Beyond the boundaries of the Yuanlian Realm, within the vast expanse of a colossal vessel. Feng Taiji surveyed his surroundings with an air of chilling arrogance. The cavernous hall was paved with dark gold square tiles. Lacking elaborate ornamentation, every table and chair, however, was crafted from the most precious agarwood. Even without incense burning, the hall exuded a deep, pervasive fragrance that permeated the very soul. He recognized Hong Jiuchen and Tan Jing immediately; they sat on the left side. But the two figures on the right were unexpected. They were none other than Mu Fang and the Hermit Fu Yue—beings who certainly should not have been present. These two factions were precisely those he was scheduled to visit next. Yet here they were, seated together with Hong Jiuchen’s contingent. They had indeed joined forces, making this display a clear message to Feng Taiji: these four powers were ready to stand or fall together. Colluding for villainy—

Feng Taiji sneered inwardly but dismissed the thought. Before setting out, he had anticipated every conceivable scenario. His expression remained glacial, his pride unyielding. Since Zong Shou’s intent was clearly to shatter negotiations, there was no need to offer these people any pleasantries. Finally, his gaze settled upon the head seat. There sat an elder, perhaps six-fathoms tall, his hair a cascade of white, his demeanor gentle. With just a glance, Feng Taiji felt an unfathomable depth emanating from the man opposite him. His vital energy was deeply concealed, yet this elder involuntarily reminded Feng Taiji of those certain Formless Divine Demons. In truth, there was little similarity between them. It was simply his instinct to equate this old man’s power with that of the Divine Realm Shadow Demons. Barring any surprises, this individual was unquestionably the one truly in charge here. A cultivator of the Divine Realm from the Jiudu Celestial Court certainly commanded a higher status than Hong Jiuchen. However, Feng Taiji harbored not a shred of respect for him. He scanned the hall again and noticed only five seats were provided, necessitating a standing discussion. This was clearly a deliberate slight, intended to crush his spirit before any words were exchanged! Shaking his head slightly, Feng Taiji suppressed the urge to storm out. He cupped his hands in a formal gesture and cut straight to the chase: “Confining me here for a month—is this the hospitality of your Jiudu Celestial Court? If you refused an audience, a simple denial would have sufficed. Between our two houses, we could settle this on the battlefield. What need is there for these petty, ghostly tricks? Truly laughable!”

Among those in the hall, Mu Fang and Fu Yue seemed unperturbed. But Hong Jiuchen’s face flushed a deep green. The elder frowned, a hint of genuine surprise flickering across his features. He had expected that, given Zong Shou had sent someone to demand accountability, the envoy would likely be uncompromising. But the tone was so harsh, so utterly unrestrained—that was unexpected. As he carefully formulated his reply, Feng Taiji preempted him again: “In this past year, my Great Qian has suffered repeated incursions, with numerous Immortal Realm cultivators directly intervening in our campaigns. It is your Jiudu Celestial Court and the other three factions who first broke the rules! At the battle by the Outer Realm River a month ago, the Formless Divine Demon admitted this himself, and we have several captured Immortal Realm cultivators as witnesses. The evidence is irrefutable; you cannot deny it with a thousand mouths!”

Hong Jiuchen’s eyes flickered momentarily upon hearing this, then he let out a dry chuckle. “You speak of the Formless Divine Demon—can the words of a Shadow Demon serve as proof? Who is to say it wasn't mere provocation?”

Feng Taiji shot him a sidelong glance, then merely shook his head, showing no inclination to debate the matter with this man. “Provocation? I, Feng Taiji, am confident in my ability to discern truth from falsehood. There is no need to elaborate on these words. We all know exactly what transpired!” With that, his gaze became as sharp as a blade, fixed upon the elder opposite him. “My Lord’s intention is for the Jiudu Celestial Court to deliver the heads of Hong Jiuchen and his cohorts, to quell the anger of my Dynasty. Furthermore, you must cede five Minor Thousand Worlds as compensation. Should you accomplish these things, this current affair can be considered closed.”

Hong Jiuchen’s eyes reddened with a mixture of shock and fury. He truly hadn't been certain whether the Jiudu Celestial Court would actually comply with Zong Shou’s demands and sacrifice him to pacify the situation. Only upon hearing the latter demands did he finally settle his nerves. An absurd feeling welled up within him, tempting him to burst into uncontrolled, roaring laughter. They were insane! Just based on empty words, they expected the Jiudu Celestial Court to surrender five Minor Thousand Worlds? Was there anything so easily obtained in this world? And on what grounds? No matter who the recipient was, they would never agree. It was impossible to know if Feng Taiji was acting on his own initiative or following Zong Shou’s explicit orders. If it was the latter, then that person—that Zong Shou—could truly be called completely unhinged! He turned his gaze toward the head seat, and indeed, the elder’s expression had drastically shifted. “Five Minor Thousand Worlds? Such magnificent audacity!”

As he spoke, Mu Fang, seated to the elder’s right, set down his wine cup and let out a cold laugh. “Even as a guest today, I cannot stand to watch this. Does Brother Zong not realize he is demanding the lion’s share? You currently possess barely half a Minor Thousand World, yet you dare—”

The voice trailed off abruptly as Feng Taiji spoke again, his expression utterly remote. “I won’t hide it from you, Sir. The situation is the same for the other three factions! Since you are all conveniently gathered here, it saves me the trouble of notifying each one individually. The Tianfang Cultivation Society, the Xuanling Society, and the Jijue Celestial Court—all must surrender the heads of those responsible for this outrage to mourn our fallen Great Qian soldiers, and they too must cede five Minor Thousand Worlds. Only then can this matter be concluded!”

A profound silence descended upon the hall. Even Tan Jing stared at Feng Taiji with unconcealed disbelief. His preceding words had not been directed solely at the Jiudu Celestial Court. They encompassed all four powers. What exactly was this man intending? Conditions like these, even if the four factions harbored no prior intention of uniting, would compel them to stand together now.

After a long, heavy stillness where a pin drop could be heard, the elder finally broke the silence. “Are these terms perhaps a trifle excessive? Not to mention the words of that Formless Divine Demon are highly suspect of harboring ulterior motives. Even if true, there is absolutely no justification for demanding that our Jiudu Celestial Court cede territory!”

Feng Taiji didn't even lift an eyelid, replying flatly, “Is the life of my Sovereign worth less than five Minor Thousand Worlds? Can he simply be schemed against? If we let this slide today, how will others act in imitation? Tens of thousands of my Great Qian subjects died in vain? I have already stated that passion is unnecessary; you simply need to answer yes or no.”

The elder could no longer maintain his placid composure. Veins faintly pulsed on his face as he visibly struggled to suppress his anger. He let out a cold, derisive laugh: “Then, what if the Jiudu Celestial Court refuses?”

“Naturally, we fight!”

Feng Taiji answered instantly, without hesitation. His voice was sharp and resonant, his entire being radiating sword intent, like a blade drawn from its sheath. “My Lord has commanded: if you will not give it, my Great Qian will come and take it ourselves!”

The elder was momentarily stunned, then erupted into booming laughter. “‘Come and take it ourselves!’ I, Gu Yue, have lived for six thousand years, and this is the first time I have encountered such an arrogant, overconfident child who fails to grasp reality!”

His laughter echoed relentlessly, shaking the hall. The vast wave of his soul sense suddenly unleashed, whipping up a gale within the chamber. Feng Taiji stood directly in the storm, feeling the immense pressure of the intent crushing him. His bones and muscles emitted faint cracking sounds. Innumerable hidden injuries instantly appeared within his flesh and blood, and fine fissures spiderwebbed across his skeletal structure. A metallic, rusty taste filled his mouth, but he swallowed it down fiercely. He remained standing proudly, utterly unyielding. How could the proud Feng Taiji bow before such a person? A surge of ruthless defiance rose within him. He inwardly sneered: If you have the guts, Gu Yue, crush me here and now!

Seemingly unable to break Feng Taiji’s stance, Gu Yue’s laughter gradually subsided. His face turned cold as frost, yet he remained silent, deep in contemplation. It was Hong Jiuchen beside him who finally broke the quiet with a cold snort: “Wishful thinking! You may leave! Go back and tell Zong Shou that I hear he was once merely an abandoned child of the Lu family, a descendant of the Seven-Tailed Mixed Fox. His current status is merely a stroke of luck born from escaping calamity. Do not assume that having a Supreme Realm Saint as a teacher grants him the right to act recklessly! Asking my Jiudu Celestial Court to surrender land—does he think himself worthy?”

Feng Taiji paused, momentarily startled. Abandoned child of the Lu family? Descendant of the Seven-Tailed Mixed Fox? These people knew Zong Shou’s background intimately. Though anger churned in his chest, he said nothing, merely nodding slightly. “I will certainly convey these words to my Lord,” he confirmed. What he said was factual. However, he had no idea what consequences might follow once Zong Shou heard this. As far as he knew, his Sovereign was by no means a benevolent person who tolerated being insulted and cursed. If the chance arose, he himself would draw his sword and slay this man here. He kept his gaze locked on Gu Yue; this elder was clearly the only representative of the Jiudu Celestial Court capable of acting on behalf of the Divine Realm Venerable.

The old man narrowed his eyes, taking a full quarter of an hour before seeming to reach a conclusion. “Envoy, please inquire! Gu Yue cannot make this decision; it must be reported back to the Celestial Court for their reply. However, His Sacred Emperor will likely not concern himself with such trivialities. I also urge your Sovereign to consider this carefully and not act purely on impulse.”

His tone remained exceedingly calm. “Of course, if my Lord truly wishes for war, then our Jiudu Sacred Court is not afraid!”

Hong Jiuchen looked genuinely surprised, having not expected Gu Yue to sound so yielding. It was only when he noticed the deep-seated contempt and disgust in the elder’s eyes that he managed to suppress his own rising emotions. He understood: this elder certainly had a plan. This confrontation would not end peacefully. After a brief moment of thought, he grasped the intention: it was merely a delaying tactic for now. Zong Shou’s unwavering confidence was certainly suspicious; he must have something powerful to rely on. Feng Taiji’s dialogue just now had not sounded like someone seeking compromise, but rather an outright provocation. Hong Jiuchen fell silent then, offering only a dry, noncommittal sound.

Feng Taiji gave a slight nod. “I understand.” He then turned to the others, his eyes querying their positions.

Mu Fang was more cautious, merely stating coolly, “This matter is significant; Mu Fang must also consult the several elders of the Society. A reply regarding whether to fight or seek peace will follow in due course.”

The Hermit Fu Yue offered a harsh, derisive laugh: “Inform Zong Shou, that arrogant brat! Does he truly think he amounts to anything? Even if those events were indeed our doing, what can he possibly do about it?”

Tan Jing, deeply reserved, spoke with equal tranquility: “My Tianfang Cultivation Society will cede no territory! This matter will be reported to the elders of my Society. If the Society chooses peace, then Tan Jing will not spare his life.”

Feng Taiji’s sword-like eyebrows lifted slightly. He said no more, turning and sweeping his robes as he departed. Courtesy had been observed; the mission of the envoy was concluded. What followed next would undoubtedly be the unleashing of a sudden, violent storm!

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