Chapter 112: Cooperation
Chapter 112: Cooperation
This over-familiar attitude was truly unmatched.
However, Ling Yi did not think the noble Eldest Princess of Chu State, Chu Yanyu, acted this way with everyone.
It wasn’t because he was conceited. This dignified aura of hers couldn’t be faked. Just this aura alone was enough to make countless men hold their breath in her presence.
Would she really need to be so polite to everyone?
Courtesy towards others always came with a purpose.
As for the style of this Eldest Princess that Gu Tong mentioned… Ling Yi wasn’t very concerned.
The more important the person, the better they were at disguising themselves.
What was spread outside was usually what they wanted others to believe.
So…
Ling Yi looked at Chu Yanyu and asked very directly, “Why did you call me here?”
Since you are getting straight to the point, then I won’t beat around the bush either.
Let’s be open and honest with each other.
“Hehe…” Chu Yanyu laughed twice, then looked at Ling Yi. “I want to kill Lu Qingming.”
Ling Yi: “…”
He froze, then looked carefully at the exquisite and beautiful woman before him, wondering if she was joking.
Wasn’t this just nonsense?
Who was Lu Qingming?
He was the State Preceptor of Chu State!
He was a Peak Dao-Entry mighty expert backed by a powerful sect!
He was the engine of Chu State’s overwhelming ambition!
Without him, how could Chu State claim it would unify the six kingdoms and become the master of the entire continent?
By relying on the strong-willed Monarch of Chu State?
When a state’s power was strong, which monarch wouldn’t be strong-willed?
“Chu State is the Chu family’s Chu State, but if things continue this way, it probably won’t take many years before it becomes the Lu family’s Chu State.”
Chu Yanyu’s face was calm, as if she was chatting with a friend. She didn’t seem to think her words were shocking at all.
“So he must die. Chu State doesn’t have to be the one that unifies the world, but it must be the Chu family’s Chu State.”
“Do you understand what I mean?”
Ling Yi nodded, looking at Chu Yanyu. “I understand. But why are you telling me this… is it useful?”
Chu Yanyu smiled slightly. “Of course it’s useful. Don’t you want to kill him? Don’t you want the Qin State to have lasting peace? If Lu Qingming dies, your vengeance is served, and the Qin State will be at peace.”
Ling Yi stayed silent, not speaking.
An enemy of my enemy is my friend.
But whether Chu Yanyu’s words were true or false was debatable.
“Don’t be so fussy, this is a good opportunity,” the Enchantress thought Ling Yi didn’t want to cooperate with Chu Yanyu and reminded him in his mind. Finally, she added, “Little man, learn to grow up. It’s not that the world is not good enough, it’s just that you haven’t seen enough. The world has never been the same as you imagined.”
Ling Yi raised an eyebrow slightly.
“If I had understood this principle earlier, this calamity wouldn’t have happened,” the Enchantress said calmly.
“Actually, you really don’t need to worry about anything,” Chu Yanyu looked at the silent Ling Yi. “Your situation can’t get any worse, and your Qin State’s situation can’t get any more dire either.”
That made sense.
Ling Yi looked at her. “You think I have the qualifications to cooperate with you?”
“If you don’t, then who does?”
Chu Yanyu giggled, her voice very pleasant. She looked at Ling Yi and said, “A teenage genius who mastered Pressure Point Strike at fourteen, now in his early twenties and already entered the Golden Body stage. Such talent, even placed within a sect, would be a top-tier Heaven’s Pride.”
“Wandering since childhood, surviving multiple times in environments where survival seemed almost impossible, and even protecting two weak girls by your side… Ling Yi, I might know more about you than your Adoptive Father.”
Ling Yi froze.
Chu Yanyu was very satisfied with Ling Yi’s reaction. She smiled and said, “Many people don’t understand why someone with your talent became so low-key after adulthood, even somewhat excessively lazy. But I know it’s because you hide a shocking secret. You don’t want anyone to trace your origins.”
“Also, your experiences in your youth made you weary of that kind of precarious life where you had to fight desperately at any moment… hehe, but it’s a pity. Your fate destined you not to walk a mediocre path forever.”
Ling Yi narrowed his eyes, looking at Chu Yanyu. “It seems you really know a lot. I myself don’t know my origins, but you do?”
Chu Yanyu laughed, resting both arms on the dining table, leaning forward slightly. Her eyes looked directly at Ling Yi opposite her. “As for me, I didn’t grow up in the Imperial Palace either. I was taken away by an Elder of the Ancient North Ming Sect when I was three and accepted as a disciple.”
“However, I was born disliking that kind of dull and boring cultivation life, so I ran away from my master’s sect early on…”
The moment the words “Ancient North Ming Sect” came from Chu Yanyu’s mouth, Ling Yi frowned. His eyes showed an unprecedented seriousness.
“So you see, no matter how many mysterious things happen to you, I wouldn’t find it strange,” Chu Yanyu said with a smile. “And I can also assure you that regarding this matter, in the entire mortal world, only heaven, earth, you, and I know.”
“After all, even your own sister doesn’t know she actually has extremely noble blood and a once illustrious background, right?”
“Noble my foot, illustrious what?” Ling Yi glanced at her lightly. “I’m just an ordinary orphan. What does what you’re saying have to do with me?”
Chu Yanyu laughed, looking at Ling Yi. “You say it has nothing to do with you, then it has nothing to do with you. This Karma is too great; I don’t dare touch it either. Telling you this just expresses my sincerity. Then I ask Young Master Ling again… do we still have a chance to cooperate?”
Ling Yi looked at her. “If I say no chance, are you planning to take action against me? Find a cliff and throw me down?”
Chu Yanyu giggled. “How could I? Young Master Ling is exceptionally brilliant. Whether it’s killing a high-ranking Golden Body master or holding back the Beast Tide in Spring City, it’s all astonishing.”
“A weak woman like me wouldn’t dare offend you casually. I’m very honest and have a bit of cleverness. I’m completely different from those who want to kill you all day long. Don’t wrongly accuse me.”
Ling Yi looked at Chu Yanyu. “Just say it. If we cooperate, what do you want me to do? And what can you do for me?”
Chu Yanyu looked at Ling Yi and suddenly asked, “You severed the Royal Capital’s Dragon Vein, didn’t you?”
Ling Yi flatly denied it. “No.”
“Hmph, aside from you, I really can’t think of a second person.” Chu Yanyu glared at Ling Yi, then sighed softly. “Actually, this also foretells that Great Chu’s ambition will ultimately be like flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in water. It’s a pity many people can’t see through it. Even with the Dragon Vein severed, they won’t stop.”
Then she suddenly looked straight into Ling Yi’s eyes. “And you still say it wasn’t you. You don’t seem surprised at all.”
Ling Yi snorted through his nose. “Those who do many unrighteous deeds will inevitably bring ruin upon themselves. What’s surprising about that? I’m already restraining myself by not calling it deserved.”
Chu Yanyu looked at Ling Yi somewhat helplessly. “I’m not blaming you. You also don’t need to worry about our conversation being leaked.”
Ling Yi smiled. “It’s fine. I recorded it. You can’t wrongly accuse me.”
Chu Yanyu also smiled, cursing in her heart, this brat!
“Let’s not talk about the Dragon Vein anymore. Let’s talk about our cooperation.”
Chu Yanyu looked at Ling Yi. “I can provide you with all the conveniences to kill Lu Qingming. I’ll do anything I can! Even if you want to become the consort of Chu State, I can consider it!”
Ling Yi glanced at her. “Not interested.”
Chu Yanyu smiled faintly, not angered. “But I also want your guarantee that your grudge with Chu State ends with Lu Qingming. It must not continue! As long as he dies, Chu State will absolutely not trouble the Qin State…”
“What about Eastern Sea City?” Ling Yi glanced at her.
“You, someone destined to tread the cultivation path in the future, why care about such matters?” Chu Yanyu slightly frowned.
Clearly, she wasn’t as generous as she appeared.
“Cultivation my foot. I’m a Qin person. My greatest wish is for my country to be prosperous and strong. Eastern Sea City belongs to my Great Qin. You must return it. There’s no room for negotiation!”
Even though nothing was certain yet, since Chu Yanyu wanted to talk, then talk.
The Qin State had no ambition to unify the world. As long as they could take back Eastern Sea City and open the sea route, their economic strength could definitely skyrocket instantly.
As a Qin person, Ling Yi naturally wanted his country to be strong.
Chu Yanyu was silent for a while, then said, “Eastern Sea City… has been jointly occupied by Chu and Zhao for over a hundred years. The people there now wouldn’t consider themselves Qin People. I can guarantee that even if you take it back, managing it… won’t be easy.”
Ling Yi smiled. “That has nothing to do with me. I’m not involved in management. Besides, trash who forget their ancestors and recognize thieves as fathers, if they dare cause trouble, just clean them up. What’s so hard about managing?”
Chu Yanyu laughed. “You don’t understand such matters.”
Ling Yi also laughed. “I love it when people talk to me in that lecturing tone.”
Chu Yanyu rolled her eyes at him and said seriously, “Eastern Sea City is definitely not possible. This matter is more about me helping you. Even if I didn’t come to you today, you would still face these problems, right?”
“If you didn’t come to me, I’d handle it myself. Since I’m here, I’m not afraid of anything. We will definitely take back Eastern Sea City, no matter how many years have passed.”
“It’s best if it can be resolved peacefully. If not, then we’ll fight.” Ling Yi looked at Chu Yanyu. “As long as I’m here, it’s only a matter of time before the Qin State’s strength surpasses that of Chu State.”
Chu Yanyu raised an eyebrow. “You are confident. And saying this in front of me, aren’t you afraid I’ll change my mind and kill you?”
Ling Yi curled his lip. “Let’s not be so childish, okay?”
Chu Yanyu looked at him. “Anyway, other conditions can be discussed, but Eastern Sea City… absolutely not!”
Ling Yi sneered. “You talk as if you’ll become the Monarch of Chu State in the future…”
As he spoke, the smile on Ling Yi’s face gradually froze. He looked at Chu Yanyu. “You wouldn’t…”
Chu Yanyu looked at him. “So, do you think there is a Monarch in this world who would be willing to… cede territory and pay reparations during their reign?”
Ling Yi looked at her and smiled. “First, this isn’t ceding territory; it’s returning forcibly occupied land. Second, you can make sure this doesn’t happen during your reign.”
Chu Yanyu looked deeply at the handsome young man opposite her, somewhat surprised.
She had thrown out so much heavy information, but it seemed… she hadn’t achieved the effect she wanted.
And she didn’t dare continue talking about Ling Yi’s origins. That could really get someone killed.
“Actually, there’s no need to discuss this at all. The return of Eastern Sea City is the general trend, just like your Dragon Vein being severed…”
Ling Yi said calmly.
Chu Yanyu said with annoyance, “What ‘being severed by someone’? Wasn’t it you?”
Ling Yi straightened up, shrugged, picked up a piece of pastry from the plate, and put it in his mouth. It melted instantly.
So sweet!
“Not afraid it might poison you!” Chu Yanyu said with feigned anger.
Ling Yi laughed heartily, looking at her. “Sister, if you’re asking for help, have the attitude of asking for help. Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor.”
“You seeking me out today shows the situation is already very serious. You can’t wait anymore.”
“But I’m not in such a hurry. After all, a gentleman can wait ten years for revenge.”
This was the disadvantage of actively seeking cooperation and throwing out too many chips at once.
Ling Yi had found her weak point.
Chu Yanyu was silent for a moment, then looked at Ling Yi. “You help me kill Lu Qingming. I’ll find a way to return Eastern Sea City to you. Then from then on, we will not invade each other!”
Ling Yi looked at her. “You seem a bit too impatient today.”
Chu Yanyu smiled slightly. “Don’t worry about that. Many people know I have many male favorites. So, pulling you here today, in some people’s eyes, simply means I’ve taken a liking to you.”
Ling Yi: “…”
So I’m being “cloud-slept”?
“I heard Lu Qingming planted many Great Medicinal Herbs here. Is there a way to let me go there without anyone noticing?” Ling Yi looked at her and asked.
Chu Yanyu was slightly taken aback, then her eyes lit up. “I want half!”