"Yunji." Teng Qingshan looked at Mu Yunji, "You mean the Duan family gets two-tenths, and the Fu family gets one-and-a-half-tenths. I get two-tenths, and your Mu family gets four-and-a-half-tenths?"
"Mhm." Mu Yunji nodded with a smile.
In his view, what Teng Qingshan alone obtained was comparable to the Duan family deploying eighty thousand troops; Teng Qingshan should be satisfied.
"Yunji," Teng Qingshan fixed his gaze on him, "I want three-tenths!"
"Three-tenths?"
Whether it was Fu Dao, Fu Yuzhan, or Duan Shijin, or even Mu Yunji, they were all greatly astonished.
The Duan and Fu families combined only accounted for three-and-a-half-tenths, and Teng Qingshan alone demanded three-tenths?
"Sir, this, this won't do," Mu Yunji said with a wry smile. Previously, the Rising Sun Merchant Guild and the Duan family had already reached an agreement; no matter what, the Duan family would receive two-tenths, and there was no room for reduction. As for the Fu family... he, Mu Yunji, had just agreed. Once the Fu family mobilized the Divine Blade Guards, they would also be given one-and-a-half-tenths.
If Teng Qingshan was given three-tenths, then... the Rising Sun Merchant Guild would only be left with three-and-a-half-tenths!
"This is absolutely impossible," Mu Yunji shook his head. "Mr. Teng, please don't put me in a difficult position... For my Mu family to only receive four-and-a-half-tenths is already the absolute bottom line."
"Bottom line?"
Teng Qingshan shook his head, "Very well, I'll retreat a small step. Yunji, I don't care about the rest, but if you want me to join... it's very simple! I require a three-tenths share. Of course, if this three-tenths share exceeds one hundred thousand catties of Fireflow Iron, then I only need one hundred thousand catties of Fireflow Iron, and the excess goes to your Mu family."
"This is my condition. If you don't agree, the matter ends here," Teng Qingshan stated.
"This..."
Mu Yunji hesitated.
If Teng Qingshan insisted stubbornly on three-tenths of the share, Mu Yunji truly wouldn't know how to agree. However, Teng Qingshan's condition did allow for some flexibility.
Three-tenths of the mine's share: if it was less than one hundred thousand catties, Teng Qingshan would take the full three-tenths.
If the three-tenths share exceeded one hundred thousand catties, he would only take one hundred thousand catties of Fireflow Iron!
"Sir, you truly make things difficult for me," Mu Yunji said with a helpless, wry smile.
Fu Dao, Fu Yuzhan, and Duan Shijin standing nearby remained silent. They knew... this was a contest of wills between Teng Qingshan and the Mu family of the Rising Sun Merchant Guild. The more Teng Qingshan took, the less the Rising Sun Merchant Guild gained, as the shares for the Duan and Fu families had already been completely settled.
"Gentlemen, could you step outside for a moment?" Mu Yunji turned to look at the other three.
"Haha, alright, you two chat with the Sir," Fu Dao smiled, leading Fu Yuzhan out of the large tent first. Duan Shijin also left with them.
Only Teng Qingshan and Mu Yunji remained in the tent.
"Yunji, what is your decision?" Teng Qingshan looked at Mu Yunji.
Mu Yunji said helplessly, "Mr. Teng, let me be frank with you... My family sent me here to give you face, Sir. Our Mu family must obtain a minimum of four-tenths! That is the absolute lowest... You are asking for three-tenths now, so my Mu family would only get three-and-a-half-tenths. This..."
"Yunji, if the output of this mine is very large, even one or two-tenths amounts to one hundred thousand catties. If I only take one hundred thousand catties of Fireflow Iron, won't your Mu family profit handsomely?" Teng Qingshan smiled.
"Mr. Teng."
Mu Yunji took a deep breath and looked at Teng Qingshan, "Our Mu family expended considerable effort this time, preparing a great deal of high-grade armor for the Duan family. Furthermore, my Mu family has also dispatched fifteen hundred 'Cloud Dream Guards,' prepared for deployment at a critical moment... With the strength of the other major families, if it comes to a clash, even if we secure the mine, my Mu family's Cloud Dream Guards will suffer significant casualties."
"Sir, don't you have that divine bird capable of spitting flames?" Mu Yunji inquired.
"Did Old Brother Mu Wang tell you, young man?" Teng Qingshan smiled.
Qingluan had once acted, repelling the Six-Legged Saber Cicada and saving Teng Qingshan and the Great Elder Mu Wang. Mu Wang would likely never forget the divine bird 'Qingluan' for the rest of his life.
"Teacher told me," Mu Yunji nodded. "The Cloud Dream Guards are also extremely difficult for my Mu family to train... If, Sir, at the critical moment, you have that flame divine bird confront the enemy army... I think the effect would surely be much better than my fifteen hundred Cloud Dream Guards!"
"If that is the case, then I agree to the terms proposed by Mr. Teng," Mu Yunji looked at Teng Qingshan. "This decision is made on my own authority."
"Qingluan?"
Teng Qingshan pondered for a moment.
To wrest three-tenths of the share from the Mu family was indeed like pulling a tooth from a tiger's mouth. As for Qingluan... letting Qingluan reveal a bit of its strength would do no harm. In this way, it could also serve to awe the various great families of the Duanmu Continent.
"Alright," Teng Qingshan nodded.
"Haha..." Mu Yunji laughed. "That's settled then. My Mu family gets three-and-a-half-tenths, the Duan family gets two-tenths, the Fu family gets one-and-a-half-tenths, and Sir gets three-tenths! Of course, if the three-tenths share exceeds one hundred thousand catties, Sir only takes one hundred thousand catties of Fireflow Iron, and the remainder belongs to my Mu family."
"Mhm," Teng Qingshan nodded.
"Brother Duan, Mr. Fu, please come in," Mu Yunji turned and called out loudly.
Thus, the distribution of interests among the four parties—the Duan family, the Fu family, the Rising Sun Merchant Guild, and Teng Qingshan—was settled!
In fact, at the same time that evening, inside a large tent within the Tantai family compound.
"Haha... Brother Tantai, Elder Dong, with the three of us joining forces, we shall be invincible," the Wu family head, 'Wu Baiwei,' laughed heartily. "Now, the three of us combined have over two hundred thousand soldiers, nearly half of all the troops belonging to the seven families this time. This Fireflow Iron mine shall surely be within our grasp."
The silver-robed, silver-haired old man was precisely the Great Elder of the Dong family. Since Dong Zhezi was captured, the new family head lacked sufficient authority; matters this significant were decided by this Great Elder, while the Dong family head listened nearby.
"Everyone, we must not underestimate others," the hawk-nosed, gaunt middle-aged man said with a slight smile. "According to my estimation, whether it is the Tianfeng family or the Rising Sun Merchant Guild, they likely will not be content to let the mine fall into our hands. Therefore, they will certainly be secretly supporting other families to compete for it."
"With the support of the Tianfeng family and the Rising Sun Merchant Guild, although our three families already account for half of the total manpower, we cannot afford to let our guard down," the hawk-nosed middle-aged man warned.
"Mhm."
The silver-haired old man and Wu Baiwei both nodded in agreement.
"According to the plan, we launch the attack before dawn tonight, with the signal arrow as the cue," the hawk-nosed middle-aged man stated.
"Now that Teng Qingshan has left North Dwarf Mountain, we must seize North Dwarf Mountain in one go," Wu Baiwei also agreed. "Once several thousand troops are stationed atop North Dwarf Mountain, even if the strongest Martial Saint 'Teng Qingshan' returns, he can only watch helplessly! What does it matter if he is the strongest Martial Saint? He is helpless against an army of tens of thousands!"
"Mhm."
The leaders of these three families eagerly desired to occupy North Dwarf Mountain. They were convinced that with the strength of their combined allied armies, once they secured the vital location of North Dwarf Mountain, the Fireflow Iron mine would undoubtedly be theirs!
...
In the Fu family military camp, inside Teng Qingshan's tent.
The Mountain-Splitting Divine Axe rested beside Teng Qingshan, who himself sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in quiet meditation. No one knew what marvelous axe techniques or martial arts were unfolding in his mind—one axe technique after another surfaced, then were stripped down, refined, and the true essence of the technique was comprehended.
Unconsciously, an entire night passed.
"Kill!!!"
Suddenly, just before dawn, following a piercing, sharp whistle, the ground was then engulfed by earth-shattering roars of battle.
"What's going on? They're fighting?" Teng Qingshan was startled; the ground seemed to tremble faintly.
Whoosh!
Teng Qingshan instantly opened the main tent flap and stepped out.
"Brother Teng."
"Sir."
Li Jun and Fu Dao approached from two different directions almost simultaneously. It was still pitch black, and stars and the moon were visible in the sky.
"They're fighting, it's coming from the direction of North Dwarf Mountain," Fu Dao looked toward the northeast. "It should be the Yan family and the Xiahou family clashing with the Tantai family."
At this point, Fu Dao was unaware that the Tantai, Wu, and Dong families had already formed an alliance, becoming the largest single force presently.
"Let's not rush," Teng Qingshan looked northeast. "In a moment, Mu Yunji should arrive."
As expected, after only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Mu Yunji rushed over.
"Mr. Teng, Mr. Fu," Mu Yunji wore a smile.
"It seems Brother Mu is full of confidence. It looks like this Fireflow Iron mine is within our grasp," Fu Dao couldn't help but smile.
"It is with Mr. Teng's strong assistance that I have absolute confidence," Mu Yunji smiled toward Teng Qingshan.
"Mu Yunji, what do you need Brother Teng for?" Li Jun asked in surprise.
"No hurry, it's not time yet," Mu Yunji turned to Fu Dao. "Mr. Fu, are your Fu family's Divine Blade Guards prepared?"
"Brother Mu, don't tell me my Fu family's fine men are being sent to their deaths," Fu Dao's expression became considerably more serious. Evidently, for a family of relatively weak standing, the 'Divine Blade Guards' that the Rising Sun Merchant Guild took such seriously implied how much effort the Fu family had invested.
Mu Yunji smiled, "Rest assured."
"I don't understand military matters. Just let me know what you need me to do later," Teng Qingshan immediately took Li Jun and returned to his own tent.
...
Even within the great tent, Teng Qingshan could hear the terrifying sounds of slaughter from the northeast, a noise that seemed capable of shattering the sky and cracking the earth.
Nearly half an hour later.
"Kill!"
Following a roar of battle that seemed right next to his ear, the troops in the Fu family camp also began to mobilize rapidly.
"Mr. Teng," a voice called from outside.
"Come in," Teng Qingshan remained calmly seated cross-legged, while Li Jun sat beside him.
Mu Yunji entered and, seeing that Teng Qingshan was completely unhurried, couldn't help but smile, "Sir truly shows no concern for his share of the Fireflow Iron mine."
"You said you were ten-tenths certain, so what do I have to worry about?" Teng Qingshan replied calmly with a faint smile.
"Is Brother Teng about to make his move?" Li Jun inquired from the side.
Mu Yunji smiled and nodded, "Of course. Mr. Teng is the ultimate sharp spear—far more powerful than the Divine Blade Guards or the Cloud Dream Guards. Only when Sir takes action am I at ease. Sir, there is a critically important matter right now that will affect the entire course of the battle, which requires your attention."
"Tell me, what is it," Teng Qingshan stood up.