After delivering their tribute and getting twenty percent back, Gao Yunting was so moved, he could cry.
The Gao Family supplied an awful lot of resources each time. Even twenty percent was worth more than the combined resources of some Sky Great Districts.
This twenty percent was comparable to a dozen immortal kings’ lifetime earnings.
As he watched the Gao Family depart, Ye Zichen’s thoughts raced as he considered Chi Mei’s actions. Giving away that twenty percent was a masterstroke; it alleviated Gao Yunting’s suspicion and turned his focus onto the resources instead.
“Here’s what we agreed on: half each.” She tossed a ring at Ye Zichen, which he caught. He examined its contents, and when he saw the sheer number of medicines, weapons, and talismans within, even he couldn’t help but gasp.
No wonder Gao Yunting was so grateful for her generosity. With just that twenty percent, he could likely establish a top-class family clan in the Sky Great District.
But Ye Zichen wasn’t Gao Yunting. These resources weren’t enough to buy him.
He put the ring away, then his gaze landed on Chi Mei. “Shouldn’t we have a nice chat about what happened earlier?”
When Jiao Qi and Meng Huairong heard that, they tensed up, and they looked at Chi Mei in awe.
Ye Zichen noted their expressions, but Chi Mei feigned cuteness. She pouted and batted her eyes, then grabbed at Ye Zichen’s hand.
“Sweetie, what are you saying? I didn’t do it on purpose!”
“It wasn’t on purpose?” Ye Zichen smiled calmly. He wasn’t a narrow-minded person, and although he’d been in grave peril, he’d survived without any serious injuries.
Instead of arguing with Chi Mei over this, he’d rather find out why she’d done it.
Besides, he could tell that she didn’t really want to kill him.
“You tricked me here, then led Jiao Qi and Meng Huairong away from me. Chi Mei, to tell the truth, I can’t see through you.”
“Sweetie, are you saying that I’m conniving? I’m pure-hearted, okay!?” As she spoke, she put her hands on her cheeks, batted her glossy eyes, and shook her head back and forth.
Jiao Qi and Meng Huairong looked at her in bewilderment. In truth, they’d been wondering what this lofty figure was up to as well.
From her behavior, anyone with a functional brain could tell she was up to something.
Ye Zichen chuckled and shook his head. Jiao Qi had treated his wounds, so most of the spiritual power he’d spent unleashing the Heaven Plundering Strike had already recovered.
If Chi Mei didn’t want to tell him the truth, there was no need to press the issue. “Then let’s just end things here. Going forward, it would be best if we didn’t meet again.”
He turned and led his subordinates away, but before he’d taken more than a few steps, Chi Mei shot towards him, spread her arms wide, and blocked his path. “If you don’t forgive me, I won’t let you leave!”
When he saw this, Ye Zichen couldn’t help but sigh. He cocked his head and saw that Chi Mei seemed somewhat angry at herself.
“Then what do you want from me?” he said helplessly. “I already told you….. I can’t see through you. I’m already walking on thin ice, so there’s absolutely no way I can get close to someone I don’t understand. You’re mysterious, and privy to all sorts of information no ordinary person has access to you. Also, I can tell that you’ve shown up these past few times in part to test me. I can’t stand that sort of thing.”
“Fine, I’ll just tell you the truth,” she said, seemingly truly afraid that he was angry at her. She wrinkled her brow, pouted her lips, and said, “I really was testing you!”
Her response didn’t surprise Ye Zichen at all. After all, he just said that he could tell she was testing him. He didn’t respond in any way. He simply stared coolly at her and prepared to hear her explanation.
“You have the Yao-Sealing Pagoda, don’t you?”
Even though he’d already guessed that she knew about the pagoda’s existence, hearing those words come out of her mouth shook him to the core.
After a brief internal struggle, Ye Zichen nodded.
“I’m sure you value this pagoda too, but you might not fully understand it. Let me tell you, the Yao-Sealing Pagoda is an ultimate treasure that even the God Emperor, Emperor Hades, and the Demon Emperor covet.
Ye Zichen instinctively rubbed his spatial ring. He knew that the pagoda had something to do with the God Emperor, but that was it. When he heard that Hades and the Demon Emperor coveted it too, his spirits sunk.
“What’s so special about the Yao-Sealing Pagoda?”
“Once you’ve opened the fourth layer, you’ll naturally find out. What you’ve seen so far is nothing but the tip of the iceberg. Once you’ve fully unlocked it, you’ll naturally understand just why all three realm’s emperors value it so highly.”
Chi Mei didn’t answer his question directly, but her expression was utterly grave as she said, “I needed to know what you had left up your sleeve after I took away the pagoda, and if you had sufficient power to protect such a priceless treasure. If you didn’t, I’d have to take it away, even if I can’t put it to use. That’s because we absolutely can’t let it fall into any of the three emperor’s hands. This test was, in truth, because I want to cooperate with you.”
“Cooperate?” Ye Zichen furrowed his brows.
“Opening the Yao-Sealing Pagoda requires the Dao of the Five Elements, the very dao you cultivate. That means that the pagoda is useless without you. Besides, from what I saw earlier, your comprehension of it isn’t shallow. That last strike in particular was stunning; even I was moved.”
As she spoke, she smiled with her eyes, and she made no effort to act cute. Her vibrant smile and delight came straight from the heart. She stretched out her right hand and beamed at him. “Since the Five Elements Great Emperor chose you, we’re all in the same boat, and since you took the Yao-Sealing Pagoda, you’re destined to stand against the God Emperor. In that case…. We welcome you to join us.”
She held her pale hands in front of Ye Zichen, but he just looked at it without taking it or responding.
“Who…. who exactly are you people?”
“Us? Haven’t you already guessed? We’re the Five Elements Great Emperor’s….. Descendants!” Ye Zichen didn’t respond to their offer. He needed a bit more time to think things over before joining them.
When he left the pocket dimension, the space around Chi Mei distorted, and a man appeared beside her.
If Ye Zichen were here, he’d undoubtedly be utterly astonished. This was the same man who’d pushed him to the brink of death, the Xiao Family emissary who’d taken his Heaven Plundering Strike.
