Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

He had just come from the Bartenders Guild and had plenty of good liquor on him, so naturally he looked down on the ordinary drinks in the hotel.

"Ok."

The waiter took the menu, knelt back two steps, then stood up with a smile and said respectfully, "Do you two honored guests have any dietary restrictions? Also, would you like us to help you open and decan your own drinks?"

"We have no dietary restrictions, and we can handle the alcohol ourselves."

Yan shook his head. The waiter bowed again before leaving and gently closing the door behind him.

"Xiao Yan, you're quite skilled."

With no one else in the room, Lie Yan was quite at ease beside him, letting out a soft hum as her breath was sweet and fragrant, seemingly tinged with a hint of jealousy.

"Ha ha……"

Yan chuckled, pulled Lieyan close, and kissed her forehead. He didn't explain anything further; there was no need for explanations between them.

Yan and Lieyan didn't have to wait long; one dish after another was quickly served, all of them delicacies. Lieyan mostly just took a few bites, while Yan ate with great relish.

When Yan finished eating, the sun outside the window was already setting in the west. He glanced at the afterglow of the sunset, then turned to the waiter and said, "Give us the bill."

The waiter nodded. "Sir, would you like to pay with gold coins or crystal cores?"

"Could you please ask your hotel manager to come over? I need to speak with him about something. Don't worry, it's not a problem with the service or the food."

Yan gave him a magic core. Now that he had come to the Five Elements Continent, how could he not collect such a special resource as a magic core?

"Okay, please wait a moment."

The waitress hesitated for a moment, then took the magic core and left.

"Distinguished guest, may I ask what brings you here?"

Yan didn't wait long in the private room. The maid returned, followed by an old man dressed in luxurious gold robes. He had a strong aura of Ren water and a calm demeanor, clearly a Ren water-type magic master, and his cultivation was definitely not weak.

Yan got straight to the point, saying, "I'm a friend of Du Sikang, the president of the Bartenders Guild. President Zhou Xiaoxiao should be arriving in Tianshui City soon. Could you please inform him that he doesn't need to go to the Bartenders Guild and can just come to the hotel to see me?"

As Yan spoke, he revealed a token, a keepsake given to him by Du Sikang. While the Bartenders Guild was researching the secret recipe for the Vast Ocean Elixir, he didn't forget to do other things. He used the Bartenders Guild's influence to arrange a meeting with Zhou Xiaoxiao, the president of the Foolish Rich Merchants Association.

"You are the honored one of the Bartenders Guild."

The hotel manager was initially shocked, but when Yan took out the token, he became respectful. The fact that Du Sikang, the president of the Bartenders Guild, had arranged to meet with Zhou Xiaoxiao, the president of their chamber of commerce, was a big deal for the Tianshui City's "Foolish Rich Chamber of Commerce."

He and the other business leaders of the Tianshui branch of the "Foolish Rich" had already received the news and were paying close attention to the information. Now that the person in question had come to their door, they naturally had to treat him well.

Yan nodded and said, "That's right, I was the one who arranged for President Du Sikang to meet with President Zhou Xiaoxiao. I'll be staying at the hotel for a while now, please take care of me."

"No trouble at all, please rest assured, I will arrange everything properly. I will also inform the chairman as soon as possible."

The hotel manager immediately beamed and escorted Yan and Lieyan to the highest-class VIP room to rest, then promptly arranged for them to be well taken care of. He needed to make all the necessary arrangements before the chairman arrived, as this matter concerned his future.

Chapter 171 Yan's Request

Inside the Foolish Rich Hotel in Tianshui City, Beishui Empire, Five Elements Continent, Yan and Lieyan were enjoying their meal on the second floor when a group of people suddenly entered the lobby on the first floor below.

There were about twenty or thirty people in the group, most of them dressed in gold. Like the hotel manager Yan had met before, they were all high-ranking members of the "Foolish Rich Chamber of Commerce".

The group was led by a fat man with a look of surprise on his face, while the people following behind him all looked terrified.

Yan, who was sitting on the second floor, put down his wine glass when he saw these people appear, and his gaze immediately fell on the fat man in the lead.

This fat man was well over two meters tall, with fair and rosy skin. You couldn't tell his age; he looked like he was in his thirties or forties or fifties.

His size must be described in terms of diameter; at its thickest point, it's probably over 1.5 meters in diameter. Although he's 2 meters tall, he looks like a giant sphere.

This large, fat man was the only one in the group who wasn't wearing gold clothing; a huge white robe covered his enormous body.

What's rather amusing is that this fat man was wearing a gold chain around his thick neck that was as thick as a baby's arm, and hanging from the chain was a jade Pixiu that was the size of a fist.

The meaning of Pixiu is obvious: it brings in wealth and treasures, but never lets it out. Judging from its appearance alone, this fat man looks exactly like a nouveau riche, with his fat jiggling as he walks.

However, the others behind him all looked fearful, and none of them stood up straight; they all followed closely behind with their bodies half-bent over.

"This must be Mr. Yan, the honored guest of the Bartenders Guild. I am Zhou Xiaoxiao. It's a pleasure to meet you." The fat man led a group of people up to the second floor and greeted Yan and Lieyan at the table where they were sitting with a smile. His smile was warm and friendly, but Yan's expression did not change at all. From the first glance, he knew that Yan was an old fox.

"President Zhou Xiaoxiao, you've finally arrived. Shall we find a place to have a proper talk?" Yan looked at Zhou Xiaoxiao and responded with a calm smile. Although the person in front of him was one of the top experts of the Bright Five Elements Continent, he had seen many titled beings in the Spirit Hall. A nine-crowned prince was not enough to make him too moved.

Yan's sudden change of heart surprised Zhou Xiaoxiao. He narrowed his eyes, which were almost slits on his already fat face. Without much hesitation, he nodded and said, "Alright." The fat man was also decisive. He waved away the hotel management staff and then led Yan and Lieyan upstairs.

The Foolish Rich Hotel was not only luxurious, but also enormous. The fat man led the two to the top floor, to a lavishly decorated room. Standing in this room and looking out the window, one could overlook most of the surrounding area, giving rise to a feeling of being on top of the world.

After arriving in the room, Zhou Xiaoxiao went straight to the main table and personally prepared some hot water to make tea for the two of them, talking as she did so.

"Mr. Yan, you really pique my curiosity. I never expected you to be so young." Yan sat in an armchair, smelling the fragrance of tea in the distance, and replied casually, "President Zhou, does doing business depend on age?"

"That was my oversight, I apologize." Zhou Xiaoxiao turned and poured a cup of tea for Yan and Lieyan respectively, then sat down in the main seat. While sipping her tea, she said, "Mr. Yan, I'm very interested in the complete version of the item you gave me through Chairman Du Sikang last time. I wonder if you would be willing to part with it?" Yan casually handed over a scroll.

"It's just a proposal. Since Chairman Zhou has spoken up, why should I hesitate?"

"Mr. Yan, what are you going to exchange it for?" Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned, completely unexpected that Yan would be so decisive. He thought it would take a long time to reach a conclusion.

Yan waved his hand to indicate that he didn't care.

"It's just a small trinket, consider it a small gift for Chairman Zhou. No need to exchange it for anything else." Zhou Xiaoxiao was clearly a little numb.

"Mr. Yan, do you know the value of this plan? If my 'Foolish Rich' Chamber of Commerce succeeds, the profits will be substantial," Yan replied calmly. "But it can only be realized through Chairman Zhou and the 'Foolish Rich' Chamber of Commerce, right? Ordinary chambers of commerce don't have your kind of boldness." Zhou Xiaoxiao looked on with admiration.

"I didn't expect Mr. Yan to be so open-minded. If I may ask, was this proposal your work?" Yan nodded.

“It’s genuine. I also do some small business from time to time, so I know a bit about this,” Zhou Xiaoxiao replied with a smile, then probed, “Although I don’t know Mr. Yan’s exact cultivation level, with that rich fire attribute aura, his realm must be quite high.” Yan replied indifferently, “I’ve only touched the threshold comparable to a five-crown, which will disappoint President Zhou. I have no interest in becoming the president of the Foolish Rich Merchant Guild, and you don’t need to waste your energy on that.”

"You know. That's right, no, you're a talent!" Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly became excited, taking a few steps to stand in front of Yan, reaching out to grasp his hands. Excitedly, she said, "Mr. Yan, I've been looking for you for a long time. I'm certain you're the person I've been looking for. This is wonderful, truly wonderful! You're not only a genius in cultivation, but also extremely capable in business. I feel like I'm seeing my younger self again—no, you're even more so than I was back then. I have absolutely no interest in becoming the president of the 'Foolish Rich Merchant Guild.'" Yan was quite exasperated by Zhou Xiaoxiao's reaction. A nine-crown prince, for goodness' sake, and this is all?

However, Yan was not unaware of his excited attitude, since he was much more enthusiastic towards Ji Dong in the original work.

All of this is due to the special regulations of the Foolish Rich Merchant Guild. The Foolish Rich Merchant Guild is the only large merchant guild in the Bright Five Elements Continent that has existed and thrived for more than five hundred years.

Besides them, the oldest major chamber of commerce on the mainland is only a little over eighty years old. One important reason why the "Foolish Rich" Chamber of Commerce is so prosperous is its special regulations.

The first rule of this chamber of commerce is that the president must be a supreme powerhouse. Only supreme powerhouses are qualified to become the president of the chamber of commerce.

The powerful members of the "Foolish Rich Merchant Guild" will select suitable investment targets from among the geniuses of all sides. Once the candidate for the guild leader is decided, the entire guild's financial resources will be fully dedicated to helping him break through to the ninth crown.

It is through this method that the Foolish Rich Merchant Guild has always been able to have at least one supreme expert.

Zhou Xiaoxiao is currently the youngest Nine-Crown Princess on the Bright Five Elements Continent. She broke through at the age of fifty-six. In the Douluo Continent, there are very few Title Douluos of this age. Those who can do it all have the most outstanding talents, and breaking through to Super Douluo is not a problem for them.

As for Zhou Xiaoxiao, in terms of talent alone, he is not considered outstanding among his peers. However, the resource support from the Foolish Rich Chamber of Commerce was very important in the fact that he was able to break through to the ninth crown so quickly and continue to make rapid progress.

As far as Yan knew, the fat man in front of him had absorbed ten pieces of Heavenly Jade in order to quickly break through to the next realm. This was something that even the royal families of the five great empires of the Five Elements Continent combined could hardly produce.

What is the Jade of Heaven? It is a product of the primordial chaos that was born and condensed when the world was first created on the Five Elements Continent. It is extremely precious and even has an effect on a god-level powerhouse like Lie Yan.

"Mr. Yan, are you really not going to reconsider? You know, my Foolish Rich Merchant Guild is incredibly wealthy, it's not just talk. Besides the Heavenly Jade, becoming the guild's president will also grant you three inherited divine artifacts, truly complete divine artifacts, something even the five great empires can't compare to..."

"If I agree to your request, I'll not only have to participate in your chamber of commerce's internal assessment, but I'll also have to scheme against others. Even if I succeed, I'll need to reach the level of a nine-crown to truly take over the chamber of commerce. If I reach the level of a nine-crown, I won't lack resources..." Yan's words left Zhou Xiaoxiao speechless. Being rich is a great help for those below the level of a nine-crown, but reaching the level of a nine-crown, especially level ninety-five or above, requires more than just ordinary resources to help one break through.

At this level of cultivation, the "foolish rich merchant guild" becomes a burden. As the guild leader, you not only enjoy power but also bear responsibility, which is not good for cultivation. Just look at Zhou Xiaoxiao, who is now urgently looking for a successor.

Yan was certainly interested in the Foolish Rich Merchant Guild, but he was not from this continent, so he naturally rejected Zhou Xiaoxiao's idea outright.

"President Zhou, let's not talk about these things anymore. Let's continue our business." Yan had no interest in continuing the topic with Zhou Xiaoxiao, so he took the initiative to change the subject, taking out a box from his storage soul tool.

"These are some of my things, President Zhou, you can take a look." Zhou Xiaoxiao took the box with curiosity, and the look of surprise on her face never faded after she opened it.

Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at Yan in amazement and said, "Mr. Yan is truly a business genius. Although you just rejected me outright, I still can't help but extend an invitation again. Please consider it carefully. Becoming the heir of the Chamber of Commerce will allow you to advance to the ninth crown in the fastest time..." Yan shook his head and said confidently, "Even without the help of the Foolish Rich Chamber of Commerce, I can advance in the fastest time. President Zhou doesn't need to worry about it. As for whether our transaction can continue, you should be able to see the value of what's involved."

"What a pity." Zhou Xiaoxiao was rejected again, and a deep disappointment appeared on her face. However, after hearing Yan's words, she quickly perked up and said, "These notes about business planning and management concepts are of little value to the average person. But for a large business association like our Foolish Rich Chamber of Commerce, which is built on commerce, they are priceless. I wonder what you want to trade..."

"A weapon, ten famous wines, a Heavenly Jade, Five Elements Divine Stones, a large number of magic cores and crystal crowns of various elements..." Since Zhou Xiaoxiao had asked, Yan naturally wouldn't be polite and even emphasized some of his requirements.

"By the way, the weapon I want is in the treasure vault of the Magic Masters Guild. It's a heavy sword weighing over three thousand catties, with one side of the spine red and the other blue... As for the magic cores I need, besides those with the five elements attributes, I also want those with spirit, light, and poison attributes—the more the better. And the crystal crowns. Collecting crystal crowns from the Dark Five Elements Continent is quite difficult, but I think we can get a lot of crystal crowns from the Light Five Elements Continent..." Zhou Xiaoxiao's expression changed repeatedly as she listened to Yan's requests. She hesitated and said, "Mr. Yan, the weapon, the wine, and the magic cores you requested are all fine. The Heavenly Jade is extremely precious; even I, as the guild leader, cannot use it lightly. And the crystal crowns—magic master crystal crowns from the Light Five Elements Continent are not something ordinary people can refine..." As he finished speaking, his expression hardened, filled with vigilance. Because of the special rules of the Five Elements Continent, Five Elements Mages leave behind pure energy crystals—crystal crowns—after their death.

This crystal crown contains special energy, but it is difficult for the Five Elements Soul Masters on the same continent to directly refine and use this energy. However, refining the Magic Master Crystal Crown from another continent is not a problem.

Yan needed a large number of Bright Five Elements Magician Crystal Crowns, which immediately alerted Zhou Xiaoxiao. Could this person in front of her be from the Dark Five Elements Continent?

"President Zhou, I am indeed not from the Five Elements Continent of Light, but who says that there are only two regions in this world, the Five Elements of Light and the Five Elements of Darkness?" Yan didn't care about Zhou Xiaoxiao's wariness. The Flame Queen was right next to him. How dare a mere Nine-Crown Clan member act so presumptuously?

"What kind of business do you think is the most profitable in this world?" Yan continued, not waiting for Zhou Xiaoxiao's reply, "It's naturally a monopoly. I can offer you more than just the business-related items in the box; I can also trade with you using special resources. A large amount of life essence would also be valuable to the Foolish Rich Merchant Guild. Also, a strong person of your level should know something about the various situations in the Earth's core world, right? Special resources from the Earth's core world. Are you interested...?" Zhou Xiaoxiao's expression subtly changed, and she said in a deep voice, "You are from the Earth's core world? The Earth's core world has always had little contact with the mainland. What is the purpose of collecting so many cultivation resources this time?"

"This is an order from the ruler of the inner world. Don't be too curious. My approaching you signifies that the inner world has extended an olive branch to the Bright Five Elements Continent. Don't overthink it and let it affect our transaction..." As Yan spoke, he rose from his seat and extended his palm towards the raging flames.

"We've been out for so long, it's time for us to go back."

"Hmm." Lie Yan nodded, and then a red light flashed, enveloping the two figures in a crimson glow. At this moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao revealed immense fear.

"President Zhou, I hope that next time we meet, I will be able to see what I need. Goodbye..." Yan's voice slowly faded away, leaving only Zhou Xiaoxiao in the room. At this moment, his chubby face was covered with sweat and fear.

This renowned powerhouse from the continent, the Nine-Crowned Emperor, was trembling as if he had been pulled from the water.

"What kind of existence is this woman, a top expert in the inner world?"

Chapter 172 The Five-Ring Soul King

"Xiao Yan, are you ready?"

In the core world of the Five Elements Continent, in the eighteenth layer of the endless churning magma, the Flame Queen looked at Yan, who was sitting cross-legged, and softly inquired about his current state and situation.

Today is a big day for Yan to try to absorb and refine her fifth spirit ring. Since it is the first time she has tried to refine the power of a fire seed from outside Douluo Continent as the source of her spirit ring, even Lie Yan is a little worried. She is not absolutely confident.

"Don't worry, I will definitely succeed."

Yan smiled and nodded at Lieyan. The latter suddenly pressed her jade hand down on the lava lake below, and the churning lava lake immediately split apart. Two fiery embryos rolled around in it. Under Lieyan's precise control, the Binghuo embryo, spewing platinum flames, was drawn out.

"Unite our spirits and embrace the unity of our origins."

As Lieyan spoke, a faint golden light shot out from her eyes, and a layer of red light enveloped Yan's body. At this moment, the former's palm had already condensed the Binghuo Yuantai into a pill, and pressed it towards Yan's chest.

Her hand, glowing with platinum flames, subtly flipped and imprinted itself on Yan's chest. His body trembled slightly, and then a fiery red energy column converged from all directions, rapidly drawing countless Bing Fire elements into his body.

"Pfft~~~"

The platinum flames ignited rapidly upon contact with Yan, and the surging flames suddenly filled Yan's entire body, with a blurry phantom appearing faintly in his depths.

"Boom!"

Yan felt as if his chest had been blown open, and the platinum-gold Bingwu Yuanyang Sacred Flame surged wildly throughout his body, constantly assaulting his body's defenses.

An inexplicable heat made him feel extremely uncomfortable. As a user of a fire-attribute martial soul, he hadn't felt hot in a long time. But at this moment, he felt as if his entire body was about to burst into flames.

His heart rate suddenly increased several times, and he was drenched in sweat. An extremely powerful fire surged through his body, relentlessly ravaging and destroying his physique.

This was the first time Yan had ever felt such powerful flames; this was the true ultimate fire. Before this, even when refining the Golden Dragon Flame, he had never encountered such difficulty.