The lady sect elder's eyes held a curious light at this point.
The fear was still there, buried deep, but she had covered it with logic and control.
She had chosen not to fight anymore. She had chosen to treat Aksai not as an enemy, but as someone who could be a powerful ally.
Even though she had made this call because of her current situation, her offer was genuine. It would be stupid to engage in a death match with someone who she couldn't hurt using her excellent assassination skills. Especially when that someone had beyond-normal means to protect himself.
Aksai was currently surrounded by the mysteries in the lady sect elder's eyes. As such, she decided to play safe.
And for a moment, the dome felt quieter than before. All eyes were now on Aksai, waiting for his answer.
Aksai slowly reached up and scratched his beardless chin as he stared into the flickering campfire. The orange and yellow flames danced in his eyes, but his mind was far from the warmth of the fire.
Thanks to the lady elder's words, Aksai was made aware of a lot of things at once. Her proposal was treated as a treasure trove of information by Aksai who had been away from the news related to the Emerald Cove for quite some time.
"Hmm… it seems things are worse than I imagined in the Dadangar Seas these days," he muttered softly, more to himself than anyone else.
Even before leaving Emerald Cove, Aksai had known the conflict between the Alliance and Kalingoot was growing. It was only a matter of time before that fire turned into a full-blown war.
But what he hadn't expected was for the situation to become so intense so quickly. The fact that mainland powers were now poking their heads into the trade wars of the archipelago made things even more complicated.
He scratched his chin again, more firmly this time, and frowned a little as another thought passed through his mind.
"I guess… it's all linked," he whispered. "I'm the one who chose to save the Blackblood Lord. I brought all three Core Formation Lords back from their entrapment in the Holy Land of Torel.
The balance of power was realized for a short time before it was destroyed again by the Blackblood Lord's death. The Yakha Lord's eventual public death, irrespective of the fact if he really dies in real life or not, is going to complicate the matters even more.
I decided to play the hero and now look at the mess…"
Aksai's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared into the flames, their light flickering across his face.
"So am I the reason behind my own problems? Is the unrest around Emerald Cove because of me?
Hmm. That might not be entirely true.
Maybe things would have unfolded in the same manner even if I didn't interfere in the Wild Devil Lands too much. But the eventuality of these things was sped up because of my actions.
Did my actions interfere in the Threads of Fate? Is that why that lass named Naisha called me a fate anomaly of the highest order?" he asked himself with a dry chuckle.
"Hmm. That's not a good thought to have, to be honest. Self-reflection… it's not always helpful. Sometimes it's better to just blame someone else and get on with your day. That way, at least, you can sleep better at night."
A small grin crept across his face as he looked up and met the lady elder's eyes. He spoke just loud enough so that his enemies could hear him clearly.
"I thank you for the offer, miss. I really do," Aksai said, his voice polite but firm.
"But Emerald Cove has no plans to break the neutrality we've built with the Big Five Sects or their allies. Neutrality is good for business. And I always support pro-business policies."
He paused for a moment, giving her time to listen carefully.
"As for your cooperation… we don't need it. Not if it comes at the cost of sharing direct trade profits.
Of course I, as an island owner of the Emerald Cove, can pay you for your efforts based on the level of contributions and also ask others to do the same. But I don't think your sect would be ready to be treated as mercenaries by us. You consider us to be the weaker side right?
You want to be our business partners– the worst kind among them. Someone who could get maximum benefits by doing bare minimum.
Hehehe. Do you think I don't know how the sects operate just because I'm a drifting cultivator? Let me ask you this—who are you to offer me a good deal?"
He tilted his head slightly, a mix of danger and amusement flickering in his eyes.
"I'll admit, I'm impressed. You changed your approach quickly after realizing my worth just from such a short interaction. The most update n0vels are published on novel~fire~net
Most people in your position would have stayed stubborn, tried to fight or bluff their way out. But you didn't. That shows you have brains. Still…"
Aksai sighed lightly and shook his head.
"So…. I have to decline. Not because of your strength or your influence, but because I don't trust sects—any sect. No matter their size, beliefs, or reputation.
The moment I rely on a sect, I become part of its rules. And I've worked too hard to be free just to tie myself down again."
Aksai's tone grew darker.
"As for the consequences of saying no to sects like yours? I've already accepted them.
Why do you think I disappeared into the Wild Devil Lands for so long? Why do you think I left behind the comfort of my home and chose to suffer all this while?
Let me tell you this—it wasn't for fun.
I may not be good at a lot of things. I may have a weak background in the Dadangar Subcontinent right now. But there's one thing I'm great at—it's the level of preparedness and patience I have for my enemies."
His smile returned, sharper now, more dangerous.
"I'm glad to announce that I've already prepared a lot. And now I'm ready for whatever you throw at me."
AN: Naisha calls Aksai a "fate anomaly of the highest order" in Chapter 269.
The coversation between Aksai and the Iron Mountain sect elders is meant to refresh some past events and show how everything connects to what's happening now.
In general, it is meant for readers who read more than one book at a time and tend to have a hard time recalling the background of some seemingly unimportant events previously mentioned in the storyline.
These callbacks also help weave a richer, more connected world.
That said, I get that for some of you who remember everything clearly, it might've felt like the pace dipped a bit. I feel you.
To make up for that, I'll be dropping a few extra chapters in a few hours to keep things flowing. Happy reading. :)