Exchange with a certain person?
Han Yunxi was taken aback. What kind of person was worth the nine teardrops and Bai Yanqing in her “father’s” eyes? Bai Yanqing might be worthless, but they couldn’t give up the toxic teardrops just for anyone!
“Who is it?” Han Yunxi asked. Since Han Chen was so cold, she wasn’t warm either.
“Before, a woman fell into the sea of flames. This Honorable One happened to pass by, so I saved her.”
Han Chen’s words were casual, but Han Yunxi’s group collectively sucked in a cold breath. Anxious, Han Yunxi blurted out, “Is it Ning Jing? Is it her?”
Han Chen creased his brows at them. Besides Long Feiye, who remained impassive as ever, even Gu Beiyue and Gu Qishao looked delighted. The former still had some composure, but the latter exposed his inner thoughts completely. Meanwhile, his own daughter Han Yunxi had forgotten all sense of self-dignity.
Of all these youths, Long Feiye satisfies me the most. Thank goodness he’s my son-in-law. I wouldn’t want to acknowledge any of the others.
Regardless of Han Yunxi’s own skills, at least she had chosen an excellent husband.
Seeing Han Chen remain mute, Han Yunxi grew so anxious that her heart was about to stop. She wasn’t usually ike this, but this matter was simply too important! Unable to control herself, she dashed in front of Han Chen and demanded, “Is it Ning Jing or not? Hurry up and tell us! Quickly!”
“Stinkin’ lass, learn from your husband’s example. If this Honorable One had decided to use Ning Jing to threaten you today, your thoughtless actions would make you unable to retort.” As Han Chen spoke, he gestured towards a guard. Soon enough, the man helped out a woman from the shadows.
This was none other than Ning Jing!
Her clothes were filthy, but she’d straightened them out as best as she could and tidied up her hair. All of her poisons had been treated, so her complexion looked healthy as well. As soon as she saw Han Yunxi’s group, she smiled.
Han Yunxi couldn’t believe her eyes. She was so thrilled she almost screamed in delight. Rushing over to the woman, she wrapped Ning Jing in a hug as moisture gathered in her eyes. She didn’t cry out loud, but tears flowed down her cheeks all the same.
“Ning Jing...Ning Jing, do you know? Tang Li, he...he…”Han Yunxi’s voice choked as Ning Jing grew worried.
“What happened to Tang Li?” she asked quickly.
Han Yunxi’s voice went raspy. “Tang Li, he...he’s doing very well. He just misses you---very, very much.”
Ning Jing’s heart eased as she squeezed Han Yunxi back. But soon enough, she was looking towards Han Chen. “Princess, it was this hero who saved me.”
Han Yunxi’s feelings subsided quickly before she pulled Ning Jing behind her. “Don’t talk.”
Sensing something amiss, Ning Jing stopped talking.
“What do you want with Bai Yanqing?” Han Yunxi asked Han Chen. “What are you planning to do with the nine toxic teardrops?”
“What’s with all your blathering? Are you trading for them or not?” Han Chen retorted.
Only then did Han Yunxi realize they were on his turf and prey to his whims. In any case, this man was so powerful that they were no match for him even if they left the grounds. She couldn’t help but complain inwardly, he’s not even from the same world as us, so why’s he being so nosy with other people’s affairs?!
While Han Yunxi was inwardly stewing, Long Feiye spoke up. “Senior, how could exchanging a single Ning Jing for Bai Yanqing and the toxic teardrops be fair?” He knew the man before him was a gentleman due to their duel. Otherwise, he would have been poisoned or injured far faster.
“Heheh, what other conditions do you want? Get to the point,” Han Chen saw through Long Feiye’s intentions instantly.
Long Feiye smiled broadly. “Senior is a straightforward man. Then this junior will be blunt. I hope that the Wolf Sect can guarantee peace in Cloud Realm Continent’s northern regions for the next 20 years. Please also keep the people of Mysterious Continent from encroaching upon our borders!”
The residents of Mysterious Continent looked to strength as power and didn’t work on the basis of reason, while Cloud Realm Continent still followed rule and order despite submitting to greater powers. When it came to martial prowess, Cloud Realm Continent couldn’t win against the Mysterious Continent; when it came to civilized discourse, the Mysterious Continent paled compared to Cloud Realm Continent.
Both worlds had their strengths, as pure power couldn’t decide an ultimate victor. The two continents simply had differing viewpoints. Neither one was superior to the other.
Since the members of the Wolf Sect could travel freely to Cloud Realm Continent, it was likely other members of the Mysterious Continent could do the same. If too many of them showed up, they would affect daily life here and even threaten Cloud Realm Continent’s sovereignty. Han Chen was the leader of a sect with a younger daughter capable of reaching the upper power echelons in ten years’ time. That meant the Wolf Sect was also a powerful entity. Moreover, a sect leader wasn’t someone easy to ignore.
With the Wolf Sect’s protection, Cloud Realm Continent could escape the Mysterious Continent’s attentions for a while. They would save more manpower and spare the civilians more suffering through war. Of course, Long Feiye’s own ambitions were very much intact. He had told Han Yunxi long ago that the world was a vast place. He had the ambition and power to rule over a martial world and long knew a greater continent existed beyond the Ice Sea and the Wintercrow Clan in the north.
Still, he’d yet to step upon that path because Cloud Realm Continent was still suffering from unrest. It had yet to grow strong enough, and he still had many things to accomplish. He couldn’t allow the people of Cloud Realm Continent to be tangled up in the chaos of war. There were private agendas too. With Han Yunxi pregnant, he wanted more time to spend with his woman in peace without her shouldering his burdens with him.
Ten years might not be enough, but 20 years would definitely do it!
He could use that time to establish new law and order over Cloud Realm Continent, fill the treasury, and train up a strong army. That would also give him time to raise an outstanding son to carry on their new imperial line. Perhaps himself or his descendants would be able to subjugate the continent up north or even farther lands.
One person’s strength was limited, but a clan’s power could overcome the shackles of time and space. It could keep growing stronger and extend indefinitely!
Long Feiye’s ambitions were big and vast!
“Help you guard the northern borders?” Han Chen considered it with bemusement before laughing out loud. “Young man, your appetite is far greater than this old man’s!”
Long Feiye was surprised that Han Chen could see through his goals.
“I don’t know what senior thinks of this proposal?” he asked.
Han Chen glanced at Han Yunxi. “Lass, how do you feel?”
Han Yunxi’s gaze turned complex. Can I even refuse after Long Feiye said all that?
“Alright…” she could only reply.
“This Honorable One doesn’t want any of you to spread details about us to the outside world. Also, this Honorable One will be cultivating here for the next three years. Don’t enter these woods if you have nothing better to do!” Han Chen finished. He didn’t give them a chance to reply, but simply ordered, “Someone, escort them out!”
A black-robed figure immediately came to lead the way out. Han Yunxi’s group didn’t want to stay any longer, but as soon as they reached the exit, Han Chen suddenly spoke up.
“Hold on. Ning Jing, who was that little girl holding onto you at the cliff?”
“Su Xiaoyu,” Ning Jing replied.
“What do want to do?” Han Yunxi was on guard against her “father.”
“That girl’s a good sapling. Help me pass on the word: if she wants to take a master, wait for this Honorable One at the top of Clearbreeze Peak in three days’ time!” Han Chen said icily.
Han Yunxi only gave a cold snort before turning to walk away.
Han Chen only said, “Long Feiye, I’ll be troubling you. Much thanks!” His tone was frosty, but still polite.
“Alright!” Long Feiye easily agreed.
With the dimension unsealed, Han Yunxi’s group quickly followed the black robed figure back to the maze. When he left them, the group looked back, only to see the entrance on the ground had vanished. The dimension had been re-sealed.
Everything felt like a dream, but the existence of Ning Jing by their side dispelled all doubts.
“Long Feiye, why did you agree to his terms? Heaven knows what he’ll do with those nine toxic teardrops?” Han Yunxi fretted.
“If he wanted to do anything evil with those teardrops, they would have ended up in his hands ages ago,” Long Feiye intoned.
Gu Beiyue agreed. “Princess, this senior isn’t interested in affairs of the secular world. It’s definitely safe to leave the toxic teardrops in his hands. He rescued Ning Jing and has no idea about our identities, so it’s unlikely he’s doing this for Bai Yanqing’s sake. It looks like he simply wanted to keep the man on a whim.”
“Poison lass, we tracked down those poison teardrops just so we could deal with Bai Yanqing. Now that he’s in that guy’s hands, we have no use for the teardrops anyways!” Gu Qishao added. “Anyways, Long Feiye gained a huge deal out of it too! It’s worth it!”
Gu Beiyue nodded and smiled. “Exactly. His Highness is wise and brilliant! If we have the Wolf Sect protecting our borders, Cloud Realm Continent will be safe for the next 20 years. And if the princess can win her match in ten years’ time to inherit the position of Wolf Sect leader, His Highness and the princess can blaze new trails in the future!”
“Hold it! Inherit the position of Wolf Sect leader?” Han Yunxi interrupted. Had she turned stupid after getting pregnant? Or did she just have a subconscious rejection of her sudden “father?” Why didn’t I think that far?
Long Feiye was already knitting his brows at Han Yunxi. When he saw that she’d recovered her wits somewhat, he stroked her hair.
“Foolish! Han Chen is the Wolf Sect’s sect leader. Since he can travel freely between Cloud Realm and the Mysterious Continent to cultivate at the snow wolf cemetery, he can choose to go where he likes! What are you afraid of? If he wants you to fight against your sister, it’s obviously to see who will inherit his position,” Long Feiye said.
Han Yunxi finally understood the deeper meaning behind Han Chen’s words. She was probably traumatized by the Medicine King and Pill Furnace Master’s requests in the past to think any further than being forced to stay in the snow wolf cemetery forever.
Enlightened, Han Yunxi observed, “I suddenly feel like my father’s not bad!”
By now, Ning Jing had finally figured out what was going on. “Princess, so that senior was your father? For the sake of saving me, he even burned his arm. His subordinates treated me very courteously too and had no ill intentions.
“When we get out of here, I want to see Tang Li so we can come pay our thanks together in person.”
Tang Li…
At the mention of his name, everyone’s eyes dimmed. At last, Long Feiye said, “Let’s leave this place first.”