"Jiang Chen, for the sake of the Longevity Pill recipe, if you have any doubts, I, Ding Tong, can make an exception and answer them — so that even in death, you'll understand what happened."
Ding Tong had clearly already written Jiang Chen off as a catch in his bag.
"Did you come specifically from the Nine Sun Heaven Sect to the Myriad Phenomena Region to kill me?" Jiang Chen asked suddenly.
"You think too highly of yourself. Came here specifically to kill you? Are you really that important? Forget about how you've been making a racket in the Myriad Phenomena Region — in the eyes of a genius like me from the Heaven Sect, you're nothing but a little cockroach. I, Ding Tong, was ordered to come to the Three Star Sect to help them with their plans. As for you, I'm just dealing with you in passing."
Heaven Sect geniuses were all unbearably arrogant.
This Ding Tong came from the Upper Eight Domains' Nine Sun Heaven Sect. Never mind Jiang Chen — even Sect Master Zhu of the Three Star Sect, he didn't take too seriously.
Although Sect Master Zhu's cultivation was a notch above his own, Ding Tong was less than a tenth of Sect Master Zhu's age. With his talent and cultivation level, naturally he wouldn't think much of a mere Lower Domain sect master.
As for Jiang Chen — although his alchemy talent was astonishing, Ding Tong looked down on the Myriad Phenomena Region from on high, and naturally wouldn't take Jiang Chen too seriously either.
In the Upper Eight Domains, Pill Kings walked the streets and alchemy grandmasters were a dime a dozen.
Why would he care about a fourth-rank sect like Dan Qian Palace that didn't even have a single Pill King?
Setting that aside, the Nine Sun Heaven Sect alone presided over nine prefectures and over three thousand branch halls. Even though the Nine Sun Heaven Sect wasn't renowned for its alchemy, the sect still maintained at least several dozen Pill Kings.
Why would Ding Tong care about some alchemy genius from Dan Qian Palace?
If it weren't for the fact that the Longevity Pill was too heaven-defying, and Ding Tong hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have given it a second thought.
"So what you're saying is, your Nine Sun Heaven Sect has long had designs on the Myriad Phenomena Region?" Jiang Chen tossed out another question. "The Three Star Sect has been around in the Myriad Phenomena Region for quite some time, hasn't it?"
"Hmph! A little nobody like you — don't you find it laughable to ask such questions? You can't even save yourself, yet you're worrying about the Myriad Phenomena Region. What a joke!"
Ding Tong gazed at Jiang Chen as though looking at an idiot: "If the Three Star Sect hadn't had our Heaven Sect's support, could a trivial fifth-rank sect have advanced to fourth-rank so easily?"
With that, Ding Tong waved his hand impatiently. "Cut the chatter. If you're trying to stall for time, I'd advise you to abandon that idea. There's no one else within hundreds of miles. Even if someone did come, no one could save you!"
"Jiang Chen — will you hand over the Longevity Pill recipe obediently and then die quietly, or do you want me to personally search your divine soul for the memories?"
Ding Tong's face darkened; his patience had clearly run out, and killing intent surged from him.
Jiang Chen suddenly grinned. "Is your appetite really that small? You'd be satisfied with just the Longevity Pill recipe? I also have the recipe for the Pine Crane Pill — it can extend a Sovereign-level powerhouse's lifespan by five hundred years. Don't you want it? I have a Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain with an endless source of golden energy. Don't you want that? I also have a Myriad Heavens-level Ice Fire Demon Lotus — a rare anomaly of heaven and earth. Don't you want it? Oh, and there's also some True Dragon's Blood, and a pair of Dragon Crystals — surely all of that interests you?"
As he spoke, Jiang Chen opened his palm and tossed a few Dragon Crystals into the air, a strange smile playing on his lips.
Ding Tong's pupils contracted sharply, and a boundless, feverish light blazed from his eyes.
He had recognized them — these were genuine Dragon Crystals! Dragon Crystals with such pure True Dragon aura — even Ding Tong had never seen their like before.
"You... you really have True Dragon's Blood?" Ding Tong asked, his voice low and heavy.
Jiang Chen smiled serenely and produced a small bottle. "Don't you believe me?"
The moment the stopper was pulled, an intense True Dragon life force surged forth, spreading across the void. It made Ding Tong's entire body shudder involuntarily.
A look of boundless greed spread across his face as he murmured in awe, "It really is True Dragon's Blood. Boy, it seems I, Ding Tong, have underestimated your worth. Killing you was just to fulfill Third Senior Brother's orders. I never expected such a delightful surprise."
"Hahaha — it seems this trip to the Myriad Phenomena Region was worth it after all."
Ding Tong laughed triumphantly. Coming to the Myriad Phenomena Region had been a sect assignment, and truth be told, Ding Tong hadn't been at all enthusiastic about it.
Training comfortably in the Heaven Sect with its abundant spiritual energy — that was the life.
Coming here, in Ding Tong's view, was no different from being exiled to the frontier or banished to the hinterlands.
He had come only because the sect's orders were hard to refuse, not because he wanted to.
But now, seeing Jiang Chen produce True Dragon's Blood and Dragon Crystals, Ding Tong was overjoyed beyond his wildest expectations. He had never imagined that in a destitute backwater like the Myriad Phenomena Region, there would be such heaven-defying treasures as True Dragon's Blood and Dragon Crystals.
After all, even in the Upper Eight Domains, True Dragon's Blood of such purity was nearly impossible to come by — even a single drop was hard to obtain. As for Dragon Crystals, though less precious than the blood, they were still extremely valuable treasures.
The few pieces in Jiang Chen's possession, if he could get his hands on them, would represent a staggering fortune.
And the benefits of the True Dragon's Blood were beyond counting.
Ding Tong's laughter subsided. His eyes locked onto Jiang Chen with a mocking edge. "Jiang Chen, I suppose I should thank you for making this trip worthwhile. For the sake of all these treasures, I'll let you die quickly."
"One last time — will you hand over the pill recipe obediently, or do you want me to do it myself?"
The majesty of an Earth Saint-level powerhouse was nothing short of terrifying.
Ding Tong deliberately pressed down on Jiang Chen with his aura, his Earth Saint's authority surging as his body rose into the air.
At the Earth Saint level, one could already fly.
Ding Tong's body hovered above, looking down from on high like a heavenly god descended upon the mortal world. Wave after wave of oppressive majesty blanketed everything within several thousand meters of Jiang Chen.
Although he possessed the Soul Searching technique, Ding Tong didn't want to use it.
For one thing, Soul Searching consumed considerable divine sense. For another, the memories obtained through Soul Searching might not be entirely complete.