As Li Yan spoke, the sound of his fingers tapping on the table, though very light, seemed to strike heavily on Feng Tao's heart with every tap. It made her feel it was difficult to breathe, and a murderous intent welled up around them!
Her previously calm face began to turn pale. Only now did she realize that this person had truly killed before. She had only felt this kind of sensation from those in her family who had killed people.
In her great alarm, Feng Tao lost her earlier composure and hurriedly spoke.
"Senior Brother Zhang, please calm your anger and listen to me. This was not me intentionally investigating you. I overheard it when my master was chatting with the other two martial uncles. They were discussing and evaluating some of the disciples who had recently joined the sect. When they mentioned you, Senior Brother Zhang, my master and the others said a few more words. They said that your actual combat power should be one or two minor realms higher than your cultivation level, probably due to wandering outside for many years and needing to protect your life. I just kept it in mind. I only happened to overhear it while serving tea to the elders. This time, I had no choice but to come and ask for your help, Senior Brother Zhang. I absolutely had no intention of deliberately prying into your affairs, Senior Brother. Please understand!"
In her panic, she blurted out the reason why she knew some things about Zhang Ming. She felt her heart racing, and the situation was becoming precarious. At this moment, she had completely forgotten the difference in status between herself and Zhang Ming. She felt that in the next moment, this Zhang Ming might really explode and kill her.
Although she regretted being so abrupt this time, she really needed help. But at the same time, a trace of anticipation arose in her heart. This Zhang Ming definitely had combat experience. This point alone was something that she and Tian Denghu couldn't compare to. At least when encountering an enemy, he could stably exert his due combat power, unlike herself who might lose her composure, where being able to exert sixty or seventy percent of her full strength would be considered good.
Plus, with the help of her Eldest Senior Brother and Second Senior Sister, if they encountered an enemy on the way, as long as the enemy didn't attack with full force right at the beginning, it was possible for them to hold on for one or two breaths with their combined efforts, which would buy her time to activate the magical artifact.
The coldness in Li Yan's eyes slowly dissipated. He could see that Feng Tao was not lying. But thinking about it, it made sense. Although his origin was guaranteed by someone, Falling Star Valley would definitely investigate him. So, it was natural that they knew he and his fake master, the Snow Mosquito King, had appeared before.
Li Yan didn't ask Feng Tao why she didn't look for the other four who had entered the sect with them. He guessed she simply looked down on their cultivation levels. If she hadn't heard her Foundation Establishment master's words, she probably wouldn't have come looking for him either.
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Junior Sister. I'm not as formidable as you say!"
Li Yan tapped the stone table one last time with his finger, which made Feng Tao's heart tighten. Seeing that the other party seemed to be ending the conversation and getting up to see her out, a look of disappointment rose in Feng Tao's heart. She hadn't expected to succeed before coming. First, her relationship with Zhang Ming was not the "bond of affinity" she claimed; it was just a one-sided acquaintance.
Second, given the situation outside the valley, her status was higher than Zhang Ming's, so she knew more information. The martial uncles and aunts wanted the disciples outside the valley to return as soon as possible, yet she was looking for someone to go out. The Foundation Establishment expert on duty in the valley had advised against it after hearing her request, but the Feng family was, after all, a loyal vassal of Falling Star Valley.
Under Feng Tao's repeated requests, they could only let her find her own help. The sect would not forcibly assign anyone, so it was up to Feng Tao's own ability. After all, the sect had also sent out a Foundation Establishment expert. This was also considering that the Feng family was not too far away. Right now, the Sect Master and most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators were searching within a ten-thousand-li radius. The chances of those hidden enemies being able to easily make a move were extremely low.
In recent days, with the Sect Master and the others going out, nothing had happened within a five-thousand-li radius of Falling Star Valley. It was just heard that a suspicious person was found seven thousand li to the south yesterday, and the Sect Master had personally gone in pursuit.
Although they finally approved Feng Tao's mission to find other disciples to go out with, the costs for the mission, apart from Fang Guangjun, had to be paid by Feng Tao herself. That Foundation Establishment cultivator also knew that it would be difficult for Feng Tao to find help. The disciples at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation and above in the sect were all being rotated out to perform missions, forming patrol teams with the Sect Master and the others. There were not many experts left in the sect, only some disciples who occasionally came back for rotation, but they all needed to seize the time to rest, so the chances of them accepting missions to go out were not high.
But Feng Tao's luck was really good. Her Eldest Senior Brother, Tang Tian, and Second Senior Sister, Wu Yizhen, happened to have just returned from patrol. With their master away, Feng Tao could only explain the situation to the two of them. She herself didn't expect that these two would be willing to help. She wanted to recruit a few more strong helpers, but that was difficult. As a new disciple, the number of people she knew was very limited. Most importantly, Feng Tao was not very wealthy.
She didn't have that many spirit stones to move others. In the end, she remembered what her master had talked about, this Senior Brother Zhang, who was said to be even more formidable in combat than herself.
Seeing that Zhang Ming was about to end the conversation, Feng Tao was anxious and was about to persuade him a little more. For this trip, she was truly touched that Senior Brother Tang Tian and Senior Sister Wu Yizhen were willing to accompany her. After all, she had only known them for a little over five months. As for Tian Denghu taking the initiative to go, it did not surprise her. Anyone could see Tian Denghu's intentions, not just her. However, she had initially rejected him directly. But then, he even offered to go without any reward, which made it hard for Feng Tao to refuse.
Comparatively, Feng Tao naturally hoped that the Zhang Ming before her would help. The judgment of her master and two martial uncles would certainly not be wrong. As for the others in the sect, she really wasn't familiar with them. She could only guess at their combat strength, which was a bit unreliable.
Just as Feng Tao was about to state the conditions she could offer, the Zhang Ming opposite her unexpectedly spoke first.
"This matter is not impossible, but we have to agree on the prerequisites first. If both parties have no objections, then we can talk about the rest."
The words were already on the tip of Feng Tao's tongue. Hearing this, she couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
"Senior Brother Zhang, please speak freely!"
"One, on the way, if we encounter a powerful enemy ambush, I will only act to delay the opponent to give you a chance to activate your magical artifact, provided it is within my capabilities. Two, if we successfully arrive at the Feng family, I will not participate in any siege against the three Foundation Establishment ghost creatures. As for the other ghost creatures, if they exceed the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, I can choose not to act. If you can agree to these conditions, we can continue our discussion."
Li Yan said with a calm expression. He was well-versed in how to negotiate in a way that suited his identity. It wasn't that he was bullying a young girl; once one stepped onto the path of immortality, they were all fellow Daoists.
'You might as well just say that as long as the situation looks bad, you can turn around and run.'
Feng Tao thought helplessly. The other party had no chivalry or passion of a man at all, a far cry from Tian Denghu and the others.
After a moment of thought, Feng Tao's crisp voice rang out.
"How about this? Regardless of whether you act or not, Senior Brother Zhang, after we agree on the terms, I will pay half of the reward first. As for the rest, how about we settle it after this trip is over?"
Feng Tao thought to herself, 'At that time, as long as we encounter a slightly stronger enemy, you can choose to run away. You can say it's beyond your capabilities. How can I even define that? Anyway, as long as you go, with a martial uncle present, and two senior brothers and a senior sister there, they will know clearly whether you can act or not. At most, you'll run away with half the reward, but let's see how you can stay in the sect after that.'
She had also approached some people she had interacted with before, but when they heard they had to leave the sect so far, and with only one Foundation Establishment cultivator accompanying them, they immediately refused. The key was that Feng Tao couldn't afford the reward, so she didn't even post it in the Mission Hall and only looked for people privately. She came to find Li Yan because she remembered the conversation between her master and the other martial uncles, hoping for an extra layer of security. She was just trying her luck. If it really didn't work, she would have to set off in an hour anyway. The family's defensive formation might not last much longer.
Now that Zhang Ming had laid out his conditions, although they were harsh, at a time when she needed people, this was the only way.
"That's acceptable. We'll go by the terms you've stated, Junior Sister."
Seeing that this Senior Brother Zhang had agreed to the prerequisites, although Feng Tao was happy, she became a bit more nervous. She then spoke with some embarrassment.
"But... but... my family is just a small family and can't afford a price beyond our means. How about this? For this mission, I'll count it as twenty low-grade spirit stones for you, Senior Brother?"
After speaking, Feng Tao looked at Li Yan with some trepidation. This was the most spirit stones she could offer. If she wasn't in a hurry to go back, she wouldn't have set the condition so high at once.
When Li Yan heard this, he was stunned.
'So little? A cultivation family should have an annual income of at least a thousand spirit stones, right?'
Seeing Li Yan in a daze after hearing her, Feng Tao's face flushed slightly, and she quickly explained.
"Senior Brother Zhang, it's like this. Since our family is a vassal of Falling Star Valley, it's their responsibility to protect the vassal sects and families. The cost of Martial Uncle Fang's mission this time is borne by the sect. But... but actually, we have to hand over spirit stones to Falling Star Valley every year. Only then will the sect be willing to protect us when trouble arises. For a small family like ours, the annual income of spirit stones does not exceed two thousand. The family itself needs a large amount of spirit stones for cultivation and daily life. Therefore, after a year, we won't have more than one or two hundred left. This time, with the crisis, the family's defensive formation must be running continuously. It's estimated that all the family's savings have already been used. On the other hand, although Senior Brother Tang Tian and the other two are going without asking for a reward, my Feng family would never let others put in effort for free. So, we still have to pay them a considerable amount of spirit stones, so..."
Li Yan remained silent, but he thought to himself, 'That's true. One who doesn't manage a household doesn't know the price of daily necessities.' Thinking about it, even a second-rate sect like Falling Star Valley, how much income could it have in a year, let alone those weaker vassal families.
Of course, Li Yan didn't care about this small amount of spirit stones. He was just thinking about how to propose his own conditions without arousing the suspicion of the person in front of him.
After Feng Tao finished speaking, seeing the Zhang Ming opposite her fall silent, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She bit her lip.
"Senior Brother Zhang, how about this? If not, then I'll have to take my leave. One price, thirty spirit stones. If it's okay, I'll pay fifteen first. The rest will be paid off when the mission is over."
She had already decided to sell that longsword flying spirit artifact behind her master's back. Even if her master found out and scolded her afterward, she would accept it. A high-grade spirit artifact should be able to sell for a hundred spirit stones, right? Then she would have the reward for the other three.