The Second Empress seed to notice Sharky’s confusion and explained gently, "The so-called Ghoul Races are the collective term for certain pitch-black, sinister beings. They are said to originate from another terrifying world altogether."
"A long, long ti ago, the Fiend Races united with the other clans of this realm to repel their invasion. That battle was so fierce that the heavens dimd for seven days and nights. After countless lives were lost, the opening they ca through was finally sealed. That seal beca what we now call the Netherworld Seal."
Sharky’s brows furrowed slightly.
The Scaled Deathworm I encountered in the Frost Clan’s mines... that thing also felt like it didn’t belong in this world.
Could those creatures be part of the Ghoul Races too?
"The war against the Ghouls was bitter and cruel," the Second Empress went on softly. "Countless mighty beings perished back then. If not for that war, the human race might never have had a chance to rise."
She sighed. "And yet, the Ghouls were too powerful. Over ti, the Netherworld Seal began to weaken. Every so often, the barrier falters, allowing small groups of Ghouls to slip through."
"Though their numbers are far fewer than in the ancient war, each breach brings calamity. Thus, the Fiend Races must regularly send armies to eradicate those invaders, and dispatch experts to reinforce the Seal."
Sharky nodded slowly.
So that’s how it is... To them, this world is like a treasure-filled dungeon, and they’ll never stop trying to break in.
The Second Empress continued solemnly, "Even though these recent invasions are smaller in scale, we still suffer heavy losses each ti. And now, according to the Little Golden Peng King, the number of Ghouls appearing near the Seal is far greater than before. Dealing with them will be an extrely dangerous task."
A silence fell over the hall. Everyone’s eyes turned toward the Second Prince, who stood trembling and pale.
Sharky’s gaze grew calm and unreadable. He looked down from the throne of black fla and said slowly,
"Second Prince... are you willing to defend the Netherworld Seal and atone for your cris with your own life?"
The words echoed through the chamber like thunder.
The Second Prince’s face went deathly white, he naturally knew how dangerous the Netherworld Seal was. In the past, the armies sent there had all suffered casualties of at least twenty percent of their n.
The scale was even greater this ti, so it would definitely be even more dangerous. Even if it wasn’t entirely without a chance of survival, the n he had raised so carefully would definitely suffer severe casualties there.
But under the crushing pressure of Sharky’s divine will and the fiery gaze of the Golden Phoenix behind him, he could only fall to his knees.
"I... I am willing, Your Majesty."
Sharky’s golden eyes glimred with authority as he turned toward the Second Empress and asked in a calm but commanding voice, "Second Empress, what do you think?"
The Great Elder fell silent imdiately, understanding that the new Fiend Emperor had already assud the right to judge.
The Second Empress lowered her gaze respectfully and answered, "Your Majesty, if the Second Prince is willing to atone with his own strength, then I have no objections."
Then, after a pause, she raised her head slightly and added in a gentler tone, her words carrying both reason and care, "After all, the Netherworld Seal is not sothing ordinary cultivators can withstand."
"The Ghouls beyond it are ferocious, and each ti they appear, the conflict lasts for years. Sending the Second Prince there will serve a dual purpose—it will allow him to atone for his cris and protect the Fiend races at the sa ti."
Her voice softened further, yet her eyes glimred with sharp understanding.
"Furthermore, Your Majesty, the royal bloodline has nearly been wiped out. The young prince is still far too young to rule, and the four great generals each command their own armies."
"The throne must hold a balance of power for now. Leaving the Second Prince alive under your command, will ensure that those who covet the throne think twice. He will serve as both sword and shield for the Empire."
Sharky listened silently. The golden flas behind him flickered like waves, reflecting in his eyes as he weighed her words.
Finally, he spoke, his voice steady and final, "Very well. The Second Prince will be sent to the Netherworld Front. He will guard the Seal until the last breath leaves his body. From this day onward, his titles and privileges are stripped. His only duty is to fight and die, defending our realm."
His decree echoed through the hall, rippling like thunder.
The Second Prince gave the Imperial Palace a deep look, his gaze filled with unwillingness. However, he still clenched his teeth and said, "Yes... Your Majesty. I will do as you bid!"
The gathered nobles and generals knelt as one, their voices resounding across the court: "Long live His Majesty the Fiend Emperor!"
The Golden Phoenix behind Sharky unfurled its blazing wings, showering the great hall in golden light, a sign that the true era of the new Fiend Emperor had begun.
---
Afterward, the elders formally acknowledged Sharky as the new Fiend Emperor.
Still, to preserve the royal bloodline, the young prince was symbolically appointed as the nominal successor.
After the succession was settled, rewards and punishnts were distributed. Those who had supported the rebellion were executed or exiled, while those who had proven their loyalty were properly rewarded.
The most dangerous individuals had already been dealt with by Sharky earlier, leaving only Duantian Chou, whose cris were too grave to be ignored. Nearly everyone demanded his death.
But just as the execution order was about to be issued, the Great Elf King stepped forward and said calmly, "If His Majesty permits, allow to take this one away."
Sharky raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Respected uncle," he asked, "what do you plan to do with him?"
The Great Elf King smiled, his expression serene yet oddly proud. "Of course, I will use this mirror to admire myself every day—and make him look at ."
Sharky blinked, confused.
The Great Elf King puffed out his chest and declared with complete seriousness, "To kill him through beauty!"
Sharky fell silent, staring blankly for a mont before rubbing his forehead. "...I see. As long as he doesn’t return, you may take him."
The other rulers, the rmaid Princess, Alina, Peacock Wise King, and Golden Peng King, exchanged looks of disbelief before bursting into laughter. The heavy atmosphere that had gripped the hall finally lifted.
Once the major offenders were dealt with and order was restored, the remaining political matters were left in the Second Empress’s care.
She handled the internal affairs and stabilization of the Fiend Empire, while Sharky withdrew to prepare for his new responsibilities as the Emperor chosen by the heavens.
The Phoenix fla that had once hovered behind him still lingered faintly in the air above the throne, a reminder to all that the new age of the Fiend Races had truly begun.
---
Then, the entire Imperial Palace began its preparations for Sharky’s ascension to the throne.
After the chaos that had taken place earlier, the palace remained under heavy guard. To avoid any unexpected incidents, Sharky stayed within his own chamber, quietly restoring his strength.
Though his body seed at rest, his spirit was fully alert and ready to strike at a mont’s notice should any danger arise.
---
After so ti passed, a soft and lodious voice sounded from outside the door.
"Your Majesty," the Second Empress called gently, her tone filled with both respect and warmth, "may I co in?"
The voice outside the door really was a bit too cute and lovely. Sharky felt heat stir within him when he heard it. However, he quickly cald himself down and said, "Please co in."
The door quickly opened. A woman dressed in an empress’ splendid attire walked in. It was apparent that she had to use her status as the Fiend Empress to convince the masses.
She was dressed in a flowing gown of deep purple silk, her long black hair cascading down her back in gentle waves. Her almond shaped eyes sparkled with intelligence and curiosity as she gazed at Sharky.
"Your Majesty," she said, curtsying gracefully. "I hope I’m not disturbing you. I just wanted to check on your wellbeing and offer my congratulations on your impending ascension to the throne."
A look of surprise flickered through Sharky’s eyes when he saw the Second Empress close the door behind her.
She stepped into the room, her movents fluid and graceful. As she approached Sharky’s bedside, he caught a whiff of her perfu, a delicate blend of jasmine and sandalwood that stirred his senses.
"I must say," she continued, her voice low and soothing, "you look much improved since our last eting. The healing elixirs must be working wonders."
Her gaze lingered on Sharky’s face for a mont before drifting down to his chest, where the blanket lay draped across his torso.
"Have you finished dealing with everything?" he asked curiously. Since he was chosen as the next Fiend Emperor, the entire Imperial Palace was busy preparing for the official ceremony the next day. The young prince was still too little and needed his mother to take care of everything, so she definitely had to be busy beyond belief.
"There are so many things to do, so how can it all be done already?" the Second Empress replied, yawning and stretching. Her wonderful curves ca into full view.
Then, she smiled toward Sharky and continued, "But compared to those things, it is more important for to give your majesty attention."
Her figure swayed back and forth as she walked to a special rhythm. Her entire body constantly emanated an irresistible aura of seduction.
Sharky felt as if the ki he had finally gotten under control was showing signs of surging randomly again. He couldn’t help but frown.
He knew that even though there were quick results from absorbing others’ cultivation like this, there were also many hidden dangers.
That was especially true for soone like Sir Fu, whose ki had been absorbed from countless others to begin with, making it even more impure.
The Second Empress arrived at his side. She sat down on a chair as if she had just returned to her own ho...
She maintained a distance that was too close. The Second Empress’s cherry lips opened slightly, and she began to report on so of the more important details regarding what she had done so far.
"Your Majesty already knows that the Second Prince was sent out to defend the Netherworld Seal. Apart from that, even though the Crown Prince scheming against the late Fiend Emperor and tonight’s events are matters of rebellion, all of the various forces have reached a compromise that we will not release this to the public and preserve his reputation."
"The first reason is so that we can appease the forces loyal to the Crown Prince, and the second reason is as a way of consoling the Peacock Wise King."
"Otherwise, the Crown Prince sched against the Fiend Emperor and killed his brothers; these are cris that would be completely deserving of clan eradication," she continued, her expression turning a bit strange
"It is known that the Peacock Wise King’s daughter was about to wed the Crown Prince. If we really looked into it, she would also end up being involved. That is why it is better for everyone if this matter is not dealt with too severely."
The Second Empress told him. continued. She looked at Sharky with her misty eyes, carrying an expression that seed to contain endless affection.
Sharky knew that this woman was using her charm skills on him again. He calmly said, "He’s already dead; I’m not so narrow-minded. We’ll just do things as you planned."
Reviews
All reviews (0)