Chapter 129: No Room for Negotiation

After helping Fang Qing stabilize his injuries, Wang Changsheng had Zhang Cunzhong take him away to rest. As for his cultivation, that was not something to be resolved in a day or two; Wang Changsheng planned to first find a way to send Fang Qing back to the Corpse Refining Sect before addressing the matter of restoring his cultivation.

"Li Fusheng, I never realized you were actually quite handsome!"

In the small courtyard, only Wang Changsheng and Li Fusheng remained. Wang Changsheng looked at Li Fusheng with a cryptic smile. "I just don't understand why you choose to wear a mask when traveling through the cultivation world," he asked curiously.

The current stout man was definitely not Li Fusheng’s true appearance; when Li Fusheng’s power erupted fully, he had no time to maintain his disguise. Wang Changsheng was still stunned by the overbearing presence Li Fusheng had displayed earlier.

"Well, Wang Changsheng, you know how it is. Once you’re too handsome and your strength is too great, you attract too much unwanted attention from the opposite sex!" Li Fusheng said with a straight face.

"Nonsense!" Wang Changsheng retorted in a low voice. "I suspect you’re just running away from some romantic debt!"

"How could that be?!" Li Fusheng immediately roared. "I do this to keep those young girls from going astray! Cultivation is the only thing that truly matters!"

Wang Changsheng rolled his eyes, not believing a word of it.

"Li Fusheng, tell me the truth. Just how strong are you?" Wang Changsheng asked with a solemn expression. Given that Li Fusheng had been able to suppress the Saintess of the Cloud Palace Peak, his strength must have reached a terrifying level. Wang Changsheng still intended to take revenge on Li Fusheng one day; knowing his enemy was the key to victory.

"Hmph!" Li Fusheng looked at Wang Changsheng with disdain. "Strong. Very strong. Let’s just say you’ll never be able to catch up!" He struck a flamboyant pose.

"Li Fusheng, let’s talk business," Wang Changsheng said with a grin.

Seeing that smile, Li Fusheng felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. Having been tricked by Wang Changsheng several times before, he was constantly on his guard. Before Wang Changsheng could even state his request, Li Fusheng said coldly, "No, it’s not up for discussion!"

Wang Changsheng wasn't surprised by this reaction. He pulled out a spirit stone and began tossing it in his hand, asking, "Really, no room for negotiation?"

Watching the spirit stone arc through the air, Li Fusheng gulped. To him, spirit stones were a temptation hard to resist. "R-really... it’s not up for discussion..." he stammered.

"Lend me your Cloud Ship," Wang Changsheng stated his demand.

"Impossible!" Li Fusheng jumped up. "Do you have any idea how precious a Cloud Ship is?"

"I’m just borrowing it, not taking it!" Wang Changsheng countered immediately. "Why are you so stingy? I’m just borrowing it, understand? I’ll give it back!"

Li Fusheng stared at Wang Changsheng and fell silent, clearly unwilling to lend out his ship.

"Spirit stones. I’ll pay in spirit stones—one thousand medium-grade spirit stones!" Wang Changsheng declared.

"You’re trying to send Fang Qing back to the Corpse Refining Sect, aren't you?" Li Fusheng asked in a low voice.

Wang Changsheng nodded.

Li Fusheng fell into deep thought. After a moment, he replied, "Ten thousand. Ten thousand medium-grade spirit stones, and I’ll lend you the Cloud Ship to send Fang Qing back."

"Li Fusheng, that’s daylight robbery!" Wang Changsheng exclaimed. "Ten thousand medium-grade stones is a million low-grade stones! A million!"

"I’m only offering this price because of Fang Qing. Otherwise, do you think I’d lend it to you for ten thousand? It would be at least fifty thousand!" Li Fusheng laughed.

"You!" Wang Changsheng growled. "I won't haggle with you anymore. Five thousand medium-grade stones, plus the ten thousand you swindled from me earlier—that’s fifteen thousand total. You’re making a fortune!"

"What swindled? I provided you with information!" Li Fusheng retorted. "I am a merchant of integrity; I never engage in shady business!"

"Then what about the two or three thousand spirit stones you pocketed?" Wang Changsheng asked with a dark look.

Li Fusheng was momentarily speechless, but quickly pivoted, "Didn't I save your life and Fang Qing's? Think about it—if I hadn't taken you to the Life-Death Arena, would you have coincidentally run into Fang Qing?"

"Without me, Fang Qing would already be dead," Li Fusheng said solemnly. "That was my service fee. Understand?"

Wang Changsheng was left speechless. It was true; if not for Li Fusheng, he never would have had the chance to save Fang Qing. And if not for Li Fusheng's violent intervention, the Saintess of the Cloud Palace Peak would not have let Fang Qing go so easily. While the Corpse Refining Sect was a major factor in making Caiyun back down, one could not deny the influence of Li Fusheng and the Shangyang Li family.

"Fine. We’ve been through a lot together—five thousand stones, deal or no deal?" Wang Changsheng pressed. "If you don't agree, I'll go to the Cloud Palace Peak. Their ships might not be as good as yours, but they carry their insignia, so they’d be safe enough!"

This was the real reason Wang Changsheng wanted the ship. A journey back to the Corpse Refining Sect was not necessarily safe, and their highest-ranking cultivator, Wen Ming, was only at the second level of the Core Formation stage. With the Shangyang Li family's Cloud Ship, the onboard armaments would be equivalent to several Core Formation cultivators, ensuring safety.

"Fine!" Li Fusheng agreed. "Five thousand medium-grade spirit stones, it's a deal!" He wasn't worried about the ship not returning, as the ship was piloted by his own clansmen.

Hearing this, Wang Changsheng smiled. "Deal!"

He immediately summoned Wen Ming. "Take Fang Qing and return to the Corpse Refining Sect immediately!"

"Return to the Corpse Refining Sect?" Wen Ming hesitated. "I don't want to go back!"

"Don't panic!" Seeing Wen Ming’s resistance, Wang Changsheng pulled him aside and whispered, "Take Fang Qing back first; it's inconvenient for us to keep him with us."

"Most importantly," Wang Changsheng lowered his voice further, glancing back at Li Fusheng, "once you reach the sect, seize the ship!"

Wang Changsheng was not one to make a losing trade. Five thousand medium-grade stones to just *borrow* a ship? He wasn't having it. He had already decided to seize the ship upon arrival; as for the Li family cultivators on board, he would just send them back to their family.

"Seize the ship?" Wen Ming asked, clearly nervous. "Is... is that really okay? We’ve already formed an alliance with the Shangyang Li family..."

"Why are you being such a coward?" Wang Changsheng hissed. "I have my own arrangements. Just do as I say!"

"Very well," Wen Ming sighed, resigned.

After seeing Fang Qing and Wen Ming off on the ship, Wang Changsheng waved, a faint smile on his face as the vessel disappeared into the distance.

"Wang Changsheng, why do I feel like your smile is a bit off?" Li Fusheng remarked suspiciously. "I have a feeling I’ve been conned."

"How could that be?" Wang Changsheng replied instantly. "You’ve done too many bad things, so you’re just paranoid!"

Li Fusheng flicked his sleeves in annoyance and stormed off, claiming he was going to visit an old friend from the Cloud Palace Peak.

When he returned to the courtyard later, Wang Changsheng found Li Fusheng sitting there again. "I thought you went to visit your friend?" Wang Changsheng asked with a grin.

"They weren't home!" Li Fusheng snapped, retreating to his room and leaving Wang Changsheng alone.

The thought of soon owning a Cloud Ship excited Wang Changsheng. From the moment he learned of their existence, he had dreamed of having one. Given his current status and resources, acquiring one through proper channels was impossible. Thus, he had set his sights on Li Fusheng’s. As for what Li Fusheng would do afterward, that was a problem for when he finally discovered the truth. By then, Wang Changsheng would be safely hidden within the Corpse Refining Sect.

After staying at the sect for six or seven days, Wang Changsheng finally saw Cailing again.

"Deacon Wang, I am very sorry about what happened last time," Cailing said, looking embarrassed. "I didn't expect things to escalate like that, but such is the nature of the Cloud Palace Peak. I hope you can understand."

Wang Changsheng nodded. "It's fine, it’s all in the past."

"Good. I’ve come to fetch you because the Saintess has made arrangements. Please, follow me."

"Wait, let me get Li Fusheng," Wang Changsheng said.

"That won't be necessary," Cailing replied. "The Saintess wishes to discuss matters between the Corpse Refining Sect and the Cloud Palace Peak; it is not appropriate for Daoist Li to be present."

Wang Changsheng nodded and followed her out. He knew his strength was too low to argue; he would simply follow the Cloud Palace Peak's lead. If they had any ill intentions, there was little he could do to resist anyway.

Back in the same side hall as before, Wang Changsheng saw Caiyun waiting for him.

"Daoist Caiyun," Wang Changsheng greeted with a bow.

"Deacon Wang, please, no need for formalities," she said softly.

"May I ask what arrangements you have made regarding our previous discussion?" Wang Changsheng asked directly, hoping to speak before she could overwhelm him with her presence.

"I wonder," Caiyun asked in a low voice, "if you can tell me honestly... has the alliance between the Corpse Refining Sect and the Shangyang Li family been finalized?"