“Just speak your minds honestly. I’m tired of going in circles with you!” Han Li said coldly, appearing completely unaffected by Madam Yan’s influence.
Madam Yan frowned slightly. This young man before her was far more troublesome than she had anticipated—neither soft nor hard tactics seemed to work on him, leaving her feeling utterly at a loss.
“Must I really lay all my cards on the table and lay things bare with him?” Madam Yan thought unwillingly. Having held power over the Jingjiao Society for so many years, she had never been in a negotiation where she had to reveal her bottom line without gaining any advantage.
She glanced back at Fifth Madam Wang, the only one among the sisters capable of opposing her decisions, hoping to see if she had any better suggestions.
“Sister Fourth, you may take full charge of the negotiations with this man. I have no objections,” Madam Wang said icily, having understood Madam Yan’s intention.
Hearing this, Madam Yan felt a surge of relief and satisfaction.
“Very well. Since you prefer not to beat around the bush, my sisters and I will speak plainly and state our conditions,” Madam Yan declared. As she spoke, she completely shed her earlier image of a weak, helpless woman and instead exuded the authority of one of the three major gang leaders of Jiayuan City.
“Good. This is the kind of negotiating partner I was hoping for,” Han Li said with a faint smile.
“If you eliminate the Jingjiao Society’s sworn enemies—the Five-Colored League and the Sole Dominance Manor—and ensure our Mo Mansion has no future worries, I will immediately hand over the Warm Sun Jade to you. Moreover, you may choose any one of the girls, including Caihuan, to be your wife.”
“But if you plan to use force or take us sisters hostage to extort us, you are gravely mistaken. I have already entrusted the jade to a loyal subordinate. At the slightest sign of trouble, they will destroy the jade, ensuring we all meet our end together,” Madam Yan stated sternly.
“Madam Yan, aren’t you afraid your boast might come back to haunt you? Asking me to single-handedly destroy the Five-Colored League and the Sole Dominance Manor? I can’t believe you’d even suggest such a thing!” Han Li seemed unsurprised by Madam Yan’s threat and showed no signs of panic.
He had long known that obtaining the Warm Sun Jade would not be achieved through brute force alone. Aside from the stated threat, the other side undoubtedly had hidden contingencies. Thus, resorting to coercion to extract the jade’s whereabouts was a last resort; it would be far better to have them hand it over willingly.
“Isn’t Young Master Han a cultivator? How could these mere martial artists be a match for you? Besides, we’re not asking you to slaughter all their members—just make their key leaders disappear,” interjected the alluring Third Madam Liu, flashing a soul-stirring, charming smile at Han Li.
“What does being a cultivator have to do with it? I may not know about other cultivators, but I am well aware of my own limitations. I’m not foolish enough to take on tens of thousands of gang members alone. Moreover, do you truly believe cultivators can wantonly kill ordinary people without facing any consequences?”
Han Li shot a cold glance at Third Madam Liu, the icy intent in his eyes freezing her smile. With Han Li having activated his Evergreen Art and remaining vigilant, her attempts at charm and hypnotic techniques were utterly ineffective.
“What? From your tone, Young Master, it seems cultivators face restrictions when dealing with us ordinary people?” Madam Yan asked, somewhat surprised.
“I’m not entirely sure of the specifics, as I’ve only recently become a cultivator and haven’t fully encountered these rules,” Han Li replied lightly. Noticing Madam Yan about to speak again, he raised his hand to stop her and continued coldly, “But anyone with a sound mind would realize that if cultivators could freely attack ordinary people, how could your so-called Three Overlords of Lan Province or the Three Major Gangs of Jiayuan City have survived to this day? They would have been wiped out long ago by unscrupulous cultivators, and beauties like you would likely have become their playthings.”
Han Li’s final remark was deliberately blunt, causing the women opposite him to blush with a mix of embarrassment and fear.
“But this is merely your speculation, Young Master. It may not necessarily be true!” Madam Yan persisted, still attempting to persuade him.
“Even if there’s only a one percent chance, I won’t recklessly gamble with my life,” Han Li stated bluntly, leaving no room for fantasy.
“Does Young Master intend to take our daughter’s dowry for nothing, like a wolf snatching white prey?” Madam Yan’s expression darkened, emphasizing the word “dowry” heavily.
Though Han Li’s expression remained unchanged, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated inwardly.
“This Yin poison was inflicted by your husband. I’m already being lenient by not causing trouble for you—what more do you want?” he thought resentfully.
However, Han Li knew that voicing such thoughts would be pointless. These women clearly had no intention of handing over the Warm Sun Jade without gaining something in return.
After a moment of contemplation, Han Li lowered his head, then looked up and cleared his throat before speaking clearly:
“I’ll give you two options. Choose one.”
“First, your Mo Mansion can pack up and leave immediately, far away from Lan Province. Find a place beyond the reach of your enemies and live out the rest of your lives as ordinary, wealthy commoners, free from the conflicts of the martial world. I will guarantee your safety along the journey, ensuring none of your enemies’ pursuers harm you.”
Han Li paused here, observing the women’s reactions.
Only Second Madam Li seemed somewhat tempted. Madam Yan and Third Madam Liu remained silent, clearly opposed to the suggestion. As for Fifth Madam Wang, Han Li didn’t bother reading her expression—her icy demeanor made it impossible to glean anything useful.
Seeing this, Han Li smirked inwardly. Madam Yan and Madam Liu were ambitious women; asking them to abandon their power in the Jingjiao Society and become rural housewives was something they would never accept. He had anticipated this when proposing the option.
“What is the other choice?” Third Madam Liu asked impatiently when Han Li didn’t continue.
“The other option…” Han Li rose from his chair, stood up, and gazed at the ceiling as he slowly revealed the alternative path—one he was certain Madam Yan and the others would inevitably choose.
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