Just then, a maid entered and whispered, "Your Majesty, General Cai Xiu requests an audience—he's already at the door."
Cai Hong's eyes flickered at the news. What's he here for?
Cai Xiu, a Fourth-level Awakener, the strongest in Liyang Country and Cai Hong's younger brother.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Let him in."
"No need—I'm already in." A deep voice sounded from behind.
Cai Hong's eyes narrowed. He sprang up, put on a smile, and turned. "Well, little brother, what brings a busy man like you to your old sibling's place?"
At the doorway stood a middle-aged man in a blue military uniform, dark-skinned, bearing a clear resemblance to Cai Hong.
He waved, and the maid promptly withdrew.
Cai Xiu sat opposite him and asked, "Brother, what have you been up to—labs one day, prisoners the next?"
Cai Hong puffed a cigar, unconcerned. "Researching the secret to becoming an Awakened One—figured I'd do something for the Cai family."
"So what brings you here?" Cai Hong studied his brother in puzzlement.
The man spent his days either indulging or sightseeing—even wilder than Cai Hong himself.
Cai Xiu's expression turned grave. "Old Ghost Li's disciple is rushing to the fourth level. Li's just sent word demanding the city of Chidong for his pupil to govern."
Cai Hong froze, cigar clenched between his teeth.
In Liyang Country the Fourth-level Awakened were split: three under the Cai banner, one with the Li clan, one with the Han.
Possessing three of them made Cai Hong the undisputed King.
"So, little brother, what do you propose?" Cai Hong narrowed his eyes.
Cai Xiu's gaze hardened. "We can't give it. Every city we lose is one less for us."
"If we refuse, Old Ghost Li won't take it quietly—his temper could spark civil war." Cai Hong recalled Li's temperament.
Jiang Yan's original plan had been to keep the situation stable, allowing perfect concealment.
Now a fresh variable had appeared, leaving him unsure how to proceed.
If they fought, the other Fourth-levels might refuse—everyone had come to enjoy life; who wanted bloodshed?
Cai Xiu sighed. "We'll play it by ear and haggle hard. If we pay a little less, we profit. I'm off."
Liyang Country was small; one more fourth-level meant one less slice of pie for the rest.
When the news reached Jiang Yan, he stood outside the villa feeding a soul crystal to the Flesh Bodhisattva.
Besides Mirror Demon, all his monsters had now taken soul crystals, as had Li Yong's trio and Jiang Yan himself.
Eleven of thirty crystals had been consumed; nineteen remained.
"So Liyang may see a minor shift, and your hold over the country will weaken further?" Jiang Yan said calmly into his headset.
"Yes, master. Once that city is ceded, it will still be yours in name, but Old Ghost Li will control it in fact," Mirror Demon replied respectfully.
Jiang Yan shrugged. "Call every third- and fourth-level together under the pretext of reallocating cities. I'll wipe them all out at once—saves trouble."
"Understood!" Mirror Demon answered instantly.
The next day Jiang Yan entered the cavern: first-batch Tyrants had completed their evolution.
As he stepped in, he saw a huge shape drifting through the air of the grotto.
It was Cloud Ray—its body had doubled to ten metres long and twenty wide, sporting twin tails and an even larger maw.
On its back crouched Weaver of Illusions, outwardly unchanged.
Tyrant stood nearby, four metres tall, purple armour-like plates jutting from its arms, a red orb embedded in each wrist—little else different.
Ghost Buddha appeared beside Jiang Yan, faint black mist swirling behind it; within the mist one could glimpse the shape of a temple.
Jiang Yan promptly checked what new or enhanced abilities they had gained.
Ghost Buddha
Ghost Temple: summons a temple into reality; all inside are forcibly restrained and compelled to listen to Ghost Buddha's sutras! (Duration depends on the gap in spiritual power.)
Tyrant
Shared Howl: emits a special wave that causes every creature within a kilometre to suffer damage equal to what Tyrant receives!
Weaver of Illusions
illusion crystal: the Weaver's excrement condenses into prismatic crystals; holders can activate a crystal by will to gain the power of 'Deception' for five hours!
Cloud Ray
Cloud Breath: releases vast clouds to blanket a wide area, perfect for escape!
Jiang Yan withdrew from his mental interface; each had evolved distinctively, Weaver of Illusions the most useful, while Tyrant and Ghost Buddha's combat strength had also leapt.
Previously Weaver could only empower one person; now it could produce illusion crystals.
For a force composed almost entirely of monsters, this was invaluable… Liyang Country, Pingxi City.
This city was the domain of Fourth-level Awakener Old Ghost Li.
In the city centre sprawled a Daoist hall that occupied an entire street; above its gate hung a plaque reading 'Qinghe'.
Through the gate one could see Daoists in cyan robes practising Baguazhang.
In the hall's centre stood a three-metre-tall bronze statue of a Daoist priest.
"Guan Shan, accompany your master to the capital tomorrow—we'll claim what's ours," said a 1.9-metre-tall, broad-chested priest whose muscles stretched his cyan robe. A fierce bearded face completed the image.
Behind him stood a red-haired youth in black.
Hearing his master, the youth's eyes lit up. "Looks like even they feel the pressure now that I'm on the verge of breaking through."
Old Ghost Li turned to his disciple, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "Of Liyang's eleven cities, the Cai clan holds nine. This time I intend to tear a chunk from their flesh."