Rumble!!
As the Three Talents Formation Flags activated, the Song Household's Seventh Elder and Fifth Elder... were instantly caught within their range of attack!
With the Three Talents Formation Flags at the center, three elements of heaven and earth-metal, wood, and fire... descended within a radius of fifty meters!!
The Song Household's Seventh Elder was bound by a vine formed from wood element!
He had just tried to break free of the vine when he came under a continuous assault from sharp swords of metal element and the scorching heat of fire element.
For a time, even with his cultivation at the middle stage of the Organ Refining Realm, he was in an utterly wretched state, his suffering beyond words...
The Song Household's Fifth Elder was faring no better. His robes and hair... had all been set ablaze by fire element, and his plump cheeks had been scored with cuts by sharp swords of metal element...
"On my Lin Household's territory, you laid hands on my Lin Household's clansmen..."
"Who gave you two the courage?"
As Lin Xiye looked at the two Song Household elders in their miserable state, his aged voice held murderous intent.
Two Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans also appeared in Lin Xiye's palm.
Within the attack range of the Three Talents Formation Flags, the two Song Household elders noticed the Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans in Lin Xiye's hand, and fear surged in their hearts!
Lin Xiye had not brought out the Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans because he truly intended to use them!
He only meant to use the Five Thunder Talismans to intimidate the two Song Household elders!!
After all, the Three Talents Formation Flags alone were far from enough to intimidate the Song Household! Once the Song Household learned that he possessed a Spirit-Nurturing Grade formation flag Law Treasure, they might even covet it...
But once he brought out the Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans, the Song Household would no longer dare act rashly!!
That was because, faced with Lin Xiye and his Spirit-Nurturing Grade formation flag Law Treasure and two Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans, the Song Household would not act rashly even if they had the ability to suppress him.
A Spirit-Nurturing Grade formation flag Law Treasure, or two Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans, could threaten at most two or three Organ Refining Realm cultivators.
But used together, these two things could even gravely wound or kill five or six Organ Refining Realm cultivators!!
If they truly lost five or six Organ Refining Realm cultivators, no matter how deep the Song Household's foundations ran, the loss would cut to the bone!
Even though he was ninety percent confident that he could intimidate the Song Household and buy the Lin Household more time to develop,
Lin Xiye had already prepared himself for the worst!
He planned to spend a fortune to first upgrade and strengthen the two Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans with the Immortal-Appraising Treasure Mirror, then use all his Spirit Stone fragments to improve his aptitude!
Finally, he would take that hundred-year-old Spirit Tempering Grass, which still had seven leaves and branches, to a larger cultivation market and exchange it for some treasures to use against his enemies!!
As Lin Xiye's thoughts churned and he made his plans, the two Song Household elders trapped within the Three Talents Formation Flags collapsed to the ground and finally chose to yield.
"Brother Lin, Brother Lin, show mercy!!"
"It was all a misunderstanding just now!"
"I apologize to you. Whatever it is, we can talk it over..."
The Song Household's Fifth Elder stood there with his short, stout frame, his voice anxious.
Although he understood that Lin Xiye most likely... would not kill the two of them,
he did not dare gamble on it!!
The world of cultivation had never lacked madmen.
If Lin Xiye threw caution to the wind and killed them both outright, even if the Song Household flew into a rage and spared no expense to avenge them, it would be meaningless...
Once their lives were gone, everything would vanish like smoke...
"Talk it over?"
"You two came uninvited, then tried to seize my Lin Household's territory and kill my Lin Household's clansmen... What is there left to discuss?"
"The Lin Household may be weak, but it will not be humiliated!"
"Those who offend my Lin Household shall pay a price in blood!!"
As Lin Xiye spoke, the power within the two Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans in his palm seemed on the verge of awakening!
Purple lightning coiled around them, and a dangerous, oppressive presence spread...
At the sight, the pupils of the two Song Household elders contracted.
The Song Household's Seventh Elder in particular lay prostrate on the ground, beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead.
His heart was filled with regret.
If he had shown more restraint and refrained from attacking that Lin Household elder just now, perhaps the situation would not have grown so tense.
"Wait!"
"Brother Lin, wait!!"
The Song Household's Fifth Elder spoke again, terrified that Lin Xiye would truly act.
Although he also had something to protect his life, trapped within the Three Talents Formation Flags as he was, he had no confidence at all in evading an attack from the Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans!
A single Low-Level Five Thunder Talisman was powerful enough to injure an early Spirit Nourishing Realm cultivator, let alone someone like him at the middle stage of the Organ Refining Realm!
Had he not been trapped within the Three Talents Formation Flags, he might have had a chance to survive an attack from a Low-Level Five Thunder Talisman with the treasures in his possession.
But trapped within the Three Talents Formation Flags, he was in a thoroughly passive position...
"Zichuan City... can fall under the Lin Household's jurisdiction."
"But my Song Household must take the Zhao Household's accumulated resources."
"That is what my Song Household's patriarch wants."
"Brother Lin, please don't be rash..."
Curled up on the ground, the Song Household's Fifth Elder kept dodging the elemental attacks within the Three Talents Formation Flags.
Hearing the Song Household's Fifth Elder make a concession, Lin Xiye still did not put away the Low-Level Five Thunder Talismans.
Hand over the Zhao Household's accumulated resources? That was out of the question, of course!
However, the Lin Household would also have to temporarily yield a share of the benefits within a thousand li of Zichuan City.
If the Song Household gained nothing at all, they probably would not let the matter rest...
"With Zichuan City at the center, the outermost three hundred li of its sphere of influence can be given to your Song Household."
"That is also my Lin Household's final bottom line!"
"Whether it is the Zhao Household's accumulated resources or jurisdiction over Zichuan City... these are all my Lin Household's core interests."
"Core interests leave no room for negotiation."
Lin Xiye spoke indifferently. Though his voice was not loud, it carried an unquestionable authority!
Hearing this, the Song Household's Fifth Elder, who had been trembling with fear, instantly let out a long breath of relief...
As long as Lin Xiye was willing to negotiate, everything could be discussed.
At least, no matter how the negotiations turned out, his life would be safe...
"Brother Lin..."
"In the outermost region of Zichuan City, there is hardly a single town... It is all treacherous mountains and rivers, wasteland that cannot be reclaimed for farming."
"Your Lin Household has Zichuan City and has also obtained the resources the Zhao Household accumulated over four hundred years... That is all fine! But the outermost seven hundred li of Zichuan City's sphere of influence must be given to my Song Household."
"Brother Lin, we came as representatives of the Song Household. If what we take back cannot satisfy the patriarch, then... sigh..."
The Song Household's Fifth Elder spoke with a bitter smile.
He did not finish, but his meaning was already self-evident.
If the Song Household gained too little, the Song Household... would not let the matter rest!
Of course, all of this was merely a negotiating tactic.
As long as they could gain a share of the benefits, the Song Household as it currently stood... would not go to war with the Lin Household at all!