Chapter 852: Chapter 852: Choosing Neither Side (3 Updates)

Liu Zixuan seized the initiative, but the topic he raised was extremely tricky.

After all, the two parties in front of him were here to compete to win over Liu Zixuan, and whoever spoke first, the other would offer a higher condition.

So, for a brief minute or two, neither side spoke.

The atmosphere gradually became a bit dull. Liu Zixuan, however, was quite at ease, since he definitely wasn’t in a hurry.

After approximately another two minutes, Gu Daohe became quite restless and immediately said, "Hesitating is not my style, Mr. Liu. The unification of the Martial Realm is already an inevitable trend."

"I know you don’t want to see conflicts within the Star Sea Martial Realm, so the patriarch asked me to convey a message. If you can persuade those scattered sect martial artists, after unification, nothing will be pursued, and the resources of our Star Sea martial artists will be distributed to them fairly."

"Bullshit!"

Liu Hetian immediately cursed, "Who doesn’t know what your family powers are scheming? Once you’re seated on the high platform, we’ll just become your subordinates. What fairness can there be then?"

"Liu Sect Leader, I’d advise you to speak politely. Right now we’re negotiating with Mr. Liu together. He has neither agreed with you nor rejected us, which means we’re all equal." Wei Zheng said coldly.

"Equal?"

Liu Hetian snorted coldly, then said to Liu Zixuan, "Master Xuan, if you go to their side, even if the Martial Realm is unified and they don’t give you a hard time, you’re only a general, and they’re the kings. But if you come to us, it’s different; you’ll be the only king, and we’ll all listen to you."

"Tsk, tsk. What an enticing offer!" Liu Zixuan smacked his lips and looked meaningfully at Gu Daohe and Wei Zheng.

Gu Daohe was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, "Mr. Liu, throughout history, have you ever seen a mere ruffian leader stand alone at the top and not eventually be defeated by legitimate forces? The Four Great Clans and Eight Great Powers are recognized by the World Martial Realm, but what about them? They’re just some unheard-of small sects and clans!"

"Yes, Mr. Liu, the words may be harsh, but they are the truth. And given your relationship with the Willow Association, no one would dare trouble you in the future!" Wei Zheng added.

"You..." Liu Hetian was left speechless. Even though he presented the best terms, he had no retort now. After all, Wei Zheng was right; Liu Zixuan has an indescribably close relationship with the Willow Association. This is an incontrovertible fact.

"Let’s not talk about the Willow Association for now."

Liu Zixuan waved his hand, "I prefer substantial conditions."

"Since we came to negotiate, we’ve naturally prepared everything properly."

Wei Zheng said with a smug smile, "After the Martial Realm is unified, the Four Great Clans, Eight Great Powers, and the sects allied with us will provide you with the best training resources to help you break through to the Emperor Realm! Also, you can hold the title of elder in any clan or power. No matter where you go in the future, or what difficulties you encounter, someone will assist you!"

"Then, once the Martial Realm is unified, what position will I hold in the Martial Realm’s headquarters?" Liu Zixuan asked with an amused smile.

"The ancestors have discussed this. Initially, they thought of making you an elder, ranking behind the Patriarchs. But after careful deliberation, if you assist us, such a significant event as the unification of the Martial Realm means you’d undoubtedly be a first-class meritorious figure. You can’t just be an elder, so they want to appoint you as the Vice Alliance Leader."

Gu Daohe deliberately raised his voice when talking about the benefits for Liu Zixuan, casting a deliberate glance at Liu Hetian, whose face had turned livid.

Liu Zixuan stroked his chin, "Vice Alliance Leader, that title is indeed quite appealing."

"So... does this mean you agree?" Wei Zheng asked excitedly. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Don’t rush. Sect Leader Liu hasn’t mentioned their terms yet. I have to compare which is more suitable." Liu Zixuan said with a smile, looking at Liu Hetian.

Liu Hetian initially thought it was hopeless, but Liu Zixuan’s words seemed to hint at helping him, so he quickly spoke up, "Master Xuan, besides making you king as I mentioned earlier, all martial artists’ training resources will be allocated to you first."

"I know the resources we get from scattered sects are few, but accumulated, it’s still a considerable amount. And if we defeat these self-proclaimed great families later, there will be even more!"

Liu Zixuan nodded and fell silent, pretending to be in deep thought.

The atmosphere in the room was extremely subtle. Everyone was eagerly awaiting Liu Zixuan’s answer, hoping not to hear an undesirable one.

Ye Lianyi took a deep breath, "I’m going out for some fresh air. You continue."

"Alright!" Everyone nodded collectively.

As Ye Lianyi reached the door, she deliberately signaled Tiger, and the two walked out of the entrance.

On the surface, the conditions offered by both sides seemed hard to refuse.

But Liu Zixuan knew that neither side was easy to deal with.

The Four Great Clans and Eight Great Powers, with their offer of the Vice Alliance Leader position, was just an honorary title. They knew Liu Zixuan’s character well, and the phrase "one mountain cannot contain two tigers" means that whoever becomes the Alliance Leader won’t let a powerful figure like Liu Zixuan stay beside them.

Throughout history, many talented individuals have died due to having too much power overshadowing their leaders. If Liu Zixuan agreed to be their Vice Alliance Leader, he’d eventually become a stepping stone for that leader.

On the scattered sects’ side, it was comparatively safer, but whether making him king or offering many benefits now, it was only to leverage Liu Zixuan’s current strength against the Four Great Clans and Eight Great Powers.

In essence, either side aimed to use the other!

This exemplifies that there are no eternal enemies or friends, only eternal interests.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Zixuan took out a cigarette, lit it, puffed out some smoke, and said with a light smile, "I’ve seen the sincerity from both sides."

"So what is your choice?" Gu Daohe, Wei Zheng, and Liu Hetian asked in unison, all tensely watching Liu Zixuan.

Liu Zixuan leaned forward slightly and smiled, "I’m a person accustomed to freedom. I don’t want to be anyone’s boss, nor do I want anyone to be mine. I plan to participate in the martial arts tournament honestly. If I win, great; if not, I’ll just say I wasn’t perceptive and lacked luck!"

"So..."

Liu Zixuan paused deliberately to heighten their curiosity, then said word by word with a change of tone, "So, I choose neither side. You fight your fights; if one of you dies, it’s none of my business. The downfall of the Martial Realm has nothing to do with me!"

As Liu Zixuan finished speaking, the room’s temperature seemed to drop to zero degrees.

They originally thought he would choose at least one side, but now, to their surprise, he hadn’t chosen either!