Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 545 Taking an Inch and a Mile, The Dragon Lord's Question

In the Heavenly Palace, besides Zheng Fa and the Dragon Lord Shuyu, there were also Uncle Pang, Senior Sister Zhang, Xiao Yuying, and other elders of the Nine Mountains Sect.

After hearing what the Dragon Lord Shuyu said, Zheng Fa and the elders of the Nine Mountains Sect exchanged glances, feeling a slight joy in their hearts.

What the Jade Dragon Lord said perfectly aligns with the Nine Mountains Sect's future strategy:

The Xuanwei has undergone tremendous changes, and the strategic value of the ocean is different from the past. To put it somewhat incongruously, whoever controls the ocean controls the new Xuanwei.

On the other hand, the Nine Mountains Sect was also limited by its geographical location and had to cultivate the sea area.

Compared to the other four sects, excluding the sea area, the land area occupied by the Hundred Immortals Alliance is too small, only one percent of Haori Mountain, and far less than that of Taishangdao and Leiyin Temple.

If the Hundred Immortals Alliance wants to expand its power, it only has three options:

Head south, and follow the Supreme Way.

Head west, confront Haori Mountain.

Finally, together with the Dragon Lord Shuyu, they hammered the Dragon King Cangming.

If you put these three opponents together, and let the Azure Sea Dragon King choose for himself, he'd have to slap himself!

Even though Haori Mountain looks extremely weak now, and it's unknown whether he has any Dao Fruit left, Zheng Fa still thinks that Cangming Dragon King, this outsider, is easier to bully.

Of course, they will still push forward with the base's face-slapping plan.

However, everyone in the Nine Mountains Sect understands that Haori Mountain is involved in many things, so they cannot be too optimistic, and rashness is even more undesirable. It is best to proceed steadily and surely.

The struggle between the Nine Mountains Sect and Haori Mountain is likely to be a protracted war.

But dealing with the Azure Sea Dragon King was much easier.

If they really get serious, they'll bring out the un-upgraded Heavenly River Legion and use the Hidden Universe Technique; even if the Azure Sea Dragon King is skinned alive, he won't be able to escape.

However, Zheng Fa did not intend this trump card for those small fry from the Cangming Dragon Palace.

Senior Sister Zhang nodded slightly to Zheng Fa, indicating that they also agreed to cooperate with Lord Shuyu.

Uncle Pang was overjoyed, and Zheng Fa could see what he was thinking at a glance—the arrival of an ancient dragon race at the True Immortal level was a sign of the Nine Mountains Sect's great prosperity, a truly auspicious omen!

Zheng Fa also wanted to deal with the Azure Sea Dragon King first:

Besides the issue of cost-effectiveness, he also had another concern: the Cangming Dragon King was not stupid, and Leiyin Temple and Haori Mountain were not blind either. If the parties joined forces, the Jiushan Sect would probably be caught in a two-front war, which would put them in a very passive position.

“I understand the purpose of the Dragon Lord’s visit.” Zheng Fa regained his composure and bowed to the Dragon Lord Shuyu, saying, “I am honored by the Dragon Lord’s high regard. My Nine Mountains Sect is also willing to stand with the Dragon Lord in principle.”

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Lord Shuyu smiled, showing little surprise.

She probably didn't expect the Nine Mountains Sect to disagree. After all, this matter was indeed only beneficial to the Nine Mountains Sect, gaining a True Immortal subordinate for free, even if it was only in name, was still a great gain.

Both sides were on the same page and quickly entered the detailed negotiation stage.

"Sect Leader Zheng, you've gone too far."

Shuyu Dragon Lord's face was extremely cold. He looked at Zheng Fa with eyes that were like two knives, as if he wanted to stab Zheng Fa three times and six times.

Zheng Fa wasn't angry. He simply cupped his hands and said, "Dragon Lord, please don't take offense. I'm just being upfront about this so that we don't have any future conflicts."

The Jade Dragon Lord sneered, "That makes sense, but your appetite is too big. We agreed that the seabed belongs to me, so what do you mean by sending people here? Does your Nine Mountains Sect think that I am being forced by the Azure Sea Dragon King and have to be bullied by you?"

The others in the hall remained silent, glancing back and forth between the two. Xiao Yuying's expression unconsciously became somewhat tense.

Zheng Fa, however, seemed oblivious to the Dragon Lord Shuyu's rage.

He was indeed not very satisfied with the cooperation model proposed by the Dragon Lord of Shuyu.

The Nine Mountains Sect has too many ideas and plans for the sea area; simply maintaining the status quo is not enough to achieve its goals.

Zheng Fa also knew that Lord Shuyu Dragon had come with great sincerity, and if he made any further demands, it would easily anger the other party.

But he cannot let it slide:

Previously, the two sides could only be considered strategic partners. The Dragon Lord Shuyu provided maritime protection to the Jiushan Sect, and the Jiushan Sect nurtured dragon eggs for the Dragon Lord Shuyu. It was simply a matter of each getting what they needed.

But now it's a merger and acquisition negotiation, and balancing the interests of both parties is inherently difficult.

But even when things are difficult, we must find a balance.

Seeing that he was still laughing, the Dragon Lord Shuyu became even angrier and stood up, saying, "If Sect Leader Zheng thinks he can take advantage of someone in distress, then I will take my leave!"

Zheng Fa advised, "Dragon Lord, I haven't finished stating my conditions yet."

After a slight hesitation, Lord Shuyulong slowly sat down, clearly wanting to hear what conditions Zheng Faneng would offer.

"I believe there should be several basic principles guiding the framework for cooperation between the two sides:"

"Firstly, the Nine Mountains Sect respects your right to rule the water demons and will not interfere with it. However, in the future, any ruler of the Hundred Immortals Alliance's waters, whether or not they are dragons, must be officially appointed with the consent of the Nine Mountains Sect's elders before they can take office."

"A title?" The Dragon Lord Shuyu finally couldn't help but sneer inwardly. "My dragon race is blessed by heaven and earth, do we need your Nine Mountains Sect to bestow a title upon us?"

Zheng Fa seemed not to hear him and continued, "Secondly, our Nine Mountains Sect will send a deputy to the Dragon Lord and all future rulers of the waters. The deputy's role is to coordinate the cooperation between the human race and the water demon race, and at the same time be responsible for communication between the Nine Mountains Sect and the waters."

"So there's going to be a military supervisor?"

"Thirdly, our Nine Mountains Sect has many plans for the sea area, and you, Dragon Lord, need to be responsible for defense and help with construction."

As Shuyulong listened, he actually laughed in anger: "Bring that bridle over my head, and I'll pull your Nine Mountains Sect's cart, okay?"

She believed she had come with sincerity, but she could never agree to Zheng Fa's request under any circumstances.

Zheng Fa saw the coldness in her eyes, but he was not prepared to back down.

This is his plan for future marine governance.

It must be admitted that the dragon race is indeed blessed with unique advantages. Humans find it difficult to adapt to water, and no matter how high their cultivation level is, they will be constrained.

This is the fairness of Heaven's Way. The seabed, and even other bodies of water, are inherently more suitable for the survival of the demon race, and the Nine Mountains Sect has no intention of seizing their living space.

However, Zheng Fa would not actually allow the sea area to become a state within a state of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, which is why he put forward these principles.

An inappropriate analogy would be equivalent to the Tusi system in Jiushan, or... the Xuanwei Aquatic Autonomous Region.

"I'd rather marry the second prince of the Cangming Dragon Palace!"

"Dragon Lord, as I said, I'm being upfront about this from the start," Zheng Fa laughed. "These are my requests to you, Dragon Lord. How about we hear what I can offer?"

"I will not agree to any of these conditions! The dragon race's rule over the ocean does not need to be granted by you, nor should it be, and I do not need a military supervisor."

After saying that, the Dragon Lord stood up and coldly asked Xiao Yuying, "Are you coming with me, or staying here?"

It's clear that Lord Shuyu is extremely angry; they're almost at the stage of divorcing and dividing the children.

Xiao Yuying looked left and right, completely bewildered.

Uncle Pang's expression grew even more anxious. How could even the previous cooperation be about to collapse?
Zheng Fa held up one finger and smiled, "My first condition is related to Fairy Xiao."

"What's it to her?"

"The deputy I've assigned to you, Dragon Lord, is Fairy Xiao."

"Yu Ying?"

Lord Shuyulong seemed to be deep in thought, glancing at his disciple, the anger on his face subtly fading. "As long as Fairy Xiao is willing," Zheng Fa nodded, "Fairy Xiao is someone trusted by me and the Nine Mountains Sect."

Shuyu Dragon Lord remained silent for a moment, and his gaze towards Xiao Yuying softened considerably.

Clearly, she could tell that Zheng Faxuan had put a lot of effort into choosing Xiao Yuying.

Xiao Yuying is not only her only disciple, but also an elder of the Nine Mountains Sect. In terms of status, ability, and character, she is the most suitable candidate.

Seeing that her complexion had improved considerably, Zheng Fa secretly gave Xiao Yuying a wink.

Xiao Yuying was quick-witted; she stood up abruptly, took her master's arm, and invited him to sit down.

Shuyu Dragon Master glanced at his treacherous disciple who had betrayed him and sided with the enemy to the heavens, and for a moment, he became even angrier: "If I don't agree, will your Nine Mountains Sect not let me leave?"

"Dragon Lord, you misunderstand. I just want you to hear all my conditions, and then I will let you come and go as you please without any obstruction."

Seeing his earnest expression, Lord Shuyu hesitated slightly before sitting down.

"As the Dragon Lord knows, Xuanwei is not what it used to be. We are like a tree that wants to be still, but the wind will not stop."

"Of course I know that, which is why I came here with sincerity. Who knew that your Nine Mountains Sect was just a passing fancy!"

Despite being directly confronted by the Dragon Lord, Zheng Fa wasn't angry. He simply explained, "But Dragon Lord, if it's just a nominal fusion, how effective can it be?"

"..."

Lord Shuyu remained silent, clearly already having an answer in his heart.

After a long silence, she sighed and said, "I've thought about this too, otherwise I would never have taken the initiative to come to your door..."

Zheng Fa nodded slightly.

He understood this as well. The Dragon Lord of Shuyu was a proud and aloof person. Even though he had cooperated with the Nine Mountains Sect for many years, he had always kept his distance from them, remaining somewhat detached.

Her willingness to proactively discuss cooperation this time is contrary to her nature.

The reasons for this include both the coercion from the Azure Sea Dragon King and concerns about the situation in Xuanwei.

Shuyu Dragon Lord explained, "By joining your Nine Mountains Sect, I will naturally receive the protection of Yaochi and the Supreme Dao."

"Isn't it partly because my Nine Mountains Sect is the weakest?"

Shuyu Longzhu was a little embarrassed, but Zheng Fa didn't mind much.

He finally understood why the Dragon Lord had chosen the Nine Mountains Sect, and why he had taken such a proactive approach:
On one hand, the Dragon Lord knew that Yaochi, the Supreme Dao, and the Nine Mountains Sect had an alliance. She joined the Nine Mountains Sect to use their influence and power.

On the other hand, the Nine Mountains Sect is the weakest of the three sects, so the Dragon Lord is naturally better able to negotiate terms and even maintain his independence.

Uncle Pang felt slightly ashamed.

He was overjoyed when he heard that Lord Shuyu was going to surrender. He never expected that although Lord Shuyu was detached from worldly affairs, he was by no means a brainless person.

Seeing that the Dragon Lord Shuyu remained silent, Zheng Fa comforted him instead, saying, "The Dragon Lord's thoughts are completely understood by our Nine Mountains Sect."

Lord Shuyu looked at Zheng Fa and listened to him continue:
"But Dragon Lord, it is better to rely on yourself than on others. I think this principle is self-evident."

"Seek help from within? How do I do that?"

"My Nine Mountains Sect's second condition is to cultivate more members of your clan for you, Dragon Lord. Now, the Cangming Dragon King is bullying the younger dragons because he has more dragons than you. Doesn't the Dragon Lord want his own descendants?"

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Lord's face showed some emotion, clearly disgusted by the Cangming Dragon Palace.

"This is also why I am willing to join your Nine Mountains Sect, but this was originally our agreement."

"Dragon Lord, we can help with giving birth, but what about raising them?"

"I can afford to raise three dragon eggs!"

Are three enough?

Lord Shuyu frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is, the Dragon Ancestor was able to create his own race, so why don't you, Dragon Lord, want to do the same? Perhaps, in the future, you will be revered as the Mysterious Dragon Ancestor? The Nine Mountains Dragon Ancestor?"

"..."

Shuyu Dragon Lord looked at Zheng Fa for a long time before saying, "You really think highly of me."

Judging from her expression, everyone in the hall understood that she was tempted!

Her interactions with the Azure Sea Dragon King likely caused her to lose faith in her so-called kin.

But the loneliness in his heart and the longing for his own kind will not disappear because of this.

Therefore, the allure of creating a race of her own, one she could completely trust, was greater than ever before.

Looking at Zheng Fa, the Dragon Lord of Shuyu revealed a strange look: "Your ambition is even greater than that of the Cangming Dragon King."

“With greater ambition, the Dragon Lord will be more free in the future.” Zheng Fa stood up and laughed, “That Cangming Dragon King’s thoughts and ideas are nothing more than following in the footsteps of his predecessors, and what he pursues is nothing more than attaining the Golden Immortal realm.”

"He can only reach the Golden Immortal level. As your subordinate, Dragon Lord, you will at most reach the True Immortal level in the future."

"How is it different from now?"

Lord Shuyu nodded gently.

Putting everything else aside, she wouldn't agree to this alone.

"If you join my Nine Mountains Sect, the Dragon Lord can monopolize all the waters, but he will need to cooperate with my Nine Mountains Sect." Zheng Fa paused, then added, "Moreover, this cooperation is not without reward."

"Repay?"

“Raising dragons is not easy, raising an entire race is even more difficult. The spiritual materials and resources required must be a headache even for the Dragon Lord.”

Shuyu Longzhu felt that she had been led by the nose by Zheng Fa, but every word he said was the truth and she could not refute it, so she could only nod.

"Our Nine Mountains Sect may not be as good as the Four Sects in other areas, but when it comes to making money, we are definitely not inferior to anyone else."

Shuyu Longzhu wanted to question it, but she also vaguely knew about the profits of the maritime trade routes.

Although she was extremely wealthy, it was all accumulated slowly.

How many years has the Nine Mountains Sect been established?

"You mean you'll share some of the profits with me?"

"Of course, for maritime trade routes and various industries in the sea, as long as the Dragon Lord has contributed, my Nine Mountains Sect will naturally distribute the profits."

Lord Shuyu lowered his eyes and pondered for a long while before letting out a long sigh and sincerely saying, "I must say, the conditions you have proposed are very tempting. I only have one question."

"Please speak, Dragon Lord."

Lord Shuyulong raised his head, looked directly at Zheng Fa, and asked:
"What you've said is good, but you're not even at the Dao Fruit level yet. What's the use of having ambition? Don't you think you're being too arrogant?"

"Even if the Azure Sea Dragon King's ambitions are small, he is still a true immortal. Although it is difficult to become a Golden Immortal, he can still be considered to have taken one step at a time. But what about you?"

"What you're saying is good, but how long do I have to wait? How long can the other forces in the Xuanwei Realm give you?"

(End of this chapter)