Vol. 1 - Ch. 334 - A Partnership?

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With this thought in mind, Zhao Kuangyi asked with a smile,

"I wonder is your esteemed clan satisfied with the information our clan provided last time?"

Hearing this, Chen Tianyu looked mildly confused, but his expression quickly changed to one of sudden understanding.

"Ah, so Clan Leader Zhao means that matter. Of course we were satisfied. Our clan head also mentioned that our clan's current focus is pursuing resource-based cooperation with your esteemed clan, a partnership built on mutual benefit. As for the specific details of that cooperation, though..."

Zhao Kuangyi listened with a faint smile on his face. But as Chen Tianyu continued speaking, the smile quickly faded from his face.

From start to finish, Chen Tianyu never actually got around to the point.

The Zhao Clan's true intention was to use this opportunity to secure a larger share of Blood Rice from the Chen Clan while leveraging their strength to eliminate stubborn factions in Yunmeng City.

However, the Zhao Clan couldn't propose this themselves; it needed to come from the Chen Clan's own initiative. This would allow the Zhao Clan to simply go along with the momentum and earn a favor that would give them the upper hand in future trades.

However, judging by Chen Tianyu's expression, he had little interest in discussing this topic further, causing Zhao Kuangyi's carefully laid plans to fall flat.

A moment later, however, Zhao Kuangyi simply smiled faintly and dropped the matter without pressing further.

If the clan hadn't already learned that the Chen Clan had sent people to Yunmeng City to gather intelligence, he might have been taken in by Chen Tianyu's deflection.

On the surface, everything appeared calm and unremarkable, but surely the Chen Clan had already been thinking about how to deal with this thorn in their side for some time.

Maybe they weren't willing to broach the subject directly with him because they didn't want to be at a disadvantage during the upcoming negotiations between the two clans.

The more Zhao Kuangyi thought about it, the more convinced he became that he had seen through Chen Tianyu's intentions.

Yet Zhao Kuangyi felt not the slightest trace of unease. Though the Shi Clan had suffered defeat, their clan totem remained intact, and they still counted several Innate Realm martial artists among their ranks. Moreover, this was Yunmeng City, a place where countless factions and powers were deeply intertwined.

Even with whatever means the Chen Clan might possess, wiping out the Shi Clan single-handedly within Yunmeng City would be no simple task. As it happened, the Shi Clan had been acting restless lately, apparently reaching out to establish connections with other clans.

If they succeeded in forming such connections, it could prove troublesome for the Zhao Clan as well. However, the Zhao Clan had no intention of revealing their eagerness to cooperate in this matter just yet.

Nevertheless, if the Chen Clan truly wanted to eliminate the Shi Clan, cooperating with the Zhao Clan was their only viable option. In fact, it was their sole remaining option.

By joining forces, the two great clans could successfully resolve this festering thorn in their sides at the mere cost of a modest supply of Blood Rice, a resource hardly worth much concern in the grand scheme of things. Surely, the Chen Clan would have no reason to turn down such a favorable arrangement.

Perhaps the Chen Clan was hoping to use the lull between trading sessions to gather more intelligence?

Since the Chen Clan showed no sign of urgency, however, neither would he. In fact, he was rather curious to see just how long Chen Tianyu could hold out before broaching the subject himself.

During their conversation, Zhao Kuangyi had begun rehearsing what expression he should put on when Chen Tianyu brought up the matter. Should he feign reluctance or hesitate before agreeing?

"Clan Leader Zhao? Clan Leader Zhao, are you alright?"

The voice beside him brought Zhao Kuangyi back to the present at once. Seeing the puzzled look on Chen Tianyu's face, Zhao Kuangyi let out an awkward chuckle.

"No trouble at all. I've simply been rather occupied with clan affairs lately, and perhaps I'm a bit worn out from it. My apologies."

"In that case, I won't trouble you any further, Clan Leader Zhao."

"Very well then. I'll have Elder Qimeng escort Elder Chen to the guest quarters to rest."

…

Within Yunmeng City, as the lanterns began to glow in the gathering dusk, a shop nestled along one of the bustling streets was crowded with a steady stream of visitors. The atmosphere was lively and full of energy.

Two young attendants greeted arriving customers with warm smiles at the shop's entrance.

"Stone Warm Pavilion!"

Chen Tianmo stood in front of the shop and looked up at the towering three- or four-story structure before him. He murmured the name softly under his breath before stepping forward and slowly making his way inside.

"Welcome to Stone Warm Pavilion! Our establishment offers cultivation techniques, combat skills, and all kinds of cultivation resources. Please feel free to browse at your leisure.

"May I ask what you're looking for today? Would you like some assistance?"

The moment Chen Tianmo stepped inside, an attendant approached him enthusiastically.

Chen Tianmo said nothing in response, simply continuing to browse the store at his own pace. Seeing this, the attendant didn't rush off either. Instead, he followed along quietly a short distance behind.

After making a full circuit of the shop, Chen Tianmo found himself nodding slightly, almost despite himself.

The Shi Clan's construction of Stone Warm Pavilion on this scale was clearly not due to mere luck. In this regard, they surpassed his own clan by a considerable margin.

Even just the first floor was packed with a dazzling array of goods, more than one could take in at a single glance. Though many of the items held little practical use for martial artists, their variety and breadth spoke to the Shi Clan's years of careful cultivation.

In terms of scale, this shop was noticeably larger than the one in Yong'an City.

Of course, what Chen Tianmo didn't know was that the Shi Clan had relocated here before expanding the shop.

Remembering the task at hand, Chen Tianmo quickly composed himself and turned to speak to the attendant trailing behind him.

"Is there someone here with the authority to make decisions?"

Hearing this, the attendant hesitated, but mustered his courage and asked,

"May I ask, sir, are you looking to purchase a rare item?"

Chen Tianmo shook his head.

"Not to buy. To sell!

"Go find someone with the authority to handle this. Tell them I'm carrying something with a soul bound to it."

The attendant blinked in confusion upon hearing this and scratched his head uncertainly. He had no idea what a "soul-bound item" was, and going off to summon someone in charge over such a vague request might earn him a scolding.

"Hm? Well, get going!"

But when Chen Tianmo hinted at his true presence, the attendant's face instantly paled, and he hurried off without further delay.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, sir."

Not long after the attendant left, Shi Pojing came rushing over.

After taking a moment to assess the man's appearance and bearing, Shi Pojing's eyes lit up with delight as well.

Soul-bound items were exceedingly rare, and he'd initially assumed the man was a clueless nobody talking nonsense. But the man before him had already reached the Innate Realm perhaps he really did have a genuine soul-bound item.

Ever since the clan fled from Yong'an City, their Divine Stone had suffered severe damage to its vital essence. Even now, it still hasn't fully recovered.

If they could obtain a soul-bound item to nourish the Stone, it might recover ahead of schedule, which would be a considerable achievement. With the Divine Stone's support, the position of the next clan head would practically be his.

More importantly, the clan's ranks had grown thin in terms of talent lately; there weren't many others who could truly fill the role.

"Please, sir, this way upstairs!"

Shi Pojing gave the man a brief once-over without much in the way of pleasantries before inviting Chen Tianmo upstairs. He didn't notice in the slightest that the man before him had actually been one of the combatants present during the great battle that had befallen the clan.

Then again, that battle had taken place at night, and he hadn't stepped forward to fight. With several years having passed, it was hardly surprising that he failed to recognize the man.

The two soon made their way to the second floor but didn't linger, continuing on to the third floor, which was much quieter.

The third floor saw few visitors, and all the noise from below had been completely sealed off, leaving the space remarkably tranquil.

"So then, might I ask what exactly this soul-bound item you mentioned is? Please bring it out so I can examine it to verify its authenticity."

Shi Pojing rubbed his hands together, a look of clear anticipation on his face.