sbdcsierra Chapter 497 Peace Talks
Chapter 497 Peace Talks
The news that the Demon Clan had suddenly proposed peace talks caused quite a stir.
Xi Huan couldn't explain clearly through the communication talisman, so he kept urging the elders of each sect to come over and discuss it in person.
The elders of various sects at the front lines have also noticed the abnormality of the border demons.
When they heard Xi Huan's message while they were frowning with worry, they had no choice but to set off.
After all, we're all in the same boat.
Based on my understanding over the years, Xi Huan wouldn't be so foolish as to leave them hanging at such a crucial time.
They were closest to the Hundred Images Sect's headquarters and were the first to arrive.
Upon arriving at the camp, he saw Xi Huan pacing anxiously outside: "Elder Xi, is the message you sent through the communication talisman true?"
"Where did that information come from? How did you end up talking to the demons?"
Xi Huan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Xiang Yuan: "Elder Xiang, do you still remember the group led by Sect Leader Yun that we encountered earlier?"
"It was Sect Leader Yun who sent me a message, saying that they had persuaded the two Demon Kings to agree to negotiate with us."
"However, I can't tell whether it's true or false for the time being."
Xiang Yuan was both surprised and delighted: "Sect Leader Yun and the others are still alive?"
"That day I also saw the sky above the Demon Realm covered up the sun, and at one moment it was shining brightly like a river of stars. I thought they were having a fierce battle with the Demon Clan."
"Later, they didn't return, and no news came back. We thought they..."
"But Sect Leader Yun and his group are only a few people. The demons are treacherous and cruel, and the demons are led by the Demon King. How can they subdue two Demon Kings?"
Xi Huan sighed, "That's why I called you all here to discuss this."
"I want to believe Master Yun, but a problem that our entire human realm has been unable to solve for thousands of years, they only spent a few days there and they forced the demon race to agree to negotiate with us."
"You'd find that hard to believe, wouldn't you, Fellow Daoist Xiang?"
Xiang Yuan pondered for a moment: "Sect Leader Yun and the others are quite powerful, and I am willing to believe them."
"Over the years, how many young disciples from various sects have perished at the hands of the demons?"
As the two were talking, elders from other sects arrived one after another.
The first question these elders asked Xi Huan was the same one that Xiang Yuan had.
Xi Huan explained two or three times, but realized it was taking too long, so she simply waited until all the elders arrived before gathering everyone together to explain the whole story.
After hearing the whole story, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
After a long silence, the eldest elder among them said, "We know nothing about the Xuanling Domain and the Lingwei Sect."
"In fact, we can't even tell whether what they say is true or false."
"I think we must be careful and not blindly believe everything they say."
The Heavenly Desire Sect elder beside him, naturally alluring, couldn't help but say upon hearing this, "What if it's true?"
"If we don't appreciate what we have, we'll miss out on an opportunity."
"Over the years, our sect's disciples have suffered the most attacks."
The disciples of the Heavenly Desire Sect were not stronger than those of other sects in the early stages, and those damned demonic cultivators were always watching them.
Yet, he also shouldered a huge responsibility, knowing full well that it was a matter of life and death, yet he still had to continuously replenish the ranks of elite disciples.
The disciples captured by the demons had no choice but to self-destruct; otherwise, they would suffer a fate worse than death.
When it comes to hating the demon race, every elder present expressed their hatred for it.
However, they could never possibly kill all the demons. Clinging to past hatred and refusing to negotiate, they would only end up with more disciples in the future.
Xi Huan said in a muffled voice, "How about we inform the sect leader, fellow Daoists?"
"Jiu Meng suggested that the peace talks could be held at the border."
"If things go wrong... our sect leaders and elders might be able to save those two demon kings if we fight to the death."
Xiang Yuan quickly spoke up to stop him: "No! This is a terrible plan!"
"The Demon Realm didn't launch a major attack on our race because of the struggle between the two kings. Once this balance is broken, it's hard to say what will happen next."
"Moreover, if something happens to our sect leader, our sects will be leaderless."
The female elder of Tianyu Palace watched the crowd arguing and slammed her hand on the table, then stood up and walked out of the tent.
The crowd stopped their discussion and watched her leave, puzzled.
Unexpectedly, she returned shortly afterward.
Moreover, the elder of the Heavenly Desire Sect was holding up a messenger token: "I have already reported to the sect leader. My sect leader said that he has met with Sect Leader Yun and believes this matter to be true. He will set off immediately."
Ying Xuewu's straightforwardness and guarantee restored some confidence among the elders.
"But......"
While the elders hesitated, the communication talisman that Xi Huan had carefully hidden in her sleeve lit up again.
Xi Huan's expression changed, and she quickly took out the communication talisman from her sleeve: "Oh no, time's up."
"What time is it?" someone asked curiously.
While explaining, Xi Huan connected the communication talisman: "Oh dear, Sect Leader Yun said earlier that we would have half an hour to discuss it."
The previously noisy elders fell silent instantly.
Although Yun Yici on the other end of the communication talisman could not see the scene on Xi Huan's side, she could guess some of it.
"How have the elders reached their conclusions?"
The elders exchanged glances and decided to nominate Xi Huan and Xiang Yuan, who had previously been in contact with Yun Yici, to speak on her behalf.
Xiang Yuan said, "Sect Leader Yun, it's been a long time. Fellow Daoist Xi has already conveyed your message to us."
"However, this matter is too uncertain, and we cannot make a decision in a short time."
After a moment's thought, Yun Yici realized the human race's concerns.
"Are you worried that we have ulterior motives, or even that we're colluding with the demons?"
Yun Yici directly tore off everyone's fig leaf, leaving the elders of each sect somewhat at a loss for how to respond.
"I had previously told Fellow Daoist Xiang and Fellow Daoist Xi that I wanted to establish friendly relations between our two domains with the various sects, and I have no other intentions."
"If you all don't believe me, I, Yun, cannot cut out my heart to show you."
"If you change your mind, contact me within three days. After three days, we will leave the Earth Spirit Realm."
After Yun Yici finished speaking, she decisively cut off the communication talisman.
Jiu Meng, who was standing to the side, paused for a moment and asked, "Are we really leaving in three days? What if they really don't contact us?"
Shen Huaichuan calmly explained from the side, "They will definitely contact us."
"The more attentive and eager we are to them, the more afraid they will be of any conspiracy. On the contrary, if we treat them coldly, they will come to see us even if they are afraid."
Yun Yici smiled and said, "That's exactly right."
"The puppet that Senior Brother Rong crafted for you is still in the cauldron and cannot be left for the time being."
"And Senior Brother Xie hasn't returned yet."
With a large army at hand, only the three of them stepped forward.
It was because Rong Xuan was busy refining weapons.
Lin Yu and Zhu Jian accompanied Xie Qianjue to retrieve the Sun and Moon Shuttle.
The situation was urgent that day, so Yun Yici froze the Sun and Moon Shuttle in the eye of the wind. Xie Qianjue was worried about the Sun and Moon Shuttle, so Yun Yici arranged for them to accompany him to retrieve it.
Jiu Meng was finally relieved.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Xie Qianjue and the others retrieved the Sun and Moon Shuttle, but Rong Xuan's puppet was still not finished.
Fortunately, at the last minute, the previously silent communication symbol lit up again.
Xi Huan informed them that the leaders of the major sects of the human realm alliance were all on their way to the border.
Upon receiving the news, Yun Yici and the others immediately took Gu Ruo and Jiu Meng and set off on the Sun and Moon Shuttle.
As for Rong Xuan staying in Tianfa City to refine human puppets, all the demons in the city have submitted, so there is no need to worry about his safety.
Gu Ruo felt extremely aggrieved, but with the imperial edict watching over him, he couldn't show any dissatisfaction.
News of peace talks with the human race had already spread.
Some high-ranking demons were dissatisfied, but Gu Ruo, the demon king, was the first to turn against them, and all his elite troops were taken into slavery by the imperial decree.
The upper echelons of the entire demon race were completely controlled by Yun Yici and others, so no matter how dissatisfied the lower-level demons were, they couldn't accomplish anything.
Gu Ruo was almost driven mad with anger. The situation was clearly very favorable, yet he went and delivered himself to the enemy's death.
Jiu Meng, on the contrary, felt only a sense of relief.
The two demons were each lost in their own thoughts, yet the speed of the Sun and Moon Shuttle remained undiminished.
On the contrary, Chu Xuan and others from the human realm, who had interacted with Yun Yici's group, patted their chests and vouched for Yun Yici, which made the sect leaders have higher expectations.
Along the way, Xi Huan would come to inquire about Yun Yici's well-being every few days, fearing that Yun Yici might suddenly change his mind and run away.
The sect leaders craned their necks in anticipation, and finally one day a disciple reported: "A spirit shuttle from the Demon Realm is heading in our direction!"
Xi Huan, who had seen the Sun and Moon Shuttle before, hurriedly went out to investigate: "It is indeed Sect Leader Yun's treasure shuttle! Quickly go and inform all the sect leaders!"
Gu Ruo stared at the vast crowd in the distance with a stern face.
He spoke stiffly, "Sect Leader Yun, look at those humans, do they show even a hint of wanting to negotiate?"
"It's more like they want us to die to show our sincerity."
These days, Gu Ruo has learned her lesson.
They could not disobey the emperor's edict, but they also had to be careful not to offend Yun Yici.
The emperor decreed that Yun Yi's words should be heeded.
If Yunyi wanted him dead, the emperor would not even flinch if he were ordered to be burned on the spot.
Yun Yici: "No, if one demon king is killed, another demon king will naturally appear."
"By making a pact with you, we can at least guarantee peace for a thousand years."
Yun Yici was right. The leaders of each sect had come out from their respective residences and were all looking at the extraordinary-looking man and woman on the flying shuttle.
Gu Ruo and Jiu Meng stood obediently on either side of the white-robed female cultivator behind her.
Many people thought there was something wrong with their eyes.
"Those are the two Demon Kings of the Demon Clan?"
"No way? They really want to negotiate with us?"
Yun Yici used his spiritual power to transmit his voice: "If the sect leaders trust me, they can come aboard the Spirit Shuttle for a discussion."
Before the sect leaders could make a move, some of the elders stepped forward to stop them: "Sect leader, this matter is of utmost importance. Why don't we take the sect leader's token and go up to negotiate?"
The sect leader's token can be reforged if it's lost; no one would be foolish enough to send their sect leader on a dangerous mission.
But there was one exception.
Among the disciples of the Heavenly Desire Sect, a handsome young man in purple robes soared into the sky on a cloud.
"Sect Leader Yun, it's been a long time."
Yun Yici nodded slightly to him: "Sect Leader Ying."
The emperor, through the window of the second-floor cabin, could see Yun Yici welcoming Xue Wushang's boat.
He forced a smile and walked up to Shen Huaichuan, unable to resist teasing him, "Look at that guy surnamed Ying, he looks like he has ill intentions."
Shen Huaichuan was drinking tea with his head down when he heard this. He looked up at the imperial edict and asked, "What are you afraid of?"
The emperor almost had a heart attack, but stubbornly said, "I'm not afraid, I just don't want to see him."
Shen Huaichuan gently put down his teacup: "You can't hide her away in a place where no one in the world can compare, and you can't diminish the light she radiates."
"Furthermore, Xiao Ci is a living, breathing person. She knows what she wants, and the more she tries to force it, the less likely she is to get it."
The emperor's face darkened: "I'm telling you, you surnamed Ying, who told you about Xiao Ci? I'm talking about the east and you're talking about the west."
"Alright, I'm going down. You stay here."
Shen Huaichuan chuckled. Seeing that Di Zhao had left in anger but hadn't forgotten to close the door, he also got up and closed all the windows.
He was, after all, a demonic being, and usually the Mirror of Illumination concealed his demonic energy, so most people couldn't discover his true identity.
However, given the special circumstances today, Shen Huaichuan decided to avoid the situation for now, lest things go wrong at a crucial moment.
When the emperor descended the stairs, he saw several other unfamiliar faces on the deck, the only one he recognized being Chu Xuan.
Chu Xuan followed beside a refined middle-aged male cultivator and introduced him, "This is our sect leader, Zhang Qiuzhuo."
Yun Yici greeted him, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhang."
Zhang Qiuzhuo quickly returned the greeting: "Sect Leader Yun is indeed a young talent."
After the introductions were completed, Chu Xuan looked around and asked, "Where is Elder Shen from your sect today?"
Yun Yici: "He is recuperating and it is not convenient for him to see people for the time being."
Chu Xuan asked anxiously, "Were you seriously injured in the Demon Realm? What kind of elixir do you need?"
Yun Yici smiled gently: "It's already been treated, there's nothing serious."
Hearing the conversation between the two, the leaders of the various sects relaxed their vigilance somewhat.
Listen to this: Yun Yici and her group didn't come away unscathed either. The fact that some people were injured shows that they really fought against the demons.
Zhang Qiuzhu waved Chu Xuan away: "Elder Shen's injury was also for the sake of our human realm. If Sect Leader Ruoyun needs help, please speak up."
Gu Ruo, who was listening nearby, almost wanted to jump out and expose Shen Huaichuan's identity.
That was a demon no less powerful than him, yet he had humbled himself to serve as an elder in a human sect. How laughable.
Gu Ruo thought to himself, "This can't be considered betrayal, can it?" and then glanced at the imperial edict.
Little did he know that he happened to see the emperor's cold gaze, and he was so frightened that he fell silent as a chicken.
Yun Yici had finished exchanging pleasantries with the sect leaders and was now getting down to business.
"Let's sign a truce agreement between the human and demon races for a thousand years. What do you all think, sect leaders?"
Yun Yici took out the prepared golden divine paper from her storage bag.
These are the pages she cut from a storybook she obtained from the Xuan Turtle Clan.
Strangely enough, the stories that could be read in the land favored by the gods became blank books after they were brought down.
But that's fine too, it's ready to use right away.
The above content has already been drafted by the Emperor's decree. As long as both parties agree to inject spiritual power, the contract will be considered complete.
The sect leaders looked at the paper in Yun Yici's hand in surprise: "What is this?"
"I have a feeling that the paper contains the power of the upper realm."
Yun Yici said, "This contract is witnessed by the Heavenly Dao, and it will be established once you sign it."
"I do not know who will be in power in the Demon Realm a thousand years from now, but as long as Jiu Meng and Gu Ruo are in power, the Demon Realm guarantees that it will not harm the human world."
The sect leaders exchanged glances, and Yun Yici handed them the contract in his hand, instructing them to spread it around.
Zhang Qiuzhuo found the contract to be substantial, except for one clause that puzzled him.
"Sect Leader Yun, what is the meaning of asking us to sell some spirit beasts to them?"
Humans hate demons to death; making a trade with them is simply impossible.