Journey of the Fate Destroying Emperor

Chapter 1553: A Quiet But Intense Negotiation

Wang Wei and Ying Yongrui had a normal and regular conversation while eating great food. Although not on the level of his wife’s, the food was top-tier. Ying Yongrui was a charming man and a great conversationalist. Wang Wei was a chameleon, able to mold himself into anything for the situation. So, the two enjoyed chatting with each other before departing.

Ying Yongrui stayed in a well-decorated red and blue room, calmly watching Wang Wei leave. His two followers immediately entered.

”Your highness, is this really a wise move?” the squinty-eyed follower asked.

”My father has started to suspect something. I need to throw him off,” Ying Yongrui said calmly.

”But won’t that make your situation worse?”

”Now is the worst time for something to happen to a prince as famous as I,” Ying Yongrui said. ”More importantly, my father has become extremely confident recently. He operates with the mindset that everything is under control, including me. So, I should be safe for a while.”

”If you say so, sir.”

”Black Dagger,” Ying Yongrui called.

”I’m at your service,” said the quiet follower.

”Go find the Grand Historian to see if he knows what herb my new friend found,” Ying Yongrui ordered. By now, the news should have spread, meaning countless people were searching records to find the answer.

”As you wish.” Black Dagger disappeared from sight, and the squinty-eyed one remained quiet

Ying Yongrui looked through the window, deep in thought. He was playing a dangerous game, but he had no choice. He wants to sit on that throne, and that damn controlling father won’t even allow him to build his own dynasty in another Source World.

Wang Wei had a thoughtful look on his face. The prince tried his best to act normal and hide all his information. In fact, Wang Wei could not see anything from him, but that alone revealed a great deal of information.

’Something tells me the power involved has nothing to do with Ying Zheng’s Jade Butterfly Pendant. In other words, this prince is some foreign transcendent faction’s pawn. Things are getting interesting.’

Wang Wei looked around. After that meal, he suddenly wanted some entertainment, especially the Battle Arena. However, as soon as he had this thought, Wang Wei took a mental pause despite not physically stopping.

’Someone has manipulated luck to direct me to the arena. Interesting,’ Wang Wei thought. He had an inkling who was behind this, so he did not hesitate to allow fate to guide him. He soon reached a black pagoda and entered. The beautiful receptionist asked him if he was a competitor or observer.

Wang Wei wanted to be entertained, so he bought one of the best rooms. He received a token that immediately teleported him to a luxurious room. The token released a screen to show him the available battles. There was no Peak Paragon Battle, but a few Paragon Battles were going on, so he chose one.

His room changed, and Wang Wei found himself in a private room that separated itself with an invisible film, with an enormous arena on the opposite side. The crowd screamed while the two contestants fought inside a potent magical barrier.

Wang Wei conjured a lounging chair to relax as he watched the spectacle. The battle was between a loose cultivator and a Lava Spirit. With a single look, Wang Wei could tell the loose cultivator would lose without any unexpected variable, so he bet on the latter.

He also ordered the most precious wine in this establishment to enjoy himself. The battle proceeded as he expected, and Wang Wei casually received his reward from the pagoda’s spirit. While waiting for the next match, he suddenly sensed something, and his eyes penetrated the pagoda.

”The Tao Beginning Palace is here,” Wang Wei muttered. A group of Taoists flying on beautiful clouds with sounds of the Dao following them rushed to the city’s entrance. They had two leaders in the front, with three others at the back.

Wang Wei squinted. The first thing he noticed was a new Primal from Taoism. Secondly, he also recognized the other leader: Absolute Beginning. ’Has he returned to power? Well, Taoism needs all the help it can get.’ Wang Wei’s focus to the people behind: ’It seems that girl is doing well for herself.’ Zhen Biyu was part of this delegation, which was odd given that her cultivation was only 94%.

Zhen Biyu used Taoism’s weakness after the war to rise in the ranks and take power. It seemed she had not lost that power even after the Ancestors returned. He did not focus too much on Taoism’s arrival since there was not much to pay attention to.

The second match soon began, and Wang Wei placed his bet. Ultimately, he was still correct.

”You’re late,” he suddenly said as he swirled his wine cup before taking a sip.

”So, you were expecting me?” said a deep voice.

”What do you think?” Wang Wei replied casually. ”Do you want to sit?” He conjured another seat next to him.

”No need,” Ying Zheng said as he stood straight, with his black robe with perfect embroidery of a yellow dragon that appeared to come alive if you look at it closely enough.

”I’m sorry about my son,” Ying Zheng said in his deep, authoritative voice. ”As a parent, sometimes we can do our best, and it’s not enough.”

”I don’t have children myself, but I can understand,” Wang Wei nodded. The room then plunged into an intense silence for a few minutes. Ying Zheng remained calm and stoic, while Wang Wei continued to enjoy himself.

”I came to make a deal with you.”

”This should be interesting,” Wang Wei smiled. ”However, you’re wasting your time if you’re here regarding my half of the Nether Hell.”

”No, that’s not it.”

”Then, is it about Hong Wa’s location? My response is the same: I have no idea,” Wang Wei added.

”Not that either.”

”Oh? Now, I’m intrigued.”

Ying Zheng did not immediately say, and Wang Wei did not rush him. On the contrary, he acted as if he had all the time in the world.

”I want your support for a proposition during the assembly,” Ying Zheng said slowly.

”Well, that’s unexpected. What proposition?”

”You don’t need to know. You only need to sign a binding agreement that you and your sect will support me.”

”Do you really expect me to agree to this? And even if I wanted to, it appeared you wanted me to represent the sect,” Wang Wei looked at him as if he was a fool.

”I know you can be persuasive if you need to,” Yin Zheng replied, his eyes remaining focused on the arena.

”I want to hear you’re going to make me agree with such a unique request,” Wang Wei decided to be nice and not call it stupid.

”War is quite an interesting thing, isn’t it?” Ying Zheng said. ”I have my fair share of experience in conducting war. Let’s say I was invading a place, do you know what one of my main priorities would be? Eliminate any threats that could impede my conquest — especially if that threat has the potential of a Grand Dao Saint.”

’That bastard did remember how Wu Hong sealed Supreme Unity,’ Wang Wei thought. He calmly sipped his wine. ”So, this is blackmail instead of negotiation.”

”You don’t have to see it that way,” Ying Zheng stated. ”My proposition will benefit everybody. I’m only doing this out of cautiousness.”

”So you say,” Wang Wei sneered.

”What do you say? It’s a great deal. You benefit from my position, and in return, I keep my mouth shut.”

”Aren’t you afraid of being labeled a traitor?” Wang Wei asked.

”By who?” Ying Zheng scoffed. ”Everybody is preparing to work together to survive this disaster, while secretly planning how to weaken their competitors. The ironic part is Heavenly Dao — the entity who should be encouraging unity — is also encouraging this discourse.”

Ying Zheng was right. Heavenly Dao wants to use this disaster to reshuffle the board, while also wishing for some factions to survive this disaster and rise to the occasion. These goals appeared mutually exclusive, but they were not entirely. It’s possible to achieve as long as Heavenly Dao plays its cards carefully.

”Do you need time to think it over? I can come back tomorrow.”

”Mutually Assured Self-Destruction is an interesting concept,” Wang Wei said. ”I coined the term myself, but the concept is deeply ingrained in the fabric of the cultivator world. The weakest cultivator knows to try to take their opponent with them when they are on the verge of defeat or death.”

”What are you trying to say?” Ying Zheng said as he finally glanced at Wang Wei since he entered the room.

”When most people analyzed my information, they usually focused on my talent or my mind,” Wang Wei said while looking at Ying Zheng with a grin. ”They rarely noticed why I’m truly dangerous: my power of fate.

”My ability to peer into the veil of destiny and my capabilities to deduce from the smallest information are a scary thing. So, tell me, Ying Zheng, do you think our invaders would be interested in your little artifact?”

A shock flashed deep in Ying Zheng’s eyes, but he remained calm, with no change in facial expression.

”Yes, I’m talking about the one you probably received from your first life in the Prehistoric World.”

A mighty aura leaked from Ying Zheng’s body before it quickly retreated.

”You keep your mouth shut, and I keep quiet. Do we have an understanding?”

Ying Zheng quietly looked at him before disappearing from the room.

”I’ll take that as a yes,” Wang Wei muttered before sipping his wine.