“What kind of cooperation did you have in mind?” Xiong Lin asked, his tone still unfriendly.
Su Mo smiled confidently. “What if I told you I could protect your cities from beast tides?”
She had learned earlier that the four major cities were periodically ravaged by devastating beast tides, suffering heavy losses each time.
Xiong Lin’s interest was piqued, though he kept a straight face. The other two leaders reacted similarly, and the tension in the room noticeably eased.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I am a celestial maiden, and because you’ve all come here bearing gifts for me,” Su Mo replied, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and meeting Xiong Lin’s gaze with determination. “Otherwise, why would you be here?”
She chuckled softly and began pacing around the main hall, stopping briefly before each person. “There’s one more thing: I don’t absolutely need the sacred artifacts you’re guarding. It’s been so long—if you’re reluctant to part with them, I can simply decline.”
The underlying message was clear: You’re here asking for my help, so mind your attitude, or I might just refuse.
With that, she headed into the courtyard to check on her treasures, leaving the four leaders to ponder her words.
Yun Fei, who had already pledged his allegiance, was immediately surrounded by the other three.
“Brother Yun Fei, we’re all on the same side here. Deceiving us isn’t funny,” Xiong Lin said, his eyes wide and imposing.
Wu Wen added, “Did you really hand over your artifact?”
Huang Hao leaned in closer, listening intently.
Yun Fei smiled smugly and replied with absolute certainty, “Of course. After centuries of guardianship, my clan has finally fulfilled its duty. I have to admit, it feels a little bittersweet.”
“Enough with the bittersweetness! Tell us, what benefits did you get in return for giving the artifact to her?” That was their primary concern.
Yun Fei suddenly turned serious. “First of all, my clan waited here for centuries, and returning the artifact to her was an act of gratitude, not a transaction for personal gain.”
“True,” Huang Hao chimed in. “If it weren’t for Master Yu, our ancestors would have perished long ago, and we wouldn’t even be here.”
Xiong Lin’s expression soured. “That’s all well and good, but… simply handing it over for nothing seems unwise. We should at least ask for something in return.”
“Makes sense,” Huang Hao added again.
“You… ah—” Yun Fei sighed repeatedly.
“Well? Why the sighs? Spit it out!”
Yun Fei looked at them with exasperation, shaking his head several times before finally speaking. “Setting aside the fact that she helped Yun City repel the beast tide and easily negotiated a pact with the Beast King, just think about it: what kind of person is Miss Su?”
“Seems decent enough. From what you’ve said, she’s actually quite kind,” Xiong Lin mused after a moment.
Yun Fei clapped his hands together emphatically. “Exactly!”
The three looked at each other, confused about what exactly was “exact,” but Yun Fei continued, “I’ve confirmed her identity beyond doubt. If you don’t believe me, test her yourselves. Under these circumstances, building a good relationship with her is what matters most. Understand?”
“Are you saying that if we get on her good side, she’ll voluntarily help us with the beast tides?” Wu Wen asked skeptically.
“Precisely. She helped Yun City of her own accord. Even the Beast King, Ha Wang, personally visited to sign a ten-year non-aggression pact with us.”
“Wow… Ha Wang is quite the honorable ruler!” Huang Hao applauded in admiration.
The three leaders exchanged glances, each trying to gauge the others’ intentions. No one wanted to be shortchanged.
Just then, Su Mo walked back in. “So, have you all reached a decision? I’m getting a bit sleepy. If there’s nothing else… I might just go take a nap.”
She yawned without any reservation, startling everyone, though no one made a big deal of it.
Huang Hao was the first to step forward, cupping his hands respectfully. “We await your guidance, Celestial Maiden. The Huang City artifact is ready for you to retrieve whenever you wish.”
He glanced at the other two, then pulled out an exquisitely crafted jade box. “A small token of our esteem. Please accept it.”
Su Mo frowned sternly. “Oh, I really shouldn’t…”
But her actions betrayed her words as she took the jade box and stored it away.
Xiong Lin and Wu Wen stared wide-eyed: You sly dog! Pulling a fast one on us, huh?
They quickly presented their own prepared gifts—each had thought of the same thing.
In addition to the grand gifts in the courtyard, these personal offerings demonstrated considerable sincerity. Su Mo couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt.
What to do?
Well, she’d just have to suppress that feeling.
╰(´︶`)╯
After accepting the gifts, it was time to get down to business.
But first, she had some preparations to make.
She headed to the kitchen and poured all her effort into preparing a feast, using ingredients and seasonings brought from Earth.
After all, with such a spacious white jade ring at her disposal, it would be a waste not to use it. She could endure hardship, but her stomach deserved the best.
“Sister Su, I had no idea you could cook! And it smells amazing,” Yun Shan exclaimed, waiting outside the kitchen, seizing every chance to interact with Su Mo.
Interestingly, the other three clan leaders had also brought their sons—all impressive, talented young men who outperformed Yun Shan in every way except looks.
Su Mo was well aware of their ulterior motives and felt somewhat exasperated.
Fortunately, Yun Shan was there to subtly help her, keeping the other three at a distance.
Since they weren’t familiar with Su Mo, they couldn’t complain outright, but they constantly sought opportunities to approach her.
This was both a mission for their clans and a personal desire.
Su Mo deftly flipped the contents of the wok. The high heat brought fine beads of sweat to her forehead, which she wiped away with her sleeve. Her slightly disheveled hair gave her a unique, effortless charm.
She stored the prepared dishes in her white jade ring and put away the pots and utensils.
When she stepped out of the kitchen, everyone—from the clan leaders like Yun Fei to the young masters like Yun Shan—was captivated by the aroma, their throats moving involuntarily.
“If you’re hungry, help yourselves. These are for Ha Wang,” Su Mo said, nodding toward the kitchen.
Sometimes, it wasn’t just her face and figure that drew people in—her exceptional cooking skills and cheerful personality were major pluses too.
And Su Mo had it all.
What she didn’t realize was that she had won over every man in the courtyard.
“Enjoy your meal. I’m off.”
“You’re leaving now?” Xiong Lin was taken aback. “There’s no need to rush, Celestial Maiden. These matters aren’t easy to negotiate.”
Su Mo smiled confidently. “Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to fulfill what I’ve promised you.”
Yun Fei added, “Why don’t you all come along? We’ve never had the chance to explore the core area of the Hundred Beasts Forest.”
This suggestion perfectly aligned with the others’ intentions. They remained silent, waiting for Su Mo’s response.
The unspoken message was: We need to go to supervise you.
After all, not everyone was as trusting as Yun Fei.
Su Mo agreed readily. “That’s only fair.”
With Su Mo leading the way, the five of them set off immediately.
Long after their figures had disappeared into the distance, a young woman from one of the three clans’ entourages continued to stare in their direction, her eyes filled with jealousy.
She muttered under her breath, “That wench… How dare she seduce my young master!”