“Deal? What deal?” The three leaders, who had originally thought he would tear the face off, were taken aback for a moment when they heard the words that came out of Xiao Yan’s mouth, and then asked in surprise. Xiao Yan smiled, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, “The profits of Maple City are indeed very generous. I can allow your three forces to occupy a certain share in the city.”
“What does Sect Leader Xiao want us to do?” The three leaders exchanged glances, and then the old man with a gloomy face cautiously asked, not believing that such a good fortune would fall from the sky without reason.
“I have an enemy, one whose power is formidable. Although with my current strength, I’m confident to confront them, I still need some manpower.” Xiao Yan locked his gaze on the three, smiling faintly, “I just need the three of you to lend me a hand at the right time.”
Behind Xiao Yan, Xiao Lie, who had been frowning at his previous words, slightly relaxed. Xiao Yan’s so-called enemy was naturally the Yunlantang. He knew well in his heart that although Xiao Yan’s strength had significantly increased, he was still somewhat weak. The Yunlantang was rife with strong practitioners, deeply rooted, and it felt like ants trying to shake a big tree. When he had spoken earlier about expanding his forces in the Black Corner Region, it was indeed with the intention of reinforcing his strength. But if he followed his way, it would take at least a year to reach the level needed to challenge the Yunlantang. Now, Xiao Yan’s method of winning over other forces in the Black Corner Region, though it would cost some benefits, seemed much more expedient, especially compared to the blood feud awaiting him…
“An enemy?” Hearing this, the three leaders were startled, and their expressions became uncertain. If even someone as powerful as Xiao Yan needed assistance, how formidable must this enemy be! While the profits from Maple City were tempting, getting tangled in a perilous mess would be too costly.
“Which faction on the continent is this enemy that Sect Leader Xiao speaks of?” After a moment, the fiery-clad beauty finally couldn’t help but ask.
Xiao Yan let out a soft chuckle, a cold light flashing through his dark eyes, “Although that faction has retracted in recent years, I’m sure you’ve all heard of them.”
“Yama Empire, Yunlantang!” The cold voice drifted out of Xiao Yan’s mouth, echoing in the hall.
“Yunlantang?” The three leaders muttered the name, familiar but distant. A moment later, they were visibly moved, exchanging another look before the shadowy-faced elder contemplated, “I seem to have heard some intelligence about this faction. If my information is correct, there’s a Douzong master within!”
“Yes, I also received a report recently. A Douzong named Nubis appeared in the Yama Empire,” the fiery-dressed beauty added, her tone serious.
For the three leaders to know of the Yunlantang, Xiao Yan wasn’t surprised. Even though the Black Corner Region was far from the Yama Empire, news of significant importance always spread. A Douzong, a powerhouse of such caliber, was considered top-tier even across the entire continent. Therefore, after the news from the Yama Empire, the intelligence quickly spread.
The three leaders glanced at each other, and after a while, they shook their heads awkwardly. The elder with the somber face laughed nervously at Xiao Yan, “Sect Leader Xiao, it’s not that we’re unwilling. The Yunlantang is tens of thousands of miles from the Black Corner Region. Even if we could travel fast, it’d take months. And… the Yunlantang is indeed a formidable faction. Even across the entire northwest, they’re quite famous. I doubt we could avenge you, even with our help.”
Given the power of the Yunlantang, they could rank among the top in the northwestern region. The top-level factions in the Black Corner Region, compared to the entire continent, would be considerably behind. There was no single faction in the Black Corner Region that could match the Yunlantang. The former “Black Alliance” might have, but it was a coalition, not a singular force. Of course, if Xiao Yan could unify all the forces in the Black Corner Region, he could certainly surpass the Yunlantang. But unification in such a chaotic place was almost impossible.
“Haha, three leaders, you’re afraid that in the end, you’ll get dragged into a fight with the Yunlantang, right?” Xiao Yan didn’t get angry at their reaction; he just smiled lightly.
The three smiled awkwardly, hesitant to say more.
“Besides Nubis, the Yunlantang probably has no more than two or three Douhuang masters. The rest are mostly Douwang or Douling elders, not a major threat. As for the disciples, they’re even less of a concern. We also have a Douzong, and regarding Douhuang, is there anyone stronger than Han Yan? So, I just need some capable allies to hold down their core forces. This isn’t hard for you,” Xiao Yan said calmly.
The three leaders’ eyes flickered, but they remained silent.
“Indeed, a bunch of birds that don’t fly without seeing the rabbit…” Seeing their unanimous silence, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows slightly, shrugged helplessly, and said, “The ambitions of the Xiao Sect go beyond Maple City. In the future, we will expand further into the Black Corner Region. With our combined strength, the profits will be much greater than now. If you agree to help, you won’t be left out of the bigger pie…”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s words, the three leaders felt a surge of excitement. Currently, the Xiao Sect had Xiao Yan and the mysterious Douzong behind him, surpassing the former “Black Alliance”. There was likely no force in the Black Corner Region that could resist them. Admittedly, they were extremely tempted by Xiao Yan’s offer, but the accursed Yunlantang was no pushover either.
Watching the shifting expressions of the three, Xiao Yan smiled again and threw out a final enticement, “Have you heard of the Huangji Dan?”
At the sound of these plain words, the three leaders raised their heads sharply, their gazes fixed on Xiao Yan, filled with ecstatic anticipation. The Huangji Dan was a peak sixth-grade medicinal pill. Its use was simple: it could elevate a Douhuang master by one or two ranks within a relatively short period. Moreover, it had another effect—solidifying meridians and tempering bones. The residual medicinal power after the rank-up would strengthen the user’s body, though not as drastically as Xiao Yan’s underground experience. It still improved fighting capability noticeably.
In short, the Huangji Dan’s effects were similar to the Douling Pill, but targeted Douhuang masters. Besides, it had the additional benefit of refining the body. Nevertheless, it was one of the most coveted pills for Douhuang masters, given the allure of boosting strength by one or two ranks. At the Douhuang stage, it was common for unfortunate ones to struggle to make any progress for years.
A pill that directly bolstered strength was always the most alluring!
Therefore, the three leaders did not hide their desire. They had thought of it before, but in the entire Black Corner Region, only Han Yan could refine it. And they had a long-standing rivalry with Han Yan, so he would never exert himself for them. By mentioning the pill, Xiao Yan thoroughly aroused their interest.
“Can Sect Leader Xiao refine the Huangji Dan?” After a moment, the chief of the Lion Gang, bare-chested and fierce, couldn’t hold back and asked.
As soon as he spoke, the other two also turned their eager eyes to Xiao Yan. The Huangji Dan was a peak sixth-grade medicinal pill. Even Han Yan, despite his skill, had a low success rate in refining it, let alone the seemingly young Xiao Yan?
“If I couldn’t refine it, I wouldn’t mention it to you.” Xiao Yan smiled, flicked his finger, and a thread of emerald flame suddenly appeared. As the flame emerged, the temperature in the hall soared, and the air became unusually dry.
“Is this… a different kind of fire?” The three leaders’ eyes shrank as they watched the emerald flame, taking a step back. As Douhuang masters, they knew very well the terrifying power of different kinds of flames. Even with their strength, touching that thing would be very troublesome.
“I can kill Han Yan, naturally, because I have my own capital,” Xiao Yan flexed his slender fingers, and the emerald flame obediently circled around them. He glanced at the three, smiling faintly. “Since I can kill him, I’ve surpassed him. What he can refine, I can refine too. If you agree to my terms, I will immediately present the Huangji Dan. You will also enjoy enviable profits in the Black Corner Region. Well?”
Xiao Yan’s light laughter reached their ears, causing their breathing to become heavier. Their faces flushed, and their eyes flickered, caught in a mental conflict.
Faced with their internal struggle, Xiao Yan stopped talking, squinting as he waited for their answer. The temperature of the emerald flame on his fingertips also quietly fluctuated with his mood…
When the temperature in the hall rose to a certain point, the three leaders finally recovered from their daze, looking at each other, and finally, gritting their teeth, they nodded forcefully. Taking risks to seize wealth and glory!
“Alright, we’ll follow your lead!”
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