Chapter 309: Knocking on the Door
The three-story riverboat adorned with the flag of the Song Faction was a behemoth upon these waters, yet the river's slap against its hull caused not a ripple, its wake turbulent enough to jostle any nearby smaller boats.
However, there was a single-level vermilion boat steadily approaching at this moment.
In truth, this vermilion boat was not small at all, but it did seem miniature compared to the towering three-story vessel.
At present, several enchanting figures stood on the deck of the vermilion boat, the leader of whom was none other than Zhu Yuyan, wearing a veil.
Apart from the graceful and alluring silhouette of Zhu Yuyan, whose face could not be seen, the other three beauties each had their unique features.
One of them, dressed in white and barefoot, had a body as undulating as the hills, skin as translucent as snow yet full of resilience, enchanting yet possessing an odd elfin quality, not inferior to Shi Feixuan, was naturally the pride of her age from the Yin Gui Faction, Wanwan.
But crucially, the beauty of the other two beside her was also on par with hers, one with long hair that hung down to her back, reaching her hips, jet-black and lustrously captivating, appearing to be around twenty-four or twenty-five, while the other exuded an innocent charm tainted with a subtle hint of seductiveness, appearing even younger.
"Sect Master, isn't this too risky for us?"
Wen Cai Ting, who looked to be in her mid-twenties, expressed her concerns with a worried face, yet her voice still possessed an indescribable allure, just listening to it was enough to send blood rushing to one's head.
She too was a famed succubus of the Demon Sect, skilled in seductive arts that could even be used to control others, quite formidable indeed.
"We are here to negotiate, and with our lineup, we certainly qualify to talk face to face."
Zhu Yuyan's voice was crisp and seductive, yet she sounded quite indifferent.
The strength of that young Grandmaster was extremely powerful, and at first, she was utterly puzzled about where he had sprung from, but with the news spread by those self-righteous folks, she recalled Zhang Sanfeng, and if he came from the same place, then it all made sense.
Heavenly Demons from beyond this realm? They are inherently related to the Holy Gate!
After several days of arduous effort, Zhu Yuyan had finally managed to expel most of the foreign True Qi by leveraging the unique properties of the Sky Demon Great Technique. What little that remained would need time to dissipate, but she had more or less recovered her strength.
Furthermore, with many skilled individuals in her sect and a common enemy shared by all, maintaining a respectable stance for negotiation was perfectly manageable!
Although there had been conflicts before, they hadn't come off worse, hostages had been released directly, and the dead were from her own side, so there should be no animosity...
"Master, is that guy really as strong as the legends say? Is he truly young?"
Wanwan's ethereal and pleasant voice tickled at the heart, and even Wen Cai Ting, who was practiced in the art of Charm, had to admire Wanwan's natural gift. If she were to learn some of her own techniques, there would be no man able to escape her grasp.
"You have seen the state of your master. It has taken me so long to recover from a single strike. He probably can't use that attack frequently under normal conditions. I'm not certain about his age, but he indeed radiates a youthful vitality."
Members of the Demon Sect always possess special ways of observing.
Upon hearing this, Wen Cai Ting's radiant eyes slightly brightened, and she licked her lips with her tongue, speaking in a languid tone tinged with allure,
"It's good that he's young and full of youthful vigour..."
Zhu Yuyan frowned upon hearing this, knowing that Wen Cai Ting had some ideas in mind.
However, a Grandmaster, with a mindset secure and impervious, could not be swayed by the art of seduction, or else there wouldn't be so many troubles.
Just solving problems with women, the Holy Gate was actually no match for the Cihang Clan.
"Be careful not to anger him."
"Hehe, don't worry, Sect Master. I won't use any techniques. At most, I'll just flirt a little with my words."
Wen Cai Ting was aware of the gravity of the situation, and as she hugged the supple body of Bai Qing'er next to her, she chuckled softly into her ear,
"Qing'er, you agree, right?"
Bai Qing'er's face flushed slightly as if she was a bit shy, but combined with her pure and charming appearance, there was an indescribable charm obviously hidden within her brow.
Zhu Yuyan looked at the two of them and did not say much.
Sometimes women indeed have certain advantages in negotiations, and if that young Grandmaster has a taste for it, it wouldn't be bad to send her over for some fun.
In her eyes, only Wanwan was irreplaceable, but everyone else was expendable!
Including herself!
At that moment, the Yin Gui Faction also noticed several figures appearing on the deck of the building ship.
Leading them was a handsome man with a commanding presence and an imposing aura, leaning over the ship's rail and looking down at the crowd.
From his vantage point, Tao Yu could also see quite a few tantalizing sights. The Demon Sect's ladies were certainly dressed more daringly.
"Empress Yin has followed us once again. I hope you're not here to avenge the feud from the long street," Tao Yu said with a half-smile as he glanced at Empress Yin behind her veil.
"Young Hero Tao jests. After you struck me and your blood stained the street, your strength, which is beyond what I possess, was evident," Empress Yin replied.
The Yin Gui Faction, with its intelligence capabilities, naturally knew many details of the aftermath, including the number of casualties.
"Then may I ask what brings Empress Yin here?"
"The Yin Gui Faction has no feud with you, sir. We have come this time to discuss some potential cooperation. I know that you may have certain prejudices against our sect, but we truly come with sincerity, especially since our strength is inferior to yours..."
Zhu Yuyan was not lying; the Yin Gui Faction was indeed not weak overall, with many experts and disciples and a network that spanned various places. However, at least compared to the people on this ship, they were indeed the weaker party.
Even Zhu Yuyan herself felt that she only had the ability to defend herself, which was enough to ensure that she could deter the other party from turning on her without reason.
The main leverage was the mutual enemy shared by both parties.
Zhu Yuyan, who had always managed to keep her position as the leader of the eight great experts of the Demon Sect through brinkmanship, was quite experienced in such behavior.
"Do any of you have objections?"
Tao Yu turned to seek the opinions of the group.
He was mainly addressing the Twin Dragons and Zhang Sanfeng.
Zhang Sanfeng had conflicts with the Yin Gui Faction, and the Twin Dragons have always had their grievances with the Demon Sect.
But as it stood, there were no insurmountable grudges, and with Fu Junyu back, the Twin Dragons had even foiled the Demon Sect's plans more often than not.
"There's nothing bad to discuss," Zhang Sanfeng said.
Zhang Sanfeng never had much bias in using power; the original work didn't have much of a filter towards the Ming Cult.
However, he did have a personal experience with this Demon Sect, which truly lived up to its name, employing rather extreme methods in its activities.
But that did not mean they couldn't have a discussion.
"Alright, if you're not afraid, then come on up..."