Chapter 396: Four Kings Compete for the Saint, Treasure Exchange Event Opens

Below the high platform, the Two-tailed Shadow Cat watched the four Great Perfection Demon Kings chatting happily above, feeling indecisive. For him, if he could place his bet early on the future Sacred Lord of the Northern Demonic Race, the benefits for the Demon Cat clan would be immense. Waiting until the outcome was clear to pledge allegiance would merely be following the crowd, not even adding to the splendor.

But what if he bet wrong? Without the Sacred Lord even needing to speak, his clan would face hostility and suppression. The current state of the Demon Cat clan was, in fact, a microcosm of the entire Demonic Race: lacking a strong leader, they could only rely on other powers. This was similar to the sect-guarding spiritual beasts sent to various dominant powers.

The Demon Cat clan had chosen to attach themselves to public-leaning merchant organizations like Jinman Pavilion. Many medium-sized clans had made the same choice. Now that the internal powers of the Northern Demonic Race were being reshuffled, a choice was inevitable. He was agonizing over whether to choose the Sky-Roc King or the Five-Color King. As for the Thunder-Kirin King and the Fire Crow King, they were not even considered. The former was too deeply prejudiced against other races, and the latter was too accustomed to acting independently, making him unsuitable to be the Sacred Lord.

As he pondered, the situation on the platform began to change. A fierce argument erupted, and the expressions of the four upper Demon Kings became uncontrollable. Though the quarrel was intense, no sound was emitted.

This banquet had lasted for nearly two months. Arguments would periodically break out on the platform, and the demons had grown accustomed to it. But when would the real contest begin?

Unexpectedly, just as this question was raised, the invisible barrier above the high platform shattered completely, and the Fire Crow King's hair bristled with rage. He fumed, "You scoundrel, not worth consulting!"

The Thunder-Kirin King was equally impolite, flinging his hand to unleash a bolt of lightning, which was offset by a torrent of reddish-black flames. He retorted arrogantly, "This King has never engaged in such petty machinations." With that, he soared into the sky. With his body as the center, demon energy, driven by his divine ability, transformed into streaks of lightning snakes, fiercely striking towards the Fire Crow King. The latter opened his mouth and spat out a fire feather blade. He spun sideways, like a colossal blade of flame that tore through space, twisting and shredding everything in its path, effortlessly destroying the lightning snakes.

In this initial clash, the Thunder-Kirin King actually found himself at a disadvantage. Those below quickly retreated to the sides, moving to the steps surrounding the aerial battleground, and began to observe this sudden eruption of combat, treating it entirely as the opening act of the Sacred Lord's contest! Demonic beasts below the fourth-tier transformation stage also retreated, and the center of this coliseum-like arena instantly cleared, while the surrounding stands filled with various miniature demonic beasts.

"Lord Thunder-Kirin!""Beat them down!""Defeat the Fire Crow King!"

The rising and falling cheers, like an overwhelming tide, supported the Thunder-Kirin King, who became smug. The Fire Crow King had brought only a dozen or so fire crows. How could such a small number contend against this ocean of demonic voices? His expression immediately turned incredibly ugly.

The Five-Color King commented calmly, "See? This is the consequence of losing the hearts of the demons. The Sacred Lord, after all, is a position of governance; it's not suitable for reckless brutes. Wu Yan won't do, and neither will the Thunder-Kirin King." His implication was that the only true competitor was the Sky-Roc King. These words were not concealed and were intentionally made audible to everyone. The Nascent Soul cultivators from Yellow Spring Temple, who were standing with the Evil Dragon Spider clan in the stands, pondered deeply upon hearing this. For the position of Sacred Lord, the Northern Demonic Race seemed to show signs of internal conflict. He hesitated whether to further fuel it.

Besides those from Yellow Spring Temple, there were also representatives from Jinman Pavilion, Tianbao Pavilion, Niling Blood Sect, Biyun Sect, and Wangyue Palace in the stands. However, they had no intention of intervening in this Demon King banquet. Most of them were early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, sent merely to witness the event, a mere formality. The Righteous and Demonic factions were currently engaged in a great war, and although they saw each other, they had no thought of fighting. There were too many Nascent Soul stage demons present who would not stand idly by if a Nascent Soul cultivator died here. Furthermore, there was no need. Meeting on the battlefield was one thing; meeting elsewhere, without conflicting interests, generally followed a "live and let live" approach. Regardless, Nascent Soul cultivators belonged to the ruling class in both factions' territories. Except for a very few exceptions, Nascent Soul cultivators cherished their lives.

The Thunder-Kirin King and the Fire Crow King fought to a stalemate, seemingly on the verge of deploying their natal demon treasures and fighting for real, when the Sky-Roc King suddenly appeared between them as a golden light. With a glance at each other, the three immediately executed the preliminary plan they had settled upon through their arguments during this period.

The Sky-Roc King spoke, "That's enough. The Fire Crow King wins this contest. Thunder-Kirin King, do you accept?"

"What?""Why?!""Your Majesty, there's a fixed match!"

Before the Thunder-Kirin King could say anything, his subordinates, belonging to the scaled beasts, exploded in uproar, crying injustice for their King and questioning the fairness of the Sky-Roc King's decision. Who would have thought the Sky-Roc King would drop a bombshell? "A fixed match? This King is playing a fixed match! What are you going to do about it?" Upon these words, the entire venue fell silent. How were they supposed to respond to that? If that were truly the case, they might as well just award the Sky-Roc King the Sacred Lord prize. Who could possibly compete with him? This aerial arena was also the territory of the Sky-Roc clan.

As expected, the Sky-Roc King's words provoked fierce opposition from the entire audience. A late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator from the Dragon Python clan shouted loudly, "—I object! This battle is to determine the Sacred Lord of the Northern Demonic Race. According to the rules, every transformed Great Demon is eligible to participate. If the Sky-Roc King insists on this, I will call upon a few friends and rebel against you, incompetent fool!"

Amidst the public outrage, the demonic race, who had always respected strength over rules, produced numerous voices of rebellion. The Sky-Roc King sighed helplessly in his heart. According to the Fire Crow King's plan, among the four of them, the most suitable to become the Sacred Lord was the Five-Color King, Lu Ming. Although the Medicine Horn Deer clan was not proficient in combat, their ability to govern territories was exceptional. Since the Azure Dragon Ancestor entered secluded cultivation, the Medicine Horn Deer clan had developed the most rapidly, learning from humans to build cities around spirit veins in the Northern Broken Boundary Mountains. They had abandoned the traditional nomadic habits of the demonic race, which were akin to sleeping under the sky and on the ground. Coincidentally, Lu Ming had countless ordinary demons and wild beasts flocking to him for his reputation. This perfectly suited this development model, allowing them to save a large amount of living space, accommodate more demons, and offering much faster development potential than their traditional tribal system.

After being persuaded, the Sky-Roc King chose to sully his own reputation. To make way for the Five-Color King, a fixed match was needed to establish the Five-Color King's power. It had to be convincing for the audience, yet conceal the deception. This was the difficult part, and also the core issue they had argued about for two months. How to perform it?

At that moment, the Five-Color King slowly flew up, his entire body radiating five-colored spiritual light, forming an astonishing pillar of spiritual energy that soared into the sky. His presence was instantly maximized, and the demons were even more astonished. Because they vaguely detected a trace of Spirit Transformation aura. That feeling of a Nascent Soul cultivator transforming into a Spirit Transformation Venerable was very distinct. Even the usually vociferous supporters of the Thunder-Kirin King felt a sense of impending doom.

The Five-Color King rarely experienced such a feeling of conquering with power. He couldn't help but hook his finger. "All of you... come at me!"

"Arrogant.""Boastful!""—Presumptuous!"

While these interesting events were unfolding in the aerial arena, Wang Yu was having a blast. The Ancient Beast Ancestor Divine Mountain was simply a sacred land for body refinement. Compared to the various treasures in the Blood Abyss that enhanced magical power, it was by no means inferior; in fact, its value was even greater because it also benefited Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Since the Northern Demonic Race had not prohibited outsiders from entering, this place should be quite famous, yet Wang Yu had never heard of it. If it was due to fear of danger, it wouldn't be completely blocked from all information channels. If Lei Yao hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't even know of this divine mountain's existence, indicating that secrets must still be hidden within.

Two months were enough for him to climb from the foot of the mountain to the fifteenth level, near the summit. The resting platforms at each turn totaled eighteen levels. After receiving the beast god's gift on the fifteenth level, Wang Yu's Body Refinement Tier 4 early-stage cultivation had more than doubled. If divided into nine tiers, he had already reached the Tier 4, Second Level realm. His skull tempering was halfway complete, already showing some effects of indestructible bones. The estimated difference from his initial expectation was because some platforms provided beast soul baptism as a reward, which acted on divine sense, strengthening the soul and nourishing the divine sense. Even though Wang Yu's soul cultivation was at the mid-stage of Tier 4, he still gained considerable benefits. Just as he was about to challenge the sixteen-level's 1080 stone steps, the jade slip in his Sea Heart Ring suddenly shattered.

This was Brother Hei notifying him that the Battle of the Four Kings for Sacred Lordship had begun. Wang Yu was eager to witness the combat power of the top existences in this world, broadening his horizons while also clarifying his own capabilities. Observing battles between powerful cultivators offered endless benefits. Those with extraordinary talent might even comprehend a secret technique or two from it, counting as a minor fortuitous encounter.

The challenge at Ancient Beast Ancestor Divine Mountain was temporarily halted. Wang Yu was about to fly away but paused, surprised, after seeing the message from the jade slip. "It's over?" The speed was ridiculously fast. Was it a complete crushing defeat? As he mused, Wang Yu looked back at the Ancient Beast Ancestor Divine Mountain. He decided to still head towards the aerial platform; Lei Yao had already left, and he could return here anytime. He'd go there first to see what was happening. Treasure exchange fairs were always the primary venues for rare and high-end resources to appear, so going there beforehand was worthwhile. Besides, he was also curious who had won so quickly.

"How is this possible?!""It only took one move...""Too terrifying, is this the might of a Spirit Transformation Venerable?!""Sacred Lord Five-Color!""Sacred Lord Five-Color!""Sacred Lord Five-Color!"

Amidst the surging cheers of the crowd, the Five-Color King, Lu Ming, put his right hand behind his back. The flesh on his fingertips had completely vanished, revealing stark white bones. To truly awe the crowd, he had intentionally used an invisible, shattered Fifth-tier ancient treasure. Only with this could he simulate the might of a Spirit Transformation Venerable. Even so, it was still vastly inferior to a true Spirit Transformation Venerable, so paying a small price for it was only natural.

The Sky-Roc King, Thunder-Kirin King, and Fire Crow King had been instantly defeated by that five-colored divine light, toppling onto the arena unconscious. The Sky-Roc King felt a burning sensation on his face. He communicated with the other two "feigning unconsciousness" individuals using his divine sense. He worried, "Like this, won't we be exposed? Falling after just one exchange seems too exaggerated." The Fire Crow King retorted via divine sense, "No matter, they've never seen a true Spirit Transformation Venerable in action. The Azure Dragon Ancestor once told me the display of power would be even more exaggerated."

The title of Sacred Lord was both important and not important. The true crux lay in the power struggle at the Spirit Transformation level. After publicly feigning discord, they would secretly engage in a few more fake battles. Then, it was a matter of waiting. Waiting for either Taihu or Chi Yuan to become interested. Regardless of which contacted the Five-Color King or any of them, they could openly join this war. At that point, territories and benefits consumed could legitimately be retained. How to claim feudal lands would be another matter, requiring long-term planning.

The Demonic Race was powerful, with numerous transformed Great Demons. A side with the upper hand might not be tempted, but if the situation became difficult, it would be different. For example, the Niling Blood Sect, currently besieged from all sides, greatly needed assistance. The simplest way to quell the Fenzhou Rebellion was to send a late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator to stabilize the situation. However, Right Yellow Spring and Southern Hehuan were formidable enemies. Two of the three major border strongholds had already been lost. It was as if there were no defenses, allowing Taihu cultivators to march straight in. Currently, Fenzhou was in disarray. If the situation continued to spread, the main battlefield of this war between righteous and demonic factions could be completely anchored within the four provinces under the Niling Blood Sect's control, which was certainly not a good thing. This internal division gave the impression that inviting the demon race to the table only involved a specific clan, not the entire demon race, making the cost manageable. It was akin to Jiang Ziya fishing – those who wish to be caught take the bait. Collaborate with whoever came, simple and direct.

The Battle of the Four Kings for Sacred Lordship ended so quickly that Wang Yu didn't even see them leave the stage. The Contest of the Nine Kings then began. This time, the three Kings of the Upper Four Clans did not act. They simply and directly crushed the late-stage Demon Kings of the Lower Eight Clans, immediately securing the top three Demon King positions. It was at this point that Wang Yu arrived, silently appearing beside Brother Hei. He glanced at the Vajra Ape and Dragon Python battling fiercely on the stage. He asked curiously, "Who won?"

"The Five-Color King."

Brother Hei's expression was serious. He hadn't been able to place his bet before the decisive victory, and the situation had greatly exceeded his expectations. He was currently considering how to join the Five-Color King's faction. Seeing him preoccupied, Wang Yu didn't ask further. He turned his attention to the battle in the arena. The Dragon Python possessed a hint of true dragon bloodline; talented individuals in their clan could occasionally produce one or two top-grade Earth-tier bloodlines. Late-stage Tier 4 Demon Kings were constantly emerging, and their status among the Northern Demonic Race's Lower Eight Clans was relatively stable. Vajra Apes, on the other hand, were few in number and naturally possessed an indestructible physique. They were inherently suited for the path of brute beast body refinement. While not particularly intelligent, they were extremely loyal, making them ideal choices for the Sacred Lord's personal guards. Both had the potential to secure a position among the Nine Demon Kings. Therefore, their battle was earth-shattering. Space itself continuously fluctuated and rippled from the impact, making the combat seem peculiar from a third-person perspective, appearing somewhat sluggish as if frame-lagging. Yet, it was also as if they had mastered spatial escape techniques, darting forward and engaging in combat, demon energy soaring like a wildfire, completely igniting the atmosphere in the arena, incredibly fierce.

Wang Yu estimated in his mind, if the Nine Evil Sword Lord also possessed such combat power, he would absolutely not be his opponent. Unless both his cultivation paths broke through to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul, he wouldn't even qualify to contend. The most troublesome aspect was the existence of divine ability profound intent. Its power was astonishing, far surpassing early- and mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. It was no wonder they were called Great Cultivators; they were fundamentally different.