"Don't come any closer!"
"Don't come any closer..."
Wang Mao watched in desperation as Mu Jinyu steadily advanced toward him, feeling on the verge of collapse, screaming inwardly without cease.
Regrettably, Mu Jinyu neither heard the cries of Wang Mao and those from the Dan Pavilion nor would he have heeded their words if he had, not coming any closer.
In just a few strides, Mu Jinyu reached Wang Mao, then crouched down and tapped a few points on his body.
He used his True Essence Power to undo Wang Mao's paralysis.
"Please, don't come any closer, I beg you!"
No sooner had the paralysis been lifted than Wang Mao's inward screams burst forth audibly!
"Hmm?"
Once he had cried out, Wang Mao immediately realized he could speak again. Could he move as well?
With the thought, Wang Mao sprang up high from the ground and, brimming with excitement, prepared to leave Jade Emperor Peak, abandoning the Elders of the Dan Pavilion!
"Hmph!"
Mu Jinyu let out a disdainful snort, and a tide-like oppressive force gushed forth, immobilizing Wang Mao once again!
"Crack, crack, crack..."
Now unable to move, Wang Mao quickly regained some sense of reason, understanding that with Mu Jinyu present, there was no possibility of escape.
Fear climbed incrementally within him, making him clench his jaw tight, causing an incessant clatter of teeth.
Mu Jinyu stood behind Wang Mao and spoke in a chilling voice, "I'll give you a chance to make a case for your Dan Pavilion. What is your value to me? Why should I spare your lives?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing Mu Jinyu's words, Wang Mao's despair instantly turned to joy as if the clouds had been torn asunder to reveal the sun.
He then realized he could speak again and quickly said, "Our Dan Pavilion has... has many talented people who can perform alchemy for you, Dragon King. Having acquired alchemy and an Alchemy Furnace, you might not yet be clear on how to carry out alchemy, right?"
"With our assistance, you could save a year or even longer..."
Wang Mao's voice betrayed his fear, yet it carried a hint of smugness.
He was somewhat confident that even if Mu Jinyu was exceptionally quick witted, alchemy was not that simple, and Mu Jinyu couldn't understand it in a short period.
Only their Dan Pavilion, steeped in elixirs for nearly a century, could unravel the mysteries of alchemy in a few years if they obtained the art; then the Dragon King Hall would have an endless supply of elixirs.
That must be why Mu Jinyu had not killed him and instead asked for their value, right?
Wang Mao guessed with eighty percent confidence.
However...
As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Jinyu simply flicked his finger, and a thread of True Yuan shot directly into the chest of one of the Dan Pavilion Elders lying on the ground.
"Ugh..."
The Elder grunted and expired on the spot.
Mu Jinyu then said coldly, "Sorry, but I've already learned alchemy. I don't need your help with that. Continue and tell me your value. With every unnecessary word you speak, one of your Dan Pavilion shall die. If you persist with nonsense, then you will die along with them!"
"Crack, crack, crack..."
Listening to Mu Jinyu's emotionless, icy words, fear nearly consumed Wang Mao's soul, and his teeth began to chatter again!
He simply couldn't believe that Mu Jinyu was entirely indifferent to the art of alchemy!
As for Mu Jinyu claiming he had already mastered alchemy, Wang Mao kept his skepticism.
How could it be possible to master alchemy in just one week?
He didn't believe it!
But he knew his disbelief was irrelevant. Mu Jinyu clearly didn't care for the value they could bring with their alchemical skills.
What value did their Dan Pavilion possibly have left?
Wang Mao pondered for a moment, and then his eyes lit up again. He realized that since Mu Jinyu mentioned he had mastered alchemy, wouldn't he be in need of a large amount of spiritual medicine to practice his skills? Thus, he hurriedly called out:
"Our Dan Pavilion has cultivated countless spiritual medicines, including over a hundred first-level spiritual medicines and several dozen second-level spiritual medicines. We can offer them to you as an apology!"
As his words fell.
"Hiss!"
Mu Jinyu once again shot out a strand of True Yuan, sending another elder from Dan Pavilion to his death!
The remaining four or five elders, lying on the ground, trembled with fear upon seeing another elder die. They were terrified that Wang Mao would say the wrong thing again and make Mu Jinyu turn his butcher's knife towards them.
Mu Jinyu noticed this and in an instant, shot out four or five strands of True Qi, dissolving the stagnant qi stuck in their meridians.
Then, they were able to move again and immediately, one of the elders jumped up, knelt before Mu Jinyu, and said with a trembling voice, "Dragon... Dragon King, our Dan Pavilion can submit to you and serve as your servants..."
Hearing this elder's words, Wang Mao, who had been struggling with how to satisfy Mu Jinyu, had his eyebrows twitch, and anger rose in his heart.
The Dan Pavilion submitting to Dragon King Hall, and they becoming Mu Jinyu's servants?
He was not willing at all!
However, considering Mu Jinyu's attitude, they offered him their alchemy services, and Mu Jinyu was not pleased; he presented all of Dan Pavilion's spiritual medicines as an apology, and Mu Jinyu still refused!
Perhaps, from the very beginning, Mu Jinyu's intention was to take possession of their Dan Pavilion and turn it into a vassal of Dragon King Hall. That way, whether it was to provide him with alchemy or spiritual medicines, it meant he would want them all!
Thinking of this.
Wang Mao, in order to save his own life, could only swallow his pride!
"Hiss!"
However, to his surprise, even though he had already acquiesced to becoming servants for Dragon King Hall, Mu Jinyu was still unwilling to let them go!
Another strand of True Qi shot out, piercing through the heart of the elder who had knelt down to beg for mercy and declare submission.
"Bang!"
The elder's body fell to the ground, his expression frozen in an unresigned death.
Seeing this, the remaining four elders of Dan Pavilion became even more panicked, but they also dared not speak carelessly anymore.
Fearing they would bring disaster upon themselves, and die before everyone else!
"Servants? Sorry, but my Dragon King Hall does not need you to serve as servants!"
Mu Jinyu spoke indifferently, not even glancing at the dead elder.
After finishing his words, he looked at the stunned Wang Mao, and said lightly, "Still haven't figured out your value for survival? If not, then..."
Pausing, Mu Jinyu's tone suddenly turned chillingly cold, exuding endless intent to killing, "I'll have to send you on your way!"
"Clatter clatter clatter..."
Upon hearing Mu Jinyu's words, a group of people's teeth chattered, and among the elders, those who were more cowardly, even wet their pants from fright.
Driven to desperation, Wang Mao suddenly had a flash of inspiration, as if he had thought of something, understanding what Mu Jinyu needed.
What Mu Jinyu wanted was perhaps not their alchemy services, not the spiritual medicines, not them being servants, but...
A magic treasure like the Shennong Cauldron?
An exotic treasure like Tai Sui Stone?
Correct!
Only such items could attract his attention and compel him to come from thousands of miles away!
Finally comprehending, Wang Mao also remembered an exotic treasure from their Dan Pavilion. Seeing that Mu Jinyu was becoming impatient and ready to make a move, he quickly cried out:
"Don't move, don't move, our Dan Pavilion has an exotic treasure, similar to Tai Sui, which you, Dragon King, will definitely be satisfied with..."
As his words ended.
Mu Jinyu, who was about to take action, immediately stopped, and said coldly, "Speak!"