Chapter 147 (1): This is Night Demon?

"Sure. In that case, let's begin the discussion now," Yan Nan urged. "All of the sects present can also send out representatives to join the discussion. How about this? The Guardians, the sects, and our church will each put forward two representatives, and we'll all enter my domain to discuss this matter. What do you all say?"

Yan Nan had seized the initiative right away, establishing the reclusive sects as a separate faction of their own.

It was an open challenge.

I've given you the right to exist as a neutral party, but if you dare to defect to the Guardian camp, then there will be all hell to pay!

Everyone in the Guardian camp was clearly very disgruntled by the way things were unfolding, while the people of the Church of the Self-Righteous were cheering loudly.

Before long, each of the three factions had put forward two representatives, and the six of them entered Yan Nan's domain.

Yan Nan, Chen Gu, Dongfang Sansan, Xue Fuxiao, Grand Elder Yin Xiao of the Infernal Palace, and Grand Elder Yun Du of the Celestial Palace were ultimately the ones selected.

Everyone was aware of the significance of this meeting, but they could do nothing but await the outcome.

***

As Xiang Beidou scanned his gaze through the crowd, he spotted a familiar figure, and he called out, "I didn't think you were still alive, Brother Yu! What're you doing here? We should catch up for old times sake!"

"I don't catch up with people ranked below me," Yu Tianqi sneered.

"But you've already dropped out of the Cloud Weapon Archive!" Xiang Beidou countered.

"So what?" Yu Tianqi jeered. "At the very least, I was once ranked second. I heard you were only able to make it to ninth, even after dedicating half your life to climbing up the list!"

Xiang Beidou was furious, but before he had a chance to say anything, Bing Qianshan abruptly erupted into laughter.

"Nice one, Brother Yu! I don't even know why he struck up a conversation with you. Maybe he has some type of humiliation fetish!"

"You sure talk big for a washed-up has-been, Yu Tianqi!" Xiang Beidou sneered. "Can you still put your ax where your mouth is?"

"Why do you keep trying to pick on Brother Yu?" Bing Qianshan interjected. "How about you worry about yourself instead? Not only are you only ranked ninth on the Cloud Weapon Archive, you're also only the eighth-in-line deputy pope! That's pathetic! When are you going to knock off everyone ahead of you?"

Xiang Beidou was absolutely livid!

To further compound his woes, Duan Xiyang said in a cold voice, "You should've never tried to mock Yu Tianqi. Those who have once stood at the very top deserve our respect, no matter how far they've fallen."

Xiang Beidou was silent for a moment, then conceded, "You're right, that was inappropriate on my part. My apologies to you, Brother Yu. Even if you fall by my hands someday, I will concede that it was only because of your injuries and not because you're an inferior warrior to me."

Yu Tianqi paid no heed to him as he turned to Duan Xiyang and declared, "Wait for me, Old Man Duan. If there comes a day when I feel like there's no hope for recovery for me, I'll go to you for one final battle."

"You're welcome at anytime," Duan Xiyang replied.

"If you come to our church, I assure you that you'll make a full recovery in just three months!" Bi Changhong lured.

"Ha! If you want to recruit me, then you'll have to get Zheng Yuandong to come and see me!"

"I know you won't join us, but I can tell you that we really do have the resources to help you make a full recovery and even transcend beyond your former peak! The Soul Fusion Divine Crystal Heart is something that only our church has!"

"I'm well aware," Yu Tianqi scoffed with a roll of his eyes. "If I really wanted to defect, then I would've done so thousands of years ago."

Bi Changhong gave an amused chuckle and spoke no further on the matter, while Duan Xiyang's gaze remained on Yu Tianqi.

His memories of his battle against Yu Tianqi remained as clear as ever. This was an opponent that had exerted even more pressure upon him than Xue Fuxiao.

The Soul Reaper Ax was so incredibly massive, heavy, and powerful.

Duan Xiyang wanted more than anyone for Yu Tianqi to make a recovery. Only by fighting against more formidable opponents could he continue to grow and tap into more of his own latent potential.

In particular, it was extremely difficult to find a worthy opponent with such a heavy weapon.

He had always wanted to fight Dongfang Chongming, but being the overprotective son that he was, Dongfang Sansan had plotted against Duan Xiyang on multiple occasions for even considering the idea, and there were several times when he had almost lost his life.

***

Inside the domain, a fierce debate was taking place.

"The Warlord tier champion will receive excavation rights to a small spirit crystal ore vein."

"The King tier champion will receive excavation rights to a large spirit crystal ore vein."

"The Emperor tier champion will win six cities from the enemy!"

Those were the rewards proposed by Yan Nan, but he was met with vehement opposition from Dongfang Sansan.

"Absolutely not! Your New Chu Nation is situated on the border, so it barely has any large cities, whereas our border cities are much larger and more strategically significant! This is a completely unfair proposal!"

"What're you, scared?" Yan Nan sneered.

"I can tell you're plotting something, and I'm not going to fall for it," Dongfang Sansan said in a cold voice.

"Fine, we won't put cities on the line then."

"Spirit crystal ore vine excavation rights are also out of the question," Dongfang Sansan said in a categorical manner.

"What

are

you willing to accept then?" Yan Nan snapped. "Did we really come all this way just to watch a bunch of kids fight?"

Dongfang Sansan's resolve remained unshakeable, and his expression said: "I don't care what you propose, I won't agree! You're clearly plotting something!"

Yan Nan and Chen Gu exchanged an exasperated glance with one another.

Who's the one plotting something here? You were the one who proposed these friendly matches!

At the same time, they were growing a little concerned.

Has he already seen through our ruse?

"How can we proceed if you're just going to disagree with everything that we propose?" Yan Nan snapped. "Were you not the one who proposed these friendly matches?"

"That's right!"

"And you were also the one who proposed the rewards, right?"

"Correct."

"We've been playing along this entire time, yet as soon as we make a request, you immediately disagree! Do we just have to do everything that you say? I'm not your subordinate!"

"But you're clearly plotting something!" Dongfang Sansan insisted. "I don't know exactly what you're plotting, but as long as I refuse all of your demands, your ploy won't work!"

"......"

Both Yan Nan and Chen Gu were about to tear their hair out.

There was simply no talking to this man!

"What do you propose then?"

"I propose we call off all bets on the King and Emperor tier matches and only have the Warlords compete over the excavation rights for a small spirit crystal ore vein."

"That's unacceptable! You think we came all this way just for a small spirit crystal ore vein?"

Yin Xiao and Yun Du were also taking Yan Nan's side.

"We think Deputy Pope Yan's proposal for the excavation rights of a large spirit crystal ore vein should be reconsidered."

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Their two sects were serving as the referee sects of the friendly matches, and according to the rules, they would each a 10% cut of the resources on the line.

If the two sides bet cities, the two sects wouldn't be able to receive anything, so betting ore veins was much more appealing to them.

A contemplative look appeared on Dongfang Sansan's face, as if he were trying to figure out what exactly Yan Nan was plotting.

"Are you this confident that you'll win? What's given you so much conviction?"

Yan Nan could feel an impending headache.

I'm proposing that we raise the stakes precisely because I don't have absolute confidence in our chances! That way, if Fang Che comes out on top, he'll win a more significant prize for the Guardians, and that'll make him appear more valuable to all of you! I'm trying to give you some benefits, damn it! Why are you being so paranoid?!

"This simply doesn't make sense to me," Dongfang Sansan continued. "In the past, whenever I've proposed something, you've always been extremely cautious, refusing whatever you could, so why has there suddenly been a complete turn in your attitude? I don't know what you're plotting, but you're definitely plotting something!"

Yan Nan was kicking himself internally, not for the first time today.

Sure enough, his excessive eagerness had tipped Dongfang Sansan off to the fact that something was amiss.

"Having said that, if I don't agree to your proposal, then I'll never be able to figure out what you're plotting, so let's do it!" Dongfang Sansan declared.

"Great! It's decided then!"

Yan Nan was ecstatic.

"Hold on a second! We still haven't decided on the prize for the Emperor tier yet."

"You can decide that," Yan Nan replied, willing to concede the initiative now that his objective had already been accomplished.

"In that case, if we lose, then we'll pay out a hundred thousand divine crystals, whereas if you lose, then I want a Soul Fusion Divine Crystal Heart!"

"That's absurd!" Yan Nan immediately refused. "I know you want a Soul Fusion Divine Crystal Heart to help Yu Tianqi recover, but a Soul Fusion Divine Crystal Heart is worth far more than a hundred thousand divine crystals! This is a completely lopsided bet!"

"Oh? So now you're the one saying no? I've agreed with your proposals, yet now that it's my turn to make a proposal, you refuse? That's a bit shameless of you, is it not, Yan Nan?"

"Who's the shameless one here?" Yan Nan snapped. "You want to put up a hundred thousand divine crystals against a Soul Fusion Divine Crystal Heart?!"

"In that case, let's scrap everything and go back to the original rewards!"

Yan Nan, Chen Gu, Yun Du, and Yin Xiao were all stunned into silence.

This is what you were aiming for all along, isn't it? You propose an absurd bet, and if it comes off, then great, but if it doesn't, you're just going to ruin the negotiations for everyone!

Yan Nan was almost visibly fuming!

However, it was true that he was plotting something, and he was so tantalizingly close to success!

He had to ensure that Fang Che could secure a significant reward for the Guardians as the King tier champion. Otherwise, how would he catch the attention of the Guardians' higher-ups?