Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 343 - 254: Sudden Attack, the Void Divine Object Becomes a Spirit Treasure (Part 1)

At the words of the man from the Illuminati, all eyes turned toward Lotus.

They had, of course, all heard about the matter concerning Yi Beidou.

Stirring up a storm in Japan, one man against an entire nation—it sounded impressive, but no one present found it particularly surprising.

Against the backdrop of the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, Japan’s military and modern weaponry couldn’t be fully deployed. It was a case of much ado about nothing. Any one of them could have accomplished something similar without much difficulty.

The Mortal World was, after all, just the Mortal World.

What truly concerned them were the rumors related to the Hidden Realm.

Rumor had it that the true form of the Pioneer Group’s "Alchemist" had fallen at Yi Beidou’s hands—and apparently, it had happened within the Alchemist’s own strongest Secret Realm stronghold.

This was something they had to take seriously.

He was an Ancient One with a truly powerful foundation, an existence on the same level as themselves!

’If this person could kill the Alchemist’s true form inside his own Secret Realm, could he kill us too?’

A troublesome existence like that was not to be taken lightly.

"You needn’t worry too much about the Alchemist’s life or death."

"But it’s undeniable that this man is a tough nut to crack and must be handled with care. However, that isn’t a reason for all of you to shift the responsibility onto us."

"You all had best understand something. Though I organized this meeting, it doesn’t mean we intend to be the ones footing the bill. This is for the benefit of everyone present."

"The most troublesome opponent naturally requires our combined effort."

Lotus said flatly. He wasn’t foolish enough to simply accept the task.

Hearing this, the others weren’t surprised.

They were all old foxes who had lived for a thousand years; who among them was a fool?

"To act against someone in the Mortal World... setting aside the interference of the ’Divine Sealers,’ if we deploy our true forms, we risk attracting too much attention and causing unforeseeable consequences."

"Avatars, on the other hand, are a possibility. But since this plan was proposed by your Pioneer Group, you should bear some of the cost. If you provide the ’materials,’ we can coordinate with your operation."

The representative from the Judicial Court stated calmly.

"Indeed. To deal with a person of the Mortal World in public, we can only go as avatars."

The others voiced their agreement.

And among all the Secret Organizations, the Pioneer Group’s avatar technology was undoubtedly the most advanced.

"We can provide the avatars. We can even provide ’materials’ for avatars cultivated for specific purposes to meet your needs. But it won’t be free. Again, this is not a matter for my group alone. At most, I can give you a ten percent discount."

Lotus said calmly.

"Twenty percent. Then we can talk."

An Ancient One spoke up, and the meeting entered haggling mode.

Even for Ancient Ones, resources were not infinite, and their own expenditures were enormous.

Moreover, while the Pioneer Group’s avatar materials were effective, they were notoriously expensive. It wasn’t just a matter of money; they had to be exchanged for specific resources.

Although "clearing the field" was indeed beneficial for everyone, it was naturally best to achieve it at the lowest possible cost.

"Twenty percent? Impossible. We can concede one step at most. Eighty percent of the original price is the absolute minimum. And I’ll say it again: this is not a matter for the Pioneer Group alone."

"And don’t forget, these are top-tier materials cultivated for specific purposes. Compared to ordinary materials, they can exert over ten percent more power. If you are willing to expend sufficiently powerful Dharma Artifacts, you could even bring an avatar’s strength to seventy or eighty percent of your true form’s, and the range of Daoist Techniques it could use would be greatly enhanced."

"Cultivating these materials is exceptionally difficult. Even we don’t have many."

Lotus said, shaking his head.

"Just materials? Considering everything the Pioneer Group has done over the years, you must have at least three hundred, if not five hundred, of these in reserve. Besides, the Pioneer Group holds three Spiritual Talismans this time, making you the biggest contenders. It’s only right that you contribute more."

"Unlike us, we have no Spiritual Talismans, so it would be difficult for us to compete anyway. Worst case, we can just pull out and let you handle it. Besides, who knows what’s really in those unknown ruins," someone said with a faint smile.

"That’s right. Since you proposed the plan, you must have your own agenda. Thirty percent. That’s our final offer. And don’t think you can just use us as your pawns."

Another chimed in, followed by a burst of argument.

A secret gathering of Ancient Ones had turned into something resembling a squabble at a street market. The scene was somewhat incongruous.

After a heated exchange, they still couldn’t reach a consensus.

While "clearing the field" aligned with everyone’s interests, they all understood that since the Pioneer Group had been the first to suggest it and was even willing to provide the avatars, they must have some ulterior motives.

Therefore, they had to drive the price down relentlessly.

Anything over thirty percent was unacceptable.

"Thirty percent... We can agree to that. But there is one additional condition: the Pioneer Group will be the one to determine the designated zones for the clearing operation."

Lotus finally said.

"This is something we need to discuss with the others."

A brief silence fell before someone spoke up.

The others made similar statements.

This was no small matter. Within their Secret Organizations, they couldn’t make such a decision unilaterally; they had to consult with others.

"In that case, I will convene another meeting in one day’s time."

Lotus said with a slight nod.

He knew they would agree. It was in everyone’s best interest.