Chapter 73: The Deal

The shock and tension in the white-clad man’s eyes vanished, replaced by determination. His slightly bent back instantly straightened as he said clearly:

“Hehe, my name is Yundong, but my surname isn’t Zhou—it’s Xu.”

As he finished speaking, he drew the long sword from behind his back with a reverse grip, his sharp gaze fixed firmly on Zhou Qiang opposite him.

“Hahaha…” Zhou Qiang laughed in anger. “You’ve hidden yourself well. You came to our Zhou Family when you were about six, right? It’s been ten years now—truly an ungrateful dog! Tsk tsk… With your Postnatal Twelfth Layer cultivation level, do you actually intend to fight me, who’s at the Third Layer of Qi Refining Stage?”

“Your Zhou Family has sinister ambitions, wanting to swallow our Xu Clan. We of the Xu Clan will never agree to that.” Xu Yundong’s eyes turned crimson, and his originally trembling hands gradually steadied.

Zhou Qiang gave a faint smile, extended his right hand, and made a grabbing motion toward Xu Yundong. Xu Yundong’s body lifted from the snowy ground into the air. Though he struggled with all his might, his body wouldn’t obey him, flying toward Zhou Qiang like a moth darting into a flame.

Just as Xu Yundong’s head was about to crash into Zhou Qiang’s palm, a figure suddenly inserted itself between Zhou Qiang and Xu Yundong. With a wave of his sleeve, that person dispersed the attracting force from Zhou Qiang’s palm. The flying snow in the Inner Space scattered in all directions, and Xu Yundong behind him, freed from Zhou Qiang’s pull, fell to the snowy ground with a thud.

“Hahaha… Zhou Qiang, toying with a Postnatal cultivator with a mere wave of your hand—such impressive skill! How about you and I have a little match?”

After dispersing Zhou Qiang’s energy with his sleeve, the newcomer fixed a bright gaze on Zhou Qiang and laughed heartily.

“Juque City, Han Family!” Zhou Qiang coldly spat out the words through gritted teeth.

“Correct! I am Han Yue of the Han Family from Juque City.”

“Han Yue? What are you doing here?” Zhou Qiang looked Han Yue up and down.

“Hehe, Zhou Qiang, what are you doing here then? This doesn’t seem to be within your Zhou Family’s territory, does it?”

Zhou Qiang pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, “Brother Han, I am pursuing a traitor from our Zhou Family. This is our Zhou Family’s internal affair. Please step aside!”

“Your Zhou Family’s internal affair? Hehe, I just heard the brother behind me say he’s from the Xu Clan of Zhongdu City.”

“Hmph, Brother Han, it would be best if you step aside.” Zhou Qiang’s voice grew even colder.

“And if I don’t? Would my Fourth Layer of Qi Refining Stage be afraid of your Third Layer?” Han Yue’s eyes were full of mockery.

“You… Aren’t you afraid of bringing disaster upon your Han Family?” Sparks seemed to fly from Zhou Qiang’s eyes.

In the sky, Xu Ziyan hid within the wind and snow. She had arrived here early and witnessed everything unfolding below. But she didn’t recognize any of these people, nor could she trust them based solely on their conversation. Besides, she didn’t want to reveal her presence, so she remained hidden in the wind and snow, silently watching everything below.

On the snowy ground amidst the wind and snow, the mockery in Han Yue’s eyes grew even stronger as he said lightly:

“Zhou Qiang, don’t worry. I’ve been watching from the side for a long time. I guarantee you won’t see tomorrow’s sun. Your Zhou Family won’t find out. Hehehe…”

Zhou Qiang was furious, the veins on his forehead bulging, but a trace of tension faintly showed in his eyes. Han Yue, however, paused before continuing:

“But I am quite interested in you and your Zhou Family. You’d better tell me everything you know, from start to finish. I’ll give you a quick death. Otherwise! Hehe, I think you understand what I mean!”

Hidden in the sky, Xu Ziyan slightly frowned. She keenly sensed that there was another person lurking near the three on the snowy ground. Moreover, she couldn’t discern that person’s cultivation level, which meant they were at least at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining or higher.

“Hehehe…”

Sure enough, as soon as Han Yue finished speaking, a cold laugh came from within the wind and snow. A figure drifted out ghost-like from the swirling snow, and as soon as it appeared, it locked onto Han Yue. A grating voice said:

“Han Yue? Fourth Layer of Qi Refining Stage? Is that supposed to be high?”

Han Yue immediately felt that the other party had locked onto him. Moreover, he couldn’t see through the other’s cultivation level at all, which startled him and made him think of retreating. But when he turned his head and glanced at Xu Yundong, who had already stood up and was now beside him, a hint of hesitation flashed across his expression.

“Hehe, it seems your Han Family and the Xu Clan are quite deeply connected. Even in this situation, Brother Han still refuses to abandon that person from the Xu Clan!”

After seeing the person who had drifted out from the wind and snow, the tense expression on Zhou Qiang’s face instantly relaxed. He bowed respectfully to the newcomer and said:

“Zhou Qiang pays his respects to Senior Brother Yao! How did Senior Brother Yao manage to arrive so timely?”

“Hehe, after you left, the Hall Master was worried, so he sent me to catch up. I didn’t expect to arrive just in time!”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Yao!” Zhou Qiang bowed deeply once again to Zhou Yao.

Zhou Yao waved his hand, paying no further attention to Zhou Qiang, and instead looked at Han Yue opposite him, saying:

“Han Yue, I am a very reasonable person. I won’t force you to say anything. But I can make a deal with you.”

“What deal?” Han Yue replied uneasily.

“Hehe, on your side, there are two people: you at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining Stage, and that spy from the Xu Clan at the peak of the Postnatal Twelfth Layer. On our side, there are also two: I am at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, and Zhou Qiang is at the Third Layer. In a fight, you two certainly can’t beat us. But if you were to try to escape by yourself, you would have a slim chance. Am I right?”

“Correct!”

Han Yue said without hesitation, because he knew Zhou Yao was telling the truth. He couldn’t win against the two in front of him, but if he tried to escape alone, although it would be very difficult, there was still a slim chance. Even if that chance was very small!

“But, wouldn’t you like to know what secret our Zhou Family has that would make this spy from the Xu Clan risk exposure and his life to return to the Xu Clan? I can give you a hint, hehe—consider this a free gift from me. This secret might even be related to your Han Family as well!”

Han Yue’s expression only struggled slightly before immediately turning resolute as he said:

“Tell me, what are your terms?”

“No, no, no!” Zhou Yao raised a finger and gently shook it in front of him, saying in a light tone:

“Not terms, but a deal. I said I wouldn’t force you. I am a cultivated gentleman!”

“Alright then, what’s the deal?” Han Yue asked helplessly.