After lingering for several days among the Luo God Clan, Liu Xi finally decided it was time to collect the ransom.
Though he had made a certain "agreement" with Luo Tianshen, Liu Xi wasn't worried that the Luo God Clan would go boasting about it. They weren't foolish — not when the Maha Clan and the Buddha Clan might seize any excuse to crush them.
Right now, the Luo God Clan was too small, too weak. If they were on the level of a supreme force, such publicity could have bolstered their prestige. But in their current state, the only thing it would earn them was trouble.
That was the way of the world: when one's virtue did not match one's station, calamity always followed.
---
When Liu Xi returned to the mountain valley, the surrounding ten-thousand-zhang radius was already teeming with curious spectators — cultivators who had gathered to gawk or gather rumors.
But none could get close. The captives — Futu Xuan, Maha Tian, and the other Saints and Heavenly Sovereigns — were sealed within an independent space. Even the most daring bystanders couldn't reach them.
Three days later, the first ransom arrived.
---
Atop a high peak, the envoys of the Buddha Clan finally met Liu Xi — and also saw Qin Tian and Qing Shan, who had stayed behind to witness the outcome.
Their presence wasn't merely courtesy. Both men commanded considerable backing across the Great Thousand Worlds, and their lingering presence here signified silent support for Liu Xi. Besides, Liu Xi's refined divine pills weren't something they would walk away from lightly.
Under the gaze of several powerful Heavenly Sovereigns, the envoy from the Buddha Clan — a robed elder named Qing Tian — could not help but feel uneasy, even though he too was a Late Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign.
His eyes darted nervously until they landed upon Qing Yanjing, and at once, his expression brightened with a newfound confidence.
"Greetings, gentlemen," Qing Tian said, clasping his hands respectfully. "I am Elder Qing Tian of the Buddha Clan. By order of our Clan Leader, I have come to ransom our Great Elder and the others."
Liu Xi studied him for a moment, then glanced at Qing Yanjing. He understood instantly.
Sending a member of the Qing Lineage — the same branch as Qing Yanjing — was a deliberate choice. Clearly, the Buddha Clan's leader hoped to soften him through her.
Liu Xi didn't mind. "Very well," he said with an easy smile. "Then where's what I asked for?"
Qing Tian's heart clenched. With a pained expression, he reached into his robes and drew forth a storage bracelet glowing with spatial light. "Inside this," he said reluctantly, "you will find one and a half trillion drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid, as well as sacred treasures and spirit herbs valued at another nine hundred billion."
Liu Xi flicked his fingers lightly. A thread of Spiritual Power shot forth, drawing the bracelet into his hand.
As Qing Tian exhaled in resignation, his gaze once more turned toward Qing Yanjing. After a brief hesitation, he added solemnly, "Saintess, the Clan Leader sends word — this is not only the ransom. It is also your dowry. The Buddha Clan will always be your home. You may return whenever you wish."
Qing Yanjing froze, her breath catching. She stepped forward instinctively, her voice trembling. "My father… he no longer blames me?"
Qing Tian's eyes flickered toward Liu Xi. Seeing no sign of displeasure, he nodded. "The Clan Leader has never blamed you," he said sincerely. "He only wishes to see you again — and, if possible, to meet the man you chose."
Her lashes lowered, emotion rippling in her gaze.
Meanwhile, Liu Xi examined the bracelet's contents. Indeed — two trillion four hundred billion in total value, exactly as promised.
He smiled faintly. A clever old fox.
The Buddha Clan's leader had turned a ransom into a dowry, diffusing enmity and mending ties through Qing Yanjing. Such political finesse was worthy of a true patriarch.
"Jing'er," Liu Xi said, "take Elder Qing Tian and retrieve the prisoners."
"Mm." She nodded softly and turned to the elder. "Please, come with me."
With a light tap of her toes, Qing Yanjing's graceful figure soared skyward toward the valley.
Qing Tian exchanged a glance with his companions, then bowed to Liu Xi before following her.
---
Liu Xi slipped the bracelet into his sleeve. Qin Tian chuckled and came over with a teasing grin.
"Congratulations, Brother Qing Lian," he said. "You've earned not only the Buddha Clan's ransom but also their patriarch's blessing. Looks like you'll soon be their honored son-in-law."
Qing Shan, ever the calm one, spoke more thoughtfully. "That patriarch is shrewd. After all this, it's better to befriend you than oppose you. Winning over Brother Qing Lian might be the wisest move he's ever made."
Liu Xi shook his head with a laugh. "If they'd had such sense earlier, it wouldn't have come to this. Honestly, I still have little fondness for their clan."
He looked toward Qin Tian and Qing Shan. "It's easy to add flowers to a full bloom — much harder to give charcoal in the snow. You two came all this way to stand with me. That's friendship I'll never forget."
---
Two days later, the Maha Clan envoys arrived.
They said little, their faces cold and tight as they delivered the ransom. Unlike the Buddha Clan, there was no attempt at reconciliation — only resentment. Liu Xi accepted the payment without comment and released their captives.
He could already tell they wouldn't let this go. The Maha Clan would strike again one day — but by then, he intended to be untouchable.
With the ransoms collected, the matter was finished.
Liu Xi now possessed over three trillion drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid, along with treasures worth another two trillion — an accumulation of wealth so vast that even a Saint would feel envy.
Qin Tian and Qing Shan soon departed, returning to the borderlands. Liu Xi and Qing Yanjing watched them go until their figures vanished beyond the horizon.
Now, with the weight of both ancient clans lifted, Qing Yanjing finally relaxed. Resting her head against Liu Xi's shoulder, she whispered, "When will you come with me to meet my father?"
Liu Xi wrapped an arm around her waist, his tone thoughtful yet warm. "I will — after I break through to the Saint Grade. Your clan is… complicated. It's best I go when no one can stand in my way."
Qing Yanjing nodded gently. She understood well. Even her father's authority as Clan Leader had its limits.
The Buddha Clan was divided — the Mo Lineage, the Xuan Lineage, and the shadow of Futu Xuan still lingering.
Liu Xi then retrieved the very bracelet containing the Buddha Clan's ransom. Under her astonished gaze, he took her hand and slipped it onto her wrist.
Her eyes widened. "What are you doing?"
He smiled. "Your father said it's your dowry. Naturally, it should be managed by you. Besides," he added playfully, "this makes it official — you're mine now."
Qing Yanjing's lips parted slightly. Inside the bracelet lay the equivalent of 1.5 trillion Spirit Liquid and treasures worth nearly another trillion — wealth enough to make even a Saint's heart pound.
And Liu Xi had just given it to her without a second thought.
Her eyes softened. Overwhelmed, she threw her arms around him, pressing a trembling kiss to his lips as if to pour her gratitude into him.
Liu Xi responded in kind, one hand resting possessively at her waist, the other tangled in her hair.
As he deepened the kiss, a stray thought drifted through his mind.
'The West Heaven Battle Emperor hasn't arrived yet... Where could he be? If I could get my hands on the Great Emperor Internal Canon, that would be perfect…'
With Qing Yanjing still in his embrace, Liu Xi smiled faintly to himself.
His heart was calm — but his ambitions were boundless.
(End of Chapter)
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