Deadlock
"Without any reason, I dare to ask the Alliance Leader, why is the quota for this Spirit Stone mine being changed?" Shen Baiyue looked like a weak scholar, but his temperament was quite fierce. Facing Ye Zhen's gaze, he asked sharply.
Shen Xing remained calm and unmoved, even seeming to be watching the show with a hint of amusement.
"Sect Leader Shen, please don't be agitated. As I explained beforehand, this is because the quota promised by Commander Tie has changed, so it needs to be adjusted to be fair. Furthermore, this is only my initial plan, and it can be revised."
The fierce look in Ye Zhen's old eyes seemed to vanish in an instant, and he transformed back into the kind and amiable old man.
Shen Baiyue, however, was not someone who could be easily dismissed. Ye Zhen's words were clearly without fault, yet she remained relentless, stating bluntly:
"Then I'll say it again: we're all in the same alliance, and should be working together. Why should we differentiate between close and distant relatives? Why have some families' quotas increased? Why should my family, along with Jade Moon Shan Household's, have to have it reduced?!"
Upon hearing Shen Baiyue's words, Shen Baiyue, who was sitting Shan Sheng by side with her, immediately moved half his body aside.
"You bastard, when you stole my spiritual essence a few years ago because you had one more Foundation Establishment cultivator than my family, you didn't say this." Shan Sheng thought to himself, then buried his head, showing no intention of getting involved.
"Sect Leader Shen won't listen to advice," Ye Zhen said with a still warm smile. "Since I took office as the leader of the New Cloud Alliance, I believe I have been fair in my dealings and have handled things fairly."
"As I have already stated, this is merely a preliminary plan, intended for discussion. Why is it that among our comrades present, not even your sect's vice sect leader has uttered a single word, yet only Sect Leader Shen is so agitated?"
Upon hearing Ye Zhen's words, Shen Baiyue felt the already intense gazes fixed on her intensify, and she began to have second thoughts.
Until Shen Xing spoke up and advised:
"Junior Brother Shen, you are being a bit too impetuous. When you're out and about, don't be impolite. Alliance Leader Ye is an elder among us immortals. If you have anything to say, wait until Alliance Leader Ye has finished speaking before you speak."
"Hmph, for the sake of the sect's interests, even if it offends a senior, I have to bite the bullet and go to meet them; unlike Senior Brother Shen, who is unworthy of being the deputy of the sect. However, this kind of empty-handed behavior is the consistent style of your Shen Household."
Hearing Shen Baiyue's Shen Xing, Shen Baiyue became even more enthusiastic. Faced with Shen Baiyue's barbed words, the latter simply smiled and lowered his head to drink his tea.
The spirit tea served by the Book and Sword Gate was of good quality; it was Cloud-Clear Snow Buds from White Azure Mountain, which is considered one of the best spirit teas produced in Cloud Horn Prefecture.
Even in large cities like Xuanwei City and Han City, in the biggest brothels, the nuns would be reluctant to serve Cloud-Clear Snow Buds to their patrons.
Such good stuff, the ever-opportunistic Sect Leader Kang Da naturally drank quite a bit. After finishing two pots, he even urged the pretty maidservant standing beside him to brew two more pots.
Now that he had seen through Ye Zhen intentions and realized that Ye Zhen wanted a piece of the pie, Kang Dabao was naturally happy to leave this trouble to the Alliance Leader to handle himself.
After all, Sect Leader Kang Da was almost certain that the old man wouldn't overturn the Daoist Black Shoes's decision.
So even though the battle was in full swing, Kang Dabao remained calm and composed, showing no intention of personally getting involved.
Seeing that Shen Baiyue was showing signs of becoming somewhat reckless, Ye Zhen couldn't help but feel annoyed and frowned slightly.
However, he did have a contingency plan in mind. After all, when the Book and Sword Gate, the Jade Moon Shan Household, and the Zi Maple Valley formed the Lian Water Alliance in the past, there was already the drawback of having different thoughts and being a disorganized group.
This problem has remained unresolved ever since the New Cloud Alliance was established at the instigation of Commander Tie.
But back when the Lian Water Alliance, none of the families got to eat meat; the main purpose of the alliance was merely to intimidate outsiders.
But things are different now. As a force that has caught Kuang Liuting's eye, the New Cloud Alliance has indeed gained a lot of wealth. How to distribute it in a way that satisfies everyone is a big problem.
Ye Zhen wanted to deal with it as she always had by simply smoothing things over, but that was proving difficult.
"I wonder if Old Ye, at his age, can still get it up?" Shan Sheng sat down and was thinking this when Ye Zhen glared at him and retorted sharply:
"Shen Ang Leader Shen, even Fellow Daoist Shen Ang wouldn't dare speak to me like this back then. Sect Leader Shen, I'll say it again, this is only a preliminary agreement, it still needs discussion! It can still be changed!"
As soon as Ye Zhen spoke, the other five Foundation Establishment from the Book and Sword Gate all turned their gazes to Shen Baiyue.
Although Ye Zhen, this old cultivator, is not highly regarded within the New Cloud Alliance, he has been the head of the Book and Sword Gate for nearly a hundred years, and his prestige is immense. When he becomes ruthless, his disciples naturally devote themselves wholeheartedly.
"Ha, Alliance Leader Ye going to use a sect with six Foundation Establishment to intimidate us small sects this time?!"
If that's the case, why bother inviting us all to this alliance meeting? If you think this New Cloud Alliance was established just for your family, why not just sign a letter and we'll comply? That would be much easier to shirk responsibility!
Upon seeing this, Shen Baiyue showed no fear, but instead glared angrily and said.
He wasn't entirely stupid; he knew he couldn't carry the burden alone and understood the importance of involving others.
But Shan Sheng, who was beside him, turned a deaf ear; Hemu Dao, the Sect Leader Han, kept quiet and held his breath; and Sect Leader Kang Da, didn't even look at him, and happily drank another pot of Cloud-Clear Snow Buds tea.
Before speaking, Shen Baiyue had thought his words would stir up a sense of shared hatred among the various families present. However, he hadn't considered that since the families had no prior relationship, how could they possibly unite as one?
Kang Dabao sensed something was amiss from Shen Xing, who remained silent with his head down.
Judging from the methods Shen Baiyue displayed today, even though his cultivation level is among the highest in Zi Maple Valley, the position of sect leader seems to have come too easily.
Since no one responded to Shen Baiyue, Ye Zhen gained the upper hand, and his tone softened. "Sect Leader Shen is always good at saying one thing and doing another. If we're talking about using power to intimidate others, who can compare to your family?"
The Shan Household head just accepted the allegiance of a Qi Refinement sect, but that family was immediately recruited by your family. Didn't you say back then that if the Shan Household head was dissatisfied, he could have a fistfight with your family?! You didn't consider that oppressing anyone, but today I'm bullying you?!
Shen Baiyue's face visibly darkened, and she was almost choked speechless.
"Chongming Sect 20%, Black Shoes Fellow Daoist 25%, and Book and Sword Gate 30%." After Ye Zhen had subdued Shen Baiyue, he was finally able to clearly state the remaining half of the share.
"In my humble opinion, this allocation is fair. I wonder if any of you fellow Daoists have any other opinions?" After Ye Zhen finished speaking, Shen Baiyue and Shen Xing exchanged a glance, and finally, steeling herself, she stepped forward.
"Someone has an objection."
"I wonder if Sect Leader Shen thinks my Book and Sword Gate has taken too much, or if he thinks Chongming Sect has gone too far?" Ye Zhen asked directly, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow.
"Does Sect Leader Shen think my Uncle Black Shoes got too much?" Sect Leader Kang Da, suddenly called out by the Alliance Leader, stopped sitting and stood up to speak.
"Sect Leader Kang, please don't joke. Fellow Daoist Black Shoes is a role model for us all, and I have always admired him greatly." Shen Baiyue's face turned pale upon hearing this, and she immediately denied it.
"So it really is because my Chongming Sect took too much?" Sect Leader Kang Da asked immediately. Shen Baiyue hesitated for a while, looked at Shen Xing beside her for a long time, and finally remained silent.
"Since everyone agrees, let's settle on this!" Kang Dabao was eager to make the final decision and immediately spoke up, ignoring Shen Baiyue's unpleasant expression.
"Excellent! I propose that, since all the heads of the various families are present, then..." Ye Zhen's words were interrupted by Shen Baiyue, whose gaze towards Sect Leader Kang Da became somewhat unfriendly:
"Sect Leader Kang, I have a question for you: could you perhaps allocate five-tenths of the share of that Spirit Stone mine to my family? If this is accomplished, then Zi Maple Valley will owe Chongming Sect a great favor."
"Sect Leader Shen is certainly dreaming, but since we've come this far, I, Kang, will also presume to ask: 'Could your sect allocate five-tenths of its quota to my family? If this is accomplished, it would be a great favor that Chongming Sect owes Zi Maple Valley.'" Kang Dabao put down the spirit tea and said coldly.
"Alright, since Alliance Leader Ye previously stated that we should compete with fists, let's settle this with our hand skills." Shen Baiyue seemed convinced that Chongming Sect was an easy target. His Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation was not for nothing, and he believed that apart from Ye Zhen in the New Cloud Alliance, he feared no one.
Suppressing the eager Jiang Qing's advances, Sect Leader Kang Da then said, "Sect Leader Shen has a good plan! In that case, I'll return to the Fei Household first, and then inform Uncle Black Shoes to see if he agrees."
Upon hearing this, Shen Baiyue instinctively felt that Kang Dabao was shameless, but he was truly speechless. He neither possessed the renowned Yue Household Ying Prefecture Fei Household, nor did he have the ability of the Daoist Black Shoes to kill four people of the same level in one battle.
Although what Sect Leader Kang Da said was rather unambitious, it was enough to subdue Shen Baiyue.
"If I can't even pull off this tiger skin, then I've been the sect leader for nothing." Kang Dabao thought to himself, "What kind of good person is out there fighting to the death every day? My fellow disciples' lives are so precious, how could I bear to risk my life with you?"
"Very well, then I will go and find Commander Tie and ask him to uphold justice!" Seeing that the situation was irreversible, Shen Baiyue immediately threatened. Seeing that no one made any move after the crowd spoke gently, she left with a cold snort and went alone.
"Sect Leader Shen is still a bit too extreme. I wonder what Vice Sect Leader Shen thinks?" Ye Zhen finally turned his gaze to Shen Xing, who had remained silent all along, only to see a troubled look on the latter's face. "I am but a humble person with little influence. There are many things that I truly cannot decide. I hope the Alliance Leader will forgive me!"
"Then let's leave it at that!" Ye Zhen didn't say anything more, and the matter was settled.
The various groups dispersed, Sect Leader Kang Da prepared to personally travel to Tanggu County to check the accounts of the Spirit Stone mine and, incidentally, also to take a look at the situation of the blue silver mine.
After bidding farewell to Jiang Qing, they had only traveled halfway when news arrived. "Shen Baiyue, the new leader of Zi Maple Valley, has died. Her body is lying Book and Sword Gate. Tie Liuyun has also arrived in person, demanding an explanation."
(I apologize to all my readers. I had an unavoidable drinking party today, so I updated with my eyes half-closed. It's not very satisfying, so please feel free to criticize me. I'll try to write more in the next few days!)