The greatest flaw with otherfolk was their difficulty to reproduce, so they viewed every single clansmen with great importance. It was even more so the case in an era when humanity prospered. Even their weakest clansmen could potentially produce powerful offspring.
The Fire Melt mountains stretched hundreds of kilometers, but the fire devourers only amounted to a little over a hundred thousand. There were approximately a hundred thousand that had not undergone the first heavenly tribulation, but killing these fire devourers was much more difficult than killing a million or ten million mortals. It was only possible if the entire mountain range was destroyed.
However, that was virtually impossible. Across the entire Mist province, only the Great Banyan Tree King and the King of Southern Yue’s estate possessed that power, but if they declared a war like that, they would definitely end up paying a corresponding price. Daemon Kings and great cultivators would definitely end up dying.
Don’t tell me it’s another scheme by that old dog from the king’s estate, wanting to swindle me out of the Lost Stalks of the King of Yue! However, wouldn’t a lie like this just be too foolish? Gong Yuan stared at Ru Xin coldly and thought to herself.
“I want to use the lives of all fire devourers that have not undergone a heavenly tribulation in the Fire Melt mountains to exchange for something in your possession, your majesty,” Ru Xin repeated calmly. Even the tone of her voice remained the same.
“Alright, let’s hear your brilliant idea,” Gong Yuan asked with an open mind.
“The security of Fire Melt mountain is tight, so logically speaking, you have to kill the Fire Devouring Kings and take Fire Melt mountain before you can massacre fire devourers. However, even great cultivators cannot achieve something like that.”
“You can cut to the chase. Stop going in circles,” Gong Yuan said impatiently.
“Alright. I’ve studied the path of medicine for many years, which gave me an idea. Your majesty, have you ever heard of plagues?” Ru Xin asked.
“Fire devourers feed off fire and are impervious to disease, so how can they be susceptible to plagues? Is that your idea?” Gong Yuan asked.
“Regular plagues obviously won’t work. Please examine this, your majesty.” Ru Xin fished out a greyish-white rock from her sumeru ring.
Water swept the rock over to Gong Yuan. She glanced at it and said, “This is just an ordinary rock. What’s your point?”
“Don’t you find the shape of the rock a little familiar, your majesty?”
“Hmm?” Gong Yuan had only checked the rock with her soul sense to see if there was anything strange about it. Only with Ru Xin’s reminder did she take a closer look and reveal a hint of surprise. “That looks like the heart of a fire devourer!”
The hearts of fire devourers were akin to the daemon cores of daemons. However, daemons condensed their daemon cores after birth, while fire devourers were born with hearts. It served as the source of their power. However, it should have been glowing with scarlet red light and filled with dense fire spiritual qi.
“That’s right. This is the end result from being infected by the plague. The hearts of fire devourers will turn into lifeless rock. I’ve already experimented on many fire devourers, and this plague is highly infectious. It also has a certain level of latency. Once it erupts, death is certain, which is why I’ve called it ‘Stoneheart’,” said Ru Xin.
“You’ve just found a random rock and sculpted it into the shape of a heart before telling me a bunch of boastful lies. Do you think I’ll believe you?” Gong Yuan closed her hand gently, and the stone heart shattered. She waved her hand. “See her off!”
Ru Xin bowed and actually said nothing more, leaving without the slightest hesitation.
Gong Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Speaking of which, her figure from behind did seem rather familiar, but she was unable to recall where she had seen her before.
Ru Xin was about to leave through the entrance when Gong Yuan’s voice rang out from behind. “Stop right there!”
“What else do you want, your majesty?” As if she had been anticipating this, Ru Xin turned around gently.
“Who are you exactly?”
The sense of familiarity became even more intense after seeing her manner of turning around. Gong Yuan had a vague feeling that she had some kind of mysterious connection with this masked visitor, like an invisible thread that linked them together.
At her realm of cultivation, a feeling was not merely a feeling anymore. It was almost akin to divination.
“You shouldn’t be concerned about my identity, but our deal, your majesty.” Ru Xin reminded her.
“You said you’ve studied the path of medicine, but I don’t recall the Myriad Poison cult having something like a path of medicine. Even across the entire Mist province, there aren’t a lot of disciples of the school of Medicine. If what you said is true, that you’ve gone to such great lengths to refine a disease that targets fire devourers, is it really just for a deal with me?” Gong Yuan doubted.
“What’s wrong with that?” Ru Xin answered with a question.
Gong Yuan curled her right index finger, and the flowing water before Ru Xin suddenly condensed into a blade of ice, thin and transparent, such that it was almost invisible. It was even sharper than a knife.
With Ru Xin’s cultivation, having only undergone the second heavenly tribulation recently, it was absolutely impossible for her to react in time. She just felt an icy-cold sensation sweep past her face, and her mask silently split into two.
After seeing her appearance, Gong Yuan, who had always been so cold and dignified, was overcome with disbelief and shock. She cried out involuntarily, “Little sister!” However, she immediately returned to her senses. “No, that’s impossible. Who are you exactly?”
Her appearance did bear some resemblance, but there was some dissimilarity as well. The sense of familiarity in that moment had just been too strong, overlapping with her memories, which was why the false impression occurred. Her little sister’s expression had never been so cold. Even when she left the South sea, her expression had been as gentle as ever.
“Your little sister is already dead. Of course, she can’t stand before you again.” Ru Xin’s face seemed like it had been carved from white jade. Apart from her moving lips, she did not have the slightest expression at all. Her voice was so calm that it seemed like she was narrating a truth that had nothing to do with her.
“So it’s you, you wretched spawn!” Gong Yuan said sternly.
At this moment, she no longer just felt familiarity, but a deep connection of blood. The distant matters of the past flooded her mind, leaving her with a multitude of emotions. Did she feel regret? Did she feel guilt? For a moment, she was unable to clearly describe what she was feeling.
“It’s me, the wretched spawn. I never thought you would still remember me, your majesty. I’m still alive, which must be very disappointing, right? How’s it? After seeing my face, are you a little more interested in our deal?” Ru Xin said.
“I didn’t want that conclusion either. I originally thought they could leave the Mist province… Whatever. Countless clansmen have died to the hands of the fire devourers. Even if she’s my younger sister, she’s just one of them. Since I’m the king, I can’t be biased. Regardless of whether you’re telling the truth or not, just stay behind. I will avenge you!”
Gong Yuan forced back her various feelings and recovered her calmness as a Merfolk Queen. If what she said was true, then she had to place her under her control. This would be a supreme treasure for defeating the fire devourers, and it might even be able to end the war for good.
“Unfortunately, I don’t need you to avenge me. Even if I need to depend on the powers of others, you wouldn’t be one of them.”
“That is not a request. It’s an order.”
“That would be even more unfortunate then. I’m not a Merfolk, so I don’t need to follow the Merfolk Queen’s orders. If you don’t want to go forward with the deal, then I’m leaving.” Ru Xin turned around without the slightest hesitation after saying that.
“That’s not up for you to decide!” Gong Yuan’s eyes turned cold, and she reached out with her right hand.
The water beside Ru Xin immediately froze into a cage of ice. A sneer finally appeared on her face.
With a flash of green light and a rumble, the cage of ice shattered. The entire palace shook.
The Myriad Poison Ancestor suddenly appeared in the residence of the merpeople. With a wave of his hand, balls of poisonous fire collided against the icy-blue coldness.
ps: 月票榜很激烈啊，又落回三十一名了，继续两更，继续前进啊!
