The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

"Five... five warships?" Zhang Nianyi wiped the wine from his face, paying no attention to his grandson's mishap, and stared at Lin Qian in disbelief.

His original plan had been to purchase just one warship, yet now Lin Qian was offering him five for the same price.

"Could it be that Emperor Lin has more than just these four warships?" Zhang Nianyi swallowed hard and asked cautiously.

Lin Qian chuckled and nodded. "Indeed, I have more than just these four warships. The number I possess is not small."

"This is incredible! But isn't selling us five warships for just ten million top-grade soul crystals too much of a loss for you?" While overjoyed, Zhang Nianyi couldn't help but ask carefully.

Seeing Zhang Nianyi's cautious expression, Lin Qian couldn't help but laugh. "Elder Zhang, you're too kind. You're worried about me taking a loss while buying from me? It seems that selling you just five warships isn't enough to express my respect for your Eight-Armed Sea Tribe."

"Emperor Lin, what do you mean by that...?" Zhang Nianyi inquired, not fully understanding Lin Qian's intent.

"While I'll sell you five warships for ten million top-grade soul crystals, if your tribe could offer me some manuscripts or records, I would be willing to provide you with additional benefits."

"By manuscripts, I mean any kind, and I won't reject them, whether they are common or rare. Even if they contain secrets or are inconvenient to share, that's fine."

"Manuscripts—I'll take them all, no matter how valuable or not."

Hearing Lin Qian's request, Zhang Nianyi was a bit surprised but quickly responded, "We have about seven or eight secret manuscripts that we can't share, but other than that, everything else should be fine. Emperor Lin, do you need the originals?"

"No need. Handwritten copies will do. I greatly value these manuscripts, so I thank you in advance, Elder Zhang," Lin Qian replied with a nod, grateful for the elder's willingness.

Zhang Nianyi waved his hands modestly. "Ten million top-grade soul crystals for five warships is already a great favor to our Eight-Armed Sea Tribe. We are deeply indebted to you."

"Since we're all in agreement, I hope this collaboration will be a pleasant one. Before we proceed, however, I have one small request."

"Please, speak, Emperor Lin."

Lin Qian spoke earnestly, "I would like you to send over some manuscripts, especially those that introduce your Eight-Armed Sea Tribe—such as your preferred living environments and architectural styles."

"Three days from now, you can bring the remaining manuscripts along with the ten million top-grade soul crystals, and I will deliver the warships to you."

Though they were pleased, Zhang Nianyi and his group also felt a bit puzzled but nevertheless expressed their gratitude before leaving.

After the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe departed, Ye Xin looked at Lin Qian curiously. "Xiao Qian, what are you up to?"

"You'll see soon enough. The Eight-Armed Sea Tribe is a very honorable and trustworthy group," Lin Qian replied, gazing toward the door. "Having a reliable ally in the ocean will be incredibly convenient in the future."

"My goal is to use this branch of the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe as a starting point to establish friendly relations with the entire Eight-Armed Sea Tribe. Eventually, I hope to build alliances with other honorable sea tribes as well."

After hearing Lin Qian's explanation, Ye Xin's eyes lit up, realizing the significance of this plan.

The ocean is vast and undoubtedly rich in resources. If they could build strong relations with the sea tribes, trade with them could bring immense benefits for the long-term development of the Hua Xia Empire.

Moreover, the sea tribes are powerful. Having their support in the future could prove invaluable.

Just like earlier, Zhang Nianyi offered to help deal with the Sheng Tian Sect. If Lin Qian had not insisted on handling it himself, the problem would have been resolved effortlessly.

Shortly after, deep within the ocean, in a city built from brilliant blue crystals, Zhang Nianyi and his party returned, their appearances having changed slightly, resembling octopi more than humans.

This city was the Sacred City of the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe, akin to the capital of the Hua Xia Empire.

Within the heart of this Sacred City, inside a grand crystal palace, an elderly member of the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe paced back and forth, looking extremely anxious.

"I wonder how the third elder is doing. Has he succeeded?" The elder's thoughts were consumed by worry.

This elder was Zhang Nianxin, the leader of the Eight-Armed Sea Tribe's branch.

The tribe's ancestral gathering, a crucial event, had suddenly been moved up to six months from now.

They had missed the initial notice due to the Blackblood Clan's disturbance at their sacred grounds, only realizing it later.

Missing this ancestral gathering would be a tremendous loss for their branch, as it marked the opening of a secret realm within the tribe.

That's why they had become so desperate to acquire Lin Qian's warship. Only with it could they reach the gathering in time.

At this moment, hurried footsteps echoed from the palace entrance. Zhang Nianxin quickly turned toward the doors.

When he saw his younger brother, Zhang Nianyi, enter with a joyful expression, hope surged within Zhang Nianxin's heart as he eagerly moved to greet him.

"Hahaha, Brother, I bring great news! The emperor of the Hua Xia Empire, the owner of the warships, has returned. I just met him!" Zhang Nianyi exclaimed joyfully as he entered the grand hall.

Hearing his brother's words, Zhang Nianxin also brightened up.

Lady Ye of the Hua Xia Empire had consistently said that the sale of the warships would have to wait for Lin Qian's return.

But there had never been a clear timeline for when that would happen, leaving Zhang Nianxin anxious.

Now, hearing his brother's news and seeing his jubilant expression, Zhang Nianxin began to feel hopeful.

"How did it go? Did we buy the warship? Was the price of ten million top-grade soul crystals acceptable? Did he ask for more? As long as it doesn't exceed sixty million, we can handle it."

But Zhang Nianyi shook his head, dismissing the notion. "No, Brother, he didn't sell us one warship."

"Not selling?" Hearing his younger brother's words, Zhang Nianxin's heart sank.