Chapter 1113: Submit or Die |
The face of the Tenebrous Dragon Great Demon King changed immediately. As expected, the dragon race's Grand Elder lived up to his reputation as a half-Emperor. Even though they were both peak-level Great Demon Kings, he clearly felt suppressed.
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor said, "Elder Liu is the Grand Elder of the dragon race. Do not be impudent." As he spoke, he stepped forward. The purple cloud patterns on his black cloak lit up with a faint light, and instantly, the sky grew even darker. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance, and a fine drizzle began to fall, adding a deeper gloom to Crystal City.
Liu Weichao's expression changed slightly. "Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?"
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor replied indifferently, "I simply wish to see Xu An'yu. Crystal City is the largest city on the continent. He just ascended to the position of City Lord, and you know what they say: a flight of dragons without a leader will scatter.[1] How can Crystal City go without its lord? Since he is wounded, I am willing to help heal him so he can quickly resume his position. But if he were to die…"
Liu Weichao stared at him and asked coldly, "If he were to die, then what?"
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor said flatly, "As I said, a city like Crystal City cannot go without leadership. I am the only Emperor among the dragon race. You previously claimed that a second Emperor would soon emerge. I waited, and I acknowledged An Yu's strength. But if he is gone, then tell me, which one of you so-called Elders has the power to lead the dragon race? Or would you rather see our race splinter? Crystal City is a vital stronghold we cannot afford to lose. Without an Emperor to guard it, how can it be held?"
Liu Weichao replied grimly, "That is none of your concern. Since the founding of Crystal City, it has never been cloaked in darkness. The Tenebrous Dragon clan has never been welcome here, let alone permitted to rule it. This is a resolution passed by the Elder Council: No darkness energy or demonic artifacts may enter Crystal City. Have you forgotten? Even if you are an Emperor, so what? Back then, had you not used treacherous means to suppress me, would it have been your turn to hold that title?"
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor chuckled. "So you're still brooding over what happened? The Emperor's seat is meant for those of virtue. You missed your chance, so how can you blame me? Now step aside, and let me see An Yu."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and struck at Liu Weichao. His palm appeared weightless, yet within it shimmered a purple-black light, flickering like a weird eye.
When their hands collided, no energy fluctuations escaped. Both had contained their power, unwilling to damage the City Lord's mansion.
A soft pop echoed. The Tenebrous Demon Emperor didn't move, but Liu Weichao's expression changed and he staggered back six steps before barely regaining his footing.
"Impressive," the Tenebrous Demon Emperor praised him. "Truly worthy of the half-Emperor title. Beneath the Emperor level, you're the first to withstand my head-on attack like this."
As he spoke, he advanced again and unleashed another palm strike.
The dragon powerhouses surrounding Liu Weichao tried to intervene, but they were quickly blocked by the Tenebrous Dragon forces. The Tenebrous Dragon clan had come in full force and had no intention of leaving empty-handed.
Thud!
Liu Weichao retreated again, this time eight full steps. His face flushed red.
"It was you, wasn't it?" he growled. "You sent those assassins after An Yu!"
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor replied coolly, "Grand Elder, do not hurl false accusations. Do you have any proof? …I didn't think so. Now step aside. You are no match for me. Let me see Xu An'yu. If he is safe, I will naturally take my leave. But if he is not…"
"And if he's not?" the Grand Elder snarled, eyes wide with fury.
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor said coldly, "Then let Crystal City usher in a new era."
"You dare? You may be an Emperor, but don't forget, this is the dragon race's ancestral home!" Liu Weichao said icily. And just then, dragon roars echoed around them. From all sides of the plaza, figures appeared.
They were in human form, but their bodies were covered in scales of various hues: red, blue, green, gold, gray, and so on. They were the powerhouses of their respective clans—over a hundred Demon Kings and more than twenty Great Demon Kings, covering the entire elemental spectrum and then some.
Yes, this was the dragon race's true foundation. This was why Crystal City dared to oppose the Tenebrous Dragon clan, even with an Emperor among them.
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor's expression darkened. "You would start a civil war among dragons?"
Liu Weichao cursed angrily, "You are the one inciting civil war, you despicable coward! Back then, you ambushed me in secret to seize the chance at ascension, and stole my qualification to become Emperor. For all these years, you've ranked among the lowest of Emperors in the Empyrean Dominion. Do you live up to the name of Dragon Emperor? Had I ascended instead, with the support of Her Majesty the Crystal, the dragon race would already rule the entire Empyrean Dominion! You are a disgrace, yet you still dare to come here and seize Crystal City? If Crystal City falls to you, it will be the shame of our entire race. Even if I die here, I will not let you succeed!"
The Tenebrous Demon Emperor's gaze grew colder. "You are as stubborn as ever. Do you think mere numbers can stop me? Look at this."
As he spoke, he flipped his left hand over. A bead appeared in his palm. Though the bead didn't look like much, the moment it emerged, the very air grew heavy.
A grayish halo radiated from its surface, and all the dragon powerhouses present felt an unbearable pressure, as if a mountain had been dropped on their hearts.
Liu Weichao's face turned pale. "The Misfortune Pearl?! You dare bring the Misfortune Pearl into our race's ancestral home? Are you insane?!"
Yes, the Tenebrous dragon race had paid a significant price to win the Misfortune Pearl at auction. And the reason they had done so was that… it was never meant to be used just for the Battle for the Throne. In the hands of the Tenebrous Demon Emperor, a master of demonic artifacts, it was a tremendously powerful weapon. Unless the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor personally opposed him, few among the current Emperors could defeat him with the Misfortune Pearl.
A manic gleam lit the Tenebrous Demon Emperor's eyes. As he stared at the Misfortune Pearl in his palm, a look of obsession flickered across his face.
"I have waited too long for this divine item. At first, the old fox was reluctant to give it to me, even though we've been partners for a long time, but eventually, he understood that only in my hands could its misfortune be properly diminished. As for you? I only have one thing to say: If the dragon race supports me, you are my kin. But if you have never seen us as kin, then why should I treat you as such? Today, you have two choices: submit, or die!"
With his final word, the Misfortune Pearl in his hand erupted with terrifying energy. The oppressive force intensified instantly, and even the city lord's mansion and the annex buildings appeared to be shrouded in a gray veil.
The dragon race, as the continent's strongest race, possessed immense fortune. But the Misfortune Pearl fed on fortune to unleash its power. If the Tenebrous Demon Emperor fully activated it, the entire dragon race's fortune could be stripped away—perhaps dooming them forever.
In the hands of the Tenebrous Demon Emperor, the Misfortune Pearl was a very different weapon compared to when Li Zhaopeng used it. It was indeed a top-tier divine artifact, and it would only show its true power in the hands of an Emperor. More importantly, since the Tenebrous Demon Emperor was the foremost expert of the continent when it came to such demonic artifacts, the Misfortune Pearl would not easily turn against him.
1. The idiom here literally means "a group of dragons cannot do without a leader." Originally, the term "dragon" referred to a horse of exceptional quality, and the point of this idiom was that no matter how good they are, if there's no one to lead them, they will simply do their own thing. We chose the group noun "flight" for obvious reasons. ☜