“Your accusation is as one-sided as can be. You killed them in cold blood and removed any evidence, twisting the actual event. This move is quite cruel, it seems like your sect is best at it.” The chief elder’s eyes turned fierce.

Zhang Yue frowned. Chief Elder Liu Menglong’s argument had some bite, whether true or not.

The other party has been killed so there’s no evidence left. It became his versus her words. The issue became muddled.

“You’re the one making a baseless accusation, Fellow Daoist. It’s clear who is right and wrong here, and please, think about the overarching situation. Don’t make a mistake.” Zhang Yue replied.

He was trying to be polite in order to have a negotiation instead of war. Blood would flow like rivers at that point and they would have to negotiate anyway. Why not do it earlier?

The consequences of war have been forgotten due to the recent peaceful days. This led to the current circumstances.

Moreover, as Li Qiye had said, maybe they were actually trying to provoke Divine Black. This served as a perfect excuse.

“Your sect is better at baseless accusation than ours. You killed our disciples and now are blaming everything on them? No one can stand for this! What if your disciple were the victim here? Would you be able to swallow your anger for the greater good and sacrifice them? No!” Liu Menglong aggressively responded in a rather reasonable manner.

The ones from Divine Black naturally sided with their sect. However, they thought about it and if they were killed one day, they also wanted their master to avenge them. Being sacrificed for the greater good of the sect would be infuriating, a true reason for indignation.

“It’s pointless for us to talk about it here.” Zhang Yue eventually said: “However, you need to give us an answer for your transgression today.”

“I’ll do it after you explain why three people from my sect are dead.” Menglong snorted: “If your sect can satisfy our demands, then I’ll apologize for today. Yes?”

Zhang Yue’s eyes narrowed. He had plenty of authority as a peak lord but this matter had serious implications. He alone couldn’t make a decision.

“What do you want? As long as it is reasonable, I’ll report it to the sect master and the elders.” Zhang Yue said.

“Blood for blood! The murderer deserves death!” Menglong uttered coldly.

Some disciples from Divine Black scowled right away because Gong Qianyue was who killed those three.

This was an impossible demand. She was Ping Suoweng’s disciple on top of being their top genius.

Divine Black would certainly back her up no matter what. They would never hand her over.

“Impossible.” Zhang Yue immediately refused and coldly said: “Your sect was at fault first so we won’t be negotiating about this ridiculous demand. Please reconsider now.”

If it was some other thing, perhaps he would report to Ping Suoweng. As for giving up Gong Qianyue? No one in their sect would do so. She was their prized seed.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

“Because the murderer is your sect’s genius, Gong Qianyue?” Menglong asked.

“You can think whatever you want but this won’t be up for debate. Be sincere in this matter and change your demand, perhaps we’ll think about it.” Zhang Yue changed his tone.

“Fine, I’ll acquiesce on this matter. Just hand over one disciple and I’ll apologize for today. The one named Li Qiye.” Menglong stared straight at Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue found this sudden request surprising. Li Qiye?

He then realized that this was Menglong’s true goal. Bringing up Qianyue was only a ruse. But why did Three Truths want Li Qiye?

Perhaps they noticed something about the event that day when Li Qiye helped Gong Qianyue. Maybe they also had some information regarding Li Qiye’s ascension up the ancestral peak.

Thus, this whole business about getting justice and revenge was a lie. The enemy’s real goal was the ancestral peak and its secrets. They could obtain these things through Li Qiye.

He then recalled Li Qiye saying that Three Truths purposely antagonized them. So this was all part of a plan to get to the ancestral peak.

All eyes were on Menglong right now. Menglong didn’t like it because these stares felt a little strange. They were looking at him as if he was an idiot, and that he was asking for trouble.

They all knew that he was provoking someone above his station, truly courting death.

“Sorry.” Zhang Yue refused again without any hesitation: “We will not hand over any disciple as part of the negotiation. If you or Three Truths are truly sincere, then return with the right attitude. The current peace was earned with blood and is mutually beneficial. We don’t owe you and you don’t owe us.”

Zhang Yue put it elegantly but in reality, he couldn’t make this decision anyway.

Li Qiye has shown his power and earned supreme status in the sect. It would be easier to convince them to hand over Gong Qianyue than Li Qiye.

Therefore, Menglong’s demand was absurd.

“Brother Zhang, you must rethink this.” Menglong said: “This pertains to our sects’ survival and so many lives. You can’t be so negligent as to answer right away.”

Menglong was confused. According to their intelligence, Li Qiye was only a regular disciple. Why would they bother protecting him? What was his value?

This made Menglong want to bring Li Qiye back to Three Truths even more.