My Professions Have Too Much Personality

Chapter 248: Chapter 158: The Dilemma and the Way to Break the Deadlock

Without a doubt, Hongxuan was on a professional path that could lead to becoming the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator. This advantage, in turn, would increase his chances of gaining approval.

“Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator…”

Jiang Shu Mo muttered the name, feeling just as helpless. “Yuan Capital has the upper hand. After so many years of worship, perhaps its spiritual essence truly favors them.”

You Shan frowned from the side and asked hesitantly, “If things really reach the point of no return, the method Yuan Capital is offering is a viable solution, isn’t it?”

“Or is there a catch?”

“No…” Chong Jingtian shook his head, his gaze profound. “The method they’re offering is excellent. I’ve had contact with people from the Royal Court. Wu Chenpei is right; if we do as he says, the probability of success is very high.”

“But the problem is that the method is *too* good. Hongxuan was discovered several years ago—they might have even been preparing for much longer.”

“We, on the other hand, only became aware of the Holy Banquet recently. I suspect they’ve been in contact with the Royal Court for a long time.”

“What?” You Shan’s expression changed drastically.

Jiang Shu Mo’s expression flickered. “Are you suspecting they’ve been preparing all along to win the Royal Court’s favor this way, even if the Holy Banquet never happened?”

“Correct.” Chong Jingtian’s face was grim.

“But if the Royal Court knew, why wouldn’t they come take it themselves?” Jiang Shu Mo asked, confused.

Chong Jingtian shook his head, unable to offer an answer. “We simply know too little.”

“Perhaps there’s some hidden reason,” Jiang Shu Mo said, moving past the question to continue his deduction. “If there were no Holy Banquet, and Hongxuan still gained approval and was sent to the Royal Court, we would have to submit to Yuan Capital’s authority.”

“Correct. That would be inevitable.” Chong Jingtian’s eyes turned cold. “A century-old blood feud can’t be erased with a few simple words.”

The only reason they were in a truce now wasn’t because they had let go of their hatred, but because a more serious crisis had emerged.

Once that primary conflict was gone, he wouldn’t believe for a second that Yuan Capital wouldn’t come to settle old scores.

“We’re caught between a rock and a hard place…” You Shan couldn’t help but say. If they didn’t do as Yuan Capital said, the Holy Banquet might devour them.

But if they did as Yuan Capital said, they would face retaliation after the Holy Banquet was resolved and Yuan Capital was in charge.

“Unless we can stop the Holy Banquet, or make the chosen one our own person…” Chong Jingtian said in a low voice.

“Both of those are incredibly difficult.” Jiang Shu Mo was also worried. “We must do everything we can for the first option. But as for the second, we know almost nothing about this profession and can’t make any preparations.”

At this point, he added with some hesitation, “But what if we can’t do either?”

Chong Jingtian’s face was taut. “If we can’t do either, then our only choice is to accept Yuan Capital’s proposal.”

He hadn’t lost his mind. Retaliation was only a possibility; it wasn’t enough to make him drag everyone under Ying Feng’s jurisdiction into the abyss.

Jiang Shu Mo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was just about to speak when his expression suddenly changed. All three of them looked toward the door.

The next moment, there was a knock on the private room’s door.

“Come in,” Chong Jingtian said coolly.

“Chief…” Wu Chenpei pushed the door open and entered, followed by Tang Chen.

“So you’re both here.” Chong Jingtian wasn’t surprised; he already knew who was knocking. “Have you settled the compensation with the Translation Department?”

Tang Chen’s expression faltered. Chong Jingtian was showing no courtesy, immediately twisting the knife.

“It’s been settled. In addition to the Exorcist, we will provide two more special professions.” Wu Chenpei, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed. “We’ve already contacted Yuan Capital. The information will be sent over shortly.”

“Why go to all that trouble?” Chong Jingtian shook his head. “If you wanted to exchange professions, you could have just negotiated in good faith. Why resort to such underhanded tactics?”

Wu Chenpei chuckled but didn’t respond to Chong Jingtian’s barb.

Setting aside their tangled personal grudges, the fact was that they wanted two professions but only had one bargaining chip. A fair negotiation had been impossible from the start.

Seeing his calm, shameless demeanor, Chong Jingtian snorted coldly.

Wu Chenpei continued, “You have all seen Hongxuan’s capabilities. How are your deliberations on my previous proposal coming along?”

“The Elder Council is responsible for that matter. It’s no use asking us,” Jiang Shu Mo said with a wry smile.

“The Chief obtained the Stone Slab over thirty years ago, and the Judicial Court has been safeguarding it ever since. If you don’t agree, can the Elder Council actually force you?” Wu Chenpei retorted, then added:

“I know what you’re all worried about. I can give you my assurance that the scenario you fear will absolutely not come to pass.”

“An assurance?” Chong Jingtian was noncommittal, saying coolly, “If you are truly sincere, perhaps you could clarify a few things for us.”

“Please, Chief, go ahead,” Wu Chenpei said, looking the picture of sincerity.

Chong Jingtian was blunt. “I want to know all the information you have on the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator.”

“Your Judicial Court is going too far,” Tang Chen, standing behind Wu Chenpei, said resentfully. “You expect us to hand over information we’ve worked so hard to gather just for the asking?”

Jiang Shu Mo shook his head. “The Saint Envoy told us we should let Hongxuan see the Stone Slab for the greater good, for the survival of countless lives and the fate of the planet.”

“Since this is all for the greater good, shouldn’t all information be shared? Why be so secretive?”

He was using Yuan Capital’s own logic against them.

“But you haven’t agreed, have you?” Wu Chenpei shook his head. “We can tell you everything we know. In return, will you let Hongxuan see the Stone Slab?”

Both sides fell into silence. The source of their mistrust was long-standing; it couldn’t be resolved with a few words about the greater good or the impending crisis.

“How about this…” Wu Chenpei said suddenly. “The bet with the Translation Department fell through. Let’s make a new one, based on whether Hongxuan can keep winning from now on.”

“Bet on whether he gets to see the Stone Slab?” Chong Jingtian asked coolly.

“No…” Unexpectedly, Wu Chenpei shook his head. “You would never agree to that bet.”