Chapter 1343: Alien Species Brothers (Mid-Month Ticket Request, Two-in-One)

"Central Plains elegant speech, no need to mind it." The Horn Shark King tore his gaze away from the treasure chest with difficulty. "Anyway, it's just admitting cowardice and the like. These land-dwellers just love to spout some useless nonsense; same meaning, said in a different style, to make themselves look formidable."

"So that's how it is————"

The Crow King and the Horn Shark King whispered privately. Behind them, Bai Yuan sat to one side, the Left Frog King on his left, Hai Fangzhu on his right, wailing grief that shook the heavens, crying out "brother" — moving listeners to tears, breaking hearers' hearts — until Hai Fangzhu had to hug him in his arms to comfort him. The remaining few, from Guang all the same as the Horn Shark King, stared fixedly at the treasure medicines sent by the Southern Frontier people.

The long table was spread out, the red silk laid flat.

Exquisite treasure chests, uniform in size, were arranged in tight rows. The Demon Kings were like a range of small mountains, blocking out the sky and sun; shadows fell. Attendants carried the chests, their legs trembling.

Happy New Year! Wishing you a prosperous start!

"Promising."

The Whale King cursed their ignorance inwardly and stepped forward first: "I need to verify the medicine."

The Old Tusi stepped aside: "Please."

"The medicine has no problem." Closing the box, the Whale King looked toward the Big Horse King. "Big Horse King————you two brothers share a deep bond; there is no beast in the Southeast Sea who doesn't know it, like a single king. If you agree today, we need not say more."

The Big Horse King gazed up at the sky, tears streaming down in two lines: "You Southern Frontier people secretly used treachery, making the Ape King fight my second brother to the death. Only pitiable is the third brother left alone and helpless; he has only just advanced to Demon King. How he will walk the road ahead, I do not know at all."

The Whale King sighed: "Precisely, the dead beast cannot return to life. The Little Horse King has already passed away. Leaving some great medicines counts as a kind of solace for the living fish."

"Brother! My brother! So young, how could you go? A white-furred monkey sending off a black-furred monkey, ah."

A miserable, fierce wail surged skyward. Hai Fangzhu hurriedly pulled Bai Yuan into his arms to comfort him.

Bai Yuan grabbed the Sea Tooth King's fin with one hand, pressing it near his nose.

"Honk.!"

The Sea Tooth King's expression twisted.

"Enough." The Big Horse King turned his head away. "A dead demon cannot return to life. Let it be at that."

The Old Tusi watched silently. He knew this group of Demon Kings was acting, and knew the Demon Kings knew that he knew they were acting. Today was entirely a face-saving process. But reason was on the other side, and fists were also on the other side. In life, many times it is just this helpless. The Old Tusi retreated three steps and bowed deeply to the Big Horse King.

"Ape King, your grudge for blocking the path————"

Bai Yuan waved his hand, tilted his head to watch the sky, unwilling to look.

The Old Tusi bowed again.

"Hai Fangzhu————"

Limbs waved.

The Old Tusi bowed once more.

"Sea Tooth King————"

Each time a name was spoken, a corresponding treasure chest was presented, until all the previously agreed-upon ones had been delivered and verified without error.

The Whale King's breathing was heavy; with a snap, he closed the box.

"This matter ends here. Let's go!"

The Demon Kings had long been unable to wait, wishing they could swallow the treasure medicines on the spot. One by one they flicked their tails and entered the water.

Their massive bodies plunged into the Luchang River. The river water could not avoid them in time; a sudden high tide rose, submerging both banks, and also submerging the Old Tusi's lower legs.

Watching the Demon Kings depart, the Old Tusi took a deep breath. He did not bother with his wet trouser legs, took a step forward, and headed for Tusi Valley.

"In this era of great contention, things cannot be allowed to deteriorate further————"

Da Shun's affairs return to Da Shun, the East Sea's return to the East Sea, the Southern Frontier's run back to the Southern Frontier.

Front to back, not four full days.

Stones in the river scattered and exploded; the dust settled!

"Crack."

On both banks of the Luchang River, broken ancient trees swayed on the verge of falling. A gust of river wind blew past; they could hold on no longer and crashed into the river.

"Rumble————"

A water bulge swelled, rising high. The top suddenly split open, like a blooming flower, revealing the glossy black turtle shell inside.

Jianghuai. The West Water Turtle King surfaced and changed direction.

The Turtle King turned sideways. The towering Shou Mountain broke through the clouds and mist. The black-scaled dragon turtle followed closely behind.

The West Water Turtle King was already enormous, like a small floating island on the water's surface. But beside the Marshal Yuan who cultivated a self-created method and grew a plantation garden on his body, he still appeared tiny.

Old Yuan shouted: "I said it, the West Turtle King holds the shield, I, Peng Turtle King, hold the spear. What beast dares come? This time the Ape God went on campaign, thanks to you and me, the two turtles guarding the Huaijiang, that Flood Dragon didn't dare move. Our twin turtles combined are truly invincible under heaven. When that monkey returns, he simply must bestow a thousand or eight hundred portions of great Creation medicines."

The West Water Turtle King gave a sidelong glance: "Opportunistic youngster."

"Youngster?" Old Yuan huffed through his nostrils, blowing away the waves, greatly displeased. "My age is no smaller than yours! Furthermore, a gentleman judges by deeds, not by heart!"

The Turtle King paid no heed, paddled with four limbs, and swiftly departed.

Marshal Yuan looked left and right. The matter concluded, he did not return to his own Peng Ze. He rubbed his turtle claws and lay prone at the North Water position, specifically waiting for Bai Yuan to return.

The river wind vast and mighty. Atop Shou Mountain, Shi Chong carried a cowhide map on his back, likewise gazing into the distance.

"It's over, it's over. That monkey got the benefits again!"

East Sea. The Ironhead Fish King hated that iron would not become steel, cursing the Southern Frontier.

"Idle with nothing to do, why provoke a monkey? Now it's good. Not only did they fail to get benefits, they even damn well paid out a huge pile of benefits. Can the Southern Frontier fight Da Shun? How many times have they swapped Tusi, once after another? If they keep fighting, after losing Da Shun they'll lose to the Great Snow Mountain. After losing the Great Snow Mountain, they won't even beat the small overseas nations."

"The Southern Frontier obstructs the governance of the Yellow Shahe. Sea Tooth King·————"

News spread rapidly.

Beiting. The Great Khan finally received intelligence from several days prior. The confusion of many days was swept clean, until he saw the very bottom: Southern Frontier reparations. His expression changed.

"Are you certain?"

"The Southern Frontier's reparations this time gave Da Shun their method for creating artificial Dragon Kings. Only then did Da Shun agree to withdraw troops. Now Da Shun has both the position, the fruit, and the method gathered together————"

"Bad!"

Water weeds swayed.

Southeast Sea, Seahorse Clan territory.

The place where all beautiful dreams and nightmares begin.

Liang Qu and Hai Fangzhu were in no hurry to return to Jianghuai.

After twists and turns, the matter was finally mostly settled, leaving only a small loose end.

Dividing the spoils — bah, the fruits of victory had not yet been shared.

The Whale King pushed aside all the treasure chests, arranging them in three rows — upper, middle, and lower — with the most inferior ones at the bottom, then further divided them into three columns — Dao, Shu,

and Qi — according to their different effects.

In total, ten portions of superior creation, twenty portions of medium, and one hundred portions of inferior.

Excluding the three "traitors" — the Great and Minor Horse Kings and the Sea Tooth King — who had no right to a share, the remaining eleven of the fourteen Demon Kings were split into two major groups: the Ape King, Frog King, and Hai Fangzhu formed the Jianghuai faction, together accounting for forty percent; in other words, the three Demon Kings received fifty-two portions in total.

Four portions of superior, eight portions of medium, forty portions of inferior.

How much each took internally would be divided among themselves.

But creation-grade grand medicines could not simply be handed out like that.

Dividing treasure medicines is a technical job.

It not only requires considering needs, but also pairing, and compatibility with each demon.

Cultivation emphasizes a "foundation"; if one's "physical hardness" is too great, the medicine's potency is insufficient to leave even a scratch; conversely, if "physical hardness" is too small, using fierce medicine might cause one to shatter like steel or crack like jade.

There is no treasure in the world that can take effect on a furnace.

Similarly, grand medicines are useless against True Dragons; ordinary treasure medicines are useless against those at Entering Zhen Xiang; and even within a single realm and a single major category, one can further subdivide. Now that Liang Qu has cultivated to the third stage, he already faintly senses this — inferior creation-grade grand medicines are useful to him, just not as fierce as before.

Among the demon race there is no large, clearly structured force like Dashun that allows Demon Kings to freely exchange resources; the sea merchants' efficiency is also far inferior to the human race's — once they get something unsuitable, who knows how long they'll have to hold onto it.

A rough order was arranged.

The Demon Kings' eyes burned red; in their entire lives they had never seen so many top-grade treasure medicines.

The Whale King spoke: "According to the prior agreement, a forty-sixty split — but it can't be done with a single stroke; even among the superior grade there are high and low. Moreover, the three categories differ entirely in need and importance. My realm is the highest; let me do the dividing — that would be most fair and just————"

"No! Why fair and just, not mother-fair mother-just?" The White Ape jumped out to interrupt, "Do you think Hai Fangzhu isn't here? Do you think Hai Fangzhu is weak and can be ignored? Hai Fangzhu is the one who loses out the most — the moment you opened your mouth, you've already preset your stance, it's unfair————

Mmph————I haven't finished————"

Hai Fangzhu extended a tentacle, covering the White Ape's mouth; the White Ape's words became muffled, and as soon as it opened its mouth slightly, the cold, slippery tentacle stuffed it full, rendering it unable to speak.

You motherfucker again————deliberately coming to pick a fight, right? Even deliberately picking a fight wouldn't produce words like that.

The Whale King's temples throbbed: "Then what high opinion does the Ape King have?"

The White Ape patted the tentacle; Hai Fangzhu released it and stepped back.

The White Ape cleared its throat, let out a cold snort, and pointed at the Whale King: "A Demon King like you who values the male over the female — I despise you most! I recommend letting Hai Fangzhu do the dividing; she was a sea merchant in her early years, widely traveled and knowledgeable — these creation-grade grand medicines, she knows them like the back of her hand. Look at you lot — how many do you recognize? Hai Fangzhu is the one everyone looks to!"

The Frog King didn't agree with the male-female distinction; it felt this wasn't the optimal solution — such matters should be handled by an elder, but the elder wasn't here. Taking a step back, it could only be Hai Fangzhu. Thinking this, it raised its webbed foot in agreement with A Fei the boss.

The Sea Tooth King sighed and followed by raising its fin.

The White Ape glanced at the Great and Minor Horse Kings; the two kings reluctantly followed by lifting their claws.

Counting Hai Fangzhu, that made five votes total; one after another, the Crow King also agreed, and they suddenly held a slight majority.

The Whale King was secretly startled, unable to understand how the monkey suddenly had so many crooked supporters; it couldn't directly refuse.

It thought for a moment; although dissatisfied with the monkey, with so many treasure medicines before it, all dissatisfaction vanished: "The Ape King's words have reason — Hai Fangzhu has rich merchant experience and wide knowledge; she can do the dividing. But after it's divided, whether we accept it requires our agreement."

"Fine."

"Right."

"We agree."

Hai Fangzhu, well-traveled and unhesitant, waved her eight tentacles, rearranging the treasure medicines the Whale King had laid out — like different drawing orders in a card game — then asked each demon its needs, moving swiftly.

Finally.

After multi-party coordination, the Jianghuai side obtained a total of four portions of superior, nine portions of medium, and thirty-two portions of inferior.

Correspondingly, the rest all went to the East Sea Demon Kings.

Having gotten the goods, the Demon Kings were impatient, almost wanting to immediately return to their clans and seclude themselves to cultivate.

"Everyone, wait!" The White Ape raised a hand, blocking the Demon Kings.

At these words, a Demon King immediately clutched the creation-grade grand medicines in its arms tighter, fearing the White Ape would say "You dare not give me? That's the enmity of blocking the Dao," and then the things in its arms would vanish.

Driving away the Flood Long Wang, killing the Minor Horse King in a wheel battle, defeating the Great Horse King, tying the Whale King — one event after another, the White Ape plus Hai Fangzhu, their strength was truly terrifying; coupled with their mysterious origins and arbitrary, unscrupulous conduct, the Demon Kings couldn't help but be nervous.

"What else does the Ape King want to do?" the Whale King asked.

Beyond all the Demon Kings' expectations, the White Ape picked and chose, then took out another two portions of superior, four portions of medium, and eighteen portions of inferior, gave them a light push, and let them float suspended in the water, drifting in the middle.

Despite their hearts bleeding, there was no help for it — this was the Sage Emperor's order.

The four great irons of life — foremost is having shouldered a gun together; in joint combat, friendship and trust are most easily built. Seizing this opportunity to simply construct an organizational framework is when resistance is smallest.

Replace Jianghuai's Flood Dragon with the White Ape, then through the White Ape unite the neighboring East Sea — this can be called inner sage outer king, cultivating both inside and out, fully connecting everything.

Liang Qu didn't know if the Sage Emperor had other deep intentions in organizing the East Sea Demon Kings, but as far as this situation went, it was already a tremendous good thing.

"Since early years I've known worldly affairs are hard————" The White Ape stood with hands behind its back, gazing into the distance, gone was the ranting and rolling of the Southern Border; it actually displayed a few parts of unfathomable wisdom. "Everyone says we demons are not as united as humans — you tell me, is that correct?"

The Whale King didn't know what medicine the White Ape was selling in its gourd: "Is it not correct?"

"Wrong, completely wrong — are the Great and Minor Horse Kings not united?" The White Ape pointed at the seahorses.

The Whale King answered without thinking: "The Great and Minor Horse Kings are naturally united — they're both seahorses."

They have something to do with this too?

The Great and Minor Horse Kings were startled; the two brothers already completely wanted nothing to do with the White Ape, only wishing to leave as fast as possible, weaken their presence, hoping one day the White Ape would forget this matter.

"Exactly — just because they're both seahorses. Humans are born with wisdom — how many sharp teeth and claws can compare? Therefore, the ones who should be compared to humans as the number one clan under heaven today should be the seahorse clan, the octopus clan, the frog clan? Why use the disunity of seahorses, octopuses, and frogs to prove we demons are disunited? This is a fallacy! We demons value affection and righteousness, sharing liver and gall! Born simple and honest!"

The Crow King and Horned Shark King couldn't help but nod.

The White Ape continued: "Because they lack innate wisdom, different clans have few who succeed in cultivation — each like an isolated mountain peak — but this isn't without benefits."

"What benefits?" the Swordfish King asked.

Bai Yuan flicked his forefinger: "When one side is in trouble, eight sides come to aid! Look, the Southern Frontier is in trouble — have people from other powers come to help? No! Because their power is too great; on the contrary, because we are small enough, every side is willing to unite!"

More and more Yao Kings resonated.

The Whale King glanced at the Creation Great Medicine suspended in the water, then at the impassioned Bai Yuan, knowing there was more to his words: "Monkey King might as well speak plainly."

"Fine, then I'll speak clearly. Cultivation is not easy; today's gathering is also rare. Aside from paying homage to the Whale Emperor, where else would there be a chance to gather together?

I feel we might as well take today's opportunity and all of us simply twist into a single rope, becoming sworn brothers of different species!"

Sworn brothers of different species?

The crowd of Yao Kings hesitated.

Hai Fangzhu, hearing this, immediately gathered the floating treasure boxes together, seemingly helping distribute them, but in reality his rear limbs tugged Bai Yuan behind his back and quietly swapped out two portions.

Special treatment?

Bai Yuan stepped half a pace forward, covering the small movement, outwardly calm and composed.

"How to rank?" Hai Ya King received the link and asked at just the right moment.

"Good question!" Bai Yuan said, "I won't bully everyone either. We'll rank by strength, take a common nickname to prove unity. I'll be the eldest brother, titled Water Ape Great Sage!

Whale King, your strength is not bad, but you value father over mother, biased and partial — you can only be second brother. Sword King can be third brother, and so on.

Anyone willing, step forward and take another portion of Creation Great Medicine. We share fortune together, face calamity together, advance and retreat together, share weal and woe! How about it?"

"Gulp."

Hai Ya King swallowed saliva; although it received another message requesting cooperation, this time it was truly moved.

The Southern Frontier's bribes are gone, the Southern Frontier's compensation can't be eaten either, but this current wave ————

"I'm willing." Hai Ya King immediately stepped forward to cooperate.

Bai Yuan at once produced two portions of inferior Creation Great Medicine: "Good, count you as one, but you can't be called Great Sage — only count as joining. There can only be seven Great Sages; this is the rule."

"What kind of rule is this? How come I've never heard of it?" The Whale King puzzled.

"Anyway, there's just such a rule."

The Yao Kings originally still had hesitation; now seeing this, Hai Ya King not only got the treasure medicine, but there's actually a quota limit?

One thing, given openly to all, everyone worries there's a trick; change it to first-come-first-served, and they worry instead that coming late means losing out.

Bai Yuan's side worked hard to unite the Yao Kings.

On the Yellow Shahe, a small boat drifted and swayed.

For four days straight, Heaven-Under stones in rivers everywhere stirred one after another. The Southern Frontier surrendered; the Rakshasa Sha sent out early by the Qian Sect knew nothing of it, and only after much difficulty applied for Great Medicine again, returning on the Yellow Shahe.

Oars struck the water surface rhythmically.

"Pi pi, pi pi, Left General, Left General ————"

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