Chapter 500: One Person Is Enough
“You!”
Hastiff stood up abruptly, suddenly feeling the impulse to smack Sean to death. Sean’s tone was firm and his attitude resolute, as if there was no room for negotiation!
Either!
Hand over the Confluence Pill!
Or!
We part ways!
If it were just a regular intercollegiate martial arts competition, it would have been fine. But this year’s intercollegiate martial arts competition directly concerned the position of the head of the Buddha Academy. The outcome was crucial, and Sean’s terrifying strength, as displayed earlier, obviously could impact the performance of the Plainwater Town branch in the intercollegiate martial arts competition!
Moreover!
Among the Gorillas, there were actual Bright Realm practitioners presiding, which was even more shocking to Hastiff than “Great Monkey” becoming Dasch’s “honored guest,” making him even more apprehensive!
Can’t afford to provoke!
Damn it!
Taking a deep breath, Hastiff suppressed his anger. He looked down at Sean, the smile on his face vanishing completely, replaced by a fierce and imposing demeanor. He snorted, “Mr. Great is asking for the moon, daring to ask for everything!”
“However!”
“Forgive my bluntness, your talent is indeed strong, and your potential is considerable. If you were to participate in the intercollegiate martial arts competition, you would certainly make a splash, securing a good result for our Plainwater Town branch. But so what? The intercollegiate martial arts competition, just like the combat tournament you witnessed earlier, consists of competitions in three stages of dark energy: early, mid, and late. And you, being just one person, even if you were to claim the top spot in the mid-stage of dark energy, it wouldn’t determine the overall outcome of the entire competition, nor would it secure the Plainwater Town branch’s overall ranking in the first place!”
“In the end, it’s just a bonus, but not a game-changer!”
“So!”
“What you can achieve is actually very limited. Do you think that’s enough for me to exchange for the Confluence Pill? Using your own words, are you foolish, or do you think I am?”
Hastiff was a sly old fox; naturally, he wouldn’t readily agree to Sean’s conditions. He deliberately belittled Sean’s role, the implication clear!
“Let me exchange the Confluence Pill for you?”
Huh!
You’re not worthy!
“Is that so?”
Sean also stood up, facing Hastiff, with no hint of fear in his expression. He shrugged and said, “So, there’s no point in talking, is there?”
“I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye!”
Having said that!
He turned and walked away!
Negotiations are all about psychological warfare. Hastiff needed Sean, but Sean had no need for Hastiff. If necessary, after Sean left, he could change his approach and sneak back into the academy to find a way to snatch the Confluence Pill!
“Wait!”
As Sean expected, just as he had walked a dozen meters away, Hastiff’s icy voice came from behind him, “Apart from the Confluence Pill, you can pick anything else!!”
Upon hearing this!
Sean waved his hand without looking back, rejecting, “I said I don’t want anything else, only the Confluence Pill!”
“…”
Hastiff was speechless, gritting his teeth. His mind raced. When Sean reached the entrance of another courtyard, he said in a low voice, “Fine, you’re ruthless! I can agree to your terms and give you the Confluence Pill as a reward!!”
Sean felt relieved. He stopped in his tracks!
“But!”
Hastiff changed the subject, saying, “You must wait until you seize the mid-stage of dark energy in the intercollegiate martial arts competition before I hand over the Confluence Pill to you!”
“Otherwise!”
“If you get the Confluence Pill and fail to secure the mid-stage top spot, wouldn’t I have lost both the wife and the soldiers?”
It sounded!
As if it made perfect sense!
However!
Hastiff was shrewd, and Sean wasn’t naive. Hastiff was concerned that Sean might not secure the mid-stage top spot even after obtaining the Confluence Pill. On the other hand, Sean also worried that after he seized the top spot, he might lose his leverage. Would Hastiff then renege on their deal?
So!
Sean turned back and shook his head, saying, “No, I must have the Confluence Pill now!”
“You!!!”
Hastiff felt the urge to hit someone again. Damn it, this was too much! And being threatened face-to-face by a mere mid-stage dark energy young man, as the head of the Plainwater Town branch, when had Hastiff ever felt so aggrieved?
“If you don’t produce it now, how do I knowif you even have it? What if you deceive me, or later on, you play foul? What can I do to you if I can’t beat you?”
After a moment of contemplation, Sean continued, “In my opinion, why not… you give me the Confluence Pill now, and after I verify its authenticity, I’ll stay within the academy to cultivate, never leaving until the end of the intercollegiate martial arts competition!”
“At the same time!”
“As an exchange condition, I can assure you that I will help your branch seize the top spots in both the mid-stage and late-stage of dark energy. If I fail to do so, I will return the Confluence Pill to you as promised!”
Sean knew the value of the Confluence Pill and understood that Hastiff wouldn’t easily compromise. Thus, he increased his bargaining chips!
Securing two top spots!
Upon hearing this, Hastiff and Mr. Sun looked at each other, both stunned and incredulous. They asked in unison, “Are you suggesting that among your Gorillas, there are outstanding individuals in the mid-stage or late-stage of dark energy, like you, capable of sweeping through one level, unrivaled within the same level?”Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.
Impossible!
Too difficult!
Even Chan, who had previously stood out in the Plainwater Town branch, could only remain unrivaled within the branch. It was almost impossible to maintain an undefeated record in the intercollegiate martial arts competition. Yet, Sean had a good chance!
Hastiff and Mr. Sun, both at their age and status, had encountered countless young talents, but they had hardly seen anyone like Sean, capable of sweeping through a level with absolute superiority. This made them subconsciously believe that finding another freak like Sean would be nothing short of a pipe dream!
“Of course there are!”
Sean nodded, then shook his head, saying, “But it’s not necessary. It’s just two top spots, right? One person is enough!”
Helplessly!
From the early stage to the late stage of dark energy, including the complete stage, Sean could suppress his strength to any level and remain unrivaled within that level!
However!
Like “Great Ape” and “Great Monkey,” under the circumstances where the two identities didn’t need to appear simultaneously, Sean could freely switch between them. But the intercollegiate martial arts competition was different; they had to appear simultaneously. Sean couldn’t split himself; he could only handle it alone!
“What… what do you mean??”
Hastiff and Mr. Sun vaguely understood Sean’s intentions but couldn’t help asking, “Could it be that you intend to…”
“That’s right!”
Sean said, “Mr. Hastiff had already noticed earlier. I have already reached the threshold of the late-stage of dark energy. I can choose to break through at any time. By then, after seizing the mid-stage top spot, I’ll directly advance to the late-stage, and then go for the late-stage top spot!”
Oh my goodness!
Hastiff and Mr. Sun twitched at the corners of their mouths, almost having their jaws drop from Sean’s words. What the heck? It’s impressive that you’re confident enough to claim the mid-stage top spot, but now you want to temporarily break through and challenge the elite disciples in the late-stage of dark energy from the other seventeen branches? And you’re confident that you can claim the late-stage top spot too?
I’m f*cking blown away!
Hastiff and Mr. Sun were speechless, exasperated by Sean’s boasting. This isn’t how you boast! Do you take us for fools?
“If Mr. Hastiff doesn’t believe me?”
Sean knew they wouldn’t believe him, so he said, “Whether you believe me or not is not important. What’s important is that if I can’t do it, if I can’t claim the two top spots, I will return the Confluence Pill to you intact. For you, this should be a foolproof deal!”
“Of course!”
“If I happen to achieve it, to claim the mid-stage and late-stage top spots, and your branch’s disciples perform poorly in the early stage, causing us to miss the top overall ranking, then it’s not my fault!”
Yes!
There were three levels of competition. If Sean secured two of them by himself, and they still didn’t secure the overall top spot, the Plainwater Town branch would be in serious trouble and might as well disband right then and there!
Hastiff gazed at Sean with a solemn expression, lost in thought for a long while! According to Sean’s proposal, temporarily handing over the Confluence Pill to Sean while ensuring that Sean does not leave the Plainwater Town branch could guarantee the safety of the Confluence Pill. After the conclusion of the intercollegiate martial arts competition, if Sean failed, they would retrieve the Confluence Pill. This meant that Hastiff would essentially gain a mid-stage dark energy top spot for nothing. On the other hand, even if Sean’s talent was exceptional and he did achieve his goals, being in the capital, as long as Hastiff was willing, he could forcibly retrieve the Confluence Pill! Regardless of the angle from which one approached this, indeed, as Sean had said, this transaction was truly a foolproof deal for Hastiff!
“Very well!”
After a moment, Hastiff nodded and said, “I agree to your terms, we’ll do as you’ve said!”
With that!
Hastiff shot a glance at Mr. Sun, indicating, “Have Mr. Sun arrange a place for you to stay. You’ll remain within the academy. Hand over all your communication devices and have no contact with the outside world!”
“I’ll go get the Confluence Pill now and personally deliver it to you later!”
The old fox had finally taken the bait!
If Hastiff were to know that Sean was actually a genuine Bright Realm practitioner, intent on acquiring the Confluence Pill not for use by anyone else in the Gorillas, but for his own use and could freely use it within the academy, one couldn’t predict Hastiff’s reaction. He might even be infuriated on the spot!
“Of course!”
Sean naturally agreed readily!
Mr. Sun gestured, “Mr. Great, please follow me.”
“Okay!”
As Sean turned to follow Mr. Sun, a sly smile crept onto his lips, a smirk of successful scheming. After Sean and Mr. Sun left the courtyard together, Hastiff took out his phone and dialed a number!
After a moment, the call connected, and a deep voice came from the other end, “Brother, what’s the matter?”
Hastiff said, “There’s something very important. I need to discuss it with you.”
The matter of the Confluence Pill was of utmost importance, and it was obtained by Pastiff before being handed over to Hastiff for safekeeping. Naturally, Hastiff dared not unilaterally decide. Hence, he promptly contacted Pastiff!!!