"Don't worry, I'm only here for the strange fire. I won't take your life!"
After a moment, Gu Fei opened his eyes and stared sharply at Han Feng.
His voice was low and hoarse, with a sinister tone. At the same time, Han Feng felt the connection between him and the Sea Heart Flame had been completely severed.
"This person is terrifying—he cut off my link to the Sea Heart Flame in an instant..."
[Han Feng feels fear and gratitude. Emotion value increases by 50]
As Gu Fei had expected, Han Feng, who had a significant role in the original story, possessed immense luck. He provided dozens of emotional points at once, convincing Gu Fei that coming to the Northwest Continent was indeed the right move.
After Gu Fei left, Han Feng felt like he had narrowly escaped death. It took a long while before he finally let out a sigh of relief, confirming that Gu Fei was truly gone.
...
Now that Gu Fei had obtained the Sea Heart Flame, his next plan was to head to Black Seal City.
He wanted to investigate further.
In fact, Black Seal City wasn't his primary destination, but it was on his way. Though Gu Fei wasn't sure if the remaining map fragment of the demon fire had already fallen into the hands of Yuan Yi from the Eight Gates, he planned to find out.
In the original story, after the three-year agreement, Xiao Yan ventured into the Black Horn Region and coincidentally arrived at the Black Seal City auction where the third fragment of the Demon Fire Map was being sold.
If Yuan Yi had already acquired the fragment, Gu Fei intended to take it before Xiao Yan had a chance.
After a long journey, Gu Fei finally arrived in Black Seal City. After a brief rest, he discovered the location of the Eight Gates and concealed his aura as he made his way there.
No one hindered his path—it was as if he was moving through an empty land.
Gu Fei closed his eyes and used his battle energy to sense the surroundings. Within five miles, in the northwest direction, he felt the presence of an immensely powerful individual.
That must be Yuan Yi!
Like a shadow, Gu Fei moved swiftly, arriving directly at Yuan Yi's secret chamber. His face was hidden beneath a black robe.
Yuan Yi, sipping tea at that moment, turned to look at him without any alarm.
Given his status and strength, Yuan Yi believed he had no reason to fear anyone. The man in the black robe likely wanted something from him—otherwise, he would have attacked immediately.
Yuan Yi had encountered people like Gu Fei before—those who bypassed countless defenses to appear before him in secret. Such people often sought his assistance for treasure hunting, revenge, or hiding from enemies while keeping their identities hidden.
Each time, Yuan Yi raised the price and profited handsomely.
He wondered what this black-robed figure sought.
Gu Fei didn't disappoint. As Yuan Yi had predicted, he spoke directly, "Do you have the remaining map?"
Gu Fei's deep gaze locked onto Yuan Yi as he slowly added, "I'm willing to trade for a sixth-grade elixir."
[Yuan Yi is surprised. Emotion value increases by 5]
Gu Fei remained calm as he heard the system prompt. He noticed, through the gap in his black robe, that Yuan Yi's hand holding the cup paused briefly before he resumed sipping his tea as if nothing had happened. Then Yuan Yi looked at him, his expression composed, hiding the excitement in his heart.
A sixth-grade elixir! Such an elixir could cause chaos if auctioned in Black Seal City. Though it wasn't as rare as a seventh-grade elixir, it was still extremely valuable.
And here, this black-robed man was offering it in exchange for a mere fragment of a map?
Moreover, it seemed like he had even more treasures at his disposal.
Yuan Yi's mind raced.
When Gu Fei mentioned the "map fragment," Yuan Yi immediately knew which one he was talking about.
Normally, a mere fragment wouldn't be worth such a high price. It was just a partial map, and though there could be treasures hidden within, it was incomplete, making it difficult to locate anything valuable.
But this map fragment was different—it led to the demon fire!
Yuan Yi thought for a moment before replying, "I don't have any remaining fragments."
[Yuan Yi feels greed. Emotion value increases by 30]
Gu Fei raised an eyebrow, immediately recognizing the truth. Yuan Yi clearly had the map fragment but was attempting to raise its price to gain more.
Gu Fei twisted his fingertips and decided to stop holding back. He unleashed his aura.
Yuan Yi's expression shifted instantly.
[Yuan Yi feels fear. Emotion value increases by 10]
The cup in Yuan Yi's hand shattered, his face turned pale, and his pupils dilated with terror.
Yet, despite his fear, greed made him hesitate.
Gu Fei shook his head, sighing inwardly at Yuan Yi's ignorance. He released even more of his aura, intensifying the pressure in the chamber. Yuan Yi felt as though the entire room was collapsing under the weight of Gu Fei's presence.
[Yuan Yi experiences extreme fear. Emotion value increases by 12]
Under the crushing pressure of Gu Fei's aura, Yuan Yi faced the threat of death for the first time in many years. He turned as white as a sheet, unable to move, and finally cried out, "I'll give it to you! Spare my life!"
Though Gu Fei had no intention of killing, the aura he projected was enough to terrify even the leader of the Eight Gates.
With a slight smile, Gu Fei withdrew his aura.
Yuan Yi exhaled deeply, relieved. He quickly retrieved the map fragment and handed it over to Gu Fei with trembling hands.
Gu Fei pocketed the map and left calmly.
Along the way, he could still sense scattered emotions from Yuan Yi—fear, dread, and even resentment—but Gu Fei didn't care. He simply calculated his next move.
Based on the timeline, Xiao Yan had yet to enter the World of Warcraft Mountain Range to train. At his current level of strength, entering the mountain range would be suicidal.
Since Xiao Yan hadn't made it there yet, the remaining map fragment in the cave should still be intact.
Now that Gu Fei had one fragment, he decided to venture into the World of Warcraft Mountain Range to retrieve another part of the map.
With his current strength, as long as he didn't provoke the terrifying beasts that roamed certain areas, navigating the mountain range wouldn't be too difficult.
With most of his resources still intact, Gu Fei didn't need to stop and rest. His desire for power drove him forward—he needed the demonic fire.
He had one fragment; now it was time to acquire the others.
Once all the pieces of the map were gathered, Gu Fei would be able to unlock the inheritance left by the Pure Lotus Demon Saint.
When the demonic fire emerged, Gu Fei would claim it for himself and gain an overwhelming advantage.
The Pure Lotus Demonic Fire was ranked third among the world's strange fires, its power comparable to a Seven-Star Dou Zun. Only the Void Devouring Flame and Emperor Flame outranked it.
With this fire in his possession, Gu Fei's strength would skyrocket!
Next, Gu Fei set off towards Qingshan Town on the edge of the Jia Ma Empire.