Lu Shu's eyes were icy cold. He didn't think Sang Qingzhou would say anything nice.
"I'd like to hear your details."
Sang Qingzhou immediately twitched the corner of his mouth into a sinister smile. "It's common knowledge across the world that your Dream Blossom Pavilion has many treasures. So, if we're to make a deal, since you want your people back, you should show some sincerity. How about exchanging them with something?"
"What thing?"
Sang Qingzhou picked up his teacup and blew away the floating tea leaves on the surface. The tea leaves seemed to be against him, dodging his blows several times.
In anger, he slammed the cup on the table. "I've heard that your Dream Blossom Pavilion has a collection called the Soul Pearl. I wonder if Steward Lu is willing to part with it."
As soon as he said this, Lu Shu's face darkened a bit.
The Soul Pearl was a superior treasure that had absorbed the essence of the sun and the moon. It was of great help to cultivators.
Thinking of this, Lu Shu didn't hesitate at all and immediately said, "This is out of the question!"
Ji Yunxi was a bit confused as he refused so straightforwardly. Although she knew about this thing, she didn't really understand it.
So she curiously asked Lu Shu, "A Shu, what is this thing?"
"The Soul Pearl is beneficial to cultivators. It can even substitute for cultivation and purify spiritual energy."
Ji Yunxi understood. This thing was priceless. So Sang Qingzhou's request was like asking for the moon.
"Then there's no point in talking anymore."
Ji Yunxi frowned. She knew that if a person like Sang Qingzhou got the Soul Pearl and improved his abilities, the consequences would be unimaginable.
For a moment, everyone in the main hall fell silent.
Sang Qingzhou didn't urge them. He just quietly played with the teacup in his hand, thinking that the people they were looking for were probably the two men and one woman he had taken away on the street that day.
However, this person was interesting. She could actually mobilize Lu Shu from the Dream Blossom Pavilion. He had heard of this man. He was the actual steward of the Dream Blossom Pavilion, holding all the power of life and death. That's why he dared to ask for the Soul Pearl.
Lu Shu glanced at Ji Yunxi, worried that she might have other thoughts about him because of his firm refusal.
Thankfully, Ji Yunxi was still rational and didn't think too much.
After thinking for a while, Lu Shu still stepped forward. "Young Master Sang, it's not that I don't want to. Although our Dream Blossom Pavilion has this thing, I don't have the final say. This matter still needs the approval of our pavilion master."
Sang Qingzhou snorted. "So you're just trying to fool me. What else is there to say?"
"It seems you won't be able to see your three friends. Please leave."
With that, he waved his hand, and several guards immediately stepped forward, trying to drive them out.
At this time, Ji Yunxi, who had been standing behind Lu Shu without saying a word, spoke up.
"Is Young Master Sang really going to oppose the Dream Blossom Pavilion?"
Sang Qingzhou's face darkened, and he was about to say something when he was suddenly grabbed by the guard beside him. "Young Master! The Dream Blossom Pavilion has influence across the four countries and has a large number of disciples. We'd better be careful and try not to offend them. Who knows when we might need their help?"
Although Sang Qingzhou was dissatisfied, he still endured it.
Forcing himself to soften his tone, Sang Qingzhou weighed the matter in his mind and thought the guard's words made sense.
"Alright, alright. Since that's the case, I can't completely ignore this young lady's face."
He stood up and walked in front of Ji Yunxi. His eyes sized her up and down without any restraint, and he even showed a lewd smile from time to time.
Ji Yunxi's face instantly darkened. "Please behave yourself, Young Master."
Instead of restraining himself, Sang Qingzhou even wanted to reach out and touch Ji Yunxi's face.
Just as he stretched out his hand, suddenly a burst of spiritual energy rushed towards him.
Sang Qingzhou turned his head to the direction where the spiritual energy came from and found that it was the man who had been standing beside the beauty but had never spoken.
Feng Xingzhi wished he could kill Sang Qingzhou right away, but his sister and two brothers-in-law were in his hands. If he killed him now, he was afraid that the people in the Sang Mansion would act recklessly.
However, he couldn't bear Sang Qingzhou's dirty thoughts about Ji Yunxi for a single moment.
When the guard saw Feng Xingzhi make a move, he immediately drew his sword and rushed out.
Ji Yunxi, Qing Xuan, and Lu Shu all stepped back sensibly, making room for Feng Xingzhi.
The guard's sword energy was sharp. He wished he could pierce through Feng Xingzhi's chest directly. But unexpectedly, Feng Xingzhi remained calm when he saw the stabbing sword. He raised his hand and sent a burst of spiritual energy over.
The guard didn't even get close to Feng Xingzhi before he let out a scream and smashed the pear-wood table.
Sang Qingzhou was shocked. His guards were carefully selected by his father. Each of them was a master, with excellent spiritual energy and cultivation.
But he didn't even touch the corner of Feng Xingzhi's clothes, which made people feel scared.
Only then did he suddenly realize that it was a good thing he hadn't directly opposed them, or it would have been hard to end this.
Moreover, the power of the Dream Blossom Pavilion might be comparable to his father's.
Thinking of this, Sang Qingzhou quickly stepped back and stood on a higher place, smiling. "Everyone, let's talk things over nicely."
Lu Shu sneered. "Since Young Master Sang has already decided to oppose the Dream Blossom Pavilion, we naturally have nothing to say."
With that, he was about to turn around and leave.
Sweat broke out on Sang Qingzhou's forehead, and he immediately shouted, "Wait! I can release the people!"
"I can release the people, but you have to exchange them with something else."
Ji Yunxi was impatient. "You kidnapped our friends for no reason, and now you still want something from us?"
Sang Qingzhou retorted. "I'm not an unreasonable person. If your friends hadn't offended me, why would I have taken action against them?"
Ji Yunxi and the others didn't know what had happened to Ji Yuchen, so they had to take whatever Sang Qingzhou said as the truth.
"Even if it's a matter of paying debts, it's only natural, isn't it? Is the Dream Blossom Pavilion so overbearing that after offending me, I still have to bear the loss myself?"
Sang Qingzhou softened his tone and gave them a way out. Ji Yunxi didn't intend to continue to confront him head-on, so she also gave in.
"Then, what does Young Master Sang want?"
Sang Qingzhou thought to himself that if he could get a beauty like you, he would naturally be willing.
But then he saw Feng Xingzhi looking at him with a warning look, and he had to give up his little plan.
"You tell me what to do."
Sang Qingzhou was a bit helpless. He knew that the methods he came up with, they would definitely not agree to. So he had to let them speak first, so that they wouldn't be able to go back on their words.
"How about this? You have a competition with me. If you win, I'll ask the pavilion master to give you the Soul Pearl. If you lose, you'll release my friends. How about it?"
Ji Yunxi summoned Nian Yun, twirled a sword flower, and made a proposal to Sang Qingzhou.
Sang Qingzhou burst out laughing. "It's not that I look down on you, but do you think you can compete with me?"
"The competition is okay, but let's make a written agreement first, so that you won't say I bullied you and refuse to admit it if you lose later!"