The fowl didn’t reply to Li Qiye’s calculation and only stared coldly at him. After a while, it finally spoke: “Crow, even if you are right about us having two hundred in our inventory, so what? We had to save each crystal from one generation to another, too reluctant to use them ourselves! The two hundred pieces are our hard-earned yield, our lives, and our nest’s support. We will definitely not agree to you taking half of our life.”
The fowl was adamant about not giving Li Qiye one hundred crystals.
Li Qiye smiled in response: “I know that it wasn’t easy for you all to save this many crystal. It’s not easy for me either but it’s the truth. I want one hundred!”
“Crow, we can only give you twenty at best, this is our limit.” The fowl said coldly: “If you don’t want that, fine, we’ll be done here. I know that you are quite incredible and no one can endure your wrath but keep on pushing it and we’ll go down together.”
“We’re not your match in a one on one but don’t forget, we’re a nest. Force the issue and we’ll use our entire reserves, risk our old lives to take you down!”
“We might not be able to kill you but if we go all out, you will not necessarily be able to defeat us either. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, control your greed and follow the previous agreement or we’ll have to stop!”
After said his last words, the fowl was very heated and angry.
“You can try then.” Li Qiye said flatly: “I’m not here to negotiate, one hundred is a must. Even if you don’t give it, I’ll flatten your coop and take all the crystals away!”
Li Qiye had a firm attitude to match the fowl’s.
“Crow, you are saying you want a war against our mine?” The fowl glowered at him.
“That depends on your attitude.” Li Qiye replied: “In short, you all will have to pay a great price in this generation. There is no free lunch in the world. I have brought peace to your mine so if you want to maintain this serenity, you must pay. This is how it should be.”
“Crow, don’t forget, we have always paid up and you have always gotten crystals from us but you are going too far this time.” The fowl strongly answered.
“It’s different in this generation. I will go on the offensive this time but before the final battle, I must take care of a few gods and emperors that have always been causing trouble. Because of this, I need the resources to trample all the obstacles so that I can focus on the fight battle!” Li Qiye explained calmly.
“That’s your problem, it has nothing to do with us.” The fowl retorted.
“Nothing to do with you?” Li Qiye couldn’t help but laugh: “Fowl, who is giving you peace? In this generation, the outcome of the final battle doesn’t matter, you will be able to breathe easier. But if I actually win, then, needless to say, your nest will no longer need to hide in this place, void of the sun! If you wish to see the light again and not being glared at by the villainous heaven, shouldn’t you pay a great price and help me?!”
“That’s why I want one hundred crystals. This is already nice enough of me, it is out of consideration for our past, fruitful cooperation. Otherwise, I would be asking for two hundred!” Li Qiye uttered coldly.
The fowl pondered for a moment before shaking its head: “Crow, we’re happy that you want to go all out and pray for your success but we can’t help you. Who knows how this battle will end? This is selfish but if the boundless years of darkness will come, we need the ration to live through them. This treasury is our lives so we can only give you twenty, not more. We’re not capable of anything else.”
There was no room for negotiation judging by the fowl’s attitude.
Li Qiye disagreed: “Like I said, I’m not here to negotiate. It is not up to you, you must take out one hundred crystals!”
Li Qiye’s attitude became tougher.
“Crow, you want to play hard then? You are declaring war on us right now! You must think twice because our immortal mine is not your enemy. If you bring the fire of war to this place, I’m afraid it will be the biggest misstep in your life!”
“I won’t deny that your mine is indeed unbelievably powerful as one of the six Ancestral Earths. Even emperors can’t breakthrough your mine or this place would have been taken by others already. However, what’s impossible for emperors isn’t necessarily impossible for me. It depends on whether I’m willing or not, whether I find the endeavor to be worth it. Like you have said, we have worked well together in the past. That’s the reason why I’ve been so cordial and sincere instead of bringing my troops here and demanding the crystals!” Li Qiye stared straight at the fowl.
“Crow, you are looking down on us. You might have a lot of methods and troops but it doesn’t mean that you can take our mine!” The fowl raised his voice.
“No, I’m not intending on sieging your mine today. I will show you one thing. After seeing this item, you can decide whether to give me one hundred crystals or not.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
The fowl’s eyes became serious. “What item?”
“A very ancient item only in the legends, older than anything else in this world.” Li Qiye smirked and took out the crystal pillar, the item that had instantly suppressed the Peacock Bright Monarch.
The fowl didn’t care much at first glance but after a while, it looked as if it had just seen a ghost. It turned pale in horror and staggered backward. What’s little left of the feathers on its body suddenly sprung up straight.
It was really frightened this time and stared at the pillar in a daze.
Keep in mind that this fowl was an existence that can talk to an emperor as equal. However, terror still overwhelmed its mind. In fact, even emperors who knew the crystal pillar’s origin would be scared in the same manner.
The fowl continued to look. The power contained within was definitely the real thing. There was no way for Li Qiye to trick characters of this level. Even if he tried, there was no way of replicating the power inside.
“That’s impossible. This thing doesn’t exist in this world!” The fowl eventually said in disbelief.
“It is right before you.” Li Qiye said leisurely: “You know full well what it is. Though all of you haven’t seen it before, you have already recognized its existence long ago.”
“But it is impossible to find. For eons now, you’re not the only one searching for it. Even existences older than you and stronger than the gods and emperors tried to look for it everywhere!” The fowl murmured.
“You old geezers tried to but nothing came of it.” Li Qiye stated: “But who am I? Don’t forget, fowl, I am someone who can find the elusive and scattered clues from all the old beings. Your nest isn’t privy to the clues but after I pieced everything together and preparing for generations, I have finally obtained it.”
He became sentimental without showing it. He had spent countless efforts and paid a great price in order to obtain this ultimate item.
“You can’t seal it and bring it along either. There’s no way. It can kill gods and emperors easily but it’s of no use if you can’t bring it out.” The fowl murmured.