At Cheng Yu's words, not only Chong Wen but even Shen Tian beside him and Qingqiu Lan, who had remained aloof from the proceedings below, stared at him in disbelief.
Had the aura unique to Shen Yu not still been present, they would have suspected that the Prince Yu before them was an impostor.
Chong Wen froze. Seeing that Cheng Yu did not appear to be joking, he bowed deeply and said,
"Chong Wen thanks Your Highness the Regent King for your appreciation, but Chong Wen is, after all, of Humankind. Loyalty to the Human Emperor is the most basic integrity expected of his subjects. I hope Your Highness will allow Chong Wen to uphold it."
Cheng Yu smiled faintly.
"Your loyalty is commendable. My offer will remain valid. Should you change your mind someday, there will be a high office waiting for you in the Demon Dynasty."
A deathly silence fell over the Demon Dynasty's court. Yet with the recent Tianwu Case and Prince Yu's might as a Great Sage hanging over them, no demon dared speak.
Seeing this, Chong Wen could only bow again and say,
"Thank you for your appreciation, Your Highness. For now, please give this foreign envoy your answer."
Cheng Yu leaned back slightly, looked at Chong Wen, and continued,
"I have never liked wasting effort. You know perfectly well that no one can lie before a Sage. I understand your intentions, and I also know the minimum terms your Humankind's Great Qin Celestial Dynasty came here prepared to accept. Then let us settle it this way: the sixteen cities in the Demon Race's Southern Continent bordering your Baiyue Prefecture, along with their surrounding lands, can be ceded to you as compensation for the Nian Beast's rampage through Baiyue Prefecture."
Chong Wen raised his head