Chapter 1422: Initiating Peace Talks

During this period, Qujing also became increasingly relaxed.

The people he sent to exchange for resources all returned one after another, bringing back the supplies the army needed; everything went smoothly.

Without the Iron Armored Army's pursuit and with no one actually intercepting them, they finally felt safe.

"Young Master Ye, you really are without flaw! If we had stuck to our earlier thinking, these brothers would probably have all died in battle!" Wen Chengang was also extremely admiring of Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun laughed, "I have no flawless strategy at all! I never expected the Iron Armored Army to stop the chase so quickly, nor that the cities would dare not intercept us. It was just good luck."

Ye Liuyun was speaking the truth, but Wen Chengang insisted he was being overly modest.

In fact, Ye Liuyun was merely doing his best to find a way, taking one step at a time, unwilling to wait idly in place.

On the Empire's side, the Iron Armored Army was dispatched but failed to catch Qujing and the others. In the Luanfeng He area, the climate suddenly changed, so they couldn't immediately mobilize troops to pursue them.

Instead, they sent many people to investigate Luanfeng He.

But most of the traces had already been covered by ice and snow, and they could find no clues.

Thus, the Empire sent several Tianzun Realm Martial Cultivators to directly ask Ye Liuyun and his companions about the situation.

At the same time, they wanted to keep Ye Liuyun steady so he wouldn't cause more trouble.

That day, Ye Liuyun and his group were sailing north as usual when a Tianzun Realm Martial Cultivator suddenly projected Divine Sense to contact them.

The fleet halted immediately; Ye Liuyun disembarked from the Warship to confront those Tianzun Realm Martial Cultivators.

When the Tianzun Realm Martial Cultivators saw Ye Liuyun alone, some tried to seize him, but Ye Liuyun struck them with a Spiritual Soul Attack, killing them on the spot.

The remaining few, having no intention to act further, hurriedly explained themselves to Ye Liuyun.

"Are you here to negotiate peace with me?"

Ye Liuyun felt that although these people had acted, they didn't seem intent on capturing him. If they came to arrest him, they wouldn't have sent only a few.

The leading Martial Cultivator still refused to admit that the Empire was negotiating with Ye Liuyun. In his view, Ye Liuyun could not be equated with the Empire.

"We are commissioned by the Empire to investigate the cause of the climate change in Luanfeng He. At the same time, we wish to set three stipulations with you, so you won't cause further slaughter!" the Martial Cultivator said to Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun smiled at his words and retorted, "So that means you have no way to deal with me and now want to negotiate?"

"Nonsense! How could the Empire have no way to handle you? Do you think such a great Empire has no one capable of subduing you?" the Martial Cultivator shouted angrily.

Ye Liuyun nodded at his words, "Indeed, I believe that. So what does the Empire intend? To stabilize me first, then strike me later?"

With a single remark, Ye Liuyun exposed the Empire's intention.

The Martial Cultivator, unwilling to argue further, asked, "First, tell us what's happening at Luanfeng He. The climate change there affects tens of thousands of civilians; I hope you can tell us truthfully so we can take appropriate measures!"

Ye Liuyun thought for a moment and felt he should indeed inform them, giving them a clear picture.

He still couldn't gauge how strong the extreme cold force underground was.

So he also described the underground situation.

But he would not say that he had mined the Mineral Vein himself.

When the Martial Cultivator questioned whether the Mineral Vein had been taken by them, Ye Liuyun earnestly told him, "Those Mineral Veins had already been largely mined by the West Phoenix King.

In the end, the remaining veins were dug by the defeated soldiers. We arrived only briefly; how could we have mined much?"

Afterwards, the Martial Cultivator asked Ye Liuyun many detailed questions, and Ye Liuyun answered truthfully.

Seeing Ye Liuyun answer everything, the Martial Cultivator then inquired about his personal matters: "Where do the ghosts and Demon Beasts you release in battle come from?"

"That has nothing to do with your climate, right?" Ye Liuyun, not being foolish, would not reveal any of his information.

"It is unrelated to climate, but some say you are a remnant of the Foreign Tribe, so we have to investigate!" the Martial Cultivator explained.

"Heh heh!" Ye Liuyun sneered, "Who is the Foreign Tribe remnant? I think the Empire should know that well. Neither my Yin Soul nor the Demon Beasts carry any trace of Foreign Tribe evil aura!"

Seeing this, the Martial Cultivator stopped questioning, only hoping Ye Liuyun would not open a killing spree again.

"If you don't send troops to kill me, how could I open a killing spree? Up to now, have you ever seen me casually kill an ordinary civilian?" Ye Liuyun retorted.

"Isn't the Lone Star Auction House an example?" the Martial Cultivator asked back.

"That's because the Lone Star Auction House is the Foreign Tribe remnant! As long as any Martial Cultivator tainted by Foreign Tribe evil aura remains, I will never let them go, until they are eradicated!"

"If the Empire refuses to intervene in this matter, you may watch from the sidelines. But I will not allow any Foreign Tribe threat to remain!" Ye Liuyun declared heroically.

"How do you know the Lone Star Auction House is a Foreign Tribe remnant?" the Martial Cultivator seemed previously unaware.

Ye Liuyun then briefly recounted the matter of Xie Tianhong and his son.

"I will report what you said back to the Empire. Even if this is true, it must be handled by the Empire; your opening a killing spree will cause panic among the people!" the Martial Cultivator spoke sincerely.

"Fine, I don't have time right now to deal with the Lone Star Auction House. So for the near future I will lay low a bit. But if the Empire still takes no action later, I will continue to strike the Lone Star Auction House!"

Ye Liuyun could feel that since the Empire was willing to negotiate with him, he should at least give them some face.

Moreover, he truly couldn't attend to the Lone Star Auction House now; he had to settle Qujing and his people first.

After talking with Ye Liuyun, the Martial Cultivator found that Ye Liuyun was actually easy to communicate with.

"Where are you planning to go?" the Martial Cultivator asked Ye Liuyun.

"Obviously, the farther from you the better! Qujing doesn't want to be enemies with the Empire and won't cause trouble for them. He just wants to survive. He's different from me! I rescued him as a matter of convenience. The two of us can be said to have been forced together by the Empire!" Ye Liuyun explained to the Martial Cultivator.

"If the Empire wishes to issue a decree to pacify Qujing and clear his name, what then?" the Martial Cultivator asked.

"That would be best! I wouldn't stand in the way!" Ye Liuyun replied directly.

"And you? Don't you want to serve the Empire?" the Martial Cultivator asked with a smile.