299: Cooperation reached

Rakshasa City, Dark Merchant Guild Headquarters.

In stark contrast to the ubiquitous noise, blood, and decay of this chaotic city, the core area of the Dark Merchant Guild was permeated with a solemnity and luxury that felt almost frozen in time.

Situ Qinsheng sat regally upon the main seat.

At this moment, her purple eyes calmly watched the two young men sitting below.

Di Lingxiao's posture was as straight as a spear; even while sitting, he gave off a sharp sense of being ready to pierce through the air at any moment.

Di Wushang appeared much more restrained.

His Face was cold and stern, his features sharp as if carved by a knife and axe. His eyes were no ordinary color but a deep, abyss-like dark red, as if they contained an endless sea of blood and slaughter.

“You two,” Situ Qinsheng spoke, her voice clear and steady, “I have received a message from my father. The Situ Family is willing to conclude a deep alliance with the Di Clan's Eternal Night Merchant Guild.”

Di Lingxiao's eyes brightened slightly, and his posture became even straighter, like a taut bowstring. “President Situ is truly righteous! The Eternal Night Merchant Guild is newly founded and needs the full support of an ally with deep Foundations like the Dark Merchant Guild!”

A bloody light flickered slightly in Di Wushang's Asura Demonic Eyes, but he did not speak.

Thoughts whirled in his mind: Situ Qinsheng possessed the Purple Heaven Temple Destiny Eye. For her to make such a decision, she must have seen some majestic phenomenon within the Di Clan that ordinary people could not glimpse.

The Situ Family's control over the Rakshasa City Dark Merchant Guild was of immense value to the Eternal Night Merchant Guild, which was in urgent need of resource channels.

Situ Qinsheng nodded slightly and continued, “Regarding the details of the cooperation, my father has already dispatched my younger brother, Situ Lan, to the Eternal Night Divine Capital. The Dark Merchant Guild will fully open Rakshasa City and some cross-prefecture channels, prioritizing the resources needed by Eternal Night, and providing support in intelligence, protection, and other aspects.”

“In return, I hope that once the Eternal Night Merchant Guild grows in the future, it can grant the Dark Merchant Guild certain priority regarding high-end resources.”

“Perfectly reasonable!” Di Lingxiao responded without hesitation, the Battle Intent in his eyes growing even stronger.

“The Clan Chief is farsighted; he will certainly not let our allies down!” A surge of pride for expanding the Family's territory rose in his heart, but he also recognized one point with absolute clarity:

The Family's current true top-tier combat power, besides the unfathomable Clan Chief Di Shenglong, consisted of those few experts the Clan Chief had subdued.

Beyond them, the strongest on the surface was the War Lineage Master, Di Tianxiao of the Tong Tian Realm Tenth Level.

Further down were the Saint Lineage geniuses like themselves who had just begun to show their talent.

The Di Clan had infinite potential, but its current hard power—especially the number of high-end combatants—still had a massive gap compared to those first-class or even super-tier forces with long Legacies and Saints overseeing them.

This alliance was precious to the Di Clan, whose wings were not yet fully fledged.

Di Wushang remained silent, but the lines of his cold Face seemed to soften slightly.

He thought deeper: The Situ Family's attitude was a form of recognition of the Di Clan's potential and a bet on the future.

Rakshasa City was a den of dragons and snakes. With the Dark Merchant Guild rooted here, the value of its intelligence network might far exceed its surface resource channels.

“Very well then.”

A faint, spring-breeze-like smile appeared on Situ Qinsheng's Face, and the thunder patterns in her purple eyes settled down.

“The specific terms will be clarified once Situ Lan arrives at the Eternal Night Divine Capital.”

The streets of Rakshasa City were twisted flowers watered by desire and slaughter.

The turbid air was mixed with the heavy scent of blood, rot, and various strange medicinal powders.

On both sides of the street were haphazardly constructed, rickety shacks and sturdier stone buildings that were nonetheless covered in marks from blades and axes.

The ground was made of uneven black stone slabs, the cracks soaked with dark red, long-dried blood stains.

All sorts of people surged through the narrow alleys like muddy sewage:

Fierce mercenaries with bare chests and bodies covered in scars;

Demonic cultivators with sinister eyes and mysterious Auras;

Mysterious merchants wrapped in black robes, hurrying along;

And even more were those struggling at the bottom, their eyes numb and hopeless like the walking dead.

Cries of hawkers, angry curses, the explosive sounds of fighting, the wails of the dying, the wanton shrill laughter of women... all sorts of sounds mixed together, forming a never-ending, irritating symphony of chaos.

Di Lingxiao and Di Wushang were walking through a relatively wide main street lined with various vendors.

Suddenly, the crowd ahead parted as if by an invisible force, followed by a commotion and low gasps of surprise.

“Move! Everyone get lost! Don't block Young Miss Zhou's path!”

Several fierce-looking guards wearing crimson leather armor with lightning sigils embroidered on their chests roughly pushed aside those in the way, clearing a path.

Those pushed aside were angry but dared not speak, clearly recognizing the origin of these guards—the Crimson Thunder Guards of the Thunder Prison Prefecture's Zhou Family!

In the center of the path, a graceful figure walked with a swaying gait.

It was the eldest Young Miss of the Zhou Family, Zhou Mei, known as 'Demon Sound'.

Zhou Mei's gaze swept carelessly over the crowd. When she saw the spirited and unique Aura of Di Lingxiao, and the deep, abyss-like Aura of Di Wushang behind him, a flash of surprise and intense interest crossed her peach-blossom eyes.

“Oh?” Zhou Mei paused, her red lips curling into a seductive smile that carried an obvious sense of superiority. Her voice was charming yet clearly pierced through the street's noise.

“Where did these two little brothers come from? Your Auras are quite extraordinary.”

Her gaze scanned Di Lingxiao nakedly, as if she were inspecting a novel piece of merchandise.

Di Lingxiao's sword-like brows furrowed slightly, feeling displeased by such a scrutinizing gaze.

Di Wushang remained unmoved, though a flash of cold indifference flickered deep within his eyes.

Seeing that the two did not answer, especially Di Lingxiao's impatient frown, the bit of interest in Zhou Mei's heart was instantly replaced by coldness.

She raised her brows and asked in a questioning tone, “Hey! This Young Miss is asking you something! Are you deaf or mute? Looking at your attire, you seem to have some skill. Are you interested in serving my Zhou Family?”

She lifted her chin with a haughty posture, as if she were granting them a great favor.

She had recently heard that two new Faces had arrived in Rakshasa City and had apparently refused the recruitment of the Zhou Family branch. She was already holding in a grudge, and since she had run into them now, how could she let them go?

Hearing this, Di Lingxiao was first stunned, then as if he had heard a massive joke, his lips curled into a sneer full of mockery and defiance.

“Serving? Just based on your Zhou Family? You think you're worthy of making this War King bow his head?” His voice was loud, carrying undisguised contempt.

“War King?” The seductive smile on Zhou Mei's Face instantly froze, then turned into shock and humiliated rage!

She naturally knew this name!

These two were the fellows who had refused the Zhou Family's recruitment!

“So it's you! Ungrateful trash! You dare to slight my Zhou Family's Face even in Rakshasa City! Today, I'll let you know the consequences of offending me, Zhou Mei!”

Driven by humiliated rage, Zhou Mei completely lost her reason.

She didn't stop to think why the other party dared to be so stubborn, nor did she consider the consequences. Only one thought remained in her mind: tear apart these two who had made her lose Face!

“Demon Sound Heart-Beguiler!”