Chapter 1012: Cooperation?

Of course, given the vast area of the Yangshan Archipelago and the extensive territory it protects, the total amount of Profound Crystals expended was significant.

He Lingchuan willingly bore this cost for the safety and security of the Yangshan Archipelago.

However, he exercised caution. The stone guardians he crafted were not decorative like those of the Misty Sect. Instead, he selected unostentatious boulders, drew formations beneath their bases, and then placed them in fields, at the edges of buildings, and alongside roads.

The Yangshan Archipelago was naturally covered in dense forests and rocky terrain, with stone mountains everywhere. These wind lion guardians were simply placed among large stone piles by the roadside, attracting little attention from passersby.

But Madam Zhu knew precisely the locations of these wind lion guardians along the path.

She instructed her sister to uproot a wind lion guardian, rendering its formation ineffective once it was lifted from the ground. With the barrier thus broken, a violent gust of wind immediately swept over the small hilltop.

This also conveniently blew away all the small wooden figures and the spores of the Nine-Death Resurrection Grass.

In this era, human power struggled to contend with the forces of nature; even the ancient demon immortals were no exception.

Deprived of its supporting power, the wooden giant became much easier to handle.

A hero's fate is not his own.

"Perhaps you would consider cooperating with us."

After a significant pause, he advanced two steps, holding a white game piece.

Only after three quarters of an hour did the scarred wooden giant finally crash to the ground. Its gnarled wooden body was covered in grey mold, which then vanished with a gust of wind.

Madam Zhu, exhausted from running, squatted to rest her feet. She then asked her sister, "Where are the Beijia people? Have we caught them all?"

It was a classic gambler's mentality: risking little to gain much.

The Ghost Ape put away its patterned gold staff, transformed into a small monkey, and hopped back onto Madam Zhu Er's head. It then spat into its palm, wincing in pain.

The Wood-Dwelling True Lord's avatar had lasted unexpectedly long. Had it followed its usual habit of retreating when outmatched, there's no telling how much stronger this monstrosity might have become.

In the end, only three palm-sized bone pods, tied with red threads, remained on the ground, dry and brittle to the touch.

He Lingchuan nodded. He had witnessed it firsthand and knew Yu Zecheng was not exaggerating. The bustling foreign ports indicated a flourishing external trade, and the prosperity of Dushan Port was merely the tip of Beijia's economic iceberg.

He Lingchuan and Yu Zecheng had already played three games, with He Lingchuan having two wins and one loss.

"The location of your archipelago is indeed excellent," Yu Zecheng remarked. "It seems a shame to use it solely for commerce."

The man's brows were tightly furrowed; he had just declined the hot tea offered by the attendant.

"We caught eight, two died, and one merman escaped using its water evasion technique," Madam Zhu Er reported, tapping the ground. "It's difficult to catch them in this weather; it jumped into the sea."

Yu Zecheng immediately cast the dice. Seeing a three and a four, he let out a long laugh. "Island Master He, your luck isn't with you this round!"

Yu Zecheng continued, "Shall we discuss the terms of cooperation further?"

Without the assistance of Madam Zhu and the Ghost Ape, and He Lingchuan's prior arrangements, facing the Beijia people's chaotic tactics and the Wood-Dwelling True Lord's avatar with only itself and its offspring would have led to an unpredictable outcome.

Yu Zecheng asked him, "Have you visited Dushan Port?"

The news Wang Fubao delivered was the major surprise of the evening:

Wanqifeng was requesting an audience outside!

Tonight, He Lingchuan's capture of Wanqisong and subsequent cornering of Yu Zecheng were part of his strategic planning. Only the whereabouts of Wanqifeng's four hundred men remained an unexpected turn of events.

Judging by his chess strategy, this fellow left no opportunity unexploited.

"Mr. Yu, please don't say that. How could I neglect such a distinguished guest as yourself? Let's play!" He Lingchuan turned to Wang Fubao and simply said, "Let him in."

"I once disembarked there," He Lingchuan replied. Dushan Port is the easternmost harbor on the Beijia coastline. When He Lingchuan sailed eastward from Yuan Kingdom, his ship briefly docked at Dushan Port for a day to load and unload cargo and replenish supplies. During that time, he also went ashore to explore.

With all the chasing and fleeing, they never strayed far from the small hill.

The two spider demon sisters successfully joined forces, thoroughly entangling the wooden giant with a back-and-forth, sawing motion. The Ghost Ape, meanwhile, would turn and flee, only to return and resume the chase once the wooden giant turned its attention back to the spider demons.

Was this an internal struggle between uncle and nephew, or was there another plan at play?

Unfortunately, it happened to be at this very moment.

He Lingchuan felt a slight chill in his heart, but outwardly, he feigned keen interest. "Do tell?"

"The outer sea is prone to rough weather and is unsuitable for shipping. If..."

This Mr. Yu, surprisingly, employed tactics quite similar to his own, favoring unexpected moves and bold gambles.

"Hah, quite the dark horse," He Lingchuan said, glancing towards Wanqifeng as he spoke.

With the battle finally over, Madam Zhu Er felt a wave of lingering dread in her heart.

Before Yu Zecheng could finish, Wang Fubao strode in from outside and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially into He Lingchuan's ear.

Later, I'll have to ask Lingguang for some wound medicine.

"To enjoy peace on the sea, self-governing," He Lingchuan said, picking up a white piece and taking two steps. "Mr. Yu, what are your suggestions?"

"With Beijia."

Yu Zecheng, lifting his black knight, removed He Lingchuan's foremost white piece. "One-third is predetermined by heaven; sometimes, even the most intricate calculations prove futile."

It was a critical moment once more. What would be the next move?

He Lingchuan paused, holding the dice. "Cooperation? With you, Mr. Yu?"

"But what you don't know is that official and tribute vessels account for three tenths of that traffic."

But as he uttered just those three words, Island Master He waved a dismissive hand. "Hold on."

After Yu Zecheng adjusted his mindset, he even began to question He Lingchuan in return: "As for the future, how do you, He Xiao, plan to proceed?"

"Very well," He Lingchuan said, tapping the top of a game piece. "However, my location is quite far from Beijia, even from Dushan Port. How exactly would we cooperate?"

Wanqifeng had not joined his uncle in his disruptive actions.

Inside the study, it was as warm as spring, so much so that the windows needed to be opened to allow a few cool breezes in. It was a world apart from the desolate wind and bitter rain outside.

He Lingchuan glanced at Yu Zecheng across the game board. Yu Zecheng had just moved his black knight, and now his gaze was fixed on He Lingchuan. "Island Master He," he said, "are you spread too thin to continue focusing on this game?"

He Lingchuan immediately registered a hint of surprise, then fell into contemplation.

"In your view?"

A moment later, Wanqifeng strode into the Warm Fragrance Study.

Wanqifeng was thoroughly drenched, with beads of water trickling from his forehead to his chin. Yet, he held his back ramrod straight and walked with a vigorous stride, completely unconcerned by his disheveled appearance.

"Island Master He!" he exclaimed, naturally recognizing He Lingchuan.

He was pleased to see the young man in trouble.

There's a limit to what one can achieve alone. Against an enemy like Beijia, it's essential to band together and secure powerful allies.

He Lingchuan didn't give him a proper glance, simply stroking his chin and gazing intently at the game board, lost in profound thought.

"Dushan Port is more than twice as busy as Daofeng Port," Yu Zecheng said, looking up. "For twelve hours a day, ships flow incessantly, with countless sails contending at any given moment."

Playing backgammon involves dice rolls, making luck a significant factor.

Now, the island, both above and below the surface, was a world of rain, proving very hospitable to the merfolk.

He Lingchuan had an epiphany. "I was unaware of that."

He had merely been a transient visitor to Dushan Port, witnessing only its superficial prosperity.

"If the Yangshan Archipelago were to cooperate with Beijia, Beijia's shipping routes could then extend to this location."