The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

In the end, Lin Qian managed to strike a deal with Zhang Tianxin and Zhou Yian, agreeing to help Zhang Zide and Li Yunfeng enhance their strength. After some discussion, Zhang Tianxin and Zhou Yian settled on what they would need to provide in return.

First, Lin Qian requested a spot to enter the Ancient Human Relic—a slot he specifically asked for on behalf of Ye Xin. This way, Ye Xin could witness the world beyond Linhai Prefecture and broaden her horizons.

As for Linhai Prefecture, Lin Qian felt confident leaving it under the watchful eyes of the civil officials and the Empire's military. With the Imperial Army stationed there, the region was securely under control.

The second part of the deal involved providing copies of their collections of texts. Zhang Tianxin and Zhou Yian agreed to hand over one-third of their respective collections, ensuring they covered various categories of knowledge.

Since it would take some time to transport the copies of texts from Xiaoyao Sect, and Ye Xin needed a month to arrive at the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe's main city, the deal was set to commence after the tribe's assembly concluded.

With the agreement in place, Zhang Tianxin and Zhou Yian took their leave, and Zhang Nianxin naturally saw them off. However, Zhang Zide and Li Yunfeng stayed behind, leaving just the three young men in the hall.

As Zhang Tianxin's figure faded from view, Lin Qian felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't expected the leader of the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe to be so virtuous, even though Lin Qian was still considering making the East Branch the new ruling faction of the tribe.

But as a seasoned strategist, Lin Qian quickly overcame this small internal conflict. "What if I could unite the entire Eight-Armed Sea Tribe into an empire similar to the Hua Xia Empire, with no distinction between ruling factions?" he mused. "Or perhaps merge the East Branch and the current ruling faction into one—now that would be something."

Lin Qian's mind raced with ideas on how to strengthen his newfound allies, who were now firmly in his grasp.

"Brother Lin Qian, I must say, I never imagined you'd be the leader of a faction. It's truly impressive," Zhang Zide's voice interrupted Lin Qian's train of thought.

Lin Qian looked up, a chuckle escaping his lips as bubbles emerged from the water-breathing device on his face. "Young and accomplished—that's probably the best way to describe someone like me, haha."

"That might just be the case," Zhang Zide laughed. "But seriously, that strengthening potion is incredible. It's like I gained two years of cultivation for free." He glanced at Li Yunfeng and added, "What do you think, Li Maniac?"

"It's indeed remarkable, but I'm more curious about what's on your face, Brother Lin Qian," Li Yunfeng pointed at the water-breathing device. "Is this the secret to staying underwater without using soul power?"

"This is called a water-breathing device. By infusing it with a small amount of soul power, it allows me to breathe underwater for three days," Lin Qian explained with a grin, noticing Li Yunfeng's growing interest.

Li Yunfeng's eyes lit up in amazement. "Incredible!"

For humans, breathing underwater typically required either specialized soul techniques, soul power, or unique elixirs. However, using soul techniques or soul power to filter water and air was taxing and inconvenient, while specialized elixirs had limited durations and were costly.

In battle, it was manageable since soul power would be in constant use. But for everyday life underwater, it became a source of irritation.

Even now, Li Yunfeng found maintaining his soul power underwater to be a hassle.

Understanding Li Yunfeng's curiosity, Lin Qian produced an identical water-breathing device and tossed it to him. "In Hua Xia Empire, we have a group of people who enjoy inventing things for fun. This is one of their creations. Here, try it out."

Li Yunfeng eagerly donned the device, infusing it with soul power. Instantly, a stream of bubbles rose to the surface as his soul power gradually retracted into his body.

"Ah…" Li Yunfeng sighed contentedly, the relief evident on his face. "This is fantastic, Brother Lin Qian! How about we spar to celebrate?"

"What did you just say?" Lin Qian blinked in surprise. "What do you mean by feeling good and then wanting to spar with me?"

"Here we go again," Zhang Zide sighed, shaking his head. "This guy is a battle maniac. Don't mind him."

"I was just excited and wanted to test Brother Lin Qian's skills in a friendly match," Li Yunfeng said with a grin. "What's wrong with a little sparring?"

"Sparring? You'll have plenty of chances during the tribe's assembly," Zhang Zide countered.

Seeing the two of them gearing up for a fight, Lin Qian quickly intervened. "Let's skip the sparring for now. Your bodies are still recovering from the effects of the strengthening potion, so it's best not to push yourselves."

Reluctantly, the two backed down, though Lin Qian could see the lingering excitement in their eyes.

The three young men continued to chat, gradually delving into discussions about cultivation techniques. As time passed, they became more comfortable with each other, and their conversation flowed easily.

When Zhang Nianxin returned and saw the trio engrossed in conversation, he smiled and quietly left, not wanting to disturb them.

"Hey, Li Maniac, now that you've got Lin Qian's amazing device, are you up for checking out the Back Sea Street?" Zhang Zide asked with a playful grin after about half an hour.

"Of course! It's been a pain maintaining my soul power shield, but now that I've got this device, it'll be a breeze. Let's go!" Li Yunfeng replied, tapping the water-breathing device with a chuckle.

Zhang Zide nodded and turned to Lin Qian. "What do you say, Brother Lin Qian? Care to join us for a stroll down Back Sea Street?"

"Sure, why not?" Lin Qian agreed but then paused. "But… what exactly is Back Sea Street?"

"Oh, it's an exciting and fun place," Zhang Zide replied with a mischievous grin, raising his eyebrows. "Want me to tell you all about it?"

"No, no! I don't want to know. It must be something unsavory!" Lin Qian exclaimed, waving his hands in mock horror.