by <unknown>
Very soon, the uneasy Ling Shoujing and Ling Lanyin appeared in front of Li Yao.
"Let's not waste each other's time."
Instead of waiting for the newcomers to bow to him, Li Yao waved his hands and said straightforwardly, "I've spoken with Han Yuantai just now and learned the basic situation already. Tell me about it. What exactly do you want, and what can you offer in return?"
Chapter 1376: You Go, Your Daughter Stays! |
Ling Shoujing, the Appeasing Ambassador of the Fifth Prefecture of the South Land of Sorcerers, and his daughter Ling Lanyin, a Cultivator at the peak of the Core Formation Stage, looked at each other. They were not sure what was on the mind of the petty, cruel, and temperamental monster or what he and Han Yuantai had talked about.
Observing Li Yao's young, emotionless face, where a green birthmark was shining at the center of his brow, the two of them grew more and more ill at ease.
Ling Shoujing thought that such a barbaric Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator certainly could not be convinced with morals, ethics, or lofty ideals. Therefore, he might as well get directly to the more concrete benefits!
After a cough, he said, "Master, I arrived at the Southland of Sorcerers to instate Huo Wuji as the Chieftain of the Southland. Moreover, I brought five thousand kilograms of high-quality crystals, fifteen thousand kilograms of fine steel that can be used to forge marvelous weapons, and twenty-five thousand kilograms of the ingredients of the pills that are of great use for training! Right now, you are the best expert in the Southland of Sorcerers. All the barbarian Cultivators here revere you and listen to your command. So, it will be the best if you can help allot the items on our behalf."
Unmoved, Li Yao sniffed and said, "Anything else?"
Hesitating for a moment, Ling Shoujing gritted his teeth and said, "This isn't really what we expected in the beginning. Truth be told, Master, all the items were prepared for Master Black Moon. What level was Master Black Moon in? The beginning level of the Nascent Soul Stage! Your Cultivation, on the other hand, must be at least in the high level of the Nascent Soul Stage, mustn't it?
"The gifts are indeed a disrespect for your identity and Cultivation. After I return to the court with the message that you have returned with your incredible techniques, the court will certainly not wrong such an unparalleled expert. The gifts will be… at least double what I just said!"
Li Yao was still emotionless. He said casually, "Okay."
Ling Shoujing was even more confused about what the old monster really wanted. Gritting his teeth once more, he continued trying. "The Purple Pole Sword Sect is the best sword sect in the world. Countless sword arts and marvelous weapons are stored there. If you are willing to join the Great Qian Dynasty, the techniques and the magical equipment will all be open to you!
"Right—"
Noticing Li Yao's apparent lack of interest, Ling Shoujing thought of something and said in excitement, "With your Cultivation right now, Master, it is not entirely unlikely for you to be nominated as an important official in the court or a leader of a major state. If you are interested…"
Seeing that Li Yao was not interested in Cultivation arts, magical equipment, pills, or crystals, he thought that Li Yao, as a barbarian Cultivator, had lived in the Southland of Sorcerers in boredom for too long and wanted to be an official.
Li Yao was rather amused.
He was not sure whether he should sigh or curse.
Great Qian and Cloud Qin might be on par with each other, but the gap between their envoys was too huge.
Han Yuantai was talking about ideologies, beliefs, ambitions, and futures with him, while Ling Shoujing was talking about crystals, pills, techniques, magical equipment… and so on!
If it was the real barbarian Cultivator Master Spiritual Vulture who had not seen anything better, he might have been tempted by the tens of thousands of kilograms of crystals and pills.
However, for Li Yao, who was connected with the most powerful forces of the Heaven's Origin Sector, the Blood Demon Sector, and the Flying Star Sector and had seen the best things in the world, there was only one thing that he wanted to say.
Don't talk about money with me. It's too tawdry!
Li Yao was too impatient to listen any longer. He waved his hands and said, "I always find the mundane affairs in the mortal world too boring. It doesn't matter whether Huo Wuji or Huo Wujiu is the Chieftain of the Southland! Let's just get it over with. What else do you want?"
It's done!
Ling Shoujing was quite excited.
Now that the old monster had given his consent that Huo Wuji, who was close to the Great Qian Dynasty, could be the Chieftain of the Southland, it was indicative enough that the guy had not reached a satisfactory deal with Han Yuantai yet and that the Southland of Sorcerers was still under the command of the court!
Having accomplished the greatest purpose of his mission despite the setbacks all the way, Ling Shoujing exhaled in great relief. "Other than that, the situation in the Great Qian Dynasty is sort of…"
"I've heard a lot of things from Han Yuantai. There's no need to phrase it."
Staring at him, Li Yao said coldly, "You can straightforwardly say that the Great Qian Dynasty is half dead with troubles everywhere."
"You must not believe in Han Yuantai's overstatement, Master!" Ling Shoujing grew anxious. "Those people from Ghost Qin are as cunning as foxes and as brutal as wolves. Have they ever spoken the truth? Right now, there are indeed some riots in the Great Qian Dynasty, and the northern territory isn't in the most peaceful state. However, the Great Qian Dynasty has weathered through all kinds of turmoil for a thousand years. We are too well-founded to be knocked over by some riffraff!
"Of course, now that the world and the people are plagued by riots, rebels, and evil beings, it is the time for Cultivators to stand up and rescue the folks from the cataclysm! If the Southland of Sorcerers could send fifty thousand soldiers and five hundred Cultivators under your command to the north…"
"Hehe." With a feigned smile, Li Yao said, "You want us to give you an army of fifty thousand soldiers, who will leave the warm and comfortable forests for the freezing north, where they will fight bloody battles against the cavalry of Ghost Qin that left the court's army with a crushing defeat last year?"
"That is not what I was going to say, Master!"
Ling Shoujing had thought of it earlier. None of the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators were idiots, including such a barbarian like Master Spiritual Vulture. Naturally, they would not agree to such an outrageous request.
In fact, Ling Shoujing had other plans. He said confidently, "Master, rest assured, everybody knows that the northern people are not good at battles on water while the southern people are not good at battles on horses. I do not mean to ask the tough soldiers of the Southland of Sorcerers to march north to the Dark Prairie Prairies to be killed in vain at all!
"Honestly speaking, despite the valiance and brutality of the Ghost Qin soldiers, they will still be more than vulnerable when faced with the elite forces of the court! However, the inland of the Great Qian Dynasty is in fact infested with vermin. Most of the elite forces and high-level Cultivators of the court are now stalled by the vermin and can't move around. That is why the Ghost Qin people had a chance!
"If we mobilize the elite troops and the main forces to the north, the vermin inland will run out of control and further expand. Eventually, it will be the common folks who suffer most.
"Therefore, I am hoping that the warriors and Cultivators of the Southland of Sorcerers can be mobilized to the southeast where they will suppress the local riot of the White Lotus Cult!
"Then, the forces and troops in the southeast will be able to be spared to annihilate Ghost Qin in the north!"
Li Yao was dazed for a moment. He did not see such a proposal coming.
"The southeast of the Great Qian Dynasty is brimming with rivers and lakes," Ling Shoujing said. "There are hills everywhere. The weather is warm and damp, very similar to th
at of the Southland of Sorcerers. The issue of acclimatization that may happen if you marched to the Dark Cloud Prairies will not be a problem!
"Besides, the southeast is the most prosperous part of the Great Qian Dynasty with the most abundant spiritual energy. Are there any warriors in the Southland of Sorcerers who do not want to appreciate it?
"I wonder, how did Han Yuantai describe the 'White Lotus Cult' to you just now? The members of the White Lotus Cult are all the most violent ghouls! Their leader, Wan Mingzhu, was the most notorious 'mother of all ghosts' who fed on other people's vitality and flesh! It is said that even grass won't grow wherever the White Lotus Cult passes. When the ghouls of the White Lotus Cult congregate into an army and sweep across an area, the dozens of towns in their range might be emptied. Not just the living people, even the hens and dogs will be transformed into deadly ghosts! They are tragedies that happened before!
"It is the responsibility of us Cultivators to slay evil. This is also a great endeavor to serve justice for the heavens!
"Moreover, you have lived in seclusion for decades, Master. Now that you have returned with your marvelous techniques, you wouldn't want to age and die in this remote land unknown, even if you don't want to be famous, right?"
Seeing Ling Shoujing's self-righteousness, Li Yao suddenly had a lot of mixed feelings.
From the perspective of a citizen from a modern Cultivation civilization, if Han Yuantai was speaking the truth, the 'Riot of the White Lotus' could be classified as peasant rebellion.
Dispatching the barbarian soldiers to suppress a peasant rebellion was not something that Li Yao could tolerate.
He felt that Ling Shoujing's mindset was too different from his. Their gap was much bigger than the gap between him and Han Yuantai. Further communication would only be a waste of his time.
Li Yao snapped his fingers and casually said, "I've got it now. You may leave now."
Ling Shoujing was dazed for a moment, not knowing why the old monster suddenly changed his attitude when he appeared friendly just now.
However, he did not dare say anything else, fearing that the old monster might grow angry. Also, the old monster did not turn down the proposal on the spot, so there was still room for negotiation.
Therefore, he simply bowed deeply and was ready to leave with his daughter.
"Wait," Li Yao suddenly said. "You can go, but your daughter stays."
Ling Shoujing almost tripped over himself. Cold sweat was immediately popping up on his forehead.
Ling Lanyin opened her lips in a shiver, too.
"Wel—well… My daughter…"
Under Li Yao's glare, Ling Shoujing lost his cool and did not know how he should respond.
Ling Lanyin, on the other hand, was rather confident. Taking a long breath, she soon calmed herself down and said in a low voice, "Rest assured, Father. Master Spiritual Vulture is a well-respected senior who has been famous since a hundred years ago. Will anything happen to me now that he is here?"
Li Yao smiled and said, "Your tongue is rather sweet, kid. Rest assured, although I'm not anything close to 'well-respected', I wouldn't go so far as to make things difficult for a young fellow at the peak of the Core Formation Stage such as yourself. I'm told that you are one of the most distinguished disciples of the Purple Pole Sword Sect. I'm keeping you here only because I'm interested in some of the Purple Pole Sword Sect's issues."
The father and the daughter looked at each other, more or less relieved.
On second thought, although Mater Spiritual Vulture was best known for his ruthlessness, he had never struck anyone as a lecherous man.
Besides, he had to consider the reputation of the Purple Pole Sword Sect after all. It was unlikely that he would piss off the Purple Pole Sword Sect just for a moment's pleasure, right?
The Purple Pole Sword Sect, the greatest reliance for the Ling family, was now in great trouble because of its relationship with Wang Xi. Such an old monster would certainly be a great help if he gave a hand!
Thinking about that, Ling Shoujing reminded his daughter of something and left the garden uneasily.
Calming herself down, Ling Lanyin bowed to Li Yao again. "What do you want to know about our sect, senior? I certainly will not keep anything from you!"
Chapter 1377: The Purple Pole Sword Sect |
With his hands behind his back, Li Yao paced about unhurriedly before asking, "A hundred years ago, before I advanced into the Nascent Soul Stage, I did not know much about the Cultivators of the Great Qian Dynasty. The Purple Pole Sword Sect claims to be the best sword sect in the world. So, the disciples in your sect surely all practice flying sword arts, right?"
It was almost a meaningless question. Would the disciples of a sect whose name was 'Purple Pole Sword Sect' train themselves with the arts of rods and sticks?
Ling Lanyin, however, did not dare to show any derision in front of the old monster. She replied dutifully, "You're right, Master. The disciples of the Purple Pole Sword Sect are mostly focused on flying swords. Some of them use sabers and spears as their magical equipment, too. In general, all the weapons are regular ones. Few of them domesticate insects and beasts or forge flags as weapons like the Cultivators in the Southland of Sorcerers do.
"The Purple Pole Sword Sect has a hundred thousand disciples and five thousand empyreal swordsmen that are all top experts whose sword auras could reach the sky. There are also seven… six Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators. Their skills are even more incredible."
Ling Lanyin had almost said that there were seven Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators in the Purple Pole Sword Sect, but then she realized that 'Thunderous Straight Swordsman' Lou Chongxiao, one of the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, had already passed away. She could not help but feel depressed, and her tone became rather flat.
"Of them—"
Fearing that the old monster would underestimate her sect, she bit her lip and stressed, "My senior uncle Yan Liren has reached the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. He is so crazy about swords art that he is known as the 'Sword Maniac' by the Cultivators. He is one of the well-acknowledged 'Three Saints'. He can frighten a troop of a million soldiers with just himself and his sword!
"Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage, Yan Liren, the Sword Maniac…" Li Yao chewed on the name slowly. Putting it aside for a moment, he asked, "Alright, since the Purple Pole Sword Sect has a hundred thousand disciples and five thousand empyreal swordsmen, and you certainly have even more vassal families, where do your flying swords come from when there is such a high demand? Do you forge them yourselves, or do you purchase them elsewhere?"
"We forge them ourselves." It was not a secret, so Ling Lanyin replied truthfully, "The Purple Pole Sword Sect, as the best sword sect in the world, has a very high demand for swords and sabers. Many flying swords are declared to be total-losses on a daily basis just because of the disciples' training. How can we purchase them elsewhere?
"The Purple Pole Sword Sect boasts the 'Hundred Blade Mountain', which is an intersection of the mother lodes in the world. Thousands of rare materials are stored inside the mines. Countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures are excavated every year!
"Also, within the territory of the Purple Pole Sword Sect, there are nine springs that contain abundant spiritual energy and many amazing materials. With the spring water, and the undying, eccentric fire deep inside the Hundred Blade Mountain, we are able to forge unparalleled weapons!
"Furthermore, the Purple Pole Sword Sect has collected the notes of the predecessors for hundreds of years. Through the traces on the notes, we have excavated a lot of the relics that belonged to the great swordsmen of the past. We have retrieved many marvelous weapons of the ancient era. The experts in the Nascent Soul Stage often use those treasures as their weapons!"
Li Yao's eyes suddenly shone. "Therefore, the Purple Pole Sword Sect certainly boasts a very spacious place for refining, and you must have a reserve of many rarely-seen materials, right?"
Ling Lanyin nodded. "Y
es."
It was a fact that everybody knew. Ling Lanyin could not lie about that.
"Alright." Li Yao nodded and said straightforwardly, "There's no need for me to hide the truth from you. I have indeed experienced certain fortuitous incidents in the past few decades before I reached the level I'm at right now.
"As for exactly what the fortuitous incidents are, you don't need to know. It will do you no good if you know too much.
"Right now, I have grasped the most incredible arts, but I still need some convenient magical equipment and blades!"
Ling Lanyin's eyes glittered. She said in a hurry, "The Purple Pole Sword Sect has the best magical equipment and blades!"
Li Yao shook his hands and said, "The magical equipment I use is deeply connected with my essential techniques, and I have to forge them on my own. However, the Southland of Sorcerers is too far-flung with barely any resources. The metal materials here are particularly rare and of an astoundingly low quality. There are no appropriate springs, fire, and furnaces for refining, either!
"Since the Purple Pole Sword Sect has everything I need, I am wondering if I can rent a place for refining from the Purple Pole Sword Sect and borrow your springs, fire, metal resources, and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, which are needed for my magical equipment. Is this against your rules?"
So, that was on the old monster's mind. Ling Lanyin took a deep breath, and she replied in delight, "Absolutely not. We will all be honored by your presence!
"The flying swords produced by the Purple Pole Sword Sect are not just for the use of our disciples in the first place. Many of them are sold to other sects. Even several powerful troops of the court, including the imperial guards, mostly used the sabers and swords manufactured in the Purple Pole Sword Sect!
"Many high-level Cultivators think exactly the same as you do, Master. They are unwilling to utilize the magical equipment made by others, but their own sect is short of a place suitable for refining or certain critical materials. Then, it is not unusual for them to rent a place in the Purple Pole Sword Sect, buy the necessary materials, and build their own magical equipment!
