Chapter 549: Chapter 546: One Family
Mo Qi wasn’t going to let Di Zhong off easy, but he didn’t want him dead either.
Just as he had said, Di Zhong’s life was worthless to him.
On the contrary, if Di Zhong really died in this tavern, then he and the Demon Sect might truly find themselves on opposing sides.
Mo Qi had no desire to make a powerful enemy for no reason.
Besides, he couldn’t completely disregard Xiao Zhang. The reason he had separated the *Demon God Grand Ceremony* from Xiao Zhang’s body was to make one fact clear to the Demon Sect: just as he had the power to make them whole, he also had the power to take it all away.
’If you’re here for a visit, then you should act like it.’
’We’ll have a dialogue between equals. I refuse to be looked down upon!’
So, rather than letting Di Zhong prove his integrity through death, it was better to get some tangible compensation.
Like, say, a hundred or so Immortal Artifacts, a thousand or so Immortal Level Spirit Medicines, things like that.
But Di Zhong and Xiao Zhengheng were both dumbfounded, clearly not understanding the meaning of "tangible action" in Mo Qi’s words.
’Weren’t our apologies just now a form of tangible action?’ they wondered.
Looking at the two clueless men, Mo Qi was speechless.
’Are these two really that dense?’
’Do I really have to shout, "You scared me! Pay up!"?’
In truth, it wasn’t Di Zhong and Xiao Zhengheng’s fault. Given their statuses, when had they ever encountered such a situation?
Moreover, in the minds of Demon Sect disciples, right and wrong were only distinguished by life and death; the concept of compensation didn’t exist.
As the atmosphere grew awkward again, Xiao Zhang, who was at the side, suddenly understood.
He had personally witnessed Mo Qi’s series of extortions in the Desperate Mountain Range, all of which, without exception, had been about wealth.
So he hurriedly sent a voice transmission to Di Zhong and Xiao Zhengheng: "Teacher, Father, my master has a fondness for worldly possessions. The ’tangible action’ he’s talking about... I’m afraid he’s expecting you to part with a significant fortune."
As realization dawned on Di Zhong and Xiao Zhengheng, their expressions turned strange.
They had never imagined that one day, the great Sect Leader of the Demon Sect and his teacher would actually need to pay compensation to beg for someone else’s forgiveness.
If the future of the Demon Sect and the *Demon God Grand Ceremony* weren’t at stake, they would rather die than do something so demeaning.
But now, they had no choice but to obediently pay up.
"Ahem, uh, Young Friend Mo Qi, to express our apologies and gratitude, on behalf of the Demon Sect, I will compensate you with one thousand Immortal Level Spirit Medicines, twenty Immortal Artifacts, a total of one hundred bottles of various Spiritual and Immortal Elixirs, plus one hundred million Top-grade Spirit Stones. How does that sound?"
Xiao Zhengheng gritted his teeth and offered a remarkably high price in compensation.
However, when he saw that Mo Qi still had no reaction, his heart leaped into his throat again.
’Is it still not enough?’
At that thought, he spoke again, his expression pained, "In addition, my Demon Sect is willing to open its treasury to you. You may enter and choose any three items."
As his words fell, Mo Qi’s expression finally changed, and he gasped.
In reality, Xiao Zhengheng had misjudged him. His lack of reaction wasn’t because he was dissatisfied, but because he was stunned by Xiao Zhengheng’s sheer generosity.
’Never mind the Spiritual and Immortal Elixirs... one thousand Immortal Level Spirit Medicines! Twenty Immortal Artifacts! One hundred million Top-grade Spirit Stones!’
’Any one of those three things alone represented an astonishing fortune. All three together? It was simply unheard-of.’
’Among the Halls of Envoys in the five great regions, the Demon Sect was probably the only one capable of such extravagance.’
Xiao Zhengheng waited nervously for Mo Qi’s reply. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this way; it must have been many years ago.
Mo Qi took a deep breath. His cold, stern expression melted like spring snow as his eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.
It was a heartfelt smile.
"Hahaha, we’re all family here, no need to be so formal! Zhang’er’s father, you’re treating me like a stranger, aren’t you?"
With a thought from Mo Qi, the power of the array imprisoning Di Zhong quietly receded.
"And Zhang’er’s teacher, what are you doing? Put the dagger down, that’s so dangerous."
Mo Qi threw an arm around Di Zhong’s shoulder, naturally "snatched" the Netherworld Dark Stab, and then just as naturally stored the Immortal Artifact in his *Chaos Scripture* space.
"Come, come, everyone sit down, sit down. Now that you’re here with me, just make yourselves at home. Don’t be strangers!"
"Zhang’er, what are you still kneeling for? Get up!"
Mo Qi beckoned with his hand, and the *Demon God Grand Ceremony* flew back into Xiao Zhang’s body. Xiao Zhang’s cultivation rose once more until it reached the Peak of the Divine Sea Half-Immortal Realm.
Xiao Zhengheng: "..."
Di Zhong: "..."
Xiao Zhang: "..."
’What just happened? Who am I? Where am I? Did we just miss something important?’
’Otherwise, how could this guy change his tune so fast?!’
No one saw that not far away, Elder Ku Mu’s face twitched a few times, and his body swayed, nearly causing him to fall from his chair.
Mo Qi backhanded the Scab Chicken on its forehead. "I told you to serve tea and this is the crap you bring out? Have you no shame? Are you a disgrace to chickens everywhere?"
The Scab Chicken winced in pain and rubbed its forehead, feeling deeply wronged.
’Is there something wrong with my special brew?’
"Go, bring out all the dishes I cooked earlier from the kitchen, and bring over a jar of Purple Sky Wine."
The Scab Chicken removed the three bowls of "tea" and returned to the kitchen, dejected.
In a short while, a table full of Medicinal Cuisine was set out, and the Purple Sky Wine was poured for everyone.
"Hahaha, eat up, drink up, don’t be shy," Mo Qi said with a laugh. You couldn’t tell at all that just five minutes earlier, he had nearly driven Di Zhong to his death.
With his connection to Xiao Zhang, as long as the Demon Sect didn’t go too far, Mo Qi wouldn’t actively make an enemy of them.
In situations like this, Mo Qi’s stance was clear: as long as the price was right, he could strike any pose of forgiveness they wanted.
It took a long while for Xiao Zhengheng and Di Zhong to react. They couldn’t help but complain inwardly: ’Everyone says our Demon Sect is fickle and unpredictable, but only today do we understand the true meaning of the word!’
Xiao Zhang, however, was as full of admiration for Mo Qi as ever. ’Master is truly worthy of the title! This is the true nature of a "demon"! This is the true Demon Dao!’
The taste of the Medicinal Cuisine and Purple Sky Wine was, of course, exquisite. The three of them had originally intended to discuss future cooperation with Mo Qi, but from their very first bite, they simply couldn’t stop eating. They devoured the entire meal in a whirlwind.
...
While the atmosphere inside Uncle Niu’s Tavern was lively with feasting, seven uninvited guests arrived outside.
Among them were five men and two women. The leader was a woman in a black dress, her face covered by a veil.
The woman had an exquisite figure, and she exuded a chillingly sinister aura.
"I trust you’ve all received your orders. I am in complete charge of this assassination mission against Mo Qi."
The other six remained silent.
The woman in the black dress paid them no mind and continued, "Mo Qi has an array to rely on, so a direct assault is out of the question. Therefore, your first step is to conceal your killing intent and disguise yourselves. As customers? As defectors? As curious onlookers drawn by the rumors?"
"It doesn’t matter. Use whatever identity you want. The objective is singular: make Mo Qi lower his guard."
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