90: negotiation

"Shen Lian, you must not be impulsive. We can sit down and talk things over."

Upon receiving Wu Aozhou's message, Clear Moon dared not delay for a moment, directly transforming into a streak of light to sweep through the Sword Tomb Forbidden Ground.

Shen Lian had not the slightest good impression of this breathtakingly beautiful woman; all he had was a disdainful look, still arrogant and looking down on everything.

"I've made myself very clear. Let Nangong Li hand over the crouching dragon marrow, and I will ensure the safety of the entire Southern Domain. If you don't agree,

Then my life will be exchanged for the burial of billions of lives in the Southern Domain. In that case, I wouldn't feel it's a loss even if I die."

Clear Moon's jade brows furrowed coldly upon hearing this.

She would be free in less than three months, so why, at this critical moment, did such a madman, who completely disregarded convention, appear to stir up trouble?

"Shen Lian, why must the grievances between you and Nangong Li involve innocent people?"

"I don't want to waste words with you. Right now, I just want to see the crouching dragon marrow. If you don't agree, then we'll all perish together."

"Your actions are too extreme."

"Extreme? Hahaha!"

Shen Lian burst into laughter as if he had heard a joke.

"As long as the goal can be achieved, why care what methods are used? This is what Nangong Li owes me. My things must be held firmly in my own hands."

Seeing Shen Lian's attitude, Clear Moon knew it was useless to continue reasoning with him, so she appeased him, saying, "Don't be impulsive. I will handle this matter, but it will take time."

"Such a trivial matter, it's just a word from you all, yet you tell me it needs time? Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

Clear Moon closed her eyes in thought.

The Shen Lian in her impression was Nangong Li's loyal simp, but the current Shen Lian seemed to have completely changed, especially when Nangong Li's name was mentioned; the hatred in his tone was not concealed in the slightest.

"Could it be the personality backlash after the Awakening?"

"A person who was once humble to the point of being in the mud suddenly having such a drastic personality change, the only explanation is that his heart was utterly broken."

Thinking this, Clear Moon spoke, "Alright, I will make Nangong Li hand over what you want as soon as possible,

But Shen Lian, regarding your killing of my Chess Sword Pavilion Disciples, the Chess Sword Pavilion will not let it go either,

You must give a reasonable explanation."

Shen Lian snorted coldly, "Who does Shen Lian need to explain his actions to? They were killed because their skills were inferior; who else is to blame?

Moreover, in this cruel Dao of cultivation, is the death of a group of ants who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth such a novel thing?

You want me to explain? My explanation is very simple: whoever wants to kill me, I'll accompany them to the end!"

Clear Moon had never encountered such an arrogant person before.

Although Shen Lian's words were harsh, they revealed the most brutal truth.

The strong prey on the weak, the Law of the jungle.

If the weak cannot protect themselves, their only fate is to be eliminated; there is no third path.

"Three days. In three days, I will give you a satisfactory explanation."

"Before sunset, if I don't see the crouching dragon marrow, the entire Southern Domain will become a Southern Wasteland. Don't waste my time!"

"You!"

Clear Moon was furious. She was a Peak Immortal Realm existence; when had she ever been threatened by a junior like this?

She really wanted to slap him to death.

However, Shen Lian's heart was connected to the earth core strange fire. Once the earth core strange fire lost control and erupted, even someone as strong as herself would face certain death.

She wasn't as crazy as Shen Lian, gambling with her own life.

"Alright, before sunset, I will give you an explanation."

With that, Clear Moon immediately transformed into a streak of light and sped away towards the Sect.

Shen Lian's lips curled into a smirk as he looked at Wu Aozhou, who was staring intently at him from not far away, and sat down directly in front of the stone platform to meditate... On the other side, Clear Moon dared not delay, immediately arriving at Nangong Li's room.

"Elder Clear Moon, do you need something from this Disciple?"

Nangong Li was also very surprised by Clear Moon's sudden visit.

However, as soon as she spoke, Clear Moon directly raised her hand and slapped her across the face with a Void Realm palm strike.

Clutching her swollen half-face, Nangong Li's mind buzzed.

"Elder Clear Moon, why did you hit this Disciple?"

Clear Moon's face was cold as ice: "This mess is all caused by you. Since the founding of the Chess Sword Pavilion, this is the first time it has been forced to such a state.

Nangong Li, why must you involve the Chess Sword Pavilion, and even the lives of the entire Southern Domain, in your personal grievances?"

Nangong Li was completely bewildered: "Elder Clear Moon, this Disciple doesn't understand what you mean."

"I ask you, did you take something from Shen Lian?"

As soon as these words were uttered, Nangong Li's eyes flickered evasively, not daring to look directly at Clear Moon.

"Answer me, did you take something from Shen Lian?"

Clear Moon asked again, her tone already filled with rage.

"No, how could I take Shen Lian's things?" Nangong Li flatly denied, "Elder Clear Moon, please don't listen to outside rumors."

However, this only earned her another slap from Clear Moon.

"Even now, you still refuse to tell the truth, do you? Nangong Li, do you know what kind of disaster you've caused!

Back then, you forced Shen Lian to repair the earth core strange fire, but you didn't expect Shen Lian's heart to be connected to it.

Now he is threatening the entire Southern Domain, forcing you to hand over the crouching dragon marrow. Tell me, how much trouble have you caused!"

Nangong Li was dumbfounded upon hearing this.

"crouching dragon marrow? Just for a crouching dragon marrow, he wants to make such a big fuss?"

"It seems you really did take it. Then quickly hand over the crouching dragon marrow and return it to Shen Lian."

But the next moment, Nangong Li shook her head frantically: "No, I can't return the crouching dragon marrow to him. He gave it to me back then; how can there be a reason to take it back? No, absolutely not!"

Clear Moon's bright eyes widened. She never expected Nangong Li to say such a thing.

It was utterly shameless.

"You wretch, with your current Realm, the crouching dragon marrow is of no great use to you. Since Shen Lian is asking for it,

Then return it. Do you want to watch the entire Chess Sword Pavilion and the Southern Domain suffer a catastrophe?"

Unexpectedly, Nangong Li's head shook like a rattle-drum: "I can't return it to him. I can return anyone else's things, but Shen Lian's things, absolutely not, even if they are useless now!"

Clear Moon gradually lost her patience: "Enough! Nangong Li, do you want to cause the entire Southern Domain to fall into a crisis of destruction because of you?"

Nangong Li, however, spoke astonishingly: "What does the destruction of the Southern Domain have to do with me? Why should I bear it? It's clearly Shen Lian's problem, yet you want me to offer my supreme treasure to appease him? I'm unwilling!"

Only after the words left her mouth did she realize her slip of the tongue.

If these words were spoken by Shen Lian or other Loose Cultivators, they might be understandable.

But Nangong Li, as the Sect Master, enjoying the offerings of the entire Southern Domain, actually spoke such malicious words?

Instantly, Clear Moon's expression grew even colder.

Nangong Li immediately shivered in fear: "Elder, this Disciple didn't mean that, please listen to my explanation."

"Nangong Li, I will ask you one last time: should I personally take it from your corpse, or will you hand it over willingly? Choose one."

Nangong Li immediately froze, intense unease and fear instantly sweeping through every inch of her body.

"It seems you are forcing my hand."

Just as Clear Moon was about to make a move, Nangong Li immediately knelt on the ground.

"Elder, please calm your anger. This Disciple is willing to offer the crouching dragon marrow to save the lives of the Southern Domain, but this Disciple must meet Shen Lian in person before I can hand it over."

Clear Moon retracted her raised jade arm: "Very well, without further ado, follow me quickly to the Sword Tomb altar. You can explain it to Shen Lian yourself."

"Yes!"

Nangong Li answered very decisively, but murderous intent towards Shen Lian had arisen in her heart.

As soon as she saw Shen Lian, she would find an opportunity to eliminate him directly.

As for the fate of the Southern Domain, what did it have to do with her?