Cooperation with the Heaven Dou Empire-an Arms Race Begins!

Dugu Bo looked around and saw that Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Yu Yuanzhen had no intention of intervening. He sighed helplessly and held back for now.

None of those three were fools.

Dugu Bo had never told them about these immortal herbs beforehand. Clearly, the old bastard had kept them all to himself.

Now that the Sun Moon Sect had taken them, he wanted to drag everyone into a fight over them? Did he take them for idiots?

Seeing that Dugu Bo had been talked down, Kong Deming took a step back too.

After all,

the Sun Moon Sect's current plan was to spread Soul Tools and bide its time before claiming power.

They could kill these people, but that would cause trouble afterward.

There was no telling how Spirit Hall might react.

So,

avoiding a fight was best.

Ning Fengzhi let out a quiet breath and smiled. "I've heard the Sun Moon Sect has recently emerged from seclusion. Seeing you today, I can tell your sect is full of talent."

"Forgive my ignorance. I didn't know your sect was coming here. Why don't we talk at the Elegant Pavilion in Heaven Dou City?"

Kong Deming smiled. "No. I'm afraid you'd poison the food."

Pfft!

Meng Hongchen couldn't hold back her laughter.

Ning Fengzhi wasn't offended. "No matter. I'm sure we'll have plenty of chances later. Did your sect come here today only for the immortal herbs? If you need anything else, I have some influence in Heaven Dou City and may be able to help."

Kong Deming studied Ning Fengzhi closely.

Then he nodded.

"You're easier to talk to than that green-haired ghost. The Sun Moon Sect did come here with something else in mind."

Ning Fengzhi smiled.

Dugu Bo's mouth twitched. What the hell? Were they just letting the immortal herbs go?

But Qian Renxue, who had watched the whole exchange, felt uneasy.

They weren't going to fight?

Damn it. Ning Fengzhi really did have a brain. He wasn't so easy to use as a weapon...

At that thought,

Qian Renxue stepped forward. "Elder Kong, I am Xue Qinghe, first prince of the Heaven Dou Empire. Whatever you have in mind, please say so. I can decide on my father's behalf."

Kong Deming looked at Li Chen.

Li Chen stepped out with a smile.

"Hmm... The Sun Moon Sect specializes in making Soul Tools. Would the Heaven Dou Empire be interested?"

Li Chen took out several Soul Tools he had prepared.

They were the same ones they had shown Spirit Hall.

Li Chen handed them to Qian Renxue and briefly explained how they worked.

Ning Fengzhi and the others gathered around curiously, taking turns examining them.

"They really are remarkable!"

Qian Renxue marveled.

No wonder. She finally understood why her mother, Bibi Dong, had partnered with the Sun Moon Sect.

Its Soul Tools truly were remarkable.

"These Soul Tools are excellent. I think we can work together. But I'd like to ask: does your sect have any combat Soul Tools?"

Qian Renxue asked outright.

Li Chen smiled and shook his head. "No. Only support tools like the sealed Soul Power Milk Bottle, which you could just about count as a combat tool."

"And there's the Soul Tool Hand Cannon. Our sect has spent years deep in the mountains, so we use it to drive off soul beasts and defend ourselves."

Li Chen brought out the Soul Tool Cannon he had used against Zhao Wuji.

Qian Renxue took it, her eyes gleaming.

"May I try it?"

"Of course."

She charged it, and it rapidly drained her Soul Power. Then a blast of deep-blue light shot out!

Boom!

The Soul Tool Hand Cannon fired into the distance, its immense energy blasting apart a large tree in front of Qian Renxue.

"What astonishing power! That shot would severely wound even a ten-thousand-year soul beast!"

Qian Renxue was amazed.

Ning Fengzhi and the others stared wide-eyed.

"How much for these hand cannons?"

Qian Renxue asked at once. She intended to buy them, then secretly transfer a batch to Spirit Hall.

She could even tamper with the batch kept in Heaven Dou City so the Heaven Dou Empire couldn't use them when the time came!

"Well, we can't really sell them. These weapons are expensive—one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins each. Not everyone in our sect has one."

Li Chen put on a troubled expression.

Who was he kidding? They were... dirt cheap!

A hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins could make thousands of them.

But people of this era didn't know that, did they?

That was precisely why Li Chen had shown them the Soul Tool Hand Cannon. He wanted to draw the three major powers into cooperation with civilian and low-end military Soul Tools.

Then he could obtain rare high-grade metals and rapidly expand the Sun Moon Sect's own arsenal.

Once their high-end weapons were ready—Level 9 Fixed-Installed Soul Tool Shells, or even Level 12 Fixed-Installed Soul Tool Shells—they could sweep across the entire continent!

"A hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins... That's rather expensive."

Qian Renxue considered how to bargain the price down.

Just then, Yu Yuanzhen stepped forward. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will pay one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins each! Our disciples are physically strong. With these Soul Tool Hand Cannons, they'll be unstoppable!"

Qian Renxue frowned. Ning Fengzhi frowned too.

What kind of idiot teammate are you?!

If you agree to the price without bargaining, how are we supposed to negotiate later?!

"Wonderful! We haven't even sold these weapons to Spirit Hall yet. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will be our first buyer of hand cannons!"

Li Chen grinned.

At that,

delight spread across Yu Yuanzhen's face.

Ning Fengzhi looked pleased as well.

Only Qian Renxue felt her stomach knot. What was going on? Spirit Hall hadn't bought such powerful weapons?

What the hell was that damned woman Bibi Dong doing all day?!

"You said you haven't sold these weapons to Spirit Hall?" Yu Yuanzhen asked to confirm.

Li Chen nodded.

"That's right. Our cooperation with Spirit Hall has only involved Water Heaters, Lighting Lamps, and the like. Spirit Hall is wary of us, so we haven't sold them the hand cannons."

Ning Fengzhi fell into thought.

Wasn't this a fine opportunity?

If the Heaven Dou Empire could secure a monopoly on these hand cannons...

It would gain a tremendous advantage over Spirit Hall!

Qian Renxue's mouth twitched.

She badly wanted to curse Bibi Dong, but given her current identity, all she could do was speak up.

"I want you to sell these weapons exclusively to the Heaven Dou Empire. How much would your sect charge?"

"Well..."

Li Chen feigned hesitation.

Huo Yuhao joined the act. "That might not be wise! If Spirit Hall finds out, it'll put the Sun Moon Sect in a difficult position."

Qian Renxue assured them confidently, "Don't worry! The Heaven Dou Empire can pay extra. We'll keep it secret!"

"Well..."

Li Chen and Huo Yuhao exchanged a glance, barely keeping their smiles under control.

"All right, we'll sell you the hand cannons. One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins each. We'd prefer payment in metals of equivalent value."

"And we'll need a deposit of fifty million Gold Soul Coins to sell exclusively to the Heaven Dou Empire."

Qian Renxue smiled.

Yu Yuanzhen, Ning Fengzhi, and the others smiled with satisfaction too.

They all felt they had made a killing.

The Soul Tool Hand Cannons were immensely powerful. If the Heaven Dou Empire alone possessed them, it would hold a huge advantage over the Star Luo Empire and Spirit Hall.

Little did they know,

Li Chen and Huo Yuhao exchanged a glance and narrowed their eyes.

Right.

Next, they'd talk to the Star Luo Empire and Spirit Hall—and offer them the same deal.

Let the three powers race to arm themselves with low-end weapons. By the time they realized what they had paid for, it would be too late!