Chapter 175: Difficult to Wrap Up

Things have escalated!

Her grim expression notwithstanding, the cultivators outside were already eager to use various low-tier talismans to test the defensive power of Jinmanlou’s formation.

With tens of thousands of people, they wouldn’t even need one talisman each to shatter the second-tier formation defending this building.

The Core Formation elder who had caused such a huge mess felt a chill in his heart, yet stubbornly declared, “Miss, Brother Zhou and I are both late-stage Core Formation cultivators, we can surely kill…”

“Kill?! Are you out of your mind?!”

Jin Miaoshan’s anger, suppressed until now, finally erupted. The building was filled with too many of these bullies who didn’t know their place.

This was why they had fallen behind Tianbao Pavilion in recent years.

“We run a business; harmony is key. All you talk about is killing. Who would dare do business with Jinmanlou then?!”

“Miss…” The Core Formation elder felt a little wronged after being scolded.

Jin Miaoshan’s words flowed like a torrent, giving him no quarter.

“I just said Jinmanlou values rules above all, and then you threatened him right in front of me. You’re slapping my face! What do you think you’re doing?! Huh?!

“Are you trying to uphold my dignity? When did my affairs become your business to meddle in? Have I been too kind to you, tacitly allowing your grandson to disgust me?!”

Perhaps it was the accumulated resentment from having to show deference to powerful cultivators in the past that caused Jin Miaoshan to erupt, unable to hold back.

Zhou Lao, another Core Formation elder who had just arrived, also remained silent. This was the first time he had seen the young lady in such a state.

Three breaths later, perhaps having vented sufficiently.

Jin Miaoshan quickly regained her composure.

“We cannot allow this precedent. If word gets out, Jinmanlou’s reputation will be severely damaged, and Tianbao Pavilion will surely take advantage of the situation to seize market share.”

Seeing that serious matters were being discussed, Elder Zhou finally dared to speak. His expression was also bitter, and he was clearly in a bad mood.

“That kid has ignited the people's greed. At this point, even if he were to go back on his word and retract his promise, it would be useless. These people are bound to attack.”

Indeed! Nothing he said mattered anymore.

How would this situation be resolved? Even Jin Miaoshan, who prided herself on her exceptional wisdom and strategy, had no solution.

Just then.

The elder, who had been stunned by the scolding, suddenly spoke.

“The Guilong branch cannot be saved, and that kid won't get off lightly. The Pavilion won't let him go. How about I go and capture him…”

“Shut up!”

This time, it was Elder Zhou who rebuked him. Seeing the young lady’s expression darken again, he quickly intervened to save his old friend.

“Brother Liu, how can you still not understand? That's the Guilong City Lord, and this is the territory of the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect!

“Are you insane, killing their Enforcement Hall Master on their territory? And that kid mentioned three Nascent Soul clans; combined, there are over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators. Are you going to take responsibility for that?”

“I… What if he was lying? Even if it's true, why would so many Nascent Soul ancestors seek justice for a dead man?”

“Heh—”

Jin Miaoshan shook her head, utterly disappointed with Elder Liu, and spoke with an extremely cold gaze.

“Does it matter whether they seek justice? What if they use it as an excuse to extort a large sum from the Pavilion? You know that if justice is lost, should the Pavilion pay? If not, will there be a fight? Will you be responsible if a Nascent Soul dies?

“Even if we take ten thousand steps back, what good would killing Wang Yu do? Can it recoup Jinmanlou's losses? Do you know how much a business's reputation is worth? It's priceless!”

The elder surnamed Liu finally realized the enormity of his mistake. His knees went weak, and he immediately knelt down.

“Liu… This Liu is willing to atone with death.”

“Death? That’s too easy for you. We’ll talk about that after this matter is resolved.”

Jin Miaoshan gritted her teeth and flicked out a precious bead, which immediately vanished into the air.

The City Lord’s Mansion.

Wang Yu stood leisurely atop a high point, observing the besieged Jinmanlou. He hadn't truly expected things to escalate to this extent, yet he felt no panic.

Signing contracts with the Three Young Masters of Spirit Reversal was precisely for moments like this, to have a powerful backing to invoke, which they couldn't deny.

As for whether the trouble was big, it seemed a bit bigger than expected~

No matter!

Just kill the guy first. That old man disgusted him terribly, and he wouldn't feel comfortable until the man was dead on the spot. If it weren't for his death aura trump card vanishing due to the destruction of the corpse arm...

He would have slapped that old geezer right then and there, making him taste the life-shortening effects of death aura.

Just as he was brimming with malice.

Suddenly, the space before him rippled. A crystal-clear spherical bead phased through space and appeared before him. Wang Yu’s expression changed drastically.

Several ‘Vajra Chains’ originating from a third-tier formation whistled forth, tightly coiling around the bead.

The next second.

Jin Miaoshan’s voice emerged from it, sounding very gentle and amiable.

“Brother Wang, Miaoshan admits her shortcomings in this matter. Do you have a way to disperse these greedy cultivators? We can discuss the terms.”

She was truly at her wit's end. Since Wang Yu could immediately launch such a decisive counterattack, perhaps he had a backup plan to resolve the situation? After all, it couldn't possibly lead to mutual destruction.

At this juncture, Jinmanlou’s losses were unavoidable. How to minimize these losses was the urgent problem she needed to consider.

Especially the impact this incident would have.

The blow to Jinmanlou’s reputation was too severe; so severe that she, as a ‘successor candidate,’ would be disinherited because of it. Not even one or two Nascent Soul ancestors could protect her.

Because it infringed upon the interests of the majority!

Wang Yu’s heart pounded a few times. He did have a contingency plan, but its success rate was only twenty percent. If today’s events unfolded, he would return to the sect and become one of the true ‘Four Wastes of Spirit Reversal’.

The cost might be that he wouldn’t dare leave the sect before reaching the Nascent Soul stage, and his cultivation would have to slowly grind on through the passive progression system.

However, even if Jin Miaoshan’s proposal tempted him, he wouldn’t agree easily. Otherwise, wouldn’t it imply he was scared?

“You’re dreaming. This City Lord wishes you all would die here.” Just then.

The mysterious bead vibrated slightly, as if turning into nothingness, ignoring the Vajra Chains. It projected the scene from Jinmanlou’s top floor.

It showed the seated woman and the two elders, one standing and one kneeling.

“This treasure is called the Void Expansion Bead, a supreme-grade third-tier magic treasure. It possesses a rather rare spatial evasion ability. You cannot stop me. Perhaps you should ask for some useful treasures instead.

“If you truly wipe out Jinmanlou in Guilong City, even if you are in the right, no one will be able to protect you. Even hiding back in the Spirit Reversal Blood Sect won't help!”

Wang Yu narrowed his eyes. Jin Miaoshan was intentionally provoking him.

Moreover, two people were enough for the conversation, so why project the surrounding scene?

He found the blind spot.

That kneeling old geezer who had clamored to kill him!

“Ha.”

“We can talk, but first, kill that kneeling old man and send his corpse to the City Lord’s Mansion. Then we’ll talk.”

“Alright.”

Jin Miaoshan agreed without the slightest hesitation. Before Wang Yu’s words had even finished, she crushed a jade token.

“Miss!”

Elder Zhou, who was standing by, had barely uttered an address before giving up in resignation. In that brief moment, Old Liu had already collapsed, his soul aura gone, though a faint trace of life force remained in his body.

He had become a prime material for refining zombies.

—A living corpse!

This was the Soul Extinguishing Evil Restriction of Jinmanlou, planted in the Niwan Palaces of these non-clan members.

Of course, very few were granted this ‘honor.’ Only Dao Protectors responsible for the heirs of powerful figures would have it implanted, to prevent them from fleeing during life-or-death crises.

Logically, becoming a Dao Protector already involved rigorous selection, and the fates of the individual and their clan were intimately tied to the prodigy they protected.

But—don’t underestimate the integrity of demonic cultivators! There was naturally a reason for doing this, and one simply had to accept it.

“Now… can we talk?”

Hearing this, Wang Yu laughed maniacally, displaying an arrogance uncharacteristic of his usual demeanor.

He had no choice; he was playing the role of a madman now, and the crazier, the better.

This would allow him to secure greater benefits during negotiations!

“Jin Miaoshan, you’re more interesting than I thought.”

“Hey—old man over there.

“The death of your colleague falls on your young lady’s head. She deliberately provoked me to make this vengeful demand. I bet things were quite exciting over there when I wasn't around.”

Elder Zhou’s gaze was fixed on his nose, his nose on his heart, and he directly sealed off his senses, feigning ignorance.

However, he had climbed up from the bottom. He had experienced more human complexities, intrigues, and schemes within the Jin clan than in an emperor’s harem. He naturally saw through the young lady’s intentions.

But… what could he do?! His Old Zhou family’s bloodline remained within the Golden Clan of Heavenly Pond’s blessed land—a place of both honor and restriction!

“That’s enough. Any further delay and even a solution might not work.”

Jin Miaoshan was growing impatient, her tone becoming increasingly urgent.

Seeing this, Wang Yu knew when to stop. He truly wasn't very confident, but the current opportune moment could be leveraged.

“Provide me with all information Jinmanlou has concerning Dongji Capital. I mean all of it!”

Jin Miaoshan pondered briefly, then understood Wang Yu’s intention.

She asked skeptically, “Will this really work?”

“How would I know? We have to try, whether it works or not.”

Wang Yu said nonchalantly.

“You already know the resolution plan. My demanded compensation isn't much: those two third-tier spirit materials for me, and then two high-grade Core Formation spirit objects, one of which must possess Yin and Ice attributes.”

“Impossible!”

Jin Miaoshan rejected it without thinking, stating gravely.

“Do you know the rarity of two Core Formation spirit objects, let alone with fixed attributes? Such treasures are used almost immediately upon discovery. Even Jinmanlou doesn’t have a regular purchasing channel for them.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Wang Yu openly expressed his doubt, scoffing.

“Jinmanlou is a massive merchant organization spanning two realms. If you said you didn’t have spare Nascent Soul spirit objects, I might believe you. But Core Formation spirit objects… come on, who are you trying to fool?!”

“I—”

Sensing her hesitation, Wang Yu simply changed his target.

“You won’t agree? Then compensate me with the Branch of Perpetual Vitality in your hand.”

“No! This is a supreme-grade…”

“This won’t do, that won’t do. Then let’s all die together.”

Wang Yu turned to leave, and Jin Miaoshan couldn’t help but lower her bottom line again: “Don’t go, I agree to your previous conditions, but I cannot guarantee fixed Yin and Ice attributes, and the Core Formation spirit objects would only be of ordinary grade.”

To this, Wang Yu had only one word.

“Scram!”