Chapter 161: There Were No Eternal Enemies, Only Eternal Interests

The atmosphere inside the suite froze instantly due to Jian Wuxin’s arrival.

Zhang Daniu’s palm-fan-like huge hand subconsciously reached toward the brick artifact on his back, muscles bulging like a primordial beast poised to strike.

Zhao Wuji stepped forward without hesitation, blocking in front of Chu Feng. The fanatical look on his face faded, replaced by a loyal and resolute expression of “taking the blade for the CEO.”

Even Feng Zhiruo, who had always been steady and composed, secretly clasped a family-inherited Void-Escape Talisman, her gaze vigilant.

A “fine” of five hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones was no small amount. It was more than enough to provoke murderous intent in any Nascent Soul cultivator.

Could this guy be out of his mind, coming here to seek mutual destruction?

However, to everyone’s surprise, there was not the slightest trace of killing intent on Jian Wuxin’s cold, stern face.

His gaze remained hollow, as though nothing in the world could leave a reflection in his heart. Yet the sword intent that had once pierced the heavens had been completely reined in—like a peerless lethal weapon sheathed, restrained, but even more dangerous.

He ignored the crowd that faced him as if confronting a mortal enemy. His gaze pierced through everything and locked directly onto the young man sitting leisurely in the main seat, who even had the leisure to sip a mouthful of spirit tea.

“I want to make a deal with you.”

His voice, like his sword, carried no emotional fluctuation—cold, stiff, and direct.

“Oh?”

Chu Feng set down his teacup, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips, as if he had long expected this visit.

“Daoist Jian, our group’s ‘after-sales service’ doesn’t include refunds.”

“Once a fine is issued, there are no returns or exchanges.”

The moment those words fell, even Feng Zhiruo could not help but twitch at the corner of her mouth.

At a time like this, he still had the mood to joke?

Jian Wuxin’s eternally expressionless iceberg face seemed to stiffen for a brief instant.

He took a deep breath, as if suppressing some surging emotion, and said in a low voice:

“I didn’t come to seek revenge.”

He paused, as though uttering the next words cost him immense effort.

“That thing of yours… those ‘Sword Butterflies.’ I’ve seen them.”

“Breaking skill with quantity, injuring the opponent at the cost of oneself. Though it’s an unorthodox path, it’s… very effective.”

This was the first time that he—a Sword Maniac who regarded the Dao of the Sword as the sole truth of life—had personally acknowledged the value of an “unorthodox path.”

It was equivalent to him denying a portion of his past beliefs.

“So?”

Chu Feng looked at him with keen interest, like a seasoned hunter appreciating his prey step by step as it walked into the trap he had set.

“So, I figured it out.”

Jian Wuxin spoke slowly.

“The Great Dao has countless paths. Whoever reaches the summit walks the righteous road.”

“The sword vessels of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect haven’t had a fundamental breakthrough for several thousand years.”

“We’ve been standing still for far too long.”

A flicker finally appeared in his eyes—a flame mixed with longing and resolve.

“This Heaven-Piercing Auction’s ‘Traverser’s Remains,’ my Ten Thousand Swords Sect also wants it.”

“But the Lei Family is determined to obtain it. We may not be able to outbid them.”

“I can represent the Ten Thousand Swords Sect and provide you with full financial support to help you win this item.”

“The condition is—”

He enunciated each word deliberately.

“The mechanical inheritance regarding the ‘power core’ within the remains must be shared with my Ten Thousand Swords Sect!”

As his words fell, the entire room was shaken!

Feng Zhiruo’s beautiful eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.

Jian Wuxin—this famously aloof Sword Maniac—was actually willing to bow his head and cooperate with an enemy who had just humiliated him, all for the sake of technology?

Zhao Wuji nearly crushed his little notebook in his grip, trembling with excitement.

“My heavens! Is this the Chairman’s ‘personal charisma’?”

“Even enemies are being convinced by our ‘corporate vision,’ coming to us on their own to request ‘capital-backed investment’!”

Chu Feng smiled.

Of course, he knew things were not that simple.

Jian Wuxin was indeed the Young Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, but above him were still the Sect Master and a group of rigid-minded Supreme Elders.

Those old antiques clung to so-called “orthodox sword doctrine” and sneered at all “unorthodox paths.”

If Jian Wuxin wanted to push sect reform, he would inevitably face enormous resistance.

This “Traverser’s Remains” was, to him, not merely a piece of technology, but a sharp blade capable of prying open the conservative faction of the sect—one that could consolidate his position as Young Sect Master and clear his future path!

What he needed was not a simple partner, but a “game-breaker” who could shatter rules, ignore tradition, and help him make this happen.

And himself—Chu Feng of the Ascension Group—was undoubtedly the best choice.

After understanding this, the smile on Chu Feng’s face grew even brighter.

“Daoist Jian, your ‘business instincts’ are quite sharp.”

He nodded approvingly.

“In principle, I agree with your ‘investment intention.’”

A trace of joy flashed through Jian Wuxin’s eyes.

“But—”

Chu Feng shifted the topic.

“The marketplace is a battlefield. Even brothers must keep accounts clear.”

“To safeguard both sides’ ‘legitimate rights and interests’ and avoid future ‘commercial disputes,’ we must sign an agreement with ‘legal effect.’”

As he spoke, he leisurely took out a long, golden scroll—several meters in length—that had clearly been prepared in advance, and with a “whoosh,” spread it open across the table.

The scroll was densely packed with clauses written in tiny script that no one present could understand.

“This is our drafted ‘V1.0 Agreement on the Joint Bidding, Technical Sharing, and Equity Swap with Performance Betting for the “Traverser’s Remains” Project.’”

Chu Feng pointed at the scroll and began introducing it as though reciting treasures.

“First, regarding the issue of ‘intellectual property ownership.’”

“The ownership of the remains belongs to our side. The right of technical analysis belongs to our side. Your side only enjoys a one-hundred-year ‘non-exclusive technical usage authorization’ for the ‘power core’ portion…”

“Second, regarding the ‘cooperation model.’”

“Your side acts as the ‘financial investor’ and is responsible for providing all funds for this bidding.”

“Our side acts as the ‘technical partner’ and handles the operation.”

“After success, the technical licensing fee you pay can be offset with ‘30% dry equity of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect Sword Vessel Manufacturing General Factory’…”

“Finally—and most importantly—the ‘performance betting clause.’ After the agreement takes effect, the market share and profit growth of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s new generation sword vessels within ten years must meet the standards stipulated in the agreement.”

“If not, our side has the right to initiate the ‘priority liquidation right’ and forcibly acquire all equity you’ve pledged at the price of one spirit stone…”

With each clause Chu Feng recited, Jian Wuxin’s face grew a shade paler.

What was intellectual property?

What was non-exclusive authorization?

What was performance betting?

What was priority liquidation right?

He recognized every single character, yet when combined, they were more obscure and incomprehensible than the most profound sword dao treatise!

He felt that his sword heart—that clear, transparent, unstoppable sword heart—was now entangled by countless invisible karmic threads, becoming chaotic and on the verge of collapse.

How was this a cooperation agreement?

This was clearly a deed of servitude!

Listening from the side, Feng Zhiruo felt her heart pounding. Born of one of the Major Families of the Western Regions, she had some understanding of such commercial methods, but she had never seen such a perfectly interlocking, step-by-step, openly calculated scheme!

Chu Feng was no longer just scheming against Jian Wuxin—he was trying to bind the entire Ten Thousand Swords Sect to his war chariot!

In the end, under Chu Feng’s “friendly” gaze, Jian Wuxin struggled for a long time before gritting his teeth and extending his finger.

A strand of incomparably pure sword intent flew from his fingertip, transforming into the character “剑” (“sword”) and branding itself at the end of the scroll.

A sword-intent imprint was equivalent to a soul oath and could not be violated.

“Happy cooperation.”

Chu Feng contentedly put away the scroll and revealed a gentle smile to Jian Wuxin, whose face was ashen.

At this point, the Ascension Group’s “circle of friends” had, for the first time, extended its reach into the core of a first-rate power.

…

The City That Never Sleeps, Heaven-Piercing Auction House.

The massive circular venue was packed to capacity. Above the dome was a simulated, resplendent starry river—breathtakingly beautiful.

Under Yao Yue’s personal guidance, Chu Feng’s group entered the best-positioned top-tier VIP private room.

From here, they could overlook the entire venue and take in everyone’s expressions at a glance.

At a single glance, Chu Feng spotted Lei Qianjue seated in the opposite private room. That domineering lightning aura was clearly discernible even through formations.

However, when his gaze swept past Lei Qianjue’s side, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Beside Lei Qianjue sat a young man wearing the robes of Heavenheart Holy Land.

The young man’s features were handsome, but his temperament was cold to the extreme, as though devoid of even a trace of human emotion.

Just by sitting there quietly, he caused the surrounding air to freeze.

Seeming to sense Chu Feng’s gaze, he slowly raised his head. His line of sight crossed the noisy venue and landed precisely on… Murong Xue beside Chu Feng.

That look carried no anger, no hatred—only a cold, unquestionable sense of possessiveness, like gazing at an object that belonged to him but had been temporarily sullied by someone else.

Murong Xue’s body trembled slightly, her face instantly turning deathly pale.

Heavenheart Holy Land, Murong Tian!

He had actually… mixed together with people from the Lei Family!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep