Chapter 944: Discussions within the Palace

Zhang Lie vanished from the spot and immediately appeared behind Li Qianlin and Dong Mingxing. "Now, where could you girls be heading toward?"

Dong Mingxing yelped, jumping up in shock. "What's with you—why did you suddenly appear out of nowhere like a ghost?"

Li Qianlin laughed sheepishly. "We needed to talk to you about something."

"About what?" Zhang Lie cocked his head.

Li Qianlin replied, "Like you said, the death spirits are making their move."

Zhang Lie's face turned serious. "How did you come by this information?"

That the death spirits had started making their move was just Zhang Lie's hypothesis, and he was starting to prepare for the eventuality of war—only to find that Li Qianlin might be able to confirm that hypothesis for him.

Li Qianlin replied, "It's news from my father. Like you surmised, the death spirits broke through the barricade that the other superior worlds set up a few days ago, and they're currently laying waste to the worlds in their vicinity."

Zhang Lie nodded in understanding. "Your father must have learned about this from the other superior worlds. Is that right?"

Li Qianlin inclined her head. "A few days ago, envoys from the other superior worlds requested that Father participate in the defense against the death spirits."

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Zhang Lie was a little surprised, but not because of the arrival of the envoys.

The superior worlds would take all the help they could against the death spirits, and they would certainly enlist the Zongming world to that end. Not only would they be able to use the Zongming world as cannon fodder, it would likely be destroyed by the death spirits, leaving them with one fewer enemy to contend with afterwards.

Regardless of how unwilling the Zongming world was to participate, the other superior worlds would surely band together to force its hand. If the Zongming world refused, the superior worlds would likely destroy the Zongming world before dealing with the death spirits.

What shocked Zhang Lie was how quickly the death spirits had made their move, even before he had finished his preparations, as though he had done something else to trigger the butterfly effect.

Zhang Lie didn't understand which of his actions could possibly have caused this new development.

He rubbed his lower jaw. "What will happen if the Zongming world refuses to participate?"

Li Qianlin shrugged. "Father didn't ask. He wanted to hear your opinion first."

"I'll head to the Zongming world immediately."

Zhang Lie confirmed Gold Comet's location in the draconian world, then teleported over to it. If he wanted to reach the Zongming world as quickly as possible, he would need Gold Comet's speed.

He returned to the two women with Gold Comet in tow. "Alright, we'll set off now."

Gold Comet, with Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin riding on its back, morphed into a beam of golden light and shot off. Dong Mingxing was left behind.

Dong Mingxing blinked a few times before crying out, "Hey, hey! Come back! You've left me behind!"

Gold Comet's speed was incredible. Within just an hour, they had passed through three worlds and were within sight of the Zongming world.

Over the last two years, under Li Zongming's leadership, the Zongming world had been growing stronger and stronger by the day. Zhang Lie had Gold Comet bring them straight toward his palace.

Li Zongming appeared at the entrance to the palace to welcome Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin personally.

"You're back! And so quickly, too—I just sent out the news."

Li Zongming then turned to Gold Comet. "This is... the red fourth-level beast from before."

Zhang Lie replied, "It's a monarch-grade lifeform, now—according to your classification, a sixth-level beast."

Li Zongming's eyes widened as he looked Gold Comet up and down. "Incredible, son-in-law. I expect you have the only such beast in the third realm."

Zhang Lie replied, "Let's not discuss Gold Comet at the moment. Shall we consider what the death spirits and other superior worlds are up to?"

"Very well. I'd like to hear your opinion, Zhang Lie," Li Zongming replied.

He invited both of them into the palace and had his servants prepare some tea. "I expect Qianlin has already told you about the details," he began.

Zhang Lie nodded. "The death spirits are finally making their move, and they've already broken through the superior worlds' barricade. The envoys of the other superior worlds have been sent over to enlist you in battle, haven't they?"

Li Zongming nodded. "Everything is as you've said."

Zhang Lie replied, "I expected the death spirits would make their move sooner or later, but this is far ahead of schedule."

"Indeed."

"What did the other superior worlds tell you?"

Li Zongming replied, "They intend on convening a meeting among the leaders of all the superior worlds—allegedly to discuss the death spirits' threat, but realistically to force my hand."

Zhang Lie cautioned, "You have to attend this meeting. The other superior worlds will never allow you not to participate, regardless of how unwilling you may be."

Li Qianlin analyzed, "If the Zongming world were to refuse, the superior worlds would likely destroy us before dealing with the death spirits! It might cost them a bit of manpower, but it's surely better than to let us profit while doing nothing. Isn't that so?"

Zhang Lie gave her a thumbs up. "They're worried that we might be able to take advantaged of their weakened state after defeating the death spirits to destroy them all and take over the third realm in one fell swoop."

Li Qianlin continued seriously, "That's right. All the combatants will be weakened by the war, and if our forces were in top shape, then..."

That would be when the other eight superior worlds were weakest, and even the Zongming world, easily the weakest among the superior worlds, would be able to invade them all easily then. This was an outcome that the other eight superior worlds had to avoid at any cost.