Tiegu Town, luxury estate.

Li Qingyang and the others stood outside maintaining security.

In the main hall, Jun Changxiao sat in the head seat at the round table, hands clasped together, wearing a harmless smile on his face.

Behind him, Ding Xingwang stood with arms crossed, his entire body emanating a faint evil aura, as if telling the world he could make his move at any moment.

The Haoguang Holy Sect’s Vice Sect Master and He Qingxuan sat on the opposite side.

Both their expressions were extremely serious, but their hearts held more anger.

When had they ever imagined that one day they would sit down to discuss matters with the master of a fifth-rate sect?

This was simply… too humiliating!

“You two,” Jun Changxiao said earnestly. “If we can resolve the problem by sitting down, this Sect Master has never liked using violence.”

Who would believe such words!

“Then let’s talk properly,” the Vice Sect Master said.

Jun Changxiao said, “Since we’re talking, we should first discuss reason. What do you two think?”

“…” The corners of their mouths twitched slightly.

If we weren’t going to be reasonable, would we sit down?

Jun Changxiao tapped on the table and said, “There’s an old saying: heavenly treasures and earthly bounties are ownerless things, and those with fate can obtain them. Do you two agree?”

“…Agree,” the Vice Sect Master said.

Jun Changxiao said, “The spirit stone vein that appeared in the valley was originally ownerless. What wrong is there in my Eternal Sect occupying it?”

“No wrong,” the Vice Hall Master said.

“Of course.”

Jun Changxiao leaned back tactically and said, “This Sect Master occupied the vein, and you could attack to take it—that’s your right.”

The Vice Sect Master and He Qingxuan looked at each other.

“However!”

Jun Changxiao suddenly slapped the table and said, “You couldn’t snatch the vein away, which only proves you lack the ability. So why do you still have the shamelessness to come to my Eternal Sect and cause trouble?”

His tone was heavy, his speech rapid, spittle flying everywhere. Fortunately, they were sitting far from the Vice Sect Master and the others, otherwise it would definitely splash their faces.

“Sect Master.”

Old Ding said in a low voice, “Calm down a bit.”

“Calm my ass!”

Jun Changxiao stood up, pointing at the Vice Sect Master and said, “This Sect Master wants to ask properly today—if your Haoguang Holy Sect occupied the vein and other first-rate sects couldn’t snatch it away, would they come knocking on your door to cause trouble?”

“This…”

“They wouldn’t!”

Jun Changxiao continued with spittle flying, “Because they still have face! Unlike your Haoguang Holy Sect—when you can’t beat others, you send even stronger martial artists!”

Though he spoke a bit excitedly, it was absolutely reasonable.

Many spirit stone veins had been discovered before, and many sects fought fiercely over mining rights. Even if they fought bloody battles, as long as one side lost they would give up, never going to the sect afterward to cause trouble.

This was an unspoken understanding, an unwritten rule.

Otherwise, if you hit me over a vein, I hit you, hitting back and forth around the world—that would be very meaningless.

“Sect Master Jun.”

He Qingxuan said in a deep voice, “You were the first to injure our sect’s elder!”

This statement was telling Jun Changxiao that their Haoguang Holy Sect came to cause trouble not for the vein, but for a personal grudge.

“Please.”

Jun Changxiao said, “All of this was built on fighting over the vein. Don’t tell me everyone should sit together playing rock-paper-scissors, with the loser slapping himself?”

“To put it bluntly.”

He continued, “You just think my Eternal Sect is easy to bully, a soft persimmon you can squeeze at will. So stop covering it up with excuses.”

This hit the nail on the head.

If it were another first-rate sect occupying the vein and Haoguang Holy Sect couldn’t snatch it, even if they were unhappy, they wouldn’t come knocking—because it didn’t conform to martial world rules.

“This Sect Master has already explained the reasoning to this point. If you’re not satisfied, we can continue debating,” Jun Changxiao said.

His reasoning was: my Eternal Sect has the ability to occupy the vein. You lost, so you should back off, not rely on your status as a first-rate sect to repeatedly pester us.

Actually, this was survival of the fittest.

But today, the Eternal Sect as the “weak” might not necessarily be food for the “strong”—he had to change it to: the weak devours the strong!

Fighting? You can’t do it.

Reasoning? You’re even worse at it!

“What Sect Master Jun says is extremely correct,” the Vice Sect Master conceded. “Our Haoguang Holy Sect was somewhat reckless.”

Coming to the Eternal Sect today wasn’t to discuss reason, but solely to bring back the two trapped Half-Saints.

“Recognizing mistakes and correcting them—nothing is better.”

Jun Changxiao said, “This Sect Master is not a petty person either.”

“Since that’s the case.”

The Vice Sect Master smiled and said, “I wonder if the two elders trapped in your esteemed sect could be released?”

“Sure.”

Jun Changxiao held up three fingers and said, “Three million spirit stones per person. Of course, there’s no need for natural ones—artificial ones will do.”

The Vice Sect Master frowned and said, “Sect Master Jun, such a large amount of spirit stones—our Haoguang Holy Sect really cannot produce them.”

They could produce them, they just weren’t willing.

Six million for two people, converted to silver taels, was an astronomical figure. For a first-rate sect, this would definitely hurt their foundation.

“We fight without prior acquaintance, and through fighting we become friends.”

Jun Changxiao said, “How about this—I’ll give you a discount. Five million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand for both.”

“…” Old Ding’s mouth twitched.

Just one thousand less—this discount was truly damned generous!

“Sect Master Jun.”

He Qingxuan said with a dark expression, “We came with sincere intentions to negotiate, not to joke around!”

If it weren’t for the Five Absolutes Evil Saint standing behind him, he really wanted to stand up right now, press this guy to the ground, and ruthlessly rub his face on the floor.

“I’m also very sincere.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Your sect’s two elders—five million nine hundred ninety-eight thousand. Not one stone less.”

“Sect Master, you said ten thousand less,” Old Ding reminded him.

“I’ll give them another friendship price.”

The Vice Sect Master and He Qingxuan’s expressions became difficult.

Jun Changxiao shrugged and said, “You two should know that this elder of mine cultivates a martial technique called the Five Absolutes Palm, right?”

“Whoosh!”

Old Ding very cooperatively raised his hand. Five types of sinister energy filled his entire palm, instantly making the atmosphere in the room abnormally cold and eerie.

The Vice Sect Master’s brows furrowed even tighter.

If he didn’t know about this vicious palm technique, he definitely wouldn’t have lowered himself to personally come to the Eternal Sect to negotiate!

Jun Changxiao said, “Exchanging the lives of two Half-Saints for five million nine hundred ninety-seven thousand spirit stones—I think your esteemed sect should be able to accept this.”

“Why is it ten thousand less again?” Old Ding muttered.

“Of course.”

Jun Changxiao said, “You can choose not to give it. This Sect Master won’t kill them either—every three days I’ll add another palm strike to them, extending their lives until the end of time.”

The System collapsed and said, “This isn’t a five-pace viper where after one bite you walk four and a half steps, then get bitten again and continue walking four and a half steps in an infinite loop!”

“…”

The Vice Sect Master and He Qingxuan were so angry their hands trembled.

They knew Jun Changxiao absolutely didn’t have the guts to kill their sect’s elders, but being continuously detained and tortured ultimately wasn’t a solution either.

“Oh, right.”

Jun Changxiao said, “This Sect Master recently plans to establish a news agency to report some minor martial world news. The matter of your sect’s elders being trapped in the Eternal Sect should count as headline news. When it spreads across the entire continent, it would probably damage your sect’s reputation.”

The Vice Sect Master didn’t understand what a news agency meant.

But he could tell this guy was going to spread the matter!

“Sect Master Jun!”

After some internal struggle, the Vice Sect Master gritted his teeth and said, “Our Haoguang Holy Sect can only produce two… four million spirit stones. You…”

“Deal,” Jun Changxiao said.

Clunk.

The Vice Sect Master was dumbfounded.

Jun Changxiao said, “Pay the spirit stones now, and this Sect Master will release them immediately!”

The corners of the Vice Sect Master’s mouth twitched violently.

Did I say too much? Should I have insisted on principle and continued saying two million?

…

Outside the prison.

Elder Qin and Elder Sun struggled to walk out.

The sunlight was too dazzling, causing them to temporarily close their eyes unable to adapt.

Jun Changxiao walked up warmly, patting the weeds off their shoulders and said, “The two of you have suffered.”

“…”

“If there’s an opportunity in the future, you must come visit. The Eternal Sect’s gates will always be open for you!”

“…”

Just like that, the Haoguang Holy Sect side paid four million spirit stones in ransom and happily took away the two Half-Saints. Shortly after they left, the Aoshi Holy Sect’s delegation sat at the negotiation table in the luxury estate’s main hall.