Night Wuming never imagined that Desmond Mansfield would speak to him in such a threatening tone—and what made it even more suffocating was that he didn't dare talk back at all!
Desmond's meaning was crystal clear: since you've decided to side with the Dragon-Chen Legion, you can't have a second heart. No matter what changes shake the Star-River Dominion in the future, your loyalty can't waver. Otherwise, Evan Chu will purge his own ranks before facing any enemy.
If the Flowing-Light Dynasty is just looking for a chance to cozy up to Dragon-Chen, then if the legion thrives, they can seek shelter and enjoy the blessings. If Dragon-Chen falls, they won't be dragged down with it.
That kind of mindset is exactly what Evan Chu hates most, and Desmond even more so. Do you really think you're the only smart one under heaven?
But in reality, that idea was just Night Wuming's own wishful thinking. In fact, Warren Wu had warned him over and over: seize this opportunity—missing it is not an option.
"Then, according to Young Master Desmond, what exactly should I do?"
Night Wuming looked at Desmond, his gaze flickering. He had no talent for scheming; his rise to the throne depended entirely on Warren Wu. When it came to major decisions, he never had any real boldness.
Desmond had zeroed in on that weakness. Instead of using hard tactics, his first move was a soft approach. With people like Night Wuming, as long as you show them following you means huge benefits, they'll stay loyal—and let you pull the strings however you want.
Even though Flowing-Light isn't a powerhouse, it's still a dynasty, and its Holy Emperor is almost completely at Desmond's mercy. If Desmond can't get that kind of force under his control, he'd consider himself an idiot.
So what looks like a treasure that only benefits Evan Chu is actually full of hidden currents—forces lurking beneath the surface, ready to erupt at any moment.
"Your Majesty, I do have one piece of advice."
"Speak."
"A person can get by without brains, but not without eyes. Of course, I don't mean you, Your Majesty. What I'm saying is, you don't have to be a master of timing, but you do need the wisdom to recognize people. You understand that much, right?"
Just relying on luck won't keep you riding high forever. You might never meet another Warren Wu to back you up—but maybe you'll get a different chance. Fortune favors the bold; only those with guts win. Or do you plan to just sit around and wait to die?
Let me be blunt: right now, only Dragon-Chen Legion is willing to take you in. Where else can you go? Phantom-Star and Rivengrace Dynasties lost their wars, and they're too scared to form new alliances. The Frostbane camp has completely shut you out.
No allies, no backing—if things keep going like this, everyone knows how it'll end. And if Evan Chu isn't pleased, he can drop by anytime to 'greet' Your Majesty. I bet Flowing-Light's days will get a lot more exciting.
The more Desmond spoke, the darker Night Wuming's face became. Warren Wu knew all this too, but out of respect for the Holy Emperor's dignity, he'd never spell it out.
But Desmond was different. His whole goal in meeting on Evan Chu's behalf was to completely smash the pride and confidence of these so-called Holy Emperor elites—grind it all to dust!
Only then could he whip up a force that would obey without question—and at that point, Flowing-Light's escape route would be gone for good. But this wasn't hurting them; it was actually helping.
Evan Chu doesn't screw people over for nothing. If he uses your strength now, he'll pay you back double later! That's his bottom line.
When Evan Chu was first developing his forces, he needed support from all sides. But you can't count on people to just flock to you—after all, not everyone is as sharp as the Mansfield Family, with their Star-Gazing bloodline, able to read the Imperial Palace planets and know the End-of-Dharma Era is coming.
As for the Savage Brotherhood? That was pure luck.
Bottom line, Evan needs to build his own crew now. If he doesn't use tough tactics, it probably won't work—this is something he has to do, no room for soft hands.
And for a scheming, cunning guy like Desmond, he's the perfect enforcer.
Don't be fooled by Desmond's calm demeanor. This kid's got off-the-charts smarts, but because his cultivation is way lower than theirs, he's always tense and sweating bullets inside.
Who the hell knows what kind of temper this Holy Emperor has? What if he snaps and smacks you dead with a single slap?
Luckily, before Desmond came, Warren Wu had already brainwashed him with a full rundown. Now, Night Wuming quickly accepted the reality in front of him.
"The wisdom to recognize people... Sigh! I don't have that gift, Your Majesty. The truth is, I got this far not by reading people or timing the situation, but by trusting one person—completely."
This time, I'm going all in—I'll bet everything and trust him one more time!
"You've decided? Haha, congratulations, Your Majesty! You've made an excellent choice—trust me, Dragon-Chen won't let you down. If you keep pace with Dragon-Chen, the sky you see will be far bigger than this little domain."
Desmond also let out a sigh of relief in his heart—and he didn't know Night Wuming did the same.
Warren Wu had told him all about how formidable the Mansfield heirs were, and now, seeing Desmond in action, Night Wuming realized he really was extraordinary—the true first young master of the Mansfield Family!
Ye Chenbei and Li Changtian were already standouts among men, but Desmond was even more of a prodigy. So what did that make Evan Chu? Night Wuming pondered—maybe Evan Chu really would bring him something different.
The banquet in the main hall was still going on. Evan Chu had already met several Holy Emperor-level experts, and a few battle-hungry ones even challenged him to a sparring match.
But the moment they clashed, those guys backed down fast. With Evan Chu's power of the stars combined with the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan, he was absolutely unbeatable among his peers. Maybe a peak Holy Emperor could put up a fight, but any ordinary Saint Sovereign would be defeated in a single move.
Even though the Ancient Dragon Clan's bloodline hadn't reached the highest level—the Saint Ancestor Dragon Emperor—after several breakthroughs, the Ancient Dragon Blade was syncing tighter with Evan Chu's bloodline. More mysterious blood-gold runes kept flooding into his mind.
He was busy with the current situation and had no time to study them carefully, but he understood these things weren't simple—they might be his new source of power and technique!
Desmond showed up in front of Evan Chu again, wearing a proud smile.
"Handled?" Evan Chu guessed without even asking.
"Of course! With me on the job, what can't get done? My dear Palace Lord, the Star-Seal Throne will be in your hands soon. With the Star-Sky Spirit Seal from the Star-Seal Throne, you'll have a truly unrivaled treasure!"
"Oh, really... Is there actually something you can't handle?"
Suddenly, Evan Chu changed the subject, his words carrying a hidden meaning.
"Uh? What?"
"Heh, to be honest, last night you sneaked into Lin Luoxian's tent and had a chat—I happened to overhear you. Not bad, keep it up! Even if you can't win her over, you've got me. Once the Savage Brotherhood fully merges, I can use my authority to marry you two off myself!"
"Get lost! Damn it!" Desmond's face changed instantly. He'd rather die than marry that crazy woman! He was just discussing the new unit's formation with her, and happened to mention, "Nice chest," which immediately... It was all a mess.