Chapter 497: Qing Yanjing Departs, A Trade with the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor
"Immortal Sovereign, I'm leaving White Jade Capital," Qing Yanjing said softly, standing in the grand hall of the Tiance Residence's ninth floor.
Xiao Tiance paused briefly, then nodded. "It's good to take a trip back. You've been in White Jade Capital for over three years now. There's little more I can teach you about formations. It's time for you to return to your clan and reconnect."
Three years had passed since Qing Yanjing and Ye Qingqing first came to White Jade Capital. While Ye Qingqing had left shortly afterward, Qing Yanjing had stayed to study under Xiao Tiance. Now, after three years of diligent learning and consolidation, it was time for her to leave.
To Xiao Tiance's surprise, Qing Yanjing shook her head. **"I'm not returning to my clan. I've spent my entire life there. Now that the hundred year truce between the Outer Realm Demon Clan and yourself has brought temporary peace, my clan doesn't need me right now.
"I want to travel the Grand Thousand World, see its wonders, and clear my mind."**
Qing Yanjing's Dilemma
Her words carried a hint of reluctance. Though she hadn't spent much time with Xiao Tiance over the past three years, his charisma had grown on her, and she found herself gradually accepting her elders' idea of their union. However, she hadn't reached a point where she felt she couldn't live without him. Traveling the world seemed like the best way to find clarity.
Xiao Tiance nodded at her decision. With a thought, he summoned three white jade bottles and two formation jade pendants, which appeared in his hand. With a wave, his soul power guided the items to Qing Yanjing.
**"Since you've made up your mind, take these for protection.
"The bottles contain healing elixirs, while the blue jade pendant is a defensive formation. If you crush it, it will create a protective barrier. The black jade pendant is for emergencies. If you encounter danger you cannot handle, crush it, and I will sense it. I'll come as quickly as I can."**
Qing Yanjing looked at the items, deeply touched. After a moment of hesitation, she accepted them and expressed her gratitude softly. "Thank you, Immortal Sovereign."
Xiao Tiance smiled gently. **"No need to be so formal. Take care of yourself.
"As for the matter of our potential union, I understand you haven't made up your mind. Take all the time you need. When you've reached a decision, come find me and tell me personally.
"Ignore any pressure from your clan. They won't hear a word from me about it."**
Relief washed over Qing Yanjing, and she nodded. "Thank you, Immortal Sovereign."
A Final Farewell
After a moment of hesitation, Qing Yanjing's voice wavered as she asked, "Immortal Sovereign, may I… may I hug you?"
Her face flushed red as soon as she spoke, but Xiao Tiance only blinked in mild surprise before nodding. He walked over and gently embraced her.
After a brief moment, Qing Yanjing stepped back, her emotions swirling but her resolve firm. She secured the gifts he had given her and turned to leave.
As she walked away, Medusa emerged from the back room. With a smile, she teased, "Husband, since you have feelings for Qing Yanjing, why not simply ask her to stay? If you spoke up, she likely wouldn't refuse."
Xiao Tiance, now standing by the window and gazing at the clear sky, chuckled. "I said I'd let her make her own decision. Until she's certain of her feelings, it's best not to press the matter."
Medusa raised an eyebrow and asked, "And if she meets someone else who steals her heart during her travels?"
Xiao Tiance laughed heartily. "Then I'll wish her happiness, of course."
In truth, Xiao Tiance was unsure of his own feelings as well. With the looming threat of the Heavenly Evil God's eventual release, he couldn't guarantee he'd reach the Dominator Realm in time to face him. For now, his focus had to remain on preparing for that inevitable confrontation.
Medusa joined him by the window, standing silently at his side as they looked out over the bustling White Jade Capital.
The Trade is Finalized
Months later, Qin Tian finally secured a deal with the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor. The Demon Emperor agreed to trade an entire vein of rare metal for the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor.
Upon receiving Qin Tian's message, Xiao Tiance and Jiu Yuan journeyed to the Grand Thousand Palace's branch on the Sacred Abyss Continent.
"Tiance, you've arrived!" Qin Tian greeted him with a hearty hug when he arrived, his excitement evident.
"Brother Qin," Xiao Tiance responded, returning the hug with a smile.
Lu Tong handed Xiao Tiance a scroll, which he unrolled. As he read its contents, his eyes widened in shock. He couldn't help but gasp.
"The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor is trading an entire vein of this rare metal for the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor? It seems the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor is far more valuable to them than we anticipated."
His expression turned grave. This rare metal was critical for crafting Saint Grade Absolute Artifacts, divine weapons, and other treasures. Every top tier Heavenly Demon Emperor's weapon was forged from this material.
"For them to offer an entire vein… either they're desperate to get the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor back, or his value to them exceeds even this resource."
To Trade or Not to Trade
Xiao Tiance voiced his concerns to Qin Tian and Lu Tong, who exchanged uneasy glances before speaking.
"Tiance," Qin Tian asked, "do you think we should cancel the trade?"
Lu Tong added, "If the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor is truly critical to their plans, releasing him might be akin to letting a tiger return to the mountains."
Xiao Tiance nodded but then shook his head. **"It's a difficult choice.
"On one hand, the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor is severely injured and would need centuries to recover if not longer. But we can't rule out the possibility that the Outer Realm Demon Clan has a way to accelerate his recovery.
"If they do, we risk empowering a top tier Heavenly Demon Emperor and enabling their schemes.
"On the other hand, this rare metal vein offers us the chance to enhance our strength. With it, I could refine ten or more Late Stage Saint Heavenly Sovereign Heavenly Demon Puppets. These puppets alone could turn the tide in a large scale war against the Outer Realm Demon Clan.
"Ultimately, this trade boils down to whether we're willing to gamble on the value of this resource against the risks of releasing him."**
Qin Tian nodded solemnly. "A weighty decision, indeed. Let's finalize it wisely."
"But what if the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor is tied to something more sinister?" Xiao Tiance began, his tone grave. **"For example, what if his existence is crucial to the Outer Realm Demon Clan's efforts to free the Heavenly Evil God from the Seal of the Ten Thousand Graves?
"If the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's role is pivotal to their plans, we must tread carefully. Once the Heavenly Evil God breaks free, I fear there's no one in the current Grand Thousand World who could stop him."**
A Risky Gamble
Hearing this, Qin Tian and Lu Tong fell silent, their expressions heavy. They understood all too well the terror of the Heavenly Evil God. Otherwise, the Immortal Lord wouldn't have stationed the Undying Sovereign to guard the seal in the Land of Ten Thousand Graves for millennia.
Their current decision could very well determine the fate of the Grand Thousand World. Trading the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor wasn't just a choice it was a gamble.
If they won, the Grand Thousand World would gain multiple Late Stage Saint Heavenly Sovereigns, bolstering its strength. If they lost, the Heavenly Evil God's release could spell the end of everything.
Can Xiao Tiance Break Through in Time?
After a long silence, Qin Tian turned to Xiao Tiance and asked, "Tiance, if it were up to you, how much time would you need to break through to the next realm?"
Lu Tong, equally anxious, also fixed his gaze on Xiao Tiance, awaiting his answer.
Xiao Tiance pondered briefly before replying, **"If I want to break through, I can no longer rely on external aids. It all depends on comprehending the next stage, and such insights are elusive.
"I can't give a precise timeline, but I still believe we should go through with the trade.
"My reasons are threefold.
**"First, even if the Heavenly Evil God breaks the seal, he won't immediately regain his full power. If I unleash everything I have, I may be able to contend with him.
**"Second, the Outer Realm Demon Clan's need for the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor suggests they must approach the Land of Ten Thousand Graves to carry out their plans. As long as we deny them opportunities, they won't succeed in freeing the Heavenly Evil God.
**"Third, with the special metal, I can enhance all my mid stage Saint Heavenly Sovereign Heavenly Demon Puppets to late stage in three months.
"This would ensure we're far more prepared for war with the Outer Realm Demon Clan than ever before.
"Lastly, even if the Outer Realm Demon Clan has a way to accelerate the recovery of the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's essence, it would still take at least a century to achieve."
"Given all this, I believe the trade is worth making."**
Decision Reached
When Xiao Tiance finished speaking, Qin Tian and Lu Tong both breathed a sigh of relief. They trusted Xiao Tiance's judgment implicitly.
"Very well. We'll proceed with the exchange." Qin Tian nodded firmly. "Let's take a break. I'll contact the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor shortly."
"Alright!"
At the Outer Realm Demon Clan's Base
Meanwhile, in the Outer Realm Demon Clan's central stronghold, the Devour God Clan's base, the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor sat at the head of the hall. Seated beside him were the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor and the Heavenly Demon Emperor of the Hidden God Clan.
"Sacred Emperor," the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor grumbled, his patience wearing thin. "It's been so long without word from Qin Tian. Do you think they're planning to back out?"
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to the Hidden God Clan's Heavenly Demon Emperor, who smiled and rose, addressing the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor respectfully.
**"There's no need to worry, Corpse Emperor. If they intended to reject the trade, they would have done so outright when the Sacred Emperor proposed it.
"The fact that they've countered with conditions for a trade involving our special metal indicates they'll eventually agree.
"Besides, they have no way of knowing our true purpose for retrieving the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor. It's only a matter of time before they concede."**
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor nodded approvingly. Turning to the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor, he added, **"The Hidden God speaks wisely.
"Our priority now is to assess the extent of the damage Xiao Tiance has inflicted on the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor's essence.
"Once the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor returns, we'll proceed with our plan to free the Heavenly Evil God."**
Though still puzzled as to why the Grand Thousand World would trade for the special metal, the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor chose to trust the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor and the Hidden God.
"Very well. Once the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor returns, we'll start with my Corpse God Clan's preparations. I can't wait to repay Xiao Tiance for strolling out of our Holy City unscathed it's a humiliation I won't soon forget."
The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor smiled coldly. "Patience. Once the Heavenly Evil God is freed, everything you desire will be within reach."
The Trade Takes Place
Moments later, the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor's expression brightened. Rising swiftly, he announced, "Qin Tian has sent word. Xiao Tiance has agreed to the trade. Let's move out to the Sacred Abyss Continent."
"Finally! Excellent!" the Nine Heavens Corpse Demon Emperor exclaimed, leaping to his feet.
The Hidden God Clan's Heavenly Demon Emperor also smiled confidently, rising to join them.
In an instant, the three top tier Heavenly Demon Emperors vanished. Shortly after, their overwhelming auras descended upon the Sacred Abyss Continent, shaking the land.
At the Grand Thousand Palace branch, Xiao Tiance's own aura surged in response, nullifying their oppressive presence.
"They've arrived," Xiao Tiance said calmly. "Brother Qin, let's go meet them."
"Agreed," Qin Tian replied, leaving Lu Tong to oversee the base while he and Xiao Tiance disappeared into the void.
Both sides appeared simultaneously. The Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor stared coldly at Xiao Tiance and Qin Tian.
"Where is the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor?" he demanded.
Qin Tian matched his tone. "Where is the metal?"
In response, both parties revealed their respective items: a sealed container holding the Dark Heavenly Demon Emperor on one side, and a spatial storage device on the other.
Without hesitation, the Sacred Heavenly Demon Emperor tossed the storage device toward Xiao Tiance.
"All the special metal mined from an entire vein is inside. Check it if you wish."
Xiao Tiance caught it and smiled faintly. "So generous. Aren't you worried we might back out now that we have it?"
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