Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation

Chapter 436 - 252: Shangguan Qingying: Little Thief, What Reward Do You Want?

The surrounding powers were just waiting for the Zhao Family and Qin Family to cripple each other so they could swoop in and pick up the scraps.

Thus, two days later, Ling Changqing and the Zhao sisters returned safely to the clan headquarters.

By this time, the Qin Family’s Envoy had already reached an agreement with Shangguan Qingying and departed.

Inside the Matriarch’s Inner Study.

Shangguan Qingying sat elegantly on her chair, dressed in a magnificent, wide-sleeved palace gown of embroidered vermilion silk. Her dark hair was swept up into a high coiffure, revealing her snowy skin and jade-like face. Her Bronze Mask had been removed and set aside.

She no longer wore the mask when meeting with Ling Changqing these days.

"Mother, have the talks with the Qin Family reached a conclusion?"

After paying her respects, Zhao Wanyi asked softly.

"...That traitor, Zhao Hua, has been escorted back. He’s now locked in the dungeons, awaiting judgment,"

Shangguan Qingying looked at Ling Changqing and the two sisters, her expression relaxed as she said,

"Furthermore, the Qin Family has ceded territory equivalent to that of three Golden Core powers and will pay in Cultivation Resources worth ten thousand top-grade Spirit Stones, to be settled over three years."

In exchange, the Zhao Family promised not to attack Qin Family territory again. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire and would refrain from any further hostile actions.

The peace treaty was to be in effect for fifty years.

"Matriarch, do you really intend to give them fifty years?"

Ling Changqing asked.

"As if."

Shangguan Qingying’s smile was tinged with mockery. "We’ll be lucky if it even lasts ten or twenty years. As long as you become a Nascent Soul True Monarch, we’ll have what it takes to annihilate the Qin Family!"

’Treaties were made to be broken. In either his past life or this one, Ling Changqing had never heard of an eternal, unbreakable treaty.’

’The so-called "spirit of the contract" was, more often than not, the spirit of *abandoning* the contract.’

’Long-lasting treaties typically had strict conditions. The parties involved had to be of similar strength, and both had to benefit. Only then would they be motivated to uphold it.’

Ling Changqing nodded. "That’s for the best. The clan can use this period of peace to focus on recovering its strength."

Zhao Wanyi smiled. "Mother, we gained quite a lot from raiding the Qin Family’s territory. It’s perfect for replenishing the Clan Treasury."

With that, she took out several large-capacity Storage Magical Artifacts and handed them to Shangguan Qingying.

The Storage Magical Artifacts were filled with Spirit Stones of different grades, Spirit Gold Materials, various Spirit Medicines and Spiritual Herbs, Spirit Rice, Spirit Beast Meat, and other such resources, all plundered from the Qin Family’s holdings.

Of course, the Magical Artifacts, Magical Treasures, wealth, and resources on the fallen Qin Family Cultivators had also been looted clean, leaving them with absolutely nothing.

After Ling Changqing took inventory, he calculated that the total haul, if converted into top-grade Spirit Stones, would be worth over thirty thousand.

As per their prior agreement, Ling Changqing took half, while the rest went to the sisters.

Considering the clan’s tight finances in recent years, the Zhao sisters decided to contribute their share to the clan’s public treasury.

After all, when the two of them broke through to the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm, they had used the clan’s resources. It was only natural for them to give back to the clan now.

Shangguan Qingying did not refuse. "Very well. So be it."

"What about that disgusting Zhao Hua? Mother, how do you plan to deal with him?"

Zhao Wanqing asked abruptly.

"How else? A public execution, of course! We’ll make an example of him!"

Shangguan Qingying snorted. A traitor could hardly expect a good end.

Ling Changqing mused, "Killing him directly seems a bit of a waste. He is a Third Rank Alchemist, after all. What if... we imprison his Divine Soul and make him a slave?"

With his cultivation as a Golden Core Master and over two hundred years of lifespan remaining, we can have him refine all sorts of elixirs, year in and year out, for the rest of his life.

The value he could generate for the clan would be staggering.

"Hmm, your suggestion has merit. We’ll handle it that way."

Shangguan Qingying nodded. The Zhao Family clearly didn’t lack the Divine Techniques needed to control cultivator slaves.

After they spoke for a while longer, the Female Patriarch asked the sisters to leave first, as she had something to discuss with Ling Changqing in private.

Once the door to the study closed, Shangguan Qingying rose gracefully, her voluptuous yet slender form gliding closer.

"What can I do for you, Matriarch?"

Ling Changqing’s expression remained calm as he watched the peerless beauty who was now just a stone’s throw away.

Shangguan Qingying sized up the handsome, black-clad youth before her for a moment, then said in a low voice,

"Your actions this time have been a great service to the clan. If it weren’t for you, the Qin Family might not have given in so easily!"

Ling Changqing smiled. "It was merely my duty. Since I am their Dao Companion, it’s only right that I contribute to the clan."

Shangguan Qingying gave a soft, alluring smile and whispered, "That may be so, but I always reward merit and punish wrongdoing. You little rogue... what kind of reward do you want?"

Ling Changqing blinked, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You already know, Matriarch. Why bother asking?"

"..."

A blush instantly spread across the beauty’s flawless, fair face, and a clear flash of vexation appeared in her glistening eyes.

’This shameless little rogue! He really hasn’t given up his designs on me! Aren’t Zhao Wanyi and her sister enough for him that he still has to covet me?’

’Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that. I gave the scoundrel an opening, and he took it. Now it’s too awkward to back out.’

"How much longer until you can break through to the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm?"

After a moment’s thought, Shangguan Qingying changed the subject.

"Probably thirty to fifty years. That should be about right."