Liu Chuandao laughed.
"How did you know that I need your help?"
Jiang Ning had arrived in the mountain a month ago. He probably wasn't fully aware of what was going on yet.
What had given him the confidence to say something like that?
"Qingshan Sect's mission is to guard the mountain gate." Jiang Ning stared at Liu Chuandao. "It's quite obvious that you can't hold the gate for much longer. In fact, Qingshan Sect's dominance is at risk now." Liu Chuandao appeared unfazed by Jiang Ning's words.
"If the gate falls, your people are the ones who'll end up suffering." Liu Chuandao stared right back at Jiang Ning. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "You're not helping me out. You're saving yourself." He was negotiating terms with him.
Jiang Ning didn't say a word. He simply smiled faintly at Liu Chuandao.
Negotiation was an art form. It wasn't something one could accomplish simply through verbal wit. The parties to the negotiation had to have stakes at the table. Sometimes, you needed to risk a gamble. Jiang Ning was willing to do that right now.
"Fine. Name your conditions."
Liu Chuandao was a wily one. He could tell that Jiang Ning knew that he was cornered.
He had no options left but Jiang Ning had.
"First, I need the antidote to Drunken Dreams."
That was the only reason why Jiang Ning had entered the mountain. Nothing else mattered.
Liu Chuandao frowned slightly when he heard Jiang Ning's first condition.
"Drunken Dreams?" He shook his head. "You can't find that in the mountain anymore. Naturally, there's no antidote to be found as well."
"The deal's off then."
Jiang Ning remained in his seat. He didn't seem like he was going to get up anytime soon.
Liu Chuandao said that he didn't have the antidote, so that meant that it must be around somewhere. The antidote belonged to Qingshan Sect after all, so how could he insist that the sect didn't have any?
"We really don't have the antidote,"
Liu Chuanda sighed. "Drunken
Dreams is a banned substance that Qingshan Sect stopped producing it a long time ago. That means that we stopped making the antidote as
AUMS
well."
He glanced at Jiang Ning, then narrowed his eyes slightly. "Is this why you're here? To find the antidote?"
Concealment was unnecessary in a conversation between intelligent men. One could speak plainly. That made things so much simpler.
"The second condition," Jiang Ning ignored Liu Chuandao's question and continued. "I need a suitable identity so that I can remain in the Qingshan Sect."
Liu Chuandao had been right. If he failed to keep Qingshan Sect standing and the mountain gate shut, the ones who would suffer were going to be the people outside the mountain.
Jiang Ning needed to find the © 2024.
antidote to save Lin Yuzhen. He also
needed to make sure that the mountain gate remained standing and that the people outside the mountain remained safe from harm.
These were people whom he cared for and loved deeply.
"That's not going to be a problem." Liu Chuandao nodded. "I've made the necessary arrangements.”
He gave Jiang Ning a long considering look.
"I have a word of warning for you though. You're not allowed to touch my daughter. If you do anything to her, I'll kill you even if it kills me and destroys Qingshan Sect." Jiang Ning laughed. "You worry too much."
His heart only had a place for Lin Yuzhen. His life revolved only around one person, and that was Lin Yuzhen.
He didn't care how beautiful other women were. He wasn't interested at all.
No one could understand why he felt this way, but Jiang Ning didn't need them to understand.
"The third condition..."
"It seems that you have quite a few of them." Liu Chuandao was a little displeased. He didn't like Jiang Ning's attitude and his tone. Jiang Ning was the one who needed his help. Yet, it seemed as if he was the one who was asking Jiang
Ning for a favor.
"Just a few. You know that they're worth it," said Jiang Ning calmly.
He paused and gave Liu Chuandao a long look. He appeared to be waiting for some kind of reaction.
After some time, Liu Chuandao finally took a deep breath and seemed resigned. Jiang Ning continued talking again.
"The third condition. I want to have given sufficient authority in Qingshan Sect!"