lpffa Chapter 242 - 186: The Dagger is Revealed
Chapter 242 - 186: The Dagger is Revealed
"Flying Boat Hovering Ships? Ten of them? Is your Southern Border Beast Taming Sect really that extravagant?"
Qi Wushuang lowered the slender hand shielding her forehead. She was very curious, watching as Fang Qingyuan, a mere Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, spoke eloquently before her, opening with a request for ten Flying Boat Hovering Ships. Qi Wushuang immediately sat up straight.
"Ever since Alliance Leader Qi took charge of the Artifact Talisman Alliance, your esteemed alliance has begun mass-producing Flying Boat Hovering Ships. Furthermore, from what I know, besides these ships, your alliance has also begun attempting to mass-produce Golden Armor Music Puppets, Golden Armor Music Puppet Summoning Talismans, and the Tier Three Wood Wind-controlling Shuttles."
Fang Qingyuan calmly revealed the Artifact Talisman Alliance’s current secrets. Upon hearing this, Qi Wushuang’s gaze turned cold, but after a few breaths, she returned to her previous demeanor.
The Artifact Talisman Alliance had built its foundation on Artifact Refining and talisman crafting. The six Golden Core Clans within the alliance each had their own unique skills. The Wei Family’s high-end combat power wasn’t weak, but they ultimately lost everything. The main reason was that the Artifact Talisman Alliance had money and an ample supply of various War Magical Artifacts.
A single Wood Wind-controlling Shuttle, filled with Cultivators, was enough to contend with a Golden Core Cultivator. Although it only contained a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators and a hundred Qi Cultivation practitioners, the advantage granted by the Magical Artifact put the Wei Family at a great disadvantage.
Back then, before Celestial Attraction Mountain, the Artifact Talisman Alliance had deployed three Tier Three Flying Shuttles, which was equivalent to three extra Golden Core-level combatants. Although the Tier Three Wood Wind-controlling Shuttles lacked the mobility and flexibility of a Golden Core Cultivator, in a positional battle, the Wei Family’s Cultivators could only grit their teeth and charge head-on.
Furthermore, another one of the Artifact Talisman Alliance’s flagship products, the Golden Armor Music Puppet, was also a powerful weapon for battle arrays. Each summoned puppet stood dozens of zhang tall, clad in a golden helmet and armor, wielding a golden hammer in one hand and a golden gong in the other. They were immense.
During the final battle with the Wei Family, the Artifact Talisman Alliance used over a hundred summoning talismans at once, completely exhausting their reserves.
According to the recollections of Loose Cultivators fortunate enough to have witnessed the battle, hundreds of Golden Armor Music Puppets, each dozens of zhang tall, had surrounded the three Tier Three Wood Wind-controlling Shuttles in front of the Artifact Talisman Alliance’s army. Combined with three thousand Cultivators, the moment the battle lines met, the Wei Family’s various vassals crumbled.
Such a powerful heavy war machine naturally drew the wariness of surrounding powers. Pressured by these other factions, the Artifact Talisman Alliance promised after their victory that they would only maintain their current three Tier Three Wood Wind-controlling Shuttles and would not build any new ones.
But now, Fang Qingyuan had effortlessly exposed the Artifact Talisman Alliance’s recent activities—secretly building more shuttles. If word of this got out, it would be quite embarrassing for the Artifact Talisman Alliance.
However, seeing Fang Qingyuan’s expression, Qi Wushuang knew he was only using this information to make a point—to inform her that the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect was no small fry and to counter her earlier skepticism.
So, Qi Wushuang smiled and said,
"It seems I was too quick to judge. Elder Fang, please tell me the details of this matter."
A single Flying Boat Hovering Ship cost one hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones, so ten of them was a deal worth a thousand. Although ten of them together weren’t worth as much as a single Tier Three Wood Wind-controlling Shuttle, for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they were still powerful weapons against an enemy.
A deal for a thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones was a huge deal, even for the Artifact Talisman Alliance. Although Qi Wushuang was a Golden Core Cultivator and the Alliance Leader, her primary identity was still that of a merchant.
Seeing the clear change in Qi Wushuang’s attitude toward him, Fang Qingyuan’s own expression remained unchanged, which made him somewhat inscrutable to her.
"Alliance Leader Qi, you must be aware that our Southern Border Beast Taming Sect has been planning for the expansion war ten years from now for a long time. To be honest with you, the very reason our Southern Border Beast Taming Sect came here is to prepare for that war."
Qi Wushuang nodded to show she was listening. This information was hardly a secret anymore. When the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect arrived, many people had already guessed their true purpose. As the Alliance Leader of the Artifact Talisman Alliance, it was only natural for her to be privy to such news.
Fang Qingyuan stared at Qi Wushuang’s face. He hadn’t often had the opportunity to face a Golden Core Cultivator directly and negotiate as an equal, yet he felt little discomfort in his heart.
’I’ve been tempered by experience—not in this life, but in my previous one. Setting aside the pressure exuded by a Golden Core Cultivator, Qi Wushuang is just a client waiting for my proposal.’
"Behind our Southern Border Beast Taming Sect is not just the Zongshan Huo Family, but also seven or eight Nascent Soul Clans from the Zongshan Yue Peak Lineage. If the expansion war in ten years is directed this way, then Alliance Leader Qi will truly witness our power.
These seven or eight Nascent Soul Clans will certainly all send Cultivators, and even two Divinity Transformation Ancestors might attend in person. We will be able to witness this grand spectacle in just ten short years."
Fang Qingyuan painted a picture for Qi Wushuang of a possible future in ten years. This was considered a confidential matter within the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, and Qi Wushuang was clearly not very familiar with it.
Although the Artifact Talisman Alliance was currently powerful, in the eyes of the Beast Taming Headquarters, it was an existence that could be crushed with a flick of the wrist. Naturally, Qi Wushuang knew nothing of the strategies between the various factions of the Beast Taming General Mountain.
This was the benefit of Fang Qingyuan becoming a disciple under Lechuan. Setting aside all else, simply the access to various secrets and inside information had transformed Fang Qingyuan from a local magnate in some remote backwater into the spokesperson for the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, privy to all sorts of confidential matters.
Otherwise, even after reaching Foundation Establishment, it would have been extremely difficult for Fang Qingyuan to get a meeting with Qi Wushuang, let alone converse with her as they were now.
After Fang Qingyuan finished speaking, Qi Wushuang descended from her jade throne above. She walked over to Fang Qingyuan, ignoring Situ Jingyu at his side, and stared at him intently as she asked,
"Elder Fang, you’ve said so much. Your true goal can’t just be these ten Flying Boat Hovering Ships, can it?"
Fang Qingyuan caught the faint, elegant scent of high-grade incense from Qi Wushuang, but his mind remained perfectly calm. ’My next words will determine the success of this trip. I’ve genuinely piqued her interest; ten Flying Boat Hovering Ships are nice, but they’re no longer enough to satisfy her appetite.’
’Since you’re hungry, I’ll just have to draw a bigger pie. I’m not afraid you won’t take the bait.’ Thus, Fang Qingyuan channeled the same energy he had during his past-life roadshows and said bluntly,
"This is an opportunity. An opportunity for the Artifact Talisman Alliance to escape its current predicament and truly turn its fortunes around. Ten Flying Boat Hovering Ships are nothing. We could even take on a hundred of them. But if you expect us to pay for them with Spirit Stones, then I’m sorry, but we don’t have the money."
Qi Wushuang’s eyes narrowed. She stared intently at Fang Qingyuan. They were standing quite close, yet she still felt that she was too far from truly understanding him.
’This Cultivator before me is more special than any other Foundation Establishment Cultivator. He’s nothing like someone from a place like the Barbaric Territory of the Southern Border.’
’Even in my own Artifact Talisman Alliance, few people possess this kind of confidence. This Fang Qingyuan... No wonder he became the Elder of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak for the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect at such a young age. I underestimated him.’
Qi Wushuang said nothing, waiting for Fang Qingyuan to continue. Seeing that Qi Wushuang wasn’t playing along, Fang Qingyuan had no choice but to go on:
"Spirit Stones are what everyone loves most, but compared to an opportunity for growth, they aren’t that important. Your Artifact Talisman Alliance has money, but in the Cultivation Realm, strength is paramount. Having money without strength just makes you someone else’s moneybag. Right now, your esteemed alliance can only survive by guarding this little Land Realm. Haven’t you ever thought about breaking free from the constraints of the surrounding powers and leaping beyond them?"
"Just get to the point. There’s no need to build it up any further, Elder Fang."
Qi Wushuang’s words were like ice water, cooling Fang Qingyuan’s fervor. But it didn’t matter. Fang Qingyuan simply gave an innocent smile and continued,
"What I want to say is very simple. I want to invite your esteemed alliance to become a strategic partner of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. We can use this upcoming expansion war to develop together."
"A strategic partner?"
"Yes. Your esteemed alliance would invest its technology, personnel, Magical Artifacts, and supplies. In return, the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect will grant you exclusive operating rights over thousands of miles of newly conquered territory. Once it’s done, no power other than the Artifact Talisman Alliance will be able to interfere in the business sectors you choose.
If that’s not enough, our sect can also offer mines, Flying Boat trade routes, and Immortal City construction rights as collateral. Be it for a term of thirty or fifty years, we will ensure your esteemed alliance is satisfied."
Qi Wushuang fell into deep thought. After a few breaths, she looked at Fang Qingyuan and said,
"If we do this, the Artifact Talisman Alliance will be tied to your Beast Taming Sect. What if you go back on your word then?"
Fang Qingyuan smiled confidently.
"Is being tied to us a bad thing? Countless sects wish for such an opportunity but don’t even qualify. The Beast Taming Sect’s name is the greatest guarantee of credibility. Alliance Leader Qi, you may not trust me, but do you not trust the reputation of the Beast Taming Sect?"
When the credibility of the most powerful faction in the realm was brought up, Qi Wushuang said nothing. Some things could not be said carelessly. But after a few breaths, she spoke,
"This matter is of great importance, and I cannot make the decision alone. I’d like to ask Dean Fang to stay for a few days so I can discuss this with the others. We can talk in detail then."
Fang Qingyuan nodded in agreement. Seeing Qi Wushuang’s grave expression as she was about to leave, he suddenly added,
"I heard that Huo Hu is here. He did me a favor once. If Alliance Leader Qi permits, I would like to see him."
Qi Wushuang didn’t give it much thought. Her mind was completely occupied with Fang Qingyuan’s proposal. As for Huo Hu, she had long since stopped paying him much attention.
So she summoned a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and instructed him in a low voice,
"Take my token and bring Elder Fang to see Huo Hu. Do your best to satisfy any requests Elder Fang might have. Keep him settled for the next few days. Everything else can wait."
After saying this, Qi Wushuang left in a hurry. Fang Qingyuan turned to the unfamiliar Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator before him and said,
"Fellow Daoist, I have a sect brother waiting at the door who hasn’t come in. The three of us can go visit together, right?"
The Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Artifact Talisman Alliance had seen Qi Wushuang’s demeanor just now, so he was naturally very polite to Fang Qingyuan. Hearing this small request, he smiled warmly and said,
"Of course, that’s no problem at all. This way, Elder Fang."
Fang Qingyuan glanced at the dazed Situ Jingyu, shot her a triumphant smile, then turned to call Huo Bai in from outside. He then followed the Foundation Establishment Cultivator, strolling away leisurely.