Huang Tianqin cupped his hands. "Venerable One. This Teng Qingshan claims our Yu Huang Sect sent people to ambush his Xing Yi Sect members in secret. That is utter nonsense! He even alleges that our Yu Huang Sect stole their secret manuals. Hmph, we acquired those manuals after spending a massive fortune!"
Teng Qingshan’s face darkened with rage, and he barked, "Huang Tianqin, do you even possess a shred of decency?"
"You—" Huang Tianqin was infuriated by Teng Qingshan’s accusation.
"Among those ambushed from my Xing Yi Sect, are Guo Jixiu and Gan Zitao not from your Yu Huang Sect? Furthermore! This Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist manual is unique to my Xing Yi Sect; I, Teng Qingshan, created it myself. My manual is now in your possession, and yet you speak of purchasing it with great wealth? Hmph! I created this manual—on what grounds do you let your Yu Huang Sect disciples practice it?" Teng Qingshan roared.
Huang Tianqin, Yu Feng, and Liu Xia were all enraged.
Where were they? The Sacred Hall! Even Venerable Bear was present!
In the eyes of the three from the Yu Huang Sect, with Venerable Bear here, their sect naturally held the upper hand. Teng Qingshan ought to know the proper etiquette.
"Teng Qingshan, you show no regard for propriety!" Liu Xia scolded.
"Venerable Bear."
Teng Qingshan turned his gaze to the massive figure of Venerable Bear beside him. "Venerable One, I trust you have grasped the situation. Tell us, how do you intend to resolve this?" Indeed, Venerable Bear possessed formidable strength; Teng Qingshan could feel it. The mere aura, as mighty as that of the demon dragon 'Zi Xi,' attested to his power.
In the era of the Great Yu Emperor, this Venerable Bear could cleave mountains with ease, a testament to his might back then.
But— What did great strength matter? Venerable Bear was no flying demonic beast; in terms of aerial speed, he could absolutely not surpass the Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing.' Teng Qingshan was taking a gamble... betting that the 'Venerable Bear,' who had guarded the Yu Huang Sect for six thousand years, would not behave unreasonably. Moreover, if Venerable Bear and Teng Qingshan fell out completely, the latter might unleash furious retribution, a point Venerable Bear certainly had to consider!
"I understand the matter," a deep voice sounded.
Venerable Bear remained outwardly composed and calm. He glanced at the three from the Yu Huang Sect. "Regardless of how you obtained this manual, as long as it was not willingly given to you by Teng Qingshan—then allowing your disciples to cultivate this manual called Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist is improper! Consider how you intend to compensate Teng Qingshan."
"Venerable One…" The three from the Yu Huang Sect were stunned.
In their view, the Venerable One was allied with their Yu Huang Sect; logically, he should be protecting them.
"Hmph, didn't you hear?" A cold glint flashed in Venerable Bear's small bear eyes.
"Yes."
The three dared not defy him. Within the Yu Huang Sect, every Void Realm expert throughout the generations knew... that the disciples of the Yu Huang Sect must obey Venerable Bear’s command! However, because the Yu Huang Sect rarely encountered major crises, Venerable Bear had acted only a handful of times. Thus, Huang Tianqin and the other two were not entirely clear on Venerable Bear's rules of engagement.
"Teng Qingshan, since the Venerable One demands compensation... tell us, what compensation would satisfy you?" Huang Tianqin said coldly, fixing his gaze on Teng Qingshan.
"How you plan to compensate? I'd like to hear your thoughts first?" Teng Qingshan replied with a faint smile, grasping the Reincarnation Spear.
His capital for this negotiation was: The speed of the Undying Phoenix. He could completely bypass Venerable Bear and inflict immeasurable losses upon the Yu Huang Sect. This allowed him to negotiate with his back straight... Moreover, this first leakage of a core manual could absolutely not be dismissed lightly or met with weakness. Otherwise, the Xing Yi Sect would surely decline continuously in the future.
"My Yu Huang Sect will return the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist manual purchased to your Xing Yi Sect, and furthermore, we will forbid anyone within our sect from cultivating the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist. In addition... my Yu Huang Sect will present one million taels of gold." Huang Tianqin declared in one breath, then stared at Teng Qingshan, "Teng Qingshan, what do you think?"
Returning the manual, forbidding disciples from practicing it, and offering a million taels of gold?
"Hmph!"
Teng Qingshan scoffed. "Huang Tianqin, do you take me for a fool?"
Huang Tianqin’s expression shifted. Yu Feng, standing nearby, shouted, "Teng Qingshan, my Yu Huang Sect has already offered compensation—what? You are not satisfied?"
"Return the manual?"
Teng Qingshan sneered. "Many within your Yu Huang Sect have already begun practicing this manual. This Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist manual—how many copies do you think your sect hasn't recorded? Even if they haven't recorded it, those who practice can simply copy the text again! Therefore... as long as those practitioners aren't all wiped out, returning the manual is simply out of the question."
"You expect those practitioners to all die?" Yu Feng sounded somewhat astonished.
"I am not that heartless."
Teng Qingshan swept his gaze over the three. "Those Internal Martial Arts practitioners are innocent. Besides, even if they died, wouldn't your Yu Huang Sect still have master copies of the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist? No one can prove otherwise. So, returning the manual... I don't believe it for a second."
"As for forbidding disciples from cultivating it."
"Haha, your Yu Huang Sect unifies the entire Yu Province; your territory is vast. Some disciples might be hidden away cultivating in secluded spots. How would I know? So this term is also empty talk," Teng Qingshan sneered. "As for one million taels of gold... the three of you are not fools; you should know how little money means to a powerful sect?"
A sect meant supreme, unassailable authority. Did they truly care about money?
"Therefore, the so-called returning the manual, forbidding cultivation, and presenting one million taels of gold—it's all a joke!" Teng Qingshan surveyed the three. "You take Teng Qingshan for an idiot!"
Huang Tianqin's face was grim.
His proposals certainly carried an element of deception. If Teng Qingshan hadn't noticed the subtleties, he would have been fooled. Once an agreement was struck, there would be no going back.
"Young man, state your terms. The successors of the Yu Huang Sect grow weaker with each generation," Venerable Bear sighed.
Hearing the assessment of being 'weaker generation by generation,' Huang Tianqin and the other two felt even more ashamed and indignant.
"Teng Qingshan, you speak," Huang Tianqin grit his teeth, staring at Teng Qingshan.
"I presume your Yu Huang Sect understands the importance of the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist." Teng Qingshan said solemnly. "As compensation... I require your Yu Huang Sect to, one, present three Heaven-Grade Secret Codices. Two, forbid your disciples from cultivating the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist. If discovered by my Xing Yi Sect even once, you will compensate with one hundred thousand taels of gold."
"You truly have the audacity of a lion to demand so much!" Huang Tianqin couldn't help but exclaim.
"Three Heaven-Grade Secret Codices, you, you…" Yu Feng and Liu Xia’s eyes also turned red with anger.
Teng Qingshan's two conditions were viciously targeted.
The second condition, forbidding the cultivation of the Cannon Fist, seemed simple, but disciples might still secretly practice. Being caught once meant a penalty of one hundred thousand taels of gold—ten times meant a million taels of gold, which was terrifying... Of course, this part was mostly rhetorical, intended to gain an upper hand in argument. After all, even if they caught disciples practicing the fist movement on the spot, the Yu Huang Sect could still deny everything.
The truly potent condition was the first one! Three Heaven-Grade Secret Codices!
For any sect, Heaven-Grade Secret Codices were incredibly vital. Take Mani Temple, for instance; more disciples within Mani Temple practiced the Maha Heaven-Grade Secret Codex than the Golden Body Buddha. Heaven-Grade Codices were more versatile, generally less difficult, and could guide cultivators all the way to the Void Realm!
"Three is perhaps too many," Venerable Bear frowned slightly. His deep voice resonated.
"Venerable One—" The three from the Yu Huang Sect couldn't help but look towards Venerable Bear.
The Venerable One's meaning was clearly leaning toward agreeing to provide the Heaven-Grade Secret Codices.
"In deference to the Venerable One, let's make it this: two Heaven-Grade Secret Codices," Teng Qingshan stated solemnly. "You must know the importance of the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist to Internal Martial Arts cultivators... Receiving two Heaven-Grade Secret Codices from you is not excessive. Moreover, your Yu Huang Sect must possess quite a few Heaven-Grade Codices accumulated over the years."
The three from the Yu Huang Sect exchanged glances, then looked at Venerable Bear, who nodded slightly.
"Very well," Huang Tianqin bit out. "Two Heaven-Grade Secret Codices."
Teng Qingshan nodded with a smile.
Within the Xing Yi Sect, only a tiny fraction of Internal Martial Arts cultivators reached the 'Grandmaster Realm.' Consequently, many Internal Martial Arts cultivators, unable to reach Grandmaster status through arduous practice, would switch to practicing Daoist secret manuals. The manuals within the Xing Yi Sect were mostly those Teng Qingshan had brought from the Duanmu Continent, taken from the Tian Feng family's treasures.
They had many manuals! However, the only one capable of guiding practitioners to the Void Realm was incomplete, as very few in the Tian Feng family had reached War God (Void Realm), let alone achieved Great Perfection in the Void Realm. The Xing Yi Sect’s greatest lack was Heaven-Grade Secret Codices!
"Besides the Heaven-Grade Secret Codices, there is one more matter I must inquire about regarding your Yu Huang Sect," Teng Qingshan added.
"Teng Qingshan, do not be so greedy as a snake trying to swallow an elephant," Huang Tianqin merely said, his face ice-cold.
"I need to know... who was it that gave the Nine Sovereigns Cannon Fist manual to your Yu Huang Sect back then!" Teng Qingshan asked solemnly.
"We are not entirely clear on that matter. However, the Protector who originally purchased the manual should know," Huang Tianqin said, his tension easing, and he spoke nonchalantly. "Let's go. Since you demand Heaven-Grade Codices and want to find someone, you can accompany me to the Royal City." With that, Huang Tianqin first cupped his hands toward Venerable Bear, then took the lead in opening the gate of the Sacred Hall and flew out.
"Venerable One, farewell," Teng Qingshan bowed.
"I shall not see you off," Venerable Bear's voice sounded.
Teng Qingshan held considerable goodwill toward Venerable Bear. From start to finish, the Venerable One had not resorted to force but had impartially compelled the Yu Huang Sect to compensate... This left Teng Qingshan with a very favorable impression of him. Moreover, the fact that Venerable Bear had spent a millennium devising a method to communicate through air vibrations also earned Teng Qingshan's deep admiration.
Teng Qingshan and the Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' also departed the great hall, followed closely by Yu Feng and Liu Xia.
In the vast, empty hall, only the vaguely outlined figure of Venerable Bear remained.
"The successors of the Yu Huang Sect are indeed too arrogant."
"But what does that have to do with me? The Great Yu Emperor commanded me only to protect the inheritance of the Yu Huang Sect. This Teng Qingshan reached the Void Realm at the age of twenty-one, founded a lineage of Internal Martial Arts, and now has defeated Huang Tianqin, who just stepped into the Cave Void stage. Such talent... is unbelievable."
"According to the Great Yu Emperor's words, since this person cannot be eliminated, he must not be offended."
"Otherwise, when he reaches the pinnacle of power, he will become a disaster for the Yu Huang Sect. Offering two Heaven-Grade Secret Codices is a way to foster good relations with him. Furthermore, he once entered the Heavenly Flood Palace... and received benefits from the Great Yu Emperor. It is likely that even if he reaches supreme power, he will grant the Yu Huang Sect face and spare their lineage."
Venerable Bear's form vanished within the hall.
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