Chapter 639: Threaten (2)
Zhu Tiandao beamed and said, "It's not a matter of money. How about this? We don't need money. But Su Yu loves researching all sorts of topics. And Great Qin has plenty of what he needs most. Just provide him with some divine and devil blood essence. Tens of thousands of drops will do. We accept Skysoar, Cloudbreach, and Mountainsea blood essence. If you can provide this, getting the fusion art won't be an issue."
Qin Zhen said nothing. He merely stared at Zhu Tiandao. He did not release his aura. He did not make any threats. He merely stared silently.
After a while, Zhu Tiandao coughed awkwardly and said, "Fine, fine, that's too much. How about we reduce that number to a few thousand drops of blood essence?"
Qin Zhen said, "I'll talk to Su Yu. You're too greedy. It's not like the fusion art is yours."
"But I'm his agent." Zhu Tiandao said, "In the past, you needed to look for the Xia Family for his stuff. Now that Su Yu is here in Great Ming, I'm his new agent. He gave me the full rights to negotiate all sales. He's too busy researching a new aperture fusion art."
Zhu Tiandao lamented, "That is such an amazing kid. I don't know how that brain of his works. If he really manages to create an aperture fusion art, everything will change. Then again, that won't happen anytime soon. But there is something else he is releasing soon.
"A cultivation method created to work alongside the Double Wu Acupoint Fusion Art. At least 27 of its acupoints overlap with the fusion art. And that is only the yellow-grade version. They are trying to produce a profound-grade version as well. With that version, it will have 36 overlaps. Tsk tsk. Just imagine how impressive it would be upon completion."
Qin Zhen looked at the others in the room and said, "Are all other cultural researchers garbage? Why has nobody created all these cultivation methods all these years? Why is Su Yu creating all these cultivation methods so easily?"
Qin Zhen didn't give anyone the chance to say anything. He coldly said, "Don't even dare to talk about warriors. A majority of the active warriors are fighting on the frontlines. If we need to start researching as well, what's even the point of having cultural researchers around?"
"Each year, all the cultural research academies exhaust a large amount of resources while warriors are forced to stay frugal on the frontlines just to provide the cultural researchers with what they need. Apart from providing a small number of cultural researchers to the military each year, is there nothing else you can do?"
There really weren't a lot of cultural researchers on the frontlines. Even a powerful prefecture like Great Xia had less than ten thousand cultural researchers in the Allheaven Battlefield. Meanwhile, there were millions of warriors there. The difference between the two was too big.
Qin Zhen snorted and said, "Instead of doing your job, you guys create drama all day long. I personally think that if cultural researchers continue stagnating, we might be better off shutting down the cultural research academies for wasting our money."
"Old Qin, it's not that serious..." Someone smiled and said, "You can't blame us for this. Be honest with yourself. We have still contributed a lot to humanity. Pills, talismans, tamed beasts...all those are our contributions. Great Qin's Ironhawk Army is known for its combat prowess. But without beast tamers, would that army be so strong?"
"That's right. Old Qin, don't lump all cultural researchers together."
"Yeah. Where did all your pills and talismans come from? The sky?"
Qin Zhen showed no reaction. He said, "Let's move on from this topic. Back when the multiple character faction was big, they were constantly seen on the battlefield. But now, fewer and fewer cultural researchers can be seen on the battlefield. This is especially true for those from the single character faction. Even those they sent to the battlefield were not very impressive in terms of strength. If this continues, cultural researchers will be reduced to mere helpers and supporters."
Someone helplessly said, "We know that, but Old Qin, don't act dumb. The multiple character faction members will be targeted the moment they appear on the battlefield. Over the years, a lot of them have perished. And not all these deaths were caused by the single character faction. You know this, right?"
Qin Zhen sneered and said, "Yes, I know. But there is no need to be afraid. The divines and devils will lose a lot each time they try to kill someone from the multiple character faction.
"You guys should consider nurturing more multiple character faction cultivators and use them as bait. This will work very well. You will be able to catch a big fish without much effort. We once fished out several Sunmoons with only one multiple character faction member."
The others were left speechless. Great Qin was filled with lunatics who were not afraid of death. But that was not the case for the other prefectures. The multiple character faction would not agree to this.
Sure, they would be able to catch some whales with multiple character faction members as bait, but the geniuses of the multiple character faction would be the ones dying. That was probably how most multiple character faction members in Great Qin had perished. Unlike those from the other prefectures, those in Great Qin had nobody to blame except themselves.
Zhu Tiandao was uninterested in all that. He said, "Everyone, none of that is related to me. Let's move on. Which family is running the Knowledge Seeking Realm currently? What the hell are they doing? Why is someone like Yuan Qingdong sent to Great Xia?"
"Old Zhu. You're slacking too much. Are you not aware of this?" Someone laughed and said, "The Knowledge Seeking Realm is currently jointly run by the eight families. They will all vote on the decisions they make. The Zhou, Yuan, Zheng, and the other families are running things together. Don't tell me that you don't even know about this?"
"I had no idea." Zhu Tiandao smiled, "I was too lazy to get involved with the Knowledge Seeking Realm. We have never interfered with each other in the past. Too bad my elder brother is dead. Otherwise, he could be the one running Great Ming while I entered the Knowledge Seeking Realm to be a realm lord."
"You guys are slacking too much. If you can't go, just send your son over. No matter what, you need to get someone from your side there." Someone else said, "Great Xia is the birthplace of the multiple character faction. We all know what's going on. A few families do not wish to see the revival of that faction. Thus, the suppression on Great Xia's multiple character faction won't stop. We don't even have a good excuse to stop them."
Zhu Tiandao snorted and said, "Why not? Their actions are the same as drinking poison to quench their thirst. They are not thinking about the future. They only want to suppress the multiple character faction to calm the divines and devils down. It's obvious what they are thinking.
"What's the point of winning a temporary peace by suppressing our own? Whatever. Look at what they did. Even the masses are starting to grow restless because of all the stupid things those people did."
Qin Zhen frowned and said, "I've heard of this as well. They wish to sacrifice a small number of people to buy time for humanity. In all honesty, if they are capable of instantly suppressing the multiple character faction, so be it. But instead, the entire Human Realm is in chaos because of them. They can only blame themselves for being too useless. I reckon something big is going to happen sooner or later."
Those from Great Qin rarely involved themselves in these affairs. They disagreed with the policies of some people, but they also couldn't be bothered to oppose those people. If those people were capable enough to instantly suppress the multiple character faction, it did not matter. After all, Great Qin had also stayed silent all those years ago when the multiple character faction was easily suppressing everyone else.
However, those people were clearly incapable of doing things cleanly. Instead, they were causing more and more chaos. The entire Human Realm was starting to be affected because of them. At this point, it was no longer a matter that concerned only the single and multiple character factions.
Qin Zhen said, "Great Qin is uninterested in getting involved in these stupid dramas, but if this continues, the military will get dragged into this mess as well. If everyone is fighting to the death back in their homeland, how can they stay focused on the frontlines?
"Do what you think is right. Great Qin can't be bothered to meddle in the affairs of others, but that only remains true so long as we're unaffected by the trouble you are causing. Great Qin is basically an army with a nation. All the experts in Great Qin are in the military. And those who disobey our military command won't be spared.
"Since you guys have some voice in the Knowledge Seeking Realm, please pass these words to them. Don't force us to perform a cleansing."
The others said nothing. In truth, the Knowledge Seeking Realm had very little business in Great Qin.
At this moment, a burst of laughter rang out from outside the room. "Everyone, am I late?"
Next, Marquis Xia stepped through the door.
With a hearty laugh, he said, "I wanted to come earlier, but I was delayed by something else. My apologies. Old Qin, Old Zhu, you're all here already?"
Zhu Tiandao said, "Xiao'er, you're quite fast. I thought you wouldn't make it."
Marquis Xia said, "Old Zhu, stop picking fights for no reason."
"Fine, fine, I won't address you by your name anymore, Xiao'er. Why are you getting angry at us? Your dad gave you that name, not us!"
Marquis Xia snorted and sat down.
Qin Zhen asked, "When is Longwu affirming his dao?"
"I don't know. Probably soon."
Qin Zhen thought about it and said, "If it's Longwu, my father might lend a hand. But you need to know that there are a lot of eyes on my father. Thus, he won't be able to play that big of a role."
"We appreciate the sincerity." Marquis Xia sighed, "This is very troublesome. Too many eyes are on Longwu. Damn it. Zhou Potian and Zhou Polong are on the verge of breaking through as well. But everyone is still paying close attention to Longwu. What can we do about it?"
Qin Zhen said, "Longwu is too talented. If I'm an enemy, I would be keeping an eye on him as well."
It was as simple as that. Xia Longwu was also too murderous. He had killed too much. Thus, some people were worried that after his advancement, even Invincibles would be forced to start fighting for their lives.
Back then, Xia Longwu had led his Devil Subduing Army to dye the Allheaven Battlefield red with blood. During those days, the Devil Subduing Army had been forced to recruit a new batch of soldiers almost every year to replenish their numbers. In every battle, they would fight until the very end and spare no enemy.
Therefore, it was very likely that a large number of Invincibles would try to prevent Xia Longwu from advancing. That was why Zhou Polong and the others were in no rush. If they attempted their advancements at the same time as Xia Longwu's, they might even be fully ignored by the myriad races since all eyes were on Xia Longwu.
In fact, a lot of people were planning to do precisely that. Xia Longwu would serve as the perfect shield for them. An iron-blooded cultivator like him was fated to stand opposed to the myriad races. Even those who were prone to stay neutral might try to stop him.
Xia Longwu had already received his new title even before his advancement: Carnage King.
He was a butcher. A creator of carnage.
Who would they stop if not him?