Upon hearing this, Imperial Advisor Gongyang was dumbfounded. To obtain the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng, the Soul Eater Leader was willing to degrade himself to a mere guard?
Who was his friend? His infatuated lover?
Of course, Imperial Advisor Gongyang did not realize that Sikong Jing’s goal was to stay by her side to ambush the possible appearance of Mo Ci.
"Soul Eater Leader must be joking; I wouldn’t dare to employ a guard like you."
"Besides, you aren’t worth hiring."
Imperial Advisor Gongyang showed a mocking expression, finally able to ridicule the Soul Eater.
Her implicit meaning was, do you really think you’re so strong, that your worth is high enough to exchange for the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng?
Sikong Jing narrowed his eyes and countered, "So you’re saying, letting go of three hundred thousand Jianghu people, sparing you and the Moon Soul Group, disbanding the Soul Stealers, and even having me as a guard— all these bargaining chips put together are still not sufficient?"
Watching Sikong Jing, whose tone was becoming increasingly sinister, Imperial Advisor Gongyang couldn’t help but feel an abrupt unease in her heart.
But she promptly replied, "Yes, still not enough."
The initiative was in her hands, and the other party was eager to get the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng, so she had nothing to fear...
Of course, Imperial Advisor Gongyang then softened her tone and said, "Of course, if you can achieve all the chips you’ve mentioned, I can decide to have my grandfather personally treat your friend. You may not need the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng."
She knew very well that she couldn’t press the negotiation too hard or leave the opponent with no way out.
Otherwise, it would be dangerous not only for herself but also for the three hundred thousand Jianghu people.
"No need, my friend definitely requires the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng, and the person making the diagnosis isn’t inferior in medical expertise to Imperial Advisor Gongyang," Sikong Jing bluntly rejected the proposal.
Not to mention the medical skills of Gongyang Ren, just consider Beigong Xianfeng... To entrust treatment to Gongyang Ren, wouldn’t that be courting death?
One was the Great Imperial Advisor of the War Soul Dynasty, and the other the old Marshal of the Long Night Empire— they were like fire and water.
"Since it’s not enough, I shall continue to raise the stakes," Sikong Jing said, not waiting for Imperial Advisor Gongyang to answer, his tone remained calm.
And Imperial Advisor Gongyang’s eyes glinted; there were more bargaining chips?
What kind of chips could it be this time?
The openly known chips of the Soul Eater had been exhausted; it could only be some treasure or something formidable now, right?
But Sikong Jing’s next words were completely beyond Imperial Advisor Gongyang’s expectations; he simply stated, "The next bargaining chip is the safety of the entire Wang Hun State."
Imperial Advisor Gongyang asked in puzzlement, "What do you mean?"
Sikong Jing responded gravely, "It means, I will take down Wang Hun State and cause a disturbance within the War Soul Dynasty."
"My Soul Stealers will raid the various large and small cities within the boundaries of Wang Hun State."
"Since Miss Gongyang believes the previous chips are still insufficient, I shall just have to take down some more to bring back to the table."
When his voice fell, a domineering Battle Aura burst forth from Sikong Jing’s entire body.
And Imperial Advisor Gongyang was completely flabbergasted, her mouth agape, "Soul Eater Leader, are you daydreaming?"
To take down Wang Hun State, with just a mere hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand low-level Soul Stealers, how could that be possible?
If this wasn’t fanciful thinking, what was?
"Miss Gongyang, you don’t believe it?" Sikong Jing slowly stood up, squinting his eyes at her.
Imperial Advisor Gongyang gradually regained her composure, smiling as she spoke, "Do you think I should believe it? Though, I still highly suggest you give it a try. After all, with such a notion, you’re very likely to meet your demise immediately."
The Soul Stealers were formidable precisely because of the Luohun Road, and the Soul Penetration Mountain afforded them the ability to appear and disappear like ghosts.
Without the Soul Penetration Mountain and Luohun Road, they’d simply become ordinary mountain bandits.
If the Soul Eater Leader truly harbored such delusions of grandeur to try it, then Miss Gongyang really wouldn’t mind waiting in the lair for a while because what would surely follow was the news of the Soul Eaters and the Soul Stealers being completely annihilated.
As such, she and the thirty thousand Jianghu people would naturally be rescued.
"Since Miss Gongyang has said so, then I shall comply respectfully," said Sikong Jing.
With that, he called out loudly, "Someone come."
Ning Jingjing stepped forward and asked, "Boss, what are your orders?"
"Miss Gongyang is being uncooperative. Take down all one hundred thousand Jianghu people outside, including Yan Qihuan, and strip them of their treasures and weapons. Equip our brothers with whatever is useful," Sikong Jing commanded.
Instantly, a sharp light flashed in Ning Jingjing’s eyes as she replied, "Understood!"
Having said this, she turned and left while Sikong Jing took his seat once again.
Not long after, intense fighting noises erupted from outside the lair, and in just a quarter of an hour, the sounds of battle subsided.
The sound of footsteps arose once more as Ning Jingjing returned to Sikong Jing’s presence, reporting softly, "Boss, Yan Qihuan and all members of the Moon Soul Group have been captured, not a single one escaped."
Miss Gongyang’s gaze shifted slightly with a hint of surprise. Yan Qihuan and the Moon Soul Group had been defeated too quickly.
The Soul Stealers were indeed formidable.
"As per the Boss’s orders, all their weapons and treasures were stripped off. The brothers are very happy, and quite a few have been asking when they can enjoy the company of the Jianghu heroines?"
As Ning Jingjing spoke, the corner of her mouth curled up, and she strived to become even more wicked.
In an instant, Miss Gongyang shot up from her seat, her expression filled with ferocity and indignation.
But Sikong Jing’s face remained expressionless as he said, "Tell the brothers not to be in a hurry, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
"Now issue my command for Sui Yu to lead fifty thousand men out. By this time tomorrow, I want the living Lord of Wuwang City to be brought before me."
Upon hearing this, a gleam shone in Ning Jingjing’s eyes, and she left with a sinister laugh.
Because of Miss Gongyang’s lack of cooperation, Sikong Jing was preparing to make a big move against the War Soul Dynasty; what was to come would surely be thrilling.
In a blink of an eye, only Sikong Jing and Miss Gongyang were left in the courtyard.
The latter glared intensely at Sikong Jing, saying, "You think that fifty thousand mountain bandits can take down Wuwang City and capture the Lord of Wuwang City alive? Soul Eater Leader, aren’t you being a bit too ambitious?"
Sending out fifty thousand mountain bandits was, in fact, even more wildly imaginative than before.
Sikong Jing, however, didn’t answer directly. He smiled and said, "Miss Gongyang, I’ve stopped my brothers from indulging in their pleasure with the Jianghu heroines, as a show of my sincerity. I hope that you won’t disappoint me later."
"Otherwise, the consequences will be much more severe."
"Besides, capturing Wang Hun State is surely simpler than using you as a hostage to provoke the Great Imperial Advisor into madness, right?"
After speaking, Sikong Jing pointed to a room inside the courtyard and added, "Until I capture Wang Hun State as a bargaining chip, Miss Gongyang will have to trouble herself with staying here... Oh, and there will be no maids during this time."
Sikong Jing smiled faintly and also left the courtyard.
Of course, there would be no maids, for the maids could only be the families of the Luohun True Thieves, an instability Sikong Jing wouldn’t entertain.
Watching Sikong Jing’s retreating figure, Miss Gongyang’s eyes flashed coldly, and she huffed before returning to the room.
She still didn’t believe that fifty thousand mountain bandits could take down Wuwang City.