Li Shiyin had successfully formed her Golden Core, so it was time to put the negotiation with the Boundless Sword Sect on the agenda.
After their wedding, the couple rested for half a month in Danyang City before returning to Dan Peak.
Upon returning, Qin Ran spent some time making arrangements and preparations before seeking out the Sect Leader.
"Sect Leader..." he bowed to Sect Leader Gu Yueming, "I will be departing for the Boundless Sword Sect soon."
Gu Yueming looked up at him and asked, "Why so soon?"
"The sooner the better," Qin Ran replied, "Moving quickly will both effectively preserve our fighting force and give Zhican Valley less time to react."
After pondering for a moment, Gu Yueming inquired: "Whether it's fast or slow isn't crucial. What concerns me is what we'll do if the Boundless Sword Sect rejects our proposal?"
"Sect Leader, it would merely mean revealing our true positions earlier. Given the current situation between the three sects, a battle is inevitable," Qin Ran said gravely. "We're being targeted by two sects - the Boundless Sword Sect killing our disciples intentionally or not, and Zhican Valley restricting us in terms of medicinal pills. If we delay, we'll be at a disadvantage. Escalating the conflict early works in our favor. We can either consolidate our defenses or fight to the death to drag down one of the sects - either option is better than our current situation."
"Very well, if the negotiations fail, you've considered the sect's position..." Gu Yueming continued, "But what about yourselves? They won't let you leave easily once you're in their territory."
"I've made detailed arrangements for the safety of our negotiating party," Qin Ran explained to Gu Yueming. "First, I'm skilled in teleportation arrays and will set one up outside the Boundless Sword Sect beforehand.
"Second, I'm skilled in alchemy. Those who excel in medicine also excel in poisons. Once we enter their sect, I'll poison their disciples as leverage.
"Third, if both plans fail..." he gave a cold laugh, "If I die outside their sect, so be it. But if I die inside their sect, I guarantee their strength will be halved.
"So, if I die on this mission - if it's outside their sect, Sect Leader can focus on defense and perhaps seek help from the Xuanqin Imperial Palace, where the Dao Sword Sect might find salvation. If I die inside their sect, you can mobilize our forces to take advantage and destroy the Boundless Sword Sect."
Hearing this, Gu Yueming felt both shocked and moved - shocked that Qin Ran had such terrifying measures prepared, and moved that he was willing to die for the sect while making such meticulous plans.
Suppressing his emotions, he continued asking: "You've prepared for failure. But how will you ensure the negotiations succeed? Especially with a sect like the Boundless Sword Sect - if you can't earn their respect through strength, no matter how persuasive your words are, you won't convince them."
He looked at Qin Ran, "How have you arranged for this?"
"Since this is a negotiation, I won't bring many people - just three disciples to the Boundless Sword Sect," Qin Ran had already thought this through. "One each at Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul stages. So if they propose friendly matches, it will definitely be one match at each level. Of the three matches, we only need to - and can only - win two.
"We'll definitely win two matches. Sect Leader, can you guess who I'm bringing?"
Gu Yueming frowned and asked, "Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin?"
Qin Ran nodded.
"Those two..." Gu Yueming was truly worried, "If all three of you die at the Boundless Sword Sect, wouldn't that be the end of the Dao Sword Sect?!"
"Death is only a possibility," Qin Ran smiled. "Sect Leader, look at it another way - with Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin's strength, once they're inside the Boundless Sword Sect, if they suddenly unleash their power, the Boundless Sword Sect should be the ones afraid. So even if negotiations fail, they might not dare to move against us."
Gu Yueming understood the principle of finding life in the midst of death. Finally relieved, he asked with concern: "Li Shiyin has just formed her Golden Core - is her realm stable?"
Qin Ran nodded: "Thank you for your concern, Sect Leader. Shiyin's realm is stable, and she now has few equals at the Golden Core stage."
Gu Yueming suddenly glanced at Qin Ran's complexion and teased: "Although you're both young, you should practice moderation. Too much indulgence can affect your cultivation."
"Ahem!" Qin Ran's face reddened, and he even coughed.
"I hadn't noticed earlier..." Gu Yueming smiled, "Congratulations on your marriage!"
"Thank you, Sect Leader." Qin Ran replied, then looked at Gu Yueming with blinking eyes - we just got married, and all you have is verbal congratulations? Nothing else?
Gu Yueming pretended not to notice and continued with business: "You and Lu Junxing are close, you can discuss with him yourself... As for the teleportation array you'll set up, I'll ask our Nascent Soul elders to guard it."
Looking at Qin Ran, he suddenly sighed, "Having you is truly the Dao Sword Sect's fortune."
"So stingy!!" Qin Ran grumbled internally, all talk and no action.
So he replied: "Master took me as his disciple when I was very young and treated me like his own son. He taught me cultivation and alchemy without holding anything back. The Dao Sword Sect has never meant me harm. Joining the Dao Sword Sect was actually my fortune. I should protect the Dao Sword Sect."
Gu Yueming stared at Qin Ran for a while, then smiled and shook his head. His eyes welled up with tears as he casually turned away.
"You mentioned bringing three disciples earlier. Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin can guarantee absolute victory, but who do you plan to bring at the Foundation Establishment stage?" he asked.
"Long Qiqi..." Qin Ran looked smugly at Gu Yueming - trying to play the emotion card with me?
He smiled and said, "She's just an ordinary snake spirit studying alchemy under me. Her strength is minimal - she can't beat anyone."
"Long Qiqi?" Gu Yueming recalled that always-cocky little girl and smiled after some thought, "Taking her would make the loss too obvious."
He turned to Qin Ran and said, "Let me recommend someone - it would be good training for them."
"Them?" Qin Ran frowned.
The next day, looking at the two girls the Sect Leader brought, Qin Ran pondered for a moment before pulling the Sect Leader aside and quietly asking, "Are they your illegitimate daughters?"
"No," the Sect Leader shook his head, "They're just regular disciples."
"Then..." Qin Ran looked the Sect Leader up and down, confused, "You old pervert, are you into little girls?"
The Sect Leader gave Qin Ran a slap, laughing and scolding: "What are you thinking, you brat?! I'm old enough to be their ancestor. Is this because you just got married and have only one thing on your mind?"
"For cultivators..." Qin Ran said slowly, "Age means nothing. Eighteen years can pass in the snap of a finger, a nap, or a period of closed-door cultivation."
The Sect Leader gave Qin Ran another slap, laughing: "They just have good talent and likable personalities. I'm considering taking them as my last disciples - nothing like what you're imagining!"
"Then I'm relieved," Qin Ran sighed in relief.
"You're one to talk," Gu Yueming glanced at him, "You who seduced your own disciple."
Qin Ran secretly glanced at Li Shiyin and whispered, "She was the one who made the first move. I'm actually the victim."
"You with your heart full of holes..." Gu Yueming looked at him sideways, "Do you think I believe you?"
"You don't know how fierce she can be..." Qin Ran suddenly felt a sharp gaze and hurriedly stopped, coughing once before saying seriously, "They'll do fine. Let's head to the Boundless Sword Sect!"
The Foundation Establishment disciples Gu Yueming brought were the sisters Jiang Qin and Jiang Ran. They were the twins who, years ago, were known as the Dao Sword Sect's Five Great Beauties of their generation along with Li Shiyin, Tian Wenjin, and Liu Piaoxu.
That year they were eight years old. Five years had passed, and they were only thirteen now.
On an ordinary summer morning, Qin Ran led his group flying out of the Dao Sword Sect toward the Boundless Sword Sect, embarking on a mission that would determine the future fate of the Hengduan Mountains.
He rode at the front on Pursuing Wind, who had transformed to the size of an ordinary tiger, and casually asked the sisters Jiang Qin and Jiang Ran, "Do you know what we're going to do?"
The elder sister Jiang Ran was more outgoing, while the younger sister Jiang Qin was more reserved. They both rode on flying artifacts that were red Rainbow Silks.
Jiang Ran replied, "The Sect Leader said we're going to the Boundless Sword Sect to discuss important sect matters, and there might be sword duels. We're responsible for the Foundation Establishment realm exchanges."
"Oh, so we're just going to fight," Qin Ran nodded and asked, "Did the Sect Leader tell you what would happen if the sect matters discussion goes wrong?"
Flying Wind carried Qin Ran at the front, moving slowly with a relaxed expression. Behind them followed not only the Jiang sisters, Jiang Qin and Jiang Ran, but also Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin, along with a mysterious man in black robes - the Core Formation cultivator assigned by the Sect Leader to guard the formation.
The sisters exchanged glances, and Jiang Ran asked, "What would happen?"
Qin Ran turned back to look at the pair of blossoming twins, shook his head, and spoke cryptically: "Since the Sect Leader hasn't told you, I shouldn't either."
Hearing this, Jiang Qin secretly observed those around her. She noticed that the mysterious man in black was a veteran Core Formation cultivator from the main peak, Lu Junxing was rumored to be the strongest fighter in the Dao Sword Sect these past two years, and Li Shiyin had just achieved a magnificent Core Formation breakthrough two days ago - her combat prowess needed no explanation.
Except for the unremarkable Dan Peak Head at the front, everyone else, including White Tiger Flying Wind beneath the Peak Head, were extremely powerful fighters.
With such a lineup going to discuss sect matters...
Her heart trembled as she keenly sensed danger.
"Uncle Qin..." she spoke softly, finding 'uncle' more endearing than 'Peak Head', "You're in charge of discussing these sect matters. Could you tell little Qin what exactly we're going to discuss?"
Hearing Jiang Qin's words, Qin Ran immediately knew how to tell apart the identical twin sisters. The elder sister was more innocent, while the younger one was more calculating.
"It concerns the sect's survival and future, I cannot tell you," he said, intentionally trying to frighten the children, "But if the negotiations fail, we'll all die at the Boundless Sword Sect."
Both sisters were startled by his words, with Jiang Ran's face turning pale.
Jiang Qin, being more composed, quickly calmed herself. She thought about how Lu Junxing and Li Shiyin were truly the future of the Dao Sword Sect, far more precious than herself and her sister. Their deaths wouldn't matter, but these talents must not die.
"Uncle, please don't joke about this," she maintained her composure, holding Jiang Ran's hand to comfort her, and said to Qin Ran, "I've heard that even in war, envoys are not killed. No matter how bad the relationship between the Boundless Sword Sect and our Dao Sword Sect, they wouldn't kill us."
"You're still too young," Qin Ran smiled, continuing to tease the young girl, "If you want to live, you'll have to work hard. The better you perform in the exchanges, the easier my negotiations will be, and the less likely we'll all die for nothing."
Hearing this, Jiang Qin felt that Qin Ran definitely wasn't lying to them, and squeezed Jiang Ran's hand encouragingly. Jiang Ran nodded in response, indicating she would try her best.
"Ahem!" Li Shiyin, seeing her master deceiving the young girls right in front of her, cleared her throat with a cold expression as a reminder.
At this, Qin Ran stopped teasing Jiang Qin and Jiang Ran.