“After I met with the Spider Queen, I immediately ventured to Green Vine mountain to kill that old man. However, I ended up falling into Fu Qingjin of the Sword Collection palace’s trap, costing me my clone. After that, the Green Vine mountain became enveloped by the Duality Formation of Disintegration, preventing me from setting foot in there again.”
“The Duality Formation of Disintegration! You got through the Duality Formation of Disintegration?” Dragonsnail’s calm expression finally became slightly perturbed, and his speech sped up by quite a lot.
“You know about it, brother Dragonsnail? Honestly, I couldn’t get through the formation. I don’t think anyone present can get through it apart from ma’am Spider Queen. As a result, I bided my time and spent it scheming. I waited until last night when the members of the Daemon Suppression alliance gathered in an estate outside Clear River city.”
“Daemon Suppression alliance?” Strongboulder’s eyebrows became firmly furrowed. This name was nothing but a mockery of daemons.
“That’s right. The Daemon Suppression alliance is the same Daemon Suppression alliance composed of a combination of sects, led by the Sword Collection palace in the Clear River prefecture. Fu Qingjin seemed to be the one in charge.”
“Continue.” Spider Queen Lolth mulled over it.
“I followed them there and discovered a Foundation Establishment cultivator descending from the sky with a huge ship before leaving in front of everyone else. Afterwards, I learnt the ship was called the Soaring Dragon ship, a powerful mechanism created by humans. I followed it secretly. There were two Foundation Establishment cultivators on there…”
Li Qingshan told the entire story in a single breath, and the room fell silent. Alone, he hijacked a powerful warship of the humans, destroyed the formation around the Green Vine mountain, and killed the Green Vine Elder. Just how soul-stirring was this entire process? He had to possess both intelligence and courage to be able to achieve something like this.
“You’ve got something in you! What I admire the most are the powerful. You’re powerful enough and vicious enough!” Strongboulder laughed aloud, violently smacking Li Qingshan’s shoulder. Daemon qi suddenly surged out from his hand, slamming down with a weight of several thousand tonnes.
Boom! A huge pit appeared where Li Qingshan stood.
“I want to fight you even more now.” Strongboulder raised his head and laughed violently as his eyes shone.
“You’ll have the chance.” Li Qingshan dodged to one side, exercising his arm.
“You’re afraid that I’ll sell you out?” Spider Queen Lolth stood up and stared at Li Qingshan.
“Isn’t that exactly what you like?” Li Qingshan smiled. Betrayal, envy, chaos, pain. The Spider Queen had already unleashed everything in her nature, exhibiting it without any restraint. She showed off her wickedness just like how regular people showed off their kindness. The conflict between the night roamers would be better explained as a delight for her rather than for balance.
“Do you have any objections to that?”
“No. That’s exactly what makes you charming.”
“You’re very charming too, such that I almost want to have some fun with you, and then eat you mouthful by mouthful.” The Spider Queen made her way down from her throne slowly, touching Li Qingshan’s cheek. She licked her bright-red lips and said those words in a husky voice. She was terrifyingly enchanting.
A sliver of shock flashed across Ye Mingzhu’s eyes.
Li Qingshan shivered inside. He had heard about some common practices underground from Ye Liubo. One of them included every clan offering male night roamers to the Spider Queen every year. The Spider Queen would eat every single partner she slept with. There were no exceptions.
If someone was bold enough to become interested in her, then she would be the deadliest lover. However, the principle that daemons could not kill one another fortunately existed, so she would not touch daemons.
Li Qingshan raised his head slightly, inches away from hers. “You might have that chance in the future!”
“Oh? When?”
“When you can’t eat me.”
“You’re very daring!”
“This is just a clone after all. If my main body were here, I might have pissed myself already.” Li Qingshan shrugged.
“What reward do you want? State it!” The Spider Queen returned to her throne with a flash.
“I want to be the king of the night roamers!” Li Qingshan answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Aren’t you a little too bold?” The Spider Queen’s face suddenly changed, radiating with murderousness and sweetness. The night roamers were the toys most important to her, yet there was actually someone bold enough to ask for them from her.
Ye Mingzhu’s expression changed too, suddenly understanding what Li Qingshan meant when he said, “I’ll always personally fetch what I want.” She was teeming with ambition, but all she wanted was the Spider Shadow clan to become the strongest clan among the night roamers. Compared to his ambitions, it only seemed insignificant.
“If you won’t agree to it, then all I can do is abandon the territory and flee elsewhere.”
“Are you threatening me?” Spider Queen Lolth’s eyes squinted dangerously.
“Of course not. Since you’re reluctant to hand me over, the Daemon Suppression alliance will arrive very soon for revenge. My territory will definitely bear the brunt of the blow. The Daemon Suppression alliance is filled with powerful people, so only by gathering sufficient strength can I take them on in a battle to the death. Or should I say you’re satisfied with everything on a smaller scale?”
“We are on the brink of war. The night roamers are an extremely important force under your command, but right now, they’re still in a state of disunity. They will be of no use in times of crisis, defeated one by one in the end. I will unite them into a true sword within your grasp to fight the Daemon Suppression alliance. Isn’t this more interesting than just killing one another?”
Li Qingshan took a step forward, and his voice rang out clearly. This was his intention. As long as he could combine the power of the night roamers, they would become a powerful force no weaker than the Daemon Suppression alliance of the Clear River prefecture. He would also possess something he could rely on when he confronted Fu Qingjin. There would be no need for him to carry out any trade at all. The night roamers would have to offer various spiritual herbs to him.
The Spider Queen sank into her thoughts, as Li Qingshan’s words were reasonable. On the brink of war, gathering and consolidating strength was very important.
“Ma’am Spider Queen, you mustn’t!” Bloodshadow said in a hurry. If he ended up succeeding with this, his influence underground would completely surpass the three of them, becoming the most powerful Daemon General under the Spider Queen’s command.
“The three of them are all your seniors. They surpass you in both age and wisdom. If two of them support you, then I’ll agree to it. Right now, you already have someone objecting.” Spider Queen Lolth smiled.
“I’ll support him! I’ll support whatever you oppose!” Strongboulder said immediately, glancing at Bloodshadow scornfully.
“Strongboulder!” Bloodshadow’s voice became as cold as ice.
“However, I do have a condition. You must fight me with your main body. If you lose, then this position will go to me. How’s that?” Strongboulder pointed at Li Qingshan.
“No problem!” Li Qingshan smiled confidently. Daemons always spoke with one another using strength.
Now, only Dragonsnail remained. His back was hunched, and his head was lowered. He seemed like he was asleep. He was the wisest and the most mysterious Daemon General under the Spider Queen’s command. No one could guess his decision.
“Strongboulder, you may be powerful, but you lack the ability to lead,” Dragonsnail said slowly.
“If you want the position, then you can have it,” Strongboulder droned.
“I don’t have that energy. Bloodshadow, what do you think?”
“I support this motion, but my condition will be the same as Strongboulder’s.” Bloodshadow immediately changed his mind. If Dragonsnail supported him too, then the situation would be extremely disadvantageous to him. Perhaps this might have been a heaven-sent opportunity instead.
“I object,” said Dragonsnail slowly as he took a step back with his eyes shining.
