Qi Wu stopped in his tracks.
Behind his sunglasses, his gemlike eyes studied the old man in black robes.
"Negotiating terms?"
He gave a disdainful chuckle.
His smile was full of amusement.
"You're just an elder of the Mandala Society, and you want to negotiate with me?"
The black-robed old man took a deep breath, trying to make himself look calmer.
"Young man, I know you harbor hostility toward our Mandala Society."
"But the situation now isn't as simple as one of us killing the other."
He pointed at the portal behind him.
"See that?"
Qi Wu followed his gaze.
The portal emitted an eerie purple glow.
He could faintly sense an extremely terrifying presence within it.
That presence was far stronger than the black-robed old man before him.
Even stronger than Godzilla.
The black-robed old man continued.
"You should know that an ancient Demon is sealed behind that portal."
"It has a Divine Treasure."
"That Exotic Treasure is what we came here for."
"And we intended to subdue this creature while we were at it."
Qi Wu's gaze lingered on the portal for a moment.
That presence was indeed powerful.
Powerful enough to send the Skeleton King before him and his three subordinates back in defeat.
He withdrew his gaze and turned it back to the black-robed old man.
"So?"
The black-robed old man took a deep breath.
"So, I'd like to work with you."
He raised his bone staff and pointed at the portal behind him.
"That ancient Demon is far more powerful than we imagined."
"All three of my subordinates were badly wounded by it."
He paused.
"For now, we can't do anything to it."
"But then you came."
He looked at Qi Wu, a complicated gleam flashing through his cloudy old eyes.
"You're strong."
"You killed