Xu Bai did not answer.
He merely pointed at the Terminal Disc above his head and asked casually, "Does your Five Elders Association have any need for this?"
Liu Wenyu froze for a moment, then nodded repeatedly.
"Before I came, my organization already gave clear instructions. A fair trade: one disc for one Truth Enticement Fruit," Xu Bai said, holding his head high.
Liu Wenyu nodded slightly, not thinking for a second that Xu Bai was making an exorbitant demand. In fact, he felt that under such terms, the Five Elders Association was getting an immense bargain.
He cast a somewhat greedy glance at the Terminal Disc and said, "There shouldn't be any problem with that. However, I still need to report to my superiors and confirm."
Hearing this, Xu Bai handed over another Terminal Disc. "Keep this on your person for now. The outside world is teeming with the eyes of the Heavenly Profound Mirror these days; it would be bad if you accidentally exposed yourself."
At the same time, Xu Bai explained in detail how to use the Terminal Disc.
A brilliant light flashed in Liu Wenyu's eyes, and a trace of gratitude toward Xu Bai welled up within him. "You are truly thoughtful, Fellow Daoist. In such a dire situation, our two factions ought to join hands to weather the storm."
Xu Bai waved his hand. "Go on, then. Make it quick. I will wait for you right here."
Liu Wenyu nodded, transformed into a streak of escape light, and vanished.
Barely half a shichen later, he returned in a hurry.
"The higher-ups agreed to the deal with you. But there is a question: how many of these Sky-Veiling Discs can your Heaven-Overturning Society provide?" Liu Wenyu asked.
"This item is not easy to refine, and our organization does not have enough for ourselves either," Xu Bai said in a grave voice.
This was well within Liu Wenyu's expectations. However, Xu Bai's next words shook him to his core.
"At most, we can spare only a few hundred for you," Xu Bai said with a sigh, sounding rather helpless.
"That many?!" Liu Wenyu gasped in shock, his face filled with astonishment.
In an instant, a wave of regret surged in his heart.
He could tell that this Sky-Veiling Disc was probably nowhere near as precious as he had imagined.
"You think that's too many? Then let's make it a hundred instead. If your Five Elders Association doesn't want them, plenty of cultivators do," Xu Bai snorted coldly, cutting straight to the point. "When I say a few hundred, that is naturally in batches. Do you think this thing is like weeds on the ground that sprout just by pouring some water on them?"
"Not too many! Not too many at all!" Liu Wenyu said hastily.
"However, we don't have that many Truth Enticement Fruits in stock..." Liu Wenyu said, looking troubled.
"The same terms as before apply—any valuable materials will do," Xu Bai waved his hand dismissively. "In fact, it is not out of the question for our Heaven-Overturning Society to lend you a batch of Sky-Veiling Discs in advance."
"However, our organization believes that perhaps we should deepen our cooperation," Xu Bai said, his tone turning solemn.
"Deepen cooperation?" Liu Wenyu furrowed his brows slightly.
"Ever since the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals established the Manor of Rebirth and anomalies arose in the Heavenly Profound Mirror, the favorable situation took a sudden turn for the worse. Even if Heavenly Venerable Rebirth's inversion of natural principles is already an accomplished fact and cannot be undone, your Five Elders Association has remained completely indifferent in the face of the Heavenly Profound Mirror scanning Xuanhuang's many pocket worlds and seeking to ascend..."
"With five Heavenly Venerables on your side, to say you have no countermeasures whatsoever is absurd, isn't it?" Xu Bai asked with evident displeasure. "What on earth are you doing?"
Liu Wenyu hesitated, opening his mouth only to stop himself.
After a long silence, he said rather dejectedly, "Regarding this matter, it is not just you, Fellow Daoist. I also have many doubts in my heart."
"Perhaps we can use the opportunity of this trade to get some clear answers," he said with an inscrutable look. "The situation is urgent, and the sooner we trade, the better. Three days from now, outside Tianliang City, within Mount Wuliang."
Having set the meeting place for the transaction, Liu Wenyu prepared to take his leave.
"Don't forget that the Sky-Veiling Disc I gave you earlier must also be counted in the trade manifest," Xu Bai added.
Hearing this, Liu Wenyu's steps hitched slightly.
Then he hastened his pace even further.
After a moment, Xu Bai also stepped slowly out of the room, turned into a streak of light, and flew off toward an unknown destination.
Mount Wuliang.
Ever since the incident where the Wuliang Wall swallowed cultivators, Mount Wuliang, already rarely visited, had become even more desolate.
Very few cultivators in the world knew the true nature of comprehending the Dao through the Wuliang Wall.
On top of that, the vast majority of cultivators were currently out conquering pocket worlds to earn merits.
Consequently, even fewer cultivators set foot here now.
After all, if one died, one could still be revived; but once swallowed by the Wuliang Wall, one's fate was truly hard to say.
Xu Bai quietly arrived at the bottom of the valley at Mount Wuliang. Gazing from afar at the mirror-smooth Wuliang Wall, he waited patiently.
"I heard that last time, it was you who rescued Guan Xingxiu's nephew from this Wuliang Wall?" A voice suddenly sounded from behind Xu Bai.
Xu Bai shuddered in alarm.
Turning around, he saw a middle-aged cultivator clad in purple-gold Daoist robes, who had appeared beside him at some unknown moment.
The cultivator was quietly observing the Wuliang Wall without looking at Xu Bai.
Yet clearly, the one who had just spoken was this purple-gold-robed cultivator.
Xu Bai's heart grew solemn.
Although the other party deliberately concealed his aura, the mere fact that Xu Bai could not sense his presence at all was enough to determine his true cultivation level.
A Dao Integration Immortal Venerable!
"In response to Senior, it was by sheer luck that I managed to rescue Guan Changge," Xu Bai answered respectfully.
At the same time, his mind raced, trying to deduce the other party's identity.
Appearing at this place at this exact time.
With a cultivation at the Dao Integration Immortal Venerable level.
It could not possibly be a coincidence.
"Could he be the Five Elders Association's contact for this trade?" Xu Bai could not help suspecting.
"A Dao Integration Immortal Venerable is actually a spy for the Five Elders Association..."
In an instant, the identity of the purple-gold cultivator before him became blatantly obvious.
Immortal Venerable Ziqiong.
Commander-in-Chief of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals' Martial Practice Hall.
Even though Xu Bai had already known of his identity as a spy through his past lives, he was still somewhat startled when Immortal Venerable Ziqiong suddenly appeared before him in the flesh.
Without exposing what he knew first, Xu Bai probed, "May I ask who Senior..."
"I am here on behalf of the Five Elders Association to trade with your Heaven-Overturning Society," Immortal Venerable Ziqiong said directly without the slightest evasion, exceeding Xu Bai's expectations.
At this, Xu Bai fell abruptly silent.
Unable to gauge the man's intentions, Xu Bai pondered his countermeasures.
Fortunately, this was only a clone, so Xu Bai did not feel particularly panicked.
"It seems you have recognized my identity? Interesting. I have presided over the headquarters of the Martial Practice Hall and have not stepped outside for many years."
"Your Heaven-Overturning Society is truly remarkable."
Ziqiong glanced at Xu Bai and smiled faintly.
"Senior overpraises me. I was merely shocked to suddenly learn Senior's true identity, and did not know what to say."
Xu Bai cupped his hands, putting on an intensely nervous appearance.
Chapter 758