When it had finished saying what it was supposed to, the communication talisman slowly turned black. It disintegrated into ash and disappeared.
Everyone in the entire command center looked at Hong Dali to see what he would decide.
“Dali, they want you to go alone. This is probably a trap.” Tang Muxin looked at Hong Dali and said anxiously, “It’s best that you don’t go if possible. More importantly, there’s no need for you to take this risk.”
“That’s right, Young Master.” Li Nianwei also nodded in agreement. “We don’t know what the other party is thinking. We’re unable to clearly grasp the situation and there’s no need to put yourself in danger. If you really must go, we can send someone else to check out the situation first.”
At this time, Li Yang shouted loudly, “Young Master, let me go. I’ll disguise myself as you. That will be safer, at least.”
Everyone was extremely concerned about Hong Dali’s safety, but he was not worried at all. He stood up with a grin and said, “Relax, if he really wanted to kill me, none of us would be able to escape when Tang Zhen really shows up. I’m sure he just wants to meet me. There’s no need to be afraid.”
He was right. If Tang Zhen really wanted to kill him, none of them would have been alive after his previous visit. It was obvious that was not the case. Tang Zhen really had a good eye…
“Then I’ll accompany you!” Tang Muxin pouted. “Even if there’s danger, at least I’ll be there to accompany you.”
Li Nianwei was resolute. “I’ll go too.” She uttered only these few words, but they fully encompassed all her thoughts.
“I’m going too!” “I’m going too!” Ling Xiaoyi, Li Yang, Zhang Yi, Jiang Qianxue, and the others all demanded to go. They were all very determined as if they had every intention of dying if he did not allow them to accompany him.
“Alright, it’s just a meeting anyway. Let’s go together.” Hong Dali nodded helplessly. “Let’s set off now. Everyone, transform into King Knights. Since we’re going to meet the enemy, we have to be more intimidating. Hehe.”
Things were thus settled. Hong Dali brought all the lackeys with him to meet Jiang Shili, Tang Zhen’s head apprentice.
…
Among the stars in space.
Jiang Shili stood quietly in front of the Cultivator’s fleet, which was about 50 million kilometers away from Tuka Planet.
He stood quietly in the universe surrounded by three cultivator guards who did not know his true strength.
“Venerable One,” one of the guards whispered, “Twelve hours have passed. Will Hong Dali really dare to show up?”
“I don’t think so.” Another guard shook his head. “Not everyone has the courage to come alone. Isn’t he afraid that we will capture him?”
“Well, if he really dares to come, I must test him out.” The third guard said with a smile, “The person who can catch the fancy of the Master is probably quite strong. However, I don’t know how powerful he might be. We should try him out.”
“I think you’re underestimating this person.” Jiang Shili shook his head and sighed softly. “Master rarely commend a young man like this. He said this person is not bad. Master is never wrong.”
When Jiang Shili said this, the three guards immediately stopped talking.
These three people, who seemed to be Jiang Shili’s guards, were actually powerful men in their own right. They were subdued by Devil Lord Tang Zhen and became his top henchmen, the Powerful Three. They were extremely powerful and had a bright future ahead of them.
The four of them stood in the universe and waited. Soon, a guard shouted, “Look, something is coming!”
By now, everyone had seen it. In the vast universe, a huge golden creature flew swiftly towards them. The creature was at least 50 kilometers long and it looked ferocious. Standing on the creature’s head were more than a dozen people. They could not be recognized as their faces were all hidden under the full suit of armor they were wearing. Only the person right in front, clad in shiny golden armor from head to toe and radiating golden light exposed his face. It was a pleasant face that no one could hate.
“Oh, he came.” Jiang Shili smiled and showed no sign of fear for the giant monster. He went right up to them. As the two sides closed in on each other, a strange space enveloped both sides. This space was like a room. What was most strange about this space was that it actually had air and they would be able to communicate in here!
Jiang Shili greeted Hong Dali with an elegant clasp of his fist. He smiled and said, “The Devil Lord’s head disciple Jiang Shili greets your Excellency. The Master’s evaluation of your Excellency is very high, and I’m greatly curious. I’ve invited you here for a chat, please forgive me if I have offended you. How should I address you?”
He spoke politely, without a trace of displeasure at Hong Dali for bringing such a big group with him. His tone was as natural as if he were chatting with an old friend.
“I’m Hong Dali.” Hong Dali smiled as he announced his name. “Oh, Brother Jiang is so handsome and dashing, cool and charming, young and well-read, clever and lively, exuberant and cute, elegant and dignified, poised and extraordinary, one of ten outstanding young people in the country, learned to read at three, martial arts at seven, talented, well educated, well versed in astronomy and geography, as well as agriculture and zoology. You know everything, you can do everything, you’ve been everywhere. Whenever you travel, beautiful women turn their heads to look at you and handsome men jump to their death in shame. Your strengths are as many as the torrential flow of the river and as diverse as the flooding of the Yellow River. It’s unstoppable. You’re the dragon amongst humans, an unmatched genius. I feel envious, jealous, and hateful!”
He spoke so eloquently. Tang Muxin and the others behind him laughed so hard they fell on the ground. The originally tense atmosphere suddenly became much more relaxed.
Jiang Shili was also amused by Hong Dali’s words. He said with a smile, “Brother Hong is really an amazing person. After meeting you, I know that Master’s words were true. Brother Hong’s steadfastness is really extraordinary.”
For Jiang Shili to have such an evaluation of a person was almost unheard of. In his heart, the Devil Lord was the ultimate best. For him to mention Tang Zhen while praising someone else was indeed extremely rare.
“Hahaha, you flatter me.” Hong Dali laughed and said, “Okay, let’s stop the idle chatter. Now that I’m here, Brother Jiang, please tell me what instruction you have for me. If we are to make peace, tell me the conditions. If we are to fight, set the location and I will accept your challenge.”
“Brother Hong is straightforward, indeed.” Jiang Shili said with satisfaction, “Okay. Since Brother Hong is so forward, I will not waste time. Master has specially appointed you to be my opponent, I’m afraid a truce is impossible. What’s left is to battle. However, as to how we are to battle, I would like to seek Brother Hong’s opinion.”
He had made himself very clear. Hong Dali had been designated by Tang Zhen as his opponent, so it was impossible for them to make peace. However, there were many ways the battle could proceed, depending on Hong Dali’s decision.
“Hehe, I knew the Devil Lord was a reasonable man.” Hong Dali looked at Jiang Shili with a smile and said, “Of course, there are big wars and small wars. A big war would depend on the total number of troops we are able to invest in. A small war means to reduce the scale and look only at the win or loss of a select group instead of overall casualties and deaths. Which does Brother Jiang intend to choose?”
Actually, Hong Dali would prefer it if they had a small war that required ten thousand or so people from each of their sides. However, he did not have too high hopes of such a thing happening.
Sure enough, Jiang Shili laughed and said, “Brother Hong is right, but a small battle is really boring. How about we go all out? I can invest one billion troops. Brother Hong can decide how many troops he intends to send out.”
He seemed deserving of being the Devil Lord’s disciple. Even the numbers he came up with were huge…
He had chosen a big war!
Hong Dali was thus a little depressed. He really did not want to send out too many troops. After all, as long there were battles, there would be casualties. The larger the scale, the more dead. However, his opponent had Tang Zhen supporting him. What could he do other than to agree? He had no choice. “Well, Brother Jiang is really a generous man. One billion! In that case, I have no choice but to follow your lead. I will send 10 billion!”
Hearing Hong Dali’s words, Jiang Shili’s Powerful Three were left gaping.
They had seen shameless people, but never one so shameless!
Our Venerable One deployed one billion troops, and you multiplied that number by 10?! Can you be any more shameless? Who plays like this?! Who does it like you?!
One of them immediately stood up and said angrily, “Hong Dali, don’t be such an ingrate! The Venerable One is already being very merciful by sending only one billion troops. And you actually want to send 10 times that number?! How can you be so audacious?!”
He was so annoyed his body flushed red. Coupled with his height of nearly 2.4 meters, it made him look extremely intimidating.
“Erm, I’m talking to your master, why did you jump in all excited?” Hong Dali squinted at the man, his lips pursed, and said, “Who are you? Tell me your name.”
“Humph. I’m one of the Powerful Three under the Devil Lord’s command, the Sky King Zhao Minghui!” Zhao Minghui puffed out his chest and announced his name.
Being one of the Powerful Three under the Devil Lord was something to be proud of. In this cultivator army, Zhao Minghui was like the lieutenant general. He was only one level below Marshal Tang Zhen and General Jiang Shili.
“Oh, he’s just an errand boy.” Hong Dali sniffled and said, “Li Yang, tell him who you are!”
“Okay!” Li Yang rushed forward and proclaimed. “Li Yang, Young Master’s Number Two lackey, greets the Sky King!”
Damn! I’m one of the Powerful Three. You actually sent a lackey out. Does that mean that this guy is on equal standing with me?
He could not tolerate that!
Zhao Minghui raised his long sword and pointed it at Li Yang. “Ignorant fool, come down if you have the guts. Let’s compete!”
