Chapter 650: No Other Choice

"Brother Ye, can we... can we start now?"

Seeing Ye Yuan, Xiong Tie wondered if he was being ridiculous, staking his hopes on this kid who hadn't even reached the fifth level.

Ye Yuan nodded. "Yes, we can start anytime."

"But... Brother Ye just absorbed the fire source crystals, don't you need to... rest a while?"

Xiong Tie now suspected whether Ye Yuan had actually refined those fire source crystals or just stashed them away.

Refining fifty fire source crystals in one day—wasn't that nonsense?

Even if Ye Yuan was really that fast, didn't he care about the fire poison? Didn't he care about the overbearing power of the fire source?

Just as Ye Yuan was about to speak, Xiong Hui rushed over in panic. "Young master, disaster! The Purple Flood Dragon clan seems to have discovered something. Zi Feng has led the entire clan out and is heading toward our territory!"

Xiong Tie's face changed drastically. He quickly said to Ye Yuan, "Brother Ye, I'll take you to see the clan leader now! The hope of our Fire Source True Flame Bear clan rests on you! I hope you're not deceiving me!"

Ye Yuan showed little surprise at the news. Though Xiong Tie was more resourceful than Xiong Hui, he was still a big clumsy bear at heart. This was evident from his arrangements after Xiong Zhan was poisoned.

The flood dragon clan was naturally cunning and suspicious. How could they remain indifferent to such suspicious moves from the bear clan?

At this point, Xiong Tie had no time left to hesitate. He had to stake all his hopes on Ye Yuan.

Even if Ye Yuan was a complete fraud, he would have to grit his teeth and accept it, at the cost of all their bear clan's lives!

Zi Feng was the clan leader of the Purple Flood Dragon clan, with strength comparable to Xiong Zhan. If Xiong Zhan couldn't recover his strength, the bear clan had only one path—annihilation.

"Rest assured, Young Master Xiong Tie. Leave the clan leader to me," Ye Yuan said calmly.

Xiong Tie nodded. "Xiong Hui, go invite the Great Elder! After I take Brother Ye to see the clan leader, I'll join you to hold off Zi Feng!"

The bear clan was far stronger than the Jade-Faced Fox clan, with not only a peak early fifth-level clan leader but also an early fifth-level Great Elder. However, that Great Elder was detached from worldly affairs, leaving most clan matters to Xiong Tie.

Hearing Xiong Tie's instructions, Ye Yuan quickly said, "Young Master Xiong Tie, no!"

"Hmm? What do you mean, Brother Ye?" Xiong Tie asked in surprise.

Ye Yuan said, "Young master, don't act as if you're facing a great enemy, and don't call out your Great Elder. Just have him stay in the clan and monitor the situation. When you meet Zi Feng, just say that Clan Leader Xiong Zhan is in seclusion and will emerge soon. Don't show any weakness. The Purple Flood Dragon clan is probably still uncertain about the news, so they're making a big show to bluff. If you overreact, you'll play right into their hands. Feign weakness when strong, and strength when weak—understand?"

Xiong Tie seemed to understand, yet not quite, but he felt Ye Yuan's words made sense.

But there was no time for Xiong Tie to overthink. He nodded and led Ye Yuan to see Xiong Zhan.

Seeing this, Ye Yuan sighed inwardly. This big clumsy bear clan was really something.

Still, Xiong Tie should grasp some of his meaning and manage to stall for a while. He needed to speed up; otherwise, if the Purple Flood Dragon clan really broke in, things would get ugly.

...

When Ye Yuan saw Xiong Zhan, he was startled. Just how many fire source crystals had this guy absorbed to be so deeply poisoned?

Before him, Xiong Zhan looked gaunt and haggard, like a madman, with none of the bearing of a sixth-level powerhouse.

Seeing Xiong Zhan, Xiong Tie knelt before him with tears. "Clan leader, for the sake of our Fire Source True Flame Bear clan, you must hold on! I've brought Brother Ye. He can definitely cure your fire poison!"

Xiong Zhan looked listless. Hearing Xiong Tie's words, he barely opened his eyes, glanced at Ye Yuan, and said weakly, "A... a fourth-level kid, what... what can he do?"

"But... Brother Ye is the best shaman. He definitely has a way to save you!" Xiong Tie couldn't say he was out of options himself.

Xiong Zhan shook his head slightly. "It's... useless. Let... let him go. Even I... can't do anything about this fire poison. How... how can he?"

Ye Yuan said calmly, "Whether I can do it or not, I'm afraid Clan Leader Xiong Zhan has no choice. The Purple Flood Dragon clan is already at your doorstep. If you stay like this, the Fire Source True Flame Bear lineage might be wiped out!"

Hearing Ye Yuan's words, Xiong Zhan's eyes snapped open, a rare glint flashing in them. He asked Xiong Tie, "Is... is what he said true?"

Xiong Tie trembled and nodded slightly.

Ye Yuan said, "Alright, no time to waste. Your children and grandchildren are about to fight for the clan. You old fellow should at least do something, right?"

"What... what do you want me to do?" Xiong Zhan was startled and murmured.

Ye Yuan ignored him and said to Xiong Tie, "Young master, you go first. The clan needs you to take charge. Remember what I said!"

Xiong Tie looked at Ye Yuan and nodded firmly. "Brother Ye, I leave this place to you! Clan leader, if I don't come back, you must kill Zi Feng for me and avenge me!"

With that, Xiong Tie left resolutely.

Xiong Zhan watched Xiong Tie's retreating figure and frowned. Ye Yuan knew the fire poison was acting up again, burning through his meridians.

Suddenly, Xiong Zhan closed his eyes. "Tell me what to do."

Seeing this, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Ye Yuan's mouth. He knew the fighting spirit in Xiong Zhan's heart had been roused.

As an Alchemy Emperor, Ye Yuan had treated countless people in his past life. He understood patients' minds perfectly and knew how to ignite their will to live.

Without a doubt, Xiong Zhan's weakness was his clan!

His children and grandchildren were fighting bloody battles outside while he was powerless. Nothing could spur him more than that.

"What you need to do is open your meridians and let me work. I will use primal fire to enter your meridians and refine the fire poison in your body!" Ye Yuan said.

Xiong Zhan's eyes flew open, staring hard at Ye Yuan. "Young man, what makes you think you can do this?"

Using primal fire to enter another's meridians was extremely dangerous. Even for a sixth-level powerhouse like Xiong Zhan, a single misstep could result in being burned to death by the primal fire!

Ye Yuan's method of treating fire poison was far too risky!

Even though Xiong Zhan desperately wanted to go out and fight alongside his children and grandchildren, he couldn't help but doubt Ye Yuan's motives.

Unfazed by Xiong Zhan's intense gaze, Ye Yuan met his eyes and said calmly, "Do you have any other choice now?"