Chapter 2092: The Requirements of Lingshan

They were likely the only ones in the world worried about their cultivation growing too quickly.

"We need to set up quickly," Zhong Shengguang said, looking at He Lingchuan. "When the time comes, you'll provide support!"

He Lingchuan's heart swelled, and he straightened his back, responding, "Yes!"

Zhong Shengguang had finished giving his instructions and was about to open the windows when He Lingchuan asked, "I heard that Baishawan is preparing to halt trade with Panlong City. Lingshan is making exorbitant demands. What are your plans?"

"You've just returned, yet you're remarkably well-informed," Zhong Shengguang said, pausing. "Do you know why Lingshan made me this offer?"

He Lingchuan shook his head. "I only heard they want to take seventy percent of Panlong City's foreign trade profits."

It went without saying that their exorbitant demand was likely a tactic, expecting Panlong City to negotiate a lower price.

"Actually, Lingshan initially approached me about something else," Zhong Shengguang said, his brows furrowed slightly. "No more than three people in Panlong City know about this matter."

Now there will be one more.

"Lingshan wants to set up a Grand Spirit Gathering Array within the Panlong territory."

He Lingchuan stated, "But the Black Dragon Totem prevents the absorption of both spiritual and demonic energy. Neither a Grand Spirit Gathering Array nor a Heavenly Net Star would function."

"But do you know that even within the effective range of the Black Dragon Totem, the Dragon Punishment Pillars can still absorb energy?" Zhong Shengguang explained. "Simply put, the Black Dragon Totem is an invisible barrier where the internal laws have been altered, making it different from the outside. However, every law has its loopholes."

"Three months ago, someone secretly installed a small spirit-gathering formation near the North Gate of the city. It operated successfully for over ten breaths before failing and alerting the city's guardian beast. The person was caught by patrolling soldiers and confessed to being a sect disciple who had only arrived in Panlong City a few months prior."

He Lingchuan instantly understood. "Sent by Lingshan."

"Lingshan must have conducted more than one experiment and discussed it internally," Zhong Shengguang said, his face grim. "Xin Yi explicitly told me that Lingshan's research suggests that as long as I personally set up the core of the Grand Spirit Gathering Array within Panlong City, the entire array can function normally!"

"The appearance of the Black Dragon Totem likely represents the approval of the Heavenly Dao," He Lingchuan mused. "Have you tried it?"

What made Zhong Shengguang different from others? Why would a Grand Spirit Gathering Array set up by him work within the Black Dragon Totem's range?

There could be many reasons, but He Lingchuan, after much thought, concluded the most likely was this:

He was the master of the Great Square Flask during this period!

Zhong Shengguang nodded. "Others cannot, but I can. The spirit-gathering array I tested at the South Gate even absorbed spiritual energy more efficiently than before!"

He Lingchuan immediately recalled True Master Qianhuan's massive Grand Spirit Gathering Array on White Bear Mountain!

That terrifying array effect continuously drew spiritual energy from the Shanjin Plain to the Upside-Down Sea like a straw, nourishing the entire Illusion Sect, especially Qianhuan and the other immortals.

"Lingshan is truly formidable; they even deduced such a possibility. That statement about Lingshan possessing great power isn't just talk," He Lingchuan remarked. "Did you refuse Lingshan?"

"I told them directly that I tried but couldn't do it, and their conjecture was wrong." Zhong Shengguang shrugged, completely unburdened by telling such a lie. "The spiritual energy revival is an opportunity for Panlong City and a blessing for its people. How can we allow Lingshan to plunder it at will?"

His choice of the word 'plunder' instead of 'take' or 'absorb' indicated Zhong Shengguang's increasingly clear understanding of Lingshan's true nature, far from the admiration and expectation he held when they first allied.

"Lingshan probably doesn't believe me, but since no one else can do it, they can't force the issue. They won't be able to absorb the spiritual energy from Panlong territory," he said, closing his eyes. "The foreign trade profit sharing is the compromise Xin Yi proposed."

Since Lingshan couldn't complete a full experiment themselves, they couldn't verify Zhong Shengguang's words. However, the less they could verify, the more they distrusted him.

"'Taking seventy percent of the profit is called "compromise"?'" He Lingchuan understood that Lingshan's failed obedience test for Panlong City had infuriated them.

"So the negotiation fell through," Zhong Shengguang said, taking a shallow breath. "Lingshan is furious, and today they've already withdrawn some cultivators, all strong fighters from their army."

"I know," He Lingchuan admitted truthfully. "I just saw a group of them off outside the South Gate."

"What do you think?"

"It's not that we can't give it, but the price needs to be negotiated," He Lingchuan said, re-analyzing the situation's advantages and disadvantages, just as he had explained to Sun Fuling earlier.

Zhong Shengguang listened but offered no comment.

He understood the reasoning, but Lingshan's greed was still difficult for him to accept.

He Lingchuan walked to the window, gazing at the fireworks in the sky and the plaza below. "Who would have imagined five years ago," he mused, "that Panlong City could prosper to this extent, with restaurants and dessert shops opening one after another, offering delicacies from north and south for everyone to choose from?"

Panlong City used to be so scarce in resources that during the great war, all the city's rations had to be allocated to the army.

Zhong Shengguang also gazed at the joyful faces of the people in the plaza, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

"Indeed, it was hard-won."

The happy people in the plaza had no idea about the dilemmas and troubles Panlong City currently faced.

Of course, they didn't need to know.

They only needed to live diligently and work hard; the army only needed to obey orders and fight. Naturally, there were those secretly bearing the heavy burden for them.

Just by looking into Zhong Shengguang's eyes, He Lingchuan knew he would do his utmost to protect Panlong City's hard-won prosperity and splendor.

Zhong Shengguang was responsible for Panlong City, just as He Lingchuan was responsible for Cang Yan.

How could they bear to see their homeland return to destitution and force the common people to tighten their belts again?

After understanding Zhong Shengguang's resolve, He Lingchuan felt even more confident in persuading him regarding the stalemate between Panlong City and Lingshan.

Early the next morning, Xin Yi's courtyard door was knocked upon.

He came out to open the door. "Oh? General He, why are you here?" he asked.

"Long time no see, Mr. Xin. I just got back from the south," He Lingchuan said, holding up an oil-paper package and shaking it at him. "Have you eaten?"

"I wasn't even awake before you arrived," Xin Yi said with a yawn, turning back inside. "It's easier to sleep when the weather cools."

The two of them had become quite familiar, their interactions now less formal and distant than at the beginning.

Housing was tight in Panlong City, but the guest rooms provided for Lingshan's envoys were still spacious and secluded. The sycamore tree in the courtyard had long shed its leaves, and beneath it stood a bare stone table. The two men sat down at the table.

He Lingchuan opened the oil-paper package, and a burst of hot steam mixed with the aroma of oil rushed out, making Xin Yi's nose twitch.

"That's the aroma of something fried," Xin Yi thought.

The three items on the table were all golden-yellow. Xin Yi quickly drew water from a jar to wash his hands, asking, "Did you buy these from Aunt Xue's shop?"

"Of course."

Xin Yi didn't bother with chopsticks, opting to eat with his hands.