Novel Full Chapter 760: Cooperation
Chapter 760: Cooperation
The Purple River Lord’s eyes flicked back to Heilam.
There was open contempt in them, as if Heilam were nothing more than dirt under his feet.
Heilam’s jaw tightened. Anger surged in his chest. His hands trembled slightly at his sides. He wanted to speak. He wanted to argue. But he forced himself to stay silent because he knew the difference in status between someone like him and a Lord.
Aksai let out a soft sigh.
“What lesson could you possibly teach,” he said calmly, “to someone who is not willing to learn?”
He glanced at Heilam and shook his head slightly. Aksai remembered how Heilam had almost stepped out of line when they first met. At that time, Aksai had looked past his arrogance because he wanted to recruit him. Thankfully, Heilam had turned over a new leaf and accepted his role as Aksai’s subordinate back then.
However, it seemed that Heilam was not ready to show the same respect to the Purple River Lord as he did to Aksai of his own will. The sect master of the Iron Mountain Sect had already bowed his head to one Lord, and he was not ready to do the same before any other Lord.
Aksai did not want to create a rift between the Purple River Sect and the Emerald Cove Guild. But he also did not want Heilam to die because he broke the hierarchy and offended a Lord.
Despite all his flaws, Heilam was a good subordinate and a promising seedling. With the right support, Aksai could promote Heilam to the status of a Lord as well, which would make it easier for him to increase his influence on the mainland.
As such, Aksai controlled Heilam’s actions with his eyes alone. It was a small gesture, but Heilam understood it clearly.
Give him some face. Back down.
Heilam clenched his fists hard. His nails dug into his palms. His pride screamed in protest, but reason won. Slowly, he stepped forward and bowed deeply.
“Purple River Lord,” Heilam said, his voice tight, “I… I apologize if my sect has offended you in any way.”
He lowered his head further.
“I will leave you be.”
He straightened, bowed once more, and turned around without looking back. His steps were heavy as he walked toward the exit.
Even though the Purple River Sect had harassed and damaged the Iron Mountain Sect for no real reason, Heilam could only stay silent at this point. He did not have the power or status to make the Purple River Sect or the Purple River Lord pay.
Aksai had his own interests tied to the Purple River Sect. The fact that Aksai had killed one of their head elders while seeking justice for the Iron Mountain Sect was already more than enough. Heilam could not ask for more.
Grisham followed Heilam silently. The door closed behind them. Only the two Lords remained in the damaged hall.
The Purple River Lord looked at Aksai for a long moment. Then he sighed and leaned back in his chair.
“You really know how to control your subordinates, Lord Turtle,” he said slowly.
Aksai shrugged his shoulders, his expression calm.
“You would have killed him if I hadn’t stepped in,” he replied. “I did not want him to lose his life just because, in the heat of the moment, he forgot the difference in status between a Lord and an Expert.”
The Purple River Lord’s eyes narrowed. The relaxed air around him turned sharp.
“Is that why you killed one of my men?” he asked in a grim voice. “Because he forgot about this so-called unwritten rule among Spirit cultivators?”
Aksai did not hesitate. He nodded at once.
“That’s right,” he said plainly. “Do you have any objections, Purple River Lord?”
The Purple River Lord stared at Aksai for a while. His gaze was heavy, as if he were weighing something important. Then he slowly let out a breath and shook his head.
“No,” he said. “I don’t have any objection.”
He leaned back again, his posture easing.
“Using the right amount of force at the right time,” he continued, “and still having the ability to sit down and talk with the other side afterward… that is also a kind of art.”
He looked at Aksai with a new light in his eyes.
“You are wise beyond your years, Lord Turtle.”
Aksai smiled faintly and nodded.
“Thank you for your understanding, Lord Purple,” he said. “Still, you must feel some irritation over losing a capable subordinate.”
He raised his hand and waved it lightly. A small gourd appeared in his palm.
“Please allow me to offer a small compensation to ease that feeling.”
He opened the gourd. A rich fragrance spread through the room at once, deep and sweet. Aksai poured the wine into two cups. The liquid shimmered softly as it filled them.
He lifted one cup and offered it forward.
“Another blend of Bacchus’ Blessing,” Aksai said. “I know you like the wines that the Emerald Cove makes. This is a new blend of wine that hasn’t been introduced to the markets in Haan Di yet. It should help smooth things over.”
The Purple River Lord looked at the cup, then at Aksai. After a short pause, he reached out and accepted it. The two Lords then sat facing each other, the damaged hall quiet once more.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
They drank the wine slowly. The rich taste spread through their mouths and warmed their bodies. The sharp tension from before eased little by little. Outside, the wind brushed against broken walls, but inside, the silence felt steady.
After finishing half his cup, the Purple River Lord placed it down and looked at Aksai.
“You vanished for ten years,” he said at last. “That is not a short time.”
Aksai smiled faintly. He swirled the wine in his cup but did not drink yet.
“You’re asking about my disappearance,” he said, “but that’s not what you truly want to know.”
The Purple River Lord did not deny it. His eyes stayed fixed on Aksai.
“What you really want to know,” Aksai continued calmly, “is whether I had anything to do with the current state of the Purple Poison Marshland.”
The Purple River Lord’s fingers tightened slightly around his cup. He stopped pretending and nodded.
“Yes,” he said. “That is exactly what I want to know.”
He leaned forward a little.
“Was it you?” he asked. “Are you the reason the Purple Poison River has grown weaker? The reason its poison has faded?”
Aksai met his gaze without blinking.
He could see it clearly now. The worry hidden behind the Purple River Lord’s calm face. The pressure he carried but did not show.
The Purple Poison River was the lifeline of the Purple River Sect. Its past, its present, and its future were all tied to that river. If the poison kept thinning, their Spirit techniques would lose their edge. Pills, formations, cultivation arts—everything would suffer.
And it wouldn’t stop there.
If the situation went on for a few more years, even the Purple River Lord himself would be forced to halt his cultivation. A Lord who could not advance was no different from a blade left to rust.
That was why he had come in person. That was why he had not sent elders or messengers. This was also why Aksai had killed the head elder of his sect knowing full well it would not create a conflict between the two organizations as long as he kept a few things in check.
Aksai understood this very well. In fact, he had expected it. So he was not surprised when the Purple River Lord appeared the moment he revealed himself again after ten years of silence.
Aksai finally took a sip of his wine and let out a quiet breath.
“You came to see me,” he said, “because you have no other choice left.”
The Purple River Lord did not respond right away. He simply waited, his eyes locked on Aksai, as if the answer before him could decide the fate of his entire sect.
Aksai looked at the Purple River Lord and smiled. He did not say anything right away.
Instead, he reached into his storage ring and took out a small vial. The vial was deep purple in color and no bigger than a finger. What stood out were the seals on it.
One talisman was not enough. Two were not enough either. There were many third-order talismans layered over each other, forming a tight net of Spirit symbols around the vial.
Even so, the air changed the moment it appeared. The Purple River Lord’s pupils shrank. He could feel it.
A faint pressure brushed against his Spirit Sense. It was cold, sharp, and heavy. Even though the poison was sealed completely, his body reacted on instinct alone. His blood slowed for a split second. His Spirit essence stirred without his control.
“This…” he said slowly.
He leaned forward without realizing it.
“Where did you get this?” he asked, his voice low.
There was fascination in his eyes. And fear as well.