Four Hundred and One: Ransom

Over the past millennium, the martial arts world has flourished, weaving a fabric of distinguished clans. Yet, those families intent on settling scores through extreme measures often vanish to the pages of history. The surviving martial arts families have discovered that the key to long-term success lies not in battle retribution but in diplomacy and relationships.

Military power only provides the basic protection. To extend lineage longevity, the clans must balance force with flexibility.

Force signifies the uncompromising pursuit of clan interests. This is especially notable when it involves their core martial techniques, magical art forms, vital resources, and territory. Any aggression against these interests leaves no room for ambiguity. If anyone dares to reach out a hand, the clans are prepared to sever it, regardless of the domineering force behind it.

Meanwhile, flexibility implies that clans stop short of total destruction. Even when faced with sworn enemies, there is rarely an extermination among clans. For example, in Tang Clan’s task of territory expansions, many claimants are newly established young nobles striving to own their own domain. They would raise their own forces to conquer existing territories such as villages and townships.

Taking command is straightforward. It simply involves removing the current ruling class and promoting another group to their position. For bottom-tier commoners, it amounts to a change in rulers and regulations, with no significant differences in essence.

However, for the incumbent rulers, this is a matter of life and death. Over the past few millennia, very few rulers have been known to surrender without a fight or to change insignia without bloodshed.

Within the realm of warfare, nobody can claim absolute certainty of victory. Winners usually do not resort to absolute destruction. For instance, should young nobles lead soldiers and be captured after a failed assault, the victors do not immediately execute the captives. Instead, they extend a missive of surrender to captive families, offering them to negotiate a ransom.

Even for an illustrious Tang Family, upon receiving such messages, they would send representatives courteously to negotiate compensation and arrange the retrieval of captives. This is the common practice among nobility and rich clans.

be negotiated or in dealings with bands of thieves, most of the time, there are few cases of

now faces. He must protect Mi Chu’s life and admit severe defeat in this mortal combat. Tang Luo’s prospective terms for

that he has already lost. Not only does he falter in personal power, but he also suffers humiliation by losing control over his beast, tasting defeat. Ml Jing knows that public sentiment towards Mi Clan is currently at its worst. Thus, he did not hesitate nor negotiate

their nature, leaving no room for suspicion he plainly said, “I appreciate your understanding and reasonableness, Young Tang. Please name your price.” At Mi ling’s statement, Mi Chu, whose head has been lowered since the start, shivers, clenching his fists hard without looking up. Who

needing to pay a ransom for his life. The spectators’ whispered comments seem to slap

inside him seem to roar in a blood-thirsty frenzy, boiling and burning in his organs. A suffocating sense of gloom in his chest nearly strangles his breath. He dare not lift his head, not because of fear or shame, but out of fear of the

inner voice, these spectators would call him incredibly weak-hearted. But they weren’t mocking. They found themselves enthralled by

grew up in peace, ransom demands are things

bet it’s at least a few

hundred million? It’s at least a billion, after all, it’s Chu we’re talking

worth more than a billion gold. Do you think a prestigious Beast Soul Blood lineage holder would be equal to a beast? In my opinion, it should be at least ten billion before the newly acclaimed top son of

Wan Mann, who came from a large family has the best potential. At a young age, he has already started to deal with some of the family

to earn some pocket money today, he would have opened with ten billion or twenty billion. Mi Jing would not even quibble. But how could he

of Mi Family’s younger generation. Mi Chu’s significant name was at the very top of the

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