Inside the reception room, the air froze in deathly stillness.
Of the four conditions Leng Yaoyu had thrown out, only the first was something she could agree to.
As for the nature of the other three-was this a joke? If she actually agreed, wouldn't she be raising a few little overlords above Shrek's head?
Whoever wanted to sign these tyrannical terms could sign them. She, Cai Yue'er, certainly wouldn't.
The smug smile from a moment earlier froze on her face. Her expression shifted rapidly, her face turning green, then white.
She had thought the other party would only ask for some additional resources and benefits. If that were all, she wouldn't have minded. After all, Shrek's reserves, accumulated over ten thousand years, could easily cover them.
But she hadn't expected Leng Yaoyu to open her lion's maw and demand so much. Her terms would place Xiao Chen and the other two entirely above Shrek. There was no way she would agree to such harsh demands.
At the very least, she couldn't be the one to agree.
Cai Yue'er drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the anger churning in her chest, and refused in a low voice:
"Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix, I can approve the first request and guarantee that Xiao Chen and the other two will receive food, accommodation, and resources for their daily cultivation at the same standard as inner court students."
"But forgive me, I cannot agree to the other three."
As her words fell, Leng Yaoyu raised her brows slightly, picked up the warm tea beside her, and took a sip.
After hearing the refusal, she didn't yield an inch. The bottom of her cup struck the table with a crisp clink as she set it down, and her cool voice left no room for discussion:
"No?