"Marquis of Pacifying the Realm—your name is like thunder in my ears. Though I have kept to this small corner, I had long heard of you. Seeing you today, your reputation truly does not disappoint."
In the main hall, the Stronghold Chief smiled broadly and bowed to Qiu Yan.
"I had long heard that you, Marquis, were unlike ordinary officials. Now that I see you, you truly possess heroic spirit. Though we come together today as two separate sides, it is rather like friends meeting in the martial world."
"Are you the chief of this Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends Stronghold, Song Tiankui?"
Faced with the Stronghold Chief's invitation, Qiu Yan did not move at once. Instead, he said calmly, "I did not come here to swear brotherhood with you. I hope you will honor your promise and discuss in detail the many matters concerning your acceptance of imperial amnesty."
"Imperial amnesty?"
The moment Qiu Yan spoke those words, the entire hall abruptly fell silent. Then a booming voice roared, only to turn into a sneer.
Soon after, the whole hall erupted in laughter.
"So he really came here just like that, thinking we were falling over ourselves to submit to the imperial court?" The speaker was the man who had just roared—Black Ox, clutching a great axe.
He was thickly built but not tall. As he spoke, he sprang up from his seat, then hopped onto the chair and looked down from on high. "I thought this Marquis of Pacifying the Realm was a real man of stature. Never expected you to ask something like that. If you truly have the ability, persuade us to surrender. Don't use official bluster to throw your weight around before us!" For a moment, they all felt honored by association, as though they