Chapter 642: Chapter 638: Game of Strategy


    The tense atmosphere in the tent spiked as the two family spokesmen shed. Three martial ancestors from the Mi n have released their vigor, and Xiao Qi, unwilling to concede, stood up in response. Only Xiao Zheng, caught in the middle with a helpless look on his face, tightly held the armrests, fighting hard to keep his body from trembling.


    As the negotiation seemed on the verge of turning into a martial skirmish, an irate elder sternly warned, “Is this how you dare to conduct yourselves in my presence!?”


    The one who spoke belonged to the Mi n’s second elder, but he wasn’t directing his words at Xiao Qi’s party. Instead, he was ring at the three martial ancestors brought by another member of the Mi n.


    The three martial adepts who had just unleashed their vigor suddenly froze upon the elder’s reprimand. Their gathered aura dissipated, but the elder remained unsatisfied, ring as hemanded, “Has the head of the Xiao n failed to provide you with chairs? Sit down!”


    Being so publicly scolded was humiliating for these powerful martial ancestors, but they knew they couldn’t retaliate against the elder’s reprimands.


    Those chosen as elders are greatly respected within the n. Moreover, before bing an elder, this man was the chief instructor of the Mi n’s martial artists, including these martial ancestors, who were personally trained by him. Their conditioningpelled them to sit in submission, even in the face of the n leader.


    Moreover, they hadunched their disys of vigour without being ordered to, and another member of the Mi n’s silence only depleted their will even further. So, they reluctantly sat down.


    Seeing the three of them sit down, the riled-up elder finally let go of his anger and turned to Xiao Jinlin with a regretful expression, saying, “I apologize for the youthful exuberance of our n’s junior members. Second son, please lower your aura.”


    Three towering martial ancestors, still in their prime at nearly fifty, were ironically being called young men. A hint of embarrassment shed across their faces, quickly reced by helplessness.


    But maybe to the hundred-year-old elder and the nearly ny-year-old Xiao Jinlin, they were indeed young.<div>


    However, the atmosphere within the tent eased with the elder’s intervention, allowing the two spokesmen some respite for deliberation and reconsideration.


    At the moment, the disagreement between the two revolved around the massive stash of spiritual herbs and treasures. The Mi member was aware that this treasure was obtained through transactions between the Ji n and the Tang n. However, Xiao Jinlin adamantly denied it, leaving him with no recourse.


    Unwilling to allow the Xiao n to easily carry away such wealth, he was forced toe to terms with the fact that the entire Mi n army was amassed in Xiangyun Valley. Now, with Xiao Jinlin’s tough stance, they would either have to resort to their martial skills or concede; the Mi member sat racking his brain, weighing his chances against the victorious Xiao n and Red Cloud Mountain factions in the struggle for the three million spiritual herbs and treasures.


    In deep thought, a sudden resolution came to him. He sighed at the seated Xiao Jinlin, “n leader Xiao certainly chose a good timing.”


    Xiao Jinlin chuckled lightly and nodded in eptance of thepliment.


    With the Tang n’s secluded followers yet to emerge, the Mi n’s secret weapons were naturally not to be squandered foolishly. If used to attack Red Cloud Mountain, they would face an inexhaustible surge of opposition, and the Mi n would end up losing men in exchange for nothing.


    The wise Mi member was bound to make a decision, no matter how painful it would be.


    However, Xiao Jinlin had underestimated the Mi member’s determination to gain the profit. As the leader of the Mi n, which stretched across West Longzhou, these spiritual treasures were critical!


    “I wonder, are the men from your n skilled in underwaterbat?” The Mi member inquired, his face stoic, “The Mi n’s allied forces will breach Xiangyun Valley within three days. I wonder, will three hundred elite fighters skilled in underwaterbat and three martial ancestor teams be enough to dy the Xiao n’s ships in the territory of Xiling for three days?”


    His nonchnt question took Xiao Jinlin by surprise, his face suddenly darkening while his eyes filled with fierce light.


    However, killing intent wasn’t enough to cow a n leader. The Mi member just looked at Xiao Jinlin andughed, showing no fear in his eyes.


    The hard-wonposure was once again filled with tension. When ites to matters of interest, agreement is seldom found between ns.


    Mostpetitions among prominent families are zero-sum games, signifying that one’s gain is another’s loss. In this kind of rtionship, thepetition is quite brutal.


    ‘You gain one, I lose one,’ because the total remains the same.


    Hence, themon oue is the winner taking it all while the loser ends up with nothing. However, most of the time, families would leave some leeway in their disputes.


    No matter how vicious the words or fierce the tension, it’s only aimed at gaining an advantage. After all, the rtionships between the great ns are not just about fighting and killing, but also about human rtions.


    The Mi member knew that once he showed a strong attitude, Xiao Jinlin would have to give in, as he wouldn’t gamble the lives of his people for some spiritual herbs.


    After a long face-off, Xiao Jinlin sighed, saying “n Leader Mi possesses an audacity rarely seen, I admire that.”


    Hearing this admission, the Mi member finally rxed and responded, “n Leader Xiao’s strategies are also exceptionally rare, I admire them.”<div>


    The atmosphere in the tent finally returned to its initial cordial state, greatly relieving the severely distressed Mi n elder.


    With a friendly mood re-established, Mi n Leader and Xiao n Leader began a unique negotiation.


    The two ns started a war of words over the two ships of spiritual herbs and treasures, neither willing to concede. Whenever one side seemed to falter, the other contended fiercely, threatening to overturn the table, only for the opposing party to cate and retreat.


    After several rounds of negotiation, Mi n Leader and Xiao n Leader finally reached a consensus.<div>


    The Xiao n would give the Mi n 500,000 spiritual herbs and Xiao Jinlin would lead twenty martial ancestors to assist in an alliance with the Mi n, in their attack on the Tang n’s defenses in Xiangyun Valley.


    The Mi n would, in turn, escort the Xiao n’s ships as they sailed against the current through Lingjiang, the big river, and back to Longjiang.


    The Mi leader was content with this condition, as 500,000 spiritual herbs and treasures were enough to offset the losses of this war. Most importantly, with the participation of the Xiao n, the Mi n’s allied forces had filled thest gap in their n.


    It was clear that once the defensive array of Xiangyun Valley was breached, a fierce battle would ensue between the Tang n’s defense forces and the allied forces. At that point, the Tang n’s missing martial ancestors would definitely emerge.


    The size of the allied forces could hardly withstand such pressure, resulting in a casualty rate that was predestined.


    However, adding Xiao Jinlin to the equation would change everything. As the number one warrior in Xiling, he would foil the Tang n’s ns regardless of their forces. With him participating in a single battle, the Xiao n’s warriors would undoubtedly be the strongest in Xiling. This was because, from the onset, the Monument Dragon Diagram was a secret method designed for one-to-onebat with ferocious beasts, win or die.