“Hahaha, idiot! What an idiot! I don’t even care if my own son is dead or alive, and he actually thinks that being my godson will bring him benefits!”
Andre sat alone in the meeting room. He raised his head and laughed lightly. His words were full of contempt for David. He had only hinted a little to him earlier, but he did not expect David to pick up so many deep meanings on his own.
However, what David did not expect was that Andre only treated him as a chess piece. He was a chess piece that would be used to pin down Dave!
As Andre wanted to control the government affairs and beliefs of Devil Flame City, he could not hand over the authority of City Lord and High Priest to the same person. He could only hand over the position of High Priest and City Lord to two different individuals who were hostile to each other. This way, Andre, who was hiding behind the scenes, could control Devil Flame City more easily.
David was unable to see through his profound plan at all!
Andre tapped his fingers on the desk rhythmically and muttered to himself, “It doesn’t matter whether Devil Flame City is peaceful or not. As long as it is still under my control, for the time being, it is enough. The most important thing now is to figure out how to continue extracting the Origin Divine Earth. The other places that are known to be able to get the Origin Divine Earth are all within the territory of the other apostles. If I go there recklessly, I might cause unnecessary trouble. It seems that I can only go to that place to think of a solution!”
At that moment, a Dark Elf soldier walked to the door and said respectfully, “City Lord, the matter of seclusion has been prepared!”
“I understand. You can go first! I will go into seclusion tonight. Remember to send me food on time. Don’t let anyone disturb me!” said Andre in a deep voice.
“Yes!”
The soldier who was waiting at the door agreed and left silently.
After the meeting hall fell into silence again, Andre suddenly stood up and walked to the window. He looked at the bright moon in the sky and shouted in a deep voice, “In the name of the Demon Race, give me the ability to hide in the dark night!”
Then, in the night, Andre’s body suddenly became illusory and completely disappeared in front of the window. No one knew where he went.
After a while, a mysterious and strange figure walked into the City Lord’s mansion. However, no one could see him.
This was because the person was not in the space where Elf World was, but in space parallel to the Elf World.
Vincent stood in the space tunnel whilst silently looking at the empty city hall. He then turned and walked toward the isolation room in the City Lord’s mansion.
In the isolation room, there was only a lunchbox that no one had touched. Other than that, there were no other signs of life.
“Sigh, looks like I’m late!” sighed Vincent softly.
However, there was no hint of disappointment in his expression. He turned around and left the City Lord’s mansion silently.
A peaceful night passed in an instant.
When the first ray of sunlight shone down, Vincent walked out of the guards’ lounge at the North City Gate. After a night of rest, his spirit and state had already recovered to their peak.
“Vincent, something bad has happened!”
At this moment, Dave suddenly walked up to the city gate with an ugly expression.
Vincent looked at Dave in surprise and asked softly, “Didn’t we agree yesterday? Leave the North City Gate to me. Don’t worry, your top priority is to try your best to recruit the other three city gate guards. Why are you here so early in the morning?”
Dave pulled Vincent’s arm and brought him to the city wall that was closest to the city. He pointed below and said, “You’ll know when you see it!”
Vincent looked down and saw a large group of parades on the street below. The procession was filled with clergy wearing long robes. It looked like they were holding a sacrificial ceremony for Gajero.
The Dark Elf who was walking at the front of the procession and wearing the long robe of the High Priest was David, who had been tricked by Vincent to the point that even his own father had died!
Vincent sighed disapprovingly, “Eh, how is he still alive?”
Dave frowned and said, “I only found out about it this morning. Not only did my father asked me to handle the internal affairs of the city on his behalf, but he had also let David become the new High Priest! Do you know what this b*stard is doing? He is using the ritual of the temple to sing praises of my father. He is also going to erect a statue for my father to be placed in the temple with Gajero to receive worshippers!”
Vincent could not help but smile and shake his head when he heard that. He sighed, “As expected of the City Lord who has been in charge of Devil Flame City for 20 years. Andre has kept the balance of power in check all this while. He intends to cultivate hostile forces in the city. That way, he can control all of you whilst being in the middle and not lose his power! It seems that this David is the first challenge that he has arranged for you!”
Dave nodded and said, “I can understand what you’re saying, but I just can’t stand David’s snobbish face! He has already paraded around the three east, west, and south gates this morning, and in the name of my father’s worship ceremony, he showed off his might to the three generals. He almost gave them orders directly. Isn’t this considered as stealing power from me?”
Vincent finally became serious. He said in a deep voice, “So, what Andre promised David is not just the position of High Priest; he might have even hinted to him that he could replace you. That’s why this David is so jumpy. It seems that he wants to look for a place in front of my North City Gate!”
Dave nodded and said, “That’s right. Anyone with a discerning eye can see it. Moreover, the three east, west, and south guard generals have already sent their spies to the vicinity. They want to see how you will deal with David’s sudden attack. At the same time, they also want to use this outcome as a reference to choose which side to stand on!”
Vincent frowned and said, “Why? Do the three generals still want to join David’s side? Then I think they should be stripped of their positions. At most, Your Highness will choose three more guard generals!”
After seeing that Vincent already had the intention to kill the other guard generals, Dave could not help but shudder. He quickly said, “Let’s first solve the problem of David! After all, we have just taken office not long ago. If we replace three senior guard generals so quickly, I’m afraid that it will cause panic among the public. It will not be conducive to the stability of Devil Flame City. It will also force my father to return to the main stage and take back the power that I have in my hands!”
Vincent shook his head and said, “Don’t worry. Andre is no longer in Devil Flame City. You can do whatever you want now. No one can control you!”
Dave nodded with joy after hearing that. He then turned to look at Vincent with a blank face and asked in surprise, “How do you know that my father is not in the city?”
Vincent said frankly, “I went to the City Lord’s mansion last night and found that the closed-door cultivation room was empty. Andre indeed used the excuse of closed-door cultivation to go out of the city to find a way to collect the Origin Divine Earth!”
Dave turned pale with fright. He asked with an anxious face, “Then why are you still so calm? If we lose track of him, wouldn’t the Elf Race lose a large amount of the Origin Divine Earth? At that time, wouldn’t we be one step closer to the destruction of the Elf World?”
Vincent smiled, shook his head, and said, “Rest assured, Your Highness. I can guarantee that Andre won’t be able to get the Origin Divine Earth within a short period of time. I have also prepared a series of plans for the next few days. When I help you deal with David, I will tell you in detail!”
After seeing that Vincent was so confident, Dave had no choice but to shut his mouth. However, his eyes were still filled with worry.
Vincent flipped over and sat on the city wall calmly. His legs were hanging outside the city wall as he lowered his head to look at the procession below. He asked Dave softly, “How should we deal with this David now? Should we kill him directly or leave him for you to deal with him personally in the future?”
“Keep him for now. Sooner or later, I’ll kill him myself!” said Dave coldly.
Vincent nodded with a smile. He then raised his hand and gently held the magic staff on his waist. The modification authority instantly took effect. It instantly revealed the original appearance of the Return Journey of the Dead.
As Andre was no longer in the city and Dave was in power, Vincent could not be bothered to continue with his disguise.
Dave noticed Vincent’s small movements and subconsciously took two steps to the side. He knew the power that Vincent’s knife had. If one stood too close, he or she might accidentally hurt themselves!
At that moment, the procession finally arrived at the North City Gate. The leader, David, was wearing a high priest robe and holding a staff made of Origin Divine Wood. His expression was solemn and sacred.
After he stabilized himself, David looked up at Vincent, who was sitting at the city gate. He said in a deep voice, “Vincent, the North Gate general guard. I am the High Priest personally appointed by the City Lord. Today, I am holding a ceremony to pay respects to the City Lord. Hurry up and kneel down to pay your respects!”
At this moment, the soldiers standing guard at the city gate, the members of the temple in the procession, and some of the city residents who had come to watch the show, all turned their eyes to look at Vincent, who was sitting on the city gate.
David had already used this method to make the three guards at the east, west, and south gates bow respectfully to him, but it did not cause much of a stir.
However, Vincent was different. Everyone in the city knew that he was His Highness Dave’s confidant. If he also bowed to David obediently, this would indirectly mean that Dave, had lost in the first round of the competition with David.
Therefore, everyone was curious about Vincent’s choice.
If he bowed, he would be letting down His Highness Dave!
If he did not bow, he would be disrespecting the City Lord, Andre!
Regardless of the crime, it would make Vincent’s death very ugly!
Vincent had a relaxed look on his face at this moment. He lowered his head to look at David below the city gate. He asked with a smile, “What did you say?”
David looked up at Vincent with a cold smile on his face. He pointed at the ground and said, “I said, I want you to come down and kowtow to the City Lord!”
Ever since he saw Vincent at the gates of Hell’s Rose, David had remembered Vincent deeply. This was because he was the right-hand man that Dave cared about the most. As long as he could humiliate him, it would be the same thing as humiliating Dave. David would never let go of such an opportunity!
David had led the procession through the three city gates on purpose. He wanted to make the parade known to the entire city and attract everyone’s attention to the North City Gate. He wanted Vincent to be in a dilemma under this enormous pressure, and in the end, he could only choose to kneel and beg for mercy!
As the time had finally come, there were not many choices left in front of Vincent!
He had to either be humiliated or die!
No matter what Vincent chose, it was a choice that David would be satisfied with!
“Hehe, childish!”
At this moment, Vincent suddenly laughed from the city gate. He looked down at David with a look of disdain. Finally, he pulled out the Return Journey of the Dead from his waist.
“Conquering the world!”
The third slash of the eight forms of Heaven’s Will instantly lashed out. An invisible blade that was nearly a hundred meters long instantly fell from the sky to the ground.
The parade that was standing on the street was instantly filled with panic. After seeing the scene, David shouted in a hurry, “Form a formation, quickly form a formation!”
When all the temple members heard David’s shout, they instantly calmed down. They quickly raised the magic staff in their hands and began to chant in a low voice.
Due to the joint chanting of dozens of temple members, countless demonic aura surged out from their magic staffs and condensed into a huge formation protecting everyone’s heads, blocking the huge blade that was falling.
“Boom!”
The blade flashed and directly hit the black array.
The entire array instantly sank down. All the temple members, including David, immediately knelt on the ground and spat out a mouthful of blood.
As David had the lowest cultivation among all of them, his face turned pale. He was bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He looked at the blade above his head in shock.
He did not expect Vincent to really make a move, and he did not expect Vincent to be so powerful. With just one move, he had almost wiped out the entire temple staff!
At this time, Vincent, who was sitting on the city tower, sighed with a lack of interest, “I didn’t expect them to be able to take one more strike from me. Let’s do it again!”
As Vincent spoke, he raised the weapon in his hand again. He struck out for the second time, and the invisible blade once again hit the black array.
“Boom!”
The array constructed by all the temple staff instantly shattered. Those who were kneeling on the ground had their legs broken, and a large amount of blood was spewing out of their mouths. The staff in their hands had long been thrown to an unknown place.
David was currently lying on the ground weakly. Other than his legs, there were also many fractures on his body. The staff made of the Origin Divine Wood in his hand had also broken into two pieces. It scattered on the ground like garbage.
When all the onlookers in the city saw the scene, their eyes instantly widened. They could not believe that Vincent’s way of handling things was so simple and crude. At the same time, they did not dare to imagine how Vincent would end up in this chaotic situation.
Vincent looked at the tragic scene below and nodded in satisfaction. He then sheathed his knife and jumped down. He landed in front of David with great lightness.
Vincent lowered his head. He maintained the posture of looking down on David from the beginning, and asked coldly, “What did you say?”
David, who was lying on the ground, used all his strength to barely raised a finger. He pointed at Vincent and said weakly, “This is not an ability from the Demon World. You are a blasphemer!”
When he said this, everyone was shocked!
Whether it was the soldiers at the north gate or the crowd on the street, they all had their mouths wide open as they looked at Vincent in disbelief.
If what David said was true, Vincent was really a blasphemer. That would be a matter that would cause public anger. At the same time, it would also implicate His Highness Dave, who was standing behind Vincent!
Moreover, City Lord Andre had already become a demon. He might even directly execute Vincent and His Highness Dave!
However, Vincent did not care about David’s accusation at all. He immediately turned around and looked at the city-guarding soldiers behind him. Among most of the shocked soldiers, there were 300 soldiers who looked calm and composed.
They were the first 300 soldiers who followed Vincent. Their loyalty to Vincent had long surpassed their faith. Regardless of whether Vincent was a blasphemer or not, in their eyes, Vincent’s orders were always higher than anyone else’s!
When he saw that the 300 soldiers were still loyal to him, Vincent nodded in satisfaction. He then turned around and looked at the members of the temple lying on the street.
“Yesterday, I have already given the order that apart from the residents of the North City District, no one is allowed to linger around the north gate. Today, these individuals have gathered here with ill intentions. They are suspected of taking the opportunity to attack our North City Gate, but I have already successfully repelled them. Now, take them all down and detain them for interrogation! Kill anyone who resists!”
“Yes!”
The 300 soldiers who pledged their loyalty to Vincent at the northern gate immediately responded in unison. They then walked out of the formation one by one and picked up the temple members who were lying on the ground. They then brought them to the prison near the northern gate.
The rest of the soldiers who were stunned on the spot finally came to a realization. Regardless of whether Vincent was a blasphemer or not, he was still the guard at the North City Gate. Behind him, there was still His Highness Dave who supported him. No matter what happened, he was the most powerful person under the City Lord in Devil Flame City!
Rather than believing the words of a High Priest who was about to become a cripple, everyone should be more concerned about their own situation in the future!
As soldiers, they only needed to listen to one person, and that person was their superior!
What did the words of others have to do with them?
When more and more soldiers realized this, they all left the formation and helped the 300 soldiers to restrain the members of the temple. Vincent had once again unknowingly strengthened his control over the guards at the north gate.
When one of the soldiers lifted David, who was at Vincent’s feet, David, who was covered in blood, did not forget to mutter, “As the High Priest, my position is only second to the City Lord. You have no right to take me in!”
Vincent nodded and looked at the two soldiers who were supporting David in front of him. He shouted in a deep voice, “Did you hear that? The High Priest does not need you to lock him up. Go and capture the others!”
The two soldiers who had just walked out of the formation had originally wanted to show their hospitality in front of Vincent. However, they did not expect to receive a scolding from Vincent. Anger immediately rose in their hearts toward David.
Following that, the two of them threw David to the ground like a piece of trash.
“Crack!”
A slight sound of bones breaking could be heard. David, who was lying on the ground, grimaced. At the same time, there were a few more fractures on his body.
After that, all the members of the temple were taken into prison. All the soldiers quietly returned to their posts. As for David, he was left on the side of the road like a wild dog. No one dared to go up to him.
The crowd that was watching on the street had already dispersed the moment Vincent ordered all the members of the temple to be taken into custody. This was because most of them were not from the northern city district. They were also afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
Vincent, who had dealt with all of this at lightning speed, only glanced at David at his feet. He then turned around and walked up the city tower.
