Cui Ji shouted his surrender, which startled the people outside the hall, and they came rushing in one after another.
As fellow members of the Eastern Pole Alliance, with Cui Ji conceding of his own accord in full view of everyone, it would not do for Qin Sang to be relentless. He had no choice but to put away his magic treasures and the Flying Yaksha.
Although the alliance was formed by merchants and united by mutual interest—far looser than a sect—it still had its rules.
Without a blood feud, openly slaying a steward of the Nine Stars Guild would bring censure and interrogation from the entire alliance.
"Take your people and get off the Five Elements Islands at once," Qin Sang said coldly, not showing the slightest mercy.
Cui Ji's expression shifted erratically; the sensation of sword qi bearing down upon him had left a deep impression.
Under the varied gazes of the onlookers, Cui Ji flew into a rage from shame and snapped at his Nine Stars Guild subordinates, "What are you standing around for? Get back and pack your things! We're leaving!"
"Hold on," Qin Sang said, raising a hand. "You fellow Daoists are leaving in such haste. Carrying so much cargo through the Demon Sea will not only hamper your travel, but it would also be disastrous if it caught the eye of scoundrels. As fellow comrades in the alliance, we have an undeniable duty to relieve you of your troubles. Once an inventory of the goods is taken, we will deliver everything to the Nine Stars Guild in full. You need only travel light."
"You... You push people too far!"
Cui Ji flushed beet-red, the corners of his mouth twitching.
This evil Daoist spoke sweet words, but once fat meat went into a stomach, how could it ever be spat back out?
When the time came, sending a pile of junk to the Nine Stars Guild would be nothing short of an insult.
Qin Sang did not deign to pay him any heed. Turning to the others, he said, "Everyone present is a steward from one of the major guilds and knows the prices of all sorts of treasures like the back of your hand. How about we all tally the inventory together and serve as witnesses for one another? What do you say, fellow Daoists?"
Their gazes shifted back and forth between Qin Sang and Cui Ji.
The hall was in complete disarray, yet the battle had ended so quickly that it had actually left few traces behind—only deep craters blasted by the purple rays. They still hadn't figured out how Qin Sang had defeated Cui Ji and forced him to surrender.
Originally, they thought an expert capable of rivaling Cui Ji had finally arrived; when two tigers fought, both would surely vie for the support of the other factions, making life much easier for the rest of them.
They never expected a single battle would decide everything, leaving Cui Ji completely powerless to fight back.
Driving away a jackal only to welcome a ferocious tiger.
This was the outcome they least wished to see.
Some had subtle thoughts of helping Cui Ji mediate, but none dared voice them in front of Qin Sang.
From the moment Qin Sang stepped through the door until now, he had driven the situation entirely on his own, giving no one time to form alliances or counter-strategies, forcing them to make their choice on the spot.
To speak up for the Nine Stars Guild now would make oneself the next to be expelled—and if this man proved even more ruthless, one might not even get the chance to leave the island alive.
Furthermore, judging by his tone, he seemed willing to share a portion of the profits with the other guilds, unlike Cui Ji, who had been completely overbearing.
Everyone understood well that circumstances were stronger than men, and naturally knew how to choose. One after another, they voiced their agreement with Qin Sang, some even swearing solemn oaths.
"Daoist Qingfeng is entirely correct. It is a long journey ahead, and moving in such haste with so much cargo before the guild can arrange an escort will indeed draw the greed of scoundrels..."
"Fellow Daoist Cui, rest assured, we guarantee not a single coin's worth of the Nine Stars Guild's goods will go missing..."
...
Cui Ji was so furious he could have spat blood, his face turning an iron green.
Yet when he saw Qin Sang resting one hand atop his chief subordinate's skull, and a piercingly cold, emotionless gaze boring out from beneath his cloak, Cui Ji felt a sudden chill run through him.
He had no doubt that if he dared utter a single word of refusal, Qin Sang would strike the fatal blow without hesitation.
With the fence-sitters all turning their coats, the game was lost.
Moreover, Cui Ji had been trying to communicate with his Purple Nether Pearl, only to find that the spirituality of his life magic treasure was severely damaged, with no hope of recovery in the short term.
He had not even seen what that streak of red light was.
A technique that could contaminate another's magic treasure in such a manner was too bizarre and sinister; Cui Ji had never witnessed anything like it before.
"Fine! Fine!"
Swallowing his fury along with the taste of his ground teeth, Cui Ji ordered his men to carry his trusted lieutenant, and without looking back, led his entourage away.
Two hours later, Qin Sang and the stewards of the other guilds finally took their leave. Everyone was polite and genial, appearing to be in high spirits and getting along swimmingly.
Yet the moment their backs were turned, those people cursed Qin Sang as a shameless evil Daoist, no different from Cui Ji, before excitedly following the Wang sisters to ransack the Nine Stars Guild's estate.
Qin Sang had no intention of dismantling the structure Cui Ji had established. Once he swallowed the Nine Stars Guild, he would be the one calling the shots on the Five Elements Islands. There was no way he would pass up meat dangling right at his lips.
Of course, he was slightly better than Cui Ji; he would not squeeze the other guilds so tightly, actively distributing a portion of the benefits to placate everyone.
Leaving the Wang sisters to lead the tallying of the Nine Stars Guild's assets, Qin Sang walked back toward the shop alone.
By this time, he had already put the Nine Stars Guild completely out of his mind. Studying the sea chart, he began looking for a suitable cultivation site in the vicinity of the Five Elements Islands.
The reason he had been able to cut through the tangle with a swift blade, resolving the Nine Stars Guild's trouble and expelling Cui Ji, fundamentally came down to his own formidable strength and having enough confidence to back it up.
He would never put the cart before the horse and allow guild affairs to tie him down.
Having the Wang sisters handle things was enough.
Near the Five Elements Islands, demon beasts were extremely dense and frequently moved in packs. Furthermore, Core Formation stage demon beasts were not as numerous here as in the Thousand Demons Sea. Seeing nowhere suitable on the sea chart, Qin Sang knew he could only search slowly once he left the island.
Stepping into the shop, Qin Sang saw that the old man had already returned at some point. The old man shut the front doors, approached Qin Sang, and whispered, "Daoist, this old man sent people to monitor the movements of the Nine Stars Guild just now. They split into three groups, and Cui Ji and his chief lieutenant mysteriously vanished. No one knows which group they were disguised in."
"He is cautious, at least," Qin Sang sneered, then thought for a moment before adding, "Forget it. Just tell our people to be careful from now on. As long as they do not leave the Five Elements Islands recklessly, the Nine Stars Guild shouldn't dare run wild on the island. Remember to send word to Elder Zou, reporting today's events down to the last detail... Going forward, the guild's affairs will be overseen by Daoist Wang, with you assisting. Unless it is a matter of life and death, do not disturb this poor Daoist..."
"Understood."
The old man grew all the more respectful toward Qin Sang.
He was thrilled inside; with the Qiongyu Guild supplanting the Nine Stars Guild, his own status would rise with the tide.
After giving his instructions, Qin Sang returned to the immortal's cave arranged by the guild to cultivate in seclusion.
He oversaw the Five Elements Islands for several months, making a conscious effort to befriend the local experts. Only after helping the Wang sisters stabilize the situation and securing a firm foothold for the Qiongyu Guild did he slip away from the island in secret.
Aided by the Primordial Concentric Rings, Qin Sang searched in all directions and finally found a suitable island. After contacting the Wang sisters, he carved out an immortal's cave there.
On the Five Elements Islands, he had the reverence of others and subordinates to wait on him, whereas here, opening his eyes revealed only the boundless Demon Sea fraught with perilous depths, and his abode was merely a cavern hewn by his sword.
Yet compared to the intrigue and infighting on the Five Elements Islands, Qin Sang much preferred the feeling of boundless freedom out here.
He summoned the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, only to find that the lightning cocoon had not broken; instead, it showed signs of growing thicker and thicker. There was no telling how much longer it would take for the butterfly to awaken.
Chapter 732