Chapter 958: A Political Marriage?

Of the two bloodlines within him, the Golden Mammoth bloodline held dominance, but it had almost perfectly fused with another bloodline—so seamlessly, in fact, that it bore a striking resemblance to Tang San's own transcendent bloodline. The only difference was that Tang San's fusion was a true integration of equal parts, while Ning Chen'en's had clearly taken the form of one bloodline devouring the other.

As it turned out, aside from the Golden Mammoth bloodline, Ning Chen'en also possessed the bloodline of the Adamant Nymph clan.

Well now... No wonder even the Golden Mammoth Demon Emperor didn't hesitate to take him as heir. This guy truly has the best of both worlds, the most formidable defensive bloodlines of both demons and nymphs. If there's a real juggernaut in this plane, it can only be him.

Ning Chen'en didn't seem to intend to hide anything. He turned toward Tang San and said, "Since I happened to run into you today, Clan Leader Jin, there's something I've always been curious about. I heard the Adamant Nymph Emperor was slain by the Ancestral Tree after offending it. Is that true?

Sigh...

To tell you the truth, I actually carry a bit of the Adamant Nymph clan's bloodline myself. My mother was one of the Emperor's illegitimate daughters."

Tang San had a hard time imagining how a rock could father children, legitimate or otherwise, but he wisely chose not to bring up the matter. From what Ning Chen'en said, the Adamant Nymph Emperor had been his maternal grandfather.

"I can't speak to the details. But we did discover large numbers of our people imprisoned and slaughtered within Adamant City, which enraged the Ancestral Tree. Its true body projection manifested, and what happened after that, I honestly don't understand very well myself. But yes, the Adamant Nymph Emperor was indeed slain by the Ancestral Tree. My condolences, Brother Ning."

Ning Chen'en simply shrugged. "No need for condolences. Even though I'm related to the Adamant Nymph Emperor by blood, I've never even met him. Actually, he kicked my mother out long ago. If anything, I'd say my father got a pretty sweet deal out of it."

Tang San didn't respond. So far as appearances went, it seemed that Ning Chen'en wasn't feeling much of a grudge over it. But who could say what he truly felt inside? Blood ties were still blood ties, after all.

"Alright, let's get back to the Throne of Frost. Can you really not give it up, Clan Leader Jin?" The Ice Dragon King Sun Honghao stared at Tang San with a cold expression on his face.

Tang San looked troubled. "I'm afraid I really can't."

Sun Honghao nodded and said, "Fine. I'll remember this."

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

With that, he turned and walked back into the dragons' room.

Radiant Dragon King Xu An'yu offered an apologetic smile. "I must apologize on his behalf, Clan Leader Jin. He's just been fixated on the Throne of Frost for a long time. Not getting it has upset him. I'll try to calm him down. By the way, thank you for making more Blue Gold Fruits available. If not for that, I doubt we would've been able to secure one."

Tang San smiled. "You're too kind. We've already made quite a profit this time; they were pushed well over market value. I didn't want to let the price hike up any further. Our Blue Gold Tree clan is already a constant target. If the Blue Gold Fruit had fetched a sky-high price, our days would have only become harder."

Ning Chen'en suddenly spoke up. "Speaking of which, Patriarch Jin, I have a request. Five thousand amethyst coins, right? Could you sell me a Blue Gold Fruit as well? I can just about scrape the funds together, and you mentioned having some left in reserve."

Tang San blinked. Someone offering him money for stuff that wasn't even his? Why not? But outwardly he still put on a troubled look. "Our stock really is quite limited..."

But Ning Chen'en grinned. "I'll add five hundred. Five thousand five hundred. I definitely won't put you in a tough spot."

He looked perfectly cheerful, but Tang San had noticed that the moment Ning Chen'en asked for a Blue Gold Fruit, Xu An'yu's expression shifted slightly. He naturally understood why. With Ning Chen'en's defense already near-impenetrable, adding ample life energy support from a Blue Gold Fruit would make him into a titanic wall. Save for an Emperor, who would be able to break through that?

Of course, Xu An'yu couldn't object aloud. That would cause a real rift.

Tang San sighed. "Alright, alright. But please, Clan Leader Ning, don't mention this to anyone else. And forget the extra money. It'll just be five thousand, like everyone else."

He couldn't fall into the pit Ning Chen'en had just dug. If everyone else paid five thousand and suddenly someone paid more, that would stir up resentment.

"Patriarch Jin, you're generous! You've made a friend of me today," Ning Chen'en said with a big grin, seemingly completely forgetting that Tang San had played a critical role in the untimely demise of his grandfather.

Tang San gave a polite nod and smile. Why turn down easy money? And whether or not someone could break through Ning Chen'en's defense, what did that have to do with him? It wasn't even certain they'd face each other in battle. And if they did, then what of it? Ning Chen'en wasn't an Emperor yet. The Adamant Nymph Emperor's defenses had been stronger than his, yet that didn't help it in the end.

With another five thousand amethyst coins in hand, Tang San was in excellent spirits. His gaze drifted farther away, past Room Ten, to where Mei Gongzi stood outside, getting some air with her two mothers. She was also keeping an eye on the conversation between the three clan leaders.

Mei Gongzi still wore her veil, concealing her peerless beauty. Just thinking about how she had been warm and nestled in his arms just days ago made Tang San's heart flutter with warmth. His gaze toward her became noticeably more passionate.

Mei Gongzi's divine consciousness was extremely sharp. She instantly sensed the change and her expression turned colder, with a trace of killing intent lacing her aura. She could also use the God-Killing Domain due to having White Tiger bloodline; while not as domineering as Big Cat's, it was far sharper.

"Ahem..."

Tang San quickly cleared his throat and composed himself. He wasn't afraid of Mei Gongzi's killing intent, but he was afraid of revealing too much and getting recognized. That would be troublesome.

Xu An'yu, standing in the middle, clearly noticed and chuckled softly. "Roses may be beautiful, but they have thorns. Looks like you will have to put in some serious effort in this tournament, Clan Leader Jin."

"Ah, I am unworthy. It's just that a humble man from a small clan like mine has never seen such a dazzling woman before; even a stone might be moved, let alone a tree." Tang San then bowed deeply in Mei Gongzi's direction. "Please forgive my rudeness."

But Mei Gongzi had already turned her head away, not sparing him a glance. So proud—and that was exactly what he liked. That haughty aloofness toward others, compared to the way she would act spoiled and gentle in his arms...

Ning Chen'en chuckled, "You both are clearly after the fair lady. I, on the other hand, am not a love rival. I'm already married, and with children too! I only love my wife."

Tang San and Xu An'yu were both momentarily stunned. This sounded an awful lot like something said just so that someone who was eavesdropping could hear it.

"Just behave yourself," said a low, muffled voice from somewhere nearby.

Tang San turned toward the source of the voice. Just behind him, outside VIP Room Six, stood a towering figure, still as a mountain, gazing into the distance.

Hey, that's the room of the Sky-Splitting City representatives... A Behemoth?

In fact, more than one member of the Behemoth clan stood in front of Room Six; it was just that a certain person stood out in particular. The woman in question, though small for her kind, was still over six meters tall. Her spiritual presence, just like her physical presence, was as solid as metal. From a human aesthetic point of view, she actually didn't look bad at all, if one disregarded her physique. And her physique made Ning Chen'en look positively petite.

The Golden Mammoth clan and the Behemoth clan... Have they formed an alliance through marriage?