Chapter 1592: Chapter 1592

The Sea King Sect, Sea Spirit Sect, and Pirate Sect altogether sent ten experts, all with cultivation levels above the Nascent Soul Realm.

They carefully scrutinized this place, all feeling secretly amazed.

Most of these people had been to this island before.

Back then, there was only an abandoned Taoist temple, nowhere near such a magnificent complex of buildings.

Lin Yingying concealed the Crystal Palace, along with the Eight Trigrams Coiling Dragon Formation at the entrance.

The group could only see the building complex here, unable to see anything else.

Entering the main hall, they were even more astonished; thick wool carpets were laid on the floor.

The furnishings were of an antique style, noticeably different from the furniture outside.

The group sat down at the conference table under Liu Ruyan’s invitation.

The crowd murmured quietly, wondering where these people came from, as everything looked so out of place in this world.

Wang Shaoqing and Zhang Lingfeng were soon brought in and sat across from them.

The lead negotiator, Li Wenyang, hurriedly stood up, grasping their hands, and said excitedly, "Elders, you’ve suffered."

These two held some status within the Sea King and Sea Spirit Sects.

Li Wenyang was merely a negotiation elder dealing with trade and business, incomparable to the two’s status.

The two elders blushed, feeling somewhat embarrassed to meet under such circumstances.

Their Divine Seas were sealed, unable to use spiritual power to speak.

Fortunately, Wang Shaoqing slipped the Blood Oath Letter into Li Wenyang’s hand.

Li Wenyang took it, feigning a casual demeanor while consoling the two.

Long Fei brought Hua Qianmo and others over shortly, letting them escort the two elders out, taking a seat across from the negotiators.

Liu Ruyan, standing in the back, introduced, "This is our Yin Yang Sect’s Hierarch, Long Fei."

The people across frowned, cupping their hands in a formal greeting.

They hadn’t heard of such a sect before, neither in the sea nor seemingly on land either.

Long Fei slightly nodded, asking them, "You’ve seen them—alive and well, lacking nothing. Did you bring the money I asked for?"

The negotiators coughed, with Li Wenyang speaking on behalf of everyone, "Doing business requires give-and-take; no deal should be settled at first sight, right? Moreover, whether this matter concludes is not up to me. After seeing the two elders, we’ll have to report to the Sect Master to make a decision. Also, could you further clarify if you have additional requests? Can the ransom be reduced?"

Others felt uneasy; they were used to extorting others, never the other way around.

Long Fei tightened his expression, coldly saying, "You take my kindness for weakness. I’m sincerely doing business with you, yet you play tricks on me. Fine, you ask for other conditions, let the ransom double. These two elders are now worth twenty million Spirit Stones. Tell your Sect Master to make a decision soon. The ransom increases by ten million per day; I lack the patience for your delay."

Li Wenyang stammered in frustration, not expecting Long Fei to be so aggressive.

This tone clearly disregarded the Three Sects entirely.

He exchanged glances with other negotiators, asking Long Fei, "May I ask Sect Leader Long, do you plan to establish a sect here on Jade Island?"

Long Fei nodded, speaking frankly and without concealment.

Li Wenyang said, "But you must know, this island was originally a possession of our Three Sects. Isn’t what you’re doing a bit tyrannical?"

Long Fei laughed heartily, "The Three Sects? Three pirate gangs, are they? Every bush, island, and reef is nature’s creation—since when did they become the property of your Three Sects? Besides causing slaughter and forcibly abducting coastal citizens as slaves, what good have you done for the people of the Great Xia Country?"

Li Wenyang’s face flushed with embarrassment, understanding his own status.

This was negotiating with bandits and robbers where reason could hardly prevail.

He asked Long Fei, "Is there no room for negotiation in this matter?"

Long Fei replied lightly, "The conditions I’ve offered are already very favorable. If it were my usual approach, your Three Sects’ islands would’ve been rivers of blood by now. I’m someone who values reason. If you won’t reason with me, bear the consequences yourselves."

Li Wenyang nodded, standing with the negotiators, "I will truthfully report Sect Leader Long’s words to the three Sect Masters. As a negotiator, let me remind Sect Leader Long: don’t be too arrogant. Although you have some strength, many more powerful beings exist in this world. By unrestrainedly offending fellow cultivators, you’re courting disaster, leading to self-destruction in the end."

Long Fei clapped his hands, addressing Li Wenyang, "Thank you for the reminder. I remind you too: good begets good, and evil begets evil; it’s not that the retribution doesn’t come, just that the time hasn’t yet arrived. However powerful some forces are, they’ll eventually face retribution for their many evil deeds."

Li Wenyang’s mouth twitched, saying nothing further as he left in anger with the group.

Along the way, the negotiators were fuming, eager to storm in with an attack.

Someone shouted at Li Wenyang, "Elder Li, you were too weak. In my opinion, we should have been firmer, demanding they release the two elders immediately. If they refuse, we should attack with force."

"Right, why negotiate with these bandits? We’ve been pirates for so many years, yet this is the first time we’ve felt so stifled."

"When have we ever negotiated as pirates? When did we ever compromise?"

Their noisy bickering made Li Wenyang’s ears sore.

He simply left alone on his sword, glancing at the Blood Oath Letter from Wang Shaoqing.

It said, "They’re deliberately provoking you, don’t fall for it. Endure, and all will be calm. Retaliation will bring disaster!" ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥

Li Wenyang frowned, unwilling to make private decisions, carrying the Blood Oath Letter back to the Sea King Sect.

The three sect masters anxiously awaited together. Seeing their return, they promptly called them into the Council Hall.

The negotiators entered, immediately complaining, "These robbers are unreasonable. Not only did they refuse to make any concession, but they also brazenly doubled the ransom, demanding twenty million Spirit Stones from us."

"And that’s not all—they warned us that if we don’t meet their demands, the ransom will increase by ten million Spirit Stones per day. Anger them, and they’ll make our Three Sects’ blood flow like rivers!"

"These robbers have the gall to call us pirates and claim we’ll face retribution!"

After a round of angry criticism, only Li Wenyang remained silent.

The Sea King Sect’s Sect Master, Yama, asked anxiously, "Elder Li, do you have anything to add?"

Li Wenyang handed the Blood Oath Letter from Wang Shaoqing to Yama, informing him, "This is what Elder Wang asked me to deliver to the Sect Master. Personally, I believe these rogues, with such unparalleled momentum, are unlikely to be a minor sect. In a short time, they’ve constructed numerous pavilions and towers on Jade Island. It seems they intend to establish a sect there."

Yama glanced at the Blood Oath Letter, frowningly passing it around for everyone to see.

As everyone read it, they cursed, "Rubbish, Elder Wang must have been bought off."

"Elder Wang is a renowned hero across Minzhou, how could he express such foolish opinions now?"

"They’re already so arrogant. If we tolerate it, allowing them to develop, will there still be a place for our Three Sects in this sea area?"

Pirate Sect’s Sect Master, Ding Mu, cursed outright, "Absolutely not! If you wish to compromise, our Pirate Sect will fight them to the bitter end!"