Chong Changming and Hu Xiongsha exchanged glances, each seeing hesitation and struggle in the other's eyes.
Swearing an alliance oath was no small matter.
It meant being tied to Lin Yi's ship from then on—sharing both glory and ruin.
If Lin Yi could gain a firm foothold among the White Tiger Captains, or even rise further, they would naturally rise with him. Breaking through to the mid-Emperor Realm and taking up high positions in the future would be entirely possible.
But if Lin Yi's ship took a wrong turn and foundered at the hands of the Ugly Squad or some other force, then as core confidants branded with the "Lin Faction" mark, their fate would certainly be miserable. At best, they would be expelled from the White Tiger Captains and lose everything.
Emperor Realm cultivators had cultivated for tens of thousands of years. Who did not cherish their path and their life?
They could not afford to be careless with such a gamble.
Seeing that neither of them answered for a long while, Lin Yi was not displeased. Instead, a knowing smile curved his lips as he said casually, "What? Is the price I'm offering still not enough? If you're dissatisfied with the resources or positions, say so. So long as it is within my ability, everything is negotiable."
"Of course not!"
Chong Changming quickly raised his head and cupped his hands. "This subordinate is merely curious how exactly Steward Lin intends to deal with the Ugly Squad. Lei Kun is already in the mid-Emperor Realm, and he has quite a few diehard followers. He has operated in the Earthly Branch for many years, with deeply entrenched influence. If we suppress them by force, it may trigger internal turmoil within the Earthly Branch and give outsiders an opening."
A sharp