Chapter 1221: Summons

Proofreader: Papatonks

“Someone from the Sacred Mountains came?”

In Devil Mountain’s main hall, the Demonic Emperor shouted out after the Sword Emperor’s messenger left. Then his fury exploded and he smashed a good table to splinters.

“Damn them all! They just couldn’t pick a better timing than right when things were getting heated up. I was just about to charge in and sweep everything but they just had to butt in and ruin everything! So many losses yet fricking nothing to show for it! Curse them!”

[Hello~, you lost nothing, you dunce. Why the tantrum? It should be the Sword Emperor, Enchanting Empress, and me in particular, who should be raging.] 

[It was bad enough it took so much effort to enact such a bloody war, getting everyone to jump in, now everything went out the window. I’m the one who lost everything here!] 

[Seven Sacred Mountains only ever acts out of need, which means…]

Zhuo Fan rubbed his chin in thought, “Demonic Emperor sir, news of Nether Sea map must’ve reached them. We’ll have to hand the map over!”

“Why the hell would I?” Zhao Chen threw his hand.

Zhuo Fan sighed, “Yeah, after so much blood and sweat in keeping the original, only to give it all up makes me worthless to sir. However, no matter the value of the map, one’s life is far more precious.” 

Zhao Chen shuddered, recalling the lesson of his master dying at a Saint’s hand because of the Nine Serenities Secret Records and sighed.

[Master was the boldest of the Eight Emperors and even under the other seven’s attacks, still stood undefeated. Only when a Saint…]

[Curse those Seven Sacred Mountains!]

Zhao Chen raged inside, evident by his ragged breath, his face turning red.

Zhuo Fan said, “Demonic Emperor sir, have you cracked the map by chance? It would make giving it up all the more easier.”

“Crack it? You think you can up and resolve something so abstruse over lunch?” Zhao Chen sighed, “I wouldn’t care about giving it up either if I had.”

Zhuo Fan’s eyes shone, “An idea struck me that might help!”

“Oh, Steward Zhuo, you saw through it?”

“I can’t say for sure, just that I might know where to start.”

“That’s better than nothing. At least we could try it on a copy we make.” Zhao Chen laughed, taking out the map, “Steward Zhuo, what’s your idea? Tell me!”

Zhuo Fan leaned and pointed out a corner, “I was struck by an idea that this map might be just a star chart.”

“Steward Zhuo, can you read the stars?”

“Somewhat, with my low cultivation, I could only invest my time in other areas, lest I was content to remain pariah.”

Zhuo Fan continued, “Sir, look here, these corners seem to resemble star clusters and this looks just like the night sky. It’s just so hard to make it up with all of them so tight together.”

Zhao Chen frowned hard and exclaimed, “These extra black dots do interfere, Steward Zhuo. Just tell me about the sky area you can see while ignoring the one that eludes you.”

“Demonic Emperor sir, that’s brilliant! I was thinking the same thing!” Zhuo Fan smiled and took out a paper to put over the other, “Look sir, this is the rough star chart.”

Zhao Chen nodded, then his eyes lit up as he looked, “Isn’t this a map of Sacred Domain?”

“Good going, sir! The image formed does look like the Sacred Domain’s map!”

“Ha-ha-ha, then follow the stars and draw out the Sacred Domain outline. Nether Sea must be somewhere on it. But where?”

Zhuo Fan smirked as he played along, “I can’t make out this part. The star positions, the shape, like nine rings. Maybe underworld star cluster…” 

“Wait, underworld?”

“Right, diviners look at the sky to determine one’s fate. If there’s a bright star in the underworld star cluster, that means they’re going to die!” Zhuo Fan pointed out. 

Zhao Chen considered it then smiled, “Nether Sea must be where the underworld river is. The death star’s location must be the door to Nether Sea!”

“We did it! Nether Sea map’s mystery is resolved, ha-ha-ha…” Zhao Chen laughed wildly.

Zhuo Fan bowed, “Amazing sir, congratulations!”

“Come, Steward Zhuo, you’re going overboard. Something tells me you cracked it already and only came here to tell me.” 

Zhuo Fan shook his head, “Sir, I’m but a fool.”

“You don’t have to push the credit on me, to stroke my ego. I could never have the heart to cast out such a talented genius like you, Steward Zhuo. So don’t play the fool with me and suck up to me.”

Zhao Chen beamed as he put the map in his ring, patting Zhuo Fan’s shoulder, “Once I get Nether Sovereign’s cultivation method and become a Saint, no, a Sovereign, you’ll still be at my side, above everyone else. I won’t ever forget your dedication, ha-ha-ha…”

“Thank you, Sovereign!”

Zhuo Fan bowed, snickering inside.

[Since you want Nether Sovereign’s legacy, by all means, take it. Just be sure to take the rest with you, alright, ha-ha-ha…]

A month later, the Eight Emperors took their closest people to the Sword Emperor’s place. Despite being the owner in his home, he didn’t feel like one.

In his seat sat a youth, He Xiaofeng, and an old man next to him stood with a ruthless glimmer in his eyes. 

“Greetings, Saints!”

Everyone below bowed. The elder said nothing, with He Xiaofeng speaking, “Rise.”

“Thank you, Saint!”

The people sat and He Xiaofeng swept them with his cold eyes, “Where is Demonic Emperor Zhao Chen?”

“What may I do for you, Saint?” Zhao Chen bowed at once, meek.

He Xiaofeng demanded, “I heard you have the Nether Sea map. Is this true?”

“It is, Saint!”

“Have you resolved its mystery?”

“I’m but an oaf, Saint!”

“None of you are worthy of being able to unravel such a treasure anyway.” He Xiaofeng sneered, not bothering masking his condescending tone. His voice was soft, yet strict as well, “Give it here!”

Zhao Chen took out the map and presented it, “Saint, here it is, as requested.”

He Xiaofeng nodded and took it for a closer look with a chuckle. Then he gave it to the old man.

“You’re not mad about giving it up?”

The elder spared it a glance then asked Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen showed an ingratiating smile, “It has been my only wish to offer the map to Saint. How could I ever be mad? I would’ve long come to you and offered it but I feared disturbing sir’s cultivation.”

[Leech!]

The others wore bright smiles but thought the same thing in their minds, cursing his despicable behavior.

They were clueless that Zhao Chen had already seen through the map.

“Good, I’ll remember you.”

The elder looked skeptical as he stared Zhao Chen down, “Have you made any copies? I can give it to you to make one, as a memento.”

Zhao Chen shook his head, “Saint sir, you wound me. Since I offer you the map with all sincerity, I could never do such a thing. My only wish has been to serve Sacred Mountains. All our Eight Emperors’ duties are to maintain the world for Sacred Mountain, to let sirs reach higher enlightenment. How could we ever yearn for something like a Sovereign’s seat of enlightenment? I, of course, made no copies, ha-ha-ha.” 

“You’re really not bad!”

The old man nodded and showed a weird smile, “Much better than your master, Zhuo Yifan, at least. That guy didn’t know his limit, trying and failing to rely on the Demon Sovereign’s legacy to rise above the Seven Sacred Mountains. But you, you never even thought about it, settling down instead.”

“Saint is most gracious.”

Zhao Chen bowed with a beaming smile.

[Humph, I never got the chance. Who the hell would want you hanging over them? Who among the Eight Emperors doesn’t want to stomp you under their heels?]

[It’s only a matter of time before I will, he-he-he…]

Zhuo Fan next to him had a dark look, recalling how a Saint came after his life and clenched his fists.

[Those bastards from the Seven Sacred Mountains rely on the world’s resources to seek Dao, but did they rise above its affairs? No! The Eight Emperors rule half of Sacred Domain, but they would never escape their control.]

[A bunch of fools who stand outside the secular world, but always think of it, are stuck unable to reach the Sovereign Stage, only wasting the Sacred Domain’s resources. Serves you right!]

[Any random mutt would’ve been flying if you’ve done it by now.]

[Speaking of those truly touching the cusp of Sovereign Stage, then all those seniors I brought from the mortal domain with their world of experience and focused solely on Dao have a better chance than you.] 

[Fakers and posers got no chance!]

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