He had long been fed up with the way things had been divided all these years, but with the other side outnumbering him he'd had to swallow his resentment.
Now that his own camp was about to gain another fourth-level, he intended to vent the frustrations of decades.
As for whether the opposite side might assassinate his disciple, he wasn't worried in the least.
As long as he lived, if they dared touch his student—though he might not beat three fourth-levels—he could still slaughter anyone below that level.
So he had no fears; if push came to shove he'd flip the table and make sure no one walked away happy.
This time he had also contacted the Han family's fourth-level; only by standing together could they wrest the greatest benefits.
Behind him, Guan Shan's eyes glinted with ambition.
'After striving for so many years, I'm finally about to enter Liyang Country's topmost circle.'
…Time jumped to the day of the meeting.
Outside the palace gate everything looked as usual; only the occasional luxury car rolled in.
At the palace's center stood a vast hall, opulently decorated with dark-red tiles on the walls and portraits of past Kings lining both sides.
In the middle rested an enormous white stone table, its surface polished to a mirror sheen.
A huge lotus chandelier on the ceiling bathed the entire chamber in light.
At the white table King already occupied the main seat; beside him sat Cai Xiu and Cai Xiu's disciple, an unremarkable-looking fourth-level Awakened named Ma Yuan, dressed in a suit.
To Cai Xiu's left sat a frosty woman in white shirt and jeans—fourth-level Awakened Yun Xia.
Behind them stood eleven third-level Awakened in assorted clothing, all loyal to the Cai faction.
"Old Ghost Li's appetite is huge; I hear he's even joined forces with Han Yi," Ma Yuan said, scowling.
With his comfortable life disrupted, he loathed Old Ghost Li.
Yun Xia's face was cold. "Resources are finite; how much Old Ghost Li wants still depends on whether we agree."
Neither King nor Cai Xiu spoke; they simply waited.
Old Ghost Li's group was already an hour late—clearly on purpose.
Tap-tap-tap!
Just then, footsteps sounded at the doorway.
King and the others looked over to see more than a dozen figures enter.
Old Ghost Li led the way in a Daoist robe; beside him walked a long-haired middle-aged man in a loose yellow printed shirt.
Seeing King and the rest, the meat-faced Old Ghost Li grinned. "Haha, Your Majesty, pardon us—traffic was awful."
King smiled back. "You're here; let's all be seated."
Instead of sitting, Old Ghost Li suddenly pointed at the two chairs and roared, "Whoever arranged these chairs deserves to be shot! Only two for three of us—what's that supposed to mean?"
At his outburst, the four from the Cai camp seated around the table all darkened.
Yun Xia folded her arms and sneered, "Only fourth-levels and His Majesty have ever merited chairs here. What are you implying?"
"What am I implying?" Old Ghost Li glared at her, ferocious.
He jabbed a finger toward Guan Shan behind him and bellowed, "My disciple's on the verge of breaking through to fourth-level, a monumental service to Liyang Country—doesn't he deserve a seat? Are we saying Liyang doesn't value its future fourth-levels?"
Watching his master take the high ground the instant he arrived, Guan Shan couldn't help smiling.
'As expected, only strength rules; once I hit fourth-level Master's confidence soars.'
Before Yun Xia could retort, King rose with a smile. "Attendants—bring a chair! We can't chill the heart of a future fourth-level."
His words startled Old Ghost Li, who eyed him in surprise.
Even Cai Xiu and the others beside King tensed, unsure what he was doing.
From the moment the two sides entered, they'd been sparring; offering a chair now looked like a retreat.
Two soldiers promptly carried up a white chair.
At that instant King stood again; under everyone's puzzled gaze he walked to the doorway and phoned someone.
After a beep, the call connected, and King smiled at the staring crowd. "Everyone's here—come on over."
"What are you doing?" Cai Xiu couldn't help asking his elder brother.
How could he lose his mind at a moment like this?
Old Ghost Li, however, smiled. "Since His Majesty has provided a chair, let's sit."
He glanced at Guan Shan, then sat with Han Yi beside him.
Yun Xia frowned, utterly bewildered by King's move.
'What's this idiot doing—has he screwed his brains out?'
Tap-tap-tap!
While everyone wondered what King was up to, more footsteps echoed at the door.
Three unfamiliar men strode in. The leader wore shades, stood over two meters tall, and had muscles straining his suit to ripping point.
The man on his left wore a white hoodie and shorts; the one on the right sported a red suit, messy hair, and a cigarette between his lips.
Old Ghost Li's brows snapped together. "Who are you people? How did you get in here?"
At a moment like this he could tolerate no surprises.
The third-level Awakened behind him all turned hostile eyes on the trio.
Even Cai Xiu and the others kept silent, staring in confusion at King, who stood beside the newcomers.
Wei Gaocheng swept his gaze across the room, then grinned savagely at Old Ghost Li. "Still asking who I am? If you didn't need a beating you wouldn't even qualify to see my face!"
"Speak to my master like that and you're courting death!" Guan Shan shot to his feet.
The instant the words left his mouth, a tiny white speck of light appeared before him.
Whoosh! In the next moment the speck became a man with icy eyes; his hand shot to Guan Shan's throat.
Splurt! Half of Guan Shan's neck, along with his spine, was ripped out in a geyser of blood.
Even Old Ghost Li was splattered, freezing in shock.
The attack had come without warning; no one could guard against a teleport-like ability.
"Guan Shan—aaaargh!" Old Ghost Li watched his beloved disciple collapse, eyes splitting with rage.
He stared at Li Yong before him, then roared at Cai Xiu and the rest, "It was you! You wanted to strike at us!"
Behind him a golden Daoist phantom appeared.
Beside him Han Yi leapt up, shouting, "Cai Xiu, we're on the same side—why bring outsiders into this!"
Cai Xiu, equally stunned, looked toward his brother King.
But King only shook his head, signaling him not to move.