Chapter 637: Art of Maneuvering
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
The Celestial Sword Elder ascended Mount Yujing. He had mixed feelings. The relationship between the Heavenly Master Sword Sect and the Celestial Sect of Wonders was a little awkward.
For those who were lower in the ranks of the Heavenly Master Sword Sect, they did not know. But the Celestial Sword Elder clearly knew that the backer of the Heavenly Master Sword Sect was the Conservative Faction of the Great Void Sect.
The Heavenly Master Sword Sect could rise and be the second most powerful after the Mount Shu Sword Sect in the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance not only because they worked tirelessly to develop the sect, but also because of the support of the Great Void Sect.
The Great Void Sect needed someone to restrain the Mount Shu Sword Sect in the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance, but it must not be someone too powerful. But they had to at least ensure that the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance was not ruled by one voice.
Since immemorial, the Mount Shu Sword Sect’s words were king in the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance.
And because the Great Void Sect backed the Heavenly Master Sword Sect, the Mount Shu Sword Sect could only close one eye with regards to them.
The younger generation of Mount Shu disciples looked down on the Heavenly Master Sword Sect. They reckoned that they were unable to match up to the Mount Shu Sword Sect. They were always curious why the elders of their sect were willing to allow another sword sect to challenge them.
But the Immortal Soul Stage Elders of the Mount Shu Sword Sect knew that the Heavenly Master Sword Sect represented the Great Void Sect in the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance. Just like how the Sun Moon Sword Sect represented the Great Qin Empire and the Vast Sea Sword Sect represented the Great Zhou Empire.
At the very start, the Heavenly Master Sword Sect and the Celestial Sect of Wonders shared a cordial relationship. Especially since after the Heavenly Cart Peak Sword Conference, both parties were even closer.
But during the battle at Xiling City, Lin Feng banded with the Great Zhou, Great Qin, Purple Clouds Sect and the Royal House of the Northern Winds to oppose the Great Void Sect. The Heavenly Master Sword Sect was caught in between and were awkward.
Although the Heavenly Master Sword Sect did not express any ill-intentions and the Celestial Sect of Wonders did not view them as the slave of the Great Void Sect, the relationship between both sides became colder.
This was something Lin Feng thought was a pity too. But every effect had its cause. Everything had its pros and cons. As long as the pros were more than the cons, then it was fine.
That was why the Celestial Sword Elder had no confidence as he made this trip. If it was before the battle at Xiling City, with their relationship with the Celestial Sect of Wonders, the Matte Glowless Metal would definitely be sold to the Heavenly Master Sword Sect.
But things were difficult to tell now. That was why the Celestial Sword Elder roamed around the Mount Kunlun region for some time, as he waited for the elders of the other sects. After that, he negotiated with them and they collaborated before they paid a visit to Lin Feng.
With Lin Feng’s current powers, in the Divine Lands, those who could really force negotiations with him were only the Great Void Sect, Mount Shu Sword Sect, the Great Qin Empire and the Great Zhou Empire.
If the Samsara Sect could unite the Six Paths and regain their past might, then they could probably do the same to Lin Feng.
Besides these few great powers, no other sect had the confidence to deal with Lin Feng.
Even if a few of them collaborated, they were still not confident of dealing with Lin Feng. The Celestial Sword Elder and the rest were pondering how they could get the best deal from the negotiation, as they paid a visit to Lin Feng.
Who knew that Lin Feng kept on deviating from the topic as they visited him and engaged in trivial conversations.
The Celestial Sword Elder and the rest were anxious, but they could not force Lin Feng to reply.
"Don’t tell me someone has already made a move?" The Celestial Sword Elder thought in his mind, "Who can it be? The Intense Flaming Sword Sect have always been following the Mount Shu Sword Sect, thus it can’t be them. The Vast Sea Sword Sect follows the Great Zhou and the Sun Moon Sword Sect follows the Great Qin. They are suspects."
"The Sword of Radiance Sect has already left the Mount Shu Sword Sect and have not supported any other great powers. Don’t tell me they have jumped onto the boat of the Celestial Sect of Wonders?"
The few sword cultivators were wondering. As Lin Feng saw this, he interrupted them and said, "In the Celestial Wonders World, I have indeed discovered the Matte Glowless Metal, but the environment of the mine is complex. I need more time to explore. I will also have to wait for my disciples to report things to me. Please do not be anxious."
The Celestial Sword Elder and the rest could not say anything and just nodded their heads.
After he sent them to Yun Peak, Lin Feng sat within the Grand Heavens Pavilion. After a brief moment, two human figures appeared in the pavilion.
One of them was a middle-aged man in yellow. His expression was indifferent. There was a powerful vibration of force. It was the Great Barren Swordmaster.
The other person wore a black robe and the body of the robe was weaved with images of blue lightning. He looked ferocious. It was the Lightning Swordmaster.
The two of them looked at each other and greeted each other. After that, they proceeded to look at Lin Feng.
"Master Lin, why did you keep us here?"
Lin Feng laughed. He summoned the two of them back secretly.
"Please wait, Great Barren Swordmaster." Lin Feng nodded at him. After that, he looked at the Lightning Swordmaster and said, "The Celestial Wonders World produces the Matte Glowless Metal. The Lightning Sword Sect and another sect will be given the priority in obtaining supplies of the metal. I wonder what do you think of that?"
The pupils of the Lightning Sword Sect shrank. In the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance, the Lightning Sword Sect had always been friendly with the Heavenly Master Sword Sect.
They did not bow down to the Heavenly Master Sword Sect, but they were allies. They advanced and retreated together in the Nine Heavenly Sword Alliance.
Lin Feng’s actions now was equivalent to tearing the Lightning Sword Sect apart from the Heavenly Master Sword Sect.
The Lightning Swordmaster had just made a pact with the Celestial Sword Elder to collaborate together to trade with the Celestial Sect of Wonders.
The Lightning Sword Sect, Heavenly Master Sword Sect, Great Barren Sword Sect and the Starry Sword Sect collaborated together to obtain the Matte Glowless Metal. But with Lin Feng’s conditions, the Lightning Sword Sect was bound to gain a huge advantage.
But once he accepted Lin Feng’s conditions, the relationship between the Lightning Sword Sect and the Heavenly Master Sword Sect would be gone.
Or rather, their relationship with the Great Void Sect would be in ruins.
The Heavenly Master Sword Sect and the Great Void Sect were too close. They had obtained too much benefits from the Great Void Sect, such that they had slowly became one with the Great Void Sect. They could not jump ship to the Celestial Sect of Wonders at the last moment.
But the Lightning Sword Sect was different. They banded together with the Heavenly Master Sword Sect for mutual benefits. They could switch sides any time they wanted. The only problem was how should they choose and whether it was worth it.
The Lightning Swordmsater looked at Lin Feng quietly. During the battle at Xiling City, Lin Feng displayed his powers and planned to overthrow the Great Void Sect, but eventually, was he successful?
A few Matte Glowless Metals were naturally insufficient to persuade the Lightning Sword Sect to switch sides. But the Lightning Swordmaster and Lin Feng both knew that today was just the beginning. Lin Feng had sent a signal by trying to persuade the Lightning Swordmaster over. But it remained to see whether the Lightning Swordmaster was willing to accept the deal.
The Lightning Swordmaster was silent for a while, before he asked, "May I ask, besides the Lightning Sword Sect, who is the other party?"
It couldn’t be the Great Barren Sword Sect, otherwise Lin Feng would have spelt things out earlier.
Lin Feng looked at the Great Barren Swordmaster and smiled, but did not speak.
At this time, a third human figure appeared within the pavilion.
It was the Supreme Radiance Swordmaster.
The Lightning Swordmaster understood now. "The Sword of Radiance Sect had indeed switched sides to the Celestial Sect of Wonders."
He pondered for a while and clasped his palm and fist at Lin Feng, "With regards to the item that you wish to trade, I will make the necessary preparations. If you need anything, you can tell me directly. I will make the preparations."
Lin Feng laughed, "I heard that your sect has a special resource called the Blue Thunderclap Heavenly Crystal. We shall trade these two items. As for the relative price of the two items, my disciples will decide. Let’s not talk further."
The Lightning Swordmaster nodded his head, "Okay." The Blue Thunderclap Heavenly Crystal was a precious resource of the Lightning Sword Sect. Its value was difficult to be measured.
Lin Feng looked at the Great Barren Swordmaster now. He saw that the Great Barren Swordmaster was calm as usual and did not seemed to be troubled by the fact that the Matte Glowless Metal was shared between the Lightning Sword Sect and the Sword of Radiance Sect.
He figured out that Lin Feng asked him to stay not because he wanted to make a fool out of him.
Lin Feng also smiled at him, "As compared to the Matte Glowless Metal, I believe that you will be more interested in this."
As he said, Lin Feng gestured in void space, forming a light figure. The image inside the light figure revealed a desert that looked like the Gobi Desert.
The Great Barren Swordmaster did not speak and only observed. The Lightning Swordmaster and the Supreme Radiance Swordmaster both did not speak either as they looked at the light figure.
The scenery in the light figure changed rapidly. From the skies, the view descended all the way into the desert and all the way down, till the depths of the sand.
Suddenly, a pitch-black image was formed, but there was a dim light shining.
The light spread in all directions and formed a ball. The Great Barren Swordmaster looked stunned, "This is the…Nine Netherworld Melted Jade? This thing can only be found in the Barren Expanses. I can’t believe that this Middle World has it too."
The Nine Netherworld Melted Jade was a precious treasure and was the best material to cultivate a magic item. Not only did it increase the quality of the magic item, it would also increase the success of cultivating the item.
At the same time, as the cultivator cultivated the Nine Netherworld Melted Jade, he could comprehend many way concepts.
This treasure also had the aura of primitivism. It would be a great help in the understanding of the concepts of barren life in the Primordial Age.
The top of the collection of the Great Barren Sect was the <>. The Nine Netherworld Melted Jade was very beneficial to the cultivators in the Great Barren Set.
At the same time, the Great Barren Sect was one of the best in cultivating magic items in the Divine Lands.
Their disciples possessed high standards of cultivating magic items. Although they were sword cultivators, they had all sorts of magic items. They were considered weirder among the sword cultivators.
For sword sects like Mount Shu, Lightning Sword Sect, Heavenly Master Sword Sect and the Sword of Radiance Sect, they had no other items except their swords.
Not only was the Great Barren Sword Sect not like that, they even possessed countless magic items of different origins. They even had more of these magic items than other sects which were not sword sects.
This was a special cultivation method derived from the <>. Everything had the sword as its core. After that, they were infused and cultivated, until a sword that truly belonged to them was finally obtained.