Chapter 1040: Compensation

The Undying Demon Emperor said gravely, "I believe we can allow him to continue in the round-robin while granting him two additional victories as compensation. He already has two wins, so this would give him eight points. With five matches remaining, he'd only need to win one more to secure a spot in the finals. That's still quite feasible. At the same time, the Ancestral Court should refund him the money he spent to acquire the Scourge Dragon. He may continue to keep the Scourge Dragon in his possession. What do you think of this, Sunborne?"

Refunding the cost and awarding bonus victories made sense, but it was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Clearly, the Undying Demon Emperor had thought through this plan, and it was tacitly approved by the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor.

Eight points would indeed be a solid advantage. But if Jin Miaolin lost all his remaining matches, he could still be eliminated. In other words, he had to win at least once to have a real shot at the finals.

The Sunborne Nymph Emperor calculated silently for a moment, then said, "The Blue Gold Tree clan is not known for combat; that's well understood. Without the Scourge Dragon, I don't think even eight points will be of much use."

The Undying Demon Emperor replied firmly, "But if we give him any more, it would truly be unfair to the other contestants. The others already have reason to question the fairness of our rules, so if we do that, we might as well give him a throne outright."

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor said, "Since we have differing opinions, how about this: We summon Clan Leader Jin and ask him for his thoughts, and then we can decide."

"Agreed," said the Undying Demon Emperor.

"Agreed," echoed the Sunborne Nymph Emperor. In his heart, he thought,

Heh, old fox. That little sprout might be an even older fox than you are. Let's see what he makes you do for him. Why should I be the only one to suffer?

Soon, Tang San was brought before the Emperors. In the meantime, they had convened in the Council Hall, where the Celestial Pillars stood tall.

Feeling the eyes of the Emperors upon him, Tang San respectfully saluted. "Jin Miaolin greets the honored Emperors. May I ask why I have been summoned?"

If there ever was an example of playing innocent, this was it. His meaning was clear:

I've been following all the rules, so what do you want from me?

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor spoke gently. "We've all watched your match today. Your situation is unique. First, rest assured, the Ancestral Court recognizes that you have competed within the rules. You need not worry about that. But because of the Scourge Dragon's special nature, we do have some concerns, and we ask for your understanding."

Tang San bowed slightly. "Please, Your Majesty, tell me what the problem is."

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor said, "In your match, your synergy with the Scourge Dragon generated immense power. That power was certainly impressive, but also unstable. If you ever lose control of it, it could endanger everyone present. For that reason, we hope you'll agree not to use the Scourge Dragon in your future matches, for the safety of all. In return, the Ancestral Court will compensate you. What do you think?"

Tang San froze for a moment. He had expected them to straight up forbid him from using the Scourge Dragon and offer some kind of compensation. But he hadn't thought they'd go so far as to craft a pretext that sounded reasonable. Clearly, the Sunborne Nymph Emperor had argued well on his behalf.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he lowered his head, looking as if he was pondering how to give up without losing too much face.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor didn't press him, waiting calmly.

After a long pause, Tang San sighed. "If the Ancestral Court wishes me not to contend for the throne, I may as well withdraw entirely."

The Sunborne Nymph Emperor's eyes lit up.

Haha, as expected, a masterstroke! That's what they call "retreating to advance"!

Before the Emperors, his rank was nothing. If he resisted the Ancestral Court, he'd earn their enmity. But this gesture of resignation, filled with sorrow and respect, would rally sympathy from the Solstice Empire's side. After all, he was one of their city lords.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor raised a hand. "Now, now, let's not make rash decisions. That is not our intent. Your participation has brought honor to this competition. We have discussed it, and to be fair, we will grant you two additional victories. That gives you a strong chance at the finals if you can win just one or two more matches. Also, the money you paid for the Scourge Dragon will be fully refunded. If you have any other ideas, we are willing to hear them."

Two victories and a refund? That matched what Tang San had expected, and it sounded like there was room to negotiate.

Those two wins wouldn't guarantee a finals spot; they wanted to be fair to the others. But they didn't know that Radiant Dragon King Xu An'yu had promised Tang San to concede their match. That would give him ten points, and that

would

be enough to secure a place.

And now he could negotiate for more?

Well, don't mind if I do!

Tang San showed hesitation, falling silent again.

The Golden Mammoth Demon Emperor, ever the impatient kind, growled, "If you've got something to say, spit it out. We don't have all day. The matches need to resume."

Tang San looked at the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, saw his encouraging nod, and spoke up. "Your Majesties, this Battle for the Throne began as a matchmaking contest. If the Ancestral Court wishes me not to use the Scourge Dragon, I will comply. I never imagined I could truly claim a throne. But I am devoted to Lady Mei. If I withdraw now, could I ask the Ancestral Court for permission to wed her?"

This was the heart of his aim: to secure his bond with Mei Gongzi. If the Ancestral Court agreed, he truly wouldn't care about withdrawing. As for becoming an Emperor, he could build toward that in time.

"No!" the Undying Demon Emperor blurted out.

The Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor had almost spoken up too, but Undying was faster.

The Emperors all looked at the Undying Demon Emperor in surprise, wondering at his vehemence.

Realizing his outburst, the Undying Demon Emperor composed himself. "This contest is a matchmaking trial. If we grant your request, it's no different than declaring you the winner. That's unacceptable. And besides, you are not the only one who desires Lady Mei's hand. How would we explain it to the others?"

It was a sound argument.

Tang San fell silent again, his face even more forlorn.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor glanced at the Undying, a little surprised at how forceful he had been. It wasn't like him. And now, the mood had grown tense. On the Solstice Empire's side, the Emperors' faces darkened.

The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor said, "Clan Leader Jin, please propose another condition. The Ancestral Court will consider it carefully."

Tang San remained silent.