I walk sideways in the game world

Chapter 191 Sincerity is fully displayed and the alliance is successful

The exquisite wooden box stood out against the backdrop of the magnificent hall. However, as Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened the lid, a strange energy surge instantly spread, sending a wave of fear into the hearts of everyone present. Within the box lay a crystal-clear stone, emitting a soft glow. Faint golden lines could be seen flowing within it, as if it held immense energy.

"This is..." The Golden Lion King suddenly stood up, his eyes full of shock and disbelief.

"This is a specialty of our hometown, called 'Spirit Gathering Stone'. It possesses powerful energy and can be used to forge artifacts, increase cultivation speed, and even..." Ren Xiaoyao paused, deliberately lowering his voice, "It can even be used to prolong life."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in an uproar. Everyone present, from the battle-hardened generals to the learned imperial advisors, was stunned by this sudden news. Extending lifespan—this was the ultimate treasure coveted by countless people!

The Golden Lion King took a deep breath, trying to calm his excitement. With trembling hands, he picked up the Spirit Gathering Stone and examined it carefully. He could sense the immense energy contained within it. This power captivated him and made him even more certain that the two humans before him were no ordinary people.

"Besides the Spirit Gathering Stone, we can also provide your country with some unique technologies." Xia Lin struck while the iron was hot and pulled out a stack of blueprints from her bag. These blueprints depicted various sophisticated instruments and devices. "These technologies can help you improve your weaponry and equipment, increase agricultural production, and even..." She paused deliberately, observing the Golden Lion King's reaction. "They can even help you establish a comprehensive defense system to resist foreign invasion."

The Golden Lion King's gaze shifted from the Spirit Gathering Stone to the blueprints. He carefully flipped through each one, his brows sometimes furrowed, sometimes relaxed. He knew that these technologies would be a lifesaver for the foreign lands, and could even change the fate of an entire nation.

Silence, long silence.

The Golden Lion King put down the blueprint in his hand and looked at Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin with a deep gaze, as if he could see through them. He spoke slowly, a hint of emotion in his tone: "Are you...really willing to pay such a huge price just to form an alliance with me?"

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exchanged a glance, seeing the same determination and resolve in each other's eyes. They knew this was their last bargaining chip, their only chance to gain support from the foreign lands.

"Your Majesty," Ren Xiaoyao stepped forward, his tone sincere and firm, "We are not making empty promises. We have shown our utmost sincerity. We only hope..." He paused, looking at the Golden Lion King with a burning gaze, "I only hope that Your Majesty will seriously consider our proposal and give us a chance, and also give the foreign land a chance."

The Golden Lion King remained silent, his head bowed in thought, seemingly weighing something. The atmosphere in the hall grew tense once again, a pin drop audible. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the Golden Lion King, awaiting his final decision.

After a long moment, the Golden Lion King slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally landing on the Imperial Master. "Imperial Master, what do you think?"

The Imperial Preceptor stroked his long beard, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, the sincerity shown by Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin is unprecedented. The Spirit Gathering Stone is precious, and those technical drawings are priceless. I believe they come with sincerity, hoping to form an alliance with our foreign land."

The princess, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward, bowed to the Golden Lion King, and spoke softly, "Father, they have traveled thousands of miles to this foreign land, enduring many hardships along the way. Now, they have presented such a precious gift, which fully demonstrates their sincerity. Furthermore, I see that neither of them is a treacherous person. An alliance with them will only benefit us."

The Golden Lion King understood this principle, but as the ruler of a nation, he needed to consider everything carefully and think twice before acting. He picked up the stack of blueprints again, his gaze settling on a single drawing: a design for a siege crossbow. Its sophistication far surpassed any existing weapon in the foreign land. He knew that if he could acquire this technology, the foreign land's military might would see a qualitative leap forward.

"I have agreed to all your requests," the Golden Lion King finally spoke, his tone carrying a hint of determination. "From this day forward, I will ally with you in this foreign land, and we will advance and retreat together!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" The imperial teacher and the princess said in unison, with pleased smiles on their faces.

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exchanged a glance, their hearts finally at ease. They knew they had paid a huge price to achieve this alliance, but it was all worth it.

"To show our sincerity," Ren Xiaoyao took out an ancient ring from his bosom and presented it with both hands, "This is a token of our hometown, called the 'Tongxin Ring'. As long as both parties hold one, they can communicate with each other and never let each other down."

The Golden Lion King took the ring and examined it carefully. It was intricately carved with patterns and emanated a faint golden glow, clearly no ordinary item. He nodded, slipped the ring onto his thumb, then pulled out a jade pendant from his bosom and handed it to Ren Xiaoyao. "This is my exotic 'Dragon Scale Jade'. It represents supreme power. Please accept it. If needed in the future, you can use this jade pendant to mobilize my foreign army."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Ren Xiaoyao accepted the jade pendant, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew that the Golden Lion King was expressing his utmost trust and goodwill towards him.

"Hahaha, good! Good! Good!" The Golden Lion King laughed heartily. "It is a great honor for my foreign land to be able to form an alliance with you today! Come on, let's host a banquet for your envoy!"

The hall was suddenly filled with joy, and everyone toasted and congratulated Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin. The atmosphere was warm and festive.

"Brother Ren," General Black Tiger walked up to Ren Xiaoyao, holding a wine glass, his face filled with excitement. "I've heard of your great name for a long time. Seeing you today, I can see that your reputation is truly well-deserved! Don't worry, we will be brothers in the future. You and I will fight side by side, and we will definitely..."

General Black Tiger was interrupted by a burst of hurried footsteps before he could finish his words...

"Brother Ren," General Black Tiger walked up to Ren Xiaoyao, holding a wine glass, his face filled with excitement. "I've heard of your great name for a long time. Seeing you today, I can see that your reputation is truly well-deserved! Don't worry, we will be brothers in the future. Fighting side by side, we will surely sweep across the world and achieve great things!"

Ren Xiaoyao raised his glass in response, laughing heartily, "General Black Tiger, you're joking. We are allies now, so we must work together for common development. I'll need your continued support in the future."

After three rounds of drinks, both the host and the guests were in high spirits. Over the next few days, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin conducted detailed negotiations with the foreign officials, ultimately drafting a comprehensive alliance agreement. The agreement clarified the rights and obligations of both parties, as well as the methods of cooperation in military, economic, and cultural fields.

The Golden Lion King solemnly announced the alliance in the main hall and exchanged the text of the agreement with Ren Xiaoyao on the spot. The news spread, and the nation rejoiced. The people spontaneously took to the streets, singing and dancing to celebrate this historic moment.

News of the alliance spread like wildfire throughout the gaming world. For a time, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin became the focus of discussion among all the major factions, their reputation reaching unprecedented heights.

After returning to the inn, Xia Lin couldn't hide her joy and said to Ren Xiaoyao, "Xiaoyao, we succeeded! This alliance is of vital importance to our future development. With the support of the foreign land, we can..."

"I know," Ren Xiaoyao took over, his eyes gleaming, "but this is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go." He paused, pulled out a piece of letter from his pocket, and handed it to Xia Lin, "This is the news from my spy in the dark."

Charlene took the letter and quickly glanced through it, her expression suddenly becoming serious. "Artifact awakening?" She whispered, repeating the contents of the letter, her brow furrowed. "How could it be so fast? Could it be..."

"It seems that the peaceful days are coming to an end." Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, "We must rush back as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous."

The next morning, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin bid farewell to the Golden Lion King and set off on their return journey. To ensure their safety, the Golden Lion King specially sent an elite force to escort them.

However, not long after Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin set out, they encountered a violent storm. The surging waves kept hitting their ship, and the ship was shaking.

"Xiaoyao, look!" Xia Lin pointed at the sky in the distance and exclaimed, "What is that?"

Ren Xiaoyao looked in the direction of Xia Lin's finger and saw a huge vortex appear in the dark sky. A strange light flickered in the center of the vortex, as if something was about to break through the air...