Chapter 472 - 467: He Chickened Out, He Really Chickened Out

"Connect me to the outside," Du Youqian said coolly.

"Yes, sir." The unnamed True Inheritor of the Holy Blood Sect at the Core Formation Realm answered respectfully.

He bent over and made some adjustments to the Teleportation Array. A small, flat surface resembling a control panel rose from the array, and he made an inviting gesture. "True Monarch, you may now send your message to the other side."

Du Youqian stepped forward to inspect it. After confirming he only needed to input his thoughts via Divine Sense, he sent a message: "Who is on the other side? Boluo or Jin Xiao? Have Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch come speak with me. I am Qingxu Tongxuan Guanmiao True Monarch."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"True Monarch," a small, exquisitely crafted puppet with a face like a porcelain doll poked its head out, its large eyes like black gems. "Jin Xiao is here. Will you see him?"

Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch didn’t even open his eyes. "Let him in."

Jin Xiao Master was a handsome, middle-aged man with a refined and tranquil air. He strode in, bowed to Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch, and spoke in a calm yet rapid voice, "True Monarch, a message has arrived from Momenan. Someone calling himself Qingxu Tongxuan Guanmiao True Monarch wishes to speak with you directly."

To Jin Xiao’s utter astonishment, Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch—a man who never lost his composure, who was always in control and confident in his plans—shot to his feet, his expression changing drastically. "He’s really calling himself Qingxu Tongxuan Guanmiao True Monarch? He asked for me directly? He used my name?"

"Yes, True Monarch!" Jin Xiao Master hid his astonishment and lowered his head. "That is correct."

Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch began to pace back and forth, looking extremely anxious.

After a moment, he waved his hand. "Go and wait for me outside."

"Yes, sir." Jin Xiao Master took a few steps back, then turned and walked out.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the True Monarch solemnly take out yarrow stalks for Divination, preparing to cast a reading.

Jin Xiao Master pondered, ’For someone claiming to be a True Monarch to appear in a desolate, bitter place like Momenan is already incredible enough.’

’What’s even more incredible is that Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch actually knows of this person and seems to be taking it extremely seriously, as if facing a powerful foe.’

’What in the world is going on?’

Jin Xiao Master went outside and waited. A short while later, Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch emerged. His expression seemed relaxed, but Jin Xiao Master could see the caution deep in his eyes, and even a trace of... ’Fear?’

"You stay here. I’m going to meet with him myself."

"Yes, sir!" Jin Xiao Master’s tone was even, but inwardly he was shaken beyond belief.

’Because from the way Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch spoke, it was clear he viewed the other person as an equal, or perhaps even his superior!’

’Just who in the world went to Momenan?’

’Qingxu Tongxuan Guanmiao True Monarch? I’ve never heard of that title.’

’Could this person be related to the Qingxu Commerce Association somehow?’

Jin Xiao Master made a mental note to ask Master Ge Sheng and True Monarch Yao Tao about it when he had the chance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch. What do you want?"

Seeing the short message from the other side, Du Youqian was both shocked and exhilarated.

’A living Divinity Transformation True Monarch!’

’He’s practically a figure of legend.’

Back in the day, Sui Zhi had begged and pleaded but never managed to get a single audience with the Divinity Transformation True Monarch of the Immortal City Alliance.

Some had even mocked him: ’A Divinity Transformation True Monarch? You think a mere Junior Core Formation Cultivator can get an audience just because he wants one?’

’Once, I also thought Divinity Transformation True Monarchs were completely untouchable, like gods in the heavens.’

’But now, I can actually communicate with a Cultivator of that caliber, even engage in a battle of wits with one!’

Suppressing his excitement, Du Youqian calmly typed, "I’ve come to offer you my apologies. I beat the dog you sent to death."

There was a long silence from the other side.

Du Youqian couldn’t help but wonder, ’Was my tone a bit too aggressive?’

’Was that a little too disrespectful to a Divinity Transformation True Monarch?’

’Did I piss him off so much he’s gone ballistic?’

’He’s not going to try and hunt me down through the connection to kill me, is he?’

’Of course, if a Divinity Transformation True Monarch really wanted to come all the way to Momenan for some Magical Combat... well, Du Youqian would just have to reluctantly accept all of his Tier Five equipment.’

’Why isn’t he replying? Did the connection drop or something?’

「At that moment.」

In the Human World, within Shaoze Mansion’s Circulation Hall.

Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch broke out in a cold sweat. Staring at the arrogant message, he felt not a shred of anger, only terror.

’This is bad!’

’He really knows I was behind it!’

’What should I do? What should I do?’

’No, I need to calm down. Maybe he’s not Tier Seven.’

’Maybe his power comes from a Treasure, or some Secret Technique. Maybe he’s only at the Tier Six Void Step Realm, or even just Tier Five?’

’Guangde, oh, Guangde, you’ve gotten arrogant. How dare you say "just Tier Six"?’

’If he really is Tier Six, he could crush me to dust with a single finger... ’

’So, if he really is Tier Six and knows my name, do I try to play this out, or do I just kneel, beg for forgiveness, and offer to be his dog?’

Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch’s mind raced, but he finally decided, ’I’ll test the waters first.’

"Fellow Daoist, might there be some misunderstanding here?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Du Youqian grinned when he saw Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch’s message.

’What he had just unintentionally revealed was too obvious!’

’He’s scared! He’s scared! He’s definitely scared!’

Du Youqian had never dreamed that this day would come—that he could make a Divinity Transformation True Monarch back down with just a few words.

’The crucial part is, I’m only at the Nascent Soul Early Stage... ’

’I still need some kind of catalyst to break through to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.’

’Since he’s scared... doesn’t this mean I can shake him down for a good haul?’

’Right, I can’t lose my momentum.’

’It’s like playing poker, right?’

’You’re holding a junk hand, like a 3-4-6, and you figure your opponent’s hand isn’t great either, but probably a little better than yours—maybe a low pair, or an ace-high.’

’That’s when you have to put on a show of overwhelming confidence and scare them into folding... No, not too over-the-top. It has to be a subtle flex, a casual disdain. That’s the air of a true expert.’

After a moment’s thought, Du Youqian replied, "Don’t try to get familiar with me. You’re not worthy. Let’s first discuss how you plan to compensate me."

After another long pause, the reply came: "Fellow Daoist, I only sent someone to Momenan to investigate the situation. If he offended you, he must have been acting on his own. However, he was my subordinate. Since he is dead, I will compensate you with two Tier Five Treasures on his behalf. How does that sound?"

’Two Tier Five Treasures?’

’That’s more than six million Spiritual Jade.’

’If he can send people over, he can surely send the Treasures as well.’

’I could take the Treasures, leave through the northern passage, and Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch wouldn’t be able to stop me.’

’Conveniently, I still haven’t been able to erase the brand on that Tier Five Jade Ruler I acquired, despite many attempts, so I can’t use it yet.’

’If he compensates me with two Tier Five Treasures, I suppose I could let the matter drop.’

’Wait!’

A sharp sense of alarm suddenly flared in Du Youqian’s mind.

He suddenly realized, ’This is still a test!’

’He’s testing whether I, this supposed True Monarch, am a Tier Five Divinity Transformation True Monarch or a Tier Six Void Step True Monarch.’

’A Tier Five Divinity Transformation True Monarch might be satisfied with two Tier Five Treasures as compensation for a minor offense.’

’But for a Tier Six Void Step True Monarch...’

’Are you trying to humiliate me with this junk?’

Du Youqian sent that exact sentence back to him.

"Are you trying to humiliate me?"

This time, the reply was quick. "I misspoke. Then, what would the True Monarch desire as compensation?"

Du Youqian could tell that while Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch was backing down, his words were still laced with probing questions.

’What a cunning little bastard!’

Of course, not even one in tens of millions of Cultivators could ever hope to reach the Divinity Transformation Realm.

Every Divinity Transformation True Monarch possessed incredible talent, willpower, and luck in equal measure.

Naturally, they were not so easily deceived.

Du Youqian thought for a moment. ’It wouldn’t be good for me to state my demands now; it would seem too eager.’

He did his best to recall the attitude he held toward Golden Core Cultivators, and the attitude he’d had as a Golden Core Cultivator toward those at Foundation Establishment. Then he sent his message: "You possess nothing worthy of my attention. Unless... you can return Fellow Daoist Xue Tu and Fellow Daoist Jiang Shan Duojiao, who were lost from Momenan long ago."

What Du Youqian meant was, ’I’m just putting on an act. As an absolute master of masters, none of your possessions are worthy of my sight.’

’If you want something I’d actually deign to look at, well, it just so happens that Momenan once had two Top Grade Treasures. They were originally Tier Seven Spiritual Treasures but have since slipped to Tier Six. If you have the means to bring them to me, I suppose I could force myself to accept them and forgive you.’

Du Youqian didn’t realize that had he not mentioned the Blood Slaughter Sword, things might have been fine. But the moment he did, Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch’s soul nearly fled his body in terror.

A single thought echoed in Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch’s mind: ’I was so secretive about that affair back then, and I’ve never once revealed Elder Blood Slaughter’s existence to anyone. How does he know that I’m the one who has Elder Blood Slaughter? How does he know?’

After a long moment, Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch finally calmed down. ’This Qingxu Tongxuan Guanmiao True Monarch is most likely a Tier Six, with a slight possibility of being a Tier Seven,’ he thought. ’He must possess some unfathomable power. It’s not entirely impossible that he used some special means to discover that I have Elder Blood Slaughter.’

After thinking for a long time, Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch finally replied, "I paid a great price to help Elder Blood Slaughter recover, and he promised to serve me for two thousand years. For the True Monarch to demand him with a single sentence... forgive me, but I find it difficult to comply."

Du Youqian’s mind was buzzing.

At that moment, he failed to notice Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch’s increasingly deferential tone.

The phrase circling in his mind practically had its own tune.

’It was you! It was you! It was you all along!’

’So you’re the two-faced bastard who did it!’

’You’re the one who stole Elder Blood Slaughter and Elder Jiang Shan Duojiao! You’re the one who doomed Momenan to eternal ruin!’

Du Youqian was seething.

’My Blood Slaughter Sword!’

’My giant, magnificent Blood Slaughter Sword!’

’I worked my ass off to comprehend most of the Blood Slaughter Sword Intent, and it turns out the damn sword is gone! Can you believe this crap?’

Du Youqian suppressed his seething emotions. After a moment’s thought, he realized it would be incredibly difficult to make Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch hand over the Blood Slaughter Sword as compensation.

So, he adopted the nonchalant tone of a superior and said, "For Fellow Daoist Blood Slaughter to be with you is truly a pearl gathering dust... Forget it. In the future, if I wish to borrow Fellow Daoist Blood Slaughter’s power, just make sure you don’t get in my way."

Zhaoxiang Guangde True Monarch replied, sounding wronged, "I’ve never dared to stand in your way."