Unsheathed

A water race spirit who looked like an elderly Confucian scholar poked his head out from the surface of the river, only choosing to timidly swim over after hesitating for a long time.

The spirit didn't dare to walk ashore and approach the two people, and he stood in the river and said in a quivering voice, "The Black River Great King has instructed me to deliver a message to the two esteemed immortals — you can feel free to take the treasures in the Sea Turning Primordial Lord's cave abode as long as you're willing to let her free. You can treat this as an act of goodwill and the cultivation of good karma."

The woman in the huge crater lowered her head upon hearing this.

"Your father truly isn't worried about your life or death," the scholar teased. "He's sent nothing but a mere lackey to deal with the two of us?"

The Sea Turning Primordial Lord remained silent with her head lowered, with all of her anger and arrogance from before vanishing into thin air.

"When two nations do battle, the envoys and messengers can't be killed," the spirit said as he shook in fear. "You should allow me to deliver your reply back to the Old Dragon Cave regardless of whether you accept the proposal or not."

The scholar became even more amused, and he looked at Chen Ping'an and asked, "What do you say?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and said to the spirit, "Then you can return now. Tell the Black River Great King that we accept his proposal."

"But the Sea Turning Primordial Lord has to stay here first," the scholar added.

"The Black River Great King said that I had to make sure to bring Milady back," the spirit wailed in grief.

"Failing to complete your task means that you might die at the Black River Great King's hands. However, that's better than facing certain death at our hands, right?" Chen Ping'an replied.

The spirit shrank back in apprehension before immediately turning around to flee through the river.