"This Song Fuli seems a bit off... Is it just my imagination?" Ning Zhuo thought darkly, maintaining a steady expression.
Song Fuli glanced at his movements from the corner of his eye, unnoticed by Ning Zhuo. Yet, Ning Zhuo's mind still rippled with subtle waves, sensing a mysterious oddity emanating from Song Fuli.
Song Fuli continued, addressing the two of them: "Our Cloud Merchant travels the world. Besides selling specialties from Flying Cloud Country, we also purchase a large number of local specialties wherever we go."
"Regarding this, I would like to cooperate with the two of you."
Song Fuli first looked at Ning Zhuo: "Young Master Ning, the mechanical Explosive Flame Monkeys you have personally researched and refined are of great interest to us."
"These mechanical monkeys are inexpensive, their movements gentle and precise, capable of undertaking dangerous tasks like picking fire persimmons."
"So, sending them into other hazardous environments to fetch rare flowers and herbs that ordinary people cannot reach is also feasible."
"I wonder if we have the opportunity to purchase some Explosive Flame Monkeys from you?"
Upon hearing this, Ning Zhuo immediately revealed a hint of joy.
He did not hesitate and directly nodded in agreement: "For me, this is undoubtedly a good thing! I am very pleased to be able to make this deal with Senior Song."
The two of them quickly decided on the scale and price of the transaction with just a few words.
After discussing the business, Song Fuli turned to Zhu Xuanji and said: "Lord Zhu, I am interested in purchasing the Night Rain Demon Soldier."
He naturally referred to the one held by Zheng Danlian.
"I am aware that you have very close relationships with the Zhou Family, the Zheng Family, and the Ning Family."
"Therefore, I would like to ask you to introduce me, as I wish to speak directly with the Golden Core Cultivator Zheng Danlian of the Zheng Family."
Zhu Xuanji thought for a moment and nodded slightly: "Okay."
Song Fuli smiled: "Here is a small token of my appreciation, which can serve as the introduction fee."
As Song Fuli spoke, he took out a storage bag and handed it to Zhu Xuanji.
However, Zhu Xuanji did not accept it. He shook his head slightly and said thoughtfully: "If you successfully conduct business with the Zheng Family, I will accept this fee. If not, then let it be."
After chatting for a while, Song Fuli and Zhu Xuanji left together, leaving Ning Zhuo to continue shopping in Cloud City.
The Zheng Family.
The cultivation secret room.
Zheng Danlian was gently wiping his mechanical sickle with a handkerchief.
In the dimly lit secret room, the sickle appeared as a piece of black iron, completely immersed in darkness, still and unyielding. It was hard to associate it with the fearsome power it had exhibited in the previous Golden Core battle.
Suddenly, the door of the secret room was knocked.
Zheng Shuanggou's voice promptly followed: "Brother, Zhu Xuanji is here with the leader of Cloud Merchant, Song Fuli, to visit you."
Zheng Danlian looked towards the door, his eyes bloodshot, a hint of irritability and resentment rising in his heart.
"Wait a moment, I will come out." Zheng Danlian's voice was somewhat hoarse as he suppressed his displeasure.
He stood up, carefully put away the mechanical sickle, and pushed the door open.
Soon after, he arrived at the reception hall.
Here, he met with Song Fuli and Zhu Xuanji.
Song Fuli straightforwardly stated his purpose: he intended to purchase the mechanical sickle from Zheng Danlian.
Zheng Danlian's brows immediately furrowed. His face showed a trace of anger: "What? You want to purchase my Night Rain Demon Soldier!"
Zheng Danlian glared at Song Fuli, then turned to Zhu Xuanji.
Clearly displeased, he said: "Lord Zhu, you brought Mr. Song here to buy my mechanical sickle; what do you mean by this?"
"Do you want me to get rid of this trouble quickly to deal with the upcoming difficulties from Taiqing Palace?"
"You must know that the current predicament of the Zheng Family is entirely due to following your orders and plans."
Zhu Xuanji showed a trace of guilt and hurriedly said a few words to placate him.
Song Fuli also echoed a few words.
However, Zheng Danlian interrupted him directly: "Not for sale! This is my mechanical sickle; no matter how high a price you offer, I won't sell it!"
Zheng Danlian resolutely refused, his mood growing increasingly restless, and his tone quite harsh.
Song Fuli did not mind, maintaining a gentle smile: "Well then, Brother Zheng, would you listen to our offer?"
He then stated a high price.
This price truly demonstrated his sincerity in this purchase!
Even Zheng Shuanggou, standing by the side, could not help but be secretly tempted.
But Zheng Danlian remained steadfast, shaking his head repeatedly: "I said no sale means no sale!"
Song Fuli continued: "Then let me propose another way of purchasing."
"If you could sell this Night Rain Demon Soldier, we would mediate the conflict between the Zheng Family and Taiqing Palace, possibly solving your current predicament."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Shuanggou showed an interested expression: "Mr. Song, please elaborate."
Song Fuli explained: "You must know, I am merely an intermediary. The actual buyers of the Night Rain Demon Soldier are powerful cultivators."
"These individuals are all at the Transforming Spirit or Cultivating the Void level."
"If I report this situation in detail, perhaps they might step in to mediate."
"Many matters are a monumental burden to us, but to those mighty beings, they might be resolved with just a word."
The hall fell into silence.
Zheng Danlian sneered: "If not for the Golden Core True Disciple of Taiqing Palace disguising himself as a demon path cultivator, would I have killed him so decisively?"
"To handle it this way, asking me to abandon the weapon my family painstakingly crafted over many years!"
"And then to compromise with Taiqing Palace through some powerful cultivator."
"What do our previous efforts count for then?"
"The death of the Golden Core True Disciple, does the Zheng Family bear all the responsibility?"
"Isn't it his own fault?"
"Yet now, it's us, righteous cultivators who slay demons and monsters, who must pay the price. Is this the righteous path's logic?"
A string of questions made the silence in the hall even heavier.
Seeing no one respond, Zheng Danlian stood up, waved his sleeve, and sneered: "Talking more when opinions differ is pointless, see the guest out!"
With that, he left the room.
He returned alone to the cultivation secret room, continuing to take out and wipe the mechanical sickle.
Zheng Shuanggou, with an awkward expression, escorted Zhu Xuanji and Song Fuli to the door.
He bowed and apologized, making excuses for Zheng Danlian: "After this incident, my brother has been deeply aggrieved."
"Honestly, I understand him very well."
"Eight years ago, after obtaining the incomplete Night Rain Demon Soldier and its mechanical diagram, he dedicated himself to crafting this weapon."
"He worked tirelessly for eight years, investing a lot of time and effort, finally succeeding in recent days when the time was ripe."
"How could it merely be a mechanical weapon?! More accurately, it's the result of his eight years of hard work."
"Now asking to buy his hard work, especially for such reasons, it's indeed hard for him to accept quickly."
Song Fuli quickly expressed understanding, also indicating that his purchase request remained valid. If Zheng Danlian ever reconsidered, he could contact him immediately.
Song Fuli left first.
Zhu Xuanji remained to speak privately with Zheng Shuanggou.
Zhu Xuanji sighed deeply and spoke frankly: "I have already sent a letter to the royal family."
"To be honest, given the current situation, I cannot make decisions alone. It's not just my willingness to protect you that guarantees your safety."
"This situation is something you and your brother understand as well."
"If, and I say if, the letter from the royal family brings bad results."
"I believe, Mr. Song Fuli and his Cloud Merchant may still be a viable path for the Zheng Family to pursue."
"That is the reason I made the introduction."
Zheng Shuanggou nodded repeatedly, bowing to Zhu Xuanji: "Your sincere intentions are clear to me, thank you very much."
Zhu Xuanji showed a guilty expression, gently nodding before turning to leave.
In the cultivation secret room.
Zheng Danlian had been wiping the mechanical demon soldier for a long time.
He reached out and gently stroked the Night Rain Demon Soldier, his face showing affection and obsession.
His eyes were bloodshot.
The blood vessels in his eyes grew denser, eventually forming a red glow that lingered in his pupils.
"By the way." Zhu Xuanji, who was about to leave, stopped and turned back.
"If Daoist Zheng Danlian remains unwilling to part with this demon soldier, and the royal family refuses to intervene..."
"Perhaps I can still help you."
"I want to ask, how did you come by information about this demon soldier?"
Zheng Shuanggou thought and then told Zhu Xuanji: "About eight years ago, my brother killed a Foundation Establishment Cultivator when he entered the Immortal Palace."
"At that time, this Foundation Establishment Cultivator, wielding a mechanical sickle, went berserk, attacking innocent cultivators madly."
"My brother couldn't stand it, upheld justice, and killed him on the spot, thus obtaining the damaged mechanical demon soldier and a complete mechanical diagram."
Zhu Xuanji nodded and requested to borrow the mechanical diagram.
Zheng Shuanggou nodded: "This diagram was made public when we refined the mechanical black snake. We have made many copies; it's fine for Lord Zhu to borrow it now."
Zheng Shuanggou immediately ordered someone to retrieve the diagram from the family vault.
Zhu Xuanji asked: "Besides this mechanical diagram, is there anything else?"
"I have mastered the Trace Back Technique; the more related objects, the better."
"Perhaps I can trace something back."
Zheng Shuanggou shook his head: "It has been eight years. Even if there were something left at that time, it wouldn't remain now."