Chapter 1806: Peace Talks

He flicked his sleeve, and a blue jade slip flew out, heading straight for Shangguan Tianhong.

Shangguan Tianhong's divine sense swept over it; after confirming its authenticity, he took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.

His face darkened, and he said coldly, "Are you still trying to deceive me? Do you truly believe your strength surpasses mine, enough to kill me?"

"I'm not deceiving you; you merely overlooked something important," Wang Changsheng said, his tone indifferent.

"What is it?" Shangguan Tianhong pressed, as the materials and refining methods recorded in the jade slip were identical to the previous one, making him suspect Wang Changsheng was playing games.

"Moonwater requires a special refining method," Wang Changsheng transmitted. "If you want Moonwater, you'll need to exchange materials with me. I only sell the Moonwater itself." He transmitted this, as he was hesitant to provide Shangguan Tianhong with too much Moonwater. There was a possibility they might one day engage in a life-or-death battle, so he had to keep his guard up.

Shangguan Tianhong's expression flickered between contemplation and indecision. After a moment of thought, he said, "First, give me some refined Moonwater. If it's truly as you say, I'll make a trade with you."

He flicked his sleeve, and a small, pale golden cauldron flew out. The golden cauldron had three legs and two handles, with a golden turtle pattern carved on its body.

Wang Changsheng's divine sense swept over the golden cauldron. After confirming it was safe, his body radiated a brilliant blue light, encompassing both the cauldron and a significant surrounding area.

Shangguan Tianhong took out a golden orb, intending to use this treasure to discreetly observe where Wang Changsheng would store the Moonwater. As soon as he looked, he felt his head spin and his body sway uncontrollably.

"An illusionary spirit treasure!" Shangguan Tianhong frowned deeply. While ordinary spirit treasures couldn't block his divine sense, illusionary spirit treasures were an exception.

After a while, the golden cauldron flew out and settled before Shangguan Tianhong. Shangguan Tianhong's gaze swept inside, and he frowned deeply. There was only half a catty of Moonwater in the cauldron, a pitifully small amount.

He put away the golden cauldron and said to Sun Tianhu, "Let's get down to business! We are indeed here to discuss peace this time, and this matter is beneficial for you as well."

Shangguan Tianhong and Lei Yunbin flew towards Dongli Island, with True Monarch Thousand Gourd following closely. Sun Tianhu and the other five exchanged glances, pondered for a moment, and then followed. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan also followed, curious to see what Shangguan Tianhong was truly up to.

In the main hall, Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, Shangguan Tianhong, Lei Yunbin, True Monarch Thousand Gourd, Sun Tianhu, Liu Ruyi, Lu Dao, Jiao Mingzhu, and Baili E – ten Soul Transformation cultivators in total – gathered, their expressions varied.

"Allow me to introduce you," Shangguan Tianhong said. "This is Fellow Daoist Lin from the Thousand Gourd Realm."

"The Thousand Gourd Realm!" Wang Changsheng and the other five were stunned. How did the Thousand Gourd Realm get involved in this?

True Monarch Thousand Gourd stood up, a look of recollection on his face. "I, Lin, greet all fellow daoists," he began. "I originate from the Thousand Gourd Realm..." He recounted his origins and the experiences of the Thousand Gourd Realm. When he spoke of the Demon Race's invasion of the Thousand Gourd Realm, True Monarch Thousand Gourd's face was filled with fury. He actually wanted to reclaim the Thousand Gourd Realm, but feeling powerless, he could only seek external assistance.

"The Demon Race has occupied the Thousand Gourd Realm!" Sun Tianhu exclaimed. "Do you know how many Soul Transformation cultivators the Demon Race possesses?"

Sun Tianhu said with a frown. This news was deeply shocking. The Dongli Realm was typically divided into many factions with internal conflicts, but when faced with external enemies, they united to resist. Spirit cultivators and demon cultivators were natural enemies, their cultivation methods being entirely different. "Demon cultivators," as they are commonly referred to, are immortal cultivators who engage in murder and arson, often called evil cultivators. True demon cultivators, however, are members of the Demon Race. The Demon Race cultivates using demonic qi, while immortal cultivators use spiritual qi. Immortal cultivators can be demonized and transform into demons, but the Demon Race cannot transform into immortal cultivators.

Wang Changsheng frowned deeply. What concerned him wasn't the Demon Race occupying the Thousand Gourd Realm, but rather that Situ Mei had pledged allegiance to them. It truly exemplified the saying: "Good people die young, but villains live for a thousand years." Had Situ Mei not defected to the Demon Race, she would have likely passed away by now.

"To our knowledge," Shangguan Tianhong stated, "the Demon Race can use True Demonic Qi to imbue immortal cultivators, transforming them into demons, though the success rate is very low. Conservatively, the Demon Race has no more than twenty Soul Transformation cultivators, most of whom are in the early stage. If our two realms unite, we can eradicate the Demon Race."

"If we can reclaim the Thousand Gourd Realm," True Monarch Thousand Gourd sincerely said, "I, Lin, am willing to jointly govern it with you all." True Monarch Thousand Gourd said this, knowing that only three Soul Transformation cultivators remained in the Thousand Gourd Realm. Without assistance from the Tianlan and Dongli Realms, he couldn't possibly reclaim it. The Soul Transformation cultivators of those realms weren't altruistic, so they wouldn't help for free. Rather than wait for others to set conditions, it was better to be proactive and sensible, as he couldn't hold onto it anyway. For him, as long as he could ensure the continuation of his sect's legacy, it was enough. His ultimate goal was to ascend to the Spirit Realm.

Sun Tianhu and the others were somewhat tempted, if for no other reason than the cultivation resources of the Thousand Gourd Realm.

"How do we know if what you're saying is true or false?" Baili E said, frowning with suspicion. "What if you go back on your word afterward? It's not unheard of for someone to pull the ladder away after crossing the river."

With the Demon Race as a common enemy, they could indeed unite. However, who could guarantee that the Tianlan Sect wouldn't renege on their agreement afterward?

"If you are willing to negotiate peace," Shangguan Tianhong said, "we must all swear an oath on the Tianlan Forbidden Scroll, promising not to attack each other. You should also possess similar treasures. From now on, we will share prosperity and endure hardship together." Shangguan Tianhong flipped his palm, and with a flash of golden light, a thick ledger appeared in his hand.

Sun Tianhu frowned deeply. To be honest, he was more inclined to cooperate. Firstly, the Tianlan Realm was powerful; if they didn't negotiate peace, a battle to the death would benefit no one. Secondly, he genuinely coveted the cultivation resources of the Thousand Gourd Realm. It was important to note that the Demon Race's required cultivation resources differed from those of immortal cultivators. The Thousand Gourd Realm had many secret realms and ruins of major sects, which surely contained numerous high-grade spiritual herbs. With a large supply of high-grade spiritual herbs, his progress to the late Soul Transformation stage would be faster. Thirdly, the spirit of the Immortal Suppressing Pagoda was collecting artifact refining materials; if they helped True Monarch Thousand Gourd reclaim the Thousand Gourd Realm, they might be able to gather a large quantity of the materials needed by the spirit.

The troublesome part was that he couldn't truly make a decision on this matter. Even if he agreed, other factions might not. After all, passively enduring attacks and launching an offensive were two different things. The Tianlan Sect had actively attacked the Dongli Realm, and the two realms had been at war for over a century, with over ten Soul Transformation cultivators killed or injured. Some Soul Transformation cultivators might not be willing to participate.

"This matter is of great importance, and we cannot decide it alone," Sun Tianhu proposed. "However, to show our sincerity, let's first swear an oath of non-aggression to each other." He proposed this, as he still didn't fully trust Shangguan Tianhong. What if Shangguan Tianhong intended to use this opportunity to lure and kill the Dongli Realm's Soul Transformation cultivators? It is wise to be wary of others, but never to harbor ill intentions.

"No problem," Shangguan Tianhong readily agreed. He and Sun Tianhu each swore an oath on the other's forbidden treasure, agreeing that if they were to attack each other, they would suffer a backlash.