Chapter 693: Acting on Behalf of the Beauty

“Why are you looking at me like that? Although Cold Iron Stone is valuable, it’s not really a rare treasure, is it…”

Yu Xuan’s beautiful eyes sparkled with a strange light. She then took out a piece of Cold Iron Stone from her robe and handed it to Xiao Yufan, who wore an expression of mild surprise.

The stone felt cool in his hand. It was actually the first time Xiao Yufan had ever seen Cold Iron Stone. With it, the Tian Zang Flower could now be preserved intact.

Seeing Wang Yuxuan’s calm reaction, Ye Kong and the others couldn’t help but smirk. This woman was too extravagant—wasn’t Cold Iron Stone considered rare?

Everyone knew that Cold Iron Stone was one of the essential materials for forging spiritual artifacts. Some guardian temples might not even have it. Yet considering Yu Xuan already carried a rare flying spiritual artifact, finding her with Cold Iron Stone didn’t really shock Xiao Yufan.

Slowly approaching the Tian Zang Flower, Xiao Yufan could even smell its faint fragrance. Don’t let its delicate scent fool you—while it wouldn’t affect him, an ordinary person would die instantly from just a whiff.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Although cold iron stone is precious, it shouldn’t be considered a rare item, right…”

A peculiar glint appeared in Yuxuan’s beautiful eyes as she pulled out a piece of cold iron stone from her bosom and handed it to Xiao Yufan, who looked somewhat surprised.

Feeling a slight chill upon touching it, Xiao Yufan was seeing cold iron stone for the first time. With this cold iron stone, the Celestial Burial Flower could be preserved intact.

Seeing Wang Yuxuan so nonchalant, Ye Kong and the others couldn’t help but purse their lips. This woman was being too generous—was cold iron stone not a rare item?

After all, cold iron stone was one of the essential materials for crafting spiritual artifacts. Some guardian temples might not even possess it. However, considering that Yuxuan carried a rare flying spiritual artifact with her, the presence of cold iron stone didn’t shock Xiao Yufan too much.

Slowly approaching the Celestial Burial Flower, Xiao Yufan could even catch a faint whiff of its delicate fragrance. Although he was unaffected by it, if an ordinary person inhaled even a trace of this scent, they would perish instantly.

The Celestial Burial Flower was that domineering. Otherwise, the effects of such a marvel wouldn’t be so terrifying. Xiao Yufan was confident that by consuming a single petal of the Celestial Burial Flower while at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, he could ascend to the peak of the Innate Realm. Only at that level could he surpass all the young talents of his generation.

As if sensing the approach of the cold iron stone, the petals of the Celestial Burial Flower slightly closed in on themselves. Such a spiritual entity actually knew how to protect itself.

Using the tip of the cold iron stone, Xiao Yufan carefully unearthed the roots of the Celestial Burial Flower, a look of joy spreading across his face. This mysterious land had indeed been worth the journey.

“All things in existence possess their own spirituality. Brother Fan, perhaps you should leave a part of the Celestial Burial Flower’s roots here. Maybe in a hundred years, a new Celestial Burial Flower will grow. If you take the entire root, this place might never produce such a marvel again.”

Just as Xiao Yufan was about to uproot the Celestial Burial Flower, Cheng Ying’s melodious voice chimed in.

Xiao Yufan paused for a moment, then quickly realized the truth in her words. Indeed, such a marvel shouldn’t be completely uprooted. It was always wise to leave a trace.

Hua Yun also nodded with a smile, her opinion of the woman by Xiao Yufan’s side rising even higher. Not only did she possess stunning beauty, but she also had a keen mind. Such a woman was exceedingly rare. But why would such an exceptional woman be interested in that guy?

With the task completed, Xiao Yufan carefully arranged the petals of the Celestial Burial Flower and turned to walk toward Hua Yun.

“Three petals—are you sure you want to take them now?”

Although Xiao Yufan had retrieved the Celestial Burial Flower, the question remained: how would Hua Yun carry three of its petals? If the petals were left for too long, they would lose their efficacy entirely.

“Today, I’ll take one petal. As for the other two, I hope this friend can keep them safe for our Hundred Flowers Island. When we leave this mysterious land, I will surely repay you generously.”

Biting her red lips, Hua Yun quickly made her decision. Although she didn’t fully trust this man, there seemed to be no better option at the moment. She only hoped that Xiao Yufan wouldn’t hoard the Celestial Burial Flower for himself.

“Do you trust me?”

Raising an eyebrow, Xiao Yufan’s playful smile widened. Did this woman really trust him so much?

“I simply have no way to store the petals of the Celestial Burial Flower. If you’re unwilling, then forget it…” Hua Yun replied with a hint of dissatisfaction.

“How could I refuse a beauty’s request?”

Xiao Yufan chuckled awkwardly. When had he become so self-assured? This beautiful woman clearly wasn’t very fond of him, and his question had only invited trouble.

“Then, on behalf of Hundred Flowers Island, I thank you, friend.”

A faint blush spread across Hua Yun’s cheeks as her beautiful eyes quickly shifted to another direction. Although she appeared more mature than Hua Yue and the others, she was still a young woman with little experience in the world. How could she withstand the intensity of someone’s gaze?

“Since this sister trusts Brother Fan, we’ll keep them safe for her. Once we leave this mysterious land, we can return the petals to Hundred Flowers Island.”

With a soft laugh, Cheng Ying instantly diffused the awkward atmosphere, though there was a hint of reproach in her smile.

It was no wonder Xiao Yufan had lost his composure. Hua Yun’s beauty was natural and unmatched, even among the women by his side. For someone who had wandered among flowers, she held a fatal allure.

“Then, as Ying’er suggested, I’ll temporarily take on this task for the beauty. But what if, after leaving this mysterious land, we can’t find anyone from Hundred Flowers Island?”

“This is the key to the Hundred Flowers Island’s barrier. If you can’t find anyone from our island after leaving this place, I hope you can deliver it to the island yourself…”

Frowning slightly, Hua Yun took out a purple-green pouch from which she retrieved a cold jade token and handed it to Xiao Yufan.

“Damn, could this beauty have taken a liking to Captain Xiao? She even handed over her personal pouch. Why doesn’t such good fortune fall on me?”

Xie Yuan swallowed hard, his gaze lingering on Hua Yun’s delicate profile, momentarily lost in thought.

“Comparing people leads to death, comparing goods leads to throwing them away. I regret walking with him now…”

Ye Kong’s lips twitched violently. He couldn’t see what unique charm Xiao Yufan possessed. Why were women always drawn to him?

But this time, Ye Kong was mistaken. Hua Yun wasn’t particularly interested in Xiao Yufan; she was merely testing him. However, her request was somewhat excessive—asking someone to safeguard the Celestial Burial Flower and deliver it to Hundred Flowers Island. Anyone else would have refused outright.

“How could I refuse a beauty’s invitation? After leaving this mysterious land, I will surely visit your island.”

A smile spread across Xiao Yufan’s face as he detected a special meaning in Hua Yun’s expression. This woman was truly intriguing. Didn’t she realize that such a test could invite trouble?

Hua Yun was momentarily speechless. Her alluring lips merely curved slightly, and she said nothing more. Could she take back her words? Those two petals of the Celestial Burial Flower were not something she could easily give up…

Handing one petal of the Celestial Burial Flower to Hua Yun, Xiao Yufan felt a pang of regret. There were only ten petals in total, each extremely precious. If he could have them all, it would be ideal, but he could only dream of it.

As if sensing the Cold Iron Stone’s approach, the Tian Zang Flower slightly curled its petals inward. Such a spiritual plant actually knew how to protect itself.

Using the sharp end of the Cold Iron Stone, Xiao Yufan carefully dug up the Tian Zang Flower’s roots, a pleased expression spreading across his face. This mysterious place had certainly not disappointed him.

“All things in this world possess their own spirit. Yufan Ge, please leave some of the roots behind. Perhaps in a hundred years, a new Tian Zang Flower will grow. If you take all the roots, this place may never produce such a rare treasure again!”

Just as Xiao Yufan was about to uproot the entire plant, Cheng Ying’s melodious voice floated over.

Xiao Yufan paused for a moment, then nodded in realization. Indeed, such a rare treasure shouldn’t be completely eradicated. There should always be room left for possibilities.

Hua Yun also smiled approvingly, her opinion of this woman by Xiao Yufan’s side rising even further. Not only was she breathtakingly beautiful, but she also possessed a delicate and compassionate heart—truly a rare combination. Yet why would such an extraordinary woman take an interest in that guy?

After finishing up carefully, Xiao Yufan gently combed through the Tian Zang Flower’s petals and turned toward Hua Yun.

“Three petals… are you sure you want to take them now?”

Although Xiao Yufan had successfully retrieved the Tian Zang Flower, the real issue was how Hua Yun could transport the petals. If left too long, they would surely lose their potency.

“I’ll take one petal for now. As for the other two, I hope this gentleman can keep them safe for the Baihua Island. When we leave this mysterious place, I will surely reward you handsomely!”

Biting her lip slightly, Hua Yun quickly made her decision. Although she didn’t fully trust this man, she had no better options at the moment. She could only hope Xiao Yufan wouldn’t keep all the petals for himself.

“You really trust me?”

Raising his eyebrows playfully, Xiao Yufan’s lips curled into an amused smile. Was this woman really that trusting of him?

“I simply have no way to preserve the petals myself. If you’re unwilling, then forget it…” Hua Yun replied somewhat irritably.

“How could I possibly refuse to help a beautiful lady?”

Xiao Yufan chuckled awkwardly. When had he become so conceited? This beautiful woman clearly wasn’t that fond of him, and asking that question had only brought him unnecessary trouble.

“Then on behalf of Baihua Island, I thank this gentleman!”

A faint blush appeared on Hua Yun’s face as she quickly shifted her gaze elsewhere. Although more mature than Hua Yue and the others, she was still an inexperienced young woman who couldn’t handle that intense gaze of his.

“Since this elder sister trusts Yufan Ge, we can keep the petals for her. Once we leave this mysterious place, we can return them to Baihua Island!”

With a soft smile, Cheng Ying instantly eased the awkward atmosphere, though her expression carried a subtle hint of reproach.

No wonder Xiao Yufan was momentarily distracted. Hua Yun’s natural beauty rivaled any woman by his side. Even for this seasoned charmer, she exuded an irresistible charm.

“Alright then, as Ying’er suggested, we’ll temporarily hold onto the petals for the beautiful lady. But once we leave this place, if we can’t find anyone from Baihua Island, what then?”

“This is the key to unlocking the Baihua Island barrier. If you can’t find anyone from our island after leaving, I hope this gentleman can deliver it there…”

Hua Yun frowned slightly, then pulled out a purple and green pouch. Inside was a cold jade tablet, which she handed to Xiao Yufan.

“Wow, this beautiful lady must have taken a liking to Xiao Captain! She even took out her personal pouch! Why didn’t such good luck happen to me!”

Xie Yuan swallowed hard, staring at Hua Yun’s delicate and fair profile, momentarily entranced.

“People make you want to die from comparison, goods make you want to throw them away. I regret following him on this journey…”

Ye Kong’s lips twitched violently. He couldn’t figure out what was so special about Xiao Yufan that so many women were drawn to him.

But this time, Ye Kong was mistaken. Hua Yun wasn’t particularly interested in Xiao Yufan; she was merely testing him. However, her request was rather excessive—asking him to safeguard the Tian Zang Flower petals and even deliver them to Baihua Island. Most people wouldn’t agree to such a demand.

“A beautiful lady’s invitation is hard to refuse. I promise I will definitely visit the island after we leave this mysterious place!”

Smiling slightly, Xiao Yufan caught a subtle expression on Hua Yun’s face. He couldn’t help but feel amused. This woman was truly interesting—didn’t she realize that such a test might invite a wolf into her home?

Hua Yun’s tempting lips curled slightly upward, but she said nothing more. Was she about to take the items back? Of course, she couldn’t easily give up those two petals…

Xiao Yufan handed one petal to Hua Yun, feeling a slight pang in his heart. There were only ten petals total, each extremely precious. If he could have taken them all, that would have been perfect—but he could only dream.