Chapter 415: Chapter 413: Negotiating Peace

“Not good!”

The Ten Extreme Ghost Nether Array suddenly collapsed, and Three Flowers True Monarch’s face turned pale with shock. She hurriedly slapped away hundreds of Fire Devouring Ants that surged towards her face, twisted her body, let out a fierce shout that made her hair stand on end, and was about to use Water Escape to flee.

However, within the collapsing array, three silhouettes turned into afterimages and poured down. Covered in blood, True Monarch Qi Xing, with the Yimu Divine Ruler in hand, caused a flash of light that instantly shortened the spatial distance, and “pulled” Three Flowers True Monarch, who had been a thousand feet away, back.

“Chi!”

A blazing sword light swept across from below; it was a strike from Lin Tiannan.

Three Flowers True Monarch grunted, her demonic aura shattered at her abdomen, and the fierce Sword intent surged in, severely wounding her in an instant by Lin Tiannan’s hand.

“You!”

Her face full of anger, she looked up only to see a stunningly beautiful female cultivator lift her Sword point to the top of her skull, precisely True Monarch Liu Yun.

“Pu!”

Golden light surged, a sword full of overwhelming Sword intent burst forth from True Monarch Liu Yun’s fingertip, instantly piercing through Three Flowers True Monarch’s skull. Accompanied by the spray of fresh blood, Three Flowers True Monarch staggered back. Despite the Demon Clan’s strong physique, she had already entered a dying state.

“Break!”

Just then, a streak of lightning flanked by sea water shot from the side, instantly illuminating the blood-stained face of Three Flowers True Monarch. Ning Daoran’s figure flashed past, and his sword light just grazed her.

“Sizzling~~~”

In the water, streams of golden Thunder Sword passed through, directly penetrating Three Flowers True Monarch’s heart.

“You…”

Three Flowers True Monarch’s mind went blank; she had never dreamed that she would ultimately die by the hand of a Golden Core cultivator.

Ning Daoran twisted his body and waved his palm, a Golden Silk Sword swept across like lightning, and in the next moment, Three Flowers True Monarch’s head floated in the sea on its own initiative. Her Nascent Soul turned into a blood-colored little figure, which vanished in a flash, escaping desperately!

“Go up!”

Lin Tiannan took to his sword and soared upwards to support the battlefield.

True Monarch Qi Xing and True Monarch Liu Yun each swallowed elixirs that healed and restored Mana and followed Lin Tiannan to the battlefield above the sea.

Ning Daoran frowned, raised his hand to collect Three Flowers True Monarch’s Storage Bag, as well as her physical body, into his bag, then opened the Spirit Beast Bag and took in the remaining Fire Devouring Ants.

It pained his heart, having bred the Fire Devouring Ants for over a hundred years to a population of four hundred thousand, only to lose more than half in this battle, now leaving only around one hundred twenty to thirty thousand.

Fortunately, in the end, they saved three Nascent Souls, so these Fire Devouring Ants did not die in vain.

“Return!”

Ning Daoran slapped the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven, and instantly Big Stupid Deer, Little Blackie, Little Bai, and others all returned into the Grotto Heaven to continue their Cultivation. There was basically no need to concern themselves with the matters outside anymore.

…

After a few breaths, Ning Daoran emerged from the water with his sword.

The moment he broke the water’s surface, he saw Lin Tiannan and True Monarch Qi Xing taking different routes to attack the Purple Flame Demon Lord of Sangyu Country. Besides, Monarch Ling Fu was covered in blood in the sky, already staggering, severely injured, but had no thought of backing down and still held her sword fighting against several other Nascent Souls of Sangyu Country.

Above the sea surface, only two of the Wanhua Sword Sect’s five peaks remained intact.

Nian Wuya, with his entire left arm dangling and mangled, still wielded his sword in his right hand, walked on water, and said in a deep voice, “Those who are not yet dead, gather around me, we’ll form the third Sword Array!”

At once, disciples from Wanhua Sword Sect flew in from all directions, their Sword intents converging, with Nian Wuya at the lead. In a blink, they formed a new sword array for Wanhua Sword Sect, though everyone inside was badly injured, some with robes already dyed red with blood, and some were missing arms and legs, having fought to an extremely tragic extent.

“Brother Ning…”

Seeing Ning Daoran emerge from the water, utterly exhausted, Nian Wuya couldn’t help but smile: “Fortunately, we’ve accomplished our mission!”

“Mm!”

Ning Daoran gave a firm fist salute.

On Sangyu Country’s side, the morale of the army was gradually in chaos.

“Three Flowers True Monarch has fallen… Our Sangyu Country’s number one Array Master, Three Flowers True Monarch has fallen, what should we do now? Without Three Flowers True Monarch’s Array to support us, how can we contend against them?”

“It’s over…”

With the fall of a Nascent Soul demon cultivator, the fighting spirit of the cultivators from Sangyu Country was gradually dissolving. Even the Purple Flame Demon Lord and True Monarch Qing Lin could not reverse such a situation.

More importantly, in this battle, Sangyu Country’s losses in the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators were far greater than Xia Country’s, especially under the ravages of the Spirit Light Cannon, Arrays, and Paper Substitutes, Sangyu Country’s forces suffered heavy losses, with at least half the casualties!

What’s even more fatal is that… Sangyu Country had sent out all its forces this time, and losing more than half of its strength meant that even if this Cultivation World war ended, Sangyu Country’s power would plummet, unable to contend with Xia Country anymore!

“Retreat!”

Purple Flame Demon Lord swung his battle blade, instantly releasing several slashes that swept across, but they were all neutralized by True Monarch Qi Xing with the Yimu Divine Ruler. He raised his sword eyebrows: “Fall back to East Fence Island to reorganize!”

“Woosh~~~”

The sound of conch horns from the rear of Sangyu Country cultivators’ army rang out, and immediately the figures of warriors willing to die appeared, holding back the Xia Country cultivators’ army and buying time for the retreat of the Sangyu Country people.

Lin Tiannan wouldn’t be polite, promptly leading his troops in a covered assault!

…

After several more days of intense battle, both sides fell into a stalemate.

Xia Country garrisoned the Three Liuhua Islands, while Sangyu Country stationed itself on East Fence Island, a thousand miles away. Though there were still minor skirmishes at sea, the two armies had reached an unspoken agreement and entered a period of recuperation.

After several months.

In the evening, within a pavilion near the cliffside of Liu Hua Island’s Main Peak, Lin Tiannan and the Nascent Souls of Xia Country sat quietly sipping Spiritual Tea. The island’s pleasant climate produced an exquisite flavor of Spiritual Tea, a unique treasure of Yunzhou.

“It seems that Sangyu Country has been wounded, with almost no cultivators coming over to harass us these days.”

True Monarch Qi Xing took a sip of his tea and smiled, “Could it be they are really going to retreat?”

“The war has cost Sangyu Country dearly.”

Monarch Ling Fu said, “However, we still owe thanks to Young Friend Ning. Without Young Friend Ning breaking through the Three Flowers True Monarch’s array, this war might have dragged on much longer.”

Ning Daoran just smiled awkwardly and clasped his fist in a salute.

“Indeed.”

Lin Tiannan said, “For this war, the three eastern states of Xia Country have exhausted all efforts, and Kunpeng Immortal City is nearly depleted. Even so, many of our cultivators have perished. You must have heard that Sangyu Country is spreading rumors of seeking peace. In these past few days, within Kunpeng Immortal City, voices supporting peace negotiations have been significant. Everyone is weary of battle and does not wish to continue like this.”

“If we are to negotiate peace, Sangyu Country must be the first to speak up.”

True Monarch Liu Yun said, “Xia Country currently has the upper hand, we have no need to initiate peace talks.”

“That makes sense.”

True Monarch Qi Xing deeply agreed.

Ning Daoran didn’t say much; the matter of war or peace between two countries was not something a minor Golden Core Stage practitioner like him could influence. It didn’t matter to him, for he would leave Flowing Flower Island before long.

…

In the blink of an eye, three years passed.

This year, Ning Daoran was 305 years old.

Above the Eastern Sea, the armies of both countries had been in a deadlock for three years, with constant minor Fight Techniques, but no large-scale battles had taken place as both entered a tacit understanding.

At this time, during the spring plowing season with all things rejuvenating, the air was filled with the fragrance of earth.

On the south side of Liu Hua Island, a group of Spirit farmers were sowing new year’s tea and Spirit Rice. Ning Daoran, accompanied by Huang Yiyi, inspected the restoration of farming on the island, hands clasped behind his back, the very image of an Immortal Charm.

“Island Master!”

At this moment, a Golden Core Middle Stage Practitioner rushed over and said while clasping his fist, “Sangyu Country has dispatched an envoy claiming that the Purple Flame Demon Lord, True Monarch Qing Lin, Iron Wood Demon Lord, and Demon Lord of Forgotten Love, four Nascent Soul Great Cultivators desire to visit the island and discuss a peace settlement with City Lord Lin and others.”

“Oh?”

Ning Daoran lifted his eyebrow slightly, “Such matters need not concern me, go and consult with City Lord Lin. If he nods, then open the Array and allow Sangyu Country’s Nascent Souls onto the island.”

“Yes!”

Soon after, Lin Tiannan, True Monarch Qi Xing, and others set up a pot of tea in an estate on the east side of Liu Hua Island, waiting for the Nascent Souls of Sangyu Country to come to the island to negotiate peace. As the Island Master of Flowing Flower Island, Ning Daoran also had the qualification to attend.

It seemed Sangyu Country was really on its last legs, thus sending four Nascent Souls to risk coming to Flowing Flower Island for peace talks.

The essence of the peace talks was that Sangyu Country was afraid that after their retreat, they would be pursued and attacked by Xia Country. If Xia Country was so inclined, they could indeed rally all forces from the twelve states and hunt down Sangyu Country’s cultivators’ army, and in one fell swoop invade Sangyu Country, annexing its territory into Xia Country. These possibilities were all on the table.

About two hours later.

Four powerful Nascent Soul auras appeared above the Eastern Sea, and not long after, Purple Flame Demon Lord, garbed in purple robes and holding a battle saber, twirled and landed within a gap in the Great Array of Liu Hua Island, followed closely by True Monarch Qing Lin in green robes.

Afterward, the two Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivators, Iron Wood Demon Lord and Demon Lord of Forgotten Love, arrived. All the participatory Nascent Souls from Sangyu Country, except for the perished Three Flowers True Monarch, were now present at this meeting.

…

In the open garden of the estate, the seating arrangement was extremely delicate, with four Nascent Souls from Sangyu Country on one side, four from Xia Country on the other, and Ning Daoran, as the Island Master, personally brewed Spiritual Tea for the eight Nascent Soul Great Cultivators, demonstrating excellent skill.

However, on Sangyu Country’s side, Iron Wood Demon Lord and Demon Lord of Forgotten Love twitched the corners of their mouths involuntarily as they looked at the Spiritual Tea in front of them, wondering if the infamous Jianjia Old Demon might have poisoned their drink?

As the Spiritual Tea went down their throats, the parties began to exchange pleasantries.

The small talk mainly revolved around themes like “We were compelled to start this war in the Cultivation World”, “Let’s not dwell on past grudges”, “Both sides have suffered tremendous losses, we should not be too aggressive”, and so forth, with high-level exchanges emphasizing hypocrisy.

“Purple Flame Taoist.”

Lin Tiannan, with folded arms and body leaning back, looked at the opposite Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator from a condescending position, and said, “Since your country desires peace, let’s get straight to the point. What kind of peace are you proposing, and what kind of sincerity are you prepared to offer?”

“Well…”

The Purple Flame Demon Lord narrowed his eyes and said, “Weapons do not discriminate, continued warfare is disadvantageous for both our nations. Instead, it may benefit Li Country to the west. In my view, why don’t our two countries each send out their respective geniuses for a total of five matches? The side with the most victories shall be deemed the winner, deciding the outcome with the least cost. Fellow Daoist Lin, what do you think of this proposal?”