Liu Yianfei had said from the start that if possible, he didn't want to work here at all.
Three Grandmaster-level figures, and all three had extremely willful temperaments. Each was famous for doing whatever they pleased.
Yet when these three came together, instead of clashing, they became close and harmonious.
Looking at the situation, that guy rolling on the ground must have offended Grandmaster Bai. Otherwise, why would those two step out and strike simultaneously?
If he wasn't dead, it should be fine. Both seemed to have held back. He could pretend not to know or see anything as long as no one died before his eyes.
Alright, better escape quickly.
But before he could retreat and play ignorant, someone called him back.
"General, wait!"
It was the hotel manager running up with a pitiful expression. If his only hope—Liu Yianfei—abandoned him too, this hotel might become ruins very soon.
"Manager, what do you need?"
Liu Yianfei quickly composed himself. He turned to smile and speak politely with the manager as if unaware of the escalating situation behind him.
"Please! Help stop them! Otherwise I'll definitely be fired!" The manager nearly knelt and cried while hugging the general's legs. His manner made Liu Yianfei sigh.
"...I'll try."
The young man was about to step forward and open the door again, but his eyes suddenly caught sight of a group approaching first.
They wore official military uniforms. Leading them was a middle-aged man with glasses who didn't seem surprised at all to see General Liu Yianfei.
Major General Zhou Haoyun of the military!
He was the very major general who'd traveled to Bai Fanxian's residence that day.
He and Liu Yianfei often clashed verbally.
"Long time no see, General Liu." Zhou Haoyun walked up and stopped before Liu Yianfei. Though his mouth said "general," there was no respectful attitude in his tone or actions.
"Why are you here?" Liu Yianfei narrowed his eyes. The military had sent him to handle this matter.
Then why had Zhou Haoyun traveled here?
"I received orders too..."
Zhou Haoyun smiled meaningfully. He was about to enter the room just as the door opened. Four or five people carried out a large man's body. His condition looked weak and covered with wounds—scratches all over his body. Especially one arm hanging limply with blood flowing profusely.
Major General Zhou startled slightly but quickly recovered. He unconsciously watched that group leave, just as he heard Tang Tianjie's voice floating out from inside through the speakers.
"Alright... let's continue our discussion."
.
.
.
The situation inside had calmed down again. After people carried Master An's body out for treatment, the atmosphere had completely changed. Representatives of the powerful became much quieter. They sat up straight, not daring to move much while staring at the young woman sitting at the head position.
Even Zhou Haoyun and Liu Yianfei sat quietly in one corner.
Bai Fanxian sat down. On both sides of her were Sword Saint Zheng Renyi and Red Widow Queen Xie Suyao. Though things had calmed, both still emanated faint pressure as a warning.
The three children sat separately. Meiying sat with her grandfather, while Tang Yeye and Hui'er chose to sit beside Xie Suyao.
Though still young, they knew well not to disturb my lady at this time.
Behind Bai Fanxian was the elderly butler serving premium tea respectfully. Right now, Bai Fanxian looked like a true empress surrounded by attendants before and behind!
"Now then... Grandmaster Bai doesn't have much time. Whatever business you have, speak now."
Tang Tianjie handled these matters for her. He gave those gathered a chance to speak first.
"Grandmaster Bai! We the Xie Clan from the north wish to propose cooperation." It was Xie Zhetao, Xie Suyao's nephew, who spoke first. He had to handle the entire situation before his father arrived.
Critical murmurs immediately followed. The Xie Clan was one of the four great clans in the cultivator world. They had tremendous influence in the north. Moreover, the clan's highest figure—Xie Suyao—was already sitting beside Bai Fanxian.
Wouldn't negotiations end faster than expected?
If they succeeded using Xie Suyao as intermediary, the Xie Clan would gain full benefits!
"Please explain the proposal..." Tang Tianjie gestured. He no longer needed to fear these great clans' influence. One could say choosing the right person to follow had greatly elevated his own status.
Xie Zhetao hesitated. He turned to look at the two clan elders who nodded at him. Now he had to handle these matters himself.
"The Xie Clan is interested in the Heaven-Defying Revival Pill..."
Before he could finish, the meeting room erupted. Everyone who came today wanted this elixir.
"The Black Cross wants it too!"
"My clan wants it too!"
"The Xie Clan can't take it all alone."
They clamored endlessly. Xie Zhetao took a breath and said what he'd been ordered to say.
"The Xie Clan is willing to offer the Alchemy Empress an elder position, plus ten percent equity in the clan!"
What kind of entity was the Xie Clan?
They were a great clan. Beyond tremendous influence in the cultivator world, they also influenced ordinary people.
Though Xie Zizhou lacked cultivation talent like his sister and couldn't break through to Grandmaster level, he still had talent for clan management. He used Xie Suyao's reputation among cultivators to attract those groups to work for the Xie Clan.
Moreover, he'd established many legitimate businesses. The Xie Clan grew rapidly in one generation. Before long, it had taken deep root in the north.
The clan's assets were tremendously vast.
If Bai Fanxian agreed with one word, she'd receive that tremendous one-tenth share for free without effort. She'd live comfortably every year as long as the Xie Clan remained prosperous.
"Of course we can negotiate... that's just compensation if Grandmaster Bai will create Heaven-Defying Revival Pills for the Xie Clan."
Xie Zhetao continued. He began regaining confidence after seeing people's stunned faces.
"Additionally, the Xie Clan is willing to purchase every pill you create at above-market prices. Or if you need any materials, we can use our northern connections to procure them."
One of the elders sitting beside Xie Zhetao spoke up.
This time, the Xie Clan was really going all out.
Bai Fanxian's Tier 4 alchemist status was tremendously valuable. With Grandmaster Lu Qing absent, only she could truly create Tier 4 elixirs.
If they gained her as part of the clan, they didn't even need Heaven-Defying Revival Pills. Just ordinary Tier 4 elixirs could generate tremendous profits for the Xie Clan.
Seeing the enormous price the Xie Clan offered, powers whose financial status couldn't compare could only sigh and sit listening quietly.
At that moment, the room door was urgently opened from outside. A middle-aged man rushed in with disheveled hair, looking extremely flustered.
One could tell how hastily he'd traveled here.
"Father?" Xie Zhetao was surprised. He'd just contacted his father about an hour ago. This Xie Clan head had already managed to reach this place.
Xie Clan head Xie Zizhou didn't turn to look at his surprised son. He rushed toward the young woman in flame-red dress sitting at the front.
"I'm here, Elder Sister..."
The image of the esteemed Xie Clan head bowing respectfully would seem strange to ordinary eyes. But for cultivators here, he wasn't surprised at all.
After all, that young woman was truly this man's older sister and a great Grandmaster-level figure. Though she still looked like a young woman, her actual age certainly exceeded many people in this room.
"You're late."
Xie Suyao spoke flatly. She seemed just to be speaking normally, but to her younger brother who'd grown up with her since childhood, Xie Zizhou felt his hair stand on end. Normally his sister was quite kind but often misunderstood. Though hot-tempered and scary-looking to outsiders, her manner now clearly showed she was angry!
"I... I rushed here as fast as possible."
After receiving his son's call, Xie Zizhou had abandoned everything he was doing and rushed to Kienga. Even traffic jams at the mountain base couldn't stop him—the clan head had jumped out of the car and used internal strength to run straight through the mountains.
That's why he appeared here alone looking like this.
"...Really?" Xie Suyao said only that. Xie Zhetao, who rarely saw his aunt, watched this situation in confusion while the elder sitting beside him whispered:
"...Don't say anything contradictory."
They'd followed the Xie Clan for long. The image of their fearsome clan head being dominated by his own sister didn't happen often.
Because Grandmaster Xie rarely socialized with anyone, and people feared her "poison."
Recently as she began traveling the world, such things stopped happening. She rarely returned home either. Xie Zhetao, who only occasionally saw his aunt, had never seen this side of her.
"...Those proposals—who thought of them?"
Suddenly Xie Suyao changed topics abruptly, making her brother unable to continue. The middle-aged man looked up in confusion but answered back:
"Yes... it was a unanimous decision by the clan elders..."
"Hmph!... What gave you such courage?"
Xie Suyao exploded emotionally until qi power burst from her body. The sister's pressure confused Xie Zizhou. He still didn't truly know why his sister was so furiously angry.
Before he could respond, that pressure suddenly vanished before he could adjust himself.
"Is Elder Sister interested in the Xie Clan...?"
The moment Xie Suyao turned to speak with Bai Fanxian, she seemed like a different person. The Xie Clan head's jaw dropped. His sister's sweet manner and blushing face—he'd never seen before.
"...Your clan?"
Bai Fanxian, who hadn't spoken even once, looked up from her teacup and met Xie Suyao's eyes without understanding.
"Yes..."
Before finishing, Xie Zizhou—in confusion—was forced to kneel by qi power. He was surprised to see his sister sit down beside the beautiful young woman and look up while clasping her hands before her chest.
"From today, the northern Xie Clan wishes to join with Elder Sister. All authority, influence, and the clan's entire assets will report directly to you. Please allow us, Elder Sister!"
Bai Fanxian met Xie Suyao's resolute gaze. Her eyes held no hesitation whatsoever. As for her younger brother—though the Xie Clan head was so confused he couldn't function—since this was his sister's decision, he couldn't oppose it.
Though people saw him as so capable he'd made the clan flourish, in truth behind his success there was always one woman.
Without "Grandmaster Xie Suyao's" reputation supporting from the start, the Xie Clan under his management would have collapsed countless times. Moreover, there was much other help outsiders never knew but as her brother he knew full well.
Therefore, if it would be like this...
Thump!
Xie Zizhou clasped his hands, then spoke equally firmly:
"Please allow us, Grandmaster Bai!"
This situation left many jaws hanging. At first the Xie Clan merely offered an elder position and partial equity, but now everything in the clan reported directly to Bai Fanxian!
The young woman stared at Xie Suyao. She immediately understood what this person was doing.
Because the current situation was becoming chaotic, Xie Suyao chose to bring the Xie Clan's influence to her side. If anyone with ill intent caused problems for Bai Fanxian, they'd at least have to think carefully whether they could handle the Xie Clan's wrath!
Bai Fanxian smiled faintly. In this era, her power base was only the Tang Clan. If the Xie Clan joined as well, they could certainly handle many problems for her.
Moreover—
As for Xie Suyao...
She'd long regarded her as one of her own...
"Mm... sorry to trouble you."