Bai Liche lifted his cup, continuing to ignore them as he took a sip. Only then did he cast an indifferent gaze at the expressionless and silent Zhou Yuan, and displayed a faint but arrogant smile.
“I’m here of course to point out a way for you guys to preserve your dignity.”
Chapter 502 Conditions
The originally harmonious atmosphere in the stone pavilion had become somewhat cold due to Baili Che’s sudden arrival, the Zhou Tai trio staring at the former with hostility.
Zhou Yuan’s expression remained unchanged as he glanced at Baili Che and calmly asked, “What do you mean?”
Baili Che put down his tea cup, looking at Zhou Yuan as he said, “Sword Cometh Peak can still protect you guys, but there’s a condition.”
His attitude was haughty, while a mocking smile hung from the corners of his lips, as if he was giving charity to the poor. This made anger flash on the faces of Zhou Tai and the rest.
“Tell me more.” Zhou Yuan appeared to be somewhat interested. Although Sword Cometh Peak’s protection was not within his considerations, he was interested to hear what the chief disciple of Sword Cometh Peak had to suggest.
Baili Che nonchalantly said, “I’ve heard that elder Shen has exercised his authority as substitute peak master to force elder Lu Hong’s faction back to Sword Cometh Peak. Heheh, elder Shen seems to be quite impatient. Does he really believe he’s already the peak master of Saint Genesis Peak?”
There was a sliver of mockery in his voice.
However, he did not wait for a reply. He waved his hand and stared at Zhou Yuan. “The first condition is for junior brother Zhou Yuan to have a little chat with elder Shen and get him to withdraw his previous command. After all, even if elder Lu Hong’s faction has not made any contributions, they have at least worked hard in Saint Genesis Peak for the past year. Isn’t it a little too cruel to burn this bridge so fast after Saint Genesis Peak has reopened?”
Zhou Tai, Lu Yan and Zhang Yan laughed in anger when they heard this. “What a nice way to put it. Lu Hong’s faction has caused only chaos in Saint Genesis Peak while they were here. Do you really believe they deserve such high praise?”
Baili Che swept an indifferent glance at them. “Who else can be blamed but yourselves for lacking strength? If you guys could be relied on, how could Lu Hong’s faction have even transferred in the first place?”
“You!” The Zhou Tai trio rose to their feet in anger.
Zhou Yuan stuck out his hand to stop them. Displaying anger in front of Baili Che would only make them appear petty. Hence, he smiled faintly and said, “The command was personally given by teacher Shen, how can it possibly be taken back so easily.”
“It may be impossible for others, but the same cannot be said for you.” Baili Che smiled playfully as he continued, “You’re basically the biggest benefactor of Saint Genesis Peak at the moment. If not for you, elder Shen would likely not be in control of Saint Genesis Peak.”
Zhou Yuan did not respond but instead asked, “You mentioned the first condition, so there’s a second one?”
“The second is much simpler…” Baili Che’s long fingers tapped the table as he said, “If you guys encounter any danger in the Genesis reservoir ceremony, my Sword Cometh Peak will move to aid you, but when it’s over, you’ll have to hand over fifty percent of your Genesis essence.”
Zhang Yan’s expression darkened as he angrily shouted, “Fifty percent?! You might as well be robbing us!”
Zhou Tai and Lu Yan glared at Baili Che. Fifty percent would essential mean that Saint Genesis Peak would be working for Sword Cometh Peak!
Sword Cometh Peak was being way too overbearing!
Baili Che leaned against the back of his seat in a relaxed manner. He paid no attention to the other three, merly smiling superficially as he stared at Zhou Yuan and said, “Junior brother Zhou Yuan, you’ve incurred the wrath of nearly everyone in my Sword Cometh Peak. If you do not agree to these conditions, even I cannot guarantee that I’ll be able to reign in some of the Sword Cometh Peak disciples. It won’t be good if they decide to cause trouble for you guys during the ceremony.”
Flames of anger surged in the eyes of the Zhou Tai trio. Baili Che was basically threatening them.
“There have always been conflicts during that ceremony, so no one will be able to raise any complaints. At times, adapting to the situation is the most logical choice.”
Baili Che softly chuckled. “Since junior brother Zhou Yuan is a smart individual, I believe you should know what’s the right choice to make, right?”
The Zhou Tai trio looked towards Zhou Yuan. He was after all the current chief disciple, and his decision would represent the numerous disciples of Saint Genesis Peak.
Zhou Yuan rubbed his warm tea cup, as a faint smile appeared on his face. He looked at the seemingly relaxed, yet arrogant looking Baili Che, as he extended a finger and gently moved it from side to side. “The first condition, I refuse.”
“As for the second, we won’t be handing over even ten percent.”
His response was direct.
The Zhou Tai trio breathed a faint sigh of relief. If Zhou Yuan had agreed, Saint Genesis Peak would become a laughing stock.
Baili Che continued to lean against the back of the chair, his playful expression unchanged. He was obviously not surprised by Zhou Yuan’s answer, as he dramatically sighed and said, “Junior brother Zhou Yuan is truly akin to a newborn calf that is unafraid of a tiger. Such courage is indeed rather admirable.”
He stood up and smiled. “Does this mean the discussion is over?”
Zhou Yuan raised his cup and pointed towards the outside. “Please, if there’s no need to in the future, senior brother Baili Che should minimise visits to Saint Genesis Peak. Our humble abode is far too shabby for a great god like you.”
Baili Che’s eyes narrowed. His body leaned slightly forward, invading Zhou Yuan’s personal space as he looked down at the latter from above and said, “Junior brother Zhou Yuan, although you’ve become the chief disciple of Saint Genesis Peak, do you really believe you have the qualifications to speak to me in such a manner?”
Boom!
The instant his final word rang out, a sharp and powerful wave of Genesis Qi violently erupted from his body, its strength causing the Zhou Tai trio to stagger backwards.
Zhou Yuan’s clothes also began to flap violently, however, jade light instantly rose from his skin, as silver light flashed within his body. His figure was akin to a mountain, towering majestically in the violent storm.
Crack!
The table between them was unable to withstand the Genesis Qi pressure as countless cracks rapidly appeared.
“Baili Che, this is Saint Genesis Peak, so don’t push your luck!” Yelled Zhou Tai, his complexion an angry green.
Baili Che softly chuckled as the terrifying Genesis Qi undulations receded. He had no intentions of picking a fight, and merely wanted to intimidate Zhou Yuan.
However, Zhou Yuan had remained untouched in the face of his Genesis Qi pressure, an observation that slightly surprised Baili Che. To have defeated Yuan Hong, this fellow did have some ability.
Zhou Yuan rubbed his palms together as he lifted his head and said, “Does senior brother Baili want to play a little?”
Baili Che looked deeply at Zhou Yuan. “No need to be so anxious, I’m sure we’ll have our chance. When the time comes, senior brother will let you know that there are rankings even amongst chief disciples.”
After finishing, he turned around and left the stone pavilion.
Zhou Yuan gazed upon the former’s back as he slowly said, “Senior brother Baili, go back and tell them that Sword Cometh Peak should not be too bossy, and Saint Genesis Peak will not be depending on anyone in the upcoming Genesis reservoir ceremony.”
“However, if Sword Cometh Peak is too overbearing, don’t forget that even a rabbit will bite when cornered. Who knows, Sword Cometh Peak may end up worse off than before.”
Baili Che’s footsteps paused, tilting his head backwards as a mocking angle rose from the corners of his lips.
“Since you know you’re a rabbit, wait obediently to be slaughtered. Trying to jump around and struggle will only annoy others…”
“Besides, do you really believe that the likes of you has the qualifications to make my Sword Cometh Peak suffer?”
With a soft chuckle, he disdainfully shook his head as he rose into the sky on his Genesis Qi.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous gleam flickering within them as he watched the former leave. Rather than coming here to discuss conditions, it had been more akin to declaring war.
Baili Che was clearly telling them that Sword Cometh Peak was in a bad mood, and was going to release their wrath on Saint Genesis Peak during the Genesis reservoir ceremony.
“Sword Cometh Peak…”
Zhou Yuan’s finger tapped the table, causing it to shatter and turn into dust as his gaze turned cold and deadly like a blade.
“If you want to play…”
“Do you genuinely think that I will be afraid?”
Chapter 503 Appeal for Aid
The cooling night enveloped the land like a layer of gauze.
When Yaoyao returned to the cave dwelling from Spirit Rune Peak, she saw a sumptuous meal laid on the stone table in the cave. With a glance, she discovered that they were all light dishes, which just so happened to be the ones she liked.
By the tableside, Zhou Yuan was smiling as he looked at her and politely said, “You’re back at last big sis Yaoyao. Quick, come and have a seat.”
Yaoyao cast a puzzled glance at him as she elegantly seated herself. “Suddenly fawning me for no reason, what do you want?”
An awkward expression was immediately revealed on Zhou Yuan’s face. “Come on, you make me sound so pragmatic.”
However, Yaoyao ignored him. She picked up a pair of chopsticks and casually sampled a dash. Her red lips gleamed a little, making her even more enchanting as a lazy voice sounded from her mouth, “So you’re really not going to ask for any favors?”
Zhou Yuan coughed softly and said, “Is big sis Yaoyao interested in the Genesis reservoir ceremony?”
Baili Che had come today to declare that Sword Cometh Peak was going to vent their frustrations on Saint Genesis Peak, and someone like Zhou Yuan was naturally not going to easily yield, or let them have their way.
Since both sides had burned the bridge between them, Sword Cometh Peak was definitely going to do something during the Genesis reservoir ceremony that would make life difficult for Saint Genesis Peak.
As the new chief disciple of Saint Genesis Peak, if Zhou Yuan failed to guarantee some benefits for the disciples in the ceremony, many of them would undoubtedly become very disappointed, and may even begin to have doubts about their new chief disciple.
Zhou Yuan naturally did not feel much attachment to the position of chief disciple, but this did not mean that he would allow Sword Cometh Peak to have their way.
Although Zhou Yuan was very unyielding, he had to face reality. Saint Genesis Peak was indeed too weak.
A mere two factions was not even a tenth other peaks.
Moreover, Saint Genesis Peak only had a single chief disciple to represent them, and no Chosen at all.
As such, their top tier power was extremely frail.
Hence, if Zhou Yuan did not wish for Saint Genesis Peak to perform too badly in the Genesis reservoir ceremony, he needed to bolster the forces on his side. After mulling over it, he came to the conclusion that there was no power that was more dependable than Yaoyao.
Although the base of their power was still too weak, as long as he could pull Yaoyao into the ceremony, he would no longer have to fear the other party’s Chosens, which would be a huge worry off his mind.
“So this is what it’s about.” Yaoyao seemed to smile as she glanced at Zhou Yuan.
The truth was that she had already heard wind of this in Spirit Rune Peak today. Everyone could clearly feel the resentment oozing from Sword Cometh Peak at this time, and yet Shen Taiyuan still chose to chase Lu Hong’s faction out of Saint Genesis Peak. This was undoubtedly akin to pouring oil into the fire.
The Genesis reservoir ceremony was essentially a competition between the various peaks. Thus, Sword Cometh Peak was sure to make good use of the opportunity to teach Saint Genesis Peak a painful lesson, and release some of the bitter feelings bottled up inside.
Even if peak master Ling Jun heard of this matter, though he would not openly show his support, he would definitely not chide them for it, which was basically a form of silent approval.
It was obvious that peak master Ling Jun was also angry due to the recent events.
Since the other peak masters had eaten up a portion of Sword Cometh Peak’s resources, they would naturally close one eye towards this matter. Hence, it would be very difficult for the allyless Saint Genesis Peak to escape being taught a lesson by Sword Cometh Peak.
Zhou Yuan nodded as he looked towards Yaoyao with expectant eyes.
Yaoyao merely continued slowly chewing her food. Soon after, a slight smile emerged on her face as she said, “I’m not very interested in the Genesis reservoir ceremony.”
Given her character, it was clear that she would prefer holing herself up in the Spirit Rune Hall or the cave dwelling to study Genesis Runes. As for the Genesis reservoir ceremony where the various peaks would be competing, it would certainly be a very chaotic and troublesome affair.
Zhou Yuan’s face turned rigid as a miserable look appeared. If Yaoyao did not wish to participate, it would really be quite a headache for him.
Yaoyao did not even look at Zhou Yuan as she continued to eat tiny mouthful after mouthful. A long while later, she finally put down her chopsticks in satisfaction and stood up, the corners of her lips curled a little, when she finally looked at the distressed Zhou Yuan.
“Although I’ve no interest in the Genesis reservoir ceremony, on account that you didn’t choose to move to a new cave dwelling previously, I will reluctantly make a trip down to the reservoir.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan’s head immediately snapped up in happiness. “Really?”
Yaoyao teased, “What choice do I have? If I don’t go, you’ll likely become all mopey after being bullied by those two Chosens from Sword Cometh Peak.”
Zhou Yuans’ face turned black. “Do you think I’m afraid of them?”
At such a time, he could not admit defeat even if he had to put up an act.
But his rationality told him that there was indeed a gap between his current self and the Chosens.
Yaoyao did not expose Zhou Yuan’s tough act. She slowly walked to the stream under the peach tree and sat down on the simple swing hanging from one of its branches. As she gently swayed back and forth, she said, “Even if I participate, I’ll only be able to deal with those two Chosens from Sword Cometh Peak. This will not be enough to make up for the weak base of Saint Genesis Peak, so the final outcome will still depend on your abilities.”
“At the very least… the chief disciple from Sword Cometh Peak will be a formidable adversary for you. To have fought his way through the many geniuses of Sword Cometh Peak and won the chief disciple position, Baili Che is no simple individual.”
Zhou Yuan nodded with a serious expression. Though he held no fondness towards Baili Che’s arrogant attitude, he had to admit that the latter possessed the qualifications to back it up. Although Yuan Hong used to be ranked quite high in Sword Cometh Peak, there was undoubtedly still a gap between him and Baili Che.
Therefore, in Baili Che’s view, a chief disciple like Zhou Yuan, who had won his position by defeating Yuan Hong, was not a huge threat.
“It’s a pity the Genesis reservoir is a body of water, or I will have been itching to try out the Earth Saint Rune.” Said Zhou Yuan in a regretful manner.
He had already given the Earth Saint Rune a spin over the past few days. It could absorb the Genesis Qi within
the earth to augment his physical abilities, a domineering, forceful and straightforward power.
However, the rune had its limits. It could only bring out its full capabilities with the right terrain.
In the Genesis reservoir which contained only a few small islands, the Earth Saint Rune’s power would be greatly diminished.
The extent of the Saint Rune’s powers were immeasurable, and limited only by their user. If Zhou Yuan grew stronger in the future, he may be able to overcome the problem of terrain, but at this current point in time, he was clearly far from being able to do so.
Without this powerful card, Zhou Yuan’s battle power was undoubtedly much weaker.
“Looks like you’ll have to think of some way to raise your strength during these next two months. Though Baili Che seems arrogant, he is no fool, and will definitely be well prepared for the Genesis reservoir ceremony.” Cautioned Yaoyao.
Zhou Yuan nodded. After some consideration, his mind sent out a thought, and a transparent jade bottle appeared in his hand. A golden glow shined from the bottle, as light seemed to flow within it.
It was the remnants of the golden sun that had been smashed to pieces by the divine grindstone brand during the trial.
Zhou Yuan did not recognize the contents in the bottle, and thus did not dare to absorb it. This was the perfect opportunity for him to let Yaoyao have a look.
Yaoyao received the bottle as surprise flashed across her face. She pondered for a brief moment, before she said, “This should be the rumored Spirit Refining Saliva, a strange but rare item that is a great supplement for the Spirit.”
“On the outside, a single drop can create a giant commotion. How did you manage to get so much of it…”
Joy faintly flashed across Zhou Yuan’s face. “Will it allow my Spirit to reach the advanced Corporeal stage?”
“Of course.” A small smile rose on Yaoyao’s face. “However, it’s extremely tyrannical in nature and needs to first be modulated before consumption. I will handle the process for you.”
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 272
