CH 099 Good Words Persuade With Difficulty, Compassion Cannot Transcend To Peace

Hai Chaoxu had difficulty responding to this and could only repeat the conditions proposed by the Ziyun Dao sect. As a long-established sect with a history spanning thousands of years, Ziyun Dao indeed had many valuable items, including numerous medicinal herbs and spiritual artifacts that require time to cultivate, which were also the main commodities in their trade with Kun-Lai. However, to retrieve these disciples this time, they would have to pay a steep price.

Qingnu listened to the terms and felt that this expedition was still very profitable.

After stating that they needed to discuss the matter further, they invited the emissary to a side room.

Hai Chaoxu breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that this matter was basically settled. The only concern was if the price would be too high to negotiate.

As the local powerhouse of the Yuntian Domain, Hai Chaoxu represented the forces of the Yuntian Master, which was why Ziyun Dao had offered him such a high price to mediate. After all, if Kun-Lai wished to continue its expeditions, they would have to show some respect to the spirit demon clans of the Yuntian Domain. As for the small conflict a hundred years ago, Hai Chaoxu didn’t hold much of a grudge. Every major power has its skirmishes, and unless one can decisively eliminate the other, perpetual enmity only opens opportunities for other powers. Back then, it was said that the Xing Dao Master didn’t continue fighting Hai Chaoxu’s father because his father had already given him an explanation.

At the time, when Ziyun Dao stirred the trouble first, Hai Chaoxu’s father was enraged and demonstrated the vastness of the Kunpeng, flattening half of the land and all living beings on it. This forced the Human Immortals and Great Sages of that time to cease fighting. This was the spirit demon clans’ territory, and their word was law.

To be honest, Hai Chaoxu found these hairless monkeys annoying, always blowing small matters out of proportion.

Bored, he chewed on the snacks provided by Kun-Lai and reminisced about a particularly lively and spirited snake he had recently encountered. It was the first time in years that he had met a snake so active and assertive during mating. For a snake spirit demon, mating was the most important event, followed by food, and then cultivation. This beautiful snake had not only sought him out but had also brought tasty dried mice for him to enjoy while they played together. It was the most wonderful thing in the world!

Lost in the memory of that beautiful snake’s flexible body coiling around him, he was suddenly interrupted by someone entering the room, informing him that the negotiations had been concluded and inviting him to return to the main hall.

Reluctantly, Hai Chaoxu got up and returned to the hall.

The peak masters presented their conditions. Besides various material demands, one of the terms was that the captives should not be released in Ziyun City but rather in Yun Capital, the next stop, after Ziyun Dao had delivered the required items.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hai Chaoxu departed with the conditions in hand, ready to leave. His mission was accomplished, and any further negotiations would be between Ziyun Dao and Kun-Lai.

Suddenly, a series of explosions echoed from the direction of Ziyun City.

Hai Chaoxu extended a snake’s head outside the window and saw countless seals erupting from the grand ward in the distance. Lightning flashed across the sky, with golden thunder serpents darting everywhere. A group of cultivators took the opportunity to escape from the ward. A streak of purple light shot out from the clouds, attempting to stop them, but was immediately shattered by a collision with a beam of white light.

After some thought, Hai Chaoxu decided to follow the plan and descend the mountain, not wanting to get entangled in further troubles.

“That’s Qiao Qiao,” An Xian said, slapping the armrest and transforming into a beam of sword light. She quickly scooped up the group of cultivators and returned to the flying peak. The chaotic lights flickered, and a group of disheveled cultivators appeared on the platform.

“Are you all okay?” An Xian asked, her gaze landing on Qingnu.

“There’s nothing wrong. Their faces are covered with yellow powder, and the wounds are old, with sword marks left by you,” Qingnu commented after a quick scan.

“Then why can’t that disciple stand?” An Xian pointed to the smallest disciple among them, dissatisfied with Qingnu’s answer.

“You brought them back head facing the ground! Didn’t you see the big bump on his head?” Qingnu snorted, annoyed at the reckless handling by a senior.

An Xian coughed lightly and changed the subject. “Qiao Qiao, what’s your situation?”

The lead cultivator had an unremarkable face, but when he looked up, his features subtly shifted, revealing a handsome young man with deep, sculpted features. However, beauty was common in the cultivation world, so this wasn’t particularly noteworthy. What stood out was his calm demeanor, showing no sign of flinching even under the gaze of many powerful figures.

“When Yan Hui started the battle, I dismantled the sword intent you left in the Sword Pavilion and led the other disciples out through the prepared escape route...” The young man recounted calmly.

“There’s an escape route under the Sword Pavilion? How come I didn’t know?” An Xian asked in confusion.

“Not all escape routes are underground! Don’t interrupt!” the young man answered as usual. “I repaired the Sword Pavilion. Along the way, I took Bai Yue and Yan Ling with me because the situation was urgent, and they kept asking what was happening. I eventually subdued them.”

An Xian nodded, knowing this was typical of Qiao Qiao’s methods.

“The great ward was activated, and we couldn’t leave immediately. I settled them in a prepared house and explained the situation to them. After releasing Bai Yue, she left with Yan Ling to find Ziyun Dao. To avoid capture, the disciples scattered throughout the city. I found them one by one and, following the instructions on the Net Charm, disrupted the ward and seized the opportunity to escape.”

The young man finished speaking and fell silent, clearly withholding the details of how he had ruined the enemy’s ward, which could be sold at a high price to You Jia’s headlines.

An Xian silently crushed the armrest and said nothing more.

***

Hai Chaoxu returned to Ziyun City with the conditions. The city was in chaos, and the leaders of the Ziyun Dao wore expressions of anger. The city’s protective ward, which had been accumulating power for who knows how long, had been shattered in an instant. Repairing it would require immense manpower and resources. Without the ward’s protection, they were at a severe disadvantage and could no longer negotiate with Kun-Lai from a position of strength.

If they didn’t heed Kun-Lai’s demands, their captives might be taken away, which would be the least of their problems. Worse, Kun-Lai could become so enraged that they would launch an attack, and Ziyun Dao’s millennia-old foundation would fall into enemy hands.

The crowd’s gaze inevitably fell on Bai Yue, their anger and disgust evident, making Bai Yue cling even tighter to Yan Ling’s hand.

Even though many in Kun-Lai looked at those idlers with a certain disdain, they were at least somewhat restrained, unlike the open hostility she faced here.

Even if Bai Yue’s mother would scold her for being useless, she would never look at her this way.

“Don’t be afraid, Yue’er. They won’t harm you,” Yan Ling whispered to her, though his mind was focused on the fact that Bai Yue was still An Xian’s daughter. He thought he could use her to manipulate An Xian and get back at her for earlier grievances. Besides, Bai Yue still had many valuable things on her. If he distanced himself from her now, he wouldn’t get any of them.

“I only have you left,” Bai Yue said with a hint of pain, her voice low. Having colluded with the enemy, even if she returned, her mother would be the first to punish her.

“Elder Yan... This price is too high,” one of the elders of Ziyun Dao whispered. “Our medicine gardens may lose most of their thousand-year-old seeds. Otherwise, we could use her daughter to exchange for Elder Yan.”

There was no way to use An Xian’s daughter as a hostage. That would only further enrage Kun-Lai, and without the protective ward, they were no match for them.

“No!” Bai Yue screamed.

No one paid attention to her. Yan Ling’s face showed concealed anger, but he said nothing. His grandfather was the Yan family’s pillar in Ziyun Dao, and he couldn’t afford to lose him. He could only comfort Bai Yue, saying that her mother was surely worried about her and wouldn’t harm her.

The elder in purple nodded, “I received a directive from our Sect Leader earlier to temporarily back down from Kun-Lai. For now, this is our only option.”

As soon as he said this, the other dissenting cultivators fell silent.

Since the Dao Master is a Human Immortal, the Dao Master mentioned by the elder in purple could not possibly be the Kun-Lai Xing Dao Master, but must be the highest being of Ziyun Dao—the Yan Dao Master, who controls the mysteries of the void and infinite wonders.

With his Dao edict, there was nothing more to be said.

Suddenly, Yan Ling took a step forward and smiled, saying, "I have a plan that might satisfy both sides."

The elder in purple nodded, signaling him to speak.

Yan Ling's expression brightened with joy. He turned to Bai Yue and said, "Yue'er, are you willing to marry me?"

***

When the proposal from the groom’s side and the engagement gifts, along with the formal invitation and a live goose, were delivered, An Xian didn’t hesitate; she immediately charged over with the intent to kill.

Her plan was to kill Yan Ling and bring Bai Yue back.

But when she heard Bai Yue shout, "I'm already carrying his child!"

Peak Master An's hand slipped, and she was struck by a Ziyun Dao elder in return, causing her to cough up blood. After retaliating, she ultimately didn't say anything more.

She returned to her peak and went to find Qiao Long.

"These are the assets I've managed for you over the years. They're all here." Qiao Long raised his hand and produced a storage pouch. "But are you sure? Are you really giving up?"

"She’s been afraid of me since she was little. I wouldn’t know how to teach a child anyway. I suppose this is the price," An Xian took a large swig of wine.

"In the future, she might regret it. Can you bear that?" Qiao Long asked.

"Only with great sacrifice can there be great gain. Back when I had no ties to Kun-Lai, I also ran away from an arranged marriage as a child bride." An Xian sneered. "Without going through some hardships, how can one learn the difference between good and bad?"

"The flying peaks will soon head to Yun Capital."

An Xian didn’t reply. This time she had lost, but with people from Kun-Lai in Ziyun Dao to keep an eye on things, it should be manageable.

She took the storage pouch and sent it to her daughter.

Then she sat on the cliff and stayed there for an entire day.

Until the flying peaks uprooted itself and left this place of strife.

As countless flying peaks ascended, two large foxes at the foot of the mountain, along with a somewhat frail small fox, watched the peaks drift away, feeling a bit nostalgic.

"I kind of want to be a guardian beast of a mountain," Xiao Mi said as she nuzzled against her mother’s fur.

"It's something to consider," Su Wan also thought about relocating Qingqiu closer to Kun-Lai.

***

"Apprentice, are you upset?" Ji Yunlai asked.

"Yes. Are you going to comfort me?" Feng Qingxiu asked, feeling very angry—how could anyone be so stupid?

"Good words can’t persuade someone seeking death, and compassion can’t save someone who is self-destructive. Instead of worrying about this, Xiao Qing, why not guess what kind of return gift you might receive for your gift last night? Aren’t you curious?" Ji Yunlai asked with a smile.

"Master, if you don’t mention last night, I’m still your good apprentice!" Feng Qingxiu blushed at the tips of his ears and snapped at his master.