The five figures behind him also lowered their heads, grief appearing on their faces.
Ten thousand years of imprisonment, ten thousand years of humiliation—they had grown used to it. But every time they heard the word "trade," their hearts still ached faintly.
Wang Zhi noticed their expressions and paused in surprise, then seemed to understand.
"Everyone, there's no need to grieve."
His voice softened slightly.
"I'm not like Tang San."
"I have no desire to claim the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for myself."
"And a trade, naturally, benefits both sides."
The Immortal Herbs exchanged glances.
Aromatic Silk Beauty raised his head, a complicated emotion flashing in his eyes.
He ventured to speak.
"Sir..."
"What kind of trade do you have in mind?"
"It's simple."
Wang Zhi held up four fingers.
"I need four Immortal Herbs, one for each of those three and one for myself."
He pointed to Zhou Tian'er, Zhou Hanyou, and Zheng Yiran.
"In return..."
His gaze swept over the six Immortal Herbs. His voice was calm, yet carried the force of a declaration.
"I can free the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well from the control of the Tang Sect and Tang San."
"At the same time, I can guarantee that in the future, I won't continue controlling the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as Tang San did."
"Instead—"
He paused.
"I'll give you true freedom and a future."
Freedom.
A future.
Those two words struck the hearts of the six Immortal Herbs like a bolt of thunder.
They stared blankly at Wang Zhi, unable to speak for a moment.
It had been so long.
Ten thousand years had passed since they first gained consciousness.
They had watched their kind in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well reproduce, generation after generation. They had