Chapter 1126: The Aging Celestial Fox |
He knew quite a lot about Tang San's abilities, but even so, this Battle for the Throne had still taken him by surprise. If he hadn't learned in advance that Tang San was Jin Miaolin, he never would have connected the two. The abilities Jin Miaolin displayed had practically nothing in common with Tang San's. This guy was simply a monster.
That the Tenebrous Demon Emperor died at Tang San's hands didn't surprise the White Tiger Demon Emperor at all. In fact, he even had the feeling that he himself might not be able to defeat this kid anymore.
"We'll be careful and we won't use divine items," Tang San said cheerfully.
Only then did the White Tiger Demon Emperor's smile return. "That's more like it. Then I'll give you two a proper thrashing. Anyway, since you're already here, you'd best go to the Council Hall first. Since your wedding will be held there, how the Ancestral Court cooperates still needs to be discussed with Celestial Fox. After all, he's the one in charge."
"I understand." Tang San nodded.
The White Tiger Demon Emperor continued, "The old fox has been keeping a low profile lately. But I know him all too well. Every time he acts like this, he's definitely up to no good. You should be careful when dealing with him."
Tang San's heart stirred slightly, and he nodded once more. "I understand. Thank you."
Although the strongest now were the Sunborne Nymph Emperor and the Undying Demon Emperor, the one Tang San had always remained most wary of was the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor. Moreover, the Celestial Fox still had a blood debt to settle with humanity—one that would be paid sooner or later.
After resting for a night at the White Tiger Hotel, Tang San and Mei Gongzi headed out in the morning.
It didn't take long before the guard returned with a message: the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor would meet them in the Council Hall in one hour.
"My grandfather was right. You have to be especially careful of the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor," Mei Gongzi said to Tang San through divine consciousness. "I think the only true variable in our path to becoming Emperors lies with him."
Tang San nodded slightly. "Don't worry. I understand. But harming us won't be easy either. Let's just see what his attitude is."
Though the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor had reigned over this plane for a solid millennium and was famed for his wisdom, Tang San had already begun to recover his true strength. He did not fear this Emperor in the slightest when it came to direct combat. But even so… it was best to stay cautious.
Yet, when Tang San and Mei Gongzi met the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, they were both startled.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor had always appeared as a refined man in his thirties or maybe early forties. But this time, Tang San was shocked to find that he looked… aged.
At the Emperor level, controlling one's appearance was trivial. Yet not only had he aged in appearance, his aura even seemed faintly withered.
"Your Majesty… what's going on?" Tang San asked in surprise.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor smiled gently and shook his head. "It's nothing. My people… Well, to be honest, I've lived long enough already."
"What do you mean by that?" Tang San asked.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor replied, "You know what they say, those who play with fire will eventually get burned. So how would that not be ten times more so for those of us who play with fortune? Our clan has never had large numbers, but that's not because we struggle to reproduce. We're foxes, after all. It's because of how often we suffer backlash from fate. Even I am not exempt. Otherwise, something like the Misfortune Pearl never would've appeared.
"Did you know? Before me, no Celestial Fox Emperor ever lived to be a thousand years old. I'm actually extremely lucky; I am a good two hundred past that. But with the recent disturbances in the Ancestral Court, fortune has grown unstable. In order to maintain that fortune, I've exhausted myself, and the more I do, the stronger the backlash. My lifespan was only being prolonged by rare heavenly treasures, and now… even that is becoming unsustainable."
His voice held a note of desolation, but he didn't sound especially sorrowful. It seemed as if he had long accepted this outcome.
"Isn't there any way to change this?" Tang San asked.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor shook his head with a faint smile. "Not likely. I wield the power of fortune, so naturally, I'm more aware of my own fate than anyone. In recent years, my luck has been declining rapidly, and there are already signs of ominous fortune. But enough of that, though. Let's talk about you two. You've come today to set your wedding date, yes?"
"Yes," Tang San replied. "You command the power of fortune, Your Majesty. We ask you to choose an auspicious day for our union."
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's smile grew warmer. "That's easy. In fact, I already expected you to ask me that, so I ran the calculations before you arrived. Sixty-three days from now is a most auspicious date.[1] That should give you enough time to prepare, yes?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Tang San had no reason to contest the date. After all, this was the man's job. Moreover, Tang San himself had used his Discerning Eye of Heaven, and from his predictions, the sixty-third day indeed aligned with auspicious signs.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor continued, "However, before your wedding, the Tower of Life must be completed. Towers of Life are already being built in many places, and some of the main cities have completed theirs. Your clan elders have begun taking residence. I can feel that the convergence of life energy across the continent is greatly benefiting its overall fortune. Since main cities have towers, and you'll be residing in the Ancestral Court, you too must have one built soon. Whatever resources you need, just say the word, and the Ancestral Court will fully support you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I plan to construct the Tower of Life atop Blue Gold Mountain, with the Blue Gold Palace as the adjoining complex. This will help save on resources. The schedule is tight, but I'll personally oversee the project. I'll deliver a resource list soon; I have an idea of what I need, but I still need to sort through it."
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor nodded. "Very well."
Their discussion ended there, and the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor neither continued the discussion about his lifespan nor brought up another subject. But when they left, Tang San frowned slightly.
"What's wrong?" Mei Gongzi asked via divine consciousness.
Tang San narrowed his eyes slightly. "There's something off about him."
"You think he's lying to us? That he's not really suffering backlash?" she asked.
Tang San shook his head. "No, he is suffering from fortune backlash. But it shouldn't have reached this stage. Aside from my godly tribulation and the Crystal Demon Emperor's death back then, which caused the fortune in the Ancestral Court to plummet, there hasn't been anything else that should've affected his ability to sustain fortune. When I awakened the Ancestral Tree and used its imprint to gather life energy, it actually improved the continent's overall fortune, and that definitely helped him. That's why he was so cordial toward me afterward. Even at the end of the Battle for the Throne, when the final rankings were announced, he was still perfectly fine. His fortune was steady. So how could he suddenly become aged and decayed in such a short span of time?"
"Could it be because of the Tenebrous Demon Emperor's fall or something wrong with the Misfortune Pearl?" Mei Gongzi asked.
Tang San shook his head again. "No. If that were the case, then when the Adamant Nymph Emperor died, it would've affected him. It wouldn't have waited until now."
Mei Gongzi nodded silently. "Then what should we do?"
Tang San said, "We'll just take things as they come. As long as we are strong enough, whatever tricks he may be plotting will be meaningless."
1. This was originally thirty-three days, but it was modified because it conflicts with the timeline in future chapters. ☜