## Section 13: An Unrefusable, Secret Agreement
***
The Night Emperor’s Edict! Land Whale King, who had been seated in the head seat, sprang to his feet in astonishment upon seeing the message.
The letter was blank, with only two large characters in the center: “Night Emperor”!
These two characters, etched with bold strokes, exuded a faint aura of majesty. Their ink-black font was wreathed in dark mist, giving the impression that they could leap from the page at any moment.
“A Great Emperor’s edict cannot be forged. I never expected the Night Emperor to still be alive!” Land Whale King was deeply shocked. Xingzhou had been without an Emperor for hundreds of thousands of years, with Kings dominating the land. Yet now, the Night Emperor had emerged!
“Is Xingzhou about to face a change of power?” Land Whale King forced himself to calm down, then let out a cold snort. “So what if the Night Emperor is reborn? Does he expect to command me, Land Whale King? I have my own Dao, and even an Emperor-level expert cannot order me around.”
“Lord Night Emperor does not mean to place himself above Land Whale King. This visit is merely for a transaction,” the mysterious black-clothed envoy said slowly.
“What transaction?”
“The details of the transaction are within the Night Emperor’s Edict. Land Whale King, you may peruse it.”
Land Whale King nodded, placing his palm on the paper and probing it with his divine sense. His expression immediately changed again in shock.
The transaction proposed by the Night Emperor was for him to create a disturbance at the Archipelago’s founding ceremony in three months, and to assist the Night Emperor in eliminating the Shu Family’s influence.
Land Whale King had already learned about this matter from the black-clothed messenger. What truly shocked him was the promise the Night Emperor made upon the completion of this transaction—the secret to cultivating into an Emperor!
The cultivation of Monster Tamers became increasingly difficult in the later stages.
A Monster Tamer with talent and fortuitous encounters would typically take over a hundred years to reach the Hegemon level, like the Mad Confucian General. It would take several centuries to reach the Jun level.
To reach the Marquis level, one had to find their own path. Otherwise, no amount of time would be useful.
To advance from the Marquis level to the King level, one had to reference the paths of others, validate their own path, and perfect their Dao.
At the King level, cultivation became even more arduous. It involved pioneering one’s own path.
At the Marquis level, Monster Tamers could still rely on the footprints of predecessors and refer to past examples to aid their progress on the Dao. However, at the King level, Monster Tamers were already at the forefront of Xingzhou’s history.
With nothing left to reference, Monster Tamers had to grope their way through vast darkness, cutting through thorns and opening their own paths as pioneers.
When a King’s Dao reached its true peak and achieved perfect consummation, they would align with Heaven and Earth, achieve unity between man and the divine, connect with the Net of Law, and comprehend their own unique Divine Path Techniques.
As for advancing from King to Emperor, or from Emperor to Emperor, and from Emperor to Saint, these were the greatest secrets in the world of Monster Tamers.
Land Whale King was currently treading the path of a King, one step away from the King’s peak. However, this did not diminish his interest in the secret of a King becoming an Emperor!
In the countless years of Xingzhou’s history, numerous talented individuals and eccentric geniuses had emerged, like stars in the night sky and carp in rivers. Yet, there had only been four Emperors, three Sovereigns, and one Star Saint!
The Night Emperor’s Edict required the power of a Soul for its creation, making it impossible to forge, thus proving the Night Emperor’s survival.
The life and death of the other three Emperors were clearly known to the world. However, the Night Emperor was the most mysterious among the Emperors. No one knew the Night Emperor’s gender or appearance. They appeared mysteriously and vanished just as mysteriously. Historical records of them in Xingzhou were scarce and meager.
The Night Emperor was still alive!
After his initial shock, Land Whale King quickly accepted this fact.
After all, the Night Emperor was the most enigmatic Emperor-level expert. And now, they had proposed a transaction that Land Whale King could not refuse.
The secret of a King ascending to Emperor!
This offer was truly too great.
“The Shu Family has unified the Archipelago, even annexing the Tie Family. Humph, the world knows not that my true name is Tie Donghai! I accept this transaction. I will act at the founding ceremony and, as per the agreement, fully attract the Shu Family’s attention.” Land Whale King replied solemnly.
“A wise decision, Land Whale King. I believe my master will be very pleased to hear this news,” the black-clothed envoy replied with a bow.
“Is your master the Night Emperor?” Land Whale King asked.
“Hehehe.” The black-clothed envoy let out a meaningful laugh, neither confirming nor denying, then slowly withdrew and bid farewell to Land Whale King.
Fragrant grass flourished, flowers bloomed, willow branches swayed, and birds chirped.
This was Anding Country, a realm of eternal spring.
The Lord of Anding Country had once visited Tiange Academy with the Lord of Jianghan Kingdom and the Lord of Mengyuan Kingdom to witness Chu Yun participate in the Star Saint Archery Ceremony.
Although Anding Country was a small nation compared to Jianghan Kingdom and Mengyuan Kingdom, its Lord valued production and had diligently managed it for many years, leading to strong national power. The Wanderer Sect it supported, the Weaving and Embroidery Workshop, was one of the eighteen top-tier forces in Xingzhou.
These were secondary. The crucial factor was that Anding Country was guarded by the Falling Cherry King, one of the Seven Kings of Xingzhou.
Therefore, despite its modest size, it was a nation country within Xingzhou’s top echelon.
“This world is like a passing cicada, and the human realm undergoes changes. Cherry blossoms bloom and then fall, scattering like smoke in an instant.
Falling Cherry King gazed out the window at the lush green grass and the delicate pink cherry blossoms drifting in the wind, letting out a soft sigh.
After a long while, he spoke again. “I never expected Lord Night Emperor to still be alive.”
“Yes. Lord Falling Cherry King, you have already seen the letter. What is your reply?” A black-clothed envoy knelt on the floor.
Before Falling Cherry King could answer, the Nine-tailed Demon Lord beside him could no longer remain seated, saying urgently, “Father! This is an Emperor’s edict; it cannot be fake!”
The Nine-tailed Demon Lord had been captured by Wine King, Chu Yun, and others in the Dragon Gate World, and all his demonic creatures had been stripped away. Later, Wine King personally brought him to task, and Falling Cherry King, for the sake of his only son, had no choice but to pay a price.
This experience was a source of deep shame for the Nine-tailed Demon Lord, and he harbored a hatred for Wine King, Chu Yun, and the others.
Now, the mysterious black-clothed envoy brought this transaction, and the Nine-tailed Demon Lord was extremely tempted.
He could take revenge on his enemy Chu Yun and also gain the secret of a King’s advancement to Emperor. As Falling Cherry King’s only son, Falling Cherry King would definitely share this secret with him.
The thought of having the possibility of becoming an Emperor in the future excited him immensely, making him impatient and eager to accept on his father’s behalf.
Falling Cherry King glanced at him indifferently. The Nine-tailed Demon Lord opened his mouth, but ultimately dared not speak further nonsense.
Falling Cherry King sighed inwardly and knelt down, gently closing his eyes.
He was using the spiritual energy of a King, employing his utmost wisdom to weigh the gains, losses, and risks of this matter.
After a while, he slowly opened his eyes, which were as clear as spring water, crystalline and pure.
“I accept.”
His voice echoed in the quiet room.
Ghost Vine Country, Nine Nether City, underground secret chamber.
“Have Falling Cherry King and Land Whale King both agreed?” a mysterious and chilling voice echoed in the dark chamber.
“Yes, Master. Of Xingzhou’s Seven Kings, Wine King, Ten Thousand Poisons Queen, Greedy Wolf, Falling Cherry King, Land Whale King, Immortal Pouch King, and Mermaid King, Wine King, Ten Thousand Poisons Queen, and the Shu Family forces are closely allied. Immortal Pouch King has always maintained neutrality. Mermaid King has been heavily injured and recuperating on Mermaid Island since his defeat by Chu Bawang. Falling Cherry King and Land Whale King have become our allies. If we can also win over Greedy Wolf, our chances will be even greater!” Marquis Wu Chang, kneeling on the ground, said excitedly.
If Marquis Wu Chang could think of contacting Greedy Wolf, how could the voice in the darkness not?
“Greedy Wolf?” The voice in the darkness let out a cold laugh. “You don’t need to anticipate it anymore. He is already dead.”
“W-what?!” Marquis Wu Chang was greatly shocked, subconsciously straightening his posture. For a moment, he could hardly believe his ears.
“Are you surprised? I have already calculated that he died on the seventh level of the Dragon Gate World. And it was by Chu Yun’s hand,” the voice in the darkness said slowly and calmly.
He had intended to contact Greedy Wolf as well, but after calculating, he had discovered this astonishing secret.
“This, this is impossible?!” Marquis Wu Chang’s mouth gaped wide enough to swallow an egg. He was dumbfounded, almost believing he had misheard—Chu Yun killed Greedy Wolf?!
He was so surprised that his voice became shrill and piercing.
“This only goes to show how lucky Chu Yun and the others were, performing such an astonishing feat through sheer coincidence.
However, it’s not a big deal. Kings are still mortals; their deaths mean little. Moreover, Chu Yun’s luck has now declined to its lowest point, and he is not to be feared. The founding ceremony will be the time for us to slaughter the Shu Family and take over the Archipelago.” The voice was cold and arrogant, revealing his confidence in controlling everything.
Marquis Wu Chang was speechless. This information was like a violent explosion, making his ears ring and his heart churn.
Seeing his reaction, the voice in the darkness let out a displeased snort. “You may withdraw. I will eliminate the last variable in the next ten days. Do not disturb me.”
“Variable?”
“Heh heh, someone within the Archipelago. A peer of mine.”
The cold laugh was bone-chilling, making Marquis Wu Chang shudder immediately. He bowed and retreated, but his mind raced: “Master is an Abacus Master, so a peer must also be an Abacus Master. Among the Abacus Masters in the Archipelago, could it be the confused sect leader of the Rouge Gate, Yi Yan?”
His knowledge of the Shu Family’s intelligence was thorough.
But then he shook his head, dismissing the idea.
“Yi Yan is not qualified to be Master’s opponent. Currently, in the world of Abacus Masters, only four individuals can pose some obstacle to Master. Wait, I know who it is—the Sleeping Old Man!”
Just as unseen hands were stealthily reaching out towards the Shu Family in the darkness, in the garden of the Young Lord’s Estate in Huode City.
“It’s time.” Chu Yun looked up, checked the weather with his Heavenly Eye, and then took out the Six Desires Scorpion’s demonic beast egg.
