Chapter 355: Armament Negotiations

Along with its outstanding performance, Meteorite Armor also comes with greater density, which is nothing to the stocky Dwarfs, but a heavy burden for the slender Humans.

Furthermore, as the coverage area increases, the weight of the armor undoubtedly increases as well; even the elite among Humans find it strenuous to march while clad in full Meteorite Armor, let alone fight.

On one hand, the market is poor, and on the other, production is indeed scarce, which is why the Dwarf Realms decided not to sell Meteorite Armor. However, not selling it publicly is one thing, but if a powerhouse from below the mountains comes knocking, the kings will generally make exceptions to build good relations.

As long as Yin Yin speaks up, Sinuoli wouldn't feel a shred of heartache even if he gave her ten sets, let alone one. A key partner and top-tier powerhouse deserves this face, but large-scale procurement is another matter that requires discussion.

"Hehe, in your opinion, this Heavenly Court Armament can be considered quite good?" Yin Yin chuckled twice.

"Mm, yes," the Dwarf King repeated his affirmation.

"Sigh, you may not know, but the production of these items is not under my control." At this, Yin Yin's clear, resonant voice carried a hint of annoyance. "Within my Heavenly Empire, only the Kunlan Workshop in Nangao City can produce such sharp blades and precious armor."

"Nangao? Isn't that the capital of Weibei Liesheng?" Sinuoli had heard of that city back at Jiliuguan.

"Hmph, the City of Fireworks, the fief of my eldest sister Miaoying. She stations troops there to govern the northern frontier and guard the Changyuan." Yin Yin pursed her lips, seemingly displeased at the mention of the Nangao Princess, who is also a Dragon.

"She relies on the favor of our Imperial Father and thinks too highly of herself, going around saying that if she fails, the Changyuan will fall and the Heavenly Empire will collapse. Alas! It makes others laugh! Does she think the southeastern provinces are all peaceful?"

The conflict between the Sea Dragon and the Storm Dragon has existed for a long time; the officials sitting below the dais all kept their heads down, eating and drinking. How could these mortals dare to gossip about the relationships between true Dragons?

"Mm-mm! Crunch, crunch!"

Sinuoli stuffed an abalone into his mouth; he had no intention of expressing any opinion on this. No matter what discord they have, they are sisters born of the same parents. If he were to fan the flames before they reconciled, he would surely suffer the consequences.

"My good sister uses the excuse of insufficient production for these weapons and armor, and without an imperial decree from our Father, she refuses to sell them even to her own siblings." Yin Yin finally brought the conversation back to the weapons and armor.

"Mm, I understand your difficulties. But I have my own difficulties too!" Having clarified the ins and outs, Sinuoli wiped his mouth and sat up straight; he certainly could not agree to this directly.

"Warriors equipped with Meteorite are the foundation of my race's survival in this world. Now that Chaos is rising, the realms have small battles every three days and major ones every five; they are in short supply."

"If the Princess only wanted a small amount, I could squeeze some out for the sake of our years of commercial cooperation, but if it's a large quantity, even if I agreed, the elders of my clan would not."

Over the years, Sinuoli had developed a set of refusal tactics, and attributing the resistance to others not present was a very good choice.

"Oh, then let us discuss it further after the banquet!" Yin Yin frowned slightly; although she hadn't received a direct agreement, Sinuoli's stance had loosened. As long as there is room for talk, everything can be negotiated.

"Someone, bring out the dance and music!"

She clapped her hands to signal, and a troupe of six beautiful dancers emerged from the back. The Dwarfs had never seen such a performance by thirty-six beauties from the East. In the Mountain Kingdom, there were always more men than women, and they had never seen such a spectacle; Sinuoli watched with great interest.

After the banquet, the singing and dancing dispersed. The subordinates were led away by Zhendan officials to look around, while Sinuoli followed Yin Yin up the stairs. Besides the formal court sessions in the Jinluandian, the Dragon Princess naturally had other offices.

"What is it that you require? I have long life and vision, and I will not be stingy with wealth."

This small office was exquisitely decorated, with dragons and phoenixes carved into the pillars and beams, and a faint fragrance drifting from the incense burners in the four corners. Sinuoli had learned Zhendan language, and in recent years it had become public, so the two communicated directly, saving the need for a translator.

"Armor and weapons can help expand territory when advancing, and help protect the borders and the people when retreating. Given the current external conditions, I think that is what I need as well." Sinuoli laid his cards on the table.

"Even among foreign races, there are those who follow the Dao."

Yin Yin's words carried a sense of gravity, and Sinuoli tried to read something from her face. Perhaps the Dragon Emperor and his wife, who were active in this world before the Old Ones arrived, also had a premonition about the End Times.

"In your country's armory, the Sky Lanterns and the superior Sky Ships are not seen in the Western Lands, but I heard that both are powered by the Vermillion Bird?"

Sinuoli spoke of what he had seen upon arrival. To be honest, he was stunned when he first heard of the Vermillion Bird; according to the four sacred beasts of his previous life, the Southern Divine Bird was on par with the Phoenix.

But for some reason, the Vermillion Bird of this world was as small as a warhorse. Although it could command fire, its power was very mediocre, and it was actually being used in batches as a power source for aircraft.

"Indeed, this beast resides in the Southern Heaven Mountains. The Lord of Burning Wind, Lidao, sits in command there and has always been friendly with me, which is why they are often seen in the Weinan provinces."

Yin Yin picked up her teacup and took a sip; she didn't like drinking much. "However, this beast is the essence of Li Fire, and it is not easy to raise."

"Mm, and what about the Terracotta Sentinel guards? I know Fuzhou City has them; is this something that can be discussed?" After laying the groundwork, Sinuoli entered the main topic while watching the Dragon Princess's expression.

"Hoo!" The Sea Dragon let out a long breath; it was as if the four words "I knew it" were written on her pretty face.

Sinuoli could narrow down Yin Yin's needs before they even met, and a Dragon Princess who had lived for thousands of years naturally had the same analytical ability. By excluding what the Dwarfs already had and what was impossible to get, and combining it with Wan'er's report on Sinuoli's points of interest, it was not hard to reach a conclusion.

"These national Artifacts were forged by my Father with great power when Chaos first arrived. Even my eldest brother Yuanbo does not have such ability. I have fewer than a handful under my command."

Although he had expected it, Sinuoli's direct request still made the Sea Dragon need a moment to compose herself. This King of the Southlands was indeed, as Wan'er said, short in stature but had a large appetite!

"Your race lives in the mountains, with territory spanning ten thousand miles. Although the Terracotta Sentinels are huge, they do not move quickly, so even if you had one or two, you would be unable to attend to both ends."

"An old saying goes: 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.' Compared to a dead object, I would rather have the method of their construction." Facing Yin Yin's dissuasion, Sinuoli smiled and stated his thoughts.

"Wishful thinking!" Yin Yin could not hold back upon hearing this; a barbarian from the outside world wanted to build things that even she could not?

"Princess, do not be angry. Hear me out: if you teach me truthfully, and I cannot build them, that is my own fault."