Chapter 31: The Art of Negotiation

The magical artifacts on Song Zhiyou clanked and shook, yet not a single sound escaped.

The Silence Curse was not merely meant to silence people—it rendered both beings and objects within a certain space utterly mute.

Elder Wei hadn’t cast the Silence Curse on Nangong Hehe alone.

He had silenced the other two as well.

He simply found all three of them too noisy.

Elder Wei wiped the sweat from his brow, then feigned calm as he lifted the curse from the trio.

The instant the curse broke, the clattering of magical artifacts and treasures erupted once more, pounding against Elder Wei’s temples.

And when he looked at Song Zhiyou, who was practically draped in artifacts, he found the sight an even greater affront to his eyes.

Nangong Hehe seized the moment to speak. “Elder, if you let me go back to take the assessment, I’ll—mmmph!”

Before she could finish, Song Zhiyou clamped a hand over her mouth.

Steadying the artifacts on her person, Song Zhiyou offered Elder Wei a friendly smile. “Elder, it’s not that we absolutely must go back. It’s just… our pockets are a little empty.”

Elder Wei stared expressionlessly at the clanking assortment of artifacts on Song Zhiyou and then at Nangong Hehe’s bulging sleeve, stuffed full of demonic cores.

Song Zhiyou tried to hide her belongings behind her.

She failed.

Unfazed, she opened her mouth as if to speak, then hesitated. “You see, we’re so poor we don’t even have storage pouches, so we have to carry everything on us… And once we enter the sect, who knows if we’ll ever have another chance to earn spirit stones. That’s why I thought…”

Is the first thing to do after acing the college entrance exam picking a school?

No.

It’s negotiating terms!

Ignoring the artifacts and demonic cores on the two girls, Elder Wei actually found her reasoning somewhat plausible!

Come to think of it, the first time he had seen Song Zhiyou, she had nearly lost her life over a single ordinary first-rank spirit plant.

Elder Wei sighed.

His expression grew stern as he got down to business.

“Little girl, rest assured. If you three are willing to join our Xuantian Sect, the sect is prepared to make an exception and promise the following:

First, you may skip the inner sect examination and become inner disciples, enjoying all the same privileges.

Second, I will authorize each of you seven entries into the Nine Orifices Exquisite Tower, which you may use at your discretion.

Third, the sect will provide you with three additional bottles of Nine Transformations Origin Pills.

Fourth, after reaching Foundation Establishment, you may each select jade slips of techniques from the first five floors of the sect’s Sutra Depository twice.”

Li Xiaoye’s eyes lit up, and he raised his hand. “Elder Wei, is that the Nine Orifices Exquisite Tower, the legendary pagoda that guards the Xuantian Sect?”

Elder Wei stood with his hands behind his back. “Correct.”

Song Zhiyou and Nangong Hehe immediately huddled close to Li Xiaoye, whispering among themselves.

“What’s the Nine Orifices Exquisite Tower?”

“It’s the Xuantian Sect’s guardian pagoda, nine stories tall. It’s said that those who enter can temper their body and spirit, and even improve the quality of their spiritual roots.”

Li Xiaoye elaborated in detail, reciting facts like a treasured inventory, leaving Song Zhiyou and Nangong Hehe in awe.

“Indeed,” Elder Wei said, clasping his hands behind his back, his tone proud. “As for the Nine Transformations Origin Pill, it is a unique formula of our Xuantian Sect. Nine transformations, nine cycles, laying the foundation for the Great Path.”

“However…” Elder Wei’s gaze swept over the three. “The sect invests heavily in its disciples for the sake of passing down the torch. In the future, if the sect issues a summons, you must return; if it calls for battle, you must answer.”

Song Zhiyou readily agreed, and Nangong Hehe and Li Xiaoye didn’t hesitate either.

Only then did Elder Wei’s face soften into a gentle smile.

Before long, Elder Wei brought the three back to the Fengling Dojo.

As soon as they landed, the gazes of several sect elders locked onto them.

But when the elders’ eyes fell on Song Zhiyou’s outfit, they couldn’t help but twitch their eyelids.

Elder Lieyang of the Golden Vajra Sect spoke, his voice booming like a great bell.

“Young Nangong, your supreme-grade metal spiritual root is a once-in-a-millennium sword embryo. However…”

“Metal’s supreme sharpness requires the Earth’s Core Molten Fire to temper day and night, only then can one forge an indestructible sword body.”

“Our Golden Vajra Sect specializes in metal techniques, and we even possess a strand of Solar True Flame. Young one, how about joining us?”

“Elder Lieyang’s words remind me,” said Elder Qingmu of the Hundred Herbs Valley, smiling as he looked at Song Zhiyou and Li Xiaoye, especially the latter.

“Fellow Daoists Song and Li, you both possess an extreme talent for affinity with flora. Would you be willing to come to our Hundred Herbs Valley?”

“Our valley has a spirit herb garden transformed from a branch of the primordial Divine Tree, with spiritual energy that surpasses all of Qingzhou. Moreover, our school is founded on the three arts of alchemy, medicine, and botany, perfectly suited for cultivators with wood spiritual roots.”

Elder Tie of the Divine Weapon Pavilion chuckled.

“Both of you are mistaken. If a supreme-grade metal spiritual root is supplemented with our Divine Weapon Pavilion’s Soldier Aura Nourishment Technique and the countless blade auras from the Ten Thousand Weapons Cave, in time, it will surely become a peerless sword embryo! Staying with you… I’m afraid it would be a pearl cast into darkness.”

“Old Tie, have you no shame? Aside from belittling others, what else can you do?”

“Why are you in such a rush? Just tell me, am I wrong or not?”

One elder after another began to speak out. Elder Wei snorted coldly, releasing the oppressive aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Everyone! My apologies, but these three have already joined my Xuantian Sect. Surely none of you are shameless enough to poach from our sect?”

The moment these words were spoken, the entire dojo fell silent.

Everyone stared at Elder Wei in disbelief.

Song Zhiyou could sense that the looks exchanged between the sect elders and Elder Wei were practically sparking with tension.

Yet on the surface, everyone remained cordial—albeit with a hint of sarcasm.

“As expected of the Xuantian Sect, the leader of Qingzhou. Your ability to gather talents is something we can only look up to.”

“Congratulations, Elder Wei. But… it took you so long to bring back three disciples. Did you perhaps circle the valley a few times?”

Elder Wei’s beard bristled. “How could I do such an outrageous thing? It’s simply that these three disciples had long admired the Xuantian Sect and voluntarily joined. Elder Qiu, please don’t slander me!”

Nangong Hehe’s eyes widened, and she pointed at Elder Wei, about to speak.

But Elder Wei was quick; he cast the Silence Curse on her.

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he saw Song Zhiyou pull out paper and pen from somewhere and start writing.

Elder Wei nearly choked, then blurted out.

“Five thousand!”

“To show how much the Xuantian Sect values you, I will also give you five thousand spirit stones as a welcome gift!”

Before Song Zhiyou could react, Nangong Hehe snatched the paper from her hand and tried to tear it.

When she couldn’t, she stuffed it into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Turning around, she thumped her chest and gave Elder Wei a thumbs-up, a clear gesture of ‘I’ve got this, don’t worry.’

Elder Wei: “…”

In the moment Elder Wei was stunned, Song Zhiyou furrowed her brow and pulled out another piece of paper.

Startled, Elder Wei immediately took out three storage pouches and shoved them into the trio’s hands.

Song Zhiyou took the pouch, tore the paper to shreds, and solemnly thumped her chest.

The other elders: “…”

They sensed something fishy, but seeing this scene, they didn’t know what to say.

Just then, another elder arrived at the dojo, dragging someone along.

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