479 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 479: The First Negotiation "Two thousand two hundred!?" Qi Bingyan was initially shocked but quickly sneered, "Even with a Golden Core cultivator, the Xiong family's nouveau riche nature hasn't changed." Helplessly, constrained by strength and lacking confidence, she thought to herself, "Our Qi family, being descendants of the Alliance of Artifacts and Talismans, will surely surpass them in the future!" She comforted herself, but her mood didn't improve much. Once the camel rays in the transit station were fed and rested, she hurried to remind Qi Xiu to set off quickly. "The grudge of the Five Elements Alliance conspiring against Ancestor Wushuang is one I will bear forever. I don't want to linger any longer on Lingmu Alliance's lands." Even Qi Xiu couldn't argue with her reasoning, and so he ordered an early assembly. They bid farewell to Bomu City, passed through Bosen City, crossed the former lands of 'Deep White Mountain,' and journeyed in starts and stops until they reached [Nine Star Workshop]. From there, turning to the east would lead into the territory of the Dan Alliance. However, currently, some areas only nominally belonged to the Dan Alliance. After reaching an agreement, the Lingmu Alliance had gained some territory. Due to the sluggish process of returning occupied lands, the handover between the two parties was still incomplete. Upon arriving at Nine Star Workshop, the thousands of members of the Chu Qin Alliance took a break. Few adventurers dared to enter Lion's Wake Valley, and even fewer returned alive. Positioned between the two warring factions, the 'transit' trade was lackluster, resulting in a desolate market scene. As quasi-allies of the families of Nine Star Workshop, the lavish spending by the Chu Qin Alliance during their visit won much favor. Qi Xiu traveled in a high-profile manner, and the Dan Alliance, not being fools, had someone inform him immediately upon disembarking from the beast ship that Elder Han Yan had been waiting in the workshop for quite some time. "It's part of the plan," Yan Nanxing, who came to greet them, laughed, "Your strategy of alerting the 'snake' seems to be working well." "Haha, let's hope the snake's hide isn't too thick," Qi Xiu replied. "If negotiations fail, do you really plan to advance eastward?" Yan Nanxing gauged Qi Xiu's expression and saw a hint of affirmation. He restrained his smile and cautioned seriously, "Times have changed. They have just made peace between the two major factions, whereas you only have a document from the Lingmu Alliance. Provoking now could play into the Dan Alliance's hands, allowing them to profit at your expense!" The Dan Alliance also owed Yanhu Gate a debt. Yan Nanxing's attempt to prevent Qi Xiu from becoming a scapegoat and his sincere counsel moved Qi Xiu greatly. "Integrity is vital for both us and them. If this debt is easily defaulted by the Dan Alliance, no one in Bai Mountain will respect us in the future." "If the terms are right, stepping back might open new avenues," Yan Nanxing said. Seeing Qi Xiu intent on his decision, he stopped speaking and accompanied him to the meeting with Elder Han Yan, in a secret room in the Chu Qin shop within Nine Star Workshop. Arranging the meeting place in Chu Qin territory seemed to suggest a low-key approach. However, during the initial discussions, after just a few exchanges, Qi Xiu's face darkened. "Elder Han Yan proposes a price of two million third-tier for a one-eleventh share of Nine Star Workshop." That was Elder Han Yan’s initial statement, followed by a loud snort from Ying Bo, his attendant, either unintentionally or purposefully. "So, am I supposed to end up paying you spirit stones!?" Qi Xiu exclaimed angrily. "If there's no genuine intention, why bother coming?" "Hehe, if you don't agree to these terms, we can face off in battle instead!" Elder Han Yan cupped his hands in a formal salute. "To show you that even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, we're leaving!" They turned and strode away with Ying Bo and others. "Damn it!" Qi Xiu slapped the table in frustration, reducing it to powder, while Yan Nanxing stood by silently. After a long pause, he muttered, "We nine families once regarded this place as the foundation for future prosperity, but it's now seen as disposable by the Dan Alliance. This couldn't be more demoralizing." The prosperity and decline of marketplaces can be complex, such as the Black River Town, which, despite being a central thoroughfare between Bai Mountain's Qi Yun and South Chu's Beast Taming, shouldn't have been as thriving as today, given the proximity of Qi Nan City to the north and Artifact and Talisman City to the south. Qi Xiu concluded that circumstance also played a significant role. The arena challenges that Gao Guangsheng organized after the market opened appealed to the martial-loving Bai Mountain cultivators and the Beast Taming sect disciples, while providing a fresh experience for the usually peaceful Qi Yun cultivators. Within decades, it had burgeoned into one of the most celebrated events in the cultivation world. Moreover, the increasingly unstable situation in Bai Mountain meant that cultivators could easily traverse the narrowest part of Death Marsh to escape the chaotic, virtue-deprived Bai Mountain and arrive at the stable, safe, prosperous, and honest Qi Yun world, a stark contrast felt especially after the Nangong family—with its untouchable reputation—took over. Black River Town embodied both the uprightness of Qi Yun and the ruggedness of Bai Mountain, capturing the fascination of Bai Mountain residents. Many low-tier cultivators from Bai Mountain often boasted about their experiences there, showing the depth of their attachment. In contrast, plans for Nine Star Workshop, spearheaded by Yan Nanxing and others, had ambitious goals. They envisioned it as a haven for adventurers on the edge of the wilderness, as well as a gray gateway for rogue cultivators and villains on the run. If successful, owning a one-eleventh share, priced at two million third-tier for Qi Xiu, would have been worthwhile given the potential for long-term profitability. Wars haven't changed this potential; the pre-war prosperity of Bosen City served as a lifeline for the Lingmu Alliance, fueling centuries of income and accruing talent and influence advantages beyond mere spirit stone value. Regrettably, the conflicts between the Lingmu and Dan Alliances over Liangzong sect succession, followed by the intrusion of Qi Xiu, Huo Huan, and others, culminating in the old lion's lethal strike upon a Nascent Soul cultivator, deterred adventurers. The Outer Sea's Little Demon Abyss caused rogue cultivators to avoid Bai Mountain, while the ensuing war devastated the market into stasis. Adding to the woes, with the Lingzong sect now under its third-generation head, uncertainty loomed: should this leader fail to establish a Golden Core, the marketplace would, in a century, lose the three-generation protective status granted by the Great Zhou Academy, rendering it vulnerable. At that juncture, possessing shares may invite calamity instead. Therefore, both Elder Han Yan's statement and Qi Xiu's vehement reaction weighed heavily on Yan Nanxing, indicating neither the Dan Alliance nor Chu Qin wished to vie for this location’s future, leaving it as likely prey to the Lingmu Alliance. The unity and cooperation across the nine families relied solely on this place, whose prospects now seemed bleak, dealt a crushing blow to Yan Nanxing, leading to an uncharacteristic lapse in composure. "Uh, Brother Yan, don't dwell on it. I'm merely angry at their audacity." Trying to console, Qi Xiu offered words of reassurance, though his previous outburst was more for show. Traveling such a distance with thousands of followers just to engage in a shouting match was unlike him. "Master Uncle." Appearing before Qi Xiu moments after the Dan Alliance left the workshop, Mo Jianxin entered the scene. "Is everything arranged?" Qi Xiu inquired, unhurried in Yan Nanxing's presence. "Yes," Mo Jianxin confirmed while presenting a map. "After the armistice, the Dan Alliance conducted a military merit ceremony, and now most of their cultivators are engaged in reclaiming the mountain strongholds returned by the Lingmu Alliance. These will be awarded to the meritorious, marking the start of a likely lengthy reconstruction. But since our Chu Qin's southward advancement became known, Elder Han Yan recalled some elite cultivators, seemingly preparing for conflict." "Good, as anticipated, his reaction falls within expectations. Stick to the initial plan," Qi Xiu stated, pocketing the map. Yan Nanxing, curious but hesitating to ask, looked on as Qi Xiu remained coy about revealing their original strategy. ... Meanwhile, high above the Sandu Mountain within their dominion, the Chu Qin sect's third-tier flying shuttle crossed Death Marsh, re-entering Chu Qin territory. Due to the strict orders from Law Adjudicator Fayin to treat the [Shrimp Camel Beasts] humanely, mining efficiency at Sandu Mountain plummeted. With the mines' income now insignificant to the Chu Qin sect, only a few low-tier cultivators supervised, bored as they observed the lumbering beasts. Suddenly, buried within tangled weeds, a broken sword began to buzz. Its anomaly resonated with numerous battlefield relics—long-damaged and too negligible to retrieve—causing various shattered flying sword remnants to tremble and emit an increasingly loud hum. "What’s happening?" The supervisors, bewildered by the unfolding scene, were caught off guard. Before they could devise a response, 'whoosh! whoosh! whoosh!'—those deemed as trash from the grass, shallow ground, and between stones soared into the sky. Like birds homing to the forest, they darted straightforwardly into the flying shuttle. (To be continued...)