Chapter 671: The Shortlist (2)

More than a hundred miles away from Fanggang City lies a city that does not belong to humans.

This place was originally inhabited by humans and was very prosperous due to its proximity to the harbor!

But everything changed a few years ago when Lu Yu and the heavily armored troops razed India.

After the Reborn Demon Clan entered China from India, this city had already become a demon city of the Reborn Demon Clan.

At first, this city still bore the traces of a human city.

Several years have passed, and the city has become darker.

Occasionally, when humans entered this city, although there was seemingly nothing unusual around them affecting the space, the city itself still gave people an eerie and cold sensation.

After Regeneration King Zun regained his peak strength, the Regeneration King rarely appeared again.

He also felt the pressure from this era.

He thought it was another descent into darkness, and that all he needed to do was wait for time to fall asleep once more.

The apocalypse tide is indeed not just a saying.

Going to the Dragon’s Nest for the trial, he simply wanted to become stronger.

As a king, he possessed the pride of a king; he did not wish to be surpassed by humans.

But in the end, no one could have imagined that Lu Yu alone managed to take away the entire Dragon Clan.

As an ally, he should have been happy.

But he couldn’t feel happy.

Although he is an ally of Lu Yu, the rift from their earlier days remains deeply buried in his heart, impossible to erase.

Although he abided by the allies’ agreement, even during the time when Lu Yu did not emerge from the Dragon’s Nest, he still took action to help defend the harbor against the invasion of that guardian.

Because of this, he was severely injured and took six months to recover his strength.

However, his strength has not improved over the past six months, making him fall behind compared to other Kings.

He felt no regret.

Because he was doing what he was supposed to do.

This was the promise made when he allied with Lu Yu back then, and it was also his vow as a king.

But that was in the past. Everything is different now. What worries him is how Lu Yu will see him. Will he abandon him in his time of injury, or will he discard him as a weak ally because of the support from the dragon clan?

“Anyway, I have a clear conscience,” Reborn King roared in his palace.

He used this method to release the stress in his heart.

Even if Lu Yu were to suddenly attack him at this moment, whether to kill him or to sever their alliance, he would dare to say to anyone that he had done everything required of a king.

I always keep my promises!

I have never betrayed anyone.

But this did not relieve the pressure in his heart.

Time is passing day by day—

The world has changed even more, as more kings regain their strength.

Even the powerful individuals from various countries who had begun to ascend to the rank of King’s Vassal suddenly disappeared.

Because they felt the pressure and sensed the threat.

This era has made them all start to feel wary.

This is no longer an era where a single king can rule with absolute power.

Not long after, King Zun was everywhere, and kings became as common as blades of grass.

It’s no longer about levels, but about real strength.

In this way, many kings also saw their own situations clearly.

A single king is no longer considered much of anything.

At this moment, the development of Fanggang’s forces has exceeded even the Reborn King’s expectations.

Port City now had the power to destroy his Magic City with just a third of its strength, and could even kill him and the Rebirth King.

King Reborn sensed the King’s concern and asked, “Your Majesty, are you worried that Fang Gang will abandon us?”

The Reborn King sighed deeply and said, “Indeed. In this era, a single king can no longer dominate everything. I don’t know how far this alliance between me and Lu Yu will last, given our relationship. If Reborn Demon City comes under attack, will Fang Gang provide assistance?”

King Reborn frowned and said, “Given Lu Yu’s personality, I don’t think he would just sit by and do nothing if we came under attack.”

“That was during the alliance. But what if the alliance is dissolved?” King Reincarnation said solemnly, “You shouldn’t forget the old grudges between me and him.”

“However, back then Lu Yu also showed sufficient sincerity and resolved the issue.”

The Reborn King said solemnly, “But I did harbor murderous intent against him when he was weak. Do you think such a thing can be easily forgotten? I do not fear death; even if I fall in battle, I will never flinch. However, to wait like this—waiting for Lu Yu to dissolve the alliance—my dignity cannot be trampled upon by him in this way.”

“King, what do you intend to do then?”

The Reborn King said solemnly, “When Lu Yu returns, I will go find him in person. I only need one answer, after which I will immediately decide whether to continue our cooperation or dissolve the alliance. Even if in the next moment I face challenges from all sides, I will not hesitate, even if it means fighting to the death.”

The Reborn King ceased speaking and merely stood in silence.

At the moment he became Wang Zun, he could have actually broken free from the King’s control.

But he did not do so.

Because Wang Zun also had dignity and pride.

At that time, when he swore allegiance, it meant eternal loyalty.

Even if it means following the king into hell, I wouldn’t care.

King Reborn waited for Lu Yu’s return. Upon receiving the news of Lu Yu’s arrival, he also received another piece of information.

“Even a gift of three thousand billion isn’t worth a single spot?” King Reborn’s mood plummeted to rock bottom.

He knew he had no chance anymore.

Through this incident, he had already figured out who his most trusted ally was.

The Celestial Deity Organization has conducted countless transactions with Fang Gang, and they are also fellow countrymen from the Huaxia nation.

If even they didn’t have a chance, how could one succeed alone?

The Reborn King didn’t want to wait any longer. He was ready to hold a negotiation with Lu Yu.

The Reborn King was pondering how to approach Lu Yu, after all, openly questioning an ally wasn’t really his style.

This was the case, but not long after, he received another message.

King Reborn Wang Zun was also shaken this time, exclaiming in astonishment, “What is Lu Yu planning to do? Even the leader of the Chinese military went there, and still couldn’t handle it.”

The Reborn King made up his mind and clenched his fists, saying, “Lu Yu intends to seize all the power of the Dragon Clan for himself, letting no one else have a share.”

How could the King of Rebirth not understand that he had completely lost all hope?

Given their past relationship, it’s possible that the relationship between them and Lu Yu will soon come to an end.

The Reborn King left his throne and said, “King Zun, get ready. It’s time for us to go.”

The Reborn King respectfully asked, “Your Majesty, if the negotiations fail, what will you do?”

A chilling cold light flickered in the Reincarnation King’s eyes as he said in an icy tone, “Prepare for war!”

The Reborn King Zun stopped speaking and closely followed behind the Reborn King, ready to leave the demon city.

Just as the two had not yet left the palace, an再生魔 (zhàoshēng mó) came rushing in from outside, knelt down, and urgently reported, “Your Majesty, the Phantom Demon from Fanggang has arrived.”

“What?”

When the Reincarnation King heard this, he was taken aback and said, “What has he come here for at this moment?”

“He said he has something important to discuss with King Saeng.”

“Haha, I didn’t expect him to arrive before I even went to look for him,” the Reincarnation King laughed loudly. “It seems I can now feel reassured. Let him in and tell him to speak his mind!”

All the worries from the past few days have been lifted.

Huanmo can be considered a manifestation of Lu Yu, so sending Huanmo is essentially the same as Lu Yu coming in person.

The Reborn King sneered, “Lu Yu, you didn’t dare to come in person, so you sent a clone instead. But it doesn’t matter; whoever comes makes no difference. This alliance was strong enough to begin with, so ending it early is actually a good thing.”

Outside the palace, the Phantom Demon, led by the Regenerating Demon, passed through the palace gates.

When the Demon saw the Regeneration King, he politely bowed and said, “Your Majesty Regeneration King, I have been sent by Mr. Lu to invite you to Fanggang.”

The Reborn King said coldly, “Can’t you speak openly here? Do I really have to go there in person?”

“This matter concerns you personally, and you must go there in person!”

King Reborn’s icy face stiffened in astonishment as he murmured, “Related to me?”

“Yes,” the Phantom Demon nodded. “Mr. Lu asked me to inform you that all thirteen Dragon Kings are currently in Fanggang. If you’re interested in becoming a Dragon Knight, this is the best opportunity.”

“Dragon Knight?”

The Rebirth King was stunned, his mind roaring as if in that instant, a series of war hammers were striking his head. He couldn’t help but tremble slightly with both hands.

“You, what are you saying? Did I hear correctly?” Reborn King looked at Huanmo, feeling as if what Huanmo had just said was like murmuring in a dream.

“No, that’s absolutely impossible,” the Reincarnation King said in disbelief, staring at the Demon God. “Lu Yu declined invitations from both the Chinese military and the Divine Organization. Why would he give me such an opportunity?”

He is not of Huaxia descent, and he once had a feud with Lu Yu. Even if he had the chance, he wouldn’t be a contender.

The demon fell silent.

His connection with Lu Yu transcends time and distance, allowing them to engage in conversation at any moment.

After a few seconds of silence, the Phantom King raised his head and said, “Mr. Lu asked me to tell you that he no longer cares about the past. He believes in the King’s promise and has always been watching everyone closely. He was aware of the invasion from the Guardians, even though he couldn’t see it. The first one to step forward and assist the warriors in Fanggang was you, not the Celestial Organization nor the military. You once said that if Fanggang did not betray you, you would never betray Fanggang. Mr. Lu has always kept your oath in his heart. He—will never betray his allies.”

King Reincarnation stood there in a daze.

He didn’t know what to say or what to do!

His eyes were slightly red.

Even during the most difficult period before he became king, when he was hunted by the entire world, he never shed a tear.

After becoming king, no one could make him shed tears anymore.

“Haha!”

The palace of the demonic city echoed with the mad laughter of the King of Rebirth.

“King? What kind of king can’t even compare to a mere human? Lu Yu, you trust me so much, how can I ever repay you? I was wrong, I was wrong, ha ha.”

Kang the Reincarnated King barely held back the tears welling up in his eyes, waved his hand toward Huanmo, and declared with authority, “Leave now. I’m heading to Fanggang immediately.”

…

“Who is it?”

In Fanggang, the thirteen Dragon Kings were greatly astonished upon hearing Lu Yu’s near-invincible promise.

Since Lu Yu dares to say so, there must be a reason behind it.

Lu Yu smiled and said, “One of my allies is the King of Rebirth. I once fought against him in battle. Regarding his regenerative abilities, I believe they are certainly stronger than mine. I don’t know the weaknesses or even the limits of his regeneration. If the Dragon King and the King of Rebirth were to join forces, I believe that against the four Kings, the two of us would absolutely remain undefeated.”

“Yeah, that’s good.”

Several Dragon Kings nodded and said, “That’s right. Since his title is the Regeneration King, his regenerative abilities must be terrifying. Lu Yu, your introduction must be pretty accurate.”

“At the time of passing the test, the Reborn King performed well in all trials and was qualified for the Dragon Blood Baptism.”

“Then let’s give it a try. If you can pass the Dragon Blood Baptism, that should be sufficient.”

It must be good if recommended by Lu Yu.

“Haha, are you talking about me?” Reborn King, laughing loudly, had somehow already walked over without anyone noticing.

The conversation among the people took place in a shop located in the First District’s Fangang area.

Therefore, the Reincarnation King can enter without needing any authorization.

King Reincarnation was already in a rather good mood when he left the Demon City with Huan Mo.

After arriving outside the shop, his mood became even better upon hearing the conversation inside.

He still couldn’t bring himself to admit his selfishness to Lu Yu.

But that single burst of laughter was enough—it signified that he had let go of everything from his past.

When he saw Lu Yu, his eyes sparkled with emotion, and he resolved firmly in his heart: Lu Yu, starting from today, the再生 demon clan and Fanggang will be eternal allies. If you never betray me, then should Fanggang ever face danger, I will devote my entire clan’s strength, fighting until the very last person without the slightest retreat.

Lu Yu arrived first, and as Rebirth King and Huan Mo entered, he couldn’t help but smile and said, “Here comes the Rebirth King.”

When the Dragon Kings saw the Reborn King enter, they couldn’t help but nod and smile.

Several Dragon Kings were very interested in the Rebirth King’s abilities and stepped forward to chat with him.

“So what’s next? How many more candidates do you have?” the Destroyer Dragon King chuckled. “I wonder who else you’re planning to choose besides the two Kings?”

“Of course, I’ve thought about it already,” said Lu Yu. “Everyone, what do you think about the numerous uncrowned kings in Fanggang?”

“This—”

In an instant, all the Dragon Kings’ eyes gleamed with awe-inspiring brilliance.

Having gone through so much themselves, how could they not understand how difficult it is for an uncrowned king to grow and rise?

Nowadays, these uncrowned kings of Fanggang have all grown up.

Their growth has consumed an incalculable amount of wealth from Fangang. Such growth would have been impossible to achieve in other eras.

When it comes to talent and growth, who can surpass the King without a crown?

Thirty-five of them! So many uncrowned kings appearing in this single era.

What kind of concept is this?

Even if one had appeared in the past, they would have competed fiercely to claim him.

Now, surprisingly, thirty-five candidates have emerged. They no longer need to scramble for positions, but instead now have the opportunity to choose.

The Golden Dragon King exclaimed excitedly, “Lu Yu, are you referring to these thirty-five uncrowned kings?”

Lu Yu nodded and said, “That’s right, thirty-five people. How you choose or whether they are willing to choose you is none of my concern. If they ultimately fail to pass the trial, I will select another group.”

“There’s no way they wouldn’t pass!” the Twin-Headed Dragon King immediately laughed loudly. “Even if they didn’t pass initially, we’d definitely find some way to ensure they pass eventually.”

The Destroying Dragon King laughed and said, “The talent of the Unadorned King is unmatched by anyone. Your kind’s potential is also limitless; aside from being unable to become a king, you surpass us in every other way. But now, none of that matters. What we need is the Unadorned King’s infinite combat power. Once the throne is restored, wouldn’t they essentially become kings as well?”

“Not bad at all. This era has truly exceeded our expectations a bit.”

Several Dragon Kings spoke.

Lu Yu nodded toward Huanmo and said, “Go to the core area and bring Luo Haotian and the others here. Tell them the Dragon Clan’s trial is open to them once again.”

The demon nodded and, upon receiving the order, left to carry it out.

Not long after the demon had left, Lu Yu and the others heard a loud argument coming from outside.

A dull and hoarse voice shouted loudly, “Lu Yu, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Come out and give me an explanation.”