Chapter 1767: Talk about Cooperation

Qingya clearly had not yet realized the gravity of the situation. Her deliberate act of inciting the top sects and forces within Cloud Cluster State to jointly attack Xuan Huang Gate, which Xu Yang and his group had just taken over, had already resulted in a grave miscalculation.

The situation had escalated to this point, yet the woman showed no remorse. She still delusively believed she could turn the tide with her own intervention, unaware that in front of Xu Yang's team, she was less than an ant. For Ling Yao, killing her now would be as easy as crushing an ant.

There was nothing that could be done, as Xu Yang and his companions possessed power that already surpassed the peak of the entire Ancient Martial Divine Path. Before the true mastermind controlling the Ancient Martial Divine Path, the supreme divine will, appeared, no martial artist, no matter how powerful, was qualified to challenge Xu Yang, the Ninth Human Emperor.

Qingya gritted her teeth. She knew very well that as the young mistress of Zhan Tian Pavilion, now that she had shown herself, this matter had been pushed towards an irreconcilable end.

If she were to back down now, it would mean Zhan Tian Pavilion would be thrust into the spotlight of controversy. Xuan Huang Gate and Zhan Tian Pavilion, these two major sects, would inevitably become sworn enemies.

How this path should be trodden was a mystery to Qingya herself; she had no clear idea. All she could do was grit her teeth and persist a little longer.

Unbeknownst to her, Ling Yao's patience was also finite. The girl was growing increasingly agitated, almost ready to strike a heavy blow and teach the ignorant young mistress of Zhan Tian Pavilion a harsh lesson.

Just as the Sky Sword Totem behind Ling Yao was about to strike downwards, Xu Yang's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

"Girl, don't kill her. This woman is still very useful to us."

Upon hearing Xu Yang's voice in her mind, Ling Yao immediately retracted her fierce sword energy. She merely let a visible but insubstantial sword light descend, which was enough to terrify Qingya below. Qingya shivered, lifting her head with a look of utter dread.

"Why did you suddenly stop?" Qingya demanded. "Are you trying to humiliate me this way? I'll tell you, our Zhan Tian Pavilion is the largest sect in Cloud Cluster State! Even if we couldn't deliver a fatal blow to your Xuan Huang Gate this time, it doesn't mean you are the ultimate victors, nor does it give you the right to arbitrarily judge my fate."

Ling Yao scoffed, looking at Qingya, who still maintained an air of defiance.

"Listen, Young Mistress," Ling Yao said, "someone really needs to curb that temper of yours. But you're lucky. Our boss has ordered me not to harm your life. What he intends to do with you, however, I have no idea."

After speaking, Ling Yao suddenly extended two fingers and, with two empty gestures, pointed at Qingya. Powerful sword energy immediately flowed along Qingya's meridians, piercing into her acupoints, completely sealing off the energy circulation within her body.

Without a sufficiently strong power to help her dispel this seal in her meridians, Qingya would be unable to access her cultivation.

For a martial artist, having their meridians and vital acupoints sealed by overwhelming force meant being reduced to a piece of meat on a chopping block, entirely at the mercy of others.

With her meridians sealed, she had no combat ability whatsoever. After succeeding, Ling Yao did not entangle with her further. She turned into a streak of light and quickly vanished from the battlefield.

Soon after, merely a minute later, Xu Yang personally arrived on the battlefield and stood before Young Mistress Qingya.

"My apologies, Young Mistress Qingya, that our second meeting is under such circumstances."

Xu Yang slowly walked towards Qingya with his hands clasped behind his back, releasing his oppressive aura gradually. Only then did Qingya clearly see Xu Yang's handsome features and the incomparable majestic aura emanating from him. It was a world of difference from their first encounter at the entrance of Xuan Huang Gate at the foot of the mountain.

"So this is your true face," Qingya murmured. "What was your purpose in hiding your strength? You are truly too dangerous."

Xu Yang smiled, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his lips.

"Actually, I'm not as terrifying as you imagine," Xu Yang said. "All I want is your cooperation. As long as you are willing to yield and beg for mercy, all problems will be easily resolved. You must understand that standing before me now, you are far more than just a captured woman; behind you is the entire Zhan Tian Pavilion. If I hold this leverage against you, you should be very clear about the fate of Zhan Tian Pavilion. Even if my Xuan Huang Gate isn't your match, do you think Zhan Tian Pavilion can withstand such immense pressure from above? Although Zhan Tian Pavilion is paramount among all martial cultivation forces in Cloud Cluster State, I am very aware that Cloud Cluster State is merely the fifth largest prefecture in the entire Ancient Martial Divine Path. And Zhan Tian Pavilion's overall strength is only so-so. Even if you were to engage in a direct confrontation with our Xuan Huang Gate right now, you wouldn't necessarily win. Instead of that, why don't you consider an alternative form of cooperation with me? We could mutually benefit from each other's value. That should be our best strategy for mutual benefit."

Xu Yang knew very well that with his current status in the Ancient Martial Divine Path, he was still far from being able to access the true top-tier martial artist teams hidden behind the scenes. He needed a springboard sufficient to broaden his horizons, and Zhan Tian Pavilion was clearly the best medium for that.

Qingya lifted her delicate eyes and gazed at Xu Yang. In truth, this young woman was not as wicked as she seemed; she was merely a woman with a man's ambition.

As the young mistress of Zhan Tian Pavilion, she had faced many undue pressures since childhood within her family, simply because she was a girl.

She aimed to prove to her father and the family elders that even as a woman, she possessed the qualifications to inherit the position of Zhan Tian Pavilion Master.

Therefore, she had been in charge of strategic expansion externally for years, gradually gaining achievements and influence within the family that no one of the younger generation could surpass.

However, this time she never expected that in her confrontation with Xuan Huang Gate, she would encounter a formidable enemy like Xu Yang's team, one that could not be fathomed by common sense.

Qingya had to consider her future. If Xu Yang and his companions truly became enraged this time, it was likely that not only would her position within the family be jeopardized, but the entire Zhan Tian Pavilion would face catastrophic destruction due to this chaos.