Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 350 The one who will bring chaos to the Demon Realm must be this person.
As for the content of the negotiations, no one had any objections.

Xiang An and the others were initially reluctant to negotiate. However, being rough and uneducated, they didn't understand some things and it seemed like trade between the two countries was a good thing. Besides, those lands originally belonged to the demon race and weren't conquered by them... so they really didn't have any objections.

It's not like we're breaking into the Demon-Repelling Pass; those are two completely different things.

This is especially important because it involves the safety of Zhao Jiayong and others.

They're all in the military; everyone has friends, right? For example, Xiang An and Zhao Jiayong aren't close, but among the other fallen generals, there are some of Xiang An's closest buddies. And there's also a former general from the Pei family present; Pei Zhao, the patriarch of the Pei family, is also among those who have fallen.

If they refuse to negotiate, are they doomed?

Thinking about it this way, people immediately felt that Lu Xingzhou's negotiation was of great merit, as he was actually able to persuade the Demon Emperor to negotiate and single-handedly promoted peace.

"Lu Xingzhou is a national hero!" Xiang An, who had already received a favor from Lu Xingzhou, exclaimed loudly, "I have no objection!"

Even Xiang An, who was the most ardent advocate of war, had no objections. Huo Xingyuan, who was the first to advocate for peace, was even less likely to undermine his "son." The emperor had even told him to mind his own business and keep things quiet.

The general direction was passed unanimously, which surprised Gu Zhanting.

It's really not easy to get these tough guys, who are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, to agree on one thing.

Gu Zhanting then called Long Zheng in and asked, "What kind of trade relations does the Dragon Emperor wish to establish?"

Long Zheng said casually, "That depends on how magnanimous His Majesty is and what level of exchange he is willing to achieve. Folk crafts should be no problem, but the key issue is cultivation... For example, our demon cultivator's body tempering method, His Majesty believes that it is something that can be exchanged. What does Your Majesty think?"

Gu Zhanting's expression shifted slightly.

Putting aside his collusion with a certain demon, many cultivators, when stuck in their own cultivation, coveted the body-forging methods of demon cultivators, hoping to find a breakthrough through unconventional means. As a result, they risked being discovered by the Demon Suppression Bureau and secretly practiced, ending up neither human nor ghost, like Xu Bingkun, the former city lord of Xiazhou.

If Long Qinghuang is willing to abandon the orthodox methods of demon cultivation, humans may also be able to practice them and even figure out cultivation methods more suitable for humans.

Long Qinghuang is so magnanimous? What does she want to achieve?
"What does the Dragon Emperor hope to gain by engaging in this kind of communication?"

Long Zheng said, "The method of alchemy cultivation."

Gu Zhanting nodded slightly, understanding perfectly.

He knew that the demon race lacked alchemists.

From a higher perspective, the demon race doesn't actually need alchemists. Their cultivation systems are different; humans speak of internal and external alchemy, a philosophy that distinguishes and unifies the internal golden elixir and the external golden elixir.

The term "Dan" (丹) signifies "single" or "one," representing the Dao without counterpart—a crucial concept in the human cultivation system. However, human cultivators often fail to form their own Dan. Therefore, the so-called "Great Dao of the Golden Elixir"—whether it refers to the self-formation of a golden elixir or the ingestion of a single elixir—has been a subject of debate since the dawn of human cultivation.

Demon cultivators don't care about this or that; no matter how they cultivate, they will always have a demon core. External alchemy is meaningless to them, and the related philosophical speculations are an incomprehensible mess to them.

If it's purely for healing, the demon race has its own healing system that's closer to witchcraft, and it's not necessarily weaker than alchemy.

But just as humans, with their own perfectly good methods of body tempering, always crave to learn techniques from demon cultivators, demon cultivators, with their own pure pursuit of sainthood, also covet human alchemy. After all, everyone has their limits, and once they reach them, they always want to try other paths; thus, human and demonic natures are unified.

Rationally speaking, Gu Zhanting felt that this exchange had no practical significance for either side; its only significance might be to make the people of both sides happy.

But this meaning seems to have value at this time as well.

Gu Zhanting finally smiled and said, "Since the Dragon Emperor is so magnanimous, I will naturally not be stingy either. In what form does the Dragon Emperor intend to exchange them? Will we exchange books?"

“Having classic texts without anyone to decipher them is meaningless,” Long Zheng said. “His Majesty’s intention is to organize a team to study at your alchemy academy. Of course, your side can also organize personnel to study in the demon realm.”

“That won’t do,” Gu Zhanting blurted out.

Is this for real? Letting monsters swagger around studying in the capital? How many troubles are they going to cause?

Leaving aside the theft of more secrets, just considering the current situation, how can the officials of the Great Qian dare to do anything to the demons? Do they want the privileges of the superior? How should murder and arson be dealt with? Do they need to find study partners?
If he really does that, Gu Zhanting will be infamous for eternity.

Thinking of this, Gu Zhanting took the initiative and said, "Why don't we send a team of alchemists to the Demon Realm to teach? They can also bring back the methods of demon cultivation, saving a lot of trouble. I think the Dragon Emperor also mentioned in this negotiation draft that he wants to designate a candidate, didn't he?"

Long Zheng said expressionlessly, "Your Majesty says this because you share the same concerns as His Majesty. Nobody, no matter how insignificant, is qualified to go to the Demon Realm."

Gu Zhanting thought for a moment: "How about Lu Xingzhou?"

Long Zheng: "...I don't know, it depends on His Majesty's decision."

I knew it all along; that's exactly what she wanted.

This outcome is perfectly normal... As long as the rumors of "the Demon Emperor stealing a man" are not taken seriously, no one will think that Long Qinghuang's purpose is really such a trivial matter as stealing a man... Then it will be natural to think that since Long Qinghuang can accept Lu Xingzhou's negotiation, she will also accept him as part of the exchange group.

Unfortunately, our Emperor is really so frivolous... By putting himself in her shoes, Emperor Qianlong really overestimated her abilities.

It turns out that even though she clearly wanted this, others were practically begging her to accept it. Even though Long Qinghuang had successfully schemed, at this moment Long Zheng felt that Emperor Qian's vision was actually greater than his own, but unfortunately, he was afraid he'd die if he even considered having such a thought.

Gu Zhanting said, "Then you should go and report back to the Dragon Emperor. Hmm... Regarding the details of the border trade and the treasures needed for ransom, Lu Xingzhou will be fully responsible for negotiating them. His opinion is my opinion, so there's no need to relay it back and forth. I believe Lu Xingzhou will not harm the interests of the Great Qian. In addition, ask Lu Xingzhou who he wants to bring to the delegation, and let him decide for himself."

"Alright, I'll report back now." With mixed feelings, Long Zheng decisively took his leave.

He had just stepped outside when he was grabbed. Turning around, he saw Sheng Yuanyao with a child. She angrily dragged him to a secluded spot: "I knew you were a sly, shifty-eyed bastard. You tried to persuade me to surrender, but it didn't work. Now you're trying to take my boyfriend...friend. Is this how you monsters disgust people?!"

Looking at the valiant female general who had stood up to him for three days now looking like a resentful woman, Long Zheng felt quite helpless: "I'm just a messenger, what does it have to do with me... Besides, sending Lu Xingzhou as an envoy was your own emperor's decision, what does it have to do with me?"

Sheng Yuanyao was about to draw her sword: "I finally have a chance to be alone with him... I'll cut you down!"

Ah Nuo clung tightly to her leg, pleading, "Sister Yao, calm down, calm down..."

Poor Long Zheng, a fierce vanguard general who had almost killed Sheng Yuanyao earlier, didn't even dare to fight back now. He covered his head and said, "The delegation should have an accompanying army to escort them. Can't you be the commander?"

"Huh?" Sheng Yuanyao's eyes widened for a moment.

A scene suddenly flashed through his mind: riding horses with Lu Xingzhou, traversing the demon realm... blue sky and white clouds, with no one around.

By the time they came to their senses, Long Zheng had already run away.

Damn it, things are already like this before he even goes there. Long Zheng always felt that if Lu Xingzhou really went to the Demon Realm, he could easily make the emperor neglect his morning court.

This person must be the one who wreaks havoc in the Demon Realm.

Ah Nuo: “…”

"What are you looking at?" Sheng Yuanyao sheathed her sword and pinched A Nuo's cheek: "Your gaze is very disrespectful to me, Lu Xiao Nuo."

Ah Nuo said, "I just think that if you go to the Demon Realm, you'll only be an incompetent brother."

She really thought there was no one around, but when the dragon's eyes glared at her, Anuo didn't even dare to think about it.

But... should we go to the Demon Realm?
Ah Nuo's heart was pounding; she felt a mix of fear and anticipation.

…………

"This time I've made you famous, what do you say?" In the monster camp, Long Qinghuang leaned back in a soft chair, leisurely sipping tea, and asked Lu Xingzhou, who was sitting honestly in front of her.

Lu Xingzhou had never imagined that this person would not only be so careful to protect his reputation, but also deliberately give him a boost. One can imagine how highly regarded he is in the Daqian court and among the people.

His reply at this moment was genuine: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"So if Gu Zhanting really sends you as an envoy to the Demon Realm, you can take anyone you want with you, such as Lu Nuonuo... From then on, can you not return to Daqian and focus on serving me?"

Lu Xingzhou was silent.

Long Zheng hasn't returned yet, but he can basically predict the outcome. Gu Zhanting's side has an information asymmetry and doesn't know that Long Qinghuang wants Lu Xingzhou, so the answer he gets is likely to be completely off-topic, and in the end, it's very likely that he will actually get what Long Qinghuang wants.

Going to the Demon Realm under these circumstances wouldn't damage her reputation at all; Long Qinghuang has truly done everything she could.

But how could I possibly take the people I wanted with me... I have no sense of belonging to the Great Qian, but they are all in the Great Qian.

Long Qinghuang is alright in other aspects, and perhaps she is indeed very special to him... but she absolutely doesn't care where you want to be or what you want; she only wants to get it. Unless this attitude changes, it's impossible to get along.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Long Qinghuang's expression turned ugly: "Lu Xingzhou, I've been good enough to you, can't you even warm my heart?"

Lu Xingzhou said, "If Your Majesty really insists on keeping me here, aren't you afraid of causing more trouble?"

"What? Ye Tinglan has come knocking on our door? What can she do, venture alone into the demon realm? Ha." Long Qinghuang laughed sarcastically: "Number one in the world, what a grand title, but you know better than anyone how powerless you really are."

"We're in the same boat. Your Majesty also has many limitations, and you're not as glamorous as you appear on the surface." Lu Xingzhou said calmly, "Isn't Your Majesty afraid that I'll discover the true nature of the Demon Realm? When that happens, it won't be Ye Tinglan who will wreak havoc on the Demon Realm, but me, Lu Xingzhou."

Long Qinghuang squinted at him.

“Your Majesty has been very kind to me, and I am very grateful. However, I, Lu, have also treated Your Majesty well, and have tried many times to establish a good relationship with you.” Lu Xingzhou said, “The reason why I still cannot get an equal attitude is simply because Your Majesty is used to being high and mighty… But Miss Long seems to have forgotten that from the Frozen Moon River to the Sacred Mountain of the Demon Clan, it has always been Miss Long who needs me, not me who needs Your Majesty.”

Without waiting for Long Qinghuang's response, he stood up and smiled brightly: "Since this envoy was appointed by Gu Zhanting, I will naturally go. I have longed to see the scenery of the Demon Realm for a long time... However, there are some things that I have already said. It is for the girl wearing the old clothes, never for the Demon Emperor."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: No more tonight.

(End of this chapter)