Chapter 42: The Negotiation Is Done, I Shall Give You Spirit Stones

Suddenly, the ground-dwelling mole demon thrust one of its tightly clenched hands forward. This abrupt gesture made Yun Yi’s heart tighten, and he immediately commanded his blood-red blades to strike.

However, just as the blades were about to hit their mark, the mole demon used its claws to scratch a few words into the earth: "Talk. How do you wish to talk?"

Hovering in mid-air, Yun Yi’s pupils dilated with shock upon seeing this. He realized then that the mole demon had no intention of attacking, but rather sought to negotiate. Yun Yi quickly diverted his blood blades, letting them narrowly graze past the creature and bury themselves deep into the ground beside it.

Although Yun Yi had not harmed the creature, the act still provoked a sense of severe threat. The mole demon turned back in a rage, its eyes appearing to spit fire as they locked onto the blades embedded in the soil. It then spun around, using its sharp claws to frantically erase the previous message and carve out a new, accusatory line: "What is the meaning of this? If not to negotiate, why attack me?"

The words seemed to leap off the ground, imbued with the creature's fury. Hovering above, Yun Yi felt a wave of guilt. He knew his own nervousness had led him to misinterpret the mole demon’s intentions, causing this unnecessary misunderstanding.

Focusing his consciousness, Yun Yi manipulated the air currents before him to dissipate the previous text. In its place, he condensed new words: "My apologies. I was too tense and misinterpreted your intent. I offer my sincere apologies and truly hope we can continue our negotiations."

These words, formed from demon energy, drifted like spirits in the air, conveying the depth of Yun Yi's sincerity and remorse. As the words settled, he fluttered his nearly transparent wings and withdrew a pile of spirit stones—radiating a faint, ethereal glow—from the storage ring shimmering on his fingertip. Even in the daylight, these stones shone like the brightest stars in the night sky. With a gentle push, Yun Yi sent the stones toward the still-wary and indignant mole demon, guided by an invisible force.

The mole demon narrowed its eyes, scrutinizing the stones. The rage in its gaze seemed to subside at the sight of such precious resources. Seeing this, Yun Yi let out a silent sigh of relief; he knew he had set the tone for the coming negotiation.

He then mobilized his internal spiritual energy once more, condensing words in the air: "In truth, though we are both of the demon race, we share a common desire to take human form. Since our goal is the same, why must we fight to the death over this Dragon Blood Transformation Technique?"

He shifted his tone, adding, "While I know it was wrong of me to steal your technique, it was born of a desperate need to transform. If this negotiation succeeds, I am willing to offer compensation."

The mole demon’s gaze flickered between Yun Yi and the spirit stones. It understood that further conflict would benefit neither party. In the world of cultivation, where strength dictates survival, interests remain the greatest driving force. Finally, taking a deep breath, the mole demon suppressed its anger and decided to hear Yun Yi’s proposal.

"Very well. How do you intend to resolve this?"

Yun Yi smiled, a look of calm confidence, as if he had already calculated his strategy. He waved his small forelimbs, using his energy as a brush to outline his terms in the air: "It is simple. I will make a copy of the Dragon Blood Transformation Technique for my own use and return the original to you, completely intact. Additionally, to express my sincerity and apology, I will provide you with further compensation upon your request."

The words formed slowly, each one heavy with determination. He kept his gaze fixed on the mole demon, his small eyes sparkling with intelligence as he monitored the creature’s reaction. He wanted to see how it would choose—whether to accept the offer or fight to the bitter end, sparking another bloody confrontation.

The mole demon scanned the text for a long moment before suddenly using its own spiritual power to change the message: "Acceptable. But I want to see what your 'sincerity' entails."

Yun Yi felt a jolt; he realized the mole demon was testing his limits.

After a moment of thought, he waved his forelimbs again, replacing the text with: "I am willing to give you a certain amount of spirit stones."

He chose spirit stones because offering artifacts or other treasures might invite endless trouble. Should the other party use such items against him, he would effectively be digging his own grave.

The mole demon’s eyes flashed with cunning as it altered the words: "You offer stones—how many?"

"Two hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones," Yun Yi replied without hesitation. He knew that while spirit stones were not omnipotent in the cultivation world, they were the foundation of practice and an indispensable resource for any demon or human.

Clearly unsatisfied, the mole demon retorted in a fury: "What? That is so little! Do you know how close I came to losing my life for this technique? You are obtaining this secret art without any real effort, and you offer only two hundred and fifty stones? Do you think that is appropriate?"

Yun Yi paused, taken aback by the intensity of the reaction. He drew a deep breath, his forelimbs moving to channel all his strength and resolve into the air once more: "That is all I have."

The words were brief, yet carried the weight of his hardship and conviction. He knew that in this silent negotiation conducted through demon energy, he had to hold his ground. To yield now would not only cost him the initiative but might lead the mole demon to perceive him as weak and susceptible to even more unreasonable demands.

The mole demon’s cunning eyes bore into him, and upon reading the response, a cold sneer curled its lips. With a flick of its claw, new words emerged in the air: "That is all you have? Or is that all you are willing to give? Do you think such an answer will satisfy me?"