Chapter 214: Negotiation
Chapter 214: Negotiation
Master Luo had a sleepless night. The next day, he sought out several formation masters in Tongxian City and gave them a few instructions. After that, he paid a visit to the Qian family and met with Master Qian.
"I've spoken to them all," Master Luo said. "From now on, no one is to make things difficult for Mo Hua. It would be best if we avoid any conflicts with the demon hunters as well."
Master Qian frowned. "Master Luo, what are you..."
Master Luo interrupted with a question of his own. "What are your plans, Brother Qian?"
"Are you referring to Mo Hua?"
"Indeed."
Master Qian paused, then said, "I had hoped to establish a good relationship with him, and it would be ideal if he could work for our Qian family. If not, I would prefer him to remain neutral and not get involved with either side. But if that's also impossible... then we have no choice but to be ruthless. Once we start taking action, life and death are out of my control."
Master Qian shared with Master Luo the suggestion he had made to Qian Hong.
Master Luo let out a cold laugh. "But Qian Hong has already made his move and tried to kill Mo Hua."
Master Qian was taken aback for a moment, then sighed. "He is the head of the family. I am powerless in this matter."
The affairs of the Qian family were naturally left to the head of the family to decide. Although Master Qian was a formation master and an elder, his position was not low, but he could not influence the head of the family's decisions.
Master Luo's eyes narrowed. "Have you thought about a way out?"
"A way out?"
"If the Qian family continues to prosper, you will naturally remain an elder of the family. But what if the Qian family falls? What will you do then?"
Master Qian was displeased. "Master Luo, your words are unfair. The Qian family has been entrenched in Tongxian City for many years. How could it possibly fall so easily?"
Master Luo took a sip of tea and remained silent.
Master Qian thought about it carefully, and a chill ran down his spine. He lowered his attitude and spoke softly. "I am an elder of the Qian family and also the family's formation master. I receive preferential treatment from the clan, so I cannot act against the clan's interests."
Master Luo advised, "You are a formation master, so the family treats you favorably. If you weren't a formation master, would the Qian family still treat you the same?"
Master Qian's heart trembled.
He had known this in his heart for a long time, but being in a high position, he had never thought deeply about it.
Master Qian had interacted with many cultivators from the Qian family, from those who guarded the family to those who served tea and water, and even those who attended to their needs.
These were also disciples of the Qian family. Had they ever received preferential treatment? If he weren't a formation master, he might not be any better off than them.
The family treated him well because he was a formation master, not because he was a disciple of the Qian family. Everything he had gained was ultimately due to his status as a formation master.
Master Luo continued, "If you are a formation master, even if the Qian family weakens, you will still be favored. But if you weren't a formation master, even if the Qian family strengthens, they might not share their blessings with you."
Master Qian remained silent for a moment before asking softly, "Please enlighten me, Master Luo."
Master Luo raised an eyebrow. "What is the most important thing for a formation master?"
Master Qian thought for a moment. "Is it the family and its legacy?"
Master Luo's expression turned disappointed, and he sighed. With a tap on the table, he said, "It's the formations themselves!"
"A formation master should delve into the study of formations and strive for higher attainment in the art. If you were a second-grade formation master, would you still care about these trivial matters concerning the Qi Refining Realm?"
Master Qian hesitated. "But formations... they're not that easy to learn without the support of a family or access to its legacy."
Of course, he knew the importance of formations, but without the resources of the family or access to their legacy, how could he study formations?
Master Luo gave him a sidelong glance. "You are already a first-grade formation master, and you don't need to rely too heavily on the family anymore. The Qian family doesn't have much higher-level legacy in formations anyway. What you should focus on now is finding a way to improve your understanding of formations."
"Master Luo's words make sense," Master Qian said. "But how do we improve further?"
Master Luo did not give a direct answer.
Master Qian pondered the conversation they had just had and suddenly realized something. He slowly said, "Mo Hua?"
Master Luo nodded.
"But what does this have to do with Mo Hua?" Master Qian asked, confused.
Master Luo's expression turned stern.
Realizing his gaffe, Master Qian quickly understood that no array master would joke about such a thing; their pride would not allow it.
"But... how is that possible? He's so young!" Master Qian exclaimed, refusing to accept this turn of events.
"Regardless of his age, the fact remains," Master Luo replied. "The cultivation world is vast, and there are countless prodigies with exceptional talent. It's not surprising that we haven't encountered them before."
Master Luo paused before continuing, "Moreover, the younger he is, the brighter his prospects. His future achievements in array formations are limitless."
A frown creased Master Qian's brow, and he felt a twinge of discomfort. He scoffed and said coldly, "Even if he becomes a second-grade array master in the future, I won't grovel at his feet and subject myself to his whims!"
"You're an idiot!" Master Luo chastised in a low voice. "Who said anything about groveling? What you need to do is cultivate some goodwill. In the future, if he values your friendship, he might offer you guidance in array formations."
"When it comes to arrays, perseverance is not the issue; it's about not taking the wrong path. If he becomes a high-grade array master, a word or two from him could clear the clouds from your eyes and save you from years of detours."
"Grovelling?" Master Luo scoffed. "At your age, with your wrinkled face, who would want your flattery? You're no young, delicate girl that people would fawn over."
Master Qian felt a twinge of shame at these words, but as he thought about it, he realized that Master Luo made sense.
In Tongxian City, the pinnacle of achievement was a first-grade array master. Advancing beyond that was incredibly difficult.
Without the support of a family's legacy or guidance from a second-grade array master, studying more advanced arrays was like trying to decipher a cryptic puzzle.
If Mo Hua could truly go further, if he could become a second-grade array master, then his high-level insights would be worth far more than a decade of fruitless contemplation.
As for saving face, Master Luo didn't seem concerned, so why should he be? In the grand scheme of the array formation path, these concerns were trivial.
"But..." Master Qian hesitated, "The Qian family wants to kill him, and as their array master, if he holds a grudge and takes it out on me..."
"Rest assured," Master Luo said, "I've met Mo Hua, and he has a good heart and a strong sense of righteousness. As long as you don't provoke him, he won't take revenge on you."
Master Luo, having lived for over a hundred years, had a keen eye for people's true nature.
Master Qian nodded, but then furrowed his brow again. "So, what should I do now?"
He couldn't just betray the Qian family outright...
"Do nothing," Master Luo advised.
Master Qian was taken aback. "Do nothing?"
"Stay out of the Qian family's dispute. Don't make things difficult for Mo Hua. Prepare some gifts, and I'll deliver them to him, explaining the situation. He won't blame you," Master Luo said.
After much contemplation, Master Qian finally relaxed. "That's the best solution. Thank you, Master Luo."
This way, both parties would be satisfied, and he wouldn't have to struggle between them.
The next day, Master Qian sought out Qian Hong. Without explicitly stating his displeasure, he expressed his dissatisfaction with Qian Hong's decision to ignore his advice and send someone to kill Mo Hua, creating a deep-seated enmity.
Qian Hong was displeased by this, and the two men failed to see eye to eye. Eventually, they parted ways, their relationship strained.
Qian Hong didn't dare to involve Master Qian in his affairs anymore, but at the same time, he was cautious not to offend him too much.
Master Qian was an elder and on the cusp of becoming a first-grade array master, which gave him considerable influence within the clan.
If Qian Hong pushed Master Qian too far, he might ally with other elders, and Qian Hong's position as the clan head would become precarious.
Currently, the Qian family had only one first-grade array master—Master Qian. However, there were many potential candidates who could become the clan head, and Qian Hong was not the only option.
Using this incident as a pretext, Master Qian gradually distanced himself from Qian Hong.
(End of Chapter)
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