Forbidden Great Emperor | Xianxia, System, Fusion

Chapter 8 — The Envoy’s Calculation

“Before sunset. That is the last concession I am willing to make.”

Zhao Feng's voice echoed through the town hall.

He sat in the guest seat beneath the carved wooden beams, one hand resting on the armrest. His red-and-gold robes were immaculate, and a jade token bearing the Zhao Clan insignia hung from his waist.

Behind him stood four armored guards.

Outside the hall, another sixteen waited with loaded crossbows. Their red-and-gold armor made them unmistakable. They had arrived in orderly formation, occupied the entrance, and taken control of the street without asking permission from the town authorities.

No one had challenged them.

At the opposite end of the hall, Lu Chen stood with Gu Yan and three local elders.

The old merchant's expression remained composed, but his fingers were folded tightly inside his sleeves. The three elders looked less comfortable. One kept glancing toward the guards outside, while another had not spoken since Zhao Feng began explaining the purpose of his visit.

Lu Chen looked at the envoy.

“You have traveled a long way to deliver an ultimatum.”

Zhao Feng smiled faintly.

“An ultimatum? You misunderstand. I am offering you an opportunity to resolve this matter without unnecessary bloodshed.”

“Then perhaps you should explain what you want.”

Zhao Feng leaned back.

“The Zhao Clan has held authority over the surrounding territories for generations. Our influence extends across hundreds of miles, including the land where you have established yourself.”

His gaze settled on Lu Chen.

“The mine you occupy lies within territory claimed by my clan. The commercial arrangement you made with Gu's firm is therefore invalid.”

Gu Yan raised his head.

“The mine was unclaimed when my firm discovered it. No Zhao Clan representative had ever approached us regarding ownership.”

Zhao Feng turned toward him.

“Your firm was permitted to conduct business in these lands because the Zhao Clan allowed it. Do not mistake tolerance for independence.”

Gu Yan's expression tightened.

He was an old merchant. He understood the difference between a negotiation and a threat, and Zhao Feng was making no effort to conceal which one this was.

Lu Chen remained silent.

Zhao Feng continued.

“There are three matters to settle.”

He raised one finger.

“First, you will surrender the mine and every resource extracted from it. The map, the access route, and all records concerning its location must be handed over.”

A second finger.

“Second, Gu's Commercial Firm will terminate its agreement with you. Any Spirit Crystals already purchased from that mine will be accounted for and transferred to the Zhao Clan.”

Gu Yan's eyes narrowed.

“And the goods we purchased with our own funds?”

“Those matters can be discussed after the clan has confirmed the inventory.”

The answer was deliberately vague.

Zhao Feng raised a third finger.

“Finally, you will enter the Zhao Clan's service for twenty years.”

Lu Chen looked at him.

“What kind of service?”

“You will serve as a caravan captain along our northern trade routes. Your strength has some value, and the clan is willing to provide you with a position appropriate to your ability.”

A faint smile appeared on Zhao Feng's face.

“You will receive resources, protection, and an opportunity to cultivate under the Zhao Clan's banner. It is considerably better than hiding in a gorge and selling Spirit Crystals to a merchant.”

The hall became quiet.

One of the elders looked toward Lu Chen, waiting for his response.

The offer was not entirely unreasonable on its surface.

A young cultivator with no powerful backing might have considered joining a regional clan. Twenty years of service was a heavy price, but the Zhao Clan possessed resources, techniques, and connections that an independent cultivator could struggle to obtain.

But this was not an invitation.

It was a demand to surrender everything he had acquired.

Lu Chen looked at Zhao Feng.

“And if I refuse?”

Zhao Feng's smile did not disappear.

“Then you will be treated as someone who has stolen clan property and resisted a lawful summons.”

He glanced toward the entrance.

“My men are already here. They can secure the mine before nightfall. The town, however, is another matter.”

Gu Yan's expression changed.

“Do not involve the townspeople in this dispute.”

Zhao Feng looked at him with mild curiosity.

“Then perhaps you should advise your guest to cooperate.”

The old merchant said nothing.

Lu Chen studied the envoy.

Zhao Feng was twenty-eight, yet his cultivation had already reached Meridian Opening Middle Stage. The Qi surrounding him was considerably deeper than Lu Chen's. He was not a minor guard given an important title through family connections.

He had cultivated seriously.

And he had brought enough men to make his authority difficult to ignore.

Lu Chen's gaze briefly passed over the envoy's stance.

Zhao Feng leaned slightly toward his right side whenever he settled into the chair. His left shoulder also tightened whenever he gathered Qi, a small movement that appeared and disappeared beneath his robe.

It was not an obvious weakness.

A less attentive opponent might never notice it.

But Lu Chen had no reason to overlook anything that could matter later.

He allowed his expression to soften.

“Twenty years?”

Zhao Feng nodded.

“Twenty years.”

“And the mine?”

“Will become clan property.”

“What happens to the Spirit Crystals already extracted?”

“They will be included in the transfer.”

Lu Chen lowered his gaze as though considering the offer.

The three elders exchanged glances.

Gu Yan watched him carefully.

He knew Lu Chen had no intention of surrendering the mine. But he also understood that refusing Zhao Feng directly inside the town hall could bring violence down upon everyone present.

Zhao Feng interpreted the silence differently.

“You are beginning to understand the situation,” he said. “That is good. A cultivator should know when he has encountered a power beyond his ability to challenge.”

Lu Chen looked up.

“I would need to retrieve the documents and the mine's access key.”

Zhao Feng's expression remained calm.

“Where are they?”

“At my camp near the gorge.”

“The gorge north of the town?”

“Yes.”

“How far?”

“Several miles beyond the outer hills.”

Zhao Feng considered him.

“Why are the documents there?”

“I did not expect to be summoned by the Zhao Clan. I keep valuable belongings where they are less likely to be stolen.”

The envoy gave a quiet laugh.

“You seem to have developed an unusual habit of hiding things from people who have every right to inspect them.”

Lu Chen did not respond to the remark.

He continued in an even voice.

“If you want the documents, I can retrieve them. I can bring the mine's records, the access key, and the remaining Spirit Crystals.”

Zhao Feng tapped one finger against the armrest.

“When?”

“Before midnight.”

“Why not now?”

Lu Chen glanced toward the windows.

“The path is difficult to navigate after dark. I would rather not risk losing the documents or damaging the records.”

It was a reasonable answer.

More importantly, it offered Zhao Feng something he wanted: control over the timing and location of the transfer.

The envoy looked toward the guards standing behind him.

Then he returned his attention to Lu Chen.

“You will return before midnight.”

“I will.”

“With every document and every remaining crystal.”

Lu Chen nodded.

Zhao Feng leaned forward.

“And do not mistake this delay for permission to flee. My men know the gorge. If you attempt to escape, they will find you.”

“I understand.”

For the first time since entering the hall, Zhao Feng seemed satisfied.

He rose from his seat.

“Good. Then this matter is settled.”

Gu Yan's brows drew together.

“Settled? You have not received the documents, and no agreement has been signed.”

Zhao Feng turned toward him.

“Do you wish to make this more difficult?”

“I wish to know what authority you claim over property that my firm discovered and purchased.”

“Your firm has been doing business in territory protected by the Zhao Clan.”

“Protected?” Gu Yan repeated quietly. “Is that what you call it?”

Zhao Feng's eyes hardened.

“Be careful, old man. Your age does not make you untouchable.”

The hall fell silent again.

Lu Chen stepped slightly to the side.

“Gu Master.”

The old merchant looked at him.

“I will handle the matter.”

Gu Yan studied his face.

There was no visible anger, no sign of surrender, and no hint of uncertainty.

He understood that Lu Chen had a plan.

He did not know what it was.

But he had learned enough not to interfere when the young cultivator had already made his decision.

Zhao Feng gave a small gesture.

One of his guards stepped forward and opened the hall doors.

The sunlight outside had begun to soften. The street was still crowded with people who had gathered to watch the Zhao Clan's arrival, though most retreated when the armored guards looked in their direction.

Zhao Feng walked toward the entrance.

Then he stopped.

“One more thing.”

Lu Chen looked at him.

“The town's people have no connection to your dispute with the Zhao Clan. If you cooperate, they will remain untouched.”

He paused.

“But if you disappear, if the documents are missing, or if you attempt to deceive me, I will burn this town until there is nothing left to rebuild.”

His tone was almost conversational.

“I have enough men to begin with the northern streets. The rest will follow.”

The three elders went pale.

Gu Yan's face became cold.

Lu Chen looked at Zhao Feng for a long moment.

“Understood.”

The envoy seemed pleased with the answer.

He left the hall with his four guards following behind him.

Outside, the remaining sixteen stood in formation beside the street. Their crossbows were held at rest, but their strings remained drawn. The sight was enough to keep the townspeople away.

Zhao Feng mounted his horse.

“Captain.”

A tall guard stepped forward.

“Your orders, Young Master?”

“Take sixteen men. Move to the northern gorge and secure the narrow path.”

The captain glanced toward Lu Chen.

“Should we bring him back?”

“No. Let him come to us.”

Zhao Feng's gaze remained on the young cultivator.

“Establish positions along the path. Keep the crossbows concealed until he reaches the gorge. I want the entrance blocked, but do not attack unless I give the order.”

The captain nodded.

“Understood.”

“Four men will remain with me. We will wait here until the documents arrive.”

The captain bowed and began selecting his men.

Sixteen guards separated from the formation.

They checked their crossbows, secured their spare bolts, and prepared their horses.

The captain approached Zhao Feng once more.

“What if Lu Chen brings more men?”

Zhao Feng looked toward the northern road.

“He has been living alone in a gorge. If he had a force behind him, he would not have accepted the delay.”

He paused.

“Still, do not underestimate him. The reports say he killed several cultivators and destroyed the Zhao Clan's southern operations. I want him alive if possible.”

The captain nodded.

“And if he resists?”

Zhao Feng's expression cooled.

“Then kill him.”

The sixteen guards mounted and rode north.

Their horses passed through the town's main street, leaving dust hanging above the road. The people watched from doorways and behind market stalls.

No one spoke until the last rider disappeared.

Only then did the murmuring begin.

“They are going to the gorge.”

“Sixteen men?”

“I heard they have crossbows.”

“What did the young cultivator agree to?”

“No one knows.”

An elderly shopkeeper shook his head.

“If the Zhao Clan wants the mine, why would they leave him alone until midnight?”

A nearby merchant lowered his voice.

“They won't. They are waiting for him somewhere along the road.”

The shopkeeper looked north.

“Then he should not go.”

But no one knew whether Lu Chen had already anticipated the trap.

Inside the town hall, the three elders remained seated.

Gu Yan stood beside a wooden pillar, watching the northern street through the open doors.

When the sound of hooves faded, he turned toward Lu Chen.

“You know he intends to ambush you.”

It was not a question.

Lu Chen adjusted the strap of his saber.

“He brought twenty armed guards to a town hall to demand my property. Then he threatened to burn the town if I failed to return before midnight.”

He looked toward the road.

“He was never planning to negotiate.”

One of the elders frowned.

“Then why did you agree?”

“Because he wanted me to leave the town.”

The elder looked confused.

Lu Chen continued.

“And I wanted to know where he would place his men.”

Gu Yan's expression changed slightly.

“You intend to confront them at the gorge?”

“I intend to deal with the men he sent.”

The oldest elder rose from his seat.

“You should understand that Zhao Feng is not Gao. He is a representative of the regional branch. His death will bring a much greater response.”

Lu Chen looked at him.

“Then the Zhao Clan should have sent someone who understood the consequences of threatening me.”

The elder fell silent.

Gu Yan walked closer.

“Can you handle sixteen guards?”

Lu Chen did not answer immediately.

He remembered the red-and-gold armor, the loaded crossbows, and the captain who had followed Zhao Feng's orders without hesitation.

Sixteen armed men were not a trivial obstacle.

But the narrow gorge offered a different kind of battlefield from the town hall.

And Zhao Feng had made one mistake.

He believed Lu Chen would walk into the ambush without knowing it existed.

Lu Chen turned toward the entrance.

“I will return before midnight.”

Gu Yan watched him leave.

“Lu Chen.”

The young cultivator stopped.

“Do not let the town become a battlefield.”

Lu Chen glanced back.

“I have no intention of doing that.”

Then he stepped into the street.

The people standing nearby moved aside.

Some recognized him from the rumors surrounding Gao's death. Others had only heard that he had defeated the Zhao Clan's representatives in the past.

Now they watched him walk north, toward the same road taken by the sixteen armed guards.

No one followed.

Beyond the town, the northern road gradually narrowed.

The path passed between low hills before entering the rocky gorge that led toward Lu Chen's hidden cavern.

The sixteen guards reached the narrowest section shortly before dusk.

The captain dismounted and examined the terrain.

Steep stone walls rose on either side. Sparse trees clung to the upper slopes, and the path curved around a large outcrop before descending toward the gorge.

A good place for an ambush.

He divided his men.

Four guards were sent farther along the path to watch the approach.

Six were positioned behind the rocks near the bend, crossbows aimed toward the road.

The remaining six stayed near the captain, ready to close the passage once Lu Chen appeared.

The captain examined their positions.

“Keep your weapons covered. Do not loose a bolt until I give the signal.”

One guard looked toward the cliffs.

“What if he notices us?”

“Then we change the plan.”

The captain turned toward the bend.

“Remember, the young master wants him alive. A corpse cannot be questioned about the mine.”

A few guards nodded.

The captain drew his saber and rested it against his knee.

The sun slipped lower.

Shadows lengthened across the gorge.

They waited.

Far behind them, the road remained empty.

Then, from somewhere beyond the bend, a faint sound reached their ears.

Footsteps.

The captain raised one hand.

Every crossbow shifted toward the road.

The ambush was ready.