Longevity Chronicles

"If you dare to obstruct my refining of the treasure again, I'll risk destroying this Heavenly Demon Pearl and obliterate your Primordial Sect's secret realm."

"And when that time comes, you might be unharmed, but those disciples of yours, the four million disaster survivors you just rescued, will undoubtedly perish."

As Ling Qi finished speaking, the Tianjiang Immortal's brows indeed furrowed, and he had to stop.

His vulnerability had been seized.

"If Lingwa had left the Heavenly Demon Pearl for his son, he must have allowed him to refine it first, ready to detonate at a thought."

"This child is now under the protection of the Mountain and River Map, even if I were to attack shamelessly, I would have to break through the map first, which is not something that can be accomplished in a mere few breaths."

"Troublesome, troublesome."

The Tianjiang Immortal pondered, finding himself in a difficult position.

He was aware that Ling Qi was desperate, ready to grasp at the last straw, and it wouldn't be surprising if he were to act crazy or irrationally.

Just when the Tianjiang Immortal hesitated, the voice transmission of Tao Qian suddenly reached his ears:

"Elder, just capitulate to him for now. I am sure this scoundrel won't amount to anything significant. That poisoner named Huang Chong is only pretending to serve him but actually serves another."

"Huang Chong and his real master have laid their own traps, but I too have kept some tactics in reserve which can be used when you cooperate."

"Good!"

If it was from someone else, the Tianjiang Immortal would not have trusted the voice transmission.

But Tao Qian?

The Tianjiang Immortal Li Bing didn't even hesitate for a moment and agreed outright.

However, as far as Ling Qi was concerned, it appeared as though his intimidation had been effective.

Inside the boundaries of Demon City, the scenes that unfolded were indeed similar to those from over two thousand years ago, when the Ancestor Emperor swept through the bizarre.

The common folk lay dead in droves across the land, their grievances piercing the skies.

Armies waged war, omens and strange phenomena kept emerging.

Representing the demons and the bizarre, the tens of thousands of evil cultivators that had been lured there were one by one forcibly obliterated.

Amidst this backdrop, Ling Qi manifested the Saint Statue, ascending the heavenly steps one by one.

Watching his figure, in the blink of an eye, he was about to reach the inner part of the Mountain and River Map's [Ancestor Palace], ready to fully refine this Exotic Treasure.

"Heavenly fate lies with me, I am the heavenly fate."

"I, Ling Qi, am the Saint..."

The arrogant laughter that echoed throughout Demon City was abruptly cut off as he stepped on the last heavenly stair.

A new twist occurred.

At this moment, Ling Qi not only felt that he had lost control over his body, but, more than that, something he couldn't accept.

His knees began to bend!

Gradually bending forward, it was clear he was about to kneel.

Kneel before whom?

Just as this question arose in Ling Qi's mind, he saw a radiant light flickering upon his body, and the [Taishang Heavenly Golden Palace Venerable Saint King Statue], which he had refined and that could instantly grant him the avatar of a Cavernous Mystery Realm entity, suddenly separated from him, and brazenly stood before him, ready to receive his homage.

But this twist wasn't enough in itself, the real horror followed.

The face of the Saint Statue was unmistakably Ling Qi's.

But at this moment, it began to change.

As the radiance faded, the face revealed was shockingly similar to the famed warlord Zhang Baisui from Demon City but slightly older and more comical.

Especially noticeable were the curled-up mustache tips on the upper lip.

Not just Ling Qi but almost all surviving cultivators and demons recognized him.

"Zhang! Nine! Lanterns!"

On the last step of the Mountain and River Map, Ling Qi's entire face was contorted, lost in outrage, emitting an angry roar.

Ling Qi was out of character, and the onlookers were stunned by this sudden and inexplicable change.

The tens of thousands of cultivators and demons lured there had been nearly 80% annihilated.

All treated like fireworks, their blood spilled and flesh exploded, sacrificed to the Mountain and River Map.

But the remaining few thousand, along with the more than ten thousand innocents who were still alive, could serve as witnesses to watch the changes above.

Ling Qi was on the verge of completely refining the Mountain and River Map.

Suddenly, a "Zhang Jiudeng" separated from within him, and yet he actively bowed towards Zhang Jiudeng.

Such a scene was strikingly similar to Ling Qi offering up the map and his position.

For Ling Qi!

For him, there was nothing more humiliating in this world than this scenario.

One moment he was uncontrollably kneeling, the next his eyes were blood-red, fiercely fixed on Zhang Jiudeng—yet his roaring mouth was cursing another.

"Huang! Chong!"

"How dare you, how could you, deceive me."

"You will surely die, I will put you and your entire Huang family in the steamer, I'll eat you all, piece by piece, skin and bones, until nothing's left."

Anyone listening knew.

Prince Zhao Ling Qi, who held multiple identities, was on the verge of collapse.

Although arrogant and perverse, he was certainly not foolish. Suddenly faced with such a turn of events, how could he not realize that he had been played?

Huang Chong, one of the Alchemist Saint Children, had come to him offering allegiance, claiming to support him to ascend to the throne... It was all a conspiracy from the start; Huang Chong was actually Zhang Jiudeng's man.

As Ling Qi howled and cursed, Huang Chong, who just a second before had been on the Golden Ship, moved with a Flashing technique, instantly appearing beside the two.

This Saint Child, this poison master, smiled like a venomous snake.

To facilitate Ling Qi's curses, he even deliberately moved closer to his face.

The disgust of it made Tao Qian feel the urge to smash his face.

Huang Chong didn't immediately answer Ling Qi, but instead turned to the Tianjiang Immortal below and gave a bow, then said politely and sincerely,

"Tianjiang Immortal, I hope you will not act rashly."

"Right now, Ling Qi is afflicted with my Huangquan Gu; whether it's his Cultivation or tactics, they are temporarily under my control. As for that Heavenly Demon Pearl, if I wish, I could detonate it."

"You need not be irritated with me. These million corpses were not citizens of Longevity Heavenly Dynasty, but remnants from the southerly regions plagued by miasma. It's just as well that they're killed."

"I assure the Immortal and everyone here of two things: first, now that everything is prepared, there will be no further casualties; second, the Absolute Spirit Forbidden Zone refined from the Mountain and River Map will not be in Demon City, nor will it be controlled by someone as cruel as the Ninth Prince."

Having said all this, Huang Chong then looked back at Ling Qi with a smiling gaze.

Completely indifferent, even relishing the venom in Ling Qi's eyes before, the next moment,

In public, he uttered Heart Execution Words.

"Ninth Prince, although you were once my lord, at this point, it would not be right for you to die with your eyes closed, so I will resolve your lingering doubts."

"There's no need to worry about my entire Huang family—years ago, I killed them all and refined quite a few interestingly powerful Gu worms from them."

"You know of my background; I entered the world with one purpose, and that was to support the rise of a new Founding Emperor."

"Such a person may have any sort of defect; whether cruel or demented matters not, as long as the timing is right, they could possibly claim that position."

"But there's one thing that's unacceptable... stupidity."

"Fools can never become the Founding Emperor."

"Ninth Prince, you are nothing but a complete fool."

"If it weren't for your powerful father, with your own cleverness and methods, you wouldn't even be qualified to stand here as a stepping stone for my lord."

"Ninth Prince, if you're unconvinced, just look down. Apart from Elder Lingwa, is there anyone in your command who hasn't betrayed you?"

There's a saying that goes, "To kill someone, you need only hit them where it hurts." Huang Chong, having controlled the Ninth Prince with his Huangquan poison, could now do as he pleased, including taking away the Mountain and River Map.

Yet Huang Chong seemed unsatisfied, publicly delivering a fierce blow to the Ninth Prince.

Ling Qi went mad!

His Spirit and Mind completely shattered.

Regrettably, whether it was to curse or self-detonate, he couldn't do either.

All he could do was glare with bulging eyes at the two in front of him: one a former military strategist, the other a former ally.

After delivering a Heart Execution, Huang Chong turned back, smilingly looking at Zhang Jiudeng, who had descended with the Saint Statue, and said with respectful yet somewhat hypocritical tones,

"My lord, let us begin."

"Quickly combine the Mountain and River to refine the treasure, and return to Ancient Qin."

"The opportunity is rare; otherwise, once Elder Lingwa returns, I will have to pay a great price to summon my Master here."

After hearing a few words, Zhang Jiudeng did not move immediately.

Instead, he fiddled with his beard, pondering at Huang Chong with an amused look, and teased,

"Damn, you old boy, you've got a vicious heart."

"I heard that the Ninth Prince let you sleep with his concubines at will and even invited you to eat steamed meat every day, but you, you almost drove him mad."

"Let's get one thing straight—if you mess this up, and some Demon True Monarch comes seeking vengeance with all his might, I sure as hell won't protect you. At that time, turning you over to settle the account is the proper way to handle it."

ps: Uploading four thousand words first, there's more to come, more to come, saying it three times.