While Ye Fan was busy winning over General Tiger's heart at the general's residence, the manors of General Dog and Minister Fox had also welcomed their own respective guests...
“What do you think about cooperating with our Northern Province, General Dog?”
General Dog raised his head to look at Blood Refining Demon Lord, who was clad in black robes and exuded a thick, bloody aura.
“You want me to betray the demon race?”
Blood Refining Demon Lord let out a sinister laugh. “You misunderstand, General Dog. We merely want to cooperate.”
“We in the Northern Province will help you become the Demon Emperor, and in exchange, how about we carve up the Eastern Province together when the time comes...?”
At this point, a vicious, venomous hatred flashed through Blood Refining Demon Lord’s eyes.
Previously, he had been ganged up on and severely wounded by three of the Eastern Province's Unity-stage old monsters. There was no way he could swallow this grievance.
Upon returning, he sacrificed a portion of his own interests to persuade several major factions in the Northern Province.
He wanted to join forces with the demon race to launch an assault on the Eastern Province...
That was why he had set his sights on General Dog.
As for why he didn't cooperate with the current Demon Emperor—that guy only cared about romance.
He had absolutely no desire to expand his territory, making him completely unsuitable.
After weighing their options, they felt General Dog was a good choice.
After all, though General Dog was not part of the Xiaotian Imperial Clan, he was still of the dog race.
He was considered an old-guard power within the demon race, and the forces under his command were far from weak.
Hearing that the Northern Province was willing to support his bid for the throne, General Dog hesitated.
Seeing General Dog's reaction, Blood Refining Demon Lord chuckled sinisterly once more:
“General Dog, I've heard that the current Demon Emperor isn't very fond of you!”
Hearing this, General Dog’s eyes flickered.
He was well aware that the Demon Emperor disliked him.
In truth, it was because the Demon Emperor had wanted to marry his concubine-born daughter.
On the wedding day, his wife had her legitimate daughter take the concubine-born daughter's place in the bridal sedan chair.
Who could have known that this would directly infuriate the Demon Emperor?
That day, the Demon Emperor went completely mad. He not only killed General Dog's legitimate daughter but also executed his wife...
He had even slaughtered his wife's entire family.
On that day, the Demon Emperor turned the entire imperial city into a river of blood...
If he hadn't been the Empress's biological father, he probably would have been killed as well.
From that day onward, his status had been suppressed.
Previously, his standing within the entire demon race had been exceptionally transcendent.
But after this incident, the Demon Emperor directly promoted General Tiger, who had only recently broken through.
The military power in his hands was also diluted.
Though the Demon Emperor had not taken any further action against him over the years,
he could still sense the Demon Emperor's lingering displeasure.
At this thought, General Dog suddenly turned his gaze toward Blood Refining Demon Lord:
“Can you kill the Demon Emperor?”
“Hehehe... As long as you agree to cooperate, three of our Northern Province's Unity-stage cultivators will join forces to slaughter that little puppy...”
Hearing this, General Dog's eyes gleamed with a trace of ruthlessness.
“It's a deal... But you cannot touch General Tiger or Minister Fox.”
He had already thought it through. As long as the Northern Province helped him kill the Demon Emperor and ascend to the throne, he would be fine as long as he left the interests of General Tiger and Minister Fox untouched.
In fact, if he gave them even more benefits, they would swallow any grievances they might have.
After all, they would also fear that he might conspire with the Northern Province's demonic cultivators to eliminate them.
Naturally, if the Northern Province's demonic cultivators ever tried to turn on him, he could still join forces with General Tiger and the others.
When that time came, he wouldn't have to worry about General Tiger and the others refusing to compromise.
After all, if he died, they would also be targeted by the Northern Province's Unity-stage cultivators and would find it hard to survive...
Blood Refining Demon Lord gave a sinister nod upon hearing General Dog's condition.
He knew exactly what General Dog was thinking.
However, they truly had no intentions of annexing the demon race for the time being.
The plump morsel that was the Eastern Province was far more appetizing than the demon race. Even if the Northern Province wanted to make a move on the demon race,
that would be a matter for the future...
Having reached an agreement, the two of them began discussing the finer details of their cooperation.
Meanwhile, at Minister Fox's residence, a Supreme Elder of the Haoran Sect spoke with a beaming smile:
“Minister Fox, do you want to become the Demon Emperor?”
“No.”
Minister Fox replied, his eyes flickering.
The Supreme Elder of the Haoran Sect choked.
He had not expected Minister Fox to reject him so bluntly.
“Are you truly not interested in the position of Demon Emperor at all?”
Minister Fox nodded with certainty. “I prefer being the minister.”
The Haoran Sect Supreme Elder frowned. He had not anticipated that this fellow would have zero interest in the throne.
His eyes flickering, he spoke once more:
“Are you familiar with Break-Stage Grass?”
Hearing this, Minister Fox raised an eyebrow.
How could he not know about Break-Stage Grass?
Their Fox Princess, Bai Yaoyao, had entered the All Beings Equal secret realm precisely because of the Break-Stage Grass.
In the end, all the other foxes had died; only Bai Yaoyao survived.
However, her divine sense had been severely damaged, and she was still recovering within the clan.
The reason their Fox Clan had gone to such great lengths to search for the Break-Stage Grass
was that his lifespan was nearing its end. The only reason he had managed to hold on until now was because he had consumed a Star Snow Lotus to extend his life.
As of now, none of the younger generation in his clan had broken through to the Unity stage.
If he were to die, it would be incredibly difficult for the Fox Clan to survive.
The Fox Clan was not suited for combat, and their beauty made them easy targets to become playthings among the other demon races.
In fact, the Fox Clan had started making preparations many years ago.
That was why he had entered the imperial court himself. He hoped that after his passing,
the Demon Emperor would afford them some protection out of respect for him,
giving the clan enough time to produce another Unity-stage expert. Who could have expected that this generation's Demon Emperor would turn out to be such a hopeless romantic?
He spent all his days in love, completely ignoring any official business.
Thus, the Fox Clan was currently in desperate need of the Break-Stage Grass.
Whether it was for his own breakthrough or to nurture another Unity-stage expert to shield his people, it was vital.
Because of this, he had never once harbored ambitions of becoming the Demon Emperor. All he wanted was to find a sliver of hope for his clan's survival.
“Do you know where the Break-Stage Grass is?”
Hearing Minister Fox's inquiry, the Haoran Sect's Grand Elder curled his lips slightly. Indeed, no human or demon could resist the temptation of elevating their cultivation.
“The Break-Stage Grass is right here in your demon territory...”
Hearing the Haoran Sect Grand Elder's words, Minister Fox looked up in disbelief.
“In whose hands?”
The Haoran Sect Grand Elder shook his head.
“We don't know! But we suspect it's in the hands of the Demon Emperor...”
They had only learned it was within the demon race by seeking out Shi Banxian for a divination.
Yet, when they asked Shi Banxian to calculate whose hands it was in,
Shi Banxian's face turned pale, and he coughed up blood, nearly losing his life on the spot.
In the end, he failed to determine its possessor.
Shi Banxian had declared right then and there that he was washing his hands of the business and would never perform divination again.
Thus, they were also highly curious about whose hands this Break-Stage Grass had actually fallen into.
To cause Shi Banxian to suffer such a severe backlash and even announce his retirement.
Ultimately, after discussing with several Supreme Elders from the Dingyuan Sect, they all suspected it was with the Demon Emperor.
Hearing the Haoran Sect Elder's account, Minister Fox's mind raced. He felt that it was likely not in the Demon Emperor's possession.
If the Demon Emperor had it, that hopeless romantic would have given it to the Empress long ago.
After all, the Empress's cultivation had been stuck at the 5th-rank for ages.
But if it wasn't with the Demon Emperor, then whose hands was it in?
General Dog? Or General Tiger?
Or could it be with the 98th Prince? Whether others had noticed the 98th Prince's anomalies, he didn't know.
But he had certainly detected a difference in the 98th Prince.
At some point recently, the 98th Prince had undergone a massive change.
The aura radiating from him was incredibly extraordinary.
Seeing the shifting light in Minister Fox's eyes, the Haoran Sect Elder spoke again:
“Well? Before your Demon Emperor has a chance to use the Break-Stage Grass, why don't we just kill him...?”
Rate on N.U.
