Soon, Wanwan and the other two arrived at the Assembly Hall. "Master!" Wanwan called out with a hint of surprise, quickly running up to Zhu Yuyan. "Senior Sister!" Bian Bufu and the other bowed respectfully.
Seeing that Wanwan and the others were unharmed, Zhu Yuyan breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Then, her gaze fell oddly on Wanwan's feet. There, she wore a pair of apricot-colored embroidered shoes. Delicate and lovely, spotlessly clean. They evoked an impulse to hold them close and never let go. That wasn't the issue—she wasn't some lecherous man—but the key was, why was Wanwan wearing shoes? What had happened?
Wanwan sensed it, feeling embarrassed for the first time in front of another person. Her delicate foot shifted awkwardly. Zhu Yuyan seemed thoughtful, but the thought flickered and passed as she suppressed it; now wasn't the time to dwell on it. "Are you alright?" Zhu Yuyan asked Wanwan with a hint of concern. "I'm fine." Wanwan shook her head, her heart filled with warmth. Their eyes exchanged a quick, meaningful glance, conveying much.
Reassured, Zhu Yuyan nodded at Bian Bufu and the other, then turned her attention to Li Daoqiang. "Yin Empress, how about it? I, as the chief, keep my word—Wanwan and the others are definitely fine." Li Daoqiang said warmly with a smile. Zhu Yuyan ignored the remark, her expression serious as she said, "Chief, let's continue our deal." "Good, the Yin Empress is straightforward." Li Daoqiang praised.
Unfazed by the comment, Zhu Yuyan's expression remained unchanged as she continued, "One hundred and twenty-five million taels of silver—the Yin Gui Sect can produce it. But once we do, the sect will be mostly crippled. We might even face attacks from opportunists, being kicked while we're down, and never recover. So, the entire Yin Gui Sect absolutely cannot do this, even if it means killing me, Wanwan, and the others."
Li Daoqiang's smile vanished with astonishing speed. An invisible pressure spread, his gaze like a tangible weight on Zhu Yuyan. But he said nothing, the meaning clear. Continue. I'll give you another chance. If what you say doesn't satisfy me, you're dead.
Bian Bufu and the other immediately lowered their heads, filled with awe. Wanwan gritted her teeth inwardly. This bastard changes his face faster than a woman. She thought to speak up and act coy, but Zhu Yuyan stopped her, meeting Li Daoqiang's gaze calmly and firmly, continuing evenly, "Therefore, I've brought sixty million taels in ready silver. And twenty million taels' worth of properties across various regions. That's eighty million taels. For the remaining forty-five million taels, I want to make a deal with you, Chief."
Li Daoqiang seemed to ponder for a moment, his brow easing slightly. "Speak," he said indifferently.
Instantly, Wanwan, Bian Bufu, and the other, including Zhu Yuyan, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. That single word represented hope for what came next. It seemed somewhat humiliating. But at this moment, the pressure Li Daoqiang exerted on them was immense. Under the watchful eyes of all, he had decisively defeated and captured the renowned Martial Honor Bi Xuan, appearing effortless with no cost. Now, Li Daoqiang's status and reputation had reached an almost transcendent level. In the eyes of most, he was already a true pinnacle existence capable of influencing the world.
Even Wanwan, who usually could play and banter with Li Daoqiang, knew that was because he wanted her as his wife, so he tolerated her antics and teased her. On truly serious matters, this bandit Li was an absolute hegemon. Wanwan had no confidence that Li Daoqiang would spare Zhu Yuyan for her sake now. Unless...
"Chief, do you know of the Yang Gong Treasury?" Zhu Yuyan steadied her mind and asked solemnly. Wanwan and Wen Caiting's eyes flickered, while Bian Bufu's lowered gaze showed some unease. "I know a bit." Li Daoqiang replied casually, without any change in expression. "The Yang Gong Treasury was left by Yang Su back in the day, filled with countless gold, silver, and treasures, along with divine weapons and armor, worth a fortune. Our Yin Gui Sect has found crucial clues to the Yang Gong Treasury. We are willing to find it for you, Chief, and dedicate all its wealth to you—far exceeding forty-five million taels of silver." Zhu Yuyan said seriously.
Wanwan and the other two dared not speak, carefully controlling their emotions. Seated above, Li Daoqiang narrowed his eyes, then suddenly smiled confidently, saying, "It seems you'll need my help with this too." Clearly, if the Yang Gong Treasury were so easy to open and retrieve, the Yin Gui Sect would have done it themselves—why bother with a deal? "Exactly." Zhu Yuyan nodded frankly, speaking slowly, "The Yang Gong Treasury is of great importance, and it likely contains our Holy Sect's sacred relic, the Evil Emperor's Relic. Leaving aside the countless treasures, just the Evil Emperor's Relic alone is constantly watched by countless Holy Sect members. Once it emerges, it will surely stir up trouble everywhere. Add the treasure, and even with the Yuan Kingdom at war with the Song Kingdom, our Yin Gui Sect has no confidence in securing it. So, we want to make this deal with you, Chief. Our Yin Gui Sect will find and open the Yang Gong Treasury for you, dedicating all its wealth to you and transporting it to the Black Dragon Fort. This will repay the remaining forty-five million taels of silver. You only need to lend us a hand at critical moments. Additionally, the Evil Emperor's Relic belongs to our Yin Gui Sect."
As her voice trailed off, listening to this discussion of immense secrets, Wanwan and the other two unconsciously held their breath. The Assembly Hall grew even quieter.
Li Daoqiang closed his eyes slightly, deep in thought. This seemed doable. Let the Yin Gui Sect take the lead, bearing the brunt. In the end, it was just the Evil Emperor's Relic, and whether to give it to them was still his call. He could also use this opportunity to gain other benefits. As for bypassing the Yin Gui Sect and taking the Yang Gong Treasury himself, or forcing them to pay the remaining forty-five million taels—potentially gaining an extra forty-five million—the former was too troublesome, requiring massive manpower, resources, and arrangements in Yuan territory, where the Yin Gui Sect could handle it better. The latter, after all, involved Wanwan; he couldn't truly push things to a point of no return. Moreover, with the Yin Gui Sect in front and him behind, he could better control the overall situation and reap more benefits. Comparatively, forty-five million taels of silver became less significant.
A decision gradually formed in his mind. He opened his eyes, looking at Zhu Yuyan with a half-smile, saying, "Yin Empress, you've never trusted me before, have you? Why do you trust me now to hand over the Evil Emperor's Relic to you when the time comes?" "First, the Evil Emperor's Relic is useless to you, Chief—at most for brief contemplation. Second, times have changed. With your current strength and status, I doubt you'd break your word. Third, our Yin Gui Sect is taking a gamble." Zhu Yuyan answered without hesitation.
Li Daoqiang neither confirmed nor denied, his gaze pausing on Wanwan before he chuckled. The fourth reason likely lies with Wanwan. When it comes down to it, if Wanwan becomes his wife, the Evil Emperor's Relic would still end up with the Yin Gui Sect. Quite thorough thinking. On the surface, the Yin Gui Sect seemed unlikely to gain direct benefits from this, and the Evil Emperor's Relic wasn't guaranteed, but in truth, the advantages were significant. Of course, if successful, it would be a true win-win. He took the lion's share, the Yin Gui Sect the smaller portion. He didn't mind that.
After a moment's thought, he said calmly, "Tell me your plan." Zhu Yuyan knew Li Daoqiang was genuinely interested, and she smiled lightly, like a hundred flowers blooming, her beautiful face radiant again. "Chief, our Yin Gui Sect must have some contingencies," she said frankly and firmly. Li Daoqiang gave Zhu Yuyan a deep look, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter. The bold laughter swept away all the tension and oppression in the hall. "Good! Worthy of the Yin Empress, worthy of the Yin Gui Sect. As a friend, I don't care about the process, only the result. This deal, I agree to." Li Daoqiang said generously and amiably.
Instantly, Zhu Yuyan and the other three truly relaxed. In a flash, Wanwan couldn't help but silently complain—his face changed even faster. "Thank you, Chief. Rest assured, our Yin Gui Sect won't disappoint you." Zhu Yuyan said solemnly. "Mm, I trust my friends, and I trust Wanwan." Li Daoqiang nodded seriously. Wanwan couldn't help but give him a cute eye roll. Li Daoqiang pretended not to notice, his expression turning stern again as he said gravely, "But a deal is a deal. I value integrity above all. So I'll be watching closely from behind, Yin Empress—don't let me down."
Zhu Yuyan felt a chill inside—this was a blatant warning. But after over a month, facing Li Daoqiang as he was now, she could easily swallow it. "Rest assured, Chief," she said calmly. "Mm, then the deal's general terms are set. During this time, I won't remove your Life-Death Curse, Yin Empress, nor will I offer any help. Only when the Yang Gong Treasury is truly opened, and if an opponent you can't handle appears, will I step in. Afterward, the Yin Gui Sect will be responsible for transporting all the treasury's wealth to the Black Dragon Fort. One more thing—Wanwan stays by my side." Li Daoqiang said unhurriedly.
At the last sentence, Zhu Yuyan and the others' expressions changed. Bian Bufu and the other dared not speak, while Wanwan glared at Li Daoqiang in anger. Zhu Yuyan was silent for a few breaths, then, as if thinking of something, nodded in agreement. Wanwan glanced at Zhu Yuyan, feeling a mix of surprise and resignation. It's normal for Master to agree—we have no room to resist. Thinking this, she felt even more furious at the figure sitting steadily before her, grinding her teeth in frustration.
Li Daoqiang acted as if he hadn't noticed, letting out an even more cheerful laugh before saying seriously, "Good, the deal is done. From now on, let's begin." Zhu Yuyan understood. About an hour later, sixty million taels in gold, silver, banknotes, and gold notes, along with property deeds worth twenty million taels, were handed over to Li Daoqiang. His bandit points increased by roughly seventy million. Inevitably, the properties only added half their market value in points. But he couldn't push the Yin Gui Sect too hard on that front.
(Chapter 1.) ......