Chapter 1015: Heaven's Mandate Rests Upon the Lonely

Jiang Ding hid in the nether void outside the Flower Vine Minor World, watching the situation unfold through the many blood puppets he had set up in advance, letting his magic power be worn away by the nether astral winds beyond the world.

"I can probably hold out for a hundred and twenty years; if I bring a large quantity of spirit stones, three hundred at most."

"I still don't possess the ability to survive in the void between domains."

Jiang Ding gave a faint sigh.

Being separated from the Minor Thousand World for too long was, for him, a path toward death — he was still far too fragile.

Hum!

Dong Xue He Wang's storage treasure was a piece of his own rib; it now trembled of its own accord, spiritual light flickering, and then an ancient, timeworn, dark-green bamboo slip flew out on its own, without any permission from its owner.

Jiang Ding's eyes flashed; he was not surprised.

The blood-light shield around his body swelled outward by a ring, drawing the ancient bamboo slip into concealment.

The bamboo slip unfurled a sheet of light — it was the form of an imperial palace; looking around, it seemed to be a palace called the Abyssal Palace in a Minor World named Black Water Minor World, which came after the Flower Cloud Minor World.

"Hahahaha!"

"Dong Xue He Wang, you did well!"

Yan Liu Di Zi sat on Wang Zuo, laughing wildly and unrestrainedly: "Those three Demon Vine families — I've long found them an eyesore, the clan's old enemies. I've always wanted to find a chance to wipe them out, but they were too cautious and careful, and Father disagreed, so it never worked."

"This time, they actually dared to defect to the enemy first!"

"This is the very path to their doom!"

Yan Liu Di Zi said hatefully.

He had always harbored a grudge over the many imperial-clan kings under his command who had betrayed him and let him die; toward the three Demon Vine families who had been the first to surrender, he wished even more to kill them and be done with it.

At this moment, he found Dong Xue He Wang much more pleasing to the eye.

No wonder so many Great Emperors and Ancient Emperors liked to raise slave-race subordinates, and disliked the outstanding talents among the Horned Demon Imperial Clan.

These slave races were simply too easy to use!

Loyal and devoted, they carried out orders the moment they were given — none of the tangled entanglements of imperial-clan cultivators, none of those inextricable marriage ties, none of the many considerations that kept one from doing as one pleased.

"If the Imperial Son is pleased, that is enough."

"This is merely your subordinate's duty."

Jiang Ding bowed slightly and smiled.

Yan Liu Di Zi grew ever more satisfied.

"Dong Xue He Wang!"

"What a fine thing you've done!"

Chen Shan Wang, who stood beside Yan Liu Di Zi, did not share such a pleasant attitude; he blazed with fury and rebuked: "Who gave you the order? Who permitted you, a mere slave king, to slaughter the Demon Leaf family?"

"This is a capital offense!"

"Oh, is that so."

Jiang Ding's reaction was flat.

"You damned slave."

Chen Shan Wang grew even angrier: "You

have ruined everything for us."

"The Imperial Son was originally winning over many kings; the Flame Stone family's kings had already begun to waver, and the kings of other imperial clans had stopped refusing his overtures, their attitudes becoming ambiguous — everything was turning for the better."

"But!"

"Now, almost every king has refused the Imperial Son's friendship, including a great many kings of the Flame Stone family!"

"Now, it is almost impossible for us to gain the allegiance of any other kings."

"The situation being as it is…"

Yan Liu Di Zi's expression shifted, sobering from his joy and exhilaration.

When he looked again at the blood-robed Daoist, his gaze turned irritated once more.

"The kings wavering?"

"Their attitudes ambiguous?"

Jiang Ding was not angered by Chen Shan Wang's abuse; he asked with a smile: "Chen Shan, have these kings submitted? Even if not truly submitted — merely promised?"

"Is any of that the case?"

"It would have been, in the original future!"

Chen Shan Wang said coldly: "So long as we won a single battle — we didn't even need a great victory, just a small local one, to prove our strength — at the very least the Flame Stone family's kings would have submitted on the spot, no longer hesitating, and the kings of other imperial clans would have done the same."

"Now, you have ruined everything!"

"How would you achieve a small local victory and prove our strength?"

Jiang Ding asked.

"This…"

Chen Shan Wang faltered.

The Cang Kong Imperial Son's army was massed in one tight body; with the Yan Liu army's current strength, there was simply no possibility of any so-called small victory — being able to escape with their lives was already a heaven-sent blessing.

"... So long as they spread out a little…"

Chen Shan Wang's face showed annoyance; his words suddenly paused, and he said coldly: "Is this your plan to make them spread out? But there was no need to go to such extremes!"

"Hehe."

"I know you, this servant, bear resentment toward the imperial clan in your heart, but you need not show it so plainly, otherwise…"

Chen Shan Wang threatened in a cold, sinister tone.

"No need to go to such extremes?"

Jiang Ding said lightly: "Chen Shan Wang, you speak very prettily. It isn't you doing the work, so of course you'll find pretty words to say — after all, it's none of your affair, is it."

"Come, tell me."

"Is the Cang Kong Prince an idiot?"

"Are the strategists around him stupid pigs? What earth-shattering strategy do you, Chen Shan, possess that can deceive the Cang Kong Prince and the various Kings? Come, tell me."

Jiang Ding never engaged in self-torment; he simply threw the problem directly at King Chen Shan.

What other way is there?

King Chen Shan fell into silence, unable to speak for a long time.

This caused the Yan Liu Prince to reveal a look of slight contempt.

"But, the Slave King..."

"... slaughtering the entire Di Clan, or..."

King Chen Shan frowned, understanding the political implications within.

It could be stated clearly: this affected the legitimacy of the Prince War; even if the Yan Liu Prince ultimately won, he would bear a stain that could not be washed away.

"Chen Shan, you are not as bad as you think."

"You are too nervous."

Jiang Ding chuckled lightly: "I have studied the history of the Di Clan. In the Prince War, there were many Princes of fierce temperament who slaughtered their enemies' entire families. As long as they ultimately won, it only provoked a few idle rumors; it was simply not a major issue."

"Why is it that with you, it becomes such a matter of nitpicking?"

"This is different."

"Completely different."

King Chen Shan frowned.

"A Prince slaughtering an enemy's entire clan, or even a Di Clan King slaughtering an enemy's entire clan, while this may provoke much criticism and the hatred of their relatives, will not affect the overall situation."

"You, however, cannot."

A servant cannot kill his master; this is the social consensus of the Jiao Mo Di Clan.

"No,"

"I can, Chen Shan."

Jiang Ding shook his head slightly, his gaze turning toward that ancient, weathered bamboo slip.

King Chen Shan and the Yan Liu Prince were stunned.

"You mean..."

King Chen Shan suddenly realized.

"Indeed, the 'Dao Heart Demon Slave Sutra'."

Jiang Ding sighed: "This Lord has already refined a Slave Seed. Is it not equivalent to a Prince's avatar? What this Lord does is, in effect, what the Prince does."

"In that case, what criticism would there be?"

"It is merely the wailing of the weak; no need to pay attention."

"In that case, it is not impossible..."

King Chen Shan's tightly furrowed brows relaxed somewhat.

At his signal, the Yan Liu Prince, who had always presented a white face, stepped forward. Upon hearing this, he comforted Dong Xue He Wang, offering praise, solicitation, and promises.

After reminiscing for a long time, both parties parted reluctantly.

After closing the connection to the bamboo slip, King Chen Shan's expression of furious coldness vanished. He asked, "Prince, is the Slave Seed mentioned by Dong Xue He Wang real?"

"It is indeed real!"

The Yan Liu Prince revealed an excited expression, carefully perceiving the Slave Seed beginning to appear in his sea of consciousness.

At this moment, he could clearly perceive Dong Xue He Wang's location; with a single thought, he could even inflict a minor injury upon him.

This is only now; as the Slave Seed cultivation becomes ever more profound, in the later stages, controlling Dong Xue He Wang's life and death with a single thought will be a trivial matter.

"Haha!"

"Dong Xue He Wang is indeed a peerless genius of the Human Race. In such a short time, merely over a decade, he has comprehended the 'Dao Heart Demon Slave Sutra'!"

The Yan Liu Prince laughed heartily.

"

No matter how much of a genius you are, before the Da Di Jing realm, you must willingly bow your head, be driven by me, and serve as my dog."

"This is the Mandate of Heaven upon me!"