The dignified middle-aged man said, "Brother Tong, do you believe what you're saying? If you or I had obtained only one Azure Soldier Spirit, would we still have come to honor the agreement? Lei Chiyan must have more than one. Only because he has several is he willing to part with one to fulfill the contract and preserve his official post. I don't think there's any need to discuss this. The urgent matter is for you to summon him and have a talk. Then won't we know?"
Tong Fengliu couldn't argue with the dignified middle-aged man. "All right. I'll test the waters first. If he's interested in this..."
The dignified middle-aged man cut him off. "Absolutely not. We mustn't alert him. Better to call him over and negotiate face-to-face. I'm sure Lei Chiyan is smart enough to understand what matters. Besides, with his cultivation as it stands, even if he got an Azure Soldier Spirit, keeping it for himself would be useless. He'd have to trade it for something eventually. Whatever he wants, we can trade it to him."
Tong Fengliu considered it and saw that the man had a point. He took out the Ruyi Pearl, activated its restriction, and said, "Brother Lei, I have a business proposition I'd like to discuss with you. Would it be convenient for you to come over?"
A little more than ten breaths later, Lei Chiyan's voice came from the Ruyi Pearl. "I'll be there shortly."
The dignified middle-aged man's eyes lit up. Smiling, he said, "You speak with him. I won't get involved. At a time like this, he's bound to be especially wary. I'd hate for him to see a stranger like me, get overly frightened, and do something rash." As he spoke, he went to the wall and pressed a