NOVPUB……
"Senior Qinghuang, Shouzhe is only two hundred years old this year... May I ask your esteemed age?" Wang Shouzhe cupped his hands and asked nonchalantly.
Two hundred years old? What?
The charming face of the Qinghuang Demon Emperor froze in shock.
Doesn't that mean that this so-called Great Demon King Shouzhe is much, much younger than Cui'er?
The lifespan of fierce beasts and spiritual beasts varies greatly depending on their species. The Phoenix clan, among spiritual beasts, is known for their long lifespan. Despite Qinghuang's youthful appearance after transformation, her actual age is much older than Longchang and the Chaoyang King.
A mere two hundred years is just a blink of an eye for her.
"What do you mean by this?" Qinghuang Demon Emperor hesitated slightly, but her tone was noticeably less aggressive.
"Nothing much, perhaps we should settle some accounts first." Wang Shouzhe said calmly, counting on his fingers, "First, the medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for injuring our Emperor, totaling three million immortal crystals. Do you have any objections?"
"Objections? That old Longchang dared to draw on our Ten Thousand Saints Kingdom's supreme spiritual vein and spoke disrespectfully. He deserved a beating." Qinghuang Demon Emperor's anger flared, her phoenix eyes glaring.
"That supreme spiritual vein is still three thousand miles away from your kingdom's traditional border." Wang Shouzhe took out a map of the Southern Wilderness, clearly marking the Myriad Demon Nation's border and the location of that supreme spiritual vein. "According to international conventions, it's finders keepers or might makes right. Since you've fallen into our hands, we naturally have the right to settle accounts with you."
"Hmph!"
Qinghuang Demon Emperor turned her head, unwilling to argue with him.
Man is the knife, I am the fish, what's there to say?
"Then let's discuss the second point." Wang Shouzhe continued, "Senior Qinghuang, you illegally entered our Wang Clan's territory and were involved in various illegal activities, including 'espionage,' 'robbery,' 'theft,' 'illegal invasion of territory,' 'endangering public safety,' 'illegal invasion of a clan's main residence,' 'attempted kidnapping of a clan head,' 'kidnapping a clan's guardian spiritual beast,' 'resisting arrest with force,' 'damaging friendly relations with neighboring countries,' and 'disrupting racial harmony.' Do you have any objections to these charges?"
Listening to the list of charges, Qinghuang Demon Emperor's phoenix eyes widened.
She had initially thought that being defeated and captured, she was prepared to endure the traditional "beauty defeated" storyline.
But unexpectedly, this Great Demon King Shouzhe had no interest in her body at all and instead listed charge after charge against her.
She had merely taken a stroll in the city, how could she have committed so many crimes? Is this kid just making things up?!
"Senior Qinghuang, don't think Shouzhe is deceiving you." Wang Shouzhe took out several thick volumes of the Great Qian's laws and a Wang Clan territory management ordinance from his storage ring, piling them in front of Qinghuang Demon Emperor. "All relevant regulations are in these law books. You can study them carefully or defend yourself."
"……"
Although Qinghuang Demon Emperor had lived long enough to be somewhat cultured and could understand human writing, seeing these hefty law books still gave her a headache. She couldn't help but say, "Alright, alright, whatever you say."
She had already mentally prepared herself for the defeated beauty storyline, so what's a little legal accountability?
"Very well, please sign and seal the confession." Wang Shouzhe took out paper and pen, quickly listing the charges, and handed it to her for signature and seal. "Pleading guilty can reduce some of the charges."
"Wang Shouzhe, you really won't force me to do anything...?" Qinghuang Demon Emperor held the pen, staring suspiciously at Wang Shouzhe.
"Senior Qinghuang, forcing a woman against her will is a serious violation of the Great Qian's laws. Even if His Majesty doesn't understand, I certainly do." Wang Shouzhe said seriously, "Moreover, we live in a harmonious and lawful society. I, Wang Shouzhe, have a wife and children, a happy and stable family, and belong to a positive and healthy clan. Not only would I never force you, but even if you forced me, I would resist to the death."
"Me force you?" Qinghuang Demon Emperor's phoenix eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ahem, just an example." Wang Shouzhe said seriously, "What I mean is, nothing like what you're imagining could possibly happen between us. Rest assured."
Hearing this, Qinghuang Demon Emperor finally felt a weight lifted from her heart, but for some reason, she also felt inexplicably insulted. With mixed feelings, she signed the confession.
"Since Senior Qinghuang has confessed, the charges can be greatly reduced." Wang Shouzhe satisfactorily put away the confession. "If you actively compensate the merchants' losses and pay fines and compensation, the punishment can be further reduced. Otherwise, just those charges alone would be enough for you to serve a thousand years of hard labor."
"How much do I have to compensate to gain immediate freedom?" Qinghuang Demon Emperor, seeing Wang Shouzhe being quite "reasonable," asked tentatively with bright eyes.
"Three to five billion immortal crystals, depending on the specifics." Wang Shouzhe answered truthfully, "Most likely around three billion, since Senior Qinghuang confessed readily."
"How much?!" Qinghuang Demon Emperor's phoenix eyes widened, "Do you think I can afford that?"
Although she wasn't very familiar with human currency, she knew it was an enormous amount.
"As the saying goes, a phoenix never lands in a place without treasure. Senior, you're being modest." Wang Shouzhe said leisurely, "If the fine isn't enough, you can sell some other things to make up for it, like your Qinghuang tail feathers, wing feathers, Qinghuang essence blood, etc. They're all famous materials for refining tools or pills."
"By the way, I noticed during the battle in your original form, some wing feathers and tail feathers were about to fall off. Why not pluck them to offset some of the fine? Also, let me check your storage equipment to see if there's anything that can offset the fine."
Qinghuang Demon Emperor was so shocked by his words that her eyes went blank, and her whole body trembled.
Unexpectedly, Wang Shouzhe wasn't uninterested in her body, just not in the way she thought.
A stick of incense later.
Wang Shouzhe broke the seal and exited the cave, followed by Qinghuang Demon Emperor's anguished scream: "Wang Shouzhe, you're a true Great Demon King. You're too much, you might as well kill me!"
Hearing this, the four Void Realm experts guarding outside the cave gave Wang Shouzhe strange looks.
Especially Emperor Longchang, who winked at Wang Shouzhe, secretly thinking that he didn't expect Shouzhe, who usually seemed so serious, to have such means at critical moments~~
"Ahem~" Yao Yuangang coughed lightly to remind, "Shouzhe, you should coax Qinghuang more, after all, you'll have to live together in the future."
"I don't think it's a big deal." Chaoyang King's opinion differed, continuing to support Wang Shouzhe, "Qinghuang Demon Emperor is rebellious by nature, she needs a strong deterrent from the start to ensure a peaceful life in the future."
"Esteemed seniors." Wang Shouzhe saluted helplessly, "Let's return to the Wang Clan first."
At times like this, it wasn't that Wang Shouzhe didn't want to explain, but any explanation would only make things worse, so he simply didn't bother.
"Alright, this fight was a bit tiring." Chaoyang King said he was tired, but his spirit was high, "I'll take Qinghuang back with me, and on the way, I'll teach her some principles of being a wife for Shouzhe."
After settling the matter, everyone naturally returned to the Wang Clan.
……
In the vast Six Flat Mountains, there are towering peaks and deep valleys, with turbulent rivers running through them. It sits like an ancient beast in the Southern Wilderness, occupying most of the area south of the Southern Wilderness.
The Ten Thousand Saints Kingdom is located in the deepest part of the Six Flat Mountains.
At this moment.
In a dense forest near the border of the Myriad Demon Nation, a green light was flashing through the forest like lightning, speeding towards the Myriad Demon Nation.
At the same time.
Deep within the Six Flat Mountains.
In the Ten Thousand Saints Valley.
A giant tree stood tall in the valley.
Its trunk was straight and towering, like a pillar reaching the sky, its top even piercing the flowing clouds.
Under the brilliant sunlight, the fan-shaped leaves, as large as palms, shimmered with a jade-like luster. As they swayed in the wind, they collided with each other, producing crisp sounds like wind chimes, echoing far with the wind.
This "wind chime sound" seemed to have a calming effect, as many large and small fierce beasts lay curled up on the lawn beneath the tree, sleeping soundly to the sound of the wind chimes.
On the dense lawn beside the fierce beasts, young fierce beast cubs, not even as tall as the grass, were playing and frolicking in groups, using the sleeping large fierce beasts as barriers for their games of chase. Occasionally, they would mischievously climb onto the large fierce beasts, looking down proudly at their companions, as if they had accomplished something remarkable.
The sleeping large fierce beasts, disturbed by the howls, would casually shrug their shoulders, shaking off the daring cubs, then roll over and continue sleeping.
In the tree canopy, adult giant fierce birds were spreading their wings to sunbathe, their magnificent feathers gleaming with a golden luster under the sunlight, more splendid and beautiful than the finest artwork.
On the nearby treetops, flocks of bird chicks were hopping around happily, chirping loudly.
Further inside, near the trunk, some fierce beasts and fierce birds that had reached the seventh or eighth stage but hadn't transformed yet, were curled up small, obediently gathered in a circle, listening to an old man with white beard telling stories.
The old man looked very old, not only with white hair and beard but also with a face full of wrinkles. Yet, he exuded no sense of decay, instead appearing kind and serene, like a still deep lake, making anyone who saw him feel peaceful and calm.
Bathed in dappled light and shadow, the old man spoke gently, telling the story of "The Grateful Fox."
Under the warm sunlight, everything seemed soft and warm, presenting a scene of tranquil times.
However, the arrival of a green light broke the peace of the Ten Thousand Saints Valley.
Under the clear sky, the light flew swiftly, almost as if escaping, into the valley, heading straight for the towering tree at the center.
In an instant, the large fierce beasts napping under the tree were all awakened, raising their heads and staring intently at the light.
The old man under the tree also looked up.
With a wave of his sleeve, a light green glow, like a spring breeze, swept across the sky, gently yet firmly stopping the light.
The light dispersed, revealing a disheveled green bird.
It was a slender green peacock, its feathers magnificent and beautiful, shining brilliantly under the sunlight.
Perhaps it had flown too hastily, its crest was now crooked. Even after stopping, it was still panting heavily, looking utterly exhausted.
The old man's kind eyes showed a hint of surprise: "Little Cui'er, why are you so disheveled? Where's Qinghuang?"
"Emperor, Emperor Xiu, it's, it's not good, Ancestor Qinghuang has been captured by humans!" The green peacock stumbled to the tree, her voice already tinged with tears from anxiety.
The old man's expression grew more surprised: "With Qinghuang's strength... who did it? Did they leave any message?"
"Ah?"
The green peacock looked at the old man in confusion, not understanding what he was saying.
The old man paused, then asked in a different way: "Tell me, what exactly happened?"
The green peacock finally reacted, hurriedly gasping and stammering out the story, then urgently said: "Senior, you must take the Nine-Tailed Demon Emperor and rescue Ancestor!"
As she spoke, the surrounding fierce beasts had already gathered, showing expressions of righteous indignation upon hearing her words. Some hot-tempered fierce beasts even roared in anger.
"Humans are too cunning!"
"Emperor Xiu, just give the order, and we'll immediately follow you to force the humans to release Qinghuang Demon Emperor!"
"Yes! Senior, we all listen to you!"
"Senior! Please give the order!"
The green peacock Cui'er also looked expectantly at the old man.
Looking at the pairs of angry and impulsive beast eyes, and listening to the roars of anger, the old man felt a headache coming on.
He waved his hand.
A light green glow, accompanied by the sound of wind chimes, swept across, calming the surrounding fierce beasts and soothing their anger.
The old man said, "Everyone, don't be hasty. The situation on the human side is still unclear. I'll discuss with the Nine-Tails before deciding what to do."
"What about Ancestor...?" The green peacock Cui'er paced anxiously.
"Don't worry, I watched Qinghuang grow up. I won't let anything happen to her. Rest and regain your strength first." The old man gently patted the green peacock's head, comforting her, though he felt a sense of unease and doubt.
For a long time, the human empire and the Ten Thousand Saints Kingdom had coexisted peacefully, with neither side interfering with the other. Now, suddenly capturing Qinghuang, he couldn't believe there wasn't another motive behind it.
As for the possibility that it was all a coincidence, he didn't even consider it.
After all, he knew Qinghuang's strength well. Even the two Void Realm experts of the Eastern Qian Kingdom combined weren't a match for Qinghuang. To capture her, they must have sought external help.
And Void Realm experts, being among the top combat forces among humans, weren't easy to enlist. How could there be any coincidence?
He just didn't know what the humans were up to.
Thinking of this, the old man felt a bit melancholic.
He feared that the long-standing peace of the Ten Thousand Saints Kingdom might soon be gone forever.
……
At the same time.
In the Wang Clan's main residence, in Shouzhe's Small Courtyard.
This courtyard had been Wang Shouzhe's residence since he transmigrated, even after marrying Ruolan.
In the blink of an eye, nearly two hundred years had passed.
In this small courtyard, countless events had occurred, and even many decisions affecting the world's fate were made here.
After capturing the Qinghuang Demon Emperor, Wang Shouzhe temporarily detained her in Stay Immortal Valley, with the Chaoyang King and his wife helping to guard her.
On this day, he was listening to Wang Anrui from the An generation report on work matters.
Wang Anrui was the tenth in the An generation, a few years younger than Wang Anye, and one of Wang Shouzhe's direct great-grandsons. Now, he was a mature man of about one hundred fifty or sixty years old, with his cultivation just entering the Purple Mansion Realm.
Because his father, Wang Shihai, was restless and adventurous, wanting to be a pirate king, Wang Anrui matured early, growing up through family training. Now, he was the leader managing all the affairs of the Qingluo Garrison, even the official "City Lord" of the Qingluo Garrison had to defer to him.
"Anrui, I trust you to handle things well. Thank you for your hard work with the Qingluo Garrison." Wang Shouzhe nodded more and more as he listened to the report, very satisfied with this great-grandson.
Though Wang Anye overshadowed the An generation, many outstanding members emerged, with many now taking on responsibilities.
"Great-grandfather, you praise me too much." The steady young Wang Anrui humbly saluted, "Anrui's achievements are thanks to your guidance and the support of elders and clan members."
Though he seemed less flamboyant than Wang Anye, his bloodline talent was comparable to Wei Qingyun of the Jing'an Wei Clan or Yuntai An of the Chaoyang King family. He only lacked the accumulation of age.
In a first-class clan of the Immortal Dynasty, he could be one of the heirs.
In terms of handling family affairs and maturity, Wang Anrui was far superior, never seeing himself as a playboy.
"By the way." Wang Shouzhe, sipping tea, suddenly remembered something, "Do you know about Prince An's son, Prince Shengjun, going to Northern Zhou to propose?"
Wang Anrui hesitated, then said, "I've heard of it. I heard that Princess Luojia of Northern Zhou is exceptionally talented and is seeking a husband throughout the Immortal Dynasty. What do you mean, great-grandfather?"
"This time, you should accompany Prince Shengjun to Northern Zhou." Wang Shouzhe instructed.
"What?" Wang Anrui was both surprised and excited, "Great-grandfather, I can't. I've been married for a long time and have many children and grandchildren. Besides, I heard that Princess Luojia is twenty years older than me. I can't betray my wife. But if you insist..."
"What are you thinking?" Wang Shouzhe interrupted, glaring at him, "I just want you to accompany Prince Shengjun to Northern Zhou and help him win the beauty's favor. It's a good thing for our Great Qian."
Wang Anrui wiped the sweat from his forehead in shock, feeling completely uninterested, and said tearfully, "Great-grandfather, I'm very busy with work at the Qingluo Garrison. I really don't want to go."
"I just happened to think of it." Wang Shouzhe said leisurely, "Mainly, Prince An wrote, insisting that our Wang Clan send two outstanding juniors to support him."
"In that case, I have some candidates." Wang Anrui perked up, ready to pass the buck, "They're ten times more suitable than me."
"Let's hear it." Wang Shouzhe showed some interest.
"One is our An generation's twenty-first brother, Wang Anyuan." Wang Anrui sold him out, "Don't be fooled by Anyuan's low profile. He's just over a hundred years old, but his cultivation has reached the eighth level of the Celestial Realm, with a rare Gengjin bloodline, specializing in swordsmanship with extraordinary strength."
"Anyuan." Wang Shouzhe nodded, "He's from my second brother Shouyi's line, with good bloodline and strength. By the way, I remember he's not married yet?"
"Twenty-first brother is devoted to the sword and hasn't graduated from the advanced clan school yet. Previously, the family urged him to marry, but he said he wouldn't marry until he reached the Celestial Realm, then said he wouldn't marry until the Purple Mansion Realm. I think he's just stalling, unwilling to contribute to the family." Wang Anrui thoroughly sold out his twenty-first brother, "Why not let him go to Northern Zhou to broaden his horizons, maybe even bring back a Northern Zhou wife."
"Hmph, how can he not marry? Almost fooled by him." Wang Shouzhe nodded with a dark face, "Anrui, who's the other candidate?"
"The other is Ning generation's third brother, Wang Ningyu, two years older than the twenty-first brother." Wang Anrui said.
"So you're recommending Ningyu." Wang Shouzhe nodded, "He's from my eldest brother Shouxin's line, and I remember he's our Wang Clan's third Ice Phoenix bloodline awakener? Even Ancestor Long Yan treats him differently."
"More than differently, I heard Ancestor Long Yan gave him an extra Divine Spirit Artifact sword." Wang Anrui thoroughly sold out his nephew, "That kid is aloof as snow, looking down on everyone. I heard the great-grandfather arranged several blind dates for him, all ruined by him."
"Very well, you handle this." Wang Shouzhe said seriously, "Tell those two unworthy kids that accompanying Prince Shengjun to Northern Zhou is to assist him in winning the princess. Secondly, they should showcase themselves and bring back two Northern Zhou wives."
"Great-grandfather, you're wise." Wang Anrui said, "If our Wang Clan marries into Northern Zhou, our Qingluo Garrison fleet can trade extensively with Northern Zhou."
After a round of flattery, Wang Anrui bid farewell to his great-grandfather and turned to host a banquet for Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu at a restaurant in Xinping Town.
In the private room of the restaurant.
The two young talents of the Wang Clan respectfully saluted Wang Anrui: "Greetings, tenth brother/uncle."
Wang Anrui, being a direct descendant of the family, though only a secondary branch, was a significant figure in the Qingluo Garrison, naturally not comparable to these two who hadn't graduated from the advanced clan school.
"Anyuan, Ningyu, no need for formalities." Wang Anrui kindly patted their shoulders, "We're all family, let's sit and talk."
Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu both relaxed slightly, respectfully sitting down to drink and eat with Wang Anrui.
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became more harmonious.
"Anyuan, Ningyu." Wang Anrui said earnestly, "I've arranged a good task for you before great-grandfather."
"Tenth brother/uncle, please instruct us." The two straightened up.
"Accompany Prince Shengjun to Northern Zhou to support him, helping him win Princess Luojia's favor." Wang Anrui said seriously, "However, that's just a secondary task. The main task is, great-grandfather orders you to showcase your talents and bring back a wife, targeting the Northern Zhou royal family's marriageable princesses. Of course, to broaden the scope, princesses under two hundred and fifty years old are acceptable."
At this, Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu were struck as if by lightning, tears almost falling. Tenth brother/uncle, do you have to be so ruthless?
We're just over a hundred years old, still kids who haven't graduated from the advanced clan school, we don't want to marry so early.
……
