Chapter 1439: Xu Kongwang's Schemes and Sincerity

"So you are the master of this place?" Xu Kongwang stared gravely at the Qinglong Daoren before him, daring not to be presumptuous.

He fixed his eyes rigidly, daring no other movement nor to strike first; he knew why he had come this time and that he needed to endure. He was not here for revenge, nor to kill.

He wanted to cooperate with the person before him once, to jointly resist this crisis.

Xu Kongwang slowly sat down, daring not to be presumptuous nor to get too close, and instead stared at the Qinglong Daoren, emitting his Spiritual Sense to gauge the other's cultivation and strength; the moment his Spiritual Sense touched the Qinglong Daoren, it was cut off.

It was like plunging into the deep sea, feeling nothing at all.

Only a profound emptiness, no breath detectable, as if the person before him did not exist; Xu Kongwang furrowed his brows, staring at the Qinglong Daoren, unable to comprehend this; it was his first encounter with such a case, even when facing the Mangshan Demon Emperor, he had never had this reaction.

"Not bad, fellow Daoist Xu Kongwang, such keen eyes—actually seeing my identity," the Qinglong Daoren mocked, half joking, half derisive.

Xu Kongwang was not angry; instead he asked cautiously, "How did you know about me, Daoist friend?"

His identity was not a secret, yet he had never met the Qinglong Daoren, and this person recognized him—quite remarkable and odd; could it be that this person had been watching him, observing his every move?

"Your reputation, fellow Daoist, is known to all; isn't it normal for me to know?"

The Qinglong Daoren waved his hand: "Right Dharma Protector of the Mangshan Demon Palace, future Demon Emperor of the Mangshan Demon Palace."

"Your identity, your reputation—those are very famous; who in the whole Mangshan doesn't know?"

"Being able to enter the right Dharma Protector's sight is my honor."

He flattered him in person, causing Xu Kongwang to feel uplifted.

Xu Kongwang stared at the Qinglong Daoren, becoming even more cautious.

"You are overpraising yourself; compared to you, I am far inferior," Xu Kongwang bowed and said, "Fellow Daoist, I have come this time to cooperate with you; do you know that great calamity is about to befall you?"

"Why do you say that?" the Qinglong Daoren asked with a smile, unshaken.

Xu Kongwang was unhurried, explaining, "Do you understand the Mangshan Demon Emperor?"

"I do not," the Qinglong Daoren shook his head.

They had met a few times, unfortunately not enough to know well; they only knew a little: the Mangshan Demon Emperor is no ordinary person, very cunning, with a heavy desire for revenge; once offended, he must be killed, never allowed to return to the mountain.

Between them a hatred had arisen, so they could not let each other go; the Mangshan Demon Emperor would inevitably act.

When the time came, the Qinglong Daoren certainly could not escape.

"The Mangshan Demon Emperor Zhang Mang is treacherous and vindictive, quick to revenge, excels at striking from behind; this time you have offended him, fellow Daoist, he will surely target you. Now that news of his injury spreads, it will stir others, and those people will certainly have their own designs."

"Within the Mangshan Demon Palace, unrest reigns; you must have sensed it, right, fellow Daoist?"

The Qinglong Daoren nodded: "Indeed, the recent Mangshan Demon Palace is different, the atmosphere is heavy; many seek to cooperate with me. You are not the first, Xu Kongwang, Dharma Protector."

Upon hearing this, Xu Kongwang's complexion changed; he had long anticipated this outcome, but hearing it from the Qinglong Daoren's mouth was another matter.

The Qinglong Daoren's remark carried another implication: with so many seeking to cooperate with me, why would I choose you?

There is no relation between us; moreover, we are enemies.

If we cooperate, there is no foundation of trust; it would just be mutual scheming.

"Fellow Daoist, that may be true, but our hatred is not a deep, irrevocable enmity; there is nothing unsolvable."

"The previous matters were my fault; I should not have schemed against you nor made things difficult for you."

To win over the Qinglong Daoren, Xu Kongwang even rose, bowed, and admitted his mistake.

This move was unexpected by the Qinglong Daoren; he had thought this person would never bow. It seemed he truly felt threatened, sensed death approaching; otherwise he would not have come seeking cooperation.

With so many people and so many Demon Kings in the Mangshan Demon Palace, why is it him in particular?

Do others lack trust? Or are they too dangerous, beyond Xu Kongwang's control, prompting them to come knocking? Moreover, the Qinglong Daoren has no ambitions regarding the Mangshan Demon Palace, nor any desire for promotion.

He has no foundation, so naturally cannot ascend to that position.

Thus, when that position becomes vacant, he will naturally take it; then he will be the king of the Mangshan Mountain Range, ruler over the lives and deaths of all demonic beasts.

No one can oppose him; he may do whatever he wishes.

This is also why others are willing to cooperate with the Qinglong Daoren—no worries behind them; they only need to satisfy his appetite, which is merely some spiritual pressure and resources, not worth mentioning.

"If the two of us join forces, I dare ask, within the Mangshan Mountain Range, who dares utter even a single word against us?"

"Fellow Daoist, after hearing that, others have begun to band together; if we fight alone, we are easily slain."

"You know well the strength of Shan Mang; he is the most cunning among our four Demon Kings. Once he acts, there is no mercy. As far as I know, when they move against you, fellow Daoist, you must protect yourself."

"Once those people act, they will not stop until death."

"Better we strike first, taking the initiative; with our combined skill, a mere individual cannot stop us."

Xu Kongwang simply wanted the Qinglong Daoren to act, then reap the benefits like a fisherman.

This is Xu Kongwang: using any means—scheming or plotting—so long as he can smile till the end, he is the victor.

"These are my sincerity; within are my years of savings. If you like them, fellow Daoist, take them all."

The Qinglong Daoren took them away directly, without any courtesy.

Don't refuse gifts from others for nothing.

These resources are considerable, exactly what the main body needs; when the main body arrives, the items in his hand are harvested almost completely, and this time it is not his turn to act.

"Ha ha, fellow Daoist Xu Kongwang, you are too polite," the Qinglong Daoren said, increasingly feeling he was a very good person.

A truly great good person.

"In the future, you must not do this; otherwise outsiders will look down on me."

He said that, but his actions were truly swift; even Xu Kongwang couldn't keep up.

After the items were taken, Xu Kongwang snapped back, staring dumbfounded at the Qinglong Daoren; he had never imagined the man would be so direct, snatching them away so quickly before he could even utter a single word.

Yet the items had already been given away, impossible to retrieve.

He could only watch helplessly as his precious belongings were handed to the Qinglong Daoren.