Chapter 738: Section 526: Ice House City
The closer one approached the center of Ice Sculpture Island, the colder the weather became.
The capital of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom was located in the coldest area of Ice Sculpture Island.
However, the cold did not mean barrenness. On the contrary, due to the rich concentration of Frost Elements, a massive amount of special resources were buried. This was also the reason why the immigrants from the Frost Continent initially chose the capital city’s location as their first settlement when they came to Ice Sculpture Island.
The capital was not only the geographical center of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom but also the center of power.
From a high altitude, with the capital as the center, the Royal Family, the Alchemy Guild, various sects, and other forces intertwined, weaving a net of influence that covered the entire Ice Sculpture Island and extended its influence to the surrounding seas and islands.
In this vast web of power, the Lijian family was definitely a huge node.
As a transcendent family at the top of the kingdom, their power was immense; the kingdom’s second navy had almost become the Lijian family’s private military. Even the Royal Family found it difficult to intervene.
The main city of the Lijian family, called Ice House City, was located in the heartland of the kingdom, only thousands of miles away from the capital.
This was a vast icefield.
It snowed year-round, with blizzards occurring five days a week.
There were no mountains on the icefield, and from afar, the most noticeable structures were the buildings of Ice House City.
These towering buildings were arranged in neat rows, and because of the constant snowfall, flat roofs were susceptible to collapse under the snow, thus almost all buildings in Ice House City had domed designs.
Snow Elves belonged to the Elf species, and this intelligent race naturally had art and magic flowing in their blood.
Therefore, in Ice House City, the circular rooftops, arched gateways, and petal-shaped city layout became the foundation of architectural beauty.
In the vast white snow, pale blue and dark blue ice bricks were the main colors of the city, complemented by the green and yellow needle trees, mosses, and other vegetation unique to the icefield, creating a wonderful mosaic of colors.
And in the city, pedestrians on the streets and life in various corners, like a stream of water, blended the beauty of architecture and colors together.
Zi Di, looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows, was irresistibly drawn to admire the exotic beauty of the streets.
The originally cold and harsh environment was greatly alleviated by the soft and beautiful architectural lines. The vitality emitted by the vegetation and pedestrians adorned the white and blue city.
Zi Di understood well: the Lijian family had ample financial resources to create more greenery, but they chose not to. It seemed intentional. However, the sparseness of life made it seem particularly precious.
Beside her, sitting on a wide-backed chair, was Zong Ge.
Zong Ge scanned the furnishings in this study, guessing which were alchemy tools and evaluating the defensive capabilities of the study. And in his mind, he constantly speculated: if a conflict arose, would they choose to jump through the window or break the door?
Zong Ge was an excellent commander, with a natural instinct for battle inherent in his bones.
He liked to observe the battlefield and imagine various scenarios to plan tactics.
However, the study was quite simple, with few facilities. Judging from the aura, there were only two or three extraordinary items.
One must know, this was the study of the Lijian family’s Clan Leader; it was unexpectedly plain.
Zong Ge harbored a faint suspicion and a vague sense of pressure that followed.
He was very tempted to use a reconnaissance combat skill to get a clear view. But considering that he and Zi Di had come here asking for favor, he couldn’t afford such a rash action.
Since receiving the letter from Sanda, Zi Di and Zong Ge had immediately changed their itinerary from Frost Flower City to Ice House City.
This was the stronghold of the Lijian family.
It was unclear whether it was because of the renown of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps or a partnership that had been formed with the Lijian family, but Zi Di and Zong Ge received high-standard treatment.
Furthermore, they were directly granted an audience with the contemporary Clan Leader, Mian licang.
This was undoubtedly a good beginning.
According to the timing of the Prophecy, Zi Di and Zong Ge were led into Mian licang’s study to await his arrival.
"Do you know?"
"There was a time when Ice House City was filled with the sounds of birds and fragrance of flowers, opulent and splendid, and not just with icefield vegetation but also many greenhouse flowers were transferred here. Back then, artificial hot springs could be found everywhere, the water tinkling as it flowed, the city’s temperature was pleasant, and the fruits on the trees could be plucked and tasted, always at their sweetest moment."
"In the hundred years following that period, my family declined, the descendants were weak, and the family atmosphere was poor, even facing the danger of extinction at one point."
"After reflecting deeply on the pain, that generation’s Clan Leader voluntarily resigned, and the new Clan Leader, leading all our people, strived to improve, bringing in renowned teachers to educate our young ones, focusing resources on where they were most needed instead of on lavish city decor. Ultimately, our family motto was changed."
"Now, our motto is—’Conceal wealth in the void, stand strong against the snow and wind!’"
Zi Di, hearing the voice, was startled and quickly turned around.
The next moment, she saw a handsome Snow Elf. He was a middle-aged man with a face full of kind smiles, yet his deep eyes revealed his profound thoughts.
"Mian licang..."
Zi Di quickly flashed through the information about the person.
His style was gentle on the outside but tough on the inside. On the surface, he appeared soft and weak, but if anyone thought he was frail and could be bullied, they were sorely mistaken. Once he truly took action, he was often incisive and even deadly. Indeed, he was a person with deep schemes and ruthless methods.
He had reached the Extraordinary Level of Gold, specializing in magic, and had outstanding achievements in space and summoning.
The Inner World bloodline was exactly like this, with a significant advantage in space matters.
The Lijian family, under his leadership, was even more prosperous than the previous head.
He was very fond of recruiting external talents. For instance, Sanda, the time Mage from the second Navy fleet, had been personally approached and recruited by Mian licang.
He had also tried to recruit Yunzhong, but the latter was not really interested in joining any forces and politely declined.
Although Mian licang was rejected, he did not take it to heart and repeatedly attempted recruitments. The terms he offered continually increased, creating envy in others.
Yunzhong really was not interested and found it bothersome. But since it’s hard to rebuff someone who approaches with a smile, Yunzhong had no choice but to keep avoiding him. Mian licang’s visits often missed him, but his enthusiasm never waned.
Some people ridiculed him, but the truly wise knew that this was a sophisticated political show staged by Mian licang using Yunzhong.
In this show, Mian licang profoundly demonstrated his unique desire to attract and absorb foreign talents.
If Yunzhong agreed to join him, the Lijian family would gain another Gold Level member, increasing their strength.
If Yunzhong did not agree, he still served as a useful tool, spreading Mian licang’s reputation for loving talent far and wide, making a very strong impression on the public.
"He is an excellent Clan Leader, an outstanding politician!" Zi Di evaluated in her heart, paying her full attention.
She greeted Mian licang with a bow.
Although Zong Ge had been promoted to Gold, he still appeared as a Silver Level, so he also stood up to greet him proactively.
The door to the study was not opened; Mian licang appeared quietly using his space ability.
Instead of sitting behind the desk, he took the initiative to take out the vessels from the side cabinet and gently asked Zi Di and Zong Ge, "Tea or wine?"
As a Mage, Zi Di immediately replied, "Drinking tea is best."
Mian licang then personally prepared the tea, taking out the cups and carrying them over to the coffee table in front of the guest seats.
He picked up a low stool, sat down beside the coffee table, and actually started to brew the tea himself.
Mian licang was all smiles, devoid of any airs characteristic of the Clan Leader of the Lijian family.
However, Zi Di, sitting beside him on his left, felt considerable pressure.
Everything about Mian licang’s entrance and his words were intentional.
The business negotiation had begun from the moment Mian licang appeared.
According to the previous arrangement, Zi Di was of course the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ main negotiator.
As for Zong Ge, he knew he was not good at this, despite his impressive performance in a previous negotiation at the Axe Gang’s station due to his insight into battle situations and his intuition for combat, which allowed him to excel in other aspects.
For Zong Ge to replicate his past performance, a lot of observation was a prerequisite.
Previously at the Axe Gang’s station, Zong Ge had been silent, making his observations, capturing the opportune moment before speaking up.
Zi Di was the main force, Zong Ge the surprise weapon.
This was the strategy of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
The three of them sat around the coffee table and began drinking tea.
Mian licang explained as he smiled, describing where the Silver Level tea was produced and its benefits.
Zi Di took a sip of the hot tea and first exclaimed how delightful it felt to sip hot tea in cold weather, then followed Mian licang’s topic, talking about other types of tea she knew and comparing them to the tea they were currently drinking.
Zi Di had grown up learning from her father and later, as a Mage at the academy, had gained even more knowledge. After taking charge of the ruined Purple Vine Chamber of Commerce, tea had become a significant category of goods, about which she knew much.
Thus, the topics Zi Di brought up about "tea" also piqued Mian licang’s curiosity, prompting him to ask questions.
Zong Ge, observing for a long time, initially felt some impatience.
Because the two had been chatting for a long time, refilling their cups twice with water, all while making idle conversation without addressing the real topics.
But later, Zong Ge realized that this idle chat was actually part of the contest.
Both parties wanted to showcase their patience, and whoever first brought up the actual issue would lose the upper hand.
Zong Ge grew worried, knowing that the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was the more anxious party. They were attacked by a mysterious force, an important piece of information that the Lijian family must have known.
His and Zi Di’s hurried visit to Frost Flower City to meet the Lijian family openly declared their motives and purposes, which were easy to guess.
The Clan Leader of the Lijian family obviously understood this and thus sat back, in no hurry at all.
Zi Di was not unhurried, but she couldn’t afford to show any urgency, as it would put her at a disadvantage in the upcoming real negotiations.
Despite her young age, however, her experience in negotiations was quite extensive.
Facing an opponent like Mian licang and the current unfavorable circumstances, she had already figured out the correct strategies to handle them.