Damn...
The two sea clan overlords were utterly stunned!
They had thought the North Sea Emperor's impulsive outburst would expose their identities, leading to their downfall. Yet, against all odds, his wild maneuver actually turned the tide?
Youâve got to admitâ
The North Sea Emperor is ruthless.
No surprise, given heâs a legendary figure among their ranks, a true sea clan patriarch.
If it were some ordinary sea clan junior in his place, death wouldâve been inevitable. But he? With just a few well-chosen words, he not only stabilized the situation but also cleverly whitewashed his own notorious reputation, avoiding Yi Fengâs scrutiny.
That kind of cunning is one in a million!
Even that troublemaker Ao Budong couldnât hold a candle to him!
Imagineâstanding before dozens of human cultivators, cursing yourself out, not just sacrificing dignity but delivering a performance worthy of an award!
After this masterstroke, $2he crowd was left utterly bewildered, exchanging glances in silence. Even Shi Tianchuan stood frozen, his expression one of existential doubt.
Seeing this, the two overlords exchanged covert voice transmissions.
"Tsk tsk, as expected of the North Sea Emperor. Even I wouldnât dare go that far!"
"Indeed, Brother Chang Kun is truly exceptional."
Their tension eased, replaced by a growing confidence that their grand scheme was unfolding perfectly.
While the hall remained in stunned silence, $2i Feng, however, seemed disappointed.
"So the North Sea Emperor is all bark and no bite?"
"Guess the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk donât have any powerful allies after all."
Before others could react, $2he North Sea Emperor clasped his fists in eager agreement.
"Exactly! Exactly right!"
"That North Sea Emperor is a complete jokeânothing to worry about!"
His words spread like wildfire.
The crowd snapped out of their daze, eyes gleaming with renewed confidence and laughter.
"Ha! I knew the island master was exaggerating!"
"If the North Sea Emperorâs a fraud, we only need to deal with the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk. With Yi Feng and the three elders, weâve got a real shot!"
"Right! This fight isnât over yet!"
"Those fishmen have no backup, but weâve got top-tier experts on our side. Whatâs there to fear?"
The more they talked, the bolder they became, cracking their knuckles in anticipation.
With the North Sea Emperor egging them on, $2he earlier terror had mostly dissipated. The Black Island cultivators regained their swagger, their arrogance swelling as if victory was already in their grasp. áčđÎá»êĂĆ
Once the spotlight shifted away, $2he North Sea Emperor quietly retreated to his seat, exhaling in relief.
The Sturgeon Dragon Emperor couldnât resist another voice transmission.
"Brother Chang, impressive."
"I never thought youâd stoop so lowâeven cursing yourself out. Iâm in awe!"
Though meant as praise, $2he whole thing was rather shameless, and the North Sea Emperor couldnât help but detect a hint of mockery.
Unable to argue now, he replied coldly.
"Hmph."
"Sturgeon Dragon Emperor, I did this for the greater good. Easy for you to judge from the sidelines."
Realizing his blunder, the Sturgeon Dragon Emperor chuckled apologetically and dropped the subject.
Truth be told...
If it were himâa sovereign emperorâcould he ever demean himself like that?
Absolutely not.
The three overlords sat calmly at the forefront, $2istening to the excited chatter, occasionally chiming in to stoke the flames, directing all hatred toward Ao Budong.
It seemed the situation was progressing exactly as planned.
Yet, amid the rising battle fervor, $2i Feng remained unenthused.
Heâd been thrilled at the prospect of facing the legendary, terrifying North Sea Emperor, $2hinking heâd finally found his ticket to death.
But noâ
Before he could even celebrate, he learned the guy was a total coward?
What a letdown!
After a momentâs thought, $2i Feng pinned his hopes on Shi Tianchuan instead.
"Island Master..."
"If the North Sea Emperorâs a pushover, do the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk have any other allies?"
Yi Fengâs words carried weight.
The moment he spoke, the hall fell silent.
The three sea clan overlords tensed.
All eyes turned to Shi Tianchuan.
Shi Tianchuan snapped out of his frustration.
Earlier, $2eâd been fuming at his subordinatesâ overconfidenceâutterly hopeless fools!
Heâd been itching to set them straight.
Now, hearing Yi Fengâs question, he felt nothing but admiration.
While everyone else was getting carried away, Yi Feng remained cool-headed, never underestimating the enemy.
Such composureâthis was the difference between a true master and these amateurs!
This was why Yi Feng stood above them all!
After a moment of silent reverence, Shi Tianchuan clasped his fists.
"You are wise, Yi Feng!"
"The Heavenly Dragon Merfolk do indeed have other allies!"
"The North Sea Emperorâs reputation may be exaggeratedâperhaps my intel was flawed. But their other allies surpass him in both strength and loyalty!"
Whooshâ
The crowdâs faces paled instantly.
Meanwhile, the other two sea clan overlords felt their hearts drop.
Oh no...
Under the weight of nervous stares, $2i Fengâs eyes lit up with anticipation.
"Oh?"
"They have other allies?!"
"Tell me moreâhow terrifying are they?"
Shi Tianchuan nodded gravely, his expression darkening.
"Yi Feng,"
"The Heavenly Dragon Merfolkâs draconic bloodline is well-known. While rare, many sea clans share this lineage, making them distant kin to the merfolk."
Just the opening words sent the Sturgeon Dragon Emperorâs heart racing.
A sense of dread worse than any scolding from his imperial father gripped himâa billion times worse!
And the worst part?
Shi Tianchuan was still talking, his voice filled with awe.
"If the Dragon Emperor sought help from one such clan, they would answer without hesitation!"
"That clan is none other than the legendary Sturgeon Dragon Clan! Their sovereign, the Sturgeon Dragon Emperor, has ruled for over 100,000 yearsâa true hegemon of the seas! His power is unfathomable, capable of overturning oceans with a flick of his wrist!"
"If this clan enters the fray, the heavens and earth will tremble!"
Hissâ
Gasps echoed through the hall.
The Sturgeon Dragon Emperor was drenched in cold sweat, now fully understanding the North Sea Emperorâs earlier plight.
Damn it all!
This was about him now!
They say luck comes and goes, but this was way too fast! Heâd just praised the North Sea Emperor, and now the spotlight was on him?!
Even karma isnât this instant!
What kind of freak was this Shi Tianchuan?! How did a human know so much about the sea clansâmore than most sea clans themselves?!
Dammit!
The Sturgeon Dragon Emperorâs mind was a storm of curses. He couldnât let Shi Tianchuan continue!
Before more details spilled, he shot to his feet and roaredâ
"Lies! More lies!!!"
His bellow was even more thunderous than before.
This time, $2ot only did the entire hall turn to stare, but Yi Feng and Shi Tianchuan also frowned sharply.
"You know about this too?"
Seeing Yi Fengâs suspicious gaze, the Sturgeon Dragon Emperorâs heart turned to ice.
That skeptical gaze wasn't just simple doubtâit carried clear traces of resentment and hostility!
Yi Feng seemed to be starting to question his identity?!
Instantly!
The Sturgeon Dragon Emperor felt an overwhelming pressure, as if mountains were collapsing upon him!
This oppressive force far surpassed what the North Sea Emperor had faced earlier!
Only when experiencing it firsthand did he truly understand the terrifying weight of this pressureâit felt like the breath of death itself was creeping closer!
In the face of impending doom...
What damned pride...
What so-called imperial prestige of the sea clans...
All of it was utter nonsense!
Only now did he realize how easy it was to speak boldly when untouched by desperation. But when pushed to the brink, a man would do anything!
The Sturgeon Dragon Emperor hastily clasped his fists and bowed, immediately throwing himself under the bus:
"Ah, yes yes yes!"
"These are all baseless rumors, absolute horseshit!"
"The Sturgeon Dragon Emperor is nothing but a pleasure-seeking fool, coasting on his ancestors' legacy to laze around in his little corner! He's even more useless than the North Sea Emperor!"
"Rumor has it he never even leaves his domainâhow could he possibly aid anyone?! If he could help the Celestial Dragon Mermaid Clan, then Iâthen this old man could shit upside down!"
His scathing tirade erupted, leaving the entire crowd wide-eyed.
The North Sea Emperor and the Crab Emperor were both stunned speechless!