Demon Beast Mountain was nothing less than a mountain of treasures.
No faction could resist coveting Demon Beast Mountain.
"Why have those great clans remained prosperous and enduring? Because they can enter Demon Beast Mountain every year to gather resources. Natural treasures and heavenly materials all fall into the hands of the great clans. Small and middle clans cannot obtain them; even after a hundred years, they remain unable to advance."
"If the Yang Lineage wants to climb higher, it must enter Demon Beast Mountain as often as possible."
As the discussions reached his ears, Yang Chen naturally understood how important this was.
Seeing pair after pair of expectant eyes fixed upon him, Yang Chen understood the burden resting on his shoulders. He said gently, "Patriarch, if the Lineage needs Yang Chen, then naturally I have no reason to refuse. However, Yang Chen still has several doubts regarding the Hundred Clans Trial Battle!"
Yang Chen was not kindhearted enough to simply work for the Lineage.
The reason he agreed so readily was, in truth, the treasures within Demon Beast Mountain. If he could enter Demon Beast Mountain as a representative of the Yang Lineage, then even if he had to hand over a great deal of resources afterward, merely keeping a portion would already be an exceedingly valuable treasure to him.
"Speak freely." Knowing that Yang Chen had doubts, Yang Jinhe spoke.
After thinking for a moment, Yang Chen said, "The inside of Demon Beast Mountain should be far more dangerous than its outer perimeter, right? I only know that even my elder sister might encounter danger in the outer perimeter of Demon Beast Mountain. Wouldn't its depths be far more dangerous? If young disciples like us enter the interior of Demon Beast Mountain, wouldn't those demon beasts eat us alive?"
"Haha, Yang Chen, you are worrying too much. Do you think the clans would fail to consider what you have considered? The demon beasts within Demon Beast Mountain were thoroughly cleared out by the clans many years ago. Even if a few remain, their strength will not exceed the Body Refining Realm Seventh Level."
Yang Jinhe said with a faint smile, "This was specifically prepared as a trial ground for geniuses. Though there will be some danger to your lives, we certainly will not send you to your deaths. In truth, young people like you need some danger to temper yourselves."
"I understand." Only then did Yang Chen feel relieved.
So the interior of Demon Beast Mountain was already under the control of the clans.
At this thought, Yang Chen could not help asking, "Then, Patriarch, all of the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans will enter Demon Beast Mountain. What about the Redcoat Bandit Gang? Since Demon Beast Mountain is such a treasure trove, the Bandit Gang surely would not overlook it."
"How could they overlook it? It is merely that the Redcoat Bandit Gang differs from the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans. They can unconditionally send five geniuses, bypass the Trial War altogether, and enter Demon Beast Mountain directly." Yang Jinhe sighed. Comparing people truly made one furious; they simply could not compare with the Bandit Gang.
They racked their brains and could at most send in two people.
Yet the Bandit Gang could send five people in without lifting a finger.
When gathering resources, naturally, the more people one had, the better.
Yang Chen did not find this strange. The Redcoat Bandit Gang was so powerful that the Twelve Great Clans had to join forces merely to contend with them. This meant the Twelve Great Clans had to give the Bandit Gang some face. It was perfectly normal for them to enjoy such privileges.
With that in mind, Yang Chen gradually got to the heart of the matter. His expression turned solemn as he said, "This last question may be somewhat presumptuous, but Yang Chen believes it would be better to make it clear beforehand."
"Let me hear it." Yang Jinhe did not know what Yang Chen wanted to ask.
After pondering briefly, Yang Chen said gravely, "If I can represent the Lineage and obtain a place in the top thirty, then enter Demon Beast Mountain to gather resources, how much of those resources can I receive?"
Once these words fell, the expressions of the Yang Lineage's higher-ups became varied.
Although quite a few had praised Yang Chen at first, once he began discussing benefits, many of the higher-ups' expressions turned ugly. After all, to begin negotiating benefits with the Lineage's leadership was not something any of them found acceptable.
Yang Jinhe, however, remained composed and was not nearly as resistant as the other higher-ups. Unhurried and unruffled, he said, "That will depend on the ranking you obtain in the Hundred Clans Trial Battle. If you can place within the top thirty, I can make the decision to let you choose any three treasures obtained from Demon Beast Mountain!"
"If you place within the top twenty, I can let you choose ten. If you can enter the top ten, then giving you one-tenth of the resources obtained from Demon Beast Mountain would not be impossible. If you can achieve an even better result, even allocating two-tenths to you would not be out of the question."
Yang Chen looked somewhat puzzled. "Patriarch, do different rankings carry different significance?"
"Of course. The Hundred Clans Trial Battle is extremely unfriendly toward lineages outside the great clans. If middle clans and small clans merely rank within the top thirty, then upon entering Demon Beast Mountain, they must hand over two-tenths of their resources to the Twelve Great Clans. If they rank in the top twenty, they hand over one-tenth. Only if they rank within the top ten do they need not hand anything over!" As Yang Jinhe spoke, his expression was filled with helplessness.
The corners of Yang Chen's mouth twitched twice. These Twelve Great Clans truly knew how to sit still and squeeze blood from the ground.
The top ten?
For middle clans and small clans to achieve a top ten ranking was likely as difficult as ascending to heaven. Even obtaining a place in the top thirty would be an extremely fortunate feat.
Yang Jinhe shook his head. "There is nothing to be done about it. The Twelve Great Clans are overwhelmingly powerful, so middle clans and small clans can only endure in silence."
Yang Chen nodded.
He now understood that within the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans, it was not only the Bandit Gang that excelled at exploiting others. The Twelve Great Clans were the same.
"Therefore, how much you receive depends entirely on your ranking. If you can place in the top three, there will also be special rewards granted by the Twelve Great Clans. The Lineage will not demand those rewards. However, the resources we can give you will never exceed two-tenths. You must understand that if not for the Lineage, no matter what, you would never have been able to enter Demon Beast Mountain." Yang Jinhe spoke earnestly.
Yang Chen had no intention of haggling further. He said respectfully, "Thank you, Patriarch!"
His discussion with Yang Jinhe was heard clearly by the other Yang Lineage higher-ups.
Quite a few felt that Yang Jinhe had been too courteous toward Yang Chen, and Eighth Master Yang was among those most displeased.
At this moment, Eighth Master Yang said expressionlessly, "Patriarch, whether Yang Chen can enter Demon Beast Mountain or not, he is representing our Yang Lineage. Is it not too early to discuss the distribution of resources now? As a disciple of the Yang Lineage, Yang Chen should rightfully contribute his strength to the Yang Lineage. As for allocating those resources to him, I think that should be waived!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Chen raised an eyebrow and said with delighted amusement, "Oh? Then Eighth Elder, tell me—why should the matter of allocating resources to me be waived?"
At first, he had held at least some respect for this Eighth Elder, for the other man was ultimately his elder.
Yet from beginning to end, the man had looked at him through tinted glasses. No matter how good Yang Chen's temper was, by now, he no longer wished to endure it.
Eighth Elder Yang snorted coldly and said righteously, "Yang Chen, have you not relied on the Yang Lineage to achieve what you have today? The Yang Lineage gave you cultivation resources, provided you with cultivation methods, and painstakingly raised you to this point. Now is precisely the time for you to contribute. After finally getting you to contribute once, you instead haggle with the Lineage. Do you know what the Lineage means? Did we raise you for nothing?"
Eighth Master Yang's words immediately drew waves of agreement.
"That's right, Yang Chen. The Yang Lineage painstakingly raised you; we did not raise you for nothing."
"Without the Yang Lineage, could you have what you have today?"
Hearing these rebukes, Yang Chen shook his head.
They had not even entered Demon Beast Mountain yet, and these higher-ups were already dissatisfied with his share of the benefits. If he truly entered Demon Beast Mountain, would these people not end up fighting him over them?
At that thought, Yang Chen no longer concealed anything. He said coldly, "Eighth Elder, everyone, since you keep saying that the Yang Lineage nurtured me and gave me cultivation resources, then today, Yang Chen will ask you all one question properly. I want to know: when has the Yang Lineage ever given Yang Chen cultivation resources?"
The moment this question was asked, these Yang Lineage higher-ups suddenly fell silent as cicadas in winter.
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