Da Xuan Martial Saint

At the forefront of Yan Hong's group, the two leading figures were Yan Hong himself, and the other was none other than Chen Mu.

Jiang Han took the initiative to step forward with a greeting. Yan Hong did not immediately respond but instead glanced sideways at Chen Mu. Seeing that Chen Mu's demeanor was as usual, showing no particular reaction, Yan Hong then turned to greet Jiang Han and the others.

"Lord Jiang."

Jiang Han was someone he recognized as the lord of the Jinyun Hall of Central Prefecture, a leading figure of a sect power and one of the top grandmasters. In the entirety of Jingji Road in the Nine State region, he was indeed a person of illustrious reputation.

As Jiang Han's gaze swept over Yan Hong and his companions, he noticed that the man walking by Yan Hong's side was not Yan Zhengyang but Chen Mu, which sparked a flash of confusion in his eyes, though he did not linger on it too much.

"To speak frankly, our journey here has been quite rough. That Spirit Human ancestor attacked us underhandedly, causing the death of three brothers... I see that your group is short-handed as well. Have you also suffered at the hands of that Spirit Human ancestor?"

Jiang Han's thoughts were more on Yan Hong, and for a moment he did not recognize Chen Mu's status. He then took the initiative to speak to Yan Hong.

It appeared that Yan Hong's group had suffered greater losses, so his tone was measured deliberately. He first mentioned the casualties his own group had sustained before tentatively inquiring about theirs.

"That Spirit People ancestor is indeed unfathomable and troublesome. We did suffer from his hands."

Yan Hong did not hide the fact but responded straightforwardly, while also sizing up Jiang Han's group.

After the Spiritual Ancestor was repelled by Chen Mu, the group had followed Chen Mu and had changed their original route, leaving the underground area to climb onto the canopy. Traveling atop the canopy for several days, they finally encountered another group.

If Chen Mu were to leave at this time, they would have to try and join forces with Jiang Han's group. He did not have any conflicts with her, and in the special secret realm of Xunmu Cave Heaven, he could be trusted. However, if they proposed an alliance themselves, they would be placing themselves in a passive position. Jiang Han would surely deduce that their party was not capable of resisting the threat of the Spirit Human ancestor and had to join forces with other teams, which would inevitably affect their potential gains.

On the other hand, Jiang Han's group had also suffered losses and seemed to have the intention of forming an alliance. This opened the table for negotiations, after all, they still owed Chen Mu a significant 'debt' of sixty jin of Xunmu Spirit Liquid, which was not easily fulfilled.

"This elder is mysterious and possesses exceptional strength within the Blood Exchange Realm, posing a great threat... May I inquire how the journey has been for you and your recoveries thus far?"

Jiang Han also had his own calculations and took the initiative to ask.

Yan Hong replied casually, "Our gains have been meager."

Jiang Han nodded slightly and said, "We haven't gained much either. Speaking of which, right above us, there's a large settlement. I wonder if your highness might be interested?"

Yan Hong, understanding Jiang Han's intent, said, "Just a large settlement shouldn't be difficult for Lord Jiang to conquer, right?"

Jiang Han straightforwardly said, "Indeed, it is not too difficult, but there are still some troubles and it would take some time. The main issue is the Spirit Human ancestor who is now elusive, hiding in an unknown location. If he attacks at a critical moment, it would be extremely dangerous. If it is just us, we have to consider whether it is worth taking the risk. However, if your highness is willing to join forces with us, that would make things much more comfortable."

Jiang Han's words hit the mark for Yan Hong. She indeed wished to combine forces with Jiang Han's team, and the opportunity to attack a large settlement was exactly what she needed. If they could conquer a large Spirit Human settlement on the canopy, the gains would certainly be much more than those found underground.

"If that's the case, we are indeed willing to partake. I wonder how you plan to divide the spoils after the conquest, Lord Jiang."

Yan Hong asked directly.

Gauging Yan Hong's remaining strength by looking at her team, Jiang Han cautiously proposed after a brief evaluation, "We will lead the assault; how does a seventy-thirty split sound?"

"That's a bit low."

Yan Hong's tone was nonchalant as she spoke, "Indeed our team is short-handed, but I have the Earth Fiend Formation Flag, plus some spare flags to temporarily lend for your use."

At the mention of 'Earth Fiend Formation Flags,' Jiang Han's eyes lit up slightly, not surprised, as it was normal for Yan Hong, who came from the Royal Family with deep resources, to bring such a Spirit Weapon into the Xunmu Cave Heaven.

Although they had a type of formation on their side, it was not as effective as the Earth Fiend Formation Flags. Otherwise, they wouldn't have suffered losses at the hands of the Spirit Human ancestor and only stabilized the situation after losing three members before finally turning him back.

"How many Earth Fiend Formation Flags do you still have to spare?"

Jiang Han asked thoughtfully after a moment.

If he could get Earth Fiend Formation Flags for his team, their joint strength would increase significantly, not just by a little. Although the spoils would have to be divided among more people, they could navigate the Xunmu Cave Heaven with much less restraint, thus allowing further concessions. But that still depended on how many flags Yan Hong could provide.

He was aware that the number of these Spirit Weapons had already greatly diminished, and given the losses of Yan Hong's group, their numbers could have decreased further. If they only had five or six left, the effect would be significantly compromised.

"We can spare fifteen flags."

Yan Hong replied succinctly.

In truth, she had more than twenty Earth Fiend Formation Flags remaining in her hands, but with only about ten people left in her party, and the main flag in her possession, she could only spare a maximum of fifteen to ensure she controlled the entire Earth Fiend formation.