Chapter 174: Negotiations [PART 1]
Meiling burst into the hall, her robes fluttering from her hasty arrival. "Sect Master, something happened!" she exclaimed, struggling to catch her breath. She hadn’t even used the flying boat to travel—instead, she’d pushed her Golden Core cultivation to its limits, flying at maximum speed. Fortunately, the formation provided by the Azure Cloud Sect’s Grand Elder had protected Xiuying from the high speeds.
Wang Jian glanced up at Meiling, then shifted his attention back to Liu Feng, who sat poised on the throne. "Why are you causing such a ruckus in front of Young Master Feng?" he reprimanded, his tone laden with disapproval.
"It’s okay," Liu Feng interjected, waving his hand in a magnanimous gesture.
"What is it?" Wang Jian asked, his annoyance barely concealed.
Meiling approached with urgent steps, leaning close to whisper in her sect master’s ear. As she spoke, Wang Jian’s expression transformed dramatically, shifting from irritation to unfiltered shock.
"Is this true?" he questioned, his voice hushed yet intense.
Meiling nodded firmly.
Wang Jian turned to his honored guest with an apologetic bow. "Young Master, something unexpected has arisen. I’m afraid I won’t be able to entertain you any longer," he explained. "I’ll ask the other elders to attend to your needs in my absence. I hope the Young Master doesn’t take offense to this."
"It’s alright. I understand," Liu Feng responded smoothly. As a Golden Core cultivator, he was easily able to overhear their whispered exchange. This was mostly because they did not attempt to conceal it.
The information intrigued him greatly. If what he’d heard was accurate, the Azure Cloud Sect’s Grand Elder possessed extraordinary talent. Someone capable of stabilizing the Winter Curse Saint Body, even temporarily, could certainly be recruited by one of the Central Continent’s Holy Lands.
He turned his attention to Meiling. "Did you gather any information on what I was searching for?" he inquired.
Meiling’s mind flashed back to Xiang Yu using that peculiar dark flame while cooking. But she shook her head decisively. "Nothing," she replied, her face betraying nothing.
"Is that so?" Liu Feng studied her carefully.
"That’s right," Meiling affirmed, maintaining her composure.
"Okay," Liu Feng accepted her answer, seemingly satisfied. Then, after a pause, he added, "May I join you? I haven’t explored much of the Eastern Region. This could be an excellent opportunity to see more of the world."
Wang Jian hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the suggestion. "Young Master, this matter concerns my daughter, so I’ll be traveling at maximum speed. I don’t think I..." he began, only to be interrupted as Liu Feng retrieved something from his spatial ring.
The young cultivator donned what appeared to be an ancient set of armor, its surface shimmering with patterns that pulsed with power.
"That is..." Wang Jian gasped, his words failing him at the sight.
"Divine treasure?" Meiling completed his thought, equally astonished.
Liu Feng smiled modestly. "Sadly no. It’s merely a pseudo-divine treasure," he clarified, as if discussing an ordinary object rather than an artifact of immeasurable value.
The two Golden Edge cultivators exchanged glances of amazement. As expected of someone from the Central Continent—even such a precious item could be casually provided to a young master. The wealth disparity between their regions was truly staggering.
Wang Jian’s expression shifted to one of appreciation. "Since the Young Master is adequately prepared, we can depart together," he agreed, waving his hand to create a protective bubble of air around Liu Feng. With ease, he drew the young master toward him.
Turning to Meiling, he issued a final instruction, "Inform the others that I’ve left," before launching skyward with Liu Feng.
In less than a heartbeat, both figures had vanished completely from sight, leaving no trace of their passage through the air.
"The Soul Formation realm truly exists in a different world," Meiling thought to herself, marveling at the sect master’s inconceivable speed. Even her Golden Core perception couldn’t track his movement.
Her contemplation was interrupted as the hall doors burst open once more. Xiuying rushed in, her face flushed with urgency. "Xiuying, why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to stay put?" Meiling chided, her brows furrowing with concern.
"Where is father?" the girl demanded, her eyes darting around the empty hall.
"He left just now. You just missed him," Meiling explained.
Xiuying’s expression crumpled, disappointment washing over her features. "You lied to me," she accused, her voice carrying genuine hurt.
Meiling embraced her gently, regret mixing with certainty that she’d made the right decision. "I’m sorry," she said. It had all been for Xiuying’s own good. The girl had apparently abandoned her resolve to become stronger and confront Li Yao directly, instead seeking to have her father intervene and claim Xiang Yu for her. How could Meiling allow her to jeopardize the precious alliance forming between their sects?
"Xiuying," she said softly, "a forcibly plucked melon is not sweet."
"What if I still want it?" Xiuying replied, her response startling in its directness.
Meiling pulled back, taken aback by this unexpected determination. When had this girl become so willful? "Do you want him to look down on you?" she asked, appealing to Xiuying’s pride.
The question gave Xiuying pause. After a moment of consideration, she shook her head reluctantly.
"Then you should work even harder. Don’t make others do it for you," Meiling advised gently but firmly.
Xiuying nodded. She turned and left the hall.
"Finally convinced her," Meiling thought with relief. Still, she couldn’t dismiss the lingering concern that something was definitely unusual about Xiang Yu. While he had created a medicine that temporarily stabilized Xiuying’s condition and possessed a certain handsome charm, neither factor adequately explained the girl’s rapid and intense attachment.
She recalled Xiuying mentioning that Xiang Yu smelled strange, though Meiling herself had detected nothing unusual despite her enhanced Golden Core senses. There was definitely something strange going on here. She resolved to investigate further...
...
Wang Jian stood before the sect barrier, his expression betraying rare astonishment. Despite Meiling’s detailed description, witnessing the formation firsthand left him genuinely shocked. How could such a minor sect possess a formation of this complexity? Even with his Soul Formation cultivation, breaching these defenses would require a little effort.
Beside him, Liu Feng’s eyes narrowed appreciatively. Though the Holy Lands of the Central Continent boasted far more powerful protective arrays, he couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship evident in this formation.
It bore the unmistakable hallmarks of a genuine master—each pattern meticulously arranged, every energy flow precisely calibrated. Most notably, the formation appeared newly established, perhaps only days old. This wasn’t some ancient inheritance passed down through generations but a recent creation, further confirming the presence of a remarkable talent within the Azure Cloud Sect.
After several moments of waiting, the barrier shimmered and parted, creating an entrance large enough for their passage. Curiously, no greeter emerged to welcome them. This was a breach of common courtesy but Wang Jian attributed it to the inexperience of a lesser sect. Perhaps they sought to appear put on airs when confronted with a powerhouse like the Golden Edge Sect. Such posturing was understandable, if somewhat presumptuous.
This assumption evaporated the instant he stepped through the barrier though. Six distinct divine senses locked onto him simultaneously. He felt his own divine sense shrink sharply in response, though not entirely suppressed.
Looking up, Wang Jian found himself confronted by six figures arranged in a perfect formation. Though humanoid in appearance, the beings radiated an unmistakable world energy. Streams of pure elemental energy circulated around them.
"Spirits?" he questioned aloud.
One figure stepped forward. It was Li Yao, though not as Meiling had described her. She had assumed her spirit form—a mature, commanding presence whose beauty carried an intimidating edge. The Empress had advised her to stay in this transformation during official meetings, explaining that others would take her more seriously in this appearance.
"We welcome Sect Master Wang Jian," she announced, her voice neither subservient nor overbearing. "Our sect is just a small one and might not be able to properly entertain the Sect Master. We hope he doesn’t find fault with us."
Wang Jian’s lips twitched involuntarily. Small? What about this could possibly be considered small?
...
Author’s Corner
Fun fact, my pen name was originally mkonic but I changed it to MrKonic because it sounds more mature and thus people are more likely to take me seriously. I don’t think it worked but...