constantly emitted, she possessed an eerie, cold beauty.
Sun Lingtong clapped his hands, praising, "Straightforward! Very well, I'll be direct."
"I want to deal with Sun Lie, and after considering it all, you, Han Ming, are the most suitable partner."
Han Ming let out an 'oh' and slightly raised his eyebrows, "You all want the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill too?"
A year ago, Sun Lie had refined eighteen Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pills. After handing them over to the Zhou Family, the remaining ones were to be distributed on the spot.
Sun Lie, being generous and free-spirited, was drunk at the time and declared that any interested cultivators could compete on the spot, with the winner taking all.
Han Ming happened to be there.
She was an outer disciple of the Soul Devouring Sect, practicing the Nine Revolutions Soul Devouring Secret. The Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill was extremely useful and valuable to her.
She immediately joined the competition, but due to the numerous and fierce competitors, she was forced to use demonic arts, directly killing one Foundation Establishment Cultivator and severely injuring three others.
This exposure of her identity as a Demon Cultivator.
Sun Lie naturally wouldn't give the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill to a Demon Cultivator in public.
Han Ming had to flee.
Ning Zhuo spoke, his voice hoarse, his tone slow, "Who wouldn't want the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill?"
Sun Lingtong nodded, "In fact, we want more."
"Sun Lie is an Alchemy Grandmaster and has been living in Fire Persimmon Immortal City for over a year, with a constant stream of people seeking elixirs."
"His success rate in alchemy is extremely high, leaving a few pills from each commission."
"I've found out that his storage room has over a hundred bottles of elixir pills on the shelves!"
Han Ming nodded slightly, already intrigued.
Her exposure happened a year ago, and she had not left Fire Persimmon Immortal City since, unwilling to give up on the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill.
Over the past year, she had gathered a lot of information and had attempted to probe Sun Lie several times, all to no avail.
Han Ming said, "Sun Lie is at the Foundation Establishment Peak, with considerable combat strength."
"Moreover, he's an Alchemy Grandmaster, hosted by the City Lord's Mansion, always staying in the Ziyang Courtyard."
"The Ziyang Courtyard is a property of the City Lord's Mansion, its protective array interlinked with the Immortal City Great Array."
"Thus, the Purple Sun Furnace in the courtyard can tap into the endless ground fire of Fire Persimmon Mountain through the array for alchemy."
"Not to mention the guards in the Ziyang Courtyard, just the protective array is not something we can quickly break through."
"Once a stalemate occurs, we'll have to face the City Guard Army coming from all directions."
Sun Lingtong laughed, "Han Ming, don't forget my origins. Take a look at this!"
With that, Sun Lingtong took out a talisman.
Han Ming glanced at it, a flash of joy in her eyes, "An Array Breaking Talisman? Excellent!"
"I agree to this."
"But let's be clear, I need at least three Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pills!"
Sun Lingtong smiled silently.
Ning Zhuo snorted, "You're dreaming! If you get one, you should be thankful."
"If it weren't for the fact that the arranged personnel didn't show up, how could we temporarily include an outsider like you?"
Han Ming's face turned cold, her killing intent overflowing. She glared at Ning Zhuo, her eyes narrowing, "The last Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator who treated me like this died a year ago. Three others were seriously injured as well."
Ning Zhuo sneered, "Do you think this old man is like those weaklings?"
As he spoke, his hair solidified into thick, long black whips, like snakes raising their heads. From under his cloak, numerous mechanism birds poked their heads out, their dozens of electrified eyes sizing Han Ming up.
Han Ming's heart grew wary.
Fire Persimmon Immortal City had the Immortal City Great Array covering it, making cultivators like her, who relied primarily on spells, highly disadvantaged in combat.
Considering the array's suppression, Body Cultivators, Corpse Cultivators, Beast Taming Cultivators, and Mechanism Cultivators gained many advantages instead.
Han Ming couldn't gauge the depths of Ning Zhuo. What she did know was that he made a living selling Top and Bottom Wishing Ropes in the black market and had amassed substantial wealth. Having so much money and still being alive naturally meant he was no simple character.
Sun Lingtong clapped his hands, breaking the tense atmosphere, "Alright, alright."
"We are here to cooperate, not to kill each other."
"Han Ming, you come from a major demonic school with great strength. But I tell you, the Youthful Guest is by no means inferior to you."
Han Ming snorted coldly, retracting her killing intent.
Ning Zhuo also withdrew his black whips, the cloak covering the restless Silent Thunderbird flock.
Sun Lingtong seized the moment, "There are only three of us in this raid on the Ziyang Courtyard. We each get at least one Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill."
"The actual distribution will depend on our contributions during the operation."
"What do you both think?"
The room fell silent.
Ning Zhuo said nothing.
Han Ming was deep in thought.
She didn't trust Ning Zhuo but trusted Sun Lingtong. Sun Lingtong came from the Bukong Sect, which was a major sect like the Soul Devouring Sect. Both identities were equivalent.
Sun Lingtong had been running the black market in Fire Persimmon Immortal City for many years, earning a high reputation.
"He's the local power here. If he wants to attack the Ziyang Courtyard, he must have confidence."
"If I miss this opportunity, how long will I have to wait relying solely on myself?"
Thinking of this, Han Ming nodded slightly, her tone icy, "I agree."
Sun Lingtong looked at Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo then nodded, "Very well, let's sign the contract."
Ziyang Courtyard.
Alchemy Room.
Sun Lie and Meng Chong stood in front of the Purple Sun Furnace.
This alchemy furnace was over twice their height, occupying nearly half of the alchemy room. The red copper furnace radiated intense heat.
Meng Chong looked at the Purple Sun Furnace, still unable to recover from the shock of what he had just heard, "Master Sun, you want me to step into the furnace and use me as an ingredient?"
Sun Lie took a sip from his gourd of strong wine, his cheeks flushing slightly, "Hahaha, exactly!"
Meng Chong frowned, puzzled, "Using people for alchemy, isn't this a demonic alchemy method?"
Sun Lie rolled his eyes, "What demonic alchemy method?"
"In the myriad arts of cultivation, practical value reigns supreme. Use whatever method works best. Righteous or demonic, cultivation is cultivation. What's the fundamental difference?"