Chapter 116: Two Choices

"Tell me honestly what you're thinking. I don't want to beat around the bush anymore," Han Li said coldly, seemingly unaffected by Madam Yan.

Madam Yan frowned. This young man was far more difficult than she had anticipated; neither soft words nor hard tactics seemed to work on him. She felt quite at a loss.

"Do I really have to reveal my bottom line and lay all my cards on the table?" Madam Yan felt a sense of reluctance. She had held significant power in the Soaring Dragon Society for so many years; never before had she been forced to reveal her hand without gaining any advantage in a negotiation!

She glanced back at Fifth Madam Wang. Among her sisters, only Madam Wang had the ability to oppose her decisions, so she wanted to see if the other woman had any better suggestions.

"Regarding negotiations with this person, Fourth Sister can decide entirely. I have no objections!" Madam Wang said coldly, having understood Madam Yan's intention.

Madam Yan was delighted by these words and felt somewhat reassured.

"Very well, since you prefer to be direct, my sisters and I will also state our terms frankly." The moment Madam Yan spoke these words, she fully regained the demeanor of a leader of Jia Yuan City's three major gangs. The previous impression of a weak, helpless woman vanished, replaced by an aura of long-held authority.

"Good, this is the opponent I want to negotiate with!" Han Li smiled slightly.

"You only need to eliminate the Soaring Dragon Society's sworn enemies, the Five-Colored Gate and the Solitary Overlord Manor, to ensure my Mo family has no future worries. Then, I will immediately present the Warm Sun Jade to you with both hands, and you may choose any one of Caihuan and the others to be your wife."

"However, if you intend to seize it by force, or kidnap my sisters to hold us hostage, then you've made a grave mistake. I have already entrusted the jade to a confidant. Should anything happen, the jade will be immediately destroyed, and we will all perish together," Madam Yan said with a stern expression.

"Madam Yan, aren't you afraid your tongue will slip from such grand pronouncements! You want me, alone, to destroy the Five-Colored Gate and the Solitary Overlord Manor? You certainly have a vivid imagination!" Han Li seemed to have anticipated Madam Yan's threat and showed no alarm.

He had long known that the Warm Sun Jade could not be obtained by brute force alone. Besides the threats they voiced, he suspected they had many hidden contingencies. Therefore, capturing them and forcibly interrogating them about the jade's whereabouts would be a last resort. It would be far better if they willingly handed it over.

"Isn't Young Master Han a cultivator? How could these martial artists be your match? Besides, we're not asking you to kill all their members, just for some of their main leaders to disappear," Third Madam, the glamorous young woman, interjected, speaking charmingly after giving Han Li a soul-stirring smile.

"What about cultivators? I don't know about others, but I'm fully aware of my own capabilities. I'm not foolish enough to face a large gang of tens of thousands by myself. Furthermore, do you truly believe cultivators can indiscriminately kill ordinary people without any repercussions?"

Han Li cast a cold glance at Third Madam, the chilling intensity in his eyes freezing her smile. With Han Li actively circulating his Evergreen Arts and maintaining vigilance, how could any enchantment or charm she attempted have the slightest effect?

"What? From what you're saying, are there restrictions on cultivators dealing with us ordinary people?" Madam Yan asked, somewhat surprised.

"I'm not entirely clear on the specifics, as I only recently became a cultivator and haven't fully learned these rules," Han Li said lightly. Seeing Madam Yan about to speak again, he waved his hand, stopping her, and continued coldly:

"But anyone with a sound mind would understand this: if cultivators could freely attack ordinary people, would your so-called Three Overlords of Lan State and Three Major Gangs of Jia Yuan City still exist today? You would have been wiped out countless times by ill-intentioned cultivators, and perhaps you beautiful women would have long become their playthings."

Han Li's last sentence was utterly blunt, causing the women opposite him to blush, but also revealing a hint of fear in their eyes.

"But this is just your speculation, Young Master, not necessarily true!" Madam Yan was still somewhat unwilling to give up and tried to persuade Han Li.

"Even if there's only a one percent chance, I wouldn't do something that leads to my own demise," Han Li said unceremoniously, giving Madam Yan no room for illusions.

"Are you planning to take our daughter's dowry for nothing?" Madam Yan's expression turned ugly, emphasizing the word "dowry" heavily.

Upon hearing this, Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but feel a little depressed internally.

*The poison in my body was originally inflicted by your husband. It's good enough that I'm not causing you trouble now; what more do you want?* Han Li thought bitterly.

But Han Li also knew that saying such things at this moment would be pointless. It seemed these women would certainly not hand over the "Warm Sun Jade" unless they gained some benefit themselves.

So Han Li lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up, cleared his throat, and said loudly:

"I offer you two paths; you may choose one."

"First, your entire Mo family can immediately pack your belongings and set out. You'll prepare to leave Lan State, find a place where your enemies' influence cannot reach, and live in seclusion as an ordinary wealthy family, living out the rest of your lives in peace, completely detached from the conflicts of the martial world. I can fully guarantee your safety along the way and ensure no pursuing enemies harm you."

Han Li paused here, observing the changes in the women's expressions.

He noticed that while Second Madam Li seemed somewhat moved, Madam Yan and Third Madam Liu remained silent, clearly disagreeing with the suggestion. As for Fifth Madam Wang, Han Li didn't bother to look; with her icy demeanor, he wouldn't be able to discern anything useful anyway.

Seeing this, Han Li sneered inwardly. Madam Yan and Madam Liu were both quite ambitious. He had understood when he proposed this suggestion that they would certainly not be willing to give up the power of the Soaring Dragon Society to become village women.

"And what's the other option?" Third Madam couldn't help but press, seeing Han Li didn't continue.

"There is another path…"

Han Li rose from his chair, stood up, and slowly spoke of the other path—the one Madam Yan and the others would undoubtedly choose—while gazing at the ceiling.