"Master, the Boundless Sword Sect is in danger!"
In the reception hall where everything began, Qin Ran bowed respectfully to the sect master of the Boundless Sword Sect.
Unlike his arrogant demeanor and proud swordsmanship from the morning, Jian Wuming now appeared dejected with a gloomy expression, looking as if a hailstorm was about to break loose.
He glanced sideways at Qin Ran and said coldly, "What? You think just because you won today, my Boundless Sword Sect is going to be destroyed? Senior Qin, you're really underestimating our sect!"
"Not at all," Qin Ran maintained the same faint smile he had worn in the morning. Looking toward Sun Yicheng who sat in the guest seat, he addressed Jian Wuming, "The grave matter concerning the sect's safety is what I mentioned before the competition."
This expression of Qin Ran's, which Jian Wuming had found merely disgusting like that of a scheming villain in the morning, now seemed laden with mockery... making it even more repulsive to him.
He didn't want to see Qin Ran's face for even a moment longer. He looked toward Sun Yicheng... well, another disgusting fellow.
"As you wished, the fight is over. My sword sect accepts the loss," he asked, "What do you have to say? Say it quickly."
And then get lost! he thought to himself.
"Master, you don't really think we were unaware of how you 'secretly ordered the sect's prodigies to target ordinary disciples of the Dao Sword Sect,' do you?" Qin Ran said with a slight smile.
His words not only shocked Jian Wuming, whose face had already been unsightly, but even Sun Yicheng couldn't maintain his calm expression.
Here it comes, Qin Ran still brought up this matter, he still decided to tear off all pretenses. Sun Yicheng narrowed his eyes and looked at Qin Ran.
Despite his strong aversion to looking at Qin Ran's irritating face, Jian Wuming turned to face him.
"Senior Qin, do you realize what you're saying?" he asked.
"Master's proud swordsmanship naturally means he dares to own up to his actions," Qin Ran said. "Whether what I'm saying is true, false, or fabricated, Master knows in his heart. Would you like me to list in detail the innocent disciples from the Dao Sword Sect who have lost their lives during this period?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a document from his Universe Bag, about to hand it to Jian Wuming.
Jian Wuming sat in his seat, his sword-like eyes coldly staring down at Qin Ran, who stood below, calmly meeting his gaze.
After a while, Jian Wuming spoke: "Someone as deceitful as you should have noticed."
But he sneered, "Since you know so much, then you should also know... it's not the Boundless Sword Sect that's in danger, but rather, the Dao Sword Sect!"
Hearing this, Qin Ran smiled and raised his hand, using water to create a model of a tripod cauldron in mid-air, in front of Jian Wuming.
"Please look, Master. This tripod has three legs, which rely on and support each other, making it extremely stable. This is the principle of tripod stability, far more secure than ordinary structures," he pointed out to Jian Wuming, then suddenly wiped away one of the legs. The previously stable tripod immediately tilted to one side and fell to the ground, splashing water everywhere. "When one of the stable three legs is lost, the entire situation immediately collapses, and the remaining two legs can hardly sustain it."
He looked at Jian Wuming and asked, "Master, am I clear enough?"
When the tripod fell, one of the water droplets splashed onto Jian Wuming's face, making him feel a slight chill.
All other expressions disappeared from his face, leaving only gravity. He wiped away the water droplet and looked up at Sun Yicheng.
The smile had vanished from Sun Yicheng's face as well, replaced by solemnity.
No one is truly a fool; more often, it's just a matter of personality that leads some people to prefer using their minds while others don't.
A sword cultivator finds a single sword strike far more useful than speaking ten reasons, so sword cultivators don't like to think; an alchemist finds speaking one sentence far more effective than throwing ten punches, so alchemists are accustomed to thinking.
So when a sword cultivator's sword isn't sharp enough, they too can use their minds.
At this moment, Jian Wuming saw things he had never considered before.
How could he have thought so far ahead before?
Previously, he had only thought about how to destroy the Dao Sword Sect.
Because the Dao Sword Sect was truly powerful, requiring all his mental effort... and even that wasn't enough, necessitating advice from Zhican Valley's cultivators.
And now, Qin Ran had shown him what would happen if they really destroyed the Dao Sword Sect.
If only the Boundless Sword Sect and Zhican Valley remained in the Hengduan Mountains, would there be peace and stability? No!
The friction between the two sects would only become more intense than it is now.
If the Boundless Sword Sect and Zhican Valley were to fight then, could the Boundless Sword Sect win?
"Based on the Sword Arts Exchange Conference, a management organization can be established, led by the Boundless Sword Sect and Dao Sword Sect..."
Various details followed.
The fourth item:
"Based on the Sword Arts Exchange Conference management organization, regarding the new resource allocation plan for the Hengduan Mountains..."
The fifth item:
"..."
Jian Wuming read through each item, finding them impressive yet bewildering, only understanding that the post-war Hengduan Mountains would develop peacefully. The region would be better without Zhican Valley.
However, he didn't really understand what was written in the document.
It was like the concept of "Dao" - everyone knows it exists everywhere, but few can explain exactly what it is.
He felt that the contents of the document were similar - impressive, but he couldn't understand why or how.
He closed the document and shook his head, saying to Qin Ran with a cold smile: "This new post-war arrangement you speak of, establishing a Sword Arts Exchange Conference, can be done with or without Zhican Valley. Similarly, such planning can be done with or without the Dao Sword Sect."
"Sect Leader..." Qin Ran looked at Jian Wuming and reminded him, "The new resource allocation mentioned in the document is about distributing Zhican Valley's resources. Are you sure Zhican Valley would willingly share their resources?"
Jian Wuming was momentarily speechless.
Qin Ran continued: "The Dao Sword Sect only has spirit stones. But spirit stones can't compare to pills and spiritual herbs. Spirit stones are like money, while spiritual herbs and pills are like food. You can live without money, but not without food. Zhican Valley can let us make new resource plans, but the Dao Sword Sect cannot."
Jian Wuming had already been confused while reading the document, and now Qin Ran's words made him even more bewildered.
After some thought, he said, "I'll agree to your terms, but I have one condition."
"Please speak, Sect Leader."
"I want Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin."
Qin Ran was startled, then smiled. "Sect Leader must be joking."
"Then I refuse." Since he couldn't understand the complexities, Jian Wuming decided to be stubborn.
"Are you sure about this, Sect Leader?" Qin Ran maintained his confident smile.
"What do you plan to do? Join forces with Zhican Valley against me?" Jian Wuming said bluntly, "My Boundless Sword Sect is just this bare mountain. Take whatever you want from it."
"Sect Leader..." Qin Ran said, "I will give you several reasons you cannot refuse."
"Speak."
"First, I told my Sect Master that if this negotiation fails, the Dao Sword Sect will launch a death attack on the Boundless Sword Sect, preferring to die fighting rather than submit, trading life for life.
"Second, while the Sect Master knows how powerful Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin are and wants to keep them, has he considered what would happen if cultivators as powerful as Li Shiyin and Lu Junxing were to go on a killing spree within the Boundless Sword Sect?
"Third, during these days when the Sect Master has been avoiding me, I left something in the Boundless Sword Sect..." As he spoke, Qin Ran tossed a pill to Jian Wuming, "This is a Clear Mind Pill, for mental clarity, and it's harmless. However, when it comes in contact with the Soul-Returning Powder I've scattered in the air of the Boundless Sword Sect, it becomes a deadly poison that dissolves blood and melts bones. Anyone below the Golden Core realm will certainly die."
Jian Wuming's expression grew increasingly grim. He brought the Clear Mind Pill to his nose and sniffed it, immediately feeling changes in his body, confirming Qin Ran's words were true. He had indeed poisoned the Boundless Sword Sect.
Qin Ran tossed another pill to Jian Wuming, saying, "This is the antidote."
He kindly reminded Jian Wuming, "If I can do this much, what about Zhican Valley?
"Sect Leader, what is your answer?"
First analyzing the pros and cons, letting Jian Wuming know that following Zhican Valley meant certain death; then enticement, establishing an "imaginary" new post-war order to distribute the Hengduan Mountains' resources; followed by threats, using poison and force; finally, manipulation, taking advantage of Jian Wuming's inability to understand what he had written.
So Jian Wuming had no choice; he was completely at Qin Ran's mercy.
He could only nod.
"Good!"