“Why her?” the old marquis was somewhat puzzled.
“Don’t you think she’s quite intriguing?”
The old marquis read through the file once more, but it was only a single page, so even with his meticulous attention, it took but a glance. After reviewing the document, he shook his head and said, “I still can’t see anything interesting about her. Apart from having practiced some of our clan’s techniques, which were probably the most rudimentary ones. Our noble lineage is not something that humans can easily master.”
The young demonic offspring smiled and replied, “A human who can practice our clan’s techniques is already very fascinating. Perhaps she is the one I’m looking for.”
“Young Master…”
The young demonic offspring raised his head and calmly asked, “What, do you think this is dangerous? I’m only going for one day.”
The old marquis hesitated before saying, “Fine, just one day.”
The young demonic offspring smiled and pointed at the old marquis, saying, “Don’t send anyone to follow me, or I’ll really get angry.”
“But how do you plan to find her?”
“That’s my business.” The young demonic offspring seemed unwilling to say more.
Moments later, a faintly visible small boat shot out from the warship, quickly flying towards the Eastern Sea. In the command cabin, the old marquis watched until the boat disappeared, then said, “Let’s divide and visit the leaders of various factions here.”
Most of the others were puzzled, “Visit them now? Didn’t we just contact them?”
“Right now. These guys are used to being reckless, and we need to keep an eye on them to prevent any harm to the Young Master.”
Soon, several small boats shot out from the warship, each heading in different directions over the Eastern Sea.
In the ancient totem battle fortress, the Wolf King sat on his newly forged cold iron throne, frowning at the black-robed figure with a masked face in front of him. He sternly asked, “Haven’t we already come to an agreement?”
The black-robed figure spoke in a hoarse voice, “My lord believes we can have more common ground. For example, you could help us build a new army…”
In the Spider Emperor’s stronghold in Zhuhuoshan City, the atmosphere was tense. Over a dozen generals under the Spider Emperor were facing off against three black-robed figures. These three black-robed figures wore grotesque masks, making it impossible to discern their true faces. Although their strength wasn’t particularly formidable, their presence was no less intimidating than those many times their number.
At that moment, an exceptionally large spider demon entered the hall. Standing over five meters tall, he resembled a moving mountain, clad in heavy armor. Each step he took caused the hall to tremble. He had not fully transformed into a humanoid form; his face bore over a dozen compound eyes, making him appear especially terrifying. He looked down at the three black-robed figures and said in a deep voice, “The Emperor is still at the front line and cannot return immediately. I will take charge here temporarily. Your conditions are far too harsh!”
The black-robed demonic offspring calmly replied, “Whether the conditions are harsh or not depends on the balance of power. To us, these conditions are already quite generous.”
The large spider demon paused, his voice tinged with anger, “Don’t forget, this is neutral territory, and your kind faces the most restrictions here. So don’t measure others by the standards of Evernight!”
The black-robed spider demon responded coolly, “I know this is neutral territory. But don’t forget, even in neutral territory, the restrictions on dukes or grand dukes are quite limited. If you believe the Spider Emperor can match our noble dukes, then there’s no point in continuing this discussion.”
All the spider demon generals in the hall were shocked, and even the large spider demon was taken aback, exclaiming, “You have a grand duke coming here?”
The black-robed demonic offspring remained composed, “Anything is possible, isn’t it? Since you can’t decide, inform the Spider Emperor. As far as I know, there are no major battles on the front line right now. If the Spider Emperor appears, it will show sufficient sincerity, and many things can be discussed.”
Just as the large spider demon was at a loss, a cold and authoritative voice echoed from the ceiling, “I can show sincerity, but I don’t think you’re qualified to talk to me.”
The black-robed demonic offspring looked up and saw a fist-sized crystal spider perched on the ceiling. The voice had come from this unassuming crystal spider.
The black-robed figure immediately became respectful, bowing to the crystal spider and saying, “I am only here to deliver a message. As for negotiations, the marquis himself will discuss with you. During the negotiation, I hope there will be no hostile actions between us.”
“Of course,” the Spider Emperor’s avatar replied.
On the holy mountain of Chaocheng, Luo Yun arrived outside the small courtyard where Luo Bingfeng resided and called out, “City Lord, those demonic offspring are here again, insisting on seeing you.”
From within the courtyard, Luo Bingfeng’s clear voice replied, “No.”
“They said if you refuse to meet, the consequences will be on you.”
Luo Bingfeng let out a cold laugh, “A bunch of cowards who don’t even dare show their faces, yet they dare to dictate to me? Drive them all away!”
While Luo Yun was hesitating, a woman’s voice sounded from the courtyard, “Bingfeng, the demonic offspring are highly suppressed here and must wear masks and robes to protect themselves from the void energy. They aren’t hiding intentionally.”
Luo Bingfeng sneered, “If they were truly powerful, they could ignore the void energy. They clearly have strong players backing them but only sent these small fry to see me. Do they think there’s no one in the Eastern Sea? Drive them all away, and if they dare enter Chaocheng again, it will be their death!”
Turbulence was rife in the Eastern Sea, but the wilderness remained unaffected. Despite the continuous wars, mercantile caravans could still be seen traveling along the major trade routes. For these lower-tier merchants and mercenaries, danger was always present, and whether it was worth risking their lives depended on the value offered by their employers.
The wilderness was not entirely desolate; villages of various sizes dotted the landscape. Some were formed to exploit nearby resources, such as thin mineral veins or underground springs. Others were natural settlements or secret hideouts for mercenaries and hunters. These villages operated according to their own rules, largely unaffected by the environment.
Deep in the wilderness, there was a secret outpost, now bustling with activity. Hidden in a desolate valley, the outpost consisted of several interconnected caves with multiple exits leading to the outside world or deeper into the mountains. It was both hidden and secure. Initially, it was a hunting camp, but over time, it became a common gathering place for a variety of people in the wilderness.
Several bonfires were lit in the camp, with pots hanging over them, emitting the rich aroma of meat soup. The bonfires naturally divided the people into different groups. The largest mercenary group occupied two caves, while smaller hunting teams shared a single cave. Newcomers without a reputation or lone wolves had to camp in the valley. Even if invited, they preferred not to join unfamiliar groups. This was neutral territory, with no guarantees and no rules, and combat power was the only law. These lone wolves would rather leave before nightfall and face the dangers alone than stay here longer.
In one corner of the valley, a small bonfire burned. A simple grill made of steel rods held a rabbit, roasting over the fire. A girl sat by the fire, wrapped in a dirty cloak, slowly turning the grill. One side of the rabbit was charred, while the other was still red with blood, indicating her poor cooking skills.
The solitary girl drew the attention of many mercenaries, who whispered and gestured in her direction, clearly plotting. Her cloak was oversized, with a deep hood that covered her face, revealing only her chin. However, her lips were delicately shaped, and her hands were fine and pale, a rare sight for those who lived long in the wilderness.
But anyone bold enough to wander the wilderness alone had some skill. The large, menacing cleaver beside the girl indicated she was not to be trifled with. Among the hunters, there were always those with formidable combat power, ready to challenge such a formidable opponent.
After some discussion, three hunters emerged from a cave and approached the girl’s bonfire. They were burly and rugged, with armor, force guns, and swords that exceeded the average, clearly indicating they were not to be underestimated. Their approach drew the ire of others who had similar intentions. However, after observing their gear and gait, most of those initially displeased turned away, no longer watching.
The girl was focused on roasting the rabbit, seemingly oblivious to the impending trouble.
The three hunters quickened their pace, and the leader reached out to pat her shoulder, saying, “Hey, girl, can we get to know you?”
His hand did not land, but hovered in mid-air. A wisp of dark energy coiled around the hunter’s arm, immobilizing him.
A young man, unusually handsome with a finely chiseled face, appeared beside the bonfire. His smile was warm and sunny, and beneath his clear brows, his deep blue eyes seemed to hold an endless, dazzling starry sky. Dark energy danced on his fingertips as he smiled at the girl and said, “May I know you?”
The girl finally lifted her head, revealing a porcelain-like face beneath the hood, looking at the suddenly appearing young man with a bewildered expression, silent.
The young man smacked his forehead, “Ah, I forgot that before getting to know a beautiful lady, one should offer a gift. My apologies. Here’s my gift. Do you like it?”
With that, he flicked his fingers, and the dark energy quivered. The energy entwining the hunter’s arm moved accordingly, drawing a complex pattern in the air with lightning speed, and incidentally, slicing the three hunters into pieces.
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