Qian Ye’s heart tightened, and he was about to step out of the magic array. This mysterious woman, though she had never shown her hand, gave him a pressure no less than that of Luo Bingfeng. Instinctively, Qian Ye wanted to keep his distance from her.
The woman did not enter the magic array but stood at its edge, saying, “Why wasn’t I informed of such a significant matter?”
Luo Yun looked embarrassed and replied, “It wasn’t my doing; it was on the orders of the city lord.”
The woman said, “Now that I know, you may leave. I will take care of what comes next.”
With that, she beckoned to Qian Ye, who had already left the magic array, and said, “Come in. Am I really that terrifying?”
Qian Ye did not re-enter the array but gripped Dongyue. Since her appearance, the atmosphere had grown tense, like a storm gathering on the horizon, with winds howling through the halls.
She looked at Qian Ye and suddenly smiled, asking, “If I thought this transaction was unsatisfactory and decided not to go through with it, what would you do?”
Qian Ye’s heart tightened again, and he glanced at Song Zining, who was standing close by, preparing to speak.
“Wait!” Li Kuanglan appeared beside Qian Ye, pressing down on his shoulder, and said, “Let me handle this. Don’t say anything.”
Li Kuanglan stepped forward and asked, “Madam, are you planning to back out of the deal?”
The woman responded, “It’s not exactly backing out, but I was unaware of and not involved in this matter before. Since it concerns me, it’s only right for me to have a say. My point is, the deal can still be made, but we need to renegotiate the terms.”
Li Kuanglan firmly stated, “There’s no room for negotiation!”
The woman’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she said, “That’s not a constructive approach.”
“You must fulfill the agreement you’ve already made. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise, what? At worst, we won’t do business. The Seventh Young Master seems to be worth a good price, even if it’s just for his head.”
Qian Ye’s brows knitted, and a crimson flame began to burn on the blade of Dongyue. Ever since this woman appeared, she had repeatedly pushed his limits. After everything they had been through, with Song Zining right in front of him, Qian Ye did not feel he could tolerate any joke regarding Song Zining’s life.
The woman looked at Qian Ye and changed her tone, asking meaningfully, “Young Master Li, or should I say, do you actually not care whether Song Zining lives or dies, and only want the Turbid World Enlightenment? If so, we can discuss other arrangements.”
Qian Ye felt a slight chill; her words seemed to make sense. The Turbid World Enlightenment was practically useless to Qian Ye, but he genuinely cared about Song Zining’s safety. Yet, Li Kuanglan insisted on this condition. Was he truly willing to put Song Zining in danger for the sake of the technique?
However, based on long-standing understanding and trust, Qian Ye chose to believe in Li Kuanglan and remained silent.
Li Kuanglan glanced at Qian Ye, seeming surprised and touched, and said, “I didn’t expect you to trust me.”
“Should I trust her instead?” Qian Ye retorted.
A hint of disappointment flashed across Li Kuanglan’s face as he turned to the woman and coldly said, “Are you planning to break the contract, Madam?”
The woman calmly replied, “So what if I do?”
Li Kuanglan sneered and said, “You don’t think hiding in the Tide City will keep you safe, do you?”
The woman chuckled lightly and said, “Of course, it’s safe. Time is running short, and I won’t waste it on you. I’ll ask Qian Ye directly. If there’s no Turbid World Enlightenment, and only Song Zining, will you still make the trade?”
Qian Ye was about to answer when Li Kuanglan quickly interjected, “Don’t listen to her!”
The woman raised her left hand, blew on it gently, and a golden thread appeared, one end on her fingertip and the other wrapped around Song Zining’s neck. The thread had been transparent, so even Qian Ye hadn’t noticed it until it turned golden, revealing itself to everyone.
Qian Ye’s expression changed. Song Zining’s life was indeed in her hands. This made negotiations much more difficult.
“Well?” the woman asked.
Qian Ye thought for a moment, glanced at Song Zining, and finally said, “Alright.”
Song Zining shook his head and sighed, “You’re not cut out for negotiating! Even Kuanglan is better at it than you.”
Unfazed, Qian Ye stared at the woman and said, “These are the final terms.”
The woman’s expression shifted, and just as everyone thought she would propose more stringent conditions, she smiled and said, “Actually, the Turbid World Enlightenment isn’t that big of a deal. Let’s proceed with the original terms.”
Before Qian Ye could react, she stepped into the magic array first, telling him, “What are you waiting for? Are you afraid I might change my mind?”
Indeed, Qian Ye was worried she might reconsider, so he followed her into the array.
The origin array activated, and stars flickered around the woman, encircling her in a dazzling light. She declared, “I am willing to exchange the Turbid World Enlightenment and Young Master Song Zining for your secret technique.”
She raised her hand, and the sealed box in Luo Yun’s possession flew to her. She continued, “This box contains the complete and accurate secrets of the Turbid World Enlightenment.”
As she spoke, the stars around her remained a clear, bright blue. Qian Ye, having practiced the Heart Insight Technique, knew this indicated she was not lying. Typically, only three or five stars appeared after practicing the Heart Insight Technique. Qian Ye, after a day and night of practice, could produce six or seven, earning praise from Li Kuanglan for his natural talent. But this woman produced a vast multitude, perhaps hundreds, of stars with a single thought.
Such a display made Li Kuanglan’s expression change. This woman’s mastery of the Heart Insight Technique suggested her achievements in divination and foresight were no less than those of the current head of the Li family.
Could such a woman have been unaware of the deal until now?
Qian Ye, less concerned than Li Kuanglan, activated the Heart Insight Technique, producing seven starlights around him. He then took two sealed boxes from his backpack and said, “These boxes contain all the essentials of the Dawn Awakening, without omission or error.”
As Qian Ye spoke, the starlights around him remained unchanged.
The woman nodded, exchanged the sealed boxes with Qian Ye, and let Song Zining come over. In front of Qian Ye, she severed the thread around his neck.
Qian Ye swung Dongyue, making several seemingly simple but skillful strikes around Song Zining. These strikes silently covered all the space around Song Zining, confirming there were no hidden threads, before pulling Song Zining behind him.
“Excellent swordsmanship!” the woman praised. “It seems, Young Master Qian Ye, that not only are you skilled with a gun, but your swordsmanship is also formidable. Anyone who thinks they can capture you in close combat will be in for a rude awakening.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Qian Ye said coolly, leading Song Zining slowly backward.
Seeing this, the woman did not say more and only told Luo Yun, “We should leave as well.”
Luo Yun asked, “Madam, shouldn’t we check the contents of the sealed box first?”
The woman replied indifferently, “This was the deal Bingfeng wanted. Let him verify it.”
Luo Yun did not insist and followed her onto the floating ship, returning to the Tide City.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage