197: Chapter 197: The "Unequal Treaty" of the Great Immortal Realm

The humanoid figure of light flickered violently in mid-air, like a television screen with a terrible signal.

Clearly, an intense internal conflict was raging within him.

If this agreement were truly signed, it would be a humiliation the likes of which the Heavenly Dao Execution Department had never experienced since its founding.

A high-and-mighty law enforcement agency of the Upper Realm, forced by a lower world to sign a treaty that could only be described as "humiliating and sovereignty-forfeiting." If word of this got out, how would the Heavenly Dao Execution Department ever maintain its standing among the myriad worlds? Where would their authority be?

But if he didn't sign...

The mere thought of that terrifying weapon, capable of completely erasing a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator from the "conceptual" level, made his source core run cold.

That woman, Jiang Ning, was right; next time, the target might not just be a lowly Inspector.

If she truly had a way to deliver that unreasonable "Heavenly Punishment" directly to the Great Immortal World's homeland... the consequences would be unimaginable.

"I... I do not have the authority to sign this agreement." After struggling for a long time, the figure of light finally said in a tone of near exhaustion, "Such a major matter must be decided personally by the 'Chief Elder' of our department."

"Very well." Jiang Ning nodded, very decisively. "Then let him come and negotiate. I will give you one day. After one day, if I do not see your sincerity, then we will have no choice but to 'communicate' with you in our own way."

She shook the Inspector token in her hand and said pointedly: "For example, by taking this thing to your Heavenly Dao Execution Department headquarters and paying a visit to each of your leaders, one by one."

The figure of light shuddered violently.

He completely believed that this crazy woman was absolutely capable of doing such a thing!

"No! No need!" he said hurriedly. "Please, Fellow Daoist, stay calm; I will immediately... immediately contact the Chief!"

With that, his entire figure of light shrank inward violently, transforming into a streak of golden light that drilled back into the colorful token, clearly having gone to make an emergency communication.

The main peak of the Qingyun Sect returned to tranquility once more.

Special Envoy Wang wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked back to Jiang Ning's side, lowering his voice. His tone carried a hint of both worry and excitement: "Consultant Jiang, are we going too far by pushing them like this? What if they really get desperate and lash out..."

"They won't." Jiang Ning shook her head, her eyes flashing with a rational light. "Special Envoy Wang, remember this: confidence at the negotiating table never comes from eloquence, but from strength. What we just demonstrated was the ability to flip the table. When you have the ability to flip the table and happen to burn down the other party's house in the process, only then will they calmly discuss terms with you."

She paused and continued: "Besides, didn't you hear what he said? 'Heavenly Dao Execution Department.' It sounds like a bureaucracy. Such institutions fear 'trouble' and 'uncontrollable factors' more than enemies. Right now, we are the biggest trouble in their eyes. To solve this trouble, as long as the cost is within an acceptable range, they are willing to discuss anything."

Special Envoy Wang nodded thoughtfully. He realized that although Jiang Ning was a cultivator, her way of thinking was more transparent and incisive than any politician he had ever known.

"Then what should we do now..."

"Wait." Jiang Ning found a step and sat down, appearing very relaxed. "In the meantime, have everyone clean up the spoils of war."

As soon as she finished speaking, the source core of the Inspector that had been blasted down by the planetary array in the sky—although most of its energy had dissipated—had still left behind some of the purest "Law Fragments."

These fragments, like golden sand, drifted down in a flurry.

Boss Wan and the Qingyun Sect Leader stared, their eyes wide.

"Heavens! That is 'Golden Law Sand'! A legendary supreme treasure that only has a chance to condense after a Soul Transformation Stage cultivator passes away! A single grain is enough to allow a Nascent Soul cultivator to comprehend a sliver of spatial law!"

"Quick! Collect it quickly!"

A group of elders and disciples rushed up in a flurry, holding various jade bottles and magic artifacts, like a swarm of busy bees, carefully collecting that golden "sand."

Watching this scene, Jiang Ning smiled and didn't pay them any mind.

This bit of "spoils" was beneath her notice.

What she truly cared about was the "Star Map" she was about to receive, as well as the related intelligence on the Great Immortal World.

That was the real key to opening the door to a new world.

Time passed, second by second.

In less than half a day, that colorful token lit up once again.

This time, the projected light image was several times larger and more solid than the previous one. The figure of an old man wearing archaic star robes, with white hair and beard, appeared in mid-air.

His aura was as deep as the sea; the mere projection caused ripples in the surrounding space.

This was absolutely a terrifying existence far surpassing an ordinary Soul Transformation Stage cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist of the lower realm, I am the Chief of the Heavenly Dao Execution Department, known by the Daoist name 'Xuanji'." The old man's voice was very calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Jiang Ning stood up, met his gaze, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Chief Xuanji, greetings. I trust you are already aware of my conditions. Will you sign or not? Give me a straight answer."

Old man Xuanji looked at Jiang Ning in silence. In those eyes that seemed to contain the stars of the universe, a complex emotion flashed—anger, wariness, but more than anything, a deep sense of helplessness. After a long time, he sighed deeply.

"We can sign the agreement."

As soon as these words were spoken, Special Envoy Wang and the team behind him couldn't help but clench their fists, their faces revealing expressions of wild joy.

They had succeeded!

The first "unequal treaty" in human history signed with "gods" was about to be born!

"However, I have three conditions." Old man Xuanji changed the subject.

"Speak." Jiang Ning was concise.

"First, the content of the agreement must be kept confidential. For at least one hundred years, it must not be disclosed to any other power in the Great Immortal World. This is to preserve the last shred of face for our Execution Department."

"Very well." Jiang Ning nodded. She wanted practical benefits, not empty fame.

"Second, the amount of the war reparations needs to be reduced by thirty percent. One million tons of top-grade immortal jade is almost a millennium's worth of our department's inventory; taking it out all at once would shake the very foundation of our department."

Jiang Ning glanced at Special Envoy Wang. Special Envoy Wang immediately understood, quickly calculated on his tactical tablet, and then gave Jiang Ning an "OK" gesture.

"Very well." Jiang Ning nodded again. Asking for an exorbitant price was meant to leave room for the other side to bargain.

"Third," Old man Xuanji's voice became incomparably serious, "Your world must guarantee that that... that 'forbidden weapon' will never be aimed at the Great Immortal World itself. We can sign a 'Soul Contract,' with the Heavenly Dao of both worlds as witnesses."

This was his core demand. Reparations were a small matter, face was a small matter, but the safety of their homeland was the top priority.

"As for that..." Jiang Ning deliberately drew out her voice.

Old man Xuanji's heart instantly jumped to his throat.

"It's not impossible." Jiang Ning changed her tone. "But you must trade something for it. I want all historical data on the 'Mechanical Cult,' the more detailed the better. Additionally, we are not signing a 'Soul Contract,' but a 'Supplementary Agreement on Technical Security and Non-Aggression'."

She didn't believe in any ethereal "Heavenly Dao"; she only believed in black-and-white terms and the strength to maintain a balance of power.

Old man Xuanji was taken aback, clearly not expecting Jiang Ning to be interested in the long-destroyed "Mechanical Cult." But he didn't ask any further questions and immediately agreed.

"Very well! It is a deal!"

Next, under the leadership of Special Envoy Wang's team, both sides conducted "friendly consultations" on the details of the agreement for several hours.

In the end, an agreement that had been modified but had its core interests completely preserved was officially reached.

Old man Xuanji, in the name of the Chief, branded the Execution Department's "Heavenly Dao Seal" onto the light screen.

And Jiang Ning, representing the Immortal-Mortal Realm and Earth, signed her own name.

The moment the contract was established, an invisible force of law descended from the sky, piercing through both worlds, declaring the formal effectiveness of this "unequal treaty."

Old man Xuanji's light image disappeared, carrying the copy of the agreement that would leave him infamous for ten thousand years, along with endless frustration.

In Jiang Ning's hand, however, appeared an extra storage ring. Inside, it contained a mountain of reparations, as well as a... shockingly detailed star map and intelligence jade slip.

The Great Immortal World, this once unreachable mysterious Upper Realm, had for the first time, in a humiliating manner, opened its doors to her.