The general situation was that Madam Hua wanted to secure a void world for the Sea Merchant Guild at the Clear Sky Discourse. This would allow the guild's forces to establish themselves in the north with full legitimacy and expand their room to maneuver.
However, this Clear Sky Discourse had restricted participation: only cultivators and sects from the Three Northern Lakes region could attend. Presumably, the Xiyu Alliance did not want rich water flowing into outsiders' fields, much less allow others to hammer nails into the heart of its own territory.
For some reason, the Sea Merchant Guild was greatly interested in this "enclave" and had proactively approached Xue Pingzhi for cooperation. It was precisely because she, too, had received an invitation to the Clear Sky Discourse and was qualified to contend for a void world.
Xue Pingzhi did not reject the proposal for cooperation between the two sides. She merely demanded an equal share of the profits, as well as a permanent residence within that void world.
Perhaps, as Luo Yuniang had said, because of the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth and the demonic tribulation, Hundred Flowers Valley, where master and disciple currently lived, was no longer a good place. They needed to find a new place of peace and quiet.
But directly seeking out another void world would be going a little too far.
Madam Hua neither agreed nor disagreed with Xue Pingzhi's conditions, nor did she adopt an attitude of bargaining for profit. Yet then, a man's voice rose from nearby:
"Yuanjun Pingzhi's conditions are inappropriate, in my opinion."
Someone else had arrived? Just then, the small boat Yu Ci rode had already rounded the vast emerald leaves reaching toward the sky, and his view suddenly opened wide. Looking over, he saw that within the waterside