The Unequal Treaty
Whether it was the old lady on the high platform, or Xiao Anhe and Supreme Elder Li in the crowd, they all heard the other party's request.
What does it matter if it costs the lives of the three of them if it means preserving the Azure Cloud Sect's lineage?
But the other party actually made an outrageous demand, asking for five thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone?
What does this mean?
Even the Blood Asura Gate, which Yi Xuan wiped out back then, could only provide Yi Xuan with five thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone despite using the full strength of the sect!
It should be noted that at the time, the Blood Asura Gate was one of the top second-tier forces in the Southern Frontier, a long-established Evil Dao sect.
And what about the Azure Cloud Sect? They've only recently been promoted to a second-rate power.
It's only been a little over a year!
They were at the very bottom of the second-rate sects.
Perhaps some ancient, third-rate sects in the Southern Frontier are wealthier than the Azure Cloud Sect.
Meanwhile, Grand Elder Sun was in mid-air, seemed to have thought of something and looked down, saying, "Oh right, I forgot that your Azure Cloud Sect has only just been promoted to second-rate; you simply don't have that many Spirit Stones on hand!"
At this point, the smile on the other person's face turned somewhat sinister, "You can pay me, Mystic Snow Pavilion, over a hundred years! However, even mortals accrue interest on their debts, and we cultivators certainly can't lose to mortals! Within a hundred years, principal and interest will be paid out, totaling seven thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone!"
After speaking, the other party turned to look at the envoy from the Qianyuan Sect and said, "Fellow Daoist! I don't think my handling of this matter has violated your sect leader's wishes, has it?"
The disciples of the Qianyuan Sect smiled and nodded, "That's excellent. As long as the Azure Cloud Sect's lineage remains, it will be a fitting tribute to Supreme Elder Chu!"
Seven thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone!
Upon hearing this number, the old woman's vision blurred, and she nearly fainted.
He knew in his heart that as long as he lost the three Supreme Elders, the Azure Cloud Sect would fall directly to the level of a second-rate force.
Although the other sects in the Southern Frontier will not drive the Azure Cloud Sect to its doom due to the decree of the Qianyuan Sect, they will not allow an insignificant force to control the resources of a second-rate force, and it is inevitable that the Qingyun Sect will be divided up.
At that time, let alone paying off seven thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone in a hundred years! Even a thousand years would be nothing short of a pipe dream.
The Azure Cloud Sect will be reduced to a money-making machine for the Mystic Snow Pavilion, forced to eke out a living in a corner of the Southern Frontier.
Even if all the Spirit Stone are eventually paid off, the Azure Cloud Sect will be in a state of near collapse.
In that case, without other sects needing to intervene, the Azure Cloud Sect's lineage would naturally perish.
At this moment, the old lady was very hesitant. Just like her previous plan, disbanding the Azure Cloud Sect would be the best option. At least if the disciples could find a good force to join them, even the Mystic Snow Pavilion, it would be better than facing a huge debt of Spirit Stone for the rest of their lives.
However, the old lady's feelings for the Azure Cloud Sect could not be measured by Spirit Stone.
There was no other way before; the other side was aiming to destroy the sect and wipe out the entire clan. Even if the Azure Cloud Sect gritted its teeth and didn't disband, it wouldn't end up in a good way.
But now, with the decree from the Qianyuan Sect, the Azure Cloud Sect has gained a glimmer of hope for survival.
Perhaps the sect will eventually be able to hold out until it pays off its debts and rise again!
The old woman still clung to this hope, even though reason kept telling her that the possibility was too low.
That's just how people are; when there's no hope, they have no ideas, but once they get a glimmer of hope, even if it's slim, they'll still cling to wishful thinking.
Just as the old lady was struggling with her decision, Sect Master Cui Yan and countless disciples behind him suddenly knelt down.
In the entire main hall of the Azure Cloud Sect, more than half of the disciples knelt down.
"Supreme Lord! I, Cui Yan, am willing to protect the Azure Cloud Sect, whether it's for a hundred years, a thousand years, or ten thousand years! Cui Yan swears that I will lead my disciples to pay off the debts! And bring the Azure Cloud Sect back to its peak!"
"This disciple is willing to stand with the sect leader through thick and thin!"
The voices of the disciples immediately resounded through the sky!
Hearing the shouts of the crowd, even the disciples who hadn't knelt down before began to kneel down one by one.
Some disciples who were not optimistic about the sect had no choice but to grit their teeth and kneel down as more and more people knelt down.
"Cui Yan! You! Ugh!"
The old lady sighed, and Xiao Anhe and the Supreme Elder Li returned to his side at that moment.
The two looked at the old lady and said simultaneously, "It's all for the Azure Cloud Sect, Your Majesty!"
From their eyes, the old woman saw the same determination to die as she had.
In the end, all he could do was nod.
Just as the old lady was about to speak, Cui Yan suddenly stepped forward and stared directly at the Mahayana Realm Elder of the Mystic Snow Pavilion in mid-air!
"Listen up, Mystic Snow Pavilion! I am Cui Yan, the Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect! I have heard your request, but I wonder if it can be changed?"
"Change it?"
Looking at Cui Yan below, Grand Elder Sun asked with interest, "How do you want to change it? Are you going to bargain?"
"No! I, Cui Yan, as the Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect, hereby promise that Azure Cloud Sect will compensate Mystic Snow Pavilion with ten thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone within one hundred years!"
"Oh? What are your conditions?"
"Spare the three elders of my sect!"
"Ha, quite the plan! Too bad it's not enough! One Spirit Transformation and two Nascent Soul only add three thousand Supreme-Grade Spirit Stone? Not enough!"
Hearing this, Cui Yan realized there was a chance for things to turn around, so he glanced back at the three elders, then gritted his teeth and said, "Twelve thousand!"
"Ha, not enough!"
Thirteen thousand!
"You're buying groceries? Fifteen thousand! And right now, immediately, hand over all the Spirit Stone mines under the Azure Cloud Sect to the Mystic Snow Pavilion!"
The other party's request is no longer a question of whether it is reasonable or not; they simply want to suck the life out of the Azure Cloud Sect!
However, in order to protect the three elders, Cui Yan finally nodded in agreement.
But the three sages on the high platform were extremely unwilling.
However, before they could speak, Cui Yan turned around and looked at them, saying, "This is the decision of the Azure Cloud Sect Leader!"
This was the first time Cui Yan had spoken to the three elders in this manner since becoming the Azure Cloud Sect.
It was at this moment that all the disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect realized that Cui Yan, the sect leader who had the least presence, was actually so domineering.
His status in the hearts of his many disciples rose infinitely in an instant, even surpassing that of the three Supreme Elders.
From this moment on, Cui Yan will become the most difficult sect leader in the history of the Azure Cloud Sect, with huge debts accompanying him throughout his leadership career.
Because he personally agreed to this unequal treaty, his later disciples, unaware of the truth, might hurl insults at him.
But Cui Yan didn't care; he was simply making what he believed to be the most correct decision for the Azure Cloud Sect!
Soon, the sect leader of the Mystic Snow Pavilion outside finished drafting the contract.
Cui Yan had the old woman activate the defensive array, and then flew alone to stand before the opponent.
Looking at the unequal treaty before him, and glancing back at the many disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect, Cui Yan finally steeled himself and pricked his finger, dripping his blood onto it.
At the same time, a white light flashed not far away. Before Cui Yan's blood could fall, the contract instantly turned charred black and then decomposed into ashes, which drifted in the air.
Startled, Cui Yan looked up and saw countless black dots rapidly approaching from the horizon.
Countless Black Tortoise quickly formed an encirclement on the outer perimeter, trapping both Mystic Snow Pavilion disciples and onlookers from other sects in the middle.