From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 367 Turbulent Cooperation in Yao Nu Town: Strategies to Overcome Conflicts of Interest

As night fell, a roaring campfire was lit in the camp, its light illuminating everyone's faces.

I stood alone at the edge of the camp, looking at the rolling mountains in the distance, my mind filled with countless thoughts.

Wen Chen walked to my side and gently took my hand.

"Yao'er, you did very well." His voice was gentle and deep, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in my heart.

I withdrew my hand and said calmly, "Wen Chen, we need to talk."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a group of hurried footsteps approached from afar.

Special Envoy Li and Elder Sun rushed to my side, their faces grave.

I immediately realized that something was wrong.

"Xiao Yao, something's happened." Envoy Li gasped for breath, his words rapid. "A conflict has broken out in a key area for resource extraction. Teams from both the immortal and demonic factions are fighting over a mineral vein rich in spiritual energy!"

Upon hearing this, my heart tightened, and a sense of unease welled up inside me.

Is this initial cooperation, which has just been reached, going to be ruined because of this conflict of interest?

I took a deep breath and said firmly, "Let's go, let's take care of it now."

Our group rushed to the scene of the conflict and could hear the metallic clash of swords and curses from afar.

The scene before me was heartbreaking—the teams of immortals and demons were engaged in fierce combat, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

The demonic figure stood at the very front of the demon army, his eyes blazing with fury, shouting, "The people of the immortal realm are insatiable; they want to monopolize all the resources!"

His voice was like a spark, igniting the demon army's fury.

The celestial realm's team was not to be outdone, with someone shouting back: "It's all because you demons are trying to take advantage and not following the rules of cooperation!"

I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said in a firm and powerful voice, "Enough! Stop it, all of you!"

My voice was exceptionally clear amidst the noise, but the effect was negligible.

The shadowy figure sneered at me: "Xiao Yao, if you say another word, you'll only make things worse!"

I know that now is not the time to act impulsively.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my voice: "Everyone, calm down. We're all cooperating for our common interests. Fighting will only hurt both sides, don't you understand?"

Before the words were finished, Zhao Xianzi's voice came from the immortal realm's ranks, coldly saying, "If I had known it would turn out like this, I shouldn't have cooperated! The demons always want to take advantage of others; they are not trustworthy!"

My heart sank, as if I had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

The atmosphere around me grew increasingly tense, and my attempts to dissuade them seemed utterly powerless in the face of the anger on both sides, leaving me feeling utterly defeated.

I know that we must find a breakthrough now, otherwise the cooperation will completely collapse.

I looked around and saw Elder Sun standing to one side, his gaze deep.

I stepped forward and whispered, "Elder Sun, can you help me?"

Elder Sun nodded, his gaze firm: "I will do my best."

I turned to look at Shadow, trying to find a glimmer of reason: "Shadow, I know you're unhappy, but please believe me, we can resolve this through negotiation. The cooperation has only just begun, and we can't give up because of a small conflict of interest."

The demon's eyes flickered slightly, but it still didn't budge: "Cooperation? You keep talking about cooperation, but the people of the Immortal Realm are always so self-righteous!"

My heart sank; I knew that more patience and wisdom were needed at this moment.

I took a deep breath, trying to soften my tone: "Shadow Demon, I know your concerns. However, if we give up on cooperation now, not only will the mineral resources not be allocated fairly, but it will also destroy the trust we have worked so hard to build. I believe that as long as you are willing to sit down and talk, we can definitely find a win-win solution."

The shadowy figure's gaze finally softened, but his expression remained hard: "Fine, then give me a satisfactory answer!"

I nodded and looked at Special Envoy Li and Elder Sun: "We need a temporary solution that is acceptable to both sides."

Special Envoy Li and Elder Sun exchanged a glance and nodded.

I continued, "We can temporarily divide the mine into two areas, with each side, the immortals and the demons, taking half. We can make adjustments later when the cooperation is more stable. This way, we can protect the interests of both sides and maintain the overall cooperation."

The shadowy figure remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, we'll do as you say. But if you break your promise again, don't blame us for being impolite!"

I felt a sense of relief and looked gratefully at Elder Sun and Special Envoy Li: "Thank you for your understanding and support."

Envoy Li and Elder Sun smiled with relief, but I believe that as long as we work together, there is nothing that cannot be solved.

As night deepened, the campfire flickered in the wind, and I stood at the edge of the campsite, my heart still filled with hope.

Wen Chen walked to my side, gently took my hand, and said softly, "Yao'er, take a rest. You've done very well."

I smiled slightly, but many unresolved thoughts still lingered in my mind.

I know the road ahead is long, but I will not give up.

For the sake of peace between the immortal and demon realms, and for the sake of the beliefs in my heart, I must persevere.

However, just as I was about to turn back to the camp, a voice came from the night, breaking the momentary tranquility: "Xiao Yao, do you really think this will solve the problem?" The campfire crackled, and sparks danced like mischievous sprites, illuminating Wen Chen's angular face.

He looked at me, his eyes carrying a hint of barely perceptible worry and... disappointment?

My heart skipped a beat. It felt like a thin fishbone was stuck in my throat, neither going up nor down, which was quite uncomfortable.

"Yao'er, let me help you." His voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of pleading.

I shook my head, my tone colder than I had expected: "No need, I can handle it."

He seemed taken aback for a moment, and the disappointment in his eyes became even more pronounced. "But..."

"There's no 'buts' about it." I interrupted him, a hint of barely perceptible annoyance in my voice. "This is a matter of cooperation between the immortal and demonic realms. What kind of nonsense is it for a Celestial Venerable like you to interfere?"

I know I've said something harsh, but somehow I just can't control myself.

Perhaps it's because of the immense pressure I've been under lately, or perhaps it's because of his previous lack of understanding; in any case, I just don't want him to get involved.

He fell silent, looking at me with a complicated expression, and finally said nothing before turning and leaving.

His silhouette looked somewhat lonely in the firelight, and I felt a pang of pain in my heart, yet I stubbornly refused to bow my head.

What the hell am I doing?

I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

Now is not the time to dwell on these sentimental thoughts; there are more important things to do.

I unfolded the map, my fingertips lightly tracing the lines representing the mineral veins, the tense scene from just moments ago constantly replaying in my mind.

The arrogant face of the demonic figure, the sharp and sarcastic words of Fairy Zhao, and the hostility in the eyes of the disciples on both sides... all of this was like a tangled mess, tightly binding me and making it hard for me to breathe.

No, I need to think of a solution.

I studied the map carefully, going over all the possibilities again and again.

Time passed second by second, the crackling of the campfire gradually became background music, and my world was left with only the crisscrossing lines on the map and the distribution of mineral veins.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed into my mind.

I picked up a pen and redrew the resource extraction areas on the map.

This plan takes into account the richness of the mineral veins, balances the interests of both the immortals and the demons, and even reserves a portion of the area as a pilot area for joint development.

After I announced the plan, the camp fell silent.

Everyone looked at me in surprise, as if they couldn't believe that I could come up with such a clever solution.

Special Envoy Li and Elder Sun once again expressed their appreciation for me, and even the Wind Demon King, who had always harbored resentment towards me, showed an approving look.

The demon's face turned ashen. He wanted to object but couldn't find any reason, so he could only glare at me hatefully.

As night deepened, the camp gradually quieted down.

I lay in the tent, but I just couldn't fall asleep.

I always felt that this conflict was not accidental; it seemed that some mysterious force was secretly driving it all.

This feeling was like an invisible hand tightly gripping my throat, making me feel suffocated.

I got up and walked outside the tent, looking up at the starry sky.

The night sky is dotted with stars, but they cannot dispel the gloom in my heart.

Suddenly, I heard a faint sound of footsteps coming from not far away.

I held my breath and listened intently.

The footsteps grew closer, seemingly heading towards my tent.

Who is it? Who could be operating in the shadows at this time?

I quietly gripped the dagger in my hand, my heart filled with vigilance.

"Xiao Yao, I know you're still awake." A deep voice came from the darkness.

A chill ran through me; that voice… it was…

"Come out, I know it's you," I said in a deep voice.

A figure slowly emerged from the darkness, the moonlight illuminating his face.

"It really is you!" I exclaimed in surprise.