Demon Cultivator in Abyssal Era

Chu Xiu’s eyes widened slightly.

He hadn’t expected Zhang Zhengdao to be so decisive, smashing the Soul-Collecting Treasure Box without a moment’s hesitation.

Such an action at least suggests that the events of the past were most likely not related to Zhang Zhengdao. If the person inside the box were someone Zhang Zhengdao was trying to revive, he wouldn’t have destroyed it so decisively.

Of course, it could also be a move to sacrifice a pawn to protect the king after the incident. Ultimately, Chu Xiu couldn’t be certain, but now that the box was destroyed, at least there was no longer a reason for him to be at odds with the Zhang Family, which gave him some peace of mind.

"Brother Zhang, this is still your clansman after all."

Chu Xiu’s thinking speed was extremely fast at this moment, almost completing his thoughts at the instant Zhang Zhengdao shattered the box, while Duan Yan had just spoken out in surprise.

Zhang Zhengdao snorted coldly: "Everyone has their fate, and those who have died trying to revive using someone else’s body are such evil demons; how could I possibly keep them?"

After speaking, he looked at Chu Xiu: "I don’t expect that this move will lead Chen to trust me. I can only assure Chen that if you need me to join the battle, I will give my all. But if you still have doubts about me, you can also ask for extra resource compensation."

Having said this much, Chu Xiu really couldn’t find a reason to refuse.

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Though he still doubted whether Zhang Zhengdao had other motives for entering the Corpse Demon World to help him—after all, the conversation between the Mountain View Building Master and him suggested that this decisive battle was not as simple as it seemed on the surface, with many forces having their own agendas for entering the field.

But if he continued to doubt like this, he would have no one to use, because everyone entering the Corpse Demon World could be a traitor or spy, and he would be trapped in a chain of suspicion.

Thus, Chu Xiu only maintained basic suspicion, even telling the people from the Mountain View Building that if they were willing to reveal their real identities, then they could be trusted.

Zhang Zhengdao, being the head of a family, likely had some reservations.

Thinking this way, Chu Xiu quickly clasped his hands: "Elder Zhang, you speak too highly."

"The Zhang Family’s strict governance and positive reputation are well acknowledged by Huaxia’s people. Among tens of thousands of clansmen, it is not unusual for one or two to go astray. Moreover, love for one’s children is universal, and if the Sixth Elder took a wrong path due to a moment’s negligence, it was already addressed, so how can you be blamed for it?"

"If Elder is willing to extend a helping hand, I am truly grateful!"

Hearing him say this, the stern expression on Zhang Zhengdao’s face eased considerably, and he clasped his fists in return: "Young friend, your magnanimity is appreciated, and I am sincerely thankful for your willingness to forgive the Zhang Family."

With the issue resolved satisfactorily, representatives of other factions also offered their congratulations, making the atmosphere much more harmonious for the moment.

With Zhang Zhengdao’s assistance, Chu Xiu’s combat strength greatly increased, as a powerful Perfect Demigod’s presence countered the threat of High Tier Powerhouses launching direct assaults on the Titan Giant Mechanism core.

Another key point is that Zhang Zhengdao also acted as a form of leverage for Chu Xiu.

It’s akin to an auction; if all factions offer low prices, a Low Tier deal might occur, or the auction might fail.

Originally, Chu Xiu had invited Chen Huang to counter this phenomenon, but now with Zhang Zhengdao as a guarantee, Chu Xiu felt much more confident, and for this, he had to thank the other party.

As he anticipated, after Zhang Zhengdao spoke, Jiang Lingfu sighed lightly and said: "Alright, I was originally planning to discuss this after you made your choice, but it’s fine to say it now."

"Chen, do you remember the Celestial Mechanics Guild squad that went with you and Miaoyin to the Hundred Ghosts Melting Furnace?"

Chu Xiu froze slightly, then nodded. This squad of four had formidable strength and were among the top in the King Tier. Chu Xiu originally intended to recruit Shen Tianxie among them as a controller for the Titan Giant Mechanism, but unfortunately, all four were killed by Qingyunzi.

These four had decent backgrounds, not quite as influential as the Four Great Families, but still noble houses that dominated a region.

Jiang Lingfu said: "After hearing about what happened in the Hundred Ghosts Melting Furnace from my daughter, the four families behind the Celestial Mechanics Guild were extremely furious, especially the Shen Family. Shen Tianxie was their designated heir, and being slain by a ghost, they would not let it go."

"So they entrusted me to make a proposal to you. If you are willing to enter the Hundred Ghosts Melting Furnace for vengeance and attempt to retrieve their bodies, the four families are willing to jointly offer a lucrative reward."

"Firstly, the closest relatives of the four will unite to offer you five Heroic Spirits willing to fight for you, in addition to supplies worth a total of two trillion Huaxia Coins."

"Furthermore, during this time, Awakened in the Corpse Demon World are allowed two waves of supply transportation. These weapons and equipment should provide significant help."

Chu Xiu hadn’t expected such an additional surprise, and Jiang Lingfu wasn’t forthright in revealing it until now.

He was already planning to go to the Hundred Ghosts Melting Furnace to confront Qingyunzi and investigate the two monuments and other secrets, so he agreed without hesitation.

Following this, all that was left was for Mountain View Building and Chen Huang.

Duan Yan merely expressed that, aside from the proposition discussed with Chu Xiu previously, if Chu Xiu could provide an Anchor Point, they were willing to offer additional large-scale war machines worth five trillion Huaxia Coins.

However, Chu Xiu’s response remained unchanged: "Unless they are willing to reveal their real identity, they must pass government scrutiny to obtain the Anchor Point."