322: Chapter 322: Can the Supreme Dao Palace be moved?

After a great battle, there must be a celebration.

Inside the ruined great hall of the Supreme Dao Palace, the lights shone brilliantly.

The walls of the hall, which had been destroyed by Xiao Ran's Demonic Path army, had been temporarily repaired. Although not as magnificent as before, hundreds of ever-burning lamps illuminated the hall as bright as day.

The Sect Heads, Elders, and Core Disciples of various sects gathered together.

Glasses clinked as the joy of surviving the disaster was written all over everyone's faces.

Daoist Master Qingxu sat beside the main seat, leaving it empty.

Beside him were Shangguan Yunhe, Sect Master Wuxin, and representatives of various small forces.

Emperor Qian's seat was empty. The Great Qian Dynasty was no more, and no one brought it up.

The seats of Supreme Elder Xuan Qingzi and Fairy Xuanbing were also empty; their names had been carved onto the Monument of Heroes of the Supreme Dao Palace.

Li Changsheng sat in the main seat, clad in a white robe, his face calm.

A wine cup sat before him, the amber liquid inside emitting a faint fragrance.

But he did not drink, only holding it as his gaze swept across the hall.

"Fellow Daoist Li, this old man toasts you!"

Shangguan Yunhe stood up and raised his cup.

"You saved the Righteous Path, saved the Supreme Dao Palace, and saved this old man's Shangguan Family. This old man will never forget this immense gratitude."

Li Changsheng stood up and raised his cup.

"Patriarch Shangguan, you speak too highly of me. I only did what I should have done."

The two drank it all in one gulp.

Sect Master Wuxin also stood up and raised his cup.

"Fellow Daoist Li, this old man had many misunderstandings about you before. I hope you can forgive me."

"From now on, the Heavenly Sword Sect will follow Saint Li's every lead."

Li Changsheng looked at him and said calmly,

"Sect Master Wuxin is too polite. The Heavenly Sword Sect is a mainstay of the Righteous Path, and we will still have to rely on Sect Master Wuxin in the future."

Sect Master Wuxin nodded and drained his cup.

Representatives of other small forces also came forward to toast him one after another. Li Changsheng responded to each of them with a calm expression.

A faint smile always remained on his face, neither servile nor overbearing, neither arrogant nor rash.

Through the Soul Link, Xiao Ran's voice came through.

"How does it feel to be the Alliance Leader?"

On the outside, Li Changsheng remained expressionless, but in his heart, he was already blooming with joy.

"Just how big of an official do I have to be for it to count as big!"

Xiao Ran smiled.

"I knew you were feeling incredibly pleased with yourself."

Li Changsheng did not refute.

He indeed felt great.

From the Saint of the Supreme Dao Palace to the Alliance Leader of the Righteous Path, it had only taken him a single war.

Although this war was co-directed by him and Xiao Ran, the result was exactly what he wanted.

"By the way, how are your preparations for the peace talks going?"

Li Changsheng asked.

Xiao Ran's voice became serious.

"The envoy has already been dispatched and will arrive at the Supreme Dao Palace tomorrow."

"Get ready. When the time comes, we'll put on a good show."

After a great battle, there must be peace talks.

"Alright."

The two cut off the link.

Li Changsheng put down his wine cup and looked at the hall full of Cultivators.

In their eyes, there was reverence, trust, and expectation.

He knew that from this day on, he was the banner of the Righteous Path.

"Everyone."

At this moment, Shangguan Yunhe stood up.

He spoke, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears.

The great hall instantly fell silent.

Shangguan Yunhe stood up, standing with his hands behind his back.

"In today's battle, the Righteous Path won, but we won at a terrible cost."

"The Great Qian Dynasty has been destroyed, two Grand Elders of the Supreme Dao Palace have fallen, and countless Disciples have been killed or injured."

"The Righteous Path has suffered a severe blow to its Origin Qi, and we cannot fight again in the short term."

A silence fell over the great hall.

Shangguan Yunhe continued, \"Although Xiao Ran has retreated, his strength remains undamaged.\"

"He has three Peak Integration Stage Puppets, the carcass of the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor, and the Body Integration Stage Cultivators of the Six Great Demonic Sects."

"If we fight him head-on, we are no match."

"Then what should we do?"

someone asked.

Li Changsheng looked at him.

"I believe we need peace talks."

A commotion broke out in the great hall.

"Peace talks? We just finished fighting, and now we're having peace talks?"

"Xiao Ran killed so many of our people, and we're going to negotiate peace with him?"

"Patriarch Shangguan, have you gone senile?"

Li Changsheng raised his hand, gesturing for silence.

At this point, Shangguan Yunhe spoke again.

"Everyone, I know you are unwilling, and neither am I."

"But war is not a matter of acting on impulse. The Righteous Path needs time to recuperate and time to nurture new Body Integration Stage Cultivators."

"And Xiao Ran also needs time to digest the forces of the Demonic Path."

"Peace talks at this time are the best choice."

Daoist Master Qingxu stood up and looked at everyone.

"I support Fellow Daoist Shangguan. Peace talks at this stage are currently the only choice for the Righteous Path."

Sect Master Wuxin was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I support this."

The representatives of other small forces also nodded in agreement.

Everyone's eyes turned to look at Li Changsheng.

"Then it is settled."

Li Changsheng finally made the final decision.

...

The next day, before the Righteous Path could set out, Xiao Ran's envoy had already arrived.

The one who came was a middle-aged man in the Void Refinement Stage, with a cold expression, wearing a black Daoist robe.

He stood in the center of the hall, neither servile nor overbearing, holding a Jade Slip in his hands.

"I have come to deliver a letter by order of the Demonic Path's Alliance Leader, Xiao Ran."

The envoy handed the Jade Slip to Li Changsheng.

Li Changsheng took it and swept his Divine Sense inside.

Inside were Xiao Ran's conditions—the northern part of the entire Cultivation World would belong to the Demonic Path, and the southern part would belong to the Righteous Path, with mutual non-aggression.

The Righteous Path would pay an annual tribute to the Demonic Path of ten thousand bottles of Medicinal Pills and one hundred million Top-Grade Spirit Stones.

Both sides would exchange prisoners of war and return to their respective homes.

After reading it, Li Changsheng sneered.

"Xiao Ran has quite an appetite. Ten thousand bottles of Medicinal Pills? Why doesn't he just go rob someone?"

The envoy said calmly, "The Alliance Leader said that the conditions can be negotiated."

"But the north belonging to the Demonic Path and the south belonging to the Righteous Path is non-negotiable."

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment.

"Go back and tell Xiao Ran that since it is a negotiation, sincerity is required."

"We will hold the peace talks at the Supreme Dao Palace in three days. Let him come in person."

The envoy nodded, turned, and left.

After the envoy left, the great hall erupted.

"One hundred million Spirit Stones? Why doesn't he just go rob someone!"

"The north belonging to the Demonic Path? Then what about the Supreme Dao Palace? The Supreme Dao Palace is in the north!"

"Saint Li, we cannot agree to this!"

Li Changsheng raised his hand, gesturing for silence.

"I said, the conditions can be negotiated."

"In three days, Xiao Ran will come in person, and we will talk face-to-face."

Three days later, Xiao Ran arrived.

He rode on the carcass of the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor, followed by three Grand Elder Puppets and the Sect Masters of the Six Great Demonic Sects.

The display was grand, and his Aura was imposing.

However, he did not bring an army, only a few followers.

In front of the mountain gate of the Supreme Dao Palace, Li Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, with Daoist Master Qingxu, Shangguan Yunhe, Sect Master Wuxin, and the Elders of various sects standing behind him.

The gazes of the two met in mid-air.

One in black robes, one in white robes.

One was the Demonic Path's Alliance Leader, the other was the Righteous Path's Alliance Leader.

One had a smile playing on his lips, while the other had a calm expression.

"Xiao Ran, come on in."

Li Changsheng stepped aside, gesturing an invitation.

Xiao Ran leaped down from the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor and strode into the Supreme Dao Palace.

His steps were leisurely, and his expression was relaxed.

Inside the great hall, the two sides sat on opposite sides.

Xiao Ran sat on the left, while Li Changsheng sat on the right.

"Alliance Leader Li, how have you considered my conditions?"

Xiao Ran leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs.

Li Changsheng said calmly, "Your conditions are too excessive. If the north belongs to the Demonic Path, what about the Supreme Dao Palace? The Supreme Dao Palace is in the north."

Xiao Ran shook his head.

"The Supreme Dao Palace can just move away!"