Looking at the Northern Continent cultivators and No Struggle City disciples who were observing him with surprise, Han Qi straightened his back even more, his expression appearing more arrogant.
He still rembered a conversation he had with Zhang Taishang before coming:
"Do you know why you were sent here?"
At the ti, Han Qi was a bit confused: "I’ve been managing caravan affairs for years..."
"That’s one reason, but there’s another, more important one." Zhang Taishang glanced at him, her expression peculiar, "You’ve outmaneuvered Zheng Fa."
To be honest, even now when he recalled this, he felt a twitch in his heart, extrely terrified — from which lifeti was that, and she rembered it?
Zhang Taishang further explained: "It’s not about settling old scores; in this aspect, you are talented, understand?"
Realization flashed across Han Qi’s face: "I understand... I understand!"
...
Looking again at No Struggle City ahead, Han Qi still felt a bit disdainful — I once bested the Sect Leader!
After a mont, the main gate of No Struggle City opened wide, and a female cultivator hurried over with three Divinity Transformation cultivators. Her figure was astonishingly voluptuous, and as she walked, her chest seed to shake the very ground.
She walked up to Han Qi, her face wearing a kind and charming smile: "A distinguished guest from afar, forgive us for not welcoming you from a distance, it is truly a sin."
Han Qi couldn’t discern her cultivation level, but knew it was much higher than his own. Given her polite deanor, he naturally didn’t want to be rude and cupped his hands in respect: "May I ask the lady’s honorable na?"
"In modesty, I’m known as Lady Qian Ji, currently managing the mundane affairs of No Struggle City on behalf of the City Lord."
"So it’s Immortal Qian Ji in person." Han Qi’s expression beca serious, replying solemnly: "It’s we who have been discourteous."
Lady Qian Ji had so fa in the Northern Continent, especially in No Struggle City where she is the Grand Steward, greatly trusted by Gu Hong Taoist, holding a high position and great power.
More importantly, she possesses the cultivation of an Independent Immortal.
With such status, such cultivation, and such enthusiasm, Han Qi couldn’t help but curb his roguish deanor.
As for the rumors that she was once Gu Hong Taoist’s concubine during his early years, having a natural charm refined through Gu Hong Taoist’s aid to beco an Independent Immortal, that was irrelevant to Han Qi.
Lady Qian Ji led them to a main hall within Guanlan Palace. After so small talk, she lanted:
"I’ve long heard of the Jiushan Sect’s great na, but the long journey made it difficult to et. Now, with the distinguished guests coming from afar, they are indeed heroes rarely seen in our No Struggle City, living up to Jiushan’s renown, fulfilling a longstanding wish of mine."
Hearing her say this, the disciples of the Jiushan Sect’s delegation couldn’t help but smile, and Han Qi took the opportunity to say: "The sect sent here also out of longstanding admiration for Gu Hong Taoist, hoping to form an alliance."
"Oh? What kind of alliance?"
"The lady may not know, our Jiushan Sect has two close allies, one is the Shuyu Dragon Lord in the sea, and the other is the Nine Nether Emperor in the Underworld."
"You want our No Struggle City to join Jiushan Sect?"
"Of course not, the lady is insightful. Currently, in the sea and the Underworld, our Jiushan Sect actually interferes little. Mostly, it’s the Dragon Lord and the Emperor handling matters. The sect is mostly coordinating economically and militarily with them."
Lady Qian Ji lowered her eyes, seemingly in hesitation.
"If No Struggle City is willing to emulate the Dragon Lord and Nine Nether Emperor, our Jiushan Sect would also grant No Struggle City certain freedoms, even assisting No Struggle City in taking the Northern Continent."
Han Qi wasn’t just painting a rosy picture; within the Jiushan Sect, there was actually a significant strategic disagreent regarding the Northern Continent — everyone agreed on acquiring Northern Continent resources, but how to acquire them was debated.
The aggressive faction, like Zhang and Junior Master Huang, thought of directly occupying the Northern Continent.
The moderate faction, like Master Pang and Elder Yuan, leaned towards using war as a last resort. The important issue was the lesson they learned from the battle of Haori Mountain:
Although they conquered it, outside of the Haori Mountain’s treasury, the resource gains weren’t that high — due to the Gu God’s chaos, managing Haori Mountain’s territory was costly and has only recently turned profitable.
Master Pang’s view was that resources, unlike territories, can also be obtained through diplomatic and comrcial ans, while war remains the most costly way.
This perspective was prevailing within the Jiushan Sect Supre Elder Council, even forcing Zhang to concede.
Allowing No Struggle City and even the Three Immortals Overseas, to hold positions like the Nine Nether Emperor, even granting slightly more freedom, also demonstrated the goodwill of the Jiushan Sect.
After Han Qi finished explaining, Lady Qian Ji nodded slightly, appearing sowhat moved.
Seeing her reaction, Han Qi felt a bit joyous inside, was the journey to No Struggle City proceeding so smoothly?
But Lady Qian Ji’s one sentence instantly diminished much of his joy: "This matter is not sothing I can decide; only the City Lord can make such a resolution."
"That is of course reasonable." Han Qi agreed readily, then asked, "May we have the honor to et Immortal Gu Hong?"
"That’s unfortunate; the City Lord has left the city."
Han Qi’s gaze fixed on Lady Qian Ji: "When will he return?"
"That would be difficult for to answer, what kind of person is the City Lord? How could I possibly know his whereabouts?" Lady Qian Ji chuckled charmingly, "He might return in ten or fifteen days, or he might not appear in the city for a hundred or eighty years."
Watching the smiling Lady Qian Ji, Han Qi felt the joy in his heart silently slipping away like sand through an hourglass.
...
After seeing Han Qi and the others out of the city, Lady Qian Ji withdrew her smile and slowly walked towards the depths of Guanlan Palace.
She stopped outside a Taoist temple, bowed her head, her face serious:
"City Lord!"
"Co in."
Entering the temple, Gu Hong Taoist was sitting in ditation on a prayer mat, not even opening his eyes.
"They’ve left?"
"Escorted away." Lady Qian Ji recounted the previous conversation in full detail.
"An ally? With just the Jiushan Sect?" Gu Hong Taoist opened his eyes, his smile a bit cold, "They wish for to join them too?"
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