Chapter 175: Negotiations [PART 2]
Wang Jian sipped from his cup of tea, raising his gaze to survey the arrangement before him. At the front sat two figures, the Grand Elder, and Sect Master. Both facing him directly. Wang Jian occupied the opposite side with Liu Feng beside him, while the five elemental spirits were positioned along the middle with two on one side and three on the other.
He studied Li Yao and Xiang Yu carefully. Wang Jian had anticipated a quick negotiation, perhaps even using a touch of intimidation to secure favorable terms. Now, that strategy seemed laughably naive. It seemed he wasn’t the one with the advantage here.
A sigh escaped his lips as his gaze drifted to the elemental spirits. Just the five spirits alone were powerful enough to give him trouble. But even more concerning were the two young leaders themselves. Though they appeared relatively young, something about them unsettled him deeply.
Li Yao presented a more mature appearance than Meiling had described. He assumed she was using some sort of transformation technique. This belief was solidified by the unmistakable world energy radiating from her form. It seemed that she had become a spirit. That explained why the other spirits followed her despite not usually associating with humans. Wang Jian had never heard of a human being acknowledged as a spirit before.
Despite the overwhelming aura surrounding her, he couldn’t detect any conventional cultivation signature, making her all the more mysterious.
As for the so-called Grand Elder, Xiang Yu was even more perplexing. Not a sliver of aura emanated from him, yet Wang Jian’s experienced eyes could discern his extraordinary body cultivation—at least the seventeenth layer.
Liu Feng, seated beside Wang Jian, conducted his own assessment of the pair. He was genuinely shocked. These two belonged to his generation, yet they already commanded a sect. Though the Azure Cloud Sect might be considered minor in the grand scheme, its leaders were anything but.
"Those young masters in the Central Continent who pride themselves as geniuses," he thought, "how would they react confronting such monsters?" Only the most exceptional talents from the Holy Lands could possibly measure up to these two.
His attention lingered on Xiang Yu, noting the strange scent that seemed to emanate from him. As this thought formed, a sudden chill raced down Liu Feng’s spine. The world around him seemed to contract, squeezing inward with crushing pressure.
"Sect Master, what is the meaning of this?" Wang Jian’s voice cut through as he swiftly rose to stand protectively before Liu Feng.
The pressure dissipated instantly, and Liu Feng drew a desperate breath. "I almost died!" he thought in shock.
"Tch." Li Yao clicked her tongue dismissively. "I was careless. My apologies," she offered with a smile.
In her mind, Li Yao reproached herself for a critical oversight. She had diligently ensured no women in the sect approached her senior brother, but had forgotten that men could pose an equal danger. The way Liu Feng had looked at her senior brother, he was definitely a threat.
...
Wang Jian used voice transmission, the words flowing directly into Liu Feng’s mind. "~The sect master really loves her senior brother. Please refrain from looking at him like that." He remembered Meiling saying something about this, though he hadn’t expected it to be to such a level. She seemed willing to risk open warfare with his sect over a mere glance. This level of devotion bordered on the irrational.
Liu Feng nodded subtly, still shaken by the sudden spiritual pressure that had nearly crushed him moments before. A thread of confusion ran through his mind—he had merely glanced in Xiang Yu’s direction, much as Wang Jian himself had done. Was his expression really that strange?
"It’s no problem. As long as it doesn’t happen again," Wang Jian said. He then offered a smile, attempting to smooth over the tension. "Sect Master, let me introduce you to each other. You’re both geniuses of the same generation and should get along."
With a gesture toward his companion, he continued, "This is Liu Feng, he’s a genius from the Celestial Ascension Holy Land of the Central Continent." He said with pride.
"Is that so?" Li Yao replied flatly, her tone betraying not the slightest hint of interest or impression.
Wang Jian smiled nervously. Had the Central Continent’s prestige somehow diminished without his knowledge? Most cultivators, even powerful ones, reacted with excitement at the mere mention of Central Continent connections. How could she be so indifferent?
Liu Feng, having regained his composure, rose to his feet with a practiced smile that masked his thoughts. "I was rude to the Sect Master. I apologize," he offered with a formal bow.
Even Wang Jian couldn’t conceal his surprise at this gesture. Holy Land young masters rarely apologized to anyone, let alone leaders of minor sects from a peripheral region.
Behind his courteous facade, Liu Feng’s thoughts raced. This young woman was clearly unhinged, yet possessed monstrous talent that couldn’t be ignored. Better to placate her than risk becoming her target—the murderous intent he’d glimpsed in her eyes had been all too real.
"Although we are both of the same generation, the Sect Master and the Grand Elder are really impressive. I’m ashamed to be of the same generation as you two," Liu Feng continued smoothly, building upon his strategy of flattery.
"I’ve heard rumors that the Sect Master and the Grand Elder are a couple. Is that true?"
Wang Jian shot him a glance, wondering why he was talking about this again. Hadn’t his warning registered at all?
"That’s right, is there a problem?" Li Yao asked impatiently.
"Yes, so many of them. How could the Grand Elder and the Sect Master be in a relationship?" Liu Feng thought, but he didn’t dare speak it aloud.
Instead, his smile widened as he pivoted to shameless flattery. "The Grand Elder is a genius in alchemy and you are a genius in cultivation. You two are a perfect couple."
From his seat, Xiang Yu observed the exchange with a knowing smile. Such an obvious ploy would never work on someone of Li Yao’s caliber. It was almost laughable how transparent—
"You really think so?" Li Yao asked, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.
"Nani?" Xiang Yu nearly choked on his drink, but he quickly composed himself. He’d momentarily forgotten Li Yao’s peculiar combination of overwhelming power and surprising naivety in certain matters.
"Of course," Liu Feng affirmed, internally congratulating himself. This sort of person was easy to handle. There was no need to antagonize her, he just needed to show her that he was on her side.
Wang Jian observed the exchange with admiration. Unlike most young masters he’d encountered, Liu Feng possessed genuine social acumen. This was quite rare among the privileged elite of the cultivation world. He thought to himself that Liu Feng would definitely make it in the cultivation world.
Reclaiming his seat, Wang Jian cleared his throat. "Can we discuss the official matters now?" The concern for his daughter weighed heavily on his mind while these two continued their exchange of pleasantries. Still, he felt relief that the initial misunderstanding had been resolved. He didn’t want this small problem to jeopardize his daughter’s