âBrother, feel free to state your requests. The Wu clan will make sure to contribute everything we can within our capacity.â
The Wu Clan Leader was quick to agree.
He knew that Chu Kuangrenâs power was far more terrifying than the other clans.
The Wu clan was probably an insignificant orthodoxy in Chu Kuangrenâs perspective. If he wanted to, he could obliterate them at any moment.
The power difference was so big that the Wu Clan Leader did not even think of resisting at all.
If that was the case, there was no harm in playing along with Chu Kuangrenâs demands.
As Chu Kuangren had saved the Wu clan and his life, the Wu Clan Leader felt that this was a great opportunity to turn the situation around.
âIt looks like you know how to play your cards well.â Chu Kuangren nodded, content with the clan leaderâs attitude.
âFirst, Iâve got a few questions to ask. Is this the Emperor Road?â
The Wu Clan Leader was confused. He did not expect Chu Kuangren to pose such a question. However, the Wu Clan Leader was quick to recall an important fact and hastily answered, âYes.â
âAre you born and raised in the Emperor Road, or did you come from somewhere else?â
âWe were born in the Emperor Road and are considered a local institution. However, there are also many powerful entities in the Emperor Road who came from the outside world.â
The Wu Clan Leader could gauge Chu Kuangrenâs origin and did not intend to conceal any matter.
âVery well. Lastly, I require some information about the Emperor Road, including information about the regionâs power dynamics, sky-prides, and matters relating to the Emperorâs Throne.â
âUnderstood.â
The Wu Clan Leader nodded and arranged a guest room for Chu Kuangren. He had never once mentioned the Divine Emerald Lamp throughout their conversation.
In the Wu clanâs grand hall, several elders were congregating.
âClan Leader, what should we do next?â
âLetâs just stick to his demands and see what pans out.â
âWhat about the Divine Emerald Lamp then?â
âIf heâs unwilling to return it, do you think we stand a chance in getting it back?â The Wu Clan Leader rolled his eyes and said.
Then, his eyes glimmered with a sense of excitement. âI believe youâve heard that the Emperor Mountain has undergone a strange transformation. The Emperorsâ Thrones are reappearing. This means that the Emperor Road is now connected to the outside world. This person is likely a sky-pride from the outside world, whoâs participating in the fight for the Emperorâs Throne. Nay, he must be!â
âBesides, youâve also witnessed his capability, how he defeated the Sage Rulers with ease. Not even the outlawed sky-prides of the Emperor Road are capable of it. How strong must his orthodoxy be for it to birth such a formidable cultivator? It must be many times stronger than the Wu clan.â
âThe Wu clan has been suffering from a severe lack of talent these years. Weâre unfated to ascend into the Emperor Throne. We can only benefit from making his acquaintance. If this person manages to ascend into the throne, itâll mean that weâve made the acquaintance of an Emperor. This alone will ensure that the Wu clan will prosper.â
The council contemplated deeply at the Wu Clan Leaderâs explanation.
Although the likelihood of a person becoming an Emperor was slim, it was still possible.
Besides, there was not much they could do other than avoid getting at Chu Kuangrenâs wrong side at all costs.
âWe understand now.â
Then, the elders followed Chu Kuangrenâs demand and went on to prepare a list of intel about the Emperor Road.
In the Wu clanâs guest room.
Chu Kuangren recollected his spiritual thought. âTheyâre smart enough to avoid playing tricks on me.â
He needed a local entity to prepare the information for him, and he could not ask for anything better than the Wu clanâs allegiance.
âThe Emperor Roadâs structure is built differently than the outside world. It looks like I may need some time to get used to it.â
Chu Kuangren noticed that his spiritual thought was not his only ability that got restricted. His Spatial Conveyor Skill was just as affected as well, all because the Emperor Roadâs spatial structure significantly differed from the outside world. As such, Chu Kuangren needed some time to adjust himself.
Fortunately, his other combat strength still remained unaffected. This was enough for him to deal with what was about to come.
â¦
Stone City, Zhang clan.
The Sage Rulers who had just returned from the Wu clan were congregating.
âD*mn it. Our entire plan has been ruined by a person who just appeared out of nowhere. Now that we donât have the Divine Emerald Lamp, I wonder how that entity will punish us.â
The Zhang Clan Leader said. At the mention of that entity, a sense of fear flashed in his eyes.
âIt is unfortunate that we didnât get the Divine Emerald Lamp, but the youngster was just too strong for all of us. He could easily kill a Sage Ruler. With that level of ability, Iâm afraid only the entity has the means to deal with him. This is out of our hands. Itâs best that we speak honestly with him.â
Qian Clan Leader said as he attended to his severed limb.
A brief encounter with Chu Kuangren was enough to leave him traumatized.
âThat seems like our only option now.â
The Zhang Clan Leader took out a transparent crystal ball, which emitted a glow that manifested into an apparition in the void.
The apparition was blurry, but one could tell that the figure of the apparition was dressed in a majestic golden robe. Despite it being his apparition only, the figure still managed to exert an unbearable aura within the room.
âGreetings, Sword Daoist,â the Zhang Clan Leader quickly bowed and greeted the person.
âIs the matter done?â
The entity that was known as the Sword Daoist spoke.
The clan leaders could only look at each other. None of them dared utter a word.
The Sword Daoist could induce the results from their silence and said furiously, âSpeak. What happened?!â
âEverything was going as planned at first. However, just when weâre about to get our hands on the Divine Emerald Lampâ¦â The Zhang Clan Leader narrated the entire incident to the Sword Daoist.
The Sword Daoist went silent for a moment before he screamed abruptly, âUseless!â
âPlease forgive us, Sword Daoist.â
âHmph, Iâm occupied by other matters for now, so Iâll send a few swordsmen over to complete the affair tomorrow.â
âIf the Master Swordsmen will come to assist, then the matter should be considered done,â said the Zhang Clan Leader as he quickly bowed.
âIf anything funny happens again this time, itâll be the end of all your clans.â
With a snort, the Sword Daoist vanished.
The clan leaders could not help but turn white when they heard the Sword Daoistâs final remark.
âWith the assistance from the Master Swordsmen, this shouldnât be a problem.â
âThatâs right, letâs not worry too much about it now.â
â¦
In the Wu clan.
Chu Kuangren was toying around with the Divine Emerald Lamp when he noticed that the Emperor Weapon was damaged.
He noticed that there was no wick in the lantern.
âA damaged Emperor Weapon is of little use to me. If the Wu clan puts up a decent performance, I might just consider returning this to them.â
Chu Kuangren murmured.
At that instance, the Wu Clan Leader knocked on the door to his room.
Chu Kuangren stored the Divine Emerald Lamp and said, âCome in.â
âGreetings, Brother Chu.â
âHowâs everything going so far?â
âThis is the map of the Emperor Road and all the information about its sky-prides and powerful cultivators.â
The Wu Clan Leader then took out a jade scroll.
Chu Kuangren activated his spiritual thought and glimpsed through the content. He noticed that there was a significant overlap between the information provided by the Wu Clan Leader and the divine predictor.
He pondered deeply. âIt looks like the past ancient and even archaic orthodoxies had established their power foundations throughout the Emperor Road a long time ago. Interesting. So apart from the sky-prides, Iâll also have to deal with these orthodoxies in the Emperor Road. No wonder the divine predictor has given me so much information about the Nine Heavens.â