Chapter 331: Shen Mo, It’s Time for You to Compromise with Me

Upon hearing these words, King Jing shuddered.

He was terrified.

Emperor Jing’s words were certainly not meant as a kindness.

He had never been someone who faced death fearlessly.

The higher his status, the greater his fear of death.

The more he had, the less willing he was to let it go.

“Royal Brother…” King Jing whispered.

Emperor Jing turned around, revealing an icy expression.

His appearance was not particularly striking.

But his eyes—his eyes seemed to pierce straight into one’s heart, seeing through to the deepest layers of fear within King Jing.

King Jing had just started to lift his head, but the moment he met Emperor Jing’s gaze, he instantly lowered it again.

Even his neck instinctively shrank back.

“So cowardly.”

“How could I have a younger brother like you?”

“From this day forward, you are stripped of your princely stipend for ten years. Go to the Sutra Repository and reflect upon your mistakes for a decade.”

Emperor Jing’s voice remained cold.

Yet, upon hearing these words, King Jing let out a long sigh of relief.

After all, they were brothers of the same father and mother.

Emperor Jing would not kill him.

“Yes, I will strictly follow Royal Brother’s orders.” King Jing nodded repeatedly, hastily taking small steps to retreat.

Once King Jing had left, Emperor Jing turned back, clasped his hands behind his back, and continued gazing over the prosperous capital.

Beneath its surface prosperity, how much corruption and hidden turbulence lay in wait—only he knew.

The Ten Thousand Demons Nation, the Flood Dragon Palace, and… the Suppressing Demon Sea.

Any of these forces could bring down this nation that had endured for millennia.

No matter what, he could not be the empire’s last ruler.

Emperor Jing raised a hand and lightly tapped the jade pendant at his waist.

Swish.

A shadow-shrouded figure abruptly appeared in the corner of the room.

Its speed was ghostly, nearly imperceptible.

“How is the situation in Yuzhou?” Emperor Jing asked calmly.

The shadow responded in an emotionless voice, “The Jade Cauldron Sect has begun absorbing the remnants of the Shangqing Sect, Pill River Sect, and the Governor’s forces to restore order.”

“Shen Mo’s feat of annihilating the three invading armies of the Ten Thousand Demons Nation has spread far and wide across Yuzhou. Both the common folk and mages in Yuzhou hold great reverence for Shen Mo and the Jade Cauldron Sect.”

“What of the Seven Great Sects?” Emperor Jing asked again.

The shadow replied, “The Qianyuan Sect of Qianzhou and the Poseidon Island of Haizhou have both sent delegations to Yuzhou to offer their regards.”

“As for the Great Snow Palace of Hanzhou, the Holy Spirit Sect of Cangzhou, the Tianhe Sect of Jiangzhou, the Frenzied Blade Alliance of Mozhou, and the Shadowless Pavilion of Longzhou—there has been no response.”

“What about the Four Seas Flood Dragons?” Emperor Jing continued.

The shadow answered, “The Eastern Sea Flood Dragons and their kin are enraged, eager to take revenge on land, but they dare not act due to the Sword Sovereign’s deterrence.”

“The Northern Sea Flood Dragons, as always, remain aloof and indifferent.”

“The Western Sea Flood Dragons, deeply connected with the Ten Thousand Demons Nation, appear to be mobilizing forces to attack Mozhou and Qianzhou.”

“The Southern Sea Flood Dragons, who harbor deep enmity toward the Ten Thousand Demons Nation, were delighted to hear that Ao Sheng of the Eastern Sea had aided the demons. They used this opportunity to invade the Ten Thousand Demons Nation’s heartland, wiping out several smaller tribes and seizing a significant amount of resources.”

Emperor Jing nodded slightly and posed his final question. “What of the Suppressing Demon Sea?”

The shadow hesitated momentarily. “No changes. The long-distance transmissions from the Suppressing Demon Sea remain normal.”

Emperor Jing nodded. “Go carry out your tasks.”

“Yes.” The shadow nodded and vanished in an instant.

Frowning in contemplation, Emperor Jing muttered to himself, “The Ten Thousand Demons Nation’s Crown Prince and Fourth Prince are both dead. A million-strong army of demons has been obliterated. When Gu Ming emerges from the Blood God’s Vault, he will undoubtedly be furious.”

“That will be the truly terrifying moment.”

“At that time, I may have no choice but to compromise with the sects.”

“But even in compromise, there are choices—who to yield to, who to win over, and who to suppress under the guise of leniency…”

“In five years, Gu Ming’s first target will inevitably be the Jade Cauldron Sect in Yuzhou. Without support from the Seven Great Sects and the imperial court, the Jade Cauldron Sect will still be hanging by a thread.”

Emperor Jing leaned against the railing, gazing southward, and spoke calmly, “Shen Mo, it’s time for you to compromise with me!”

…

Three months later, at the Jade Cauldron Sect, Dragon Snake Mountain.

Several figures soared through the air.

Leading the group was Wan Muchun, an elder of the Jade Cauldron Sect.

The four individuals accompanying him, however, were unfamiliar faces.

To Wan Muchun’s left were an elderly man with white hair and a vigorous spirit, and a delicate-looking young man.

To his right were a stern-faced old woman and a youth who walked with the commanding presence of a dragon and tiger.

“So this is Dragon Snake Mountain? It doesn’t seem to be a particularly blessed land of nature and spirit energy. Why would your sect’s young sect master choose to train here?” the elderly man on the left asked in puzzlement.

Wan Muchun chuckled. “The young sect master rose to prominence in this place and has grown accustomed to training here.”

After speaking, he suddenly recalled something and added, “By the way, the four of you should remember to protect your ears, or you might be startled.”

“The young sect master is practicing a technique that causes a primordial beast’s roar to erupt from within him every few days—it is quite awe-inspiring.”

“If you aren’t mentally prepared, it could easily shake your spirit.”

As soon as Wan Muchun finished speaking, the four visitors chuckled.

The young man laughed heartily. “Elder Wan, I, Shi Jingtian, have fought against sea beasts and water demons in the ocean since childhood, relying only on my physical strength. What kind of beast’s roar could possibly frighten me?”

The other youth said nothing, but a hint of disdain flashed across his face.

The elderly man and old woman exchanged smiles. “Rest assured, Elder Wan, these two are our chosen successors. Their talents are in no way inferior to your sect’s young sect master. A mere beastly roar won’t startle them.”

Wan Muchun smiled helplessly. “Alright then, follow me.”

Inwardly, he muttered, I’ve already warned you—if you get scared, you can’t blame me.

The five quickly descended near the dwellings on the mountainside of Dragon Snake Mountain.

Mei Haihe and the others noticed their arrival and hurried forward.

“Elder Wan, these guests are…?” he asked in confusion.

Though they were unfamiliar faces, each one exuded an astonishing presence.

Wan Muchun smiled. “These four are honored guests from the Qianyuan Sect of Qianzhou and Poseidon Island of Haizhou. They have come specifically to meet our young sect master.”

“Steward Mei, is the young sect master still training?”

Mei Haihe nodded. “He’s in the wasteland. I dare not approach. Elder Wan, you should take our esteemed guests there.”

Wan Muchun nodded with a smile. “Alright.”

After clasping his hands in farewell, he led the four guests toward the wasteland.

However, just as they took off—

A deafening, earth-shattering roar suddenly erupted!

It was as if a hundred ancient, primeval beasts had stepped out from the depths of history.

The roar resounded across the stars!

It shook the heavens and the earth!

In that instant, the four visitors were forcibly reminded of an era when humanity was still in its infancy—surrounded by countless primordial and prehistoric beasts, teetering on the brink of extinction.

That deep-seated terror, buried within their very blood, was suddenly unearthed and surged through their limbs.

Their scalps tingled with chills!

Wan Muchun, having heard it many times before, was unfazed. He simply turned around with a grin and looked at the four guests.

The elderly man and old woman were the first to shake off their fear. Seeing Wan Muchun’s amused expression, they immediately realized they had lost their composure.

It took another ten breaths for the young men to recover.

Yet the lingering fear on their faces had not entirely faded.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel