She pouted: "Why did Tianling Pavilion dare to ruthlessly cut ties this time?"

"Perhaps someone persuaded them, or maybe they’ve found new allies." Changtian’s eyebrows slightly furrowed, "Such cooperative relationships are inherently fragile, so Tianling Pavilion must have prepared two plans. If the alliance fails, then they’ll retreat and turn to another supporter. Hidden Stream is indeed too far away for them; as the saying goes, distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors. If they’ve found a powerful partner in the North, one that makes them unafraid of the White Tiger’s threats, it would naturally be perfect for them."

She rolled her eyes: "A few days ago, did the White Tiger come because of this?" She vividly remembered the heat and embarrassment of that day.

Changtian’s face reddened slightly as he coughed lightly: "Yes. They say there are multiple sects in the North forming alliances as well, so it seems the White Tiger’s days won’t be easy ahead."

She replied irritably: "Since he seized such a large territory, why doesn’t he supply minerals to us?"

Changtian laughed without answering. This silly girl doesn’t understand the subtle relationships between Divine Beasts, especially an old creature like the White Tiger, who has lived for tens of thousands of years. They’re astute in their calculations. The White Tiger rarely supplied minerals to him, only because Hidden Stream’s momentum has been too strong these past two years. He fears that before his own strength recovers, Changtian’s power might expand excessively. After all, Fengtian Prefecture does not wish to be hostile to Hidden Stream, and the Chaoyun Sect, which is well-regarded among the Human Clan Immortal Sect, also has an ambiguous attitude. Why would the White Tiger do something that brings no benefit to itself?

Still, he did not want to explain these reasons in detail to her.

She didn’t mind the lack of response and merely snorted softly: "Since he now seeks us out, the mineral issue should be easier to handle, right?"

"How do you know he seeks us out?"

Ning Xiaoxian used his arm as a pillow and adjusted to a more comfortable position: "If he had no desires or needs, he’d just continue being the Mountain King in the North. Why would he run all the way to the Southwest to find you?"

He was amused by her portrayal: "After his visit the other day, he indeed reached an agreement with me. In the future, he can largely fill the mineral supply gap here, but in return, he wants to take two hundred Sea Bags from the God Demon Prison."

"What!" She sat up abruptly, pressing on his robe and exclaimed urgently, "No, that’s a ridiculous demand!" Just one Sea Bag can fetch hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones at the Bai Yujing auction. The Sea Bags they’re holding each have a capacity of no less than fifty thousand jin, able to be exchanged for countless Spirit Stones. How dare that old big cat ask for two hundred of them!

This little money-grubber. Changtian watched her clutch her chest, looking as if she might faint from distress, and couldn’t help but laugh, "Don’t worry, hear me out first. You know, the reason Hidden Stream can operate flexibly is largely due to the Sea Bags. And between the White Tiger’s territory and Hidden Stream lies the newly established Northern Alliance. Transporting supplies is inconvenient; only with Sea Bags can they easily break through."

She pouted, still feeling like they’d gotten the short end of the stick dealing with the White Tiger, feeling quite displeased. Just as she was about to speak, an odd comfort arose in her heart. She glanced down to see him extending his hand and quickly batted it away: "What are you doing?"

His expression remained calm: "I was afraid you’d faint from heartache, so I thought I’d give you a little massage."

"..." This sleek-talking guy.

He quickly changed the subject: "In any case, the supplies that Tianling Pavilion used to provide can mostly be covered by the White Tiger. As for the small remaining gap, we’ll figure something out. Originally, Hidden Stream pursued a strategy of multiple suppliers." His eyes flashed sharply, "After over two years of cooperation, Tianling Pavilion thought they’d figured out Hidden Stream’s foundation and thus rashly made demands. Little did they know, even without Tianling Pavilion or the White Tiger, Hidden Stream could still handle urgent needs."

"Oh?" Her eyes brightened, "Hidden Stream has secret suppliers? Which one, why can’t I see it in the accounts?"

"It’s off the books, a private transaction." Changtian gently caressed her charming face with his finger.

"Which one?" She squinted, nudging his finger. His eyes darkened slightly: "How about a bet?"

Changtian actually wanted to bet with her? Ning Xiaoxian’s interest was piqued instantly: "Tell me more."

"If you can guess which company is the secret supplier by tomorrow evening, you win."

She complained: "There are countless Immortal Sects in Southern Shanzhou, most of which I haven’t even heard of. How should I guess? Any hints?"

"Yes. You’ve definitely heard of this one and have a deep impression of it."

"Oh?" She rolled her eyes, "And what’s the bet?"

"Too detailed a hint would make the bet meaningless." His lips curled slightly, his eyes sparkling with a golden gleam, "If I lose, you can make any request of me."

Her eyes fixated: "Anything at all?" Suddenly, she had some rather unwholesome ideas.

"Yes, as long as it’s within my power, anything." His gaze softened even further, "The same goes the other way; if you lose, you must grant my request too."

"You rogue!" Ning Xiaoxian’s face flushed red. She wasn’t foolish and instantly realized what kind of requests he might make.

Still, this bet was enticing to her. A personal promise from the Shaking Heaven God was not easily obtained, even for her. Just the thought of it was tempting enough.

He didn’t rush her, patiently watching her furrowed brow as she contemplated.

Finally, she made up her mind, gritting her teeth: "I’ll bet, but the deadline should be extended to the evening after tomorrow!"

An extra day? No problem, it’s only a one-day reprieve. He smiled: "Alright, but this bet is just between us; no third parties involved. You can look through intelligence reports, but you can’t ask others."

Sensible, but it raises the difficulty. Ning Xiaoxian sulkily pouted; she was planning to interrogate He Sect Leader thoroughly once the bet was approved, but Changtian, knowing her too well, barred one of her pathways right from the start.

In two days, he’ll get what he wants. Changtian watched her impassively. Having tasted sweetness just yesterday, how could he allow himself to refrain for long?

But she sensed there were golden flames in his gaze, as if they could burn her. That cat-and-mouse look, Ning Xiaoxian dared not meet too often. As she stood up to leave, Changtian held her waist: "In two days, you’ll be all better, and we can set off."