Journey of the Fate Destroying Emperor

Chapter 1239  The Ruthless King

After planning the next step, everyone separated to fulfill their task. Wang Wei chose the Bloodline Gang as his target, and he dealt with them relatively quickly. He lured their leader — a somewhat rare Snow-Thunder Leopard — who was a second-tier Earth Primarch, meaning he was on par with an Empyrean but did not have a Heaven Will.

Wang Wei created a secret realm and left his bloodline inside before luring one of the Bloodline Gang members to find it. The poor lad hurried to notify the upper echelon of the gang, and this secret news soon reached the Snow-Thunder Leopard, who quickly rushed over.

Once that happened, defeating him and taking control of his gang was relatively easy. Wang Wei returned to their base, where two of the other groups were already waiting.

"So, he's the leader of the Grandmist Gang," Wang Wei commented as he looked at this man that could be described as beautiful due to his many feminine features.

"Was there any problem?" he asked. He sent Mongke to deal with this person as the Grandmist Gang Lord because the latter hated Empyreans, Dao Rulers, or any cultivators capable of creating lives.

"He granted me an audience, but after knowing why I came, he immediately turned hostile," Mongke replied. Wang Wei nodded as such a response was expected.

"What's your name?" Wang Wei asked. However, the Grandmist Gang Lord just stared at him.

"Zou Bo? A good name," Wang Wei nodded. "You're a weird man. You have such a strong hatred for us [Creators], but you also secretly wished to find one worthy enough to serve, to dedicate your life. I guess it's not so weird since your master treated you so nicely; you probably wanted to relieve that time which was dear to you."

"Shut up. Don't act like you know me," Zou Bo yelled.

"But I do."

"I would rather die than serve you," Zou Bo said with gritted teeth.

"That's fine by me," Wang Wei replied casually. "You're not as valuable as you think, especially after I extract your memory on how you survived an Empyrean Tier Creation Tribulation.

"However, do note that if you kill yourself, I will have the Bloodline Gang Leader desacred your body and soul by letting him eat you and all your people."

"You monster," Zou Bo said with gritted teeth. If there is one person he hated more than those Empyreans who played with life as if it meant nothing, it was that racist bastard. He would rather be subservient to someone else than let that leopard win over him.

"Let's make a deal," Zou Bo said. "Let me kill that leopard, and my life is yours."

"As I said — you're not that valuable," Wang Wei replied casually.

"What you're saying is if I'm way more valuable than him, you'll allow it to happen?"

"Interesting," Wang Wei muttered as he held his chin. "I'm open to your bargain. But how will you prove your worth?"

"By becoming an Everlasting Empyrean," Zou Bo said with gritted teeth.

"Oh? That's right. If you become one of my creatures, I can allow you to retake the Creation Tribulation to become an Everlasting Empyrean. But, can you survive the tribulation? Unlike my original creations, you'll be truly dead once you fail."

"I'll survive," Zou Bo declared with gritted teeth. He knew such tribulation would be, at minimum, ten times harder than a Creation Tribulation for a regular Grandmist Life trying to become an Everlasting, but he did not care; he would put his life on the line to kill that leopard.

"Well, I look forward to the result," Wang Wei commented.

'Did you see how he used this man's desire to control him? It seems I have much to learn in the Ways of the Human Heart,' Mongke said to his wife.

'Yes, you can learn much from observing him.' Once this era ends, it might be difficult for the Barbarian Race to maintain their neutrality, given their participation in ending the parasites. By then, Mongke will have to deal with many of these elders who are set in their ways, so having leadership and diplomatic skills like Wang Wei will be crucial for him to navigate the situation — especially before he becomes a Primal Paragon and has absolute power in the clan.

Wang Wei turned his focus on the two people from the Crazy Thief Gang that Dulgun, Ghost, and Puppet Demon brought. "Who is their leader?"

"These are the Vice-Gang Leaders," Dulgun explained. "As for their leader, well, he disappeared."

"He ran away from you?"

"No," she responded. "He appeared a while ago to announce to the gang that he was entering a deep state of retreat. He did not show up when we raided their headquarters and controlled everyone."

"So, he abandoned his men?"

"The Gang Leader did not abandon us," said Thin-Finger, one of the two Vice-Leaders. "Wait until his cultivation is successful; he'll come to kill all of you and return our gang to normal."

"What a strong faith you have in your leader," Wang Wei commented.

"Do you think this is the first time this has happened?" Thin-Finger sneered.

"Shut up," yelled Black Tooth, the other Vice-Gang Lord. "Do you want to give the enemy all our information?" Thin-Finger immediately quieted down but still stared ferociously at Wang Wei.

"Indeed, a reliable leader," Wang Wei commented as he observed their past. However, he could not see their leader clearly as he was enveloped in a black fog. 'This place is full of unique characters,' he thought to himself with a smile.

"Where is the last…" Wang Wei suddenly stopped to look in the distance.

"Did something happen?" Mongke asked.

"The last group was captured."

"Really? Their task was to observe and wait for us, so how could they be captured? Did they disobey their orders?" Mongke asked.

"No. The Martial Outlaw Gang already knew they were coming."

"It seems that our movement was leaked, or the Ruthless King detected some kind of danger and preemptively attacked," Mongke summarized.

"It seems we must do this more directly," Wang Wei said with squinted eyes. He did not waste time and teleported everybody outside the Martial Outlaw Gang's headquarters, a colossal continent. These people were already awaiting their arrival, all dressed in armor and perfectly lined up.

'These men are not gangsters. They are a well-trained army that has experienced countless battles,' Wang Wei thought.

"I did not expect you would be the one behind this, Barbarian King," said a handsome middle-aged man with a few strings of white hair in his tightly bun hair, black clothes with dragons' designs, and a regal aura.

"I thought this was an attack from the five demons," continued the Ruthless King. "But now…No, this may not even be your doing." He noticed the fact that Wang Wei was the one in front, and he remembered the news he heard not long ago — someone defeated the Barbarian King.

"And who might you be?"

Wang Wei did not immediately answer him as someone else caught his attention. Two people stood behind the Ruthless King, and he knew they were his sons, given how much they resembled him. They were both only Eternal Emperors, which should not have garnered his attention. However, the one on the left was odd.

Firstly, Wang Wei could not tell this young man's exact cultivation realm. At first, he appeared to be only 54% Grand Dao Source, while his brother was 67%, but Wang Wei knew he was hiding his real level, and whatever means he used, it was something even he could not see through.

The second thing that drew his attention was this young man's eyes. He was born with the 17th Heavenly Physique — the Double Pupil. Lastly, the young man's reaction to their presence was strange. He first glanced at Mongke with great worry before looking at Wang Wei with horror. All these emotions were very fast, almost unnoticeable before he controlled himself to look calm.

'Another interesting character,' Wang Wei thought before focusing on the Ruthless King. "The name is Empyrean Wang. It's a pleasure to meet you, but what should I address you as? The Ruthless King, or, would you prefer a more familiar term, like his Majesty."

The Ruthless King squinted. "Ruthless is fine. After all, I'm just a Nationless Ruler."

"I know it must have been hard, but could you quench my curiosity?" Wang Wei asked. "How was your dynasty destroyed? I'm assuming the parasites did it, forcing you into exile in this place. But why did they destroy it in the first place? Was there a particular reason, or were you guys just part of a long list of places to clean up?"

"I don't believe this is the kind of conversation strangers should be having," the Ruthless King responded with clenching hands, trying to control his anger.

"Fair," Wang Wei nodded. "So, let's get back on track. I believe we reached the part in our conversation where you asked me why I'm doing this. What animosity do I have with you or your gang?"

The Ruthless King stared at Wang Wei. He could not remember the last time he had a conversation where the opponent completely dominated the rhythm. He used extreme means to calm himself down.