Chapter 220: The Prophecy of Destruction

“Your Majesty…”

Shangguan Qiuming raised his hand, causing Mu Ze, who was hesitant to speak, to fall silent again, his eyes still fixed on the black-haired girl before him.

“Miss Vilyric, you are a clever and perceptive person. You should understand that I have always been testing and observing you. From the time of the literary competition to the incident with that boat captain, Mengrui, this may have made you feel uncomfortable, but as the sovereign of this nation, I cannot just let dangerous individuals whose backgrounds I cannot fathom slide.”

“This recent event is most abrupt, yet it has brought us to this meeting. I am not a suspicious person, but since we must cooperate, it should be thorough, with no barriers between us. Otherwise, it would be better not to proceed at all. Wouldn’t you agree?”

At this point, the Holy Monarch paused for a moment, seemingly observing the expressions of the two girls before him, hoping to find some telltale crack or clue.

But he quickly felt disappointment.

From beginning to end, Vilyric maintained that nonchalant, smirking demeanor, while the Cat Daughter behind her, upon hearing the name Mengrui, showed a fleeting look of surprise that quickly faded.

The other party showed no signs of guilt, nor were they afraid due to some small hints already known to him. This pleased Shangguan Qiuming but also left him slightly irritated.

Because these two “individuals” were beyond his control, and uncertainty was precisely what the Holy Monarch detested most, just as with the event that had occurred today.

However, weighing the circumstances, the two mysterious girls before him were certainly more suitable for cooperation than the evil demons.

After a long pause, the black-haired girl finally responded.

“Let’s confirm first—Mengrui is okay, right? I don’t care if you used her to test me, but Your Majesty better understand—I have my limits. I hope you haven’t done anything foolish.”

As soon as these words left her mouth, Mr. Mu Ze and Shangguan Hong, standing on the other side, broke out in cold sweat, not daring to breathe a word. In contrast, the youngest Yanzi remained calm, seemingly unconcerned about any potential conflict.

Indeed, despite the implicit threat, Shangguan Qiuming appeared unperturbed, raising an eyebrow slightly as if feeling a bit more at ease before promptly replying.

“She’s fine. I haven’t done anything to her. That clever ship captain, while perceptive enough, still lacked experience and thought I was unaware of your relationship, even occasionally thinking of prying for information from me.”

“Is that so…”

Feigning satisfaction, someone internally was already in turmoil.

Wow! This old man is absurd! He actually called Mengrui to watch and used it as an opportunity to test them? Is his network of intelligence a bit too overwhelming?!

No, no, wait, does that mean even inviting them to perform in Xingyuan City was just an excuse?

In truth, Vilyric had vaguely considered this possibility, after all, the invitation to the ship and the contact with the Shenjin Sect happened in an unusually coincidental time frame. If the performance was truly for the Four Saints Selection Tournament, then they should have invited them earlier to prepare.

But honestly, it only remained a guess until just now when Shangguan Qiuming brought up Mengrui, causing the flustered Priestess to purposely probe and verify.

Though on the surface she appeared calm as if “I expected nothing less,” it was because the divine race’s various emotional fluctuations were not evident, coupled with Miss Vilyric’s intentional pretense, that she managed to hide her surprise.

Oh no, I feel like I can’t outsmart this old fellow…

Fortunately, their side still had the upper hand in strength. As long as they were careful, they shouldn’t be toyed with.

After some thought, Vilyric addressed the initial question directly.

“To be frank, I am neither your friend nor your enemy, just a passerby. If possible, I hope to smoothly pass through the Four Saints Selection Tournament, reach Lingyin Fairy Island to achieve my goal, and then leave.”

“But we both know this is not possible. Under a fallen nest, can there be whole eggs? If the Ancient Spirit Realm truly falls, Lingyin Fairy Island would certainly not remain unaffected, and that’s not the outcome I desire to see.”

“So, for now, our interests align. If aiding you benefits my goals, I will not refuse to lend a hand.”

“Is that so…”

Now it was Shangguan Qiuming’s turn to echo similar sentiments.

With a stern and serious face, a slight smirk finally appeared on his lips, as he nodded in satisfaction.

“A simple win-win transactional relationship is often more trustworthy than groundless kindness and assistance. Very well, Miss Vilyric, though this is not the answer I most wished to hear and is somewhat unexpected, I must admit you have persuaded me.”

“We can discuss specific cooperation details later. For now, take a look at this.”

The Holy Monarch raised his hand nonchalantly, and Shangguan Hong promptly retrieved a round sphere from his pocket, holding it out before him.

Receiving it casually, Shangguan Qiuming pushed it directly toward Vilyric, seated across from him.

“The Shadow Stone—Do you need me to explain its principles and operation?”

Shaking her head, the Priestess quickly found the activation button and began playing the stored footage from the precious gem, displaying it for everyone to see.

The images began to materialize, revealing a mysterious figure cloaked in a hood and robe, only a small part of their face visible, who began to speak.

Their voice was somewhat deep, projected with a processed, completely neutral quality, not particularly pleasant to hear, yet it somehow bore an oddly enchanting power.

“Good afternoon, everyone. The Four Saints Selection Tournament has been quite spectacular; everyone must have been very satisfied, right?”

“I apologize for suddenly interrupting your enjoyment of the event, but there is something important that must be announced.”

Suddenly raising both arms like an enthusiastic believer in a cult, the tone shifted abruptly to a high pitch!

“The Prophet brings forth the prophecy of [Destruction]! Praise His gospel!!!”

“When blood rain falls from the sky, and silver branches burst forth from the earth, the blessing of [Destruction] shall once again descend upon this decaying world, bringing forth His messenger!”

“The ridiculous high walls will collapse under the feet of mighty beasts, and the hypocritical islands shall surely crumble! This is the fate of the Ancient Spirit Realm, His will!!!”

“Rejoice! Everything in this world!! Praise in trembling and prostration, eagerly welcome the arrival of [Destruction]! Wail loudly and lament in anguish! Such is the most sincere praise to Him!!!”

The figure slightly tilted its head, revealing four eerie eyes glowing faintly, then pointed ahead, seemingly laughing.

“And you, have no right to refuse ~”

“Swish.”

The image abruptly halted.

Gazing at the empty space where the projection had vanished, the Priestess pondered for a moment before turning her gaze forward.

“So what was that? Some nonsensical riddle?”

Shangguan Qiuming remained expressionless.

“Shortly after the explosion occurred in the west of the city, all the projection screens used to broadcast the tournament were taken over by nefarious individuals and forcibly played this segment.”

“The final tournament garnered immense attention, meaning at least over a million spectators have seen the above footage in various ways. It has consequently caused an uproar and continues to spread rapidly; it’s now impossible to contain the news.”

After a slight pause, the Eastern Yuan Holy Monarch continued.

“And if I’m not mistaken, such an event will not just occur within the borders of Qiguo. This [Prophecy] will likely spread throughout the entire Ancient Spirit Realm before long.”

   

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