Chapter 220: Negotiation Breaks Down

At the outer sect reception room of Armament Sect.

“Sect Master Qin is right inside here. Please go in, the three of you.” Tian Jianhao led his men to the door before bowing and withdrawing.

Xie Jingxuan, Tu Ze, and Zhuo Qian immediately stepped into the reception room.

Armament Sect’s reception room was very wide. Many waist thick pillars of exquisite stone lifted the hall high up in midair.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Qin Lie was right beside one of the pillars. He wore black battlewear and stood still with a calm expression on his face.

“Qin Lie!” Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian cried out in unison.

“Big Brother Tu! Sister Qian!” Qin Lie’s eyes were filled with excitement as he couldn’t help but exclaim softly.

Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian swiftly moved forward, arms outstretched ready to hug Qin Lie. However, just when they were about to reach him, their footsteps suddenly stopped.

They recalled the extraordinary status and position Qin Lie now held.

Their hugging posture suddenly became rigid as a hint of awkwardness appeared on their faces as well.

It was Qin Lie who realized their thoughts after going blank for a moment, and with a grin, he himself stepped forward to punch Tu Ze strongly in the chest before hugging Zhuo Qian, yelling, “I am still me. I am still the same kid you met at the Arctic Mountain Range back then!”

Both Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian were secretly moved on the inside as they too hugged Qin Lie tightly to express the excitement in their hearts.

“You brat! Since when did you run to Armament Sect, and how did you become Armament Sect’s sect master?” Tu Ze cried out.

“Did you go Armament Sect after you left Icestone City a year ago? Your fake name is Qin Bing?” Zhuo Qian also asked.

“It’s a long story.” Qin Lie shook his head, and after thinking for a moment, he said, “Big Brother Tu, Sister Qian, we will reminisce later. Let me ask what Miss Xie’s intentions are first.”

“Alright.” Both Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian nodded before sitting obediently on one of the soft chairs to the side.

“Miss Xie.” Qin Lie suddenly withdrew the smile on his face as his expression slowly turned serious. He pointed at a chair at the side and said, “Please have a seat.”

A hint of complication appeared in Xie Jingxuan’s clear eyes. She nodded slightly before sitting down indifferently at the side. Then she went right to the point. “Qin Lie, I did not expect that you are Qin Bing.”

Qin Lie smiled and did not answer.

“You helped me kill Liang Shaoyang and allowed Liang Zhong and I to escape smoothly. So I should thank you.” There wasn’t too much emotion on Xie Jingxuan’s cool face. Frowning, she asked, “I had asked Liang Zhong to deliver a letter to you to inform you about the disaster that was soon to befall Armament Sect and that Blood Shadow was going to kill you. So why have you still stayed at Armament Sect?”

While Eight Extreme Temple and Profound Heaven Alliance were laying down their plans, Xie Jingxuan had learned about Armament’s future fate as soon as they had come to a decision through the Xie Family’s network.

Before the five forces had decided to join forces, she had already asked Liang Zhong to send a letter to advise “Qin Bing” to escape as soon as possible, that he shouldn’t stay at Armament Sect.

The reason she did this was to pay Qin Lie’s back for killing Liang Shaoyang and to save Qin Lie’s life.

But not only did Qin Lie not leave Armament Sect, he had even become the newly appointed sect master.

“The reason I did not leave was because I thought I could escape easily. But something happened later on that I did not expect either.” Qin Lie said honestly, “Regardless, I must thank you for asking Uncle Zhong to inform me.”

Xie Jingxuan frowned.

After a long pause, she nodded and said, “Let’s talk business.”

“Okay.” Qin Lie also nodded.

“If you can truly influence Armament Sect, I hope that you can release my second uncle, Xie Zhizhang. As long as my second uncle is unharmed, on the basis that you have helped me twice, I will return to the Xie Family and beg my father to change Profound Heaven Alliance’s attitude towards Armament Sect with his influence…” Xie Jingxuan said seriously.

Through Great Reverend Luo Zhichang, Qin Lie already knew that Profound Heaven Alliance was formed by the three great families, the Xie, Song, and Nie families. The patriarchs of the three great families would be able to take turns to compete to become the chief of Profound Heaven Alliance. Right now the chief of Profound Heaven Alliance was led by Song Family’s patriarch, Song Yu, and the Xie Family’s current patriarch—Xie Yaoyang—was also Xie Jingxuan’s father!

The Xie, Song, and Nie families worked together to conduct the operations of Profound Heaven Alliance. Any massive movements by Profound Heaven Alliance must have the consent of the patriarchs of all three great families.

As one of the three great families, the Xie Family had absolute power to influence Profound Heaven Alliance’s decision.

So as long as Qin Lie released Xie Zhizhang, she would give Qin Lie face and willingly return to the Xie Family to meet her father. She would ask him to change Profound Heaven Alliance’s attitude with Armament Sect with Xie Family’s influence…

Even Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian were surprised. They didn’t know what had happened between Xie Jingxuan and Qin Lie to deserve such diligence from her.

“In that case, what is the best outcome for Armament Sect after Profound Heaven Alliance has changed their attitude?” Qin Lie asked.

Xie Jingxuan thought carefully for a moment before answering, “Armament Sect’s inner sect elders and disciples will be safe. Part of the outer sect martial practitioners will be safe as well. Elder Mo Hai will probably enter Eight Extreme Temple, and we, the Xie Family, can accept Lang Xie, although he must go into hiding for a period of time. The inner sect elders and disciples will be split among the five forces after they have been scattered, and Armament Sect’s wealth and various spirit artifacts and spirit materials will be split among Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple. A portion of this will be taken out as a reward to the five forces for their actions as well.”

“So Armament Sect will still perish, their wealth will still be divided, and the elders and disciples will still be divided among the other forces after they have been scattered?” Qin Lie’s expression turned dark.

“This is the treatment Armament Sect will get after the Xie Family has fought for them. Otherwise, Armament Sect’s outer sect elders and disciples will all be killed, and the inner sect elders and disciples will probably not survive either because you have harmed Shi Jingyun, Wu Tuo, and Su Ziying.” Xie Jingxuan’s expression was serious. “Not only will the Armament Sect that has committed such acts will be eliminated, they will be also slaughtered to the very last man.”

Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian felt a frigid cold from the bottom of their hearts.

They might have guessed Armament Sect’s ending, but when Xie Jingxuan had laid it out so directly, they still felt that it was cruel.

“This is what you can offer as the representative of the Xie Family?” Qin Lie exclaimed softly.

“This is the best treatment Armament Sect can get after the Xie Family has interfered with Profound Heaven Alliance,” Xie Jingxuan said.

Barely a moment of thought passed before Qin Lie immediately said, “Thank you for your sincere offer. However, I cannot accept this offer, and Armament Sect will never accept this as well!”

Xie Jingxuan’s expression turned slightly.

“As long as the Xie Family does not interfere with the affairs of Armament Sect, I can guarantee your second uncle’s safety. Otherwise, he will be as Shi Jingyun, Yu Tuo, and Su Ziying!” Qin Lie exclaimed solemnly.

“Qin Lie, are you sure this will be the position you take, Armament Sect’s position?” Xie Jingxuan’s expression turned cold.

“I apologize, but Armament Sect does not wish to perish, have their outer sect elders and disciples slaughtered to the last man, or have their elders be imprisoned and kept alive as pitifully as a dog.” Qin Lie’s expression was stern. “Please tell the Xie Family that this is Armament Sect’s attitude! Please inform the Xie Family to avoid interfering with Armament Sect’s affairs. Whatever the other two families of Profound Heaven Alliance do are their businesses. As long as the Xie Family no longer sends anyone over, your second uncle’s safety will be guaranteed.”

“You are truly an unrepentant fool!” Xie Jingxuan exclaimed coldly.

Qin Lie kept quiet and said nothing.

“I have said whatever needs to be said. If you insist, and if Armament Sect insists as well, then I wish that you will be prepared for whatever fate will fall upon Armament Sect in the future.” Xie Jingxuan was obviously very disappointed, disappointed with the results of this trip and with Qin Lie.

After throwing down those words, she did not continue to persuade him. Instead, she turned around, left the reception room, and headed outside the city.

There was a moment of silence after she left the reception room.

After a long time had passed, Qin Lie sucked in a breath and let out a somewhat strained smile. “Big Brother Tu, Sister Qian, do you guys think me as an unrepentant fool as well?”

“We know how you are. We know that there was no way you would accept this, so the reason we came here wasn’t to convince you or anything.” Tu Ze smiled and said, “We are different from her. We are not here to see you on behalf of Dark Asura Hall or the Xie Family or whatever. We are here… to see a good friend, a good brother, because we are afraid that we will not be able to see you ever again in the future. That is why we came here in advance to avoid any regrets in the future.”

“You guys are not optimistic about Armament Sect’s fate either?” Qin Lie smiled bitterly.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Zhuo Qian threw him a glare. “The ones who want to eliminate Armament Sect are Eight Extreme Temple and Profound Heaven Alliance. These two are both Copper rank forces, just how can Armament Sect possibly survive this crisis? Really, you too. Why the heck did you take up as the sect master? This position sounds pleasant to boast about, but is it really that easy to become one? The position of sect master in a sect about to be eliminated is only a joke in other people’s eyes. Why can't you see that?”

Qin Lie continued to smile bitterly.

But there was some warmth in his heart. Tu Ze was still Tu Ze, and Zhuo Qian was still Zhuo Qian. Their words let him know that they still hadn’t changed and that they had come purely because they were worried for him.

They didn’t have any ulterior motives, and their thoughts were pure. They really were here just to see him.

Just as Tu Ze had said, they had assumed that he would die which was why they had come to meet him one last time.

Inside the reception room, Qin Lie and the duo talked about his experiences after he left Armament Sect. Other than his experiences beneath the Arctic Mountain Range and the land of profound ice, he had openly explained everything else.

Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian had also talked about their current lives at Dark Asura Hall, working under the second hall master as his subordinates. They were now undergoing special training and were preparing to venture to Nether Battlefield to sharpen their martial way.

After that, the duo advised him to figure out a way to escape before Armament Sect was eliminated. They hoped to see him again in the future.

They said nothing about Cao Xuanrui’s plans or his offer. They only told him that Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple were having an emergency meeting and would send experts over once more, cautioning him to be careful.

“Qin Lie, we hope you can survive this crisis, we hope to see you again!” Before Tu Ze left, he hugged him one more time and heavily said, “Live well!”

“Take care! Don’t sacrifice yourself for Armament Sect. You must protect your own life!” Zhuo Qian instructed.

“Don’t worry you guys. I will live, and I will even live very well!” Qin Lie grinned and sent the duo out of the reception room. He then instructed Tian Jianhao to send them safely out of Armament City.

After they left, he turned around and headed towards Blood Spear’s training ground at the back of the mountain.

“Manifestation Realm. If I can break through to the Manifestation Realm, I will be able to channel the wonders of the spirit pattern pillars, and together with the Terminator Profound Bomb, they will be enough to overturn the tides. I do not have much time left, so I must succeed as soon as possible!”