To comprehend all laws and attain immortality

At Lingxi Peak, there was a knock on the door of the courtyard.

Gu Fan had expected Bai Mingxuan to arrive, but when he saw Bai Ziming outside the door, he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"We've met once before, so I don't need to introduce myself again, do I?"

Bai Ziming turned his head to look at Gu Fan, a confident smile on his lips.

Gu Fan lowered his eyelids slightly, a shadow flashing across his eyes, and raised his hand, saying, "Fellow Daoist, please come in."

After entering the courtyard, Bai Ziming looked around a few times before sitting down opposite Gu Fan.

Gu Fan placed a gray storage bag on the stone table; it was the same one Bai Mingxuan had given him: "The thirty-six dragon-trapping stakes are here."

Bai Ziming reached out to take it, but Gu Fan grabbed his hand and pressed it down.

"Where is my payment?"

Bai Ziming's hand stopped abruptly, his face showing displeasure. He slowly reached for his waist, took out a jade box from his storage bag, placed it on the stone table, and pushed it towards Gu Fan.

Gu Fan raised his hand and opened the jade box, and a burst of fire immediately shot out from it.

A piece of crimson wood, about a foot long and three inches thick, lay in the jade box. It was bare and leafless, and the fiery red energy within the wood flowed slowly.

It is fire within wood!

While Gu Fan was examining the Crimson Dragon Wood, Bai Ziming was also busy.

Bai Ziming took out thirty-six dragon-trapping stakes, each the size of a copper nail, from his storage bag and let them float in his palm. Only when the stakes emitted a dark golden light and connected in a circle did he confirm that Gu Fan had indeed refined a complete set of dragon-trapping stakes.

When Bai Ziming looked up and saw Gu Fan put the jade box away, a hint of jealousy flashed in his eyes, as if his beloved had been taken away, gnawing at his heart.

Without making a sound, Bai Ziming put away the Dragon-Trapping Stake and said in a deep voice, "The magic weapon is fine, but I don't know if you're willing to do a second business deal."

"I'm afraid I'm not fortunate enough to take on the Bai family's business," Gu Fan said outright.

"Oh?" Bai Ziming asked with a mocking smile in his eyes, "Doesn't fellow Daoist want to know where Qi Yan is?"

Qi Yan was indeed exposed!

His guess was confirmed, and Gu Fan's heart sank, but his face remained calm as he narrowed his eyes and asked, "How is Qi Yan?"

"Ha! What else can we do after such a treacherous act?" Bai Ziming sneered. "Of course, my Bai family is known for its kindness, so we didn't take his life. He won't die anytime soon."

"So, you're saying you want to trade your life for Qi Yan's?"

As Gu Fan spoke, he didn't look at Bai Ziming again. Instead, he picked up the teacup beside him and blew on it, appearing as if he were just chatting about the weather.

Bai Ziming leaned forward and tentatively said, "If you're willing to hand over the Crimson Dragon Wood, it's not impossible."

Time seemed to stand still for a moment; the courtyard was so quiet that not even a single leaf could fall.

"Can."

After a moment, Gu Fan put down his teacup and said calmly.

"What?" Bai Ziming was stunned, thinking he had misheard.

What he said just now was just a test; he didn't expect Gu Fan to agree.

He was well aware of the value of the Crimson Dragon Wood; in his view, even ten Qi Yans couldn't compare to a single piece of Crimson Dragon Wood.

"I said, okay," Gu Fan said.

Bai Ziming's surprise suddenly vanished, as if he had heard a hilarious joke, and he shrugged and chuckled softly.

Gu Fan watched Bai Ziming laugh quietly until Bai Ziming raised his head and revealed a slightly ferocious smile.

"I've changed my mind! I want not only Crimson Dragon Wood, but also Flame Stone."

"That's fine too." Gu Fan nodded again, tapping his finger on the stone table with a crisp sound. "But! You must sign a spiritual contract, guaranteeing with your life that you can rescue Qi Yan without any danger to his life. From now on, he will have no further connection with the Bai family, and the Bai family will not be allowed to cause any trouble."

When Bai Ziming mentioned Qi Yan's name, Gu Fan knew that the worst had happened.

He could pretend nothing had happened, as if he had never interacted with Qi Yan, and focus on refining the Crimson Dragon Wood and Flame Stone to master the Samadhi True Fire. With the perfected Flame Spirit Technique, he could easily refine high-grade magic weapons.

But he refused.

Regardless of the prevailing atmosphere in the cultivation world, at least in Gu Fan's eyes at this moment, there are things more precious than spiritual materials.

Bai Ziming leaned back, his eyes wide open, as if he had discovered some rare treasure, or as if he was surprised that there was such a fool in the world, and carefully examined Gu Fan.

Gu Fan let Bai Ziming's gaze fall on him, took out the Crimson Dragon Wood and the Flame Stone from his storage bag one by one, placed them in front of him and spread his hands, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Bai Ziming squinted at the two jade boxes, his eyes practically overflowing with greed.

Taking a deep breath, Bai Ziming looked up and said, "I've changed my mind again."

A flash of murderous intent appeared in Gu Fan's eyes.

Bai Ziming, however, did not care at all, and slowly said in a low voice, "I not only want these two things, but I also want you to make a promise that all your future weapon-refining commissions can only be accepted from the Bai family, and you cannot refuse any weapon-refining commissions from the Bai family."

After speaking, Bai Ziming looked directly at Gu Fan, smiling as he awaited his response.

"Only by bringing this person into the Bai family will the clan allow me to use Qi Yan as a bargaining chip!"

Although he felt resentful, Bai Ziming was well aware of his position in the Bai family.

Although Qi Yan is a traitor, he is Bai Mingxuan's son-in-law, and how to deal with him is not up to him. If Qi Yan is rescued, it will damage the Bai family's reputation, and the clan will certainly not release him easily.

Even if Bai Mingxuan agrees to exchange spiritual materials for people, those materials will definitely be put into the clan's treasury by Bai Mingxuan and will not end up in his hands. Otherwise, he would have already taken the Crimson Dragon Wood for himself, instead of waiting until now.

But if he could bring Gu Fan into the Bai family, the situation would be different.

Bai Mingxuan's plan failed, but it was he who facilitated it. Only by doing this could he ensure that he obtained the Crimson Dragon Wood and the Flame Stone.

"It seems you're not being sincere."

Gu Fan replied coldly, then put away the Crimson Dragon Wood and Flame Stone: "Goodbye, don't bother seeing me out."

He can give up material possessions, but not freedom.

In any case, he would never allow himself to be controlled by others.

Before he could finish speaking, Bai Ziming grew anxious and threatened, "Have you thought this through? Saving Qi Yan is difficult for me, but making him suffer is incredibly easy!"

Gu Fan immediately understood and sneered, "So you can't make this decision. It seems you're nothing more than a useless piece of trash in the Bai family!"

"Boom!"

It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Bai Ziming's mind, and his anger soared to the heavens.

"How dare you insult me!"

A flame rose five feet from Bai Ziming's palm, about to smash down on Gu Fan.

Gu Fan did not back down at all. He patted his storage bag, and the trident and the blue light shield flew out. At the same time, he took out a stack of spirit talismans.

A blue shield was held in front of him, while a three-pronged fork pointed at Bai Ziming's vital points.

Bai Ziming raised his hand, about to unleash the flames, but seeing Gu Fan's reaction, he suddenly paused, instinctively sensing something was amiss.

"He's deliberately trying to provoke me!" Bai Ziming suddenly realized.

"Private duels are forbidden within the sect. This is his residence. If I strike first, I will violate the sect rules and it could even be seen as a provocation by Qingyun Peak against Lingxi Peak."

Realizing this, Bai Ziming immediately dissipated the flames in his hand and laughed fiercely, "I'm not that easily fooled!"

Gu Fan's expression remained unchanged, but he sighed in disappointment.

If Bai Ziming takes action, we can take this opportunity to escalate the situation and then negotiate terms with the Bai family.

Just as he was lamenting the missed opportunity, Bai Ziming suddenly changed the subject.

"Since you want to fight me, then I'll give you that chance."

"Do you dare to fight me to the death?" Bai Ziming asked in a chilling tone.