Today marked the final day of confusion in Dragonsea City. Combined with the enormous kerfuffle raised by the Robber Couple—kings that’d previously departed from the city to attack foreigners returned with mixed feelings.
They were currently situated in the tallest building at the city’s center and looked down on everything.
“Those two hold all of the identity tokens for the Dragonling Assembly, don’t they?” The Dragonsea city lord’s expression was less than pleasant.
The gathering was meant to be a glorious display of talent from around the realm. One could still retain their participation privileges even if they were defeated, but that didn’t appear possible this time given how things had developed.
“This matter is no one’s fault,” shrugged Crippled Dragon King. “Dragonhollow Mountain should’ve anticipated that this kind of situation would take place, given that they’d made that kind of decision. There are more than a few heaven-defying geniuses in the Hongmeng.”
He didn’t think much of anything since he was fully confident in the seven geniuses from Azure Dragon City. The young man with green hair, in particular, had once defeated a second step ghost king by himself. He was a secluded genius secretly nurtured by Azure Dragon City, much like Qing Ting and Golden Dragon of their respective factions. All of them had emerged from seclusion specifically for this Dragonling Assembly.
Golden Dragon, however, had been defeated. It remained to be seen whether Qing Ting or the green-haired young man was superior.
Dragonsea City was a faction under Dragonhollow Mountain’s banner, and her city lord one of the mountain’s elders. He glanced at the Crippled Dragon King and inclined his head without further comment.
“The youngsters from Azure Dragon and Coiling Dragon are really going all out. If one side loses, they might actually be hung on the city walls… This fight should be called the Battle of the City Walls,” the Fog King of Crouching Dragon City remarked with schadenfreude.
Dragonfeather nodded. “It is indeed the Battle of the City Walls. It won’t be pretty no matter who wins.”
“Are you afraid, Dragonfeather?” smirked Crippled Dragon.
“Just a tad,” Dragonfeather replied coolly. “I am rather afraid that these two young’uns will hang the Azure Dragon City geniuses on the city walls. My two fists can only handle so many attackers and I might be overwhelmed by Azure Dragon’s revenge.”
“Hahahaha!!” Crippled Dragon threw his head back with laughter. “You’re as glib-tongued as always. How about a bet?”
“Oh?” Dragonfeather blinked.
“I hear that your city lord’s newly obtained a half step Hongmeng Treasure. If our Qing Di hangs your Qing Ting and Champion Duke on the city walls, how about you give it up to us?” Crippled Dragon smiled as Dragonfeather frowned.
“And what if Qing Ting and the Champion Duke hangs your geniuses up on the walls?” he replied expressionlessly.
Qing Ting purchasing a half step Hongmeng treasure from the Firmament Pavilion hadn’t been a secret. Anyone could easily find out through simple investigation.
“Then we forfeit a half step Hongmeng treasure to you too! And we will absolutely not seek vengeance on Coiling Dragon City—how about it?” Crippled Dragon smiled through narrowed eyes.
“That will do.” Dragonfeather agreed with a nod.
Crippled Dragon was a seventh step king and many times stronger than Dragonfeather. But given the numbers of high level kings present, Crippled Dragon wouldn’t possibly go back on his words.
“I would request the two ladies of the Immortal Pagoda and the Trueriver King to bear witness. After all, the Champion Duke is a disciple of the Trueriver Sect.” Dragonfeather raised a cupped fist salute to Qing Yu, the little fox, and the Trueriver King.
“We will.” Qing Yu nodded. “But this Battle of the City Walls doesn’t just involve Azure Dragon and Coiling Dragon, it pertains to the Immortal Pagoda as well. It would lose face for us if the Champion Duke swung from the city walls.
“How about this, the Immortal Pagoda will bet a Hongmeng treasure. It’s yours if we lose, and you must pay us one if we win.”
Crippled Dragon gaped at Qing Yu. He didn’t know her background, but her words were a bit frightening. A Hongmeng treasure?
Were these ultimate treasures cabbages by the side of the road, to be bought and sold however one wished?
Qing Ting had been able to purchase the half step treasure simply because it was a half step, not a real ultimate Hongmeng treasure.
A true ultimate treasure couldn’t be measured in terms of purple crystals. Their market price was undefinable and one could only hope to happen across one. There was one such treasure in Azure Dragon City—part of the city’s foundations and not something that the Crippled Dragon King could make the decision on.
Trueriver smiled ruefully; his sect was well and truly tied to the Immortal Pagoda now. But… that didn’t seem so undesirable. It looked like the Immortal Pagoda had only gifted them nine thousand premium crystal veins, but they’d actually sent over much more than that.
“Fine, fine, then it’s the Immortal Pagoda. There’s nothing that bad about them,” he mumbled to himself.
“Young lady… does the Immortal Pagoda possess an ultimate Hongmeng treasure?” Crippled Dragon asked with some condescension.
“Yes.” Qing Yu nodded and flipped her hand, materializing a small black flag. “This flag is the Duskwater Flag, an ultimate treasure that can both defend and attack. Will it do?”
A strange note hummed through the atmosphere as almost all gazes shot to the flag, thick greed and desire brimming in them.
In the Azure Dragon Region, only Azure Dragon City and Dragonhollow Mountain possessed ultimate treasures. Here was another one in the girl’s hands!
Dragonfeather shuddered and firmly grasped his emotions in hand. He knew full well that this girl was most likely a ninth step king!
Crippled Dragon swallowed hard and exchanged a glance with Azure Scaled-Dragon. They nodded to each other.
“I must discuss this with the city lord.” Crippled Dragon took out a communication talisman. “…accepted! The city lord agrees to bet against you with our Hongmeng Pearl!”
He looked again at the Duskwater Flag, his greed wholly unconcealed. There was likely no one in the Hongmeng who could withstand the allure of an ultimate treasure of the realm.
“Then may the Dragonsea city lord bear witness,” Miao smiled at the city lord.
“The Immortal Pagoda is quite awash in wealth to bring out even an ultimate treasure!” he chuckled.
……
Lu Yun, Qing Ting, Qing Di, and the others of Azure Dragon City naturally didn’t know about the kings’ bet, or that their fight had been named the “Battle of the City Walls”. They’d certainly protest if they knew—this wasn’t a battle, it was going to be a one-sided beating!
But they were deadly serious about the fight. Lu Yun swung his sword with dashing flair, calling upon his sword dao and executed two half step kings.
Executed!
It was impossible to show mercy in a fight of this caliber, only the death of one side was possible. They would kill with one stroke when the opportunity presented itself!
Qing Ting also killed one, but the remaining four battled with increasing ferocity. Ghost Dragon and another half step king targeted Lu Yun, while Qing Di and the remaining half step king blocked Qing Ting.
Many of the city’s buildings were destroyed in their fearsome battle.
