“Still playing dumb? You should know perfectly well that our Heavenly Dragon Trading Company has trade dealings with the Water God Temple. Representative Yan and I are close personal friends. Yet today you offend the Water God Temple for some random brat who popped up out of nowhere. If this isn’t harming the company’s interests, then what is?”
Zhang Tiande declared self-righteously.
His words did carry a certain amount of logic.
Yet Yun Ya merely smiled faintly and replied, “The mere Water God Temple only controls the waters of the Heavenly Dragon, Divine Phoenix, and White Tiger continents. Our annual trade volume with them doesn’t even exceed three hundred million low-grade spirit stones, does it?
For such a tiny amount, you, Zhang Tiande, are willing to become their protective umbrella?”
“You call three hundred million low-grade spirit stones unsatisfactory?”
Zhang Tiande frowned.
“Ridiculous. Our monthly trade with the Heavenly Dynasty alone has already surpassed eighty million low-grade spirit stones, and it will continue to grow. Tell me, which side do you think I should support?”
Yun Ya sneered.
“That much!”
Hearing Yun Ya’s words, even Zhang Tiande was shocked, but after glancing at Representative Yan, he still spoke in an extremely tough tone, “That may be true, but the Water God Temple is far stronger than the Heavenly Dynasty. Offending them is no joke. What you’re doing is inviting enemies for the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company.”
“Ridiculous. Since when does our Heavenly Dragon Trading Company need to fear a mere Water God Temple? Shouldn’t profit come first? Believe me, I can report this to headquarters right now and see what their response is.”
Yun Ya said loudly.
“Shut your mouth! I am your superior. You do what I tell you to do. No more nonsense. If you don’t leave that kid immediately, I will treat you as a traitor!”
Unable to win the argument, Zhang Tiande could only resort to throwing his weight around.
“Hehe, why not just say that from the start instead of putting on that sanctimonious act? Did you really think everyone else is an idiot?”
Yun Ya laughed scornfully, then turned to the people behind Zhang Tiande and declared, “All of you listen carefully. Today this is a personal grudge between Zhang Tiande and me. He disregards the interests of the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company, colludes with the Water God Temple, embezzles company assets, and even tries to destroy our greatest source of income across the first three continents. I don’t need you to deal with him, but you had better not interfere. Otherwise, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!”
Internal strife within the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company had long since reached a boiling point. In fact, conflicts existed in every region.
Headquarters, however, had always turned a blind eye, even treating it as something beneficial for the company’s evolution.
Only the strongest could emerge victorious in this struggle.
Because of this, Yun Ya was not worried about serious consequences if she killed Zhang Tiande.
On the contrary, she now had to eliminate him. Otherwise, she would never fully seize control of the company’s authority over the first three continents.
“Good, Yun Ya, oh Yun Ya. I’ve been waiting for you to say that. When you’re dead later, don’t blame me.”
Zhang Tiande gave a cold laugh, then waved his hand, signalling the men he brought to surround the pavilion where Ling Xiao and the others were.
“Form the array!”
At his command, those martial artists threw out strange jade tablets. A cage instantly materialised, completely trapping Ling Xiao and the others.
Although Zhang Tiande appeared arrogant, he was far cleverer than the people from the One-Eyed Pirate Crew.
He knew Ling Xiao’s group was powerful and not to be confronted head-on, so he simply chose to trap them with a formation.
“Heh heh heh, once caught in my Jade Cage Array, your inner force and stamina will slowly be drained away. When you’re begging for life and death, I’ll grant you a quick end.”
Zhang Tiande let out a sinister laugh, then sat down beside Representative Yan. The two clinked cups and drank, looking extremely pleased with themselves.
The martial artists stationed outside the Jade Cage Array sat cross-legged, chanting incantations that generated waves of piercing noise inside the formation.
An ordinary person would probably go mad after staying inside for just a short while.
But Ling Xiao was no ordinary person. Not only was he skilled in formations, his soul force was also extraordinarily powerful.
The instant Zhang Tiande deployed the array, Ling Xiao countered with his own formation, completely blocking the noise and neutralising every harmful effect of the Jade Cage Array.
Zhang Tiande, of course, knew nothing of this.
“You lot don’t need to worry. Sit down, rest, and recover. That earlier battle gave me some insights. I might be able to break through.”
The previous fight had truly benefited Ling Xiao greatly. Next, he might have to face Cavern Heaven realm experts like Zhang Tiande or Representative Yan.
He needed to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible.
Even a tiny increase in cultivation would greatly boost his overall strength.
“Alright!”
There was no pressure anyway. They ate, chatted, and simply waited.
Atop the Black Wind Tower, Hua Fuguang said coldly, “See that, little sister? This is Ling Xiao’s fate. Even the Heavenly Dragon Trading Company has come to deal with him. I’ve personally witnessed how formidable the Jade Cage Array is. Even Cavern Heaven realm martial artists find it hard to break, unless they specialise in formations.
Ling Xiao may be a martial arts genius and a monster in alchemy, but there’s no way he understands formations too, right?
This time, he’s finished!
Everyone who helped him is finished!”
Hua Lueying frowned, anxiously looking into the distance.
To ordinary people, the scene far away was just a black speck, but to martial artists like them, everything was crystal clear.
“No, sister. I believe he will break free. He definitely will!”
Hua Lueying actually had no real evidence to support her belief. She simply felt that such a proud man, such a towering hero, such a valiant youth could not possibly end like this.
And most importantly, Ling Xiao was the man she, Hua Lueying, had chosen. How could her man be so useless?
The entire long street suddenly fell silent.
Ling Xiao was cultivating inside the Jade Cage Array. Because the array generated energy storms during operation that blocked everyone’s view, no one could see what was happening inside or how the people trapped within were faring.
At first it was still possible to see, but as the energy storms grew stronger, even martial artists’ eyes could no longer penetrate the layers of obstruction.
Representative Yan and Zhang Tiande drank and chatted aboard the ironclad flying wheel ship, both appearing relaxed and carefree at first.
As for the onlookers, they watched as if it were a thrilling drama. Though their stomachs growled and they felt uncomfortable, almost no one left.
They stared wide-eyed at the situation on the long street.
What might happen next could be something they would never imagine in their lifetimes.
They truly could not miss it.
Waiting was excruciating.
From when the sun hung high overhead until the street lamps lit up and darkness fell, an entire day had passed.
