He’s come quick… Xu Qi’an frowned. He had not yet fully persuaded the two chiefs Luanyu and Baji. He had planned to convince these people first, and then have them help persuade the Corpse Gu Tribe, using the shaman clans’ overall situation to put pressure on them.
He had not expected Youshi to arrive so quickly, coming directly by controlling the bird corpse.
The bird corpse circled in the sky for a moment. Seeing that the situation below had stabilised and the other chiefs were safe, it finally glided down but did not get close, watching Heaven Gu Grandma and the others from afar.
“You’ve been captured.”
The bird corpse stirred the air, speaking human words in a hoarse and deep voice, it was indeed Youshi.
After the child Gu that had possessed the zombie puppet was killed, he had immediately controlled the bird corpse to come and investigate.
The situation in front of him made him slightly sigh in relief.
The greatest advantage of the Corpse Gu Master was constant safety. As long as his hiding place was not discovered, no matter how many puppets died, his true body would remain unharmed.
Xu Qi’an sized him up, the giant bird manipulated by Youshi calmly looked back at him.
“We merely reached a reconciliation.” Xu Qi’an said.
Youshi ignored him, his hollow, lifeless eyes turning towards Heaven Gu Grandma. The latter relayed to Youshi everything she had said to the chiefs, word for word.
The giant bird turned its head to look at Luanyu and the others. After receiving confirmation, it was silent for a while:
“I have no reason to object. If you wish to form an alliance with the Great Feng, that is your affair.
“But the Corpse Gu Tribe allying with Yunzhou is the business of our own tribe. We will not interfere with each other.”
Luanyu and the others frowned. The shaman clans had always advanced and retreated as one. There was no reason for them to face each other on the battlefield.
Xu Qi’an pointed to the zombie puppet at his side and said unhurriedly:
“I don’t need you to send troops. As long as you don’t ally with Yunzhou, this puppet will be returned to you. A puppet with a third-rank body, surely that is a sufficient bargaining chip?”
Youshi did not even glance at the puppet and sneered:
“You underestimate my Corpse Gu Tribe. We have another puppet at the same level.”
He was a third-rank Corpse Gu Master and, limited by his cultivation, could only control one zombie puppet of the same rank at a time, plus a few fourth ranks.
If this were not the case, he would not have sent the ‘Six-Star God’ earlier, but another third-rank.
The Corpse Gu Tribe, famed for raising and refining corpses, had accumulated a millennium of heritage. It was impossible that they had only one beyond-mortal zombie puppet. The third-rank puppet left back in the tribe was not a martial artist, but the corpse of a powerful member of the Yao clan.
As expected, with the Corpse Gu Tribe’s deep hatred for the Great Feng, it’s far too difficult to resolve old grudges… Xu Qi’an had already mentally prepared himself for this.
Longtu frowned and said in a deep voice:
“Wei Yuan is already dead. Your father’s murder was avenged long ago. Youshi, don’t let your own obsession drive a wedge between the Corpse Gu Tribe and the rest of the shaman clans.”
“The murder of one’s father is not something that can simply be forgotten or settled so easily.” Youshi snorted, his hollow, lifeless gaze sweeping over the crowd:
“The ones dividing the shaman clans are you. Luanyu, have you forgotten your tribesmen who were captured by the Great Feng army and sent to the Jiaofangsi? Baji, five thousand of your people were buried alive, and your Poison Gu Tribe remains the smallest to this day.
“You wish to ally with the Great Feng, but have you considered whether your people would agree? And as for the Strength Gu, Dark Gu, Heart Gu, and Heaven Gu Tribes, did not many of your people die in the Battle of Shanhai Pass? Who is truly going against the will of the shaman clans?”
Luanyu and Baji immediately looked ashamed. One coveted Xu Qi’an’s body, while the other coveted rare poisonous herbs and fruits, their hearts full of struggle and hesitation.
Youshi’s words pierced their hearts like a knife, making them apprehensive and resistant.
Compared to the other major factions, the population of the shaman clans was pitifully small, but among them, everyone fought and trained in gu arts. Their collective fighting strength was shockingly formidable.
This meant that, unlike the emperors of the Central Plains, the chiefs could not arbitrarily decide the lives and deaths of ordinary clansmen.
The clansmen were not sheep. If the chiefs lost support and were abandoned, the people would seek the assistance of other tribes to overthrow them, or simply flee the Southern Marches to live elsewhere.
“Sealing the Gu God is likewise a top priority for the shaman clans, more important than personal grudges.”
The Heart Gu Master, Chunyan, said calmly.
With one sentence, she broke Youshi’s aggressive momentum, plunging him into silence for a moment.
This girl is wise and clever, worthy of being the Heart Gu Master… Xu Qi’an glanced at her, nodding slightly.
Youshi paused, then said:
“Very well, putting personal grievances aside, if we talk only of sealing the Gu God, allying with Yunzhou can achieve this as well. And all of you are aware of what is going on in the Great Feng. So why place your bet on the obviously weaker side?
“Moreover, if we ally with Yunzhou, our people will only cheer, only feel their blood boil, and sharpen their blades with enthusiasm. But to ally with the Great Feng, we risk division and discord among our own clans.”
Except for Longtu of the Strength Gu Tribe, the other chiefs all frowned and fell silent.
Their hesitation and uncertainty were clear on their faces. Youshi’s words had not only shown the shaman clans’ longstanding enmity with the Great Feng, but also pointed out the potential disadvantages of helping their old enemy.
To be honest, even if they set aside hatred and just weighed the pros and cons, if the Great Feng’s situation was truly as bad as Ge Wenxuan had described, and with Yunzhou’s ruler aided by the Buddhist sects, the odds of toppling the Great Feng dynasty seemed much greater.
If they added their own full support, it would almost be a foregone conclusion.
Seeing this, Longtu had no choice but to remind them:
“Do not forget your current situation. If it were not for Xu Qi’an showing mercy, you would all be dead.”
Youshi glanced at Xu Qi’an and sneered:
“Oh, I forgot. You are now his captives and can only accept, unable to refuse.”
The chiefs looked at Xu Qi’an, all frowning.
The Strength Gu Tribe really does not have much in the way of brains… Xu Qi’an sighed inwardly.
His act of sparing them and being willing to sit and negotiate was not really repaying enmity with virtue, but rather in the hope that they would abandon their pact with the Yunzhou rebels. Thus, this ‘kindness’ was really just his foot in the door.
It was only a bargaining chip to get the shaman clan chiefs to sit down for talks.
In the end, he knew he would still have to offer enough benefits for the shaman clans to agree not to ally with Yunzhou or even send troops to aid the Great Feng, and not simply rely on his mercy as a reason.
If he were planning to extort them, then “your lives are in my hands” would work as a reason.
But if he truly wanted the shaman clans to sincerely ally with the Great Feng, that argument could not be used. Such threats only worked for one-off dealings. Used on allies, there was no telling if they would turn and secretly ally with Yunzhou instead, stabbing you in the back.
Youshi glanced at Longtu, his hollow, lifeless eyes devoid of emotion, but it was clear that he, himself, must be wearing an expression of scorn and ridicule.
With a little guidance, the foolish Strength Gu Tribe would take the bait.
Xu Qi’an’s mind raced, and in that instant, he considered many possibilities, including nipping the trouble in the bud.
With their current situation, I won’t be able to kill off the Dark Gu, he’s too good at escaping. The Heart Gu, Poison Gu, Desire Gu chiefs can all be killed off, but then the Strength Gu would never lay down arms against me… similarly, I would have no choice but to go on a murder spree, thus fully pushing the shaman clans to the opposite camp. Furthermore, Heaven Gu Grandma still hasn’t interrupted me all this time, she’s too calm.
Does she trust my characeter that much? Is she not afraid of pushing me into a corner and promoting a massacre? We’ve just met, she doesn’t know me, but her expression is too composed.
Unless she has a trump card, and isn’t afraid of me flipping the table.
Xu Qi’an narrowed his eyes, then suddenly smiled and said,
“Perhaps you are unaware, but apart from Vaidurya Bodhisattva and a small number of warrior monks, the Buddhist sect is incapable of intervening in the Central Plains war, because the southern yao are about to rise in rebellion. If you do not believe me, the Hundred Thousand Mountains are also in the Southern Marches, not far from the shaman clans’ territory, you can send people to investigate.”
The several leaders looked slightly surprised. Youshi twisted his bird head sharply, his dead, hollow eyes fixed on him.
Chunyan nodded lightly. “We shall send people to look into the matter.”
If this were true, then the situation in the Central Plains was not as settled as Ge Wenxuan claimed. Even without considering an alliance with the Great Feng, they would need to reassess the risks of attacking the Great Feng.
Xu Qi’an continued,
“A starving camel is still bigger than a horse; although Yunzhou’s forces are strong and the Great Feng is indeed beset by internal and external troubles, it does not mean the Great Feng is bound to lose. Otherwise, why would Yunzhou send envoys to persuade the shaman clans?”
Seeing the leaders lost in thought, Xu Qi’an pressed home his advantage:
“In such circumstances, the intervention of the shaman clans would be the key to turning the tide of war. If the shaman clans allied with the Great Feng, victory would be within reach. Thus, there is no question of the weakness Chief Youshi described.
“What Yunzhou can offer, so can the Great Feng. As for the shaman clans’ popular will, the promise I just made still stands: I will provide a certain amount of top-grade poisonous herbs to the Poison Gu tribe. Chief Luanyu’s request I shall also try to satisfy.”
Youshi sneered,
“Is that it? If you think those things will put to rest the shaman clans’ hatred for the Great Feng, you’re dreaming.”
Baji and Luanyu were tempted, but chose to remain silent, for what Youshi said was true. Top grade poisonous herbs and fruits were not necessities. For the likes of Baji, who did not particularly hate the Great Feng, they would be happy to accept such terms.
But for the people of the Poison Gu tribe, it was not enough to quell their hatred over the massacre of half their clan.
As for Luanyu, her demand was really just for personal desire. Having a top-grade man to sleep with and cultivate Desire Gu, what had that to do with the women of her clan? Even if Xu Qi’an worked himself to the bone satisfying hundreds, that was no concern for the men of the clan either.
“Very well, I understand your difficulties.”
Xu Qi’an’s intentions were now plain. He sighed and said,
“I won’t press the matter of intervention any further. I only hope the chiefs will choose neutrality and abandon any alliance with Yunzhou. The items I promised earlier will still be given.”
Luanyu and Baji were stunned. They exchanged a look and almost spoke in unison,
“Agreed!”
If it was just a matter of remaining neutral and not sending troops against the Great Feng, then that was easily done. They could use the pretext of uncertainty and an unwillingness to send their people to their deaths to appease their followers.
This way, they would be able to claim the moral high ground while also securing rich rewards (the Poison Gu).
Xu Qi’an smiled. From the start, he had never expected the shaman clans to send troops to aid the Great Feng, the divisions between them ran too deep. So deep, in fact, that Heaven Gu Grandma herself had come to warn him.
With Yunzhou and the Great Feng both able to satisfy the shaman clans’ needs, the chance of reconciliation was slim to none.
Xu Qi’an’s real plan had been to first force them into submission, then find a way to make them abandon an alliance with Yunzhou.
All the talk of dispatching troops had only been a negotiation tactic. First, he had ramped up their expectations before suddenly withdrawing, creating a sense of “We’ve made a huge profit” and “This outcome is acceptable.”
But this was not the end, getting the shaman clans to abandon the alliance was just the first step.
Next, Xu Qi’an still wanted their intervention, but he would not ask for an all-out mobilization of all seven divisions. Instead, he would use grain as leverage to invite the Strength Gu experts to join the fight.
With various goods as bargaining chips, he would invite the leaders of the Dark Gu and Heart Gu tribes to fight. These two nursed less hatred toward the Great Feng. As long as he made generous promises, hiring them would not be difficult.
Food was not lacking in the Southern Marches, but items like porcelain, tea, silk, books, and so on were in short supply.
If he offered enough, they would eventually agree.
Nonetheless, Xu Qi’an still underestimated Youshi’s obsession with avenging his father.
Youshi became the biggest obstacle to his plan moving forward.
If he could not appease Youshi, given the shaman clans’ tradition of unity, it would be difficult for the other six divisions to stand by.
Youshi snorted,
“What you lot decide is your business. We of the Corpse Gu tribe have decided to ally with Yunzhou. No one can stop us. I am curious to see just how many people from the Desire Gu and Poison Gu tribes will follow me.”
Baji and Luanyu’s expressions changed.
The bird’s head turned, fixing its gaze on Xu Qi’an. “Why don’t you try and kill me? Kill me, and the problem will be solved.”
“Whether Chief Youshi allies with Yunzhou is your own business.”
Xu Qi’an remained completely calm and replied indifferently,
“However, I, too, have a gift for the Corpse Gu tribe. Why not take a look at my bargaining chip first?”
If it were the Heart Gu or Dark Gu leaders, Xu Qi’an honestly could not think of anything to satisfy them. The little mare was certainly alluring, but it was a mare, and Chunyan was also a woman.
The preferences simply did not fit.
The Dark Gu’s need was for hidden corners, which did not require any external help.
But for the Corpse Gu tribe, as host of the Sevenfold Gu Xu Qi’an knew their needs only too well.
Youshi reacted as if he had heard the world’s biggest joke, his tone mockingly scornful:
“No matter what bargaining chip you have, I will never…”
At that moment, he saw Xu Qi’an take out a small jade mirror and tilt its face.
Clang!
A coffin tumbled out, and as it shook, the lid slid off.
Lina clamped her nose and quickly retreated, just breathing in the coffin’s scent made her dizzy.
Longtu instantly covered Xu Lingyin’s face with his large, fan-like hand and threw her far away.
Inside the coffin lay a horribly battered ancient corpse, exposed to everyone.
It looked like a desiccated corpse that had slumbered for countless ages, badly damaged, with its sternum and ribs mostly broken and its skull incomplete.
But Youshi’s gaze became glued to the corpse, unable to look away.
Comments for this chapter. You will need a GitHub account. Please follow all terms and conditions of GitHub issues and maintain etiquette in the comments. Cookies are required for this functionality.
If you want to talk with other readers about Nightwatchers (or other cultivation type books) you can join our cultivation groupreading discord server!
I also have a Kofi, which for legal reasons is definitely for supporting my digital art only (promise!): ko-fi.com/yanxin ... plus I guess server space isn't free, and I don't want to put ads/trackers... ever, so thank you if you do!