Aspiring to the Immortal Path

Chapter 794: Negotiations (1)

Tang Jie stopped in front of the ancestral hall.

The statue of the Guangfa Godhead was a little different from what he had imagined.

It wasn't very similar to that mighty Guangfa Godhead that was fending off three Violet Palace experts outside. After all, commoners weren't such lofty craftsmen. What truly endowed it with majesty was that sliver of Divine Will.

Now that the Divine Will had manifested into the Godhead to do battle, all that was left within the statue was a tiny thread to serve as a connection, leaving the ancestral statue feeling rather dark and drab.

Even so, there was no masking its holiness.

Three people were kneeling before the statue.

The two to the left and right were the elders responsible for guarding the ancestral hall. They were both peak Soul Transformation experts who had protected the ancestral hall for ages. But not every floor-sweeping monk could unleash divine power, and a thousand years of inactivity had not turned them into existences that could suppress all. When facing Violet Palace experts without the protection of the formation, they were nothing more than two ants.

But the elders did not leave, kowtowing to the statue as if mourning their imminent fate.

In the center of the two was a woman on her knees, one hand on her chest and the other hand placed on the statue's feet as she silently chanted something.

Tang Jie couldn't see her face, but he could already guess at who she was.

"Chu Xitong?" he said.

The woman seemed to not hear, continuing to whisper, her hand remaining on the statue.

Tang Jie frowned. "I have only come for the Divine Will Golden Body. Remove your hand, and I can spare your life."

Chu Xitong didn't turn around, replying, "The Freedom Celestial Sovereign can cast spells with a thought, so why don't you try and see if you can kill me before I destroy the ancestor's statue?"

The two elders abruptly turned around and glared at Tang Jie.

Even if they were ants, they still had the courage to bare their mandibles against a lion!

Tang Jie felt deep admiration for these people.

He had seen few cultivators of Godhead Palace who had surrendered in this battle.

Perhaps they weren't good people, but they had loyalty and fearless courage, were all true warriors!

Most people had some degree of respect for brave warriors.

Tang Jie was no exception.

But while he could have respect, there were still some things that had to be done.

He looked up at the sky and saw the Godhead manifestation faltering. But at this moment, three Violet Palace experts abruptly pulled back on their attacks.

Tang Jie knew that this was the Seven Absolutions Sect creating an opportunity for him to seize the golden body.

The Cloudsplinter arrow had almost taken Tang Jie's life, and it had also chilled the Seven Absolutions Sect.

No matter what, they did not want relations with the Basking Moon Sect to turn hostile. The ancestor of the Seven Absolutions Sect had long ago sensed where all the fortune of the world was going, so while they could engage in small schemes, open hostilities were out of the question. Thus, they chose to ingratiate themselves at this moment.

Tang Jie accepted this gesture, calling out:

"Sever!"

Pa! Something in the air seemed to snap: the thread rising from the golden body. With it gone, the Godhead manifestation disappeared.

Now, the Divine Will would not expire from overuse.

But Chu Xitong's hand remained on the statue, the two elders flanking her.

Even Tang Jie could do nothing about this situation.

While thought casting was fast, Chu Xitong only needed to send out a stream of spiritual energy to shatter the statue.

Remaining calm, he smiled and said, "If you wanted to destroy it, you would have done so long ago. I presume that you have some objective you want to achieve?"

Chu Xitong sternly replied, "To have all of you leave at once!"

"As expected." Tang Jie was not surprised.

For Chu Xitong, this was her final lifeline. Whether it succeeded or not, she at least had to try.

Tang Jie chuckled. "While the Divine Will Golden Body is a valuable treasure, Godhead Palace is even more valuable. Human King Chu is putting too much value on the golden body if you think it's enough to let Godhead Palace go. The Divine Will Golden Body isn't that valuable."

The Divine Will Golden Body was that valuable!

Because Tang Jie was going to use it to help the Cloud Ancestor ascend to True Immortal.

But Godhead Palace didn't know, nor did the Seven Absolutions Sect.

They had never seen True Immortals before and lacked an understanding of things above Earth Immortal.

Tang Jie and the Cloud Ancestor knew thanks to the soul of the Azure Dragon and Immortal Ji Yao. This granted them a whole new understanding of strength, and it also told them what sort of treasures in the Rosecloud Domain could help them become True Immortals.

The Divine Will Golden Body was one of the few treasures in this domain that could assist Earth Immortals, and they were the only ones who knew how to use it. This was why Tang Jie was willing to give up everything else in Godhead Palace for it.

The Seven Absolutions Sect didn't know this, which was why they had changed their minds and given Tang Jie a chance to get the golden body.

Godhead Palace also didn't know, so when Tang Jie refused, the faces of Chu Xitong and the two elders darkened.

They knew that they wouldn't be able to kill Tang Jie, and it seemed like they wouldn't be able to save Godhead Palace either, and their hearts filled with sorrow.

Just when Chu Xitong was about to shatter the statue, Tang Jie said, "But if it was some other condition, I might be able to consider it."

"Godhead is about to be destroyed. What other conditions are there to discuss?" Chu Xitong questioned.

"Godhead Palace is under attack, but that doesn't mean it needs to be exterminated," Tang Jie replied. "In today's battle, I witnessed the loyalty and courage of the people of Godhead Palace, and I have to admit that Godhead Palace does not lack for good men! Right, might I ask who was the fine individual who loosed that arrow at me?"

"Fu Yingjie," Chu Xitong replied. She and Fu Yingjie had been lovers, and she instinctively did not wish for his name to disappear. Godhead Palace was on the verge of destruction, but this didn't mean that the names of those who had died for it should be buried.

Tang Jie nodded. "So it was him. Since he wasn't at Violet Palace, then I presume he is no longer here?"

Some things weren't particularly hard to guess.

Without even waiting for Chu Xitong's reply, Tang Jie heaved a sigh and said, "A fine man! But wouldn't it have been even better if he had been able to display this divine might in battle against the Primordial Fog?"

Chu Xitong shuddered.

"Battle against the Primordial Fog"?

It was two thousand years ago in the war against the Primordial Fog that the six major sects had established their supreme reputation and created the current system.

Each war with the Primordial Fog was a reshuffling of the deck for every domain.

Old factions would fall, and new factions would rise.

For any major sect in power, the Primordial Fog Calamity was the ultimate trial. As those that stood at the apex, they could not evade this challenge, only confront it head-on!

Godhead Palace had considered that they might not be able to hold out against the Primordial Fog Calamity, never imagining that intraspecies conflict would end them before the calamity had even arrived.

In the Great Stellar Chiliocosm, this actually wasn't rare.

Tang Jie's suggestion agitated Chu Xitong. She turned her head a little to look at Tang Jie, revealing her slender eyebrows and charming face.

Tang Jie ignored it, putting his hands behind his back and saying, "I have an old grudge with Godhead Palace, so in my mind, every member of Godhead Palace is wicked beyond redemption. But the reality is that I'm not the only person whose opinion matters in the world, and those that I hate might not all be evil and pernicious. Most of the conflicts in the world are about profit, and no one actually fights for justice. While Godhead Palace has lowly people, my Basking Moon Sect is no clear stream either. Even I have done some things that have gone against my Origin Heart, causing me to suffer the torment of Heart Demons. On the path of cultivation, all of us are taking risks with every step, willing to do anything to reach the peak. Thus, while I want to destroy Godhead Palace, I wouldn't dare to criticize Godhead Palace for being evil. On the contrary, this battle has made me admire them."

Chu Xitong snorted. "What's the point in you saying all this?"

"I naturally have a point." Tang Jie explained, "For so many worthy people of Godhead Palace to die on this battlefield is a great pity. If possible, I would hope to preserve them."

"You?" Chu Xitong sneered. "You were the one who swore a Great Aspiration to destroy Godhead Palace."

After becoming a Celestial Sovereign, Tang Jie started to reveal some of his secrets. The matters regarding the Martial Lord had ceased to be a secret long ago, with the Basking Moon Sect, the Seven Absolutions Sect, Horizon Ocean Pavilion, and Godhead Palace all knowing. And his hatred for Godhead Palace was even more straightforward and direct.

Thus, he decided to announce his aspiration to the public, and it was one of the important reasons the Seven Absolutions Sect had trusted him.

Tang Jie casually replied, "I swore a Heart Demon Aspiration, and since I've passed the Heart Demon Tribulation, it no longer binds me. I have continued to carry it out because of my past hatred and my desire to carry out justice for Big Brother Xu. But the Primordial Fog Calamity is a matter that concerns the survival of the entire domain, and I still have some understanding of what's more important. Let alone this nonbinding oath, even if it was still binding, I would choose to break it."

"'You understand what's important'?" Chu Xitong coldly laughed. "By 'what's important', you mean what's more profitable, yes? I didn't hear of any of this talk earlier. Why is it only now that I have the statue under my control that you speak of fighting against the Primordial Fog Domain together?"

Tang Jie didn't even blush, continuing, "That's because I was still unaware that Godhead Palace had so many brave warriors. 'Profitable'? Yes, you're right, I'm just a lowly and selfish villain who cares about profit, not righteousness. But regardless, at least I'm willing to say it and am saying it right now. Moreover, when it comes to things I've said, I still have some sincerity."

This was true. Although Tang Jie was cunning and greedy, and loved to trick others, he was never one to renege on his promises, basically fulfilling anything he had pledged to do.

Chu Xitong had heard of this aspect of his reputation before.

Chu Xitong clearly hesitated for a while before asking, "What do you want?"

Tang Jie laughed.

That Chu Xitong asked this meant that there was room to negotiate.

That was something he could work with.

The greatest fear was if things became unnegotiable principles.

The ancestor statue could very easily have become just such an unnegotiable principle.

But with the survival of Godhead Palace on the line, a concession had to be made.

Otherwise, Godhead Palace would cease to exist, and nothing would matter.

Tang Jie smiled. "It's very simple. You give me the Divine Will Golden Body, and I will let all of Godhead Palace's disciples go free."