"Second discussion."

"The one-third share is well-calculated; it won't make these Northern Barbarians desperate enough to fight us to the death, yet it offers us sufficient profit to share. As for their remaining wealth..."

"Having arrived in our Southern Domain, these Northern refugee cultivators need to start afresh. How could they have any remaining finances? What, do the cultivation spirit veins come free of charge, or do the residences not cost anything? Not to mention the spiritual objects of our Southern Domain barely suffice for us eight families; if these Northerners want to purchase them, they must pay a high price!"

"Besides, we've spent a fortune building this massive array for the protection of refugee cultivators. Charging them a protection fee wouldn't be unreasonable, right?"

"The term 'protection fee' sounds unpleasant; let's phrase it differently."

"And the costs of array maintenance in the future, which is a bigger issue, can't always be split among our eight families. We have to recoup it from them somehow."

"I think they might need some magical artifacts for protection now that they've just fled from the north. It just so happens that my Liuu Family has some 'premium' artifacts in stock. At this moment, isn't it reasonable to sell them at an increased price?"

"Stockpile accumulation? Liuu Runxi, your Liuu Family domain doesn't have many metal mines; even the magical artifacts you produce aren't adequate for your own family use. Where did you get this stockpile of artifacts?"

"Well, not having now doesn't mean we won't have any after they arrive."

"What do you mean?"

"What he means is that we accept these cultivators fleeing from the north, but for the safety of the ordinary people in the Southern Domain, we can't allow these Northern Domain people to enter carrying magical artifacts."

"Seize their artifacts first, then turn around and sell them back?"

"I didn't say that."

"Hahaha, Liuu Runxi, you rascal, you can't do it like that. You could sell others to them and then sell theirs to other Northern Barbarians...."

The Longevity Hall, the most spacious hall within Ziwei Mountain, was last used during Chen Zhixing's wedding. At that time, everyone seemed jubilant, and greetings were exchanged with smiles.

But now.

The bloody scent emerging from the discussions in this room might not be any less than the massacre by Northern Domain sea demons.

Perhaps even more...

After the terms and compromises were agreed upon among the eight noble families, they, having formed a strategic alliance in record time, began discussing the ultimate and most crucial topic of this meeting.

How to cause a collapse in the Northern Domain direction, allowing the sea demons to invade the Central and Eastern Wilderness,

...

By dusk, after smilingly arranging residences for these seven families on Ziwei Mountain,

a thoroughly exhausted Chen Daoshan slowly walked back to his own dwelling.

Playing mind games with these morally corrupt, dirty old folks—treating opportunities and interests as life and death—truly was something that wore Chen Daoshan out.

But he was already very old. Let him bear the burden of such matters.

Opening the gate of the courtyard.

Waiting for Chen Daoshan inside was not his old wife, but Chen Tianyuan, holding two jars of liquor in his hands.

"Grandson Daoshan, greetings to Ancestor Tianyuan."

"Rise, these past few days must have been hard on you."

Looking at the descendant in front of him, who clearly still had a long lifespan yet appeared already decrepit, Chen Tianyuan was momentarily at a loss on how to comfort him.

After a moment's thought, the Chen Family Ancestor handed over the liquor jar in his hand.

"Have a drink. A bit of alcohol might ease your heart."

"....." After hesitating for a moment, Chen Daoshan finally accepted the jar and took a hearty swig.

The liquor was bitter and spicy!

"Ancestor, you're of advanced age and much experience. I'm curious about something—can you help me resolve it?"

"Speak."

"Those few I received today during the meeting, I thought that such people shouldn't exist in this world. But are they inherently villains stripped of flesh and bone, or are they pitiable creatures driven by their positions?"

"Why, do you regret it?"

"I'm just purely curious!"

"Why be curious about this?"

"Ancestor, you don't understand."

"What?"

"I'm genuinely curious because when discussing strategies to skin and bleed them dry, I suddenly found myself quite talented in this area. As long as I don't see the plight of those harmed or eaten by sea demons, I feel not a shred of guilt."

Chen Tianyuan: "....."

Suddenly wanted to snatch the liquor jar back from the hands of this little old man. He hadn't brewed this for scoundrels!

"Ancestor, do you think I was born a villain, a wicked Celestial Saint?"

"This question, you'll have to ask your grandfather."

"My grandfather would just ask you next? Isn't it straightforward to ask you directly? After all, you're the ancestor."

"With that logic, I'd have to ask my father too!"

"Uh.... he's been gone for so many years; let's not disturb him, shall we?"

"Heh, it seems you handle this matter just fine! You're well-suited for such tasks!"

"Hahaha, indeed, very suited! It's ultimately the strong preying on the weak. Such immoral tasks should fall to an old guy like me who's about to die and isn't much use...."

That night, the little old man Chen Daoshan indulged in a night of drunkenness.

The following day, upon entering the Longevity Hall, he transformed back into the tremulous little old man who seemed as though a gust of wind could blow him away. Swaying from side to side, he mediated the conflicts among the other seven families, ultimately ensuring that the interests he represented from the Chen Family became mainstream.

Everyone has a role they can play, even a worthless person eventually has their time of use.

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