Chapter 820: Denied

The three universally recognized strongest races among demons were dragons, phoenixes, and Behemoths.

In terms of bloodline and strength, the three were more or less on par with each other. They were also on par when it came to reproductive abilities—that is to say, they all fared very poorly. It was only natural; if these three races had the reproductive abilities of humans, there would have been no place for other races on the Daemon Continent.

Dragons and phoenixes shared a closer relationship, and in spite of their rivalry, they joined forces during critical moments, especially against the Behemoth clan. However, the Behemoth lineage was strong enough to put up a resistance, and thus, the status quo was maintained.

A lot had happened recently, however, and the fall of the Crystal Demon Emperor caused the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor to feel some concerns.

With the loss of the Crystal Demon Emperor, the dragon race had gone from being the strongest to a relatively weaker position. Currently, in terms of combat power, the Undying Demon Emperor ranked first, followed by the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor. The power gap between the two was minimal, and if they were to clash, it was uncertain who would come out on top.

Currently, all contention centered around Crystal City. On the phoenix race's side, there was still the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor without a main city. Moreover, the phoenix race boasted two Emperors, which gave them a clear advantage if they were to fight for control. At the same time, this would place the phoenix race directly against the dragon race, which was undoubtedly a favorable scenario for the Behemoth clan.

Thus, the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor immediately chose to support the Tenebrous Demon Emperor. He didn’t want Crystal City to remain under the control of the dragons, but it couldn’t be allowed to fall into the hands of the phoenix race either. Thus, it was easier for him to support the

single

dragon Emperor and then make a deal with him regarding the city.

Most other Emperors with main cities were observing from the sidelines. For the Empyrean Dominion, whoever controlled Crystal City could not allow the Solstice Empire to interfere; this was the bottom line.

Thus, the situation had become rather complicated, with no one having the absolute strength to seize Crystal City.

Amid this stalemate, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor approached the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor and proposed a marriage alliance between Sky-Splitting City and Kali City. For the Behemoth clan, this was undoubtedly beneficial without any downsides.

The Peacock Demon clan and the phoenix race were known as the two great avian clans, and they also conveniently happened to be arch-enemies. The support of the Peacock Demon clan was nothing to scoff at, and considering that Mei Gongzi had the potential to become the next Peacock Demon Emperor, Sky-Splitting City would have a strong ally in Kali City. Even if the dragon race produced another Emperor, they would still be able to stand on equal footing. Of course, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor wanted to have the Behemoth clan help Mei Gongzi purify her human bloodline.

The Behemoth clan already had one Emperor. In this scenario, if Jin Anguo aimed to become an Emperor himself, he would certainly face opposition from dragons and phoenixes during the Emperor’s duty report. By contrast, the weaker Kali City had no such issue, and it also enjoyed the support of the White Tiger Demon Emperor. The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor suggested that they quickly help Mei Gongzi cleanse her human bloodline and support her to become an Emperor, ensuring that no outsiders from beyond the Daemon Continent, nor any nymphs, managed to ascend first.

With the death of the Crystal Demon Emperor, a position had been opened for one powerful Emperor or for two weaker ones. Many Emperors were seizing this opportunity to cultivate and claim more fortune for themselves; moreover, according to the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, the plane itself was also in the process of reclaiming some of this fortune. At such a time, nothing was more important than having a new Emperor ascend and secure more fortune for the demons.

If Mei Gongzi married Jin Anguo and then ascended, then Jin Anguo would have the support of her, the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor, and the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, and the White Tiger Demon Emperor would also likely cooperate. He could quite possibly become an Emperor while his father was still alive, in which case the Behemoth lineage would wield the greatest influence in the Ancestral Court.

This was the core reason for the Sky-Splitting Demon Emperor's interest. Naturally, he fully trusted his son and shared everything with him; this was the entire story behind Jin Anguo visiting Kali City.

After seeing Mei Gongzi's stunning beauty, any resistance in his heart had completely vanished, and he even began to look forward to the completion of this marriage alliance. For him, it was undoubtedly a great opportunity!

"City Lord Jin."

Mei Gongzi’s voice rang out just as Jin Anguo was contemplating the pros and cons of the whole situation in his mind.

Jin Anguo looked at her stunning face with a smile. From his perspective, he had already shown great sincerity. As the lord of Sky-Splitting City, and given the complex internal situation within the Empyrean Dominion, how could he not be busy? Yet, under such circumstances, he was willing to stay and get to know Mei Gongzi better; there was no greater sincerity than that, right?

However, Mei Gongzi’s next words caused Jin Anguo’s expression to darken.

“Thank you very much for coming. However, when it comes to marriage, I’ve already made my decision. There’s no way I can marry into your clan. So I don’t wish to take up too much of your time; I’m sure the affairs of Sky-Splitting City are also quite pressing."

Jin Anguo frowned slightly and asked, "Are you bothered that I already have a wife?"

Mei Gongzi shook her head. "It’s not about that. I just have my own plans."

Jin Anguo responded calmly, "City Lord Mei, the current situation on the continent is quite complex. You know, with the fall of the Crystal Demon Emperor, Crystal City has become a target for all sides. Without the presence of the top Emperor, we can no longer fully suppress the Nymph Emperors of the Solstice Empire. Crystal City is near the Ancestral Court, and its ownership can be claimed by anyone. In this context, our Emperors are all very anxious. Our Behemoth lineage has the credentials for it, and we hope to seize this opportunity to gain more resources. If we marry, we will see immediate benefits—both of us. Whatever we gain in the future, Kali City will have a share. Moreover, my father would fully support your ascension to the twelfth order. In fact, he will support you first, even before he supports me.

"The reason my father did not approve of you during the evaluation is your human bloodline. But if you marry me, that is nothing to be concerned about. Our clan possesses a number of techniques that allow us to remove weaker bloodlines. You can become a pure-blooded demon very easily. We can also use our secret techniques to help you gain an even stronger physique. In other words, with my clan’s support, you could become an Emperor in a few years.

“At that time, you could, in turn, support me in becoming an Emperor as well. With you, me, my father, and the White Tiger Demon Emperor, we would have four Emperors working together, and at least three main cities. We could sway the entire Ancestral Court if need be. Even the dragon and phoenix races would fall behind us. Isn't that perfect?"

Mei Gongzi replied solemnly, "According to the rules of the Ancestral Court, marriages between the rulers of main cities are not allowed. If city lords of main cities were to marry, it would significantly impact the balance of the Ancestral Court."

"That’s true, but the rule is only in place to avoid Emperors with main cities from becoming a couple. However, you and I are not Emperors, so the opposition won’t be quite as strong. I can even promise you that our future child will be the next lord of Sky-Splitting City. This is the best I can offer you, and I am doing so with utmost sincerity."

Jin Anguo wasn’t just flattering himself; his offer was indeed as valuable as could be. The Behemoth clan valued bloodline purity highly, and if he were to marry Mei Gongzi, their child would obviously not have a pure Behemoth bloodline. Under such circumstances, promising the child the inheritance of Sky-Splitting City was no small commitment.

Unfortunately, no matter how much sincerity he showed, he was destined to fail.