Chapter 2614: Courtesy before war

"I am Hua Ruoyu. Pleased to meet you, Fellow Daoist Wang."

"I am Zhu Yulong. Pleased to meet you, Fellow Daoist Wang."

They both introduced themselves, their expressions grave. They naturally knew of the Wang family of Qinglian, a cultivation family that had risen rapidly over the past ten millennia, reportedly a key family supported by Zhenhai Palace.

"I am Wang Qingxiao. Pleased to meet both of you, Fellow Daoists," Wang Qingxiao said politely. "You two must have killed that sixth-rank flower demon, right? Would you be willing to sell its core to us? We're prepared to pay a high price and can offer treasures, talismans, or elixirs in exchange."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, I'm truly sorry," Hua Ruoyu gently refused, "but we have a vital use for the wood demon's core, so I'm afraid we cannot comply." She needed the wood demon's core to set up a grand formation and cultivate spiritual herbs.

Wang Yuanjiang transmitted a message: "Ancestor Qingxiao, the Heavenly Moon Sect and the Star Transformation Sect are hostile towards each other. The two factions frequently engage in private conflicts. They once fought fiercely over a secret realm, resulting in three casualties among the Void Refinement cultivators."

"More friends mean more paths," Wang Qingxiao said, his tone gentle. "If Madam Hua wishes to cultivate spiritual herbs, I have a bottle of diluted Divine Water of Creation. It's perfectly suitable for cultivating spiritual herbs. If you need to set up a wood-attribute grand formation or refine artifacts, I can offer a piece of 30,000-year-old Gold Magnetic Spiritual Wood in exchange. Sixth-rank healing elixirs or sixth-rank talismans are also options. If Madam Hua dislikes all of these, then so be it. I've heard that the sect master of the Star Transformation Sect also hunted high-rank wood demons. We could also exchange with him."

He had never actually heard that the sect master of the Star Transformation Sect hunted high-rank wood demons; he was merely using this to inform Hua Ruoyu that if she refused, the Wang family would cooperate with the Star Transformation Sect. The terms he offered were very generous. The diluted Divine Water of Creation could also be used to cultivate spiritual herbs. For ordinary forces, obtaining even a few drops of Divine Water of Creation was excellent; when diluted, it could be used for much longer.

Hua Ruoyu and Zhu Yulong exchanged glances. The Wang family was demonstrating "courtesy before force." If the Wang family cooperated with the Star Transformation Sect, the Heavenly Moon Sect would face significant trouble, and the stakes offered by the Wang family were not low.

"Very well! Then I shall exchange with Fellow Daoist Wang," Hua Ruoyu stated her condition. "Besides the diluted Divine Water of Creation, I hear your Wang family excels at crafting puppet beasts. Could you sell us ten fifth-rank puppet beasts?" With the diluted Divine Water of Creation, cultivating spiritual herbs was still possible. Pushing the Wang family towards an enemy over one sixth-rank wood demon core would be truly unwise.

"Of course, that's not a problem. This isn't the place to talk," Wang Qingxiao said with a sincere expression. "Speaking of which, we've long heard of your esteemed sect's True Monarch Heavenly Moon and have wanted to pay a visit. Besides the diluted Divine Water of Creation, we also have several types of spiritual liquids for cultivating spiritual herbs that are very effective. We can exchange them with Madam Hua; we absolutely wouldn't let Madam Hua be at a disadvantage." More friends meant more paths, and he naturally didn't want to make enemies for his family.

"Excellent. Then, Fellow Daoist Wang, please come with us to our Heavenly Moon Sect's market for a detailed discussion." Hua Ruoyu agreed. Wang Qingxiao's approach was acceptable, which made her feel a slight fondness for the Wang family. If Wang Qingxiao had been overly aggressive, she truly wouldn't have agreed; even a clay figure has its temper.

"Very well, Madam Hua. Please lead the way." Wang Qingxiao agreed. He secretly transmitted a message to Wang Yuanjiang: "Yuanjiang, you did very well. You'll be handsomely rewarded upon our return." The Xuanling Continent is vast, with many forces possessing Void Refinement cultivators. If not for Wang Yuanjiang's introduction, Wang Qingxiao truly wouldn't have known the situation. After all, he mostly stayed on Qinglian Island and was completely unfamiliar with the mainland. If only significant profits were offered, Hua Ruoyu might not have been willing to exchange. Mentioning the Star Transformation Sect was a clear threat, a tactic of "courtesy before force."

"Thank you, Ancestor Qingxiao. This is what your junior should do," Wang Yuanjiang replied via spiritual transmission, his heart filled with joy.

Wang Qingxiao transmitted a reprimand to Wang Yuanyin: "Yuanyin, in the future, think twice before acting. If everyone acts like you, our family will only make powerful enemies." Wang Yuanyin repeatedly agreed, not daring to talk back. Given the Wang family's current power and the backing of Zhenhai Palace, it was inevitable that some Wang family descendants might act arrogantly and ignorantly, easily offending others. There were many similar examples among disciples of major sects like the Xuanqing Sect.

Hua Ruoyu summoned her disciples and departed with Wang Qingxiao and the others for the Heavenly Moon Market to hold discussions.

The Heavenly Shadow Sect had a legacy of over 30,000 years. Its founding patriarch, True Lord Tianying, was an Integration cultivator who had achieved great merits during the racial wars, thus acquiring territory to establish the sect. True Lord Tianying died under a grand heavenly tribulation. Without an Integration cultivator presiding, the disciples caused a great commotion vying for the sect leader position, but multiple elders intervened, preventing it from escalating into internal strife. Over 6,000 years ago, an Integration cultivator appeared in the Heavenly Shadow Sect again, but unfortunately, they died in a racial war. Currently, the Heavenly Shadow Sect has over twenty Void Refinement cultivators, and it's only a matter of time before another Integration cultivator emerges.

Tian Feiyu was the sect master of the Heavenly Shadow Sect, a mid-stage Void Refinement cultivator who had cultivated for nearly ten millennia and was about to face his third grand heavenly tribulation. In a secluded manor, Tian Feiyu sat in a stone pavilion with a graceful woman in a green dress, sipping tea and chatting. The woman in the green dress was Lin Manman, Tian Feiyu's cultivation partner, an early-stage Void Refinement cultivator.

"This time, we couldn't exchange for the Five Elements Thundercloud Talisman," Lin Manman said with a smile, "but we did bid on and acquire the core left by a sixth-rank flower demon. It should be quite effective for setting up a Nourishing Origin Grand Formation for healing." Not long ago, a large market controlled by the Ximen family held a major auction. Hearing that a Five Elements Thundercloud Talisman would appear, Lin Manman personally led a team there. She failed to acquire the talisman but paid a high price for the sixth-rank flower demon's core.

"With a complete set of sixth-rank defensive grand formation and a few defensive treasures, passing the third grand heavenly tribulation should be no problem," Tian Feiyu said this, but a hint of worry showed in his eyes. Over a hundred years ago, a Void Refinement elder of the Heavenly Shadow Sect died while undergoing his third grand heavenly tribulation. That elder had gone to the Savage Lands to search for Dharma Idol materials, but instead of finding them, he was injured by an alien race. Most of his treasures were destroyed, and after several near-death experiences, he spent a thousand years hiding in the Savage Lands. He barely managed to escape back to the Heavenly Shadow Sect, but the grand heavenly tribulation also descended, and he couldn't withstand it, perishing as a result. Tian Feiyu had personally witnessed this elder being struck down by the heavenly tribulation, and he was still traumatized.

He took out a light blue communication plate from his robes, cast a spell, and a respectful male voice sounded: "Master, Senior Wang from the Wang family of Qinglian Island is here. His name is Wang Zonglang, and he says he has an important matter to discuss with Madam. What do you think?"

"Wang Zonglang? I don't know him, nor have I ever heard of him," Lin Manman shook her head, her face full of confusion.

"Since he's sought us out, it must be important. Let's go meet him," Tian Feiyu instructed the communication plate: "Please escort him to the Hall of Welcoming Immortals. We'll be there shortly."

"Yes, Master."

Putting away the communication plate, Tian Feiyu and Lin Manman stood up and walked out, arriving at the Hall of Welcoming Immortals. Not long after, a tall young man in a blue robe walked in. It was Wang Zonglang. His clansmen reported that Lin Manman, the wife of the Heavenly Shadow Sect Master, had successfully bid on a sixth-rank wood demon core. Wang Zonglang had come for this very core.