Small business, no credit

Xu Tong looked at Hongjun with a faint smile.

Hongjun felt a chill run down his back.

What scheme is this brat cooking up now?

After talking to Xu Tong for so long, Hongjun had truly gone numb.

This fellow never played by the rules.

He had thought he could obtain the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil simply by trading on his standing, but now he had to agree to a condition.

And throw in a superior innate spiritual treasure as well.

No matter how Hongjun looked at it, he was getting the short end of the stick.

Yet there was nothing he could do.

"Tongtian, name your condition and the spiritual treasure you want."

"Tell me first, and then I'll decide whether I can give it to you or agree to your condition."

Although he had decided to agree to Xu Tong's demands, Hongjun was not that foolish.

If Xu Tong outright demanded something tied to a tribulation, such as the Investiture List or the God-Beating Whip, wouldn't that spell disaster?

That was why Hongjun had left himself some room to maneuver.

Xu Tong smiled faintly.

"Rest assured, Dao Ancestor. I know where to draw the line."

"I haven't thought of a condition yet. Let's simply say that you owe me a karmic debt."

Hongjun nodded at that.

"No problem. If it's only a karmic debt, I agree."

"I have a few spiritual treasures on hand. Choose one yourself."

As he spoke, Hongjun prepared to take out his spiritual treasures for Xu Tong to choose from.

"There's no need to go to all that trouble, Dao Ancestor."

Before Hongjun could move, Xu Tong interrupted him.

Hongjun froze at Xu Tong's words.

Don't tell me this fellow has already planned this out too?

Xu Tong smiled as he looked at Hongjun.

"Dao Ancestor, I've heard that the Innate Five Directions Banners are in your possession. That's what I want."

"The Innate Five Directions Banners?"

Hongjun was somewhat surprised. He had thought Xu Tong would ask for a superior innate spiritual treasure with powerful abilities.

He had not expected him to ask for only the Innate Five Directions Banners.

Hongjun considered it.

The Innate Five Directions Banners did not seem to be tied to anything important.

With that in mind, giving them to him should not pose a problem.

Hongjun nodded.

"Very well. I can give you an Innate Five Directions Banner. Which banner do you want?"

The Innate Five Directions Banners was a collective name for five banners, each of which was a superior spiritual treasure.

Although their functions were relatively limited among superior treasures, they still met Xu Tong's earlier requirements.

But Hongjun had still underestimated Xu Tong.

Xu Tong gave a sheepish smile.

"You jest, Dao Ancestor. Naturally, I want all five Innate Five Directions Banners. With even one missing, how could they still be called the Five Directional Banners?"

"What?!"

Hongjun sprang to his feet in agitation.

He had thought this brat had suddenly found it in his heart to be kind, asking for some relatively useless spiritual treasure to settle the matter.

After all, he already owed him a karmic debt.

It turned out that he had been far too naive.

Sure enough, this fellow would never be satisfied so easily.

You want all five Innate Five Directions Banners.

Have you no shame at all?

We agreed on one spiritual treasure, and now you're taking five outright.

Seeing how agitated Hongjun was, Xu Tong merely smiled and waved a hand.

"Calm down, Dao Ancestor. Although each of the Innate Five Directions Banners can serve as a spiritual treasure on its own, its function is far too limited. Only when all five banners are together can they unleash their full effects. Thus, the Five Directional Banners are inherently a single whole and should count as one spiritual treasure."

Xu Tong spoke with utter conviction.

Hongjun panted heavily as he stared at Xu Tong.

The fellow before him was utterly shameless.

If he had not feared punishment from the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun would have struck him dead with a single palm right then.

Suddenly, something occurred to Hongjun. His anger vanished, and he said with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist, there's no problem with you asking for the Innate Five Directions Banners. However, I only have two of them. You'll have to find a way to obtain the other three yourself."

"I merely wish to borrow the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil. Offering two banners is as far as I can go. Any more than that, and I truly cannot help you, however much I might wish to."

"If you insist on refusing to lend it out, then keep the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil."

"But should this spiritual treasure become an instrument of calamity and bring disaster upon you, don't say I didn't warn you."

Hongjun had suddenly seen the light.

He did not need to be so anxious. Nuwa and the others would attain the Dao sooner or later.

If Tongtian kept his grip on the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil, the Heavenly Dao would naturally step in to punish him when the time came.

After all, obstructing the development of the Heavenly Dao was a serious matter.

It might even bring Tongtian back onto the proper path in one fell swoop.

When the Heavenly Dao acted, it would not have nearly as many reservations as he did.

As he spoke, Hongjun made a show of preparing to leave.

A hint of smugness lingered in his eyes.

You little brat, weren't you trying to extort me? Well, I'm not falling for it this time. Let's see what you do now.

Although Hongjun had risen to his feet, he walked very slowly. He wanted to see Xu Tong's stunned expression.

And the sight of him begging.

Unfortunately, Hongjun was destined to be disappointed.

Xu Tong merely smacked his lips.

"Very well. Since you no longer wish to borrow it, Dao Ancestor, I'll put it away."

"It really isn't that troublesome. If you truly wish to borrow it, Dao Ancestor, I'll naturally be finished with it after the Witch-Demon Tribulation ends."

"At that point, even if no one wants to borrow it, I can give this spiritual treasure to someone else."

"But before this tribulation ends, there really is nothing I can do. Without the Innate Five Directions Banners, I can only keep the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil until then."

With that, Xu Tong's clone leisurely sipped his tea without so much as glancing at Hongjun.

He was clearly ready to see his guest out.

Hongjun stumbled upon hearing Xu Tong's words.

"Tongtian, how dare you!"

Now Hongjun was certain that this fellow knew exactly what the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil was for and was deliberately holding him by the throat.

With that realization, Hongjun finally ran out of options.

Smiling broadly, Xu Tong turned to look at Hongjun.

"You jest, Dao Ancestor. I merely wish to plant some flowers, tend some grass, and cultivate in peace within my Dao Field. I have no desire to involve myself in the affairs of the Primordial World."

"However, I'm not in the habit of doing business at a loss."

"If you intend to force me to submit through your strength, Dao Ancestor, I have nothing to say. I can only accept my fate."

"Otherwise, we'll have to proceed on my terms."

"Without the Innate Five Directions Banners, there's nothing to discuss."

"Or you could wait until the Witch-Demon Tribulation ends, Dao Ancestor. I'll naturally present the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil to you with both hands then."

"The decision is yours, Dao Ancestor."

Seeing Xu Tong's utterly indifferent expression, Hongjun felt the blood and qi roil in his chest.

"Fine, I agree. I'll obtain the Innate Five Directions Banners for you. Give me the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil."

Xu Tong smiled at that, then uttered another sentence that nearly infuriated Hongjun to death.

"Sorry. Small business, no credit."

"Pfft!"

Staring at Xu Tong, Hongjun nearly ground his back teeth to pieces.

This fellow was far too shameless.

Yet even so, there was nothing he could do to Xu Tong.

Hongjun could only agree now.

As for waiting until after the Witch-Demon Tribulation, by then the damned cucumber dish would have gone stone cold.

Hongjun wanted to control the entire Primordial World.

If the Witch-Demon Tribulation produced a ruler of heaven and earth, his plan to control the Primordial World could be declared a complete failure.

He might even fail at Dao Integration because he had not guided events back onto the course ordained by the Heavenly Dao.

Damn it, he simply could not afford to wait.