Since the Gathering Source Alliance was primarily a commercial organization, its doors were naturally open for business. However, Yang Kai had previously killed Zhao Xing at the Dao Discussion Conference, which had earned him the enmity of Thousand Crane Blessed Land. The Gathering Source Alliance naturally had no desire to bring trouble upon itself.
It was likely that when Lu Jing had come to visit, his father had given him strict instructions — otherwise, even if that guard was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven cultivator, he should not have been so presumptuous.
"I am speaking with Senior Brother Yang — what right do you have to interrupt? Get out!" Lu Jing barked at him.
Yang Kai raised a hand. "Since your mother wishes to arrange Brother Lu's marriage, I won't keep you any longer. However, I would ask Brother Lu to relay a message to your mother upon your return."
Lu Jing straightened up. "Please speak, Senior Brother Yang."
"Please tell your mother that Void Lands intends to expand the Heavenly Origin Spirit Pill business. If she is willing, I can have the Gathering Source Alliance act as the exclusive auction agent!"
Lu Jing's expression shifted. Even the Fifth-Order Open Heaven cultivator who had spoken earlier looked visibly surprised.
The Heavenly Origin Spirit Pill was now famous throughout the Three Thousand Worlds — everyone knew of it, and many had schemes regarding this Spirit Pill. But it was exclusively produced by Void Lands, and no one else could refine it.
Void Lands' Star Exchange had achieved its current scale precisely because of the Heavenly Origin Spirit Pill. One could say that this Spirit Pill was essentially the foundation of Void Lands' development.
If they could secure a share of this business, it would be a massive deal for the Gathering Source Alliance — one that could elevate them to yet another level beyond their current standing.
The fact that Void Lands was willing to make such a concession meant their demands would not be small either. Lu Jing understood this perfectly, and asked with a serious expression, "I wonder — what does Senior Brother Yang wish to obtain from our Gathering Source Alliance?"
Yang Kai smiled. "Your Gathering Source Alliance has merchant vessels spanning the Three Thousand Worlds, with extensive trade routes, vast networks, and numerous informants. Finding some Yin-Yang attribute resources of the Sixth Order shouldn't be too difficult, right?"
Lu Jing let out a bitter laugh at these words. "Senior Brother Yang, you've certainly presented me with a difficult problem. Both of those resources are exceedingly scarce — no matter where you look." He paused briefly. "How much does Senior Brother Yang need?"
"As much as possible," Yang Kai replied.
Lu Jing chuckled despite himself and pondered for a moment. "This is a major transaction, and I'm not in a position to make the decision on my own. I'll need to return and report to my father and let him make the call. Time is of the essence — I'll leave immediately and try to get a response to you as quickly as possible."
Yang Kai didn't try to keep him. He stood and said, "I'll walk you out."
The two walked side by side, when Lu Jing suddenly seemed to recall something and lowered his voice. "Has Senior Brother Yang heard any news lately?"
Yang Kai turned his head. "What matter is Brother Lu referring to?"
"It concerns Thousand Crane Blessed Land!"
"Thousand Crane Blessed Land?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "I haven't heard anything. What do you know, Brother Lu?"
Lu Jing said, "Elder Zuo Quanhui's faction has defected from Thousand Crane Blessed Land!"
Yang Kai halted abruptly and stared straight at him.
Lu Jing spread his hands. "I'm not joking. When it happened, one of our Gathering Source Alliance's vice-alliance masters happened to be handling affairs over near Thousand Crane Blessed Land and witnessed part of it. After returning, he reported the matter to my father, and I caught a scrap or two of it."
"When did this happen?" Yang Kai's brow furrowed deeply.
Lu Jing replied, "By my reckoning, roughly two or three months ago."
Two or three months — that was not long after his own return to Void Lands.
"Such a major event — why hasn't any news leaked to the outside?" Yang Kai asked, puzzled.
"How could Thousand Crane Blessed Land possibly publicize something like this? Zuo Quanhui is, after all, a Seventh-Order Open Heaven cultivator and an inner sect Elder of Thousand Crane Blessed Land. His defection is a matter of considerable embarrassment for them. But I doubt they can keep it hidden much longer — mark my words, within half a year the whole world will know."
As they spoke, they arrived at the location where the Gathering Source Alliance's tower ship was moored.
Lu Jing cupped his fists. "Please see me no further, Senior Brother Yang. I will certainly report the business proposal to my father and mediate on your behalf. If there is any news, I will come to inform you immediately."
"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Lu." Yang Kai nodded.
He watched the Gathering Source Alliance's tower ship depart, his brow tightly knit, an ominous sense of a gathering storm lingering in his mind.
Zuo Quanhui — a Seventh-Order Open Heaven cultivator and inner sect Elder of Thousand Crane Blessed Land — had simply up and defected? It wasn't as though Thousand Crane Blessed Land had only one Seventh-Order cultivator. As one of the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands, they should certainly have an Eighth-Order Open Heaven powerhouse holding things down.
If it truly was a defection, Zuo Quanhui would have been apprehended and brought back swiftly.
That being the case, Zuo Quanhui's "defection" was nothing more than a front — a convenient story for public consumption.
The Dao Discussion Conference at Yin-Yang Heaven had been overseen by Xu Linggong. Before the conference was held, he had made it clear that this was no child's game. The tournament was meant to select a husband for Qu Huashang. During the event, life and death were to be held at no consequence, and there would be no retribution or revenge afterward.