"Just tell us what you're really thinking. I'm done beating around the bush," Han Li said coldly, his expression entirely unaffected by Madam Yan's words.
Madam Yan's brow creased slightly. This young man was far more difficult to handle than she had anticipated. Neither soft nor hard tactics seemed to work on him — she felt almost at a loss.
*Do I really have to lay all my cards on the table and speak plainly?* Madam Yan was unwilling. She had wielded the Jiaojiao Society's power for so many years — when had she ever been forced to reveal her bottom line in a negotiation without gaining even the slightest advantage?
She glanced back at Fifth Madam Wang. Among all these sisters, only Wang had the ability to defy her decisions, so she wanted to see if the other had any better suggestions.
"Whatever terms we negotiate with this man, Fourth Sister, you may decide on your own. I have no objections," Wang said, reading Madam Yan's meaning clearly, her voice cold as ice.
Hearing this, Madam Yan felt a surge of relief and her heart settled somewhat.
"Very well. Since you have no interest in beating around the bush, then we sisters will be equally direct about our conditions." The moment these words left Madam Yan's lips, she completely regained the commanding presence befitting one of Jiayuan City's three great gang leaders. The image of a fragile, helpless woman vanished entirely, replaced by the air of authority that came from years of holding power.
"Now that's the kind of opponent I want to negotiate with," Han Li said with a faint smile.
"Annihilate the Jiaojiao Society's mortal enemies — the Five Color Gate and the Overlord Manor — and leave my Mo Estate free of future threats. In return, I will personally hand over the Warm Sun Jade and allow you to choose any one of Caihuan and the others as your wife."
"But if you intend to resort to force, or kidnap us sisters as leverage, then you've made a terrible miscalculation. I've already given the jade to a trusted confidant. At the slightest sign of trouble, the jade will be destroyed immediately, and we'll all perish together." Madam Yan's expression was stern and unyielding.
"Madam Yan, aren't you afraid of straining your tongue with all that wind? You want me — one person — to wipe out the Five Color Gate and the Overlord Manor? I'm genuinely impressed you could even think of that!" Han Li seemed to have anticipated Madam Yan's threats and showed no alarm.
He had long known that the Warm Sun Jade could not be obtained through brute force alone. Beyond the verbal threats, who knew how many hidden moves they had in reserve. Seizing them and forcing the jade's location out of them was the worst possible option — far better to have them hand it over willingly.
"But isn't Young Master Han a cultivator? How could those martial artists possibly stand against you? Besides, we're not asking you to slaughter every last one of their members — just make a few of their leaders disappear." This time it was the beautiful Third Madam, who gave Han Li an alluring, heart-stirring smile before speaking in a honeyed voice.
"So what if I'm a cultivator? I don't know about other cultivators, but I'm perfectly aware of my own abilities. I'm not foolish enough to single-handedly take on a gang of tens of thousands. And moreover — do you truly believe cultivators can slaughter ordinary people at will without any consequences?"
Han Li cast a cold glance at Third Madam, the chilling severity in his eyes freezing her smile in place. With the Eternal Spring Technique circulating through his body and his guard firmly up, her attempt at bewitching charm was utterly futile!
"Young Master means to say there are restrictions on cultivators dealing with us ordinary folk?" Madam Yan asked, somewhat surprised.
"I don't know the exact details myself. After all, I only recently became a cultivator and haven't truly come into contact with these rules," Han Li replied lightly. Then, seeing Madam Yan about to speak again, he waved his hand to cut her off and continued in a cold tone: "But anyone with half a brain can figure it out — if cultivators could freely attack ordinary people, how could your so-called three great powers of Lan Prefecture, three great gangs of Jiayuan City, still exist to this day? You'd have been wiped out countless times by unscrupulous cultivators long ago. And you ladies might well have become their playthings."
Han Li's final words were completely devoid of tact, bringing a flush of crimson to the women's faces — though their eyes also betrayed a flicker of fear.
"But that's merely your guess, Young Master. It may not be true at all!" Madam Yan was still unwilling to give up and continued trying to persuade Han Li.
"Even if there's only a one percent chance, I'm not about to go looking for my own death." Han Li left Madam Yan not a shred of hope, refusing her any room for illusion.
"So you intend to swindle us out of nothing — to take our daughters' dowry without paying a thing?" Madam Yan's face darkened, and she placed deliberate, heavy emphasis on the word "dowry."
Hearing her put it that way, Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he felt a knot of frustration.
*The Yin poison in my body was given to me by your husband in the first place. The fact that I haven't come after you for that should be enough — what more do you want?* he thought bitterly.
But Han Li also knew that saying such things now would accomplish nothing. These women clearly would not hand over the Warm Sun Jade unless they got something out of him.
So Han Li lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up, cleared his throat, and spoke in a clear, ringing voice: "I'll give you two paths. Choose one."
"First: the entire Mo Estate immediately packs up and sets out, preparing to leave Lan Prefecture for good. Find a place where none of your enemies' reach can extend, settle down as an ordinary wealthy family, and live out the rest of your lives in peace, far removed from the world of gangs and bloodshed. I can guarantee your safety along the entire journey — no pursuing enemies will lay a finger on you."
Han Li paused here and studied the women's reactions.
Second Madam Li seemed somewhat tempted, but Madam Yan and Third Madam Liu both sat in silence — clearly they did not agree with this proposal. As for Fifth Madam Wang, Han Li didn't even bother looking at her. With that icy demeanor of hers, nothing useful could be read from her face anyway.
Seeing this, Han Li smiled coldly to himself. Madam Yan and Third Madam Liu were both women of considerable ambition. Asking them to surrender the Jiaojiao Society's power and become village housewives — of course they would never agree. He had known this the moment he made the proposal.
"And the other choice?" Third Madam couldn't help pressing when she saw Han Li had stopped speaking.
"There is another path..."
Han Li rose from his chair, stood, and gazed slowly at the ceiling as he laid out the alternative — one he knew Madam Yan and the others would inevitably choose.