Shameless!
That was the Domain Lords' new impression of Yang Kai.
Strong cultivators were generally mindful of their dignity. Even Domain Lords cared about their own face, to say nothing of the human race, so when Yang Kai wailed so pitifully, the Domain Lords couldn't help but feel like they were witnessing something truly eye-opening.
Six Arms said with an ugly expression, "The Human and Ink Clans share a hatred deep enough to fill the ocean. Coexistence is utterly impossible. How do you propose to negotiate peace?"
He had a nagging feeling that this fellow was up to some scheme or another, so although Six Arms believed reconciliation between the two races was impossible, he still wanted to hear Yang Kai out.
Yang Kai stopped his wailing and smiled. "As I just said, this peace negotiation wouldn't be a comprehensive one. It would be limited to the level of Human Eight-Rank masters and Ink Clan Domain Lords."
Six Arms looked thoughtful. "You mean..."
"Simple. From now on, regardless of whether it's a major battle or a minor skirmish, your Ink Clan Domain Lords must not intervene. In exchange, our Human Eight-Rank masters will likewise stay out of it."
The moment these words left his mouth, the assembled Domain Lords erupted in commotion. Even those Domain Lords who had been hiding nearby within the Ink Clouds, concealing their auras, couldn't help but have their composure shaken, accidentally revealing their presence.
"Truly?" one Domain Lord blurted out, his tone agitated.
Six Arms shot him a glare that made the fellow's face flush with embarrassment, and he hastily shut his mouth. But Six Arms harbored no real anger toward him. The truth was, the moment Yang Kai had spoken those words, even he had been genuinely tempted.
Yet he admonished himself — this was undoubtedly a human scheme, not to be trusted lightly. The cunning and deceit of the human race was something they had learned all too well.
Six Arms gazed deeply into Yang Kai's eyes, as if trying to peer into the very depths of his heart, and spoke in a heavy tone: "What exactly do you mean by this?"
Yang Kai replied, "Exactly what the words say."
Six Arms fell silent. He couldn't quite see through this anymore and cast a questioning glance toward Mo Na Ye, only to find him with brows tightly knitted, apparently deep in thought.
Yang Kai said, "There's no need for any suspicion or misgivings. I've come here in genuine earnest to negotiate peace with all of you, and moreover, I believe this is a good thing for the Ink Clan. Over these years, roughly thirty Domain Lords in the Xuanming Domain have died at my hands, wouldn't you say? If you agree to this arrangement, I will no longer take action against Domain Lords in the future. Of course, that's on the condition that you Domain Lords behave yourselves."
The Domain Lords' expressions immediately darkened.
Losing thirty Domain Lords in the Xuanming Domain was nothing short of a humiliation. Now Yang Kai was rubbing salt directly into that wound right in front of them, and it was infuriating.
But it was an undeniable fact, and there was no way to refute it.
Seeing that the Domain Lords remained silent, Yang Kai's smile slowly faded, and his tone turned cold. "What's the matter? I come here in sincerity, arriving alone to negotiate on your behalf, making enormous concessions to the Ink Clan — and yet you're still not satisfied? Would you rather force me to go on a killing spree?"
As he spoke, he produced the Azure Dragon Spear in one fluid motion, thrust his chin upward with an air of arrogance, and declared: "Fine by me! If that's how it is, then let's settle it with our fists. From now on we'll have a major battle every two years, and I'll come each time to kill one or two Domain Lords. Let's see if any of you can stop me!"
The moment he brought out the Azure Dragon Spear, the Domain Lords tensed up as well. Auras surged one after another, and Ink Force was quietly circulated. The previously peaceful atmosphere instantly became fraught with tension.
Six Arms was startled. The thought of ambushing Yang Kai here completely fled his mind. He hastily raised a hand in a pressing gesture. "Please calm yourself, sir!"
Yang Kai showed no courtesy whatsoever. He leveled the spear directly at Six Arms and spoke in a low, steely voice: "Agree or disagree — just say the word!"
Six Arms seethed with anger. Among the innate Domain Lords, he stood at the very pinnacle and was the leader of the Ink Clan in the Xuanming Domain. To have a Human Eight-Rank master pointing a spear at him like this — what kind of indignity was that?
If it weren't for the fact that Yang Kai's proposal was simply too tempting, he would likely have ordered an all-out attack without a second thought.
He regarded Yang Kai with gravity and spoke: "What you say is certainly tempting. However, the notion of a peace negotiation is truly extraordinary. We cannot bring ourselves to believe it."
"Believe what, exactly?"
Six Arms said, "If what you say is true and from now on Human Six-Rank masters and Ink Clan Domain Lords refrain from war, it would indeed be enormously beneficial to my Ink Clan. But what about your Human race? What benefit would you gain?"
This was what he could not figure out at all. Given the current situation, the Ink Clan in the Xuanming Domain was undoubtedly at a disadvantage. Every two years when a major battle broke out, a Domain Lord would fall. Thirty years had passed, and now with every such battle, the Domain Lords lived in constant dread, terrified of being singled out by Yang Kai.
If they could reach an agreement with the human race that Eight-Rank masters and Domain Lords would stay off the battlefield, the benefits to the Ink Clan were obvious. But what would the humans get out of it?
The human race would never do something with no benefit to them. Six Arms was not naive enough to believe that Yang Kai was considering the Ink Clan's interests at every turn. The two races were mortal enemies who could not coexist under the same sky — there was no reason for such generosity.