As long as there was an opportunity and enough profit.
Zhu Yuyan had no doubt that Li Daoqiang, who was currently speaking of trustworthiness, would sell her out—or even devour her—if the chance arose.
Of course, caution was one thing, but winning him over was still necessary.
To not recruit such a powerful ally would be foolish.
But the approach to recruitment and cooperation had to be carefully considered.
Their gazes occasionally met, each lost in their own thoughts.
Yet, under their unspoken默契, the atmosphere grew increasingly calm.
After a long moment, Blood Saber Old Ancestor said respectfully, "Chief, it's all true."
Li Daoqiang nodded slightly and laughed heartily, "Good, the Yin Empress is indeed trustworthy. From now on, I, Li Daoqiang, will consider the Yin Empress a friend. I hope she won't look down on me."
"You're too kind, Chief Li. It's my honor to be friends with you." The Yin Empress naturally wouldn't refuse, responding with a smile.
"Haha, excellent! Today, I, Li Daoqiang, have gained another good friend—a joyous day. Yin Empress, how about coming into the city for a few drinks?" Li Daoqiang laughed cheerfully.
Zhu Yuyan smiled and declined, "I'd love to chat with the Chief, but I'm swamped with matters and must leave immediately. My apologies. Next time, I'll definitely invite the Chief for a few drinks."
"What a pity. I'll be waiting for your fine wine, Yin Empress." Li Daoqiang looked regretful.
"Certainly," Zhu Yuyan assured.
Li Daoqiang nodded, reached out, and patted Bian Bufu a few times, lifting the seal on him.
His tone turned slightly stern, "This time, for the Yin Empress's sake, I'll let it slide. Next time, don't put me in such a difficult position."
Bian Bufu felt deeply stifled but could only bow respectfully, "Thank you for the lesson, Chief. I'll keep it in mind."
Li Daoqiang gave a slight nod, and Bian Bufu immediately moved toward Zhu Yuyan.
Seeing everything go smoothly, Zhu Yuyan breathed a sigh of relief, clasped her jade-like hands, and said, "Then, we'll take our leave."
"Wait, Yin Empress. I have a business proposition. Are you interested?" Li Daoqiang suddenly spoke.
Zhu Yuyan's heart tightened, instinctively on high alert, and she asked calmly, "What proposition?"
"Yin Empress, since we're friends, I'll be straightforward. Are you here for the Heavenly Demon Qin?" Li Daoqiang said seriously.
Zhu Yuyan's gaze flickered. This was a topic both had deliberately avoided, so why was Li Daoqiang bringing it up now? What was he planning?
After a moment's thought, she replied seriously, "Yes. What do you want to say, Chief?"
Li Daoqiang sighed lightly and said earnestly, "To be honest, I'm also here for the Heavenly Demon Qin. But first, even if I got it, it might not be of much use. Second, I might not be able to compete with you all. So, how about this: you make a deal with me. Give me a sum of silver, and I guarantee I'll never have any designs on the Heavenly Demon Qin. What do you think?"
Hearing this, Blood Saber Old Ancestor's brow twitched behind him.
This could be turned into a deal too!
Zhu Yuyan and Bian Bufu were also speechless, staring intently at Li Daoqiang.
They had never seen a strong man so obsessed with wealth.
He truly never missed an opportunity.
Still, if Li Daoqiang really backed off, that would be a good thing.
Zhu Yuyan was tempted, suppressing the faint absurdity, and probed, "How much silver does the Chief want?"
"The Heavenly Demon Qin is a martial arts treasure, its value incalculable. But I, Li Daoqiang, am not too greedy. Just ten million taels of silver, and I swear I'll never think of the Heavenly Demon Qin again. How about it?" Li Daoqiang said frankly.
Zhu Yuyan's jade hand trembled slightly as she took a light breath, suppressing her speechlessness and anger.
Ten million taels of silver!
They couldn't even be sure if the Heavenly Demon Qin had truly appeared.
And just for backing out of the competition, he wanted ten million taels? Did he think the Yin Gui Sect was a cash cow?
She felt as if Li Daoqiang saw the Yin Gui Sect as fat prey.
Forcing a faint smile, she said solemnly, "Forget it. Whether the Heavenly Demon Qin has appeared is still unknown. Even if it has, who will end up with it is uncertain. Besides, the Yin Gui Sect doesn't have ten million taels to gamble on this."
Li Daoqiang didn't believe a word of that last sentence.
In just one night, they had produced five million taels in banknotes. The Yin Gui Sect's wealth was unexpectedly vast.
Ten million taels was definitely not a problem.
But since she refused, he couldn't force it. He thought about offering a discount but didn't want to lower his prestige, which would harm future dealings.
So, he could only say regretfully, "What a pity. This deal falls through."
He paused, still holding out hope, "But the Yin Empress can prepare in advance. If you ever need me, the deal is always open."
Zhu Yuyan's brow twitched as she suppressed the anger of being treated like a lamb to slaughter, nodding, "Fine. Farewell."
With that, she clasped her hands and flew away.
Winning over Li Daoqiang could wait. The priority now was obtaining the Heavenly Demon Qin.
Bian Bufu cast a fearful glance at Li Daoqiang, his eyes flickering and avoiding the meaningful gaze.
He also clasped his hands and chased after Zhu Yuyan.
Li Daoqiang watched their retreating figures and sighed softly, "What a pity."
"Chief, don't worry. Once the Heavenly Demon Qin appears, whether it's the Yin Gui Sect or anyone else, they'll have to get your approval. A deal will surely come," Blood Saber Old Ancestor said with a smile.
"Heh." Li Daoqiang laughed, praising, "Not bad, you're improving. That's the style our Black Dragon Village should have."
"It's all thanks to your guidance, Chief." Blood Saber Old Ancestor felt pleased—this time, he had said the right thing.
This was exactly what Li Daoqiang was thinking.
More importantly, understanding Li Daoqiang's style was the key.
Only by knowing this could he tailor advice, show his growing importance, and secure a more vital role in Li Daoqiang's eyes.
"Mm, let's go. Keep watching Han Xun's mansion," Li Daoqiang said contentedly.
He led the way into the city.
Over two hours later, the city, now filled with more and more martial artists, suddenly buzzed with noise.
"Lü Tengkong and his wife have appeared and entered Han Xun's mansion!"
This news spread like wildfire.
Countless martial artists, throwing caution to the wind, surrounded Han Xun's mansion.
Li Daoqiang naturally got the news too. After hearing a report from one of his innate realm subordinates, he silently admired.
Lü Tengkong and his wife were no simpletons, slipping into Han Xun's mansion right under everyone's noses.
Without a word, he led his men swiftly toward Han Xun's mansion.
By the time Li Daoqiang found a good vantage point, over a thousand martial artists had gathered outside Han Xun's mansion.
Countless more lurked in the shadows.
But they didn't force their way in. First, the authenticity of the Heavenly Demon Qin was still uncertain.
More importantly, the Diancang Sect was no pushover.
It was one of the true prestigious sects.
With high reputation and prestige.
Few in the world dared to provoke it.
Han Xun, as an elder of the Diancang Sect, held a respectable position. Without a clear, massive benefit in sight, few dared to openly storm the place.
Gathering outside the mansion relied on sheer numbers and the instigation of certain parties.
With so many people, all sorts of chatter arose.
The air grew thick with greed.
Li Daoqiang listened for a bit and lost interest—just a bunch of pawns.
What truly intrigued him were the strong hidden in the surroundings.
His gaze swept subtly in all directions, his anticipation growing.
Because there were quite a few experts.
The more experts, the greater his chances of reaping benefits.
Of course, the more experts, the more cautious he had to be.
He wanted profit, not to become a public enemy.
"Boom!"
"Han Xun, what are you doing?"
Suddenly, as the clamor outside Han Xun's mansion reached a peak, a shocked, furious roar rang out, echoing through the area.
Instantly, almost everyone's eyes lit up.
"What am I doing? Lü Tengkong, give me back my son's life!"
Another hate-filled roar exploded, accompanied by the sounds of destruction.
"Boom!!"
Continuous crashes followed, as waves of power surged from within Han Xun's mansion, demolishing several rooms and sending dust flying.
The martial artists outside couldn't hold back any longer, ready to surge in.
Just then, a figure clutching a blade and holding a woman flew out, his face frantic and grief-stricken.
Close behind, a solid palm strike shot through the air toward them.
The blade-wielding figure, eyes bloodshot, slashed with his saber, shattering the palm print but stumbling back a few steps.
The surrounding martial artists quickly scattered, not wanting to get involved.
But their expressions were full of eager curiosity.
"Yiniang, Yiniang."
The blade-wielding figure, Lü Tengkong, trembled as he looked at the woman in his arms, his hand shaking.
The next moment, over a dozen whooshing sounds followed.
More than a dozen figures flew out of Han Xun's mansion, each exuding an imposing aura.
At the forefront, a man radiated murderous intent and overwhelming hatred.
He glared at Lü Tengkong and coldly roared, "Lü Tengkong, if I don't kill you and your wife today, I, Han Xun, am not a man!"
"Why? Why are you trying to kill us?" Lü Tengkong shifted his gaze, his righteous face now tinged with killing intent.
Han Xun moved to strike directly, but one of his companions glanced at the crowd and pulled him back, whispering a private message.
'Brother Han, too many martial artists are watching. Lü Tengkong has a good reputation. Explain the reason before acting.'
Han Xun gritted his teeth but held back, coldly sneering, "Fine, I'll let you die knowing why. What was the escort you delivered?"
At these words, almost everyone's expression changed.
(Thank you for your support, thank you.) ·······