Chapter 1496: The Handsomest Man in the World

Zu An nodded. Time was short, so he quickly explained the purpose of their visit.

The Great Elf King originally exuded a cool and suave aura. However, upon hearing Zu An's words, his expression instantly became incredibly animated, almost transforming him from a dignified, handsome middle-aged man into a master of expressive facial contortions.

"Assist the young prince..." After hearing the full story, the Great Elf King did not commit but instead addressed the Little Demon Empress and the others. "May I have a private word with Zu An?"

"Of course." The Great Elf King's reaction was not unexpected to the Little Demon Empress. She smiled and nodded at the others, then gracefully walked out.

Her stunningly beautiful smile did not stir the Great Elf King in the slightest. The elf race had no shortage of handsome men and beautiful women; seeing himself in the mirror every morning was far more impressive.

Soon, the others followed the Little Demon Empress to the outer room. Qiao Xueying initially wanted to stay, but the Great Elf King said, "Xue'er, you should go out too."

Qiao Xueying was startled. "Father, please don't bully Ah Zu."

The Great Elf King was a Grandmaster cultivator, so Zu An being alone with him was somewhat risky.

The Great Elf King's face darkened, confirming the saying that a grown daughter cannot be kept at home. "He just saved me. Is your father the kind of person who repays kindness with enmity?"

Qiao Xueying stuck out her tongue, then pouted and left. As she walked, she looked back frequently, unsure if she was reluctant to leave her father after a long separation or her beloved.

After everyone else had left, Zu An cupped his hands to the Great Elf King. "Uncle, is there something you wish to discuss with me?"

The Great Elf King said coldly, "You've already gotten my daughter into bed, and you still call me 'Uncle'?"

*Xue'er actually told her father about this?*

As if seeing through his thoughts, the Great Elf King said, "Xue'er performed the 'Half-Life Bond'. As the Elf King, I naturally understand the conditions for its activation. Throughout history, very few elves have been willing to sacrifice half their lifespan to perform it. I had originally imagined she would find an impossibly handsome young man..."

He finished, then scrutinized Zu An from head to toe. "Now it seems... you're quite ordinary."

Then the Great Elf King continued, "Well, never mind. Though you're a bit ordinary, you're still much better than most of the ugly people in this world. Since Xue'er was even willing to give you the 'Half-Life Bond,' I suppose you must be a decent person. I trust my daughter's judgment."

"Thank you, Father-in-law," Zu An said, letting out a breath of relief. He thought, 'This hurdle is finally over. Indeed, meeting the parents is never easy, no matter the world.'

Upon hearing "Father-in-law," the Great Elf King's eyelid twitched. "You two aren't officially married yet. You should still call me 'Uncle' for now."

*Didn't you just object to being called 'Uncle'?*

"We'll discuss your and Xue'er's matter later," the Great Elf King's expression suddenly turned very serious. "You mentioned assisting the young prince earlier. Were you serious?"

Seeing Zu An nod, his voice rose a few octaves. "That's not a wise idea at all! The young prince is still so small; how can he become the Demon Emperor? You're asking me to stake the entire elf race on his ascension, which would essentially send us all to our deaths."

Zu An explained, "Crown Prince Jinwu and I have an irreconcilable feud. If he ascends to the throne of Demon Emperor, he won't spare me, and it will also be detrimental to your elf race."

The Great Elf King knew about Crown Prince Jinwu's previous pursuit of his daughter. In fact, many in his clan had advised him to agree to the marriage, as it would be a tremendous honor. If Xue'er became the Demon Empress, the entire elf race would naturally rise in status, surpassing the other two great royal clans.

However, he had his own hidden troubles. Xue'er had formed a 'Half-Life Bond' with another man and was no longer a virgin. If she were to marry into the royal family, the truth would surely come out, which would not only be a misfortune for the elves but a catastrophic disaster.

Therefore, he had initially disagreed with Xue'er marrying the Crown Prince. Since it concerned the 'Half-Life Bond,' the greatest secret of the Elf Royal Family, he could not speak plainly.

As a result, the Demon Emperor perceived this as a challenge to his authority and had him imprisoned on a flimsy pretext to teach him a lesson.

However, not supporting the Crown Prince didn't necessarily mean he had to support the Little Demon Empress and her son.

Zu An reiterated his previous arguments to him, then added, "Choosing the young prince is also a last resort. Moreover, his youth is both a disadvantage and an advantage."

"An advantage?" The Great Elf King frowned. "I don't see any advantage."

Zu An said, "When a young emperor ascends the throne, he will inevitably rely on a highly respected elder minister for assistance. At that time, in the entire demon race, who would be more suitable for that position than you?"

The Great Elf King complained somewhat, "Managing court affairs will make my skin loose and dull, leading to premature aging and affecting my peerless beauty."

Zu An was speechless. He had never expected such a reply from the other party, realizing only then that the aging elf was, in fact, a narcissist.

He had no choice but to change his approach. "Uncle, even if you view power as dirt, you must consider the elf race. I imagine you wouldn't want to be thrown into the Celestial Prison again, leaving the entire elf race in peril, would you?"

Seeing that the other party remained somewhat unmoved, Zu An had a flash of inspiration: "Furthermore, if you truly become the demon race's chief power-holder, and with the merit of having supported the future emperor, you would be the first to enjoy all the treasures offered as tribute from the entire demon race, even the most precious artifacts hidden in the imperial palace, and rare items exchanged with the human race. Many of these have miraculous effects on skincare and beauty."

Upon hearing this, the Great Elf King's eyes suddenly lit up. "Hmm, indeed, I need to consider the entire elf race. Very well, we shall support the young prince."

It seemed Zu An had found the key to dealing with his narcissistic potential father-in-law.

The two soon walked out together, looking pleased. Seeing the smiles on their faces, the previously tense Little Demon Empress breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, she wondered how Zu An had managed to persuade the Great Elf King, who was known for his detached and carefree nature.

This matter was of great importance. Even with his close relationship with the Elf Princess, the Great Elf King wouldn't be swayed so easily, would he?

She would have to thank Zu An properly later; he had done so much for her.

After emerging, the Great Elf King's gaze fell upon Yu Yanluo, and surprise flickered in his eyes. "Oh, such beauty! Could you be the new Medusa Queen?"

Yu Yanluo smiled and nodded. "Greetings, Great Elf King."

The Great Elf King let out a sigh of wistful admiration. "You truly resemble your mother. Your mother was one of the very few I've ever met who I felt could match my own beauty."

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Qiao Xueying, standing by, was dumbfounded, thinking, 'Was my father perhaps a suitor of Yu Yanluo's mother back then? Oh dear, this is so awkward for me.'

Fortunately, the Great Elf King quickly regained his composure and said to the Little Demon Empress, "Next, I will return to organize my clan's subordinates. This will require some time. Meanwhile, you should try to gather more support. Our two families alone might not be enough to sway the current situation in the royal court."

"Thank you, Great Elf King!" The Little Demon Empress nodded slightly, but a pang of anxiety struck her. 'Who else can I win over now?'

Her gaze fell upon Zu An. Seeing his confident demeanor, her somewhat flustered heart gradually settled.

"Xue'er, come back with me. Your father needs your help," the Great Elf King beckoned to Qiao Xueying.

He had been imprisoned in the Celestial Prison for so long that he was somewhat out of touch with the latest clan affairs and needed his daughter's assistance.

Qiao Xueying was somewhat reluctant to part with her beloved, but she understood the importance of the day's events. She reluctantly followed her father.

After exiting the Celestial Prison gates, the Great Elf King was momentarily stunned when he saw Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue. "Oh, humans actually have beauties comparable to our elves? Xue'er, you're so disappointing!"

Qiao Xueying was taken aback. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Elves are naturally more beautiful than other races, and you have me, the most handsome father in the world. Yet, your appearance is merely on par with theirs. It's quite embarrassing for your father," the Great Elf King grumbled.

Seeing the looks on Yan Xuehen's and Yun Jianyue's faces, as if they were looking at an idiotic pervert, Qiao Xueying covered her face, desperately wishing she could say she had no relation to this person.