Chapter 2537: Exchange

Ye Chen chuckled and said, "Senior, could we exchange for something else?"

Before Yu Di could respond, Ba Taizi suddenly shouted, "How dare you! Exchanging with you is an supreme honor, and yet you dare to set conditions? Do you know the consequences of defying heavenly authority?"

Ye Chen didn't reply. He just glanced sideways at Yin Ming.

You little brat, what's all the fuss about? Get this straight: it's you who wants to exchange for the Hua Shan Dao Jing, and yet you're acting so arrogant. If your father weren't here today, I'd give you a good beating just for that.

"Ming'er, don't be rude," Yu Di said in a deep voice, then turned to Ye Chen with a smile. "But I wonder, what does my subject wish to exchange?"

"Just one item and one favor, and I'll hand over the Dao Jing with both hands."

"Oh?"

"This item is the Qilin Guo; this favor is simple." Ye Chen smiled slightly, glanced at the reincarnated Shangguan Yu standing outside the pavilion, and then looked back at Yin Ming. "I ask that Ba Dianxia spare the Yang Shi clan."

As soon as these words were spoken, the reincarnated Shangguan Yu's body trembled violently. He stared at Ye Chen in a daze, confirming that he hadn't misheard—the little stone from Hua Shan was using the Hua Shan Dao Jing to save his Yang Shi clan.

Why are you so kind to me?

The reincarnated Shangguan Yu was full of confusion and gratitude, his eyes already wet with tears. Ever since his Yang Shi clan fell into misfortune, all the immortals in the Tian Ting had avoided them like the plague, afraid of getting involved. From that day on, the once dazzling immortal realm in his eyes had turned utterly dark. There was no so-called light, only hatred and vengeance. In this cold Tian Ting, he lived only for revenge, crawling like a dog.

Now, someone was willing to use the precious Dao Jing to ensure the survival of the Yang Shi clan. How could he believe it? He and Ye Chen had only met once on Hua Shan, with no real connection. Why go to such lengths for the Yang family?

Ye Chen turned his head and gave him a smile, full of weariness, as if looking at a family member.

In that moment, the reincarnated Shangguan Yu truly cried. A long-forgotten warmth surged through his entire body, and his once ice-cold heart was melted by Ye Chen's words.

Yu Di stroked his beard and looked at Ye Chen with newfound respect. The Qilin Guo was precious, but compared to the Kong Dong Yin, it was far inferior. Asking for something less valuable in exchange for something more—this little stone was quite interesting.

Ba Taizi Yin Ming, however, narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at the reincarnated Shangguan Yu. The way he looked at Ye Chen now carried deeper meaning. Pleading for the Yang Shi clan and even exchanging the Dao Jing for it—he must have some connection to them that couldn't be shaken off.

Ye Chen remained composed, sipping the tea that Yu Di had personally brewed. It had a slight bitterness but carried the essence of the Dao, quite extraordinary.

As for the exchange, he had already thought it through. The Kong Dong Yin was good, but it wasn't what he urgently needed—the Ding Hai Shen Zhen was sufficient. The Qilin Guo, however, was different; it was a material for refining the Jiu Zhuan Huan Hun Dan, something rare and hard to find.

Of course, his true purpose was to save the reincarnated one and his clan, even if it meant using the Dao Jing.

This was just a temporary measure. Getting the Qilin Guo and saving the Yang Shi clan was the first step. Next, he would find the reincarnated one in the Shang Xian Jie, borrow the Zi Wei Xing Jun's position, and return to his homeland for a visit.

There was no other way—he had considered outright robbery, but his strength wasn't up to it. The Tian Ting had too many experts; just Yu Di alone was beyond his ability to challenge. To fight someone like that, he'd need to reach the Quasi-Emperor realm. Everything required careful planning.

Besides, the Dao Jing wasn't really going to Ba Taizi. To be precise, it was just temporarily placed with him. The Dao Jing had its own spirit; with a single thought, it could return to him. Once all matters were settled and he had no more ties to the Shang Xian Jie, he would return to the San Xian Jie.

By then, forget about Ba Taizi, Yu Di, or the entire Tian Ting—they could all go to hell.

After a long while, Ba Taizi Yin Ming said with a sinister smile, "What is your relationship with the Yang Shi?"

Ye Chen smiled and replied with his prepared excuse, "There are some ancestral ties; I owe the Yang family a favor. I ask that Ba Dianxia show mercy and spare the Yang Shi clan."

"The Yang Shi clan has violated the heavenly rules," Yin Ming sneered.

"Ming'er." Yu Di spoke again, his tone even more somber, clearly growing impatient. As long as they got the Dao Jing, the process didn't matter—what was the point of all this nonsense?

With that single word, "Ming'er," Ba Taizi understood the implication. He raised his hand and pointed to his forehead, dissolving the master seal of the curse.

As the master seal dissolved, the subordinate seals planted in the Yang Shi clan's bodies also vanished into nothing.

The reincarnated Shangguan Yu grunted softly, and the dark energy at his brow disappeared instantly. His weakened aura began to recover, and his pale face gained a touch of color. The curse that had tormented him for a hundred years was finally lifted.

"Thank you."

He sent a grateful message to Ye Chen. If Yu Di weren't present, he would have knelt down to repay the life-saving favor.

"We're family; no need for formalities," Ye Chen replied with a warm smile.

On this side, after lifting the curse, Ba Taizi waved his hand and produced a purple treasure box, sealed with secret techniques. Inside was the legendary Qilin Guo, its fragrance impossible to hide, along with faint visions of a qilin appearing and disappearing. Treasures like this were priceless wherever they went.

"Ba Dianxia is straightforward," Ye Chen said with a laugh, summoning the Dao Jing.

As soon as the Dao Jing appeared, the sounds of the Great Dao echoed through the air. Ba Taizi's eyes burned with fiery excitement—he had coveted it for so long, and now it was right before him. How could he not be thrilled?

The transaction was completed perfectly under Yu Di's witness.

Ye Chen took the Qilin Guo, grabbed the reincarnated Shangguan Yu with one hand, and held Yu Di's command token in the other, then headed straight for the heavenly prison. He needed to get them to the San Xian Jie as quickly as possible to prevent Yin Ming from causing more trouble.

Watching Ye Chen's retreating figure, Ba Taizi's eyes flashed with malice. In the Tian Ting of the Shang Xian Jie, no one had ever dared to negotiate terms with him.

"Father, this stone spirit is too insolent. Why not—"

"This matter ends here," Yu Di said flatly, his words carrying great authority. First, he wanted to give face to the Hua Shan Zhenren; second, it was time to rein in his precious son. As the ruler of the Tian Ting, he knew everything, including whether the Yang family was truly guilty. But who could blame him for doting on his son?

With that, he slowly vanished, leaving behind a faint voice: "Now that you have the Dao Jing, go into seclusion and study it carefully."

Ba Taizi said nothing, but the malice in his eyes grew stronger, and his demonic heart harbored even more resentment toward Ye Chen.

"Dianxia, shall I send someone to secretly eliminate Ye Chen?" the purple-robed elder entered the pavilion and asked Yin Ming tentatively. This man was always eager to please, or perhaps he already knew what Yin Ming was thinking.

"Killing a chicken with a bull's knife is overkill," Yin Ming said with a playful smirk. "Spread the word about giving the Qilin Guo to Ye Chen and let Dan Jun hear about it. As an alchemist, he's quite fond of the Qilin Guo, isn't he?"

"And the Yang Shi clan?"

"A group of ants—do they deserve to live?" Yin Ming said, then flicked his sleeve and disappeared, making his intention crystal clear: wipe them out completely.