"I will head to the beast clan next. I will not stay long in the sect." Song Wanníng turned her head and smiled at her master.
What she did now would help the people she loved, and it would make ascension smoother. She liked this steady feeling. If those invaders were not removed, the Heavenly Dao of Mùsù star system might turn these people into sacrifices. She would never let her past life happen again.
Hearing this, Leng Qingzhu was quiet for a moment, then smiled and gently patted Song Wanníng's head. "No matter how high your cultivation grows, you are always my disciple. In my eyes, you will always be that little girl who dares to love and hate.
So if you grow tired, do not shoulder it alone. Your Master will always protect you." Her eyes were full of tenderness. Only in front of Song Wanníng could she completely relax. Wanníng was the child she raised with her own hands, her daughter. A girl she would defend with her life.
Warmth rippled in Song Wanníng's gaze. She obediently rested against Leng Qingzhu's lap. "Master, do not worry about me. I will take good care of myself."
She would not let her master down.
…
After staying in the sect for a few days, Song Wanníng sparred with several Martial Uncles, then left Guhan Sect.
Guhan Sect truly did not get dragged into trouble. It was even unusually quiet.
Other forces were puzzled and began all kinds of speculation. Very soon, however, they received grim news. The Central Region would send people to negotiate terms with the Four Regions.
Panic spread. As expected, the Central Region was not content to occupy a single corner. They were coming to carve up resources. Some powers across the Four Regions began contacting each other in secret. If the Central Region came on strong, they would fight.
If the Four Regions joined hands, the Central Region would not be a match. But the price would be too high. No one wanted to take that step unless there was no other choice.
Before long, Luo Hantian was invited to another negotiation council.
This time, Luo Hantian stayed silent from beginning to end, appearing unfathomable.
People could not guess his thoughts, but no one mocked him now. Unity was needed.
"I propose that if the Central Region attempts to seize our resources and mines by force, we must unite, resist together, and allow no one to falter or make trouble from within."
"Nor should anyone collude with the Central Region behind our backs and undermine our interests."
Someone stepped forward to speak.
The words struck right at the heart of everyone's worries. Betrayal without a fight was what they feared most.
Nods went around the room.
Seeing Luo Hantian neither nod nor echo the mood, someone grew displeased.
"Why does Luo Sect Master refuse to take a stance? Has Guhan Sect reached some shady agreement with the Central Region?"
Everyone had been waiting for the Central Region to strike Guhan Sect. Yet days had passed, and the Central Region had not even brought them up.
Rumors swirled in the dark. No one expected someone to bring it up openly here.
At the question, Luo Hantian's eyes went hawk-cold as he lifted his head. He did not even feel angry. With a genius like Song Wanníng in his sect, the other sects and clans could only stare, helpless.
He spoke lazily, "Any one of you might cooperate with the Central Region. The only one who will not is my Guhan Sect.
Of course, I cannot disclose the specific reason. But if anyone insists on slinging mud at Guhan Sect, do not blame me for turning hostile on the spot." At that, Luo Hantian's aura changed at once.
Those who had intended to press further shut their mouths. Luo Hantian would really do it. Silence returned. After a few seconds, someone smoothed things over.
The discussion on how to respond to the Central Region continued. Luo Hantian said nothing, but he was laughing inside.
Many here waited to see Guhan Sect suffer.
Who would suffer in the end?
The corner of Luo Hantian's mouth curved with a wicked smile. He praised Song Wanníng from head to toe once more in his heart, and again congratulated himself on his keen eye.
Compared to the anxious crowd, he seemed completely different.
Out of place.
No matter how they worried, what had to come finally came.
The Central Region sent envoys to present terms. Each place received Unity cultivators, no fewer than fifteen, arriving with overwhelming momentum.
The Southern Region received them with a fixed official smile throughout.
The Central Region's envoys were direct. They skipped pleasantries and spoke of resource exchanges.
"We of the Central Region are reasonable. With the barrier opened, spiritual energy benefits several regions, but the impact on the Central Region is great.
Yet we are all cultivators of the Spirit Realm. That makes us one family, so we are happy to share.
At the same time, we hope to complete resource exchanges with the Four Regions. For example, allowing the Four Regions to enter certain parts of the Central Region, while the Four Regions will…"
The envoy's words sounded pleasant, but soon came many demands. They called it resource exchange, but the result was that the Southern Region would pay far more and gain very little.
Faces darkened. Forced smiles faded.
The Central Region envoy kept smiling. "Surely none of us want discord between us, correct?
Harmony is precious. It has always been our tradition in the Central Region. Now that we can share what we each have, everyone should be happy, should we not?" The envoy still smiled, but the threat was naked.
Their approach left little room for rebuttal. On the matter of spiritual energy, the Four Regions truly had profited.
At this point, some even wished the Central Region would simply rob them outright. At least then they would have grounds to fight. As it stood, if they made too big a scene, the story would spread and people would say their greed was ugly. If war broke out across the Five Regions, would the blame not crush them.
People looked at each other, all feeling stuck.
In the end, the envoys of the Central Region "considerately" offered to step out for a time and let them decide.
Half an hour later, when they returned, the Southern Region bargained again, but the initiative remained with the Central Region.
The Central Region grudgingly accepted a few conditions, then moved straight to a new allocation of resources. Every sect and clan split off a portion of resources for the Central Region, and in exchange they received entry quotas to certain secret realms and so on.
It was unfair, but everyone got something, however little. There was nothing more to say.
Power decided all.
The Southern Region could not win.