Chapter 26

Not long after sending off Mr. Wang, Qin Kelan arrived. Her face, cold and beautiful to the extreme, had eyes that shimmered with a rippling light. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she wore a flowing, ethereal dress that seemed to be from another world.

In terms of appearance, Qin Kelan was incomparably beautiful, and in terms of demeanor, she was several levels above Qin Youwei.

Qin Kelan entered Bai Chen's room alone. The look she gave Bai Chen was no longer filled with murderous intent but was as calm as water. Her red lips parted slightly, "Young Master Bai, this humble one greets you."

Bai Chen received her as if she were a distinguished guest, showing no hint of teasing or overstepping. He courteously invited Qin Kelan to sit down, but there was only one chair in the room. So, after Qin Kelan sat down, Bai Chen unceremoniously sat on the floor in front of her.

In this top-down position, Qin Kelan suddenly felt a bit uneasy. This angle was indeed awkward.

However, now that she had already sat down, it was difficult for her to stand up again after noticing Bai Chen's improper behavior.

Qin Kelan was inwardly annoyed. Before coming, she had already anticipated many scenarios and was on high alert against Bai Chen. She never expected to be at a disadvantage so soon after meeting him.

"May I ask what brings Miss Qin here?"

Bai Chen's gaze made Qin Kelan feel uneasy. This direct, unblinking stare, for a woman, carried a hint of lewdness.

Qin Kelan had thought she could handle the interaction with Bai Chen calmly, but she found it impossible.

Just seeing that despicable smile made her anger surge uncontrollably.

Fortunately, Qin Kelan did not lose her composure. She slightly adjusted her posture to make herself more comfortable.

However, no matter how she changed her angle, she could not escape his relentless gaze.

"Young Master Bai, there seems to be a misunderstanding between you and our Danqi Sect. I hope we can resolve this misunderstanding. What do you think?"

Qin Kelan's tone was sincere and genuine, her eyes filled with goodwill.

Qin Kelan detested Bai Chen. His behavior and every word and action filled her with deep loathing.

However, she buried her resentment deep inside and approached Bai Chen with the utmost goodwill.

She was not a person who lacked perspective. If Bai Chen were just an unknown, from a broken sect, she would have used the most direct means to destroy him, whether for her own hatred or to avenge Qin Youwei.

Unfortunately, Bai Chen was not. His recent actions, though hidden, had not escaped the notice of those with ulterior motives.

Moreover, his grand deal with the Dragon Tiger Sect had left her shocked and even a bit frightened.

Because of his appearance, the balance of power had already begun to shift.

Before this, the Embroidery Qi Sect, Danqi Sect, and Iron Scroll Sect in Qingzhou City had maintained a balance of power, and the Dragon Tiger Sect and Yin Xu Sect were also relatively evenly matched.

However, due to Bai Chen's single transaction, this balance had been completely disrupted.

This made Qin Kelan feel a sense of crisis. Given Bai Chen's hostility towards the Danqi Sect, if the Dragon Tiger Sect received a satisfactory deal, it was not impossible that they would, under Bai Chen's instigation, turn their guns on the Danqi Sect.

Therefore, she had to take the initiative and temporarily set aside her grudges to win over Bai Chen.

"Of course, but shouldn't the Danqi Sect return what they owe me?"

Bai Chen didn't care about Qin Kelan's intentions; he was determined to stick to his point.

The Jade King Cauldron and Fire Crystal that Qin Youwei had lost to him—if the Danqi Sect planned to default, Bai Chen would not let it go.

Qin Kelan's face showed some difficulty as she hesitated and looked at Bai Chen. "Young Master Bai, the Jade King Cauldron and Fire Crystal are the treasures of our Danqi Sect. My brother used them as stakes, which violated the sect's rules. The bet may not be valid."

Bai Chen's face darkened immediately, and he stood up abruptly, staring coldly at Qin Kelan. "So, the Danqi Sect plans to default?"

"That is not what I mean. However, if Young Master Bai is willing to join our Danqi Sect, these issues will not be a problem. I am willing to present the Jade King Cauldron and Fire Crystal to you, and I guarantee that all grievances between you and our Danqi Sect will be resolved. I will also offer you the position of elder."

"Haha... What a clever plan." Bai Chen laughed loudly.

Without any effort, he was being tricked into joining the Danqi Sect. If Bai Chen truly joined, whether he received the Jade King Cauldron and Fire Crystal or not would make no difference, as they would belong to the Danqi Sect anyway.

Bai Chen was not a fool, and neither was Qin Kelan. Both knew that such conditions were impossible to achieve.

However, this did not stop Bai Chen from imagining. He glanced at Qin Kelan.

Qin Kelan still spoke with sincerity. "Young Master Bai, you can consider my request. As long as you are willing to join the Danqi Sect, we are willing to pay any price."

Bai Chen suddenly moved closer to Qin Kelan, who immediately changed her expression and stepped back from the chair.

"Are you also part of the Danqi Sect's price?"

"What are you talking about!" Qin Kelan clenched her fists, her remaining rationality barely restraining her anger.

"Didn't you say that as long as I join the Danqi Sect, you are willing to pay any price?" Bai Chen smiled at Qin Kelan, his breath carrying a faint fragrance.

Qin Kelan's face flushed with anger and embarrassment, her beauty unmatched, making Bai Chen lose himself.

"Is the sincerity of the Danqi Sect just this much?" Bai Chen pressed forward, cornering Qin Kelan against the wall.

However, he did not dare to get too close. Qin Kelan's cultivation was far superior to his. If he truly provoked her, and she acted without restraint, his life would be in danger.

Bai Chen was not confident enough to face a 9th-stage cultivator with his 6th-stage cultivation.

Bai Chen was confident in dealing with 7th-stage opponents but not 8th or 9th-stage experts.

"Bai Chen, I advise you not to push things too far!" Qin Kelan, with no more room to retreat, stopped and stared at Bai Chen, her eyes flashing with murderous intent.

"Push things too far? Does the Danqi Sect even know what it means to push things too far?" Bai Chen took two steps back, his eyes full of mockery. "Do you think I deserve to be bullied by the Danqi Sect?"

"What do you want?"

"Since the Danqi Sect is untrustworthy, I don't need to explain what I want. But if you think I'm easy to bully, I'll make you regret it. Even if you offer yourself to me, I won't care. A three-legged toad is hard to find, but two-legged women are everywhere. They all look the same in the dark."

Qin Kelan's eyes blazed with fury. The Danqi Sect had already shown great magnanimity by not holding a grudge and being willing to accept him.

They had even offered the Jade King Cauldron and Fire Crystal for his use.

If he did not show gratitude and still wanted more, did he really think the Danqi Sect was afraid of him?

"Refusing the wine and accepting the punishment!" Qin Kelan looked at Bai Chen as if he were already dead and silently left the room.

"Hold on." Bai Chen suddenly called out to Qin Kelan.

Qin Kelan turned and looked at Bai Chen, a cold smile appearing on her lips. "What? Do you regret it?"

"No, I just want to tell you that if you want to offer yourself to me, you can come anytime. Don't wait until you're like a stray dog before you regret it. I won't bother with you."

Qin Kelan again felt the sense of losing control. She should have known that any interaction with Bai Chen would end this way.

After sending off Miss Qin, Bai Chen left the inn.

The evening street was somewhat desolate. In the distance, he saw Mu Sansheng walking towards him, holding a delicate brocade box.

When Mu Sansheng saw Bai Chen, he was slightly taken aback but then walked up to Bai Chen, a bitter expression on his face.

"Such a coincidence, Young Master Bai." Mu Sansheng's tone was friendly, like that of an old friend he hadn't seen in years.

However, his eyes were filled with bitterness and helplessness. The auction had ended, and the Iron Scroll Sect had suffered a crushing defeat. To raise enough silver, the Iron Scroll Sect had to sell several important assets at a low price. In the end, the Danqi Sect had easily taken away all the silver with just 1,000 third-stage pills.

The Danqi Sect's move was brilliant, using low-grade pills to directly eliminate the Iron Scroll Sect from the competition.

Of course, the Danqi Sect did not succeed either; in the end, the Yin Xu Sect won the Lingdong Pill.

The Iron Scroll Sect received some third-stage pills but did not solve the fundamental problem and instead lost several important assets.

These assets were the foundation of the Iron Scroll Sect, and now, due to the Danqi Sect's strategy, they had lost the chance to turn the tide.

Of course, Mu Sansheng knew the consequences of this, but he was not the leader of the Iron Scroll Sect. Even his master sometimes had to compromise with the elders.

However, this was not the end. At the conclusion of today's auction, three elders of the Iron Scroll Sect suddenly announced their resignation and joined the Danqi Sect, taking 100 core disciples with them.

This result severely damaged the Iron Scroll Sect's reputation. In just one afternoon, three small forces began to cause trouble in their territory.

The Iron Scroll Sect had to sell everything they had, only to benefit others. No one could bear such a loss.

Mu Sansheng's master, the current leader of the Iron Scroll Sect, was so angry that he spat blood.

"Do we know each other well?" Bai Chen did not give Mu Sansheng a good face, walking past him without even a glance.

"Forgive me, Young Master Bai." Mu Sansheng did not lose heart but followed Bai Chen.

Bai Chen did not object to Mu Sansheng's following. Mu Sansheng did not show any arrogance but followed respectfully: "This is a small token from the Iron Scroll Sect. I hope Young Master Bai will accept it."

Bai Chen took the box, looked at it, and said nothing.

A benefit offered on a silver platter, why refuse it? Bai Chen had no reason to turn it down.

"Since you are new to Qingzhou City, you must not be very familiar with it. If you have time, I would be honored