“Of course we can go together,” Jiang Chen started, hesitating for a moment. “It’s just that…”

Yu Caiqing furrowed her willow-leaf brows slightly. “Speak directly. I don’t like guessing.”

Jiang Chen pointed a thumb at Jin Fugui. “He still has some business to attend to.”

Yu Caiqing’s gaze shifted to the robust man, her expression thoughtful. “There’s still half an hour before the Pill Tasting Gathering begins. I can wait.”

Hearing that the cold beauty before him was a High-level Alchemist, Jin Fugui felt a wave of nervousness. He quickly stepped forward, bowing slightly. “Senior Sister Yu, rest assured! It won’t take half an hour. I definitely won’t delay you and Old Jiang.”

Yu Caiqing gave a curt nod. “Since that’s the case, go handle your affairs.”

Jiang Chen and Jin Fugui exchanged a glance, then turned and walked briskly in the opposite direction.

The transaction for the Fire Crows had been pre-arranged by an acquaintance of Jin Fugui. If they ghosted the seller now, it wouldn’t necessarily start a feud, but it would waste a valuable favor. In the business world of the cultivation sects, favors were currency—spend them once, and they’re gone. Wasting them was a surefire way to breed resentment.

This was precisely why Jiang Chen hadn’t immediately accepted Yu Caiqing’s invitation.

Half an hour is plenty of time, Jiang Chen thought. Buying five Fire Crows should take ten minutes, tops.

Led by Jin Fugui, the pair delved deeper into the Earth Fire Zone. They veered away from the central Pill Tower, heading toward a more desolate, rugged section of the volcanic region.

Here, the manicured paths gave way to cracked earth and dry, scorching air. There were no trees, only jagged rocks and the oppressive heat of the subterranean fires.

Above them, flocks of birds circled in the hazy, heat-distorted sky.

Crows are typically black.

These were a vibrant, burning red. When they flew, they looked like streaks of bloody light cutting through the smog.

Ahead, a massive fissure split the ground. Though the magma wasn’t visible, the heat radiating from the chasm was intense enough to singe eyebrows. Strangely, a solitary stone house stood right on the edge of this dangerous rift.

“Old Jiang, we’re here,” Jin Fugui said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Jiang Chen eyed the precarious structure. “Is the seller from Beast Mountain or the Alchemy Hall?”

Jin Fugui chuckled. “He has a Fire Spirit Root, but his connections run deep with Beast Mountain.”

They arrived at the stone door. The heat was stifling; both men were already drenched in sweat.

Creak.

The heavy stone door pushed open, and a lean, wiry man stepped out. His skin was tanned like old leather, and his eyes held the sharp glint of a predator.

Jin Fugui’s face lit up. “Senior Brother Liu Wei?”

Liu Wei scanned the two newcomers, his voice raspy. “You’re the ones Wang Xiang sent? Here to buy Fire Crows?”

“Yes, that’s us,” Jiang Chen said, stepping forward.

Liu Wei nodded, cutting straight to business. “One ordinary Fire Crow costs 20 Low-grade Spirit Stones. Five would be 100. Since Wang Xiang introduced you, I’ll give you a discount: 90 Low-grade Spirit Stones for the lot.”

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “Are there non-ordinary Fire Crows?”

“Fire Crows are pack animals,” Liu Wei explained, his tone indifferent. “If a flock exceeds five, a ‘Fire Crow Leader’ might evolve. If it exceeds a hundred, a ‘Fire Crow King’ might appear. Status, strength, potential—they all command a different price.”

Jiang Chen was intrigued. “And a Fire Crow Leader?”

Liu Wei smirked. “50 Mid-grade Spirit Stones.”

Jiang Chen nearly choked. He had money—plenty of it—but spending 50 Mid-grade stones on a glorified bird felt excessive. That was half the price of a decent artifact.

Jin Fugui chimed in, “I recall that as long as there’s sufficient food—like Fire Qi, Crimson Flame Crystals, or Fire Spirit Rice—they can evolve on their own, right?”

“Of course,” Liu Wei shrugged. “But that takes time and luck. Different birds have different potentials. Unless…”

Jin Fugui leaned in. “Unless what?”

“Unless you feed them a [Phoenix Feather]. Just one stalk guarantees evolution into a Leader, and from there, a King.”

Phoenix Feather? Jiang Chen kept his expression neutral.

He had one.

During a harvest for Wang Ze, his [Spirit Finger] had triggered a mutation in a patch of Fire Tail Grass, producing a single stalk of the rare Phoenix Feather.

But the value of that herb far outstripped a Fire Crow King. It was a core ingredient for the Earth-grade [Nirvana Pill], easily fetching 3,000 Mid-grade Spirit Stones on the market.

Using it as bird feed? That would be an utter waste of heavenly treasures.

“Have you decided?” Liu Wei pressed.

Jiang Chen snapped back to reality. “Five ordinary Fire Crows will suffice.”

Liu Wei nodded, turning toward the fissure. “Follow me.”

The trio walked closer to the edge. The heat caused the air to shimmer violently, distorting their vision. The pressure from the subterranean fire was immense.

“These birds are gluttons,” Liu Wei said over the roar of the heat. “They’ll bite anything with a Fire attribute. Catching them is simple if you know what they want.”

He pulled a handful of red pills from his storage bag.

[Fire Lure Pills].

Jiang Chen recognized them immediately. They were bait specifically designed to attract and sedate fire-attribute beasts.

Liu Wei stopped at a clear patch of ground near the edge. He scanned the sky, his eyes narrowing as he checked for nearby flocks. Although Fire Crows weren’t intelligent, they were skittish. Any sudden movement would send them diving into the fissure to hide in the magma.

Confirming the coast was clear, Liu Wei placed the pills on a flat rock.

“Did you bring a Spirit Beast Ring?” he asked.

“I did.” Jiang Chen retrieved the ring Jin Fugui had given him a year ago with the Pearl Chickens. It had a small internal space, perfect for low-tier beasts.

“Good,” Liu Wei grunted. “Finally, a customer who saves me Spirit Stones.”

“What are we waiting for?” Jiang Chen whispered.

Liu Wei grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. “For the birds to get high.”

Almost on cue, the scent of the Fire Lure Pills drifted upward. High above, several streaks of red light broke formation, circling lower and lower, their hoarse cries echoing against the canyon walls.