Upon the Holy Mountain, three figures stood as immovable as the mountains themselves. Meanwhile, the councilors below began to whisper among themselves, discussing the situation in the Black Sun Valley.
Most of them had only received the information before the meeting, just learning what the Black Sun Valley was. Such a significant matter being kept under wraps until now was not entirely unusual.
In this grand hall, the Duke originally belonged to the periphery of the fringe, barely sitting here at all. Outside, many of his peers were waiting to take his place in rotation, eager to claim his position.
In the Eternal Night, where hierarchy and status were clearly defined, it was not his place to speak. Yet, not only did he start the conversation, but he also directed his accusations straight towards the Holy Mountain.
Amidst the silence, the Demon Emperor asked, “Then, in your view, who is responsible?”
The Duke, determined to make a statement, lifted his head and declared, “I believe the responsibility lies with Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor!”
A commotion erupted in the council hall, with whispers, exclamations, and even some councillors using their power to communicate privately, causing a chaotic surge of force that ran amok.
The Demon Emperor’s projection raised a hand, sending a rain of dark energy to quell the tumult, silencing all those using their power to converse. Some councillors then realized that the Demon Emperor had not unleashed any pressure.
Once the hall quieted down, the Demon Emperor spoke, “You say the responsibility lies with me. What are your reasons?”
“The reason is simple: Lord Yero’s death was too rash! He was a rare and renowned general of our holy race. How could we allow him to be sacrificed? As a Grand Duke, if not on Your Majesty, then whose shoulders does this responsibility lie?”
The Demon Emperor remained silent for a moment, then sighed.
The Duke continued, “The second reason is still about Lord Yero—his death was in vain! He fought against Zhang Boqian all day and even crippled the mobility of the human army. But after ten days, what has changed? The humans have replenished their fleet, once again becoming formidable. They discovered the Black Sun Valley, destroyed our fortress, and effectively seized the gate to the new world. Your Majesty, I ask you, in the current situation, what meaning does Lord Yero’s sacrifice hold?”
The Demon Emperor did not answer. Many councillors, moved by his words, sensed an underlying message. Some couldn’t help but glance furtively at the Holy Mountain.
Finally, the Duke gathered his power and raised his voice, “If the three holy races agreed to share the two sacrifices, I want to know, where is the other sacrifice? Why, when the humans have already reached the Black Sun Valley, has this person not appeared? If it weren’t for the protection of their Celestial King, how could they be so brazen? If the Black Sun Valley is unimportant and we merely need two sacrificial lambs, why use Lord Yero? Are the ones the other holy races are prepared to send more important or more outstanding than Lord Yero? If there are such candidates, I would very much like to see them!”
His passionate speech earned nods from many councillors. On the Holy Mountain, the Spider Queen could no longer sit idly by, her cold voice cutting through the air, “So, you are blaming me.”
The Duke proclaimed loudly, “I am not blaming anyone; the one with responsibility will be judged by all!”
“Judgment by all, indeed,” the Spider Queen laughed coldly, falling silent.
Many councillors sneaked glances at the Duke, silently mourning for him. The Spider Queen was known for her vengeful nature, always repaying every slight. It was clear she held a grudge. As the supreme ruler of the Holy Mountain, she had countless means to quietly eliminate a Duke.
The Duke’s face turned pale as he said, “I have said my piece. I leave it to the noble emperors to decide.”
None of the three Supreme Rulers of the Holy Mountain spoke, so some councillors rose to give their opinions. Their speeches were more balanced, mostly offering strategies and suggestions to counter the human offensive. However, none of them proposed any truly substantive ideas.
The duo of Song Zining and Zhao Jiandu of the human race was practically unbeatable, supported fully by the Empire, with a steady supply of floating warships and always accompanied by three to four Marquises. Moreover, the battle in the new world was different. Due to the limited production of the holy tree’s sap, the Eternal Night forces could not maintain a superior troop presence.
Song Zining’s proficiency in the art of divination far exceeded expectations. Without the Council’s prophetic masters, they were powerless against him. In terms of combat, the combined strength of the two could easily defeat a Duke.
Moreover, with many of the human race’s divine generals gathering, they had numbers on their side, making any attempt to surround and suppress them impossible. To withstand the Empire’s might, any dispatched Duke must possess a strong bloodline and innate talent, like Yero.
However, the human Celestial Kings were still watching in the shadows, ready to intervene. Sending a powerful Duke or even a Grand Duke was tantamount to a death sentence.
The other option was to assemble numerous strong warriors, led by a genius whose talent matched Zhao Jiandu and Song Zining, to fight in a head-on confrontation.
Yet, among the geniuses of the Eternal Night, only the Witch and Aven qualified, with William and Lorenzo perhaps being half-qualified. But William was a werewolf, and the werewolves would never assist the three races in this matter. Lorenzo alone lacked the weight. So, it fell to the Witch and Aven. But after losing Yero, the Demons would never risk another young genius.
Any human Celestial King, given the chance, would certainly try to eliminate the Witch and Aven to remove future threats. And if the Dark Monarch could act, they would not let a figure as dangerous as Song Zining escape.
No matter how much they deliberated, they found no viable solution.
As the discussion deadlocked, the Spider Queen suddenly spoke, “All of this boils down to one sacrificial lamb. The Demons have already lost enough. But before deciding the next candidate, I want to know, what caused this situation? Who angered the will of the new world?”
This question left most councillors baffled. They didn’t even know what the will of the new world was, let alone how to anger it or why it harbored such malice towards the Eternal Night’s lords.
From the Spider Queen’s words, it seemed that before Sosa, the Supremes and certain Lords may have already encountered the will of the new world, and the outcome was evident. Otherwise, the three Supremes wouldn’t be so helpless.
“It’s in the past,” the Demon Emperor seemed to mediate.
“Indeed, it was in the past, but now I remember. Sacrificing my people is acceptable, but others should not just stand by and watch.”
The Night Queen finally spoke, saying slowly, “Why don’t you let my people handle what was originally yours to do?”
The Spider Queen faltered, the atmosphere instantly stiffening, and the entire hall became chilling and grim.
With the Holy Mountain’s Supremes in disagreement, the councillors dared not interject. Even the Lords and Princes sat motionless, their eyes fixed on the ground, avoiding any upward glance.
Seeing the awkwardness, the Demon Emperor said, “Let bygones be bygones. The original division of labor should remain. For now, I think it necessary to involve the werewolves, at least to exert more pressure on the humans.”
“I agree,” the Spider Queen replied.
A werewolf Duke stood up, sneering, “When dividing the benefits, you excluded us, and now, unable to solve the problem, you remember us? We may not agree!”
“I will inform the Wolf King and the Wolf Sovereign myself, no need for your agreement,” the Demon Emperor stated coolly, displaying his ultimate authority.
The werewolf Duke’s face turned red, but he couldn’t utter a word, choked by the overwhelming pressure. He wanted to leave but, thinking carefully, dared not. In a fit of rage, the Demon Emperor might take his life or send him to the front lines as a gift to the human Celestial King.
Moreover, the Demon Emperor’s use of the word “inform” indicated no intention of seeking the opinion of the Wolf King and the Wolf Sovereign, highlighting the werewolves’ awkward position in the Eternal Night Council.
This was also why the Wolf King and the Wolf Sovereign did not attend such an important meeting. Coming only to be humiliated was pointless.
After subduing the werewolf, the Demon Emperor turned to the Night Queen, his tone softening, “It seems only the Blood Clan can hold back the human tide. Until we resolve the issue of the human Celestial Kings, the safety of the Black Sun Valley rests with you.”
The Night Queen agreed, “Very well. However, the elite forces of both your races must be under our command.”
The Demon Emperor assented, “Absolutely, I can also dispatch the Witch and Aven. Aden is already in your ranks. Just name any other tribes or talents you desire.”
Even the Spider Queen had to nod, “I have no objections.”
“There is still the matter of the sacrifice. I want to see a suitable one within three days.”
The Spider Queen’s expression changed, “Don’t push too far!”
“Is that so? Then I will simply return to my slumber.”
Even in projection form, the Spider Queen’s frustration and resignation were evident. She took a deep breath, causing a gust of wind to sweep through the council hall, and then said, “In three days, you will see the desired sacrifice.”
“I want more than one.”
The Spider Queen was furious, “How many more do you want?!”
“You must shoulder half of the sacrifices for the Black Sun Valley.”
“How?” the Spider Queen retorted.
“That is for you to solve,” the Night Queen said, her figure gradually disappearing as she left.
The Spider Queen slammed her armrest, shaking the council hall, but the Holy Mountain itself remained unshaken.
The Demon Emperor chuckled, saying, “How about this: the Blood Clan’s sacrifice, we and the werewolves will each provide a third.”
The Spider Queen pondered for a moment, “Is this the only solution?”
The Demon Emperor responded, “There is no other way, we must rely on the Blood Clan.”
The Spider Queen was silent for a long time before finally saying, “Alright, this time. But next time, I will not budge an inch.”
As the Spider Queen and the Demon Emperor departed, some councillors left while others stayed to discuss the situation with close allies. The major decisions were made, with the three Supremes of the Holy Mountain settling the matter with a few words.
The werewolves, however, could only await notification.
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