Chapter 1589: Sunshine Strategy

The Underworld King’s calm gaze pierced through the vast sky.

Looking at Princess Zijiang, who was imprisoned within the spatial mirror and unharmed, he then turned his attention to Jiang Fan.

His gaze was calm, yet incredibly oppressive.

Jiang Fan felt a tingling sensation all over his body, as if his gaze had pierced through him in various places.

It also felt as though several great mountains were pressing down on him, making it difficult for him to stand straight.

The air around him solidified under his pressure, making it hard to breathe.

This was the third time he faced a Five-Star Giant King, yet the oppressive feeling it exerted on him hadn't diminished in the slightest.

On the contrary, the higher his cultivation, the more he felt the Five-Star Giant King's invincible aura as the King of Kings, controlling the life and death of all things.

He had a feeling that if the Five-Star Giant King wanted to kill him, it wouldn't be much harder than killing a Giant Emperor.

It would still be over in an instant.

He tightened his grip on the spatial mirror, his eyes solemn: "You truly are relentless. The weakest state of Taicang has sent fifty Giant Kings one after another! Is it really worth it, all for one Princess Zijiang?"

Fighting until now, he felt exhausted.

The giants came in endless waves!

How many God Transformation realm cultivators did their Taicang State even have? The highest cultivation was only at the Second Heavenly Decay!

Was it necessary to launch such a costly military campaign?

The Underworld King said faintly, "I used to think that way too. Why would a mere Taicang State warrant alarming our Central Tribe's Ninth Army? But now..."

He sensed that out of the twenty Giant Kings previously dispatched, only the aura of one Two-Star Fire Giant King remained, and his eyes narrowed slightly: "I can only say that the Central Tribe's Emperor did not misjudge. Your Taicang State truly harbors hidden talents; it is not weaker than any other state."

He found it somewhat perplexing. According to intelligence, Taicang State only had three God Transformation cultivators and one Bodhisattva. While some ancient millennium-old souls remained, they were long past their prime. How did Taicang State manage to successively wipe out the Black Sun Royal Court's army and more than half of his own Giant Kings?

"Underworld King, ignore me! Kill this person!" Inside the mirror, Princess Zijiang declared resolutely: "Half of the Giant Kings who descended upon Taicang State died by his hand! His methods, divine abilities, and magical artifacts far surpass anything we know of any Central Lands individual. He is a grave threat to our Ancient Giants. You must kill him. Do not give him the chance to reach the God Transformation realm, or the consequences will be endless!"

The Underworld King's enormous vertical eye narrowed into a slit, staring intently at Jiang Fan.

One person killed fifteen Giant Kings?

That sounded like a complete fantasy.

Furthermore, he was only an Eight-Aperture Nascent Soul cultivator. If he broke through his limitations and entered the God Transformation realm, wouldn't he be invincible among his peers?

A chilling glint flickered in his eyes: "Jiang Fan, seeing that you haven't harmed the princess, I'll give you a chance."

Jiang Fan scoffed, "You'll spare my life if I release her? Another Giant King has already said something similar."

Aside from whether the Ancient Giants' words could be trusted, even if they kept their promise, Jiang Fan wouldn't release a princess just to save his own life. If they dared to invade the Central Lands, he would make sure the Central Tribe's Emperor felt the pain!

"No," the Underworld King said leisurely, his gaze calm and profound: "You must die! However, the people of Taicang State can live."

Jiang Fan was immediately surprised. "What do you mean?" he asked.

The Underworld King extended two fingers: "First, release Princess Zijiang! Second, you must commit suicide in front of us Ancient Giants, annihilating both your body and spirit! Do these two things, and I will immediately withdraw our troops and guarantee to the Central Tribe's Emperor that Taicang State will be pardoned! From today until a thousand years from now, no Ancient Giant will be permitted to set foot in Taicang State."

He looked down at Jiang Fan and said: "Trade your life for a thousand years of peace for the people of an entire state. Haven't you been fighting all this time for the people of Taicang State? I, the King, will fulfill your wish."

Jiang Fan froze in place.

He hadn't expected the Underworld King to offer a condition he couldn't refuse!

He had actively prepared for this great war precisely to protect the lands of Taicang State, hadn't he?

Now, if only he died, everything would end.

"This is an overt scheme," the Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Building said gravely: "If you don't agree, after he massacres various places, he will place the blame on you, claiming that you, for your own life, caused the suffering of Taicang State's populace. Thus, you would become the sinner of Taicang State. And if you do agree, he can rescue Princess Zijiang and kill you without shedding a single drop of his blood. As for whether he will honor the agreement, only heaven knows."

Jiang Fan calmed himself.

The Underworld King was a Five-Star Giant King; why would he need to negotiate to kill him?

He could simply act directly and forcibly kill him!

He was toying with people's hearts!

If he didn't agree, Jiang Fan would be utterly disgraced and scorned by the people.

If he agreed, the Underworld King would advance unimpeded.

He stared deeply at the Underworld King and said in a low voice, "Quite a player, aren't you!"

The Underworld King did not deny it was an overt scheme, a hint of mockery in his eyes: "You have three breaths to choose."

In his hand, he held a recording crystal, pointing it at Jiang Fan, intending to record Jiang Fan's upcoming choice. How could he possibly keep his promise and spare Taicang State? He merely intended to use this tactic to crush the morale of the Central Lands. Hadn't Jiang Fan entered the Celestial Realm twice, proving himself extraordinarily brave and becoming a model for powerful cultivators across many states? Hadn't Jiang Fan achieved glorious military feats in the great war, boosting the morale of the Central Lands' army? Now, let them witness with their own eyes: the hero of the Central Lands either takes his own life or abandons the people for his own survival. This kind of blow to morale would be far more effective than simply killing Jiang Fan!

"Three!"

The Underworld King smiled faintly, counting down.

Jiang Fan's eyes flashed with a cold light. He glanced at the recording crystal in the Underworld King's hand, knowing that whatever he chose would be wrong.

Just as he pondered this, a gruff voice, accompanied by rolling thunder, boomed forth:

"My Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall will not permit Jiang Fan to take his own life! If the world wishes to blame someone, they can blame me, the Demonic Heart Venerable!"

The Demonic Heart Venerable, surrounded by crackling lightning, flashed into view. He landed beside Jiang Fan, his back straight as he faced the group of Giant Kings.

"Amitabha, my Buddhist Sect will also not permit Jiang Fan to take his own life. If the common people hold grievances, they can direct their hatred towards the Buddhist Sect." Pingtian Bodhisattva flew forth, riding a twelve-petaled golden lotus, his voice ethereal and powerful.

"Heh heh, my Asura clan will also not permit Jiang Fan to take his own life. If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If Jiang Fan dies, our Black Cloud Stronghold will only be annihilated faster. Friends of Taicang State, if you have any grievances, you are welcome to come find my Asura clan!"

King Mingye Asura instantly teleported, enveloped in a swirling mist of black qi. He also brought Jian Lanjiang and the battle corpse, both shrouded in the mist.

Jian Lanjiang, with his hands behind his back, held his head high and declared, "My Taicang State would rather be shattered jade than intact pottery! If we must sacrifice the life of someone who has dedicated themselves to Taicang State to gain a thousand years of peace, then this peace is not worth having! Should anyone hold a grudge against Jiang Fan because of this, my Jian family will surely dig out their heart to see where their conscience lies!"

Finally, Jiang Wuya descended, piloting the Divine Monument of Misfortune, and declared with righteous grandeur: "Justice resides in the hearts of the people. Schemes of ghosts and demons shall not poison the defenders of our Taicang State and its people!"

These resounding declarations were all recorded within the recording crystal.

The smile on the Underworld King's face froze.

The declarations of the four individuals and one corpse shattered his overt scheme. He hadn't expected that in this desperate place, with a massive army pressing down, these few people would still rush forward, knowing it meant certain death, to speak up for Jiang Fan with their lives. Just how much popular support did Jiang Fan truly command?

He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Jiang Fan. He finally understood why Princess Zijiang was willing to die to trade for Jiang Fan's life!

Crack!

He closed his hand, and the recording crystal shattered. His gaze calmly swept over the group: "The game is over. Since you possess the courage to die, I, the King, shall grant your wish."