Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: Chapter 621: Negotiating with the Tiger for its Skin

Chapter 671: Chapter 621: Negotiating with the Tiger for its Skin

The Witch God Sect Leader was very confident in persuading Pei Xuanjing to cooperate, as there was no grudge or animosity between them.

Perhaps some people may think that Wu Shijiu is a defector from the Witch Deity Teaching, and since Wu Shijiu has a close relationship with the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and is acquainted with Pei Xuanjing, it would seem as though Pei Xuanjing and the Witch Deity Teaching ought to be on opposing sides.

This is not true, it’s just a misunderstanding. Wu Shijiu and the Great Ming Divine Dynasty are intertwined due to mutual interests and not necessarily because of a deep-seated bond. Even if there were such a bond, how would it matter?

Despite being the National Teacher of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, Pei Xuanjing primarily identifies as the leader of the Taoist School and the head of the Shenxiao Sect. His connection with the Great Ming Divine Dynasty is also primarily based on mutual interests.

After studying Pei Xuanjing’s numerous experiences, the Witch God Sect Leader concluded that Pei Xuanjing values many things, and like other strong characters, he sets his sights on exploring the Immortal Path and seeking longevity.

It must be known that during Pei Xuanjing’s rise, he had disputes with numerous forces, including the Great Ming Imperial Family and the Demonic Cult. However, when a common goal and shared interests were at stake, Pei Xuanjing was willing to cooperate.

Therefore, Pei Xuanjing is not the sort of character who only prizes himself and is inflexible in his ways. As long as one doesn’t cross his bottom line, and when there are shared interests, both parties can come together.

“It seems the Sect Leader knows me well.” Pei Xuanjing responded to the Witch God Sect Leader’s statement with a light chuckle, not indicating approval or disapproval.

Indeed, he had no grudges against the Witch Deity Teaching. The reason he had originally viewed the Witch Deity Teaching as a probable opponent was that he had accepted a favor from Wu Shijiu, promising protection, and thus needed to be prepared against the Witch Deity Teaching.

But now, with the changing times, even Wu Shijiu, who initially seemed irreconcilable with the Witch Deity Teaching, had let go of his grudges against the Witch Deity Teaching. If Wu Shijiu didn’t care anymore about being pursued and attacked in the past, Pei Xuanjing cared even less.

Thus, as Pei Xuanjing said himself, he is not repelled by this cooperation. Everything depends on the conditions proposed by the Witch God Sect Leader and whether they are worth Pei Xuanjing’s approval.

The Witch God Sect Leader did not take this personally and directly stated his purpose: “The Witch Deity Teaching wishes to establish itself within the Great Ming Dynasty, I wonder how the National Teacher views this?”

This is the attitude and demeanor of the strongest in the world. The Witch God Sect Leader did not beat around the bush but expressed his demands and conditions openly.

The Witch Deity Teaching wanted to establish itself within the Great Ming Dynasty, or rather, to join it and cooperate, which required Pei Xuanjing’s approval.

“I’m curious about a few things, I wonder if the Sect Leader would like to enlighten me?” Pei Xuanjing, seeming unsurprised, asked directly.

In fact, upon hearing this proposal, some guesses and answers were forming in Pei Xuanjing’s mind, but he required confirmation.

The Witch God Sect Leader was also quite forthright: “Of course.”

He realized that the Taoist before him, despite only being in the Spirit Realm Eightfold, exhibited strength matching his own, suggesting the two were on equal footing.

Therefore, wanting to cooperate with such a person, he could not conceal too much. After all, if they truly cooperated, there would be more contact between them, and letting the other party discover the truth by himself, would necessarily lead to the collapse of the cooperation.

“Surely, National Teacher must know that my Witch Deity Teaching has been passed down since ancient times…”

…

Inside the Imperial City, Zhu Houji, Emperor of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, stood before a detailed map of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty’s territories. The entire hall was silent, not even his personal eunuch was present. Only the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Yan Weizhong, bowed slightly at a distance, standing by and waiting for a summons.

The usually calm and composed Emperor Zhu Houji currently didn’t possess his usual equanimity. Instead, his expression reflected complexity and hesitation as if some matter preoccupied his mind and he was unsure how to proceed.

Yan Weizhong watched the back of the emperor quietly, feeling an incredible sense of majesty emanating from him, regardless of whether he was in his royal robes or dressed as a Taoist. This awe-inspiring aura permeated the entire hall, rendering everyone unable to look him in the eyes directly.

As a courtier who was promoted wholly due to Zhu Houji, Yan Weizhong found that, over the years, the emperor had become increasingly mysterious and unfathomable.

…

“Yan Qing, do you think my decision this time is right or wrong?” Zhu Houji’s voice suddenly broke Yan Weizhong’s train of thought.

Upon hearing the emperor’s question, Yan Weizhong immediately responded: “Your Majesty’s wisdom is comparable to the many wise monarchs throughout history. Your judgment will naturally be correct.”

…

Zhu Houji looked over the map, laughed lightly, and said, “However, Hai Gangfeng sent a petition saying that the Witch Deity Teaching is definitely not benevolent in nature. Cooperating with them is like asking a tiger for its skin. One misstep could bring disaster to the entire Great Ming Dynasty.”

…

Moreover, the conditions proposed by the Witch Deity Teaching this time are hard to refuse.