Dapeng's Time Travel Life

Chapter 238 Undercurrents of Cooperation and Schemes from All Sides

The white-haired old man scrutinized Zhang Peng with great interest. He stroked his chin and after a moment let out a low laugh: "Interesting, Zhang Peng, you certainly dare to think and speak your mind. But why should I believe you?"

Zhang Peng remained calm, stepped forward, and met the old man's gaze with composure: "In the current situation, a stalemate between the three of us will only allow the mysterious force to reap the benefits. Cooperation may be risky, but it is better than mutual destruction. My Qingyun Sect has always acted with integrity, and if an agreement can be reached, we will certainly abide by it."

Pan Liwei sneered from the side, "Hmph, that sounds nice, but who knows what you're up to?" Cui Mingjia crossed her arms and remained silent, but her eyes darted back and forth among the crowd, clearly weighing the pros and cons.

The man in black robes frowned and stepped forward to whisper to the old man, "Elder, don't trust him too easily. Zhang Peng is cunning and treacherous; it might just be a delaying tactic." The old man raised his hand to stop him, his gaze still fixed on Zhang Peng, "Let him finish speaking."

Seeing this, Zhang Peng was secretly delighted, knowing that things had taken a turn for the better. He said loudly, "As far as I know, your 'Spirit Abyss Sacrifice' is closely related to the Heart of the Spirit Crystal, and I am also investigating the mysterious forces with the aim of stopping them from harming the cultivation world. Our goals are aligned to some extent. Instead of fighting each other, we should join hands and deal with our common enemy first."

The old man nodded slightly, his expression softening: "How much do you know about the 'Spirit Abyss Sacrifice'?" Zhang Peng's heart tightened, realizing this was crucial; if he answered incorrectly, the cooperation would fall through. He carefully chose his words: "I know that the 'Spirit Abyss Sacrifice' is related to spirit stone mines and the balance of spiritual energy in the cultivation world. Mysterious forces are attempting to use this to control the entire situation, and none of us want to see that happen."

The old man's eyes flashed, seemingly quite satisfied with Zhang Peng's answer: "Alright, in that case, we can discuss the cooperation. But you must understand that if you dare to play tricks, I will not let you off easily." Zhang Peng breathed a sigh of relief, but remained calm on the surface: "Of course, the details of the cooperation can be discussed in detail."

Pan Liwei and Cui Mingjia, standing to the side, grew anxious. Pan Liwei shouted in a shrill voice, "No way! We also have a share of the Spirit Crystal Heart. How can we let you reach an agreement so easily!" Cui Mingjia echoed, "That's right. We must participate in today's matter."

The old man glanced at them impatiently: "You two are more trouble than you're worth. If you want to participate, you'd better behave yourself, otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite." Pan Liwei and Cui Mingjia's faces turned pale and then red, but they dared not utter another word.

The group then discussed the details of their cooperation within the stone hall. The elder proposed that Zhang Peng and the others assist them in preparing for the "Spirit Abyss Sacrifice," ensuring the safe delivery of the Spirit Crystal Heart to the ceremony location. Upon completion, they would receive a reward and share intelligence on the mysterious force. Zhang Peng, however, demanded complete transparency throughout the cooperation, with no key information to be concealed. Furthermore, he stipulated that the cooperation would be immediately terminated should any actions by them be discovered that harmed the cultivation world.

After a heated negotiation, the two sides finally reached a preliminary agreement. However, Zhang Peng knew in his heart that this so-called cooperation was nothing more than a temporary measure, and that each party had its own ulterior motives and was secretly making its own calculations.

Upon returning to the Qingyun Sect, Zhang Peng informed Wang Yongli and the other elders about the cooperation. Wang Yongli was deeply worried: "Patriarch, this old man and the man in black robes are of unknown origin. Can their words be trusted? What if they are actually in league with the mysterious force? Wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

Zhang Peng nodded solemnly: "I share this concern, but our current understanding of the 'Spirit Abyss Sacrifice' and the mysterious forces is limited. This may be an opportunity for in-depth investigation. We must cooperate while remaining vigilant and not let our guard down."

Xia Lijuan chimed in, "Zhang Peng, no matter what, we must be fully prepared. I will intensify my cultivation and improve my strength, just in case." Looking into her resolute eyes, Zhang Peng felt a surge of warmth in his heart: "Okay, with you by my side, I feel much more at ease."

In the days that followed, Zhang Peng and his group began cooperating with the old man's side according to the agreement. They escorted the Spirit Crystal Heart to the designated location. Along the way, Zhang Peng kept a close eye on the surroundings and arranged for his disciples to secretly investigate the old man's side.

However, as the cooperation deepened, Zhang Peng discovered more and more suspicious points. The elders' actions always seemed shrouded in secrecy, and they remained vague about the specific details of the "Spirit Abyss Sacrifice." Moreover, some of their actions did not seem to be solely for the purpose of fighting against the mysterious force.