Chapter 1112: The Enemy Has Arrived |
When Tang San awoke from his meditation, an entire day had passed.
He opened his eyes and exhaled deeply.
The Holy Dragon bloodline had stabilized, the amount of chaos energy at his disposal had nearly doubled, and all his bloodline imprints were now harmonizing steadily under the nourishment of the chaos energy.
"Brother Jin," Xu An'yu called out. He had changed into a fresh set of clothes and was sitting on the nearby sofa.
He seemed fully recovered, his aura no different from before. Only his eyes held a new shadow—less clarity, more gloom.
"How are you feeling, Brother Xu?" Tang San asked.
Xu An'yu stood and gave Tang San a deep bow. "Thank you for saving my life, Brother Jin."
Tang San helped him up. "Don't worry about that. You're the one who wanted us to be brothers, allies, mutual assistance, all that. Well, we are. This is just what friends do for their friends."
Xu An'yu gave a wry smile. "If you hadn't arrived in time, even my master and the elders wouldn't have known how to save me. I would've died. I know what that energy is, and I know it would've been impossible for anyone here to handle it. You must've paid a price for helping me. What's worse, I failed to protect the third elder and your other clansmen… I'm deeply ashamed."
Xu An'yu's expression darkened. He shook his head. "No leads at all. The attacker seemed to be a Great Demon King judging by their energy level, but they didn't use any personal abilities. They just detonated three high-level divine items. Three of them! And all of them had power not much lower than a God-Slaying Shuttle! Especially the last one… I've never seen anything like that, and it dealt me massive damage, as you could see. If I didn't have my own last-resort divine item to protect me, I would have died there."
"Those pure yin and yang energies… As of now, only two people on this continent wield these powers," Tang San said grimly.
Xu An'yu drew a deep breath, then said, "We haven't brought this matter up with the Solstice Empire yet, and I'm not sure that we should."
Matters involving the two countries and the demon-nymph relationship were delicate. Mishandling things here could lead to a devastating conflict.
Tang San nodded. "That's for the best. I don't believe those two sent anyone after you. If they truly wanted you dead, they could've acted themselves. You wouldn't have stood a chance, and they could have done it without leaving a single trace."
"That might be exactly what the real culprits want: to provoke a conflict between us and the nymphs. But they covered their tracks too well. There really is no trace."
Tang San shrugged and said calmly, "Do you really need a trace, though? Not all judgments require proof. Just ask yourself: Who benefits the most from your death? Who hates you most? Whoever stands to gain the most from this incident probably has a hand in it, no?"
Xu An'yu didn't speak, but his gaze grew colder. He had clearly already considered this, and naturally, he had his own list of suspects. A very short list.
"Now's not the time to act rashly. Wait. If they've made a move, they'll act again. Otherwise, there would be no point in all those preparations they made. With how terrifying that energy was, they must know its effects. They definitely wouldn't expect that you've already recovered," Tang San said.
Xu An'yu nodded slightly. "My master and the elders are preparing for that as we speak. Those people will assume the yin-yang energy has crippled me, at the very least. They'd never guess you removed it just like that."
Tang San thought for a moment. "Brother Xu, if possible, I'd like you to find me a quiet place to train here in the city lord's mansion. I want to stay over and cultivate for a while."
Xu An'yu's eyes lit up, slightly reddening. "Brother Jin, I truly don't know how to thank you. You're my savior!"
Tang San smiled. "As I said, it's just mutual assistance. Oh, I also plan to bring my fiancée here. In the annals of the continent, this will be the first time three Emperor seeds of different races and countries unite for one cause."
Xu An'yu inhaled deeply. "Brother Jin…"
"Really, there's no need to thank me. Let's finish this matter first. This is also vengeance for my fallen clansmen. I will not allow them to die in vain," Tang San said.
The two clasped hands silently.
Since Crystal City wasn't as far from Kali City as Skytree City was, Tang San didn't need to build a formation, and neither did he have to spend all his energy on teleportation. Once Xu An'yu had a secluded room prepared for him, Tang San returned to Kali City using the Spacetime Lighthouse and brought Mei Gongzi back.
"You're really going all out for Xu An'yu," Mei Gongzi remarked after hearing the full story.
Tang San chuckled. "Well, first, he's my friend. Second, the dragon race is the continent's strongest. Backing from them will make our ascension tribulation much easier. Their influence on the continent's fortune and freedom from planar suppression are unmatched. If we have both the dragon and phoenix races on our side, the benefits will be enormous. And third… As you may have heard, nothing beats slaying an Emperor in plain sight. It'll make our tribulation easier."
Mei Gongzi laughed. "You're sounding more and more like a schemer."
Tang San shrugged and replied, "Scheming is for the weak. If you are strong enough, you don't need schemes."
"When do you think the enemy will show up?" she asked.
Tang San raised five fingers.
"Five days? So soon?"
He lowered one finger.
She blinked. Then he lowered another.
Three, two, one…
Just then, a booming voice echoed across the sky: "The Tenebrous Demon Emperor has arrived. All dragons, receive him!"
Mei Gongzi blinked. So those five fingers were… a countdown?
Above Crystal City, the sky had darkened at some point. Massive black dragons roamed the clouds, and a heavy pressure poured down from above.
A massive pillar of violet light descended, landing directly on the square before the City Lord's Mansion.
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor, clad in a black cloak embroidered with purple clouds, exuded a majestic aura that stunned all present.
The giant black dragons descended from the sky, shifting into human form as they landed. Six Great Demon Kings, and twelve Demon Kings formed a dark wall of power behind their Emperor.
From the Crystal City side, Grand Elder Liu Weichao had arrived at the square. More dragon powerhouses appeared beside him, standing in formation and glaring coldly at the Tenebrous Demon Emperor.
"Your Majesty, what is your purpose in coming to Crystal City?" Liu Weichao asked icily.
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor sighed. "Old Liu, I heard An'yu was seriously injured. I came to visit, to see if I could help him recover. How is he now?"
Liu Weichao replied flatly, "His condition is stable. He will recover soon. We appreciate your concern, but your presence will not be necessary."
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor's brows furrowed. "Old Liu, we're the last of our generation in the dragon race. We had our struggles in youth, but we're still kin. Is this how you treat a fellow Emperor?"
Liu Weichao sneered. "I wouldn't presume to call Your Majesty kin. You are darkness, I am light. When were we ever of the same race? Xu An'yu needs peace to heal. Your Majesty, please take your leave."
"How dare you! Such insolence to an Emperor must be punished!" roared a Great Demon King of the Tenebrous Dragon clan, letting out a suffocating aura focused on Liu Weichao.
Liu Weichao didn't even flinch. A flash of golden light burst from him, instantly sweeping away the darkness. Even the Tenebrous Demon Emperor's oppressive aura was pushed back.