vstars Chapter 171 Conspiracy
Chapter 171 Conspiracy
It is now known that there are three Nine-Headed Infants. One is the Nine-Headed Infant who protects the Lingwei Sect, and is the Nine-Headed Senior whom Yun Yici and his two siblings had contact with.
The other two Nine-Headed Serpents are the former Demon King of Nine Qi City and the Demon King's son, whose name is known as Shi Tian.
The great demon who traveled from the demon realm to Kunlun in the human realm via the teleportation array two hundred years ago was very likely the former demon king of Jiuqi City or Shitian.
Having pieced together the clues, Ling Wan said, "Although Shi Tian has disappeared from public view in recent years, his reputation for wandering around in his early years is still well-known."
"That demon cultivator from two hundred years ago must have been the former Demon King."
Ling Wan, who remained in the clan, had heard about Shi Tian's deeds in the demon realm over the past two hundred years, so it was unlikely that the one who went to the human realm was Shi Tian; it was most likely Shi Tian's father.
Upon hearing this, the emperor said, "What a pity."
Mu Yunjian asked alertly, "What kind of trick are you up to?"
The Emperor decreed, “I originally thought you were Jiuying’s illegitimate son left in the human realm. With your identity, I might be able to take Jiuqi City without bloodshed.”
Given the power of the Nine-Headed Serpent Clan, the news of the former city lord's son's triumphant return will surely shake the demon's heart.
He could expand his power painlessly as long as he found a way to kill Li Ji.
Without even thinking, Mu Yunjian slammed his hand on the table and refused, "No! I won't cooperate with you!"
Emperor Zhao rested his chin on his hand on the table, glanced at him, and asked in return, "Right now, there's an opportunity for you to rise to the top and become the Demon King in one step. Don't you want it?"
Mu Yunjian's face was ashen, as if he had returned to the day when he was looked down upon by Jiuying.
Although Jiuying was ultimately forced to give him her essence and blood, Jiuying's kindness in helping him is truly indelible.
If he were to use the essence blood given to him by Jiuying to defraud the Jiuying clan of their demon city, what difference would that make from repaying kindness with enmity?
Mu Yunjian said, "One day, I will build my own city, instead of hurting those who believe in me with despicable acts."
He wanted to become the Demon King honestly and fairly through his own efforts.
Mu Yunjian's statement relieved Yun Yici and her fellow disciples, who all stood behind him to show their support.
Yun Yici advised tactfully, "According to Chief Lingwan, Shitian is still in the Demon Realm, so this method may not work. To be on the safe side, we should keep a low profile until the teleportation array is repaired."
The emperor was unaware of their entanglement with the guardian Jiuying at the Lingwei Sect ruins.
Hearing Yun Yici defend Mu Yunjian like this, he retorted angrily, "I was just mentioning it. He was the one who provided the status, while I was the one who provided the effort. In the end, Jiuqi City still fell into his hands."
"Very well, this was indeed something I didn't consider carefully. You can go back now."
Having traveled together, Yun Yici knew that the Emperor usually vented his anger on the spot, so the Emperor's decree to send them back meant that the matter was over.
The senior and junior disciples got up to take their leave, and Ling Wan and Xue Lian followed behind them, leaving Li Shao inside the hall to await orders.
Before Yun Yici and the others had even left, Ling Wan and Xue Lian were stopped by the Emperor's decree at the door: "Ling Wan, stay here."
Ling Wan's face turned pale instantly, and she walked stiffly back to the imperial edict.
When Yun Yici and the others were there, she could sit down for a while, but now that she was facing the imperial edict alone, she didn't dare to sit down at all.
The emperor looked at Li Shao, who remained in the hall, and said, "Didn't I tell you to go find the Transformation Grass?"
Li Shao realized this was an imperial edict intended to send him away. He dared not object and quietly agreed before going to inquire about the Transformation Grass.
As soon as Li Shao left, Ling Wan broke out in a cold sweat and knelt down before the imperial edict: "Your Majesty, I will never reveal a single word of what I just said."
"I have entered into a master-servant contract with you, and I have absolutely no intention of betraying you!"
Ling Wan thought that she had overheard the imperial edict plotting against Jiuqi City, so she didn't want to keep her any longer.
After all, Li Shao and Yun Yici were people brought from the human realm by imperial decree, while she was a native demon cultivator of Jiuqi City, and also had a past relationship with Shi Tian.
The emperor waved his sleeve impatiently, saying, "Get up, it's not about that."
"Tell me more about what you just said about men's feelings for women."
With so many people around, it wasn't convenient for him to ask.
Ling Wan immediately looked horrified and said dryly, "I was just talking nonsense because I was angry."
“A man like Your Excellency, with his handsome appearance, high status, and outstanding strength, would be loved by any woman, no matter what kind of man he is.”
To the emperor, Ling Wan's flattery sounded like utter nonsense.
The emperor reiterated, "You say my kindness towards women is a superior's charity to an inferior."
Ling Wan said cautiously, "You'll know about love and relationships once you've experienced it firsthand."
"Your Majesty, I see you have no concubines serving you. I am with some young female demons from the Water Blue Clan who have just transformed into human form..."
The emperor had been listening attentively to the imperial edict, but unexpectedly, he heard Ling Wan's terrible idea.
He narrowed his eyes and slightly curled the corners of his mouth. The next moment, Ling Wan screamed and rolled on the ground.
After a long while, Ling Wan finally got up from the ground, her limbs limp, and bowed her head to the ground, pale-faced: "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong."
The emperor decreed: "I did not hold your offense against me the first time we met, but I did not expect you to do something foolish again today."
Ling Wan secretly groaned. She had long seen that Di Zhao was a clueless romantic, and her previous offer to give herself to him was just a playful remark with a testing intent.
She thought the emperor's anger was just because he disliked her, which is why she had just suggested that a young female demon from her clan serve him instead.
To everyone's surprise, the emperor was a man who was completely indifferent to women.
Why did he ask her these questions?
"If it happens again, you'll have to atone with your death."
The emperor didn't care about a mere Lingwan clan chief at all; once she died, he would install the next Ling clan chief.
Ling Wan was drenched in cold sweat and said, "Yes."
Ling Wan couldn't fathom what the Emperor was thinking, and she dared not speak again for fear of angering him once more.
Unexpectedly, the emperor asked again, "What exactly is this affection you speak of for a man towards a woman?"
After pondering for a long time, Ling Wan asked, "Your Majesty, do you have a woman you admire?"
Otherwise, she really couldn't have imagined what the Emperor was up to.
Ling Wan regretted it, regretting that she had spoken too quickly and talked nonsense about feelings.
The emperor quickly replied, "No, I will marry a woman of suitable age from my clan once I find one."
He recalled Wen Fuyue's words and added, "A woman of marriageable age in the clan with whom I share mutual affection."
Ling Wan wasn't foolish enough to ask why it had to be a woman from the same clan. Like the Nine-Headed Serpent Clan, these powerful demon cultivators would find it difficult to have offspring if they formed a partnership with other races with weaker demonic power.
Ling Wan said tactfully, "My lord, powerful demons like Jiuying will form Daoist couples with their own kind for the purpose of reproduction, but they can take other demons they like as concubines or husbands."