Mo Nayue's smile did not waver, as if he had long anticipated Xiang Shan's response. "Lord Xiang Shan means to say that the Human Race is unwilling to negotiate peace?"
He sneered inwardly. If they truly had no interest in peace, there would have been no need for such a grand spectacle — representatives of both the Human and Ink races from thirteen Great Domains had gathered here. The fact that the Humans had come at all proved they wanted peace too; they were simply putting on an act.
Xiang Shan said, "The current situation suits my Human Race quite well. We see no reason to change anything."
Mo Nayue replied, "However, from what I know, the Human Race is at a disadvantage on nearly every Great Domain battlefield. Three years ago, had Lord Yang Kai not appeared in the Shuangji Domain, that battle would already have been lost by your side."
"You said three years ago," Xiang Shan replied, unperturbed. "Three years ago was three years ago. Today is today. Times have changed."
Mo Nayue furrowed his brow slightly. "Lord Xiang Shan means to keep all the Great Domain battlefields as they are?"
When Xiang Shan said nothing, Mo Nayue smiled bitterly. "For the sake of this peace negotiation, my Ink Clan has shown the utmost sincerity. On every Great Domain battlefield, regardless of the advantage we held, we voluntarily relinquished it — withdrawing our troops and fortifying our defenses. I trust the Human Race can see that."
An Eighth-Rank master let out a derisive laugh. "That's only because you're terrified of Yang Kai. Don't dress it up so prettily. If you had the nerve, you wouldn't have withdrawn at all—"
Before the Eighth-Rank master could finish, Mo Nayue cut in loudly. "Lord Yang Kai's strength is indeed formidable, and we Domain Lords cannot withstand him. But each time he acts, he can kill only a handful of Domain Lords at most, after which he must enter a prolonged period of recovery. If my Ink Clan so wished, we could launch a full-scale offensive during his recovery — who among the Humans could stop us?"
The Eighth-Rank master shot back angrily, "Then try it and see!"
He channeled his Heavenly might, startling the surrounding Domain Lords into defensive stances. In an instant, the atmosphere turned razor-sharp.
Mo Nayue's expression did not change. He simply looked at Xiang Shan. "A peace agreement benefits both the Human and Ink races. With the example of the Xuanming Domain before us, I trust Lord Xiang Shan can make a wise choice."
Xiang Shan spoke at leisure. "A ceasefire certainly benefits your Ink Clan — your Domain Lords would no longer have to live in constant dread. But what benefit would my Human Race derive?"
Mo Nayue said, "Providing the Humans below Eighth-Rank a relatively safe space to fight — isn't that something the Human Race has been striving for all along?"
He had not originally intended to spell this out, but now he had no choice. Judging by Xiang Shan's stance, the Ink Clan would have to produce a tangible bargaining chip before the Humans would even consider it.
Xiang Shan was not surprised by this. Over the years, a number of Humans had fallen into Ink Clan hands and been converted into Ink Disciples. It was nearly impossible to keep intelligence fully secret on the Human side.
"Your Human Race seems to produce a remarkable number of rising talents," Mo Nayue continued. "If they were to die carelessly under a Domain Lord's hand during the war — wouldn't that be a terrible waste? One Seventh-Rank who falls today might have become a future Ninth-Rank. Three hundred years ago, Lord Yang Kai slaughtered his way across the Xuanming Domain, yet he voluntarily proposed a ceasefire — precisely out of that consideration. So why, now that my Ink Clan is the one requesting peace, do the Humans drag their feet? Does Lord Xiang Shan intend to drag the Xuanming Domain back into the fires of war as well?"
Xiang Shan looked up at him. "Are you threatening me?" The implication was clear — if peace talks fell through, the agreement governing the Xuanming Domain would be voided as well. If that happened, everything would revert to the way it was three hundred years ago, and the Human Race's younger generation would lose a relatively safe ground for tempering themselves.
Mo Nayue said modestly, "I wouldn't dare. In your Human Race's own words — today, the thirteen of us Domain Lords have stepped one foot into Hell's Gate by coming here to negotiate. Our sole desire is to see this peace agreement through. How could we dare provoke anyone? If Lord Yang Kai were to strike in fury, at least half of us thirteen Domain Lords would never leave here!"
Although he knew the man's words were anything but sincere, Yang Kai still felt a pleasant swell of satisfaction. No wonder they said flattery never failed — and when it came from a Domain Lord as powerful as this, the sensation was entirely unique.
Mo Nayue continued, "As for the benefits Lord Xiang Shan mentioned — I admit, if a ceasefire is truly reached, the benefits to our Ink Clan Domain Lords would be enormous. Therefore, the Ink Clan is willing to offer compensation."
"What kind of compensation?"
"Resources, perhaps?" Mo Nayue proposed. "The Human Race requires resources for cultivation. Each Great Domain could contribute a portion. As for the amounts, we can negotiate."
The proposal carried genuine sincerity, and the Eighth-Rank masters all showed faint signs of being moved.
No one had expected the Ink Clan to make such significant concessions for the sake of peace. For a moment, they couldn't help but wonder — did a ceasefire somehow benefit the Ink Clan even more?
But thinking it over, there was only one explanation: the Domain Lords had been frightened by Yang Kai.
Each time he acted, he could not kill that many Domain Lords. If they were on guard, he might not claim a single one. But being perpetually watched by such a terrifying enemy — no one could bear that.
"If even that is not enough for the Humans to agree to peace, then there is nothing more to discuss," Mo Nayue said, spreading his hands and looking straight at Xiang Shan.
Xiang Shan was silent for a moment, then nodded. "We can negotiate."
The moment these words left his mouth, the assembled Ink Clan Domain Lords collectively let out a breath of relief, their tensed hearts finally easing. But Xiang Shan's next sentence sent those hearts lurching upward once more.
"However, not every Great Domain will participate in the ceasefire." Xiang Shan tapped his finger on the table. "Setting the Xuanming Domain aside, of the remaining twelve Great Domains, six will enter peace negotiations and six will remain as they are. If the Ink Clan cannot agree to that, then there is no point in continuing this discussion."
Understanding dawned on Mo Nayue in an instant. So this had been the Human Race's true objective all along.
But thinking it over carefully, this condition was not necessarily unacceptable. Just as he had told Six Arms before — the Humans needed to train their troops, and so did the Ink Clan.