Aigou's Offer

The door behind Aigou opened. Patriarch Hao's son rushed to his father's side, and next to him was a masked woman he had never seen before.

Could she be? The powerful cultivation base he sensed within her could only mean such.

In contrast to the disrespect that he showed the patriarch, his countenance changed to that of an impressionable envoy as he flashed a smile of courtesy towards Xiao.

"You must be the fabled Xiao, the woman who brazenly showered street thugs with ice stakes.." Aigou's gaze fell onto Fang Xuan. "...saving the transient blade's pitiful young master from the shame of being thrashed in broad daylight."

"Why you…" Fang Xuan was already on edge the moment he entered the hall, thus, the words he heard immediately tipped him over. Cultivation base be damned, he would not be disrespected inside their own sect. He was about to engage their unpleasant visitor when his father's hand stopped him, urging him not to fall prey to such easy provocations.

"Hardly a thing to snide at. While it is true that I didn't need his help, he showed courage and did his best to help who he thought was in trouble."

The fact that Xiao defended Fang Xuan didn't mix well with Aigou. No matter, it's only been days since she was installed as the Transient blade's elder. He could still recruit them on their side. For they have a vast resource of the one thing universally valued by all cultivators. Spirit stones.

Aigou cupped his hands towards Xiao..."Greetings, you must be the rumored Xiao. My name is Aigou from the Northern vanguard sect." …only for her not to return the gesture and continue staring at him with scrutinizing eyes. His mask momentarily slipped, warping into annoyance. How dare she show such disrespect towards him! He immediately regained his composure and slipped back into that fake smile of his. She would surely beg for him to take her in once he mentions the amount of spirit stones they could provide her.

"Yes, I am Xiao. What about it?"

For a moment, Aigou's smile had turned into a genuine one, tinged with wickedness. He thought of striking a blow at their already down sect rival, he would reaffirm in front of the patriarch's face that whatever the Transient blades could pay, they would match it two fold.

"Leave this decrepit sect. Your talent is wasted here. The amount of spirit stones that you have been given, we will double…no, for someone of your caliber, we will triple it."

"150,000 spirit stones."

Aigou deridingly chuckled…"Hmm only a few 150,000 spirit stones?"...his eyes gave the impression of wanting to pop out from their sockets as the realization kicked in."What!? There is no way this sect has that amount of spirit stones! You are lying!"

To be fair, he did ask for the amount that she recently received. Xiao was amused at his mood change from haughtiness to sudden bewilderment, so much so that she wasn't planning on clearing up the misunderstanding. As a matter of fact, Xiao would instead roll with it.

"So, unless the high and mighty Northern vanguard can match it, I would advise that you leave this instant. I can see it from our sect master's face that he doesn't want you here."

Aigou regained his composure. 150,000!? Not only did she disrespect him by properly cupping her hands, she has the audacity to brazenly lie before him!? It might just be the transient blades that's in the room with them, but still, why is she not giving him face!?

"Such an exorbitant amount. I take it, that lie means that you did not even reconsider my offer?"

Why would she? Xiao hasn't been with her master for long enough, but deep down, she knows that the guidance and knowledge that she could provide are things that no sect in the continent could match.

"You guessed it. It would be wise if you didn't bother me again with your recruitment offers."

The false courtesy that aigou exhibited immediately turned into a scornful glare, baring his true nature.

"You dare talk of being wise!? If you accepted my offer you would have been set for life! Such a shame, how can someone be so powerful turn out to be so stupid? Spitting at our gracious offer, you will answer for this disrespect."

Palpable bloodlust exuded from Aigou as his water qi surrounded him, his tidal wave of anger threatened to crash over Xiao.

Yet Xiao wasn't afraid of mere waves, and in fact, she mirrored his bloodlust in the form of a daring grin. Her trademark ice stakes are already hovering above her, ready to impale Aigou the moment he attacks.

Aigou turned upon Hao, "Are you not going to tell your Elder to stand down!? If something happens to me here, my sect will kill you and all of your remaining disciples!"

Although a flicker, defiance lit in the eyes of the Patriarch, inspired by the fearlessness that Xiao showcased. "What do you mean if something happens to you? With the level of her cultivation she's going to kill you where you stand. You are right, if killing you would make this sect go down in flames, then you should be honored by becoming its pyre."

Not willing to risk his life, dispersed his water qi, much to his chagrin. He would give Xiao one last warning before departing.

"You will regret this, Xiao. I shall return this humiliation that you've shown me."

"Then why don't we just settle this at the tournament?" With her daring gin unfaded, Xiao taunted the already agitated Aigou.

"You're not going to make it to the tournament."

"Hah, we'll see about that."

With their unwelcome visitor finally gone, Xiao turned her attention to patriarch Hao, giving him a warning.

"They would assassinate you, like they did to the previous elders before you."

"They will die trying. If you would excuse me, sect master, there's still a pill I need to concoct."

After cupping her hands, Xiao went on her way into the sect's alchemy room.

<<If I were you I would have killed that man on the spot. I know his kind, he will try and exact revenge upon you even if it's the last thing he would ever do.>>

Her teacher warned her as she walked through the sect's corridors.

"Let him come, his efforts would end in vain. Oh, and teacher, I have decided to accept Fang Xuan's request. I would help the Transient blades crush the Northern vanguard sect."

<<Finally taking the role of a sect elder to heart>>

"Probably, that and I just really want to prove that Aigou wrong. 'You're not going to make it to the tournament' my ass. We'll see about that."