Chapter 2080: Born to Be Bullied

Inside the Hongdan Pavilion, before Ye Yuan, Guhong Heavenly Sovereign grew increasingly respectful.

Over the past year, Ye Yuan had taken him on a tour of the various markets in the Extreme North, challenging all the major Seven-Star Divine Alchemists without a single defeat.

Even Xiao Yu Heavenly Sovereign, the number one figure in the Extreme North, had suffered a complete defeat at Ye Yuan's hands.

Of course, during this year, Guhong Heavenly Sovereign had gained immensely by staying by Ye Yuan's side.

As a Heavenly Sovereign himself, he was more sensitive to the principles of the Dao.

The realm Ye Yuan revealed gave him a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Coupled with Ye Yuan's occasional guidance, Guhong Heavenly Sovereign was now only a step away from the mid-stage of the Dao realm.

Now, he felt immensely fortunate for his decisive choice.

What did it matter being a Heavenly Sovereign?

Letting go of those illusory pride and apprenticing to a true master was worth more than tens of thousands of years of bitter cultivation!

“Master, isn’t it unwise to isolate Bingyun Que like this? After all, she is a Heavenly Sovereign. If this continues, I fear she might harm you!” Guhong Heavenly Sovereign said cautiously.

Ye Yuan could sense that Guhong Heavenly Sovereign was genuinely worried about his safety.

But he didn’t take it to heart, merely saying indifferently, “It’s fine. She can’t hurt me. By the way, spread a message for me: say that your master intends to refine a furnace of elixirs and needs a Profound Yin Divine Body to assist. If any Profound Yin Divine Body comes forward, your master will reward them handsomely.”

Guhong Heavenly Sovereign was taken aback and showed a strange expression. “This... there is a Profound Yin Divine Body in Bingyun Que!”

Ye Yuan looked surprised. “Oh? What a coincidence. Forget it, let’s let that old spinster off easy. If she lets the Profound Yin Divine Body help me refine elixirs, we’ll call it even. But still, spread the message. Let the old spinster come to us—don’t make it look like we’re begging her.”

“Yes, Master!” Guhong Heavenly Sovereign accepted the order and left.

Of course, Ye Yuan had said this deliberately.

He couldn’t fully trust Guhong Heavenly Sovereign yet.

After all, who among those who had attained the position of Heavenly Sovereign in the Nine Luo Market was simple?

If something went wrong, Ye Yuan had means to protect himself, but saving Lü’er would become extremely difficult.

Over decades of travel, Ye Yuan had long planned everything.

Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign was completely unguarded against him, but he knew her inside out.

Using his reputation as a grandmaster to refine elixirs and seeking a Profound Yin Divine Body for assistance was common practice and wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

Everything Ye Yuan had done before was to set up this situation today.

He wanted Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign to willingly send Lü’er over!

Guhong’s apprenticeship had only made this plan easier to execute.

Sure enough, as soon as the message spread, Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign came rushing over eagerly.

Borrowing her for a few days was a small price for Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign to curry favor with Ye Yuan.

“I was blind to your true worth before. I heard that Grandmaster Ji needs a Profound Yin Divine Body for alchemy. Our Bingyun Que happens to have a disciple with such a physique. I am willing to lend her to Grandmaster Ji for alchemy, hoping you will no longer hold a grudge and spare Bingyun Que,” Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign said with a flattering smile.

Ye Yuan had long seen through her—Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign was nothing but a bully who feared the strong.

When Haofeng Market was strong, she had willingly handed over her disciple.

Earlier, she had looked down on Ye Yuan because she hadn’t yet reached her wit’s end.

But now, having seen Ye Yuan’s true strength, she cowered.

Her earlier aloofness was nowhere to be seen.

Anyone who didn’t know better would think Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign was just a friendly neighbor.

Looking at her face, Ye Yuan felt only disgust. Lü’er had been blind to apprentice herself to such a person.

“Hmph! Since I began my career, I’ve never been so belittled. So what if you’re a Heavenly Sovereign? I’ve met countless Heavenly Sovereigns, and every one of them treated me with utmost respect. Only you, Lady Bingyun, thought nothing of me!”

Playing the part to the fullest, Ye Yuan naturally wouldn’t let her off so easily.

These Heavenly Sovereigns were all shrewd; since he had taken on the role of an arrogant man, he would see it through.

If he let it go too easily, it would only arouse suspicion.

At the very least, he wanted Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign to think that the alchemy was just a side matter, dispensable.

Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign looked embarrassed. “Grandmaster Ji is right. Actually... after that day, I’ve been regretting it. It’s just...”

“Just that you thought you still had a way out and didn’t need to bow to a mere True God, right?” Ye Yuan said with a half-smile.

Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign was even more embarrassed. She suddenly realized that although Ye Yuan was arrogant, he was actually very calculating, not some reckless fool.

His actions in the Extreme North showed that he had been methodical, cornering her step by step.

At that thought, Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign grew even more respectful.

She was the type who was born to be bullied—yield to the strong, dominate the weak.

“This... it’s all my fault. I only hope to make amends. Please, Grandmaster Ji, give me this chance,” Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign said deferentially.

But Ye Yuan said indifferently, “I can give you a chance, but the price of elixirs from Bingyun Que will be increased by ten percent! Don’t look at me like that—it’s your punishment. You didn’t think that sending a Profound Yin Divine Body to refine elixirs would wipe the slate clean, did you?”

Hearing this, Bingyun felt like vomiting blood.

For a Heavenly Sovereign-level force, the annual consumption of elixirs was enormous.

A ten percent increase might seem small, but accumulated over time, it was terrifying.

And all of it was wasted money!

Still, being able to buy elixirs was already a solid step forward.

In truth, Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign didn’t care much about buying fifth- and sixth-tier elixirs.

But she couldn’t afford to miss out on the seventh-tier elixirs refined by Guhong Heavenly Sovereign!

Bingyun had heard that over the past year, Guhong Heavenly Sovereign had greatly improved and could now refine many elixirs he couldn’t before.

For Heavenly Sovereigns like them, this was excellent news.

Disciples were just tools for making money; only their own strength mattered!

“Thank you, Grandmaster Ji, for giving me this chance. When will you be refining the elixir? I’ll have someone send the Profound Yin Divine Body over.”

Bingyun couldn’t wait to send Lü’er over.

But Ye Yuan waved his hand and said, “No rush. This elixir is very difficult to refine; I need to prepare. Send her over in three days. What, you’re unwilling?”

Ye Yuan noticed Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign hesitating and frowned.

Bingyun Heavenly Sovereign was startled and quickly waved her hands. “No, no, I wouldn’t dare! It’s just... this disciple of mine is coveted by Feng Tianyang of Haofeng Market, but she refuses and even threatens to die. I’m afraid she might use this opportunity to escape, so...”