Volume Two: Life as a Bandit - Chapter Twenty-Three: The Transaction (Part Two)

"How about joining the Purple Profound Alliance? What do you say?" Qin Si sat quietly, his gaze burning as he looked at Zhao Yongkui. A powerful aura rose from him naturally—it was the aura of extreme self-confidence.

Qin Shuang almost applauded. By shattering Zhao Yongkui’s pride-and-joy formation with a single spear strike, he had sent the man, who had previously felt so secure, into a trough of shattered confidence. Then, by immediately proposing to annex Profound Mystery Valley, his brother had employed such natural and seamless tactics.

Qin Shuang could predict what would follow with certainty: even if Zhao Yongkui refused to join the Purple Profound Alliance, his momentum would be crushed to the lowest possible point by Qin Si. If a few more methods were added, Zhao Yongkui would surely find himself unable to defend against them.

The two God Kings, Xuan Miao and Xuan Qing, were somewhat slow to react. It was not that they found the suggestion to annex Profound Mystery Valley unacceptable; rather, the handsome young man had already thoroughly stunned them with a seemingly casual display at the restaurant earlier. In their current view, Qin Si, despite being a High-level Heavenly Deity, was no different from a God King—or perhaps even more powerful than an average one.

In particular, the method Qin Si had used to break the formation that Zhao Yongkui had personally laid down left Xuan Miao and Xuan Qing feeling a sense of shock that could not be topped. They believed that even as long-established God Kings, they would have been unable to break the Valley Master’s formation; otherwise, the leadership of Profound Mystery Valley would have changed hands long ago. Yet, Qin Si had dismantled it with such ease.

Zhao Yongkui looked at Qin Si with a complex expression. After a long silence, he said in a deep voice, "What qualifications do you have to talk about annexing my territory? You should know that the strength of our Profound Mystery Valley is, if anything, stronger than your Purple Profound Alliance. Our three God Kings alone have been at this level for far longer than the ones under your command. In terms of true strength, your subordinates would not be able to withstand a single blow. And I have painstakingly cultivated thirty-five High-level Heavenly Deities who are on the verge of comprehending the laws and entering the God King realm. You think you can just annex us? Wouldn't all my years of hard work be for nothing?"

Qin Si listened quietly without interrupting. Only after Zhao Yongkui finished did he survey the great hall. "God Kings are nothing more than this. If my brother and I were to go all out, do you think the three of you could leave this hall alive? I am merely a High-level Heavenly Deity, still a long way from the God King realm, yet, are you confident that you could kill me?"

"The people you have cultivated cannot enter the God King realm in the short term. If they could, the other sixty-three factions would have long since fought to the death to enter Profound Mystery Valley and wipe them out. No one would allow another God King to emerge here. Instead of waiting for your power to grow, they would rather fight to the death... Besides, the other factions are not fools. If they were, why has the balance of power in Iron Flower City remained constant for so many years? You are developing, and so are they. If this stalemate continues, there will never be a result."

"Most importantly, why are you working so hard to develop your strength?" Qin Si smirked and signaled to Qin Shuang. Qin Shuang understood, smiled, and tossed out a ring.

Zhao Yongkui caught it and swept his divine sense inside. He was instantly dumbstruck. Inside the ring were over three hundred Heavenly Divine Artifacts and countless Divine Spirit Stones... "You... are these yours?" Seeing the mocking smiles on the faces of Qin Si and Qin Shuang, Zhao Yongkui slumped back into his chair and tossed the ring to the two God Kings, Xuan Miao and Xuan Qing.

When the two of them swept their divine sense over it, they too began to stammer. The shock brought by the two brothers had already left them numb; now, they just wanted to find a quiet place to digest the terrifying things these two kept revealing.

"Aren't you afraid that we might seize them?" Zhao Wu’s heart pounded fiercely at the sight of so many Heavenly Divine Artifacts. These treasures likely equaled the entire accumulated wealth of Profound Mystery Valley over the years.

Who were these two? Xuan Ao groaned inwardly, "Even if the Purple Profound Alliance had unified all the nearby forces and gathered their treasures, they shouldn't possess this many Heavenly Divine Artifacts."

Seeing the complex expressions on the faces of Zhao Yongkui and the others, Qin Si sipped his tea calmly. "Seize them? That depends on whether you have the capability. Besides, even if you did, we wouldn't care. If this bit of junk is worth your while to steal, then, heh heh..."

Qin Shuang interjected, "What does it matter if we give them to you? These are merely the lowest-grade items in our possession; they are completely insignificant."

Zhao Yongkui felt a sweetness in his throat, and the metallic tang of blood rose from his gullet. He felt he could not continue this conversation with these two brothers, or he would be insulted to death even if they didn't kill him.

In the Primordial Spirit Realm, which faction, other than the great noble families, would dare call so many Heavenly Divine Artifacts "junk"? If these were junk, what were the artifacts that thousands of people in Profound Mystery Valley treated as treasures?

Xuan Miao and Xuan Qing were lost in a daze, no longer doubting the origins of the two brothers. It would be truly bizarre if they were not children of a great noble family. Only those pampered scions, who grew up high above everyone else, would treat treasures that could crush countless Heavenly Deities as mere trash.

"Well? Valley Master Zhao can take some time to think. After all, it wouldn't make sense for your hard-earned faction to simply throw itself under the banner of my Purple Profound Alliance for nothing. My brother and I will take our leave now; once you have decided, send someone to notify us at the Purple Profound Alliance."

Qin Si stood up, grinning. "As for these Heavenly Divine Artifacts, consider them a welcome gift. We are bound to become one family sooner or later, so Valley Master Zhao, think carefully!"

Qin Shuang hummed in coordination, and a radiance shone from his body. The puppet appeared before everyone in the hall, wearing the appearance of 'Qin Yu.'

A powerful, soul-shaking pressure suddenly filled the great hall. Everyone except Qin Shuang and Qin Si—Zhao Yongkui, Xuan Miao, Xuan Qing, and Zhao Wu—had their expressions change drastically.

Zhao Yongkui summoned all his strength to resist the pressure that compelled one to worship, his face deathly pale. "A Celestial! You actually have a Celestial supporting you! But you will be punished for doing this."

Qin Shuang sneered, retracting the puppet and blinking craftily. "Punishment? What punishment? Did we use a Celestial to slaughter you? Or to oppress you?"

Zhao Yongkui was left speechless. Indeed, Qin Shuang had only let the Celestial make an appearance, and the Celestial had not spoken, which did not necessarily mean he had acted.

By this time, Iron Flower City was in chaos. The aura of the Celestial made all the God King-level figures tremble, and those unaware of the truth flew toward the source of the aura: Profound Mystery Valley.

"Alright, we shall take our leave. Once Valley Master Zhao has thought it through, come find us at the Purple Profound Alliance." Qin Si smirked, grabbed Qin Shuang, and with a single teleportation, they vanished outside Iron Flower City.

The five Heavenly Deities who had just been subdued by Qin Si received a voice transmission from him, ordering them to proceed to the Purple Profound Alliance. The five looked at each other and walked out; the people of Profound Mystery Valley did not stop them, letting them leave in such a grand manner.

Thousand Insect Valley, the current headquarters of the Purple Profound Alliance.

Respectful gazes rested on Qin Si and Qin Shuang. Ping Tian, Cui De, and Jiang Zheng, the three God Kings of the Purple Profound Alliance, had all gathered around Qin Si.

"What? Alliance Leader, you actually gave away hundreds of Heavenly Divine Artifacts and countless Divine Spirit Stones even though Zhao Yongkui of Profound Mystery Valley did not agree to join us?" Ping Tian looked worried and somewhat dissatisfied. "If they do not submit, wouldn't we be suffering a double loss, and eventually, pose a threat to ourselves?"

Cui De and Jiang Zheng also looked at Qin Si in confusion. Yet, upon hearing his account of the encounter in Iron Flower City, their reverence for him reached even greater heights. With a casual wave, two God Kings had barely managed to break his strike—the cultivation of Alliance Leader Qin Si was truly growing stronger by the day. If he were to break through the High-level Heavenly Deity stage and enter the God King realm, perhaps no God King in the Primordial Space would be a match for him.

Sensing their anxiety and concern for the Alliance, Qin Shuang nodded in satisfaction. "There is nothing to fear. Even if they have more Heavenly Divine Artifacts, they cannot pose a threat to us."

The three pondered for a while. Jiang Zheng looked at Qin Shuang, puzzled. "Vice Alliance Leader, why do you say that? In terms of strength, our Purple Profound Alliance can at most fight Profound Mystery Valley to a draw. We rely on those Heavenly Divine Artifacts; if every Heavenly Deity in Profound Mystery Valley is armed with one, it will bring us great resistance."

Qin Shuang smiled slightly. "Jiang Zheng, there is no need to worry about this. Ping Tian, you explain it to him." Seeing Ping Tian’s sudden realization, Qin Shuang was very pleased. Among the three, Ping Tian was the first they had subdued, and he was the quickest to think.

Hearing Qin Shuang’s words, Ping Tian did not decline. He looked at the confused Jiang Zheng and the somewhat enlightened Cui De, then said admiringly, "The two Alliance Leaders have calculated everything. This tactic of 'borrowing a knife to kill' is truly ruthless."