Chapter 464：Remedy

The middle-aged man wearing the gray cloak was startled as he looked at the stalwart figure shrouded in darkness that sat on the throne: "Night King although the spring was expensive but it shouldn't be too much to get him under our wings. Isn't it?"

"The Holy Church has branded us as minions of the devil. The new elder has chosen the code name 'devil'. Such an ambition. Do you think he would be willing to work under anyone? His foundation is too thin as he has just taken over the position of elder. He didn't have the ability to refuse at this point but in the future he will rebel!"

The middle-aged man's face slightly changed: "Night King if its so then should we cut off his wings before they are opened wide? He could be only a commander of the 9th region in the future."

"It's impossible to do that but we can't give the opportunity for the 9th region to grow. Otherwise the checks and balances of the three kings will be in dismay and caught in chaos."

"Yes."

...

...

Dawn of the next day.

Dudian was still in the office as he read the information about the 9th region. He had a general understanding of 9th region's situation after a night of reading. The 9th region was in lower mid-level within the 12 regions. The number of followers, wealth and forces were quite far from the other regions. Especially the Night King of the 3rd region had massive powers."

"Unexpectedly, the gap between the regions is too big. I don't know if the Monastery appointed the Night King or he is someone who has increased his power from the beginning." Dudian pondered: "The identity of the other party doesn't matter. According to the words of Punishment Division's elder once the identity is exposed then you either get back to the inner wall or get an extreme punishment. I shouldn't care about his identity. He is not a friend but an enemy."

"Elder, did you call me?" Hawkeye joined the room.

Dudian nodded: "Call all five-star alchemists, great potioner, great diviner and the commander of the dark knights. I'll have a meeting."

"Meeting?" Hawkeye nodded: "I'll notify everyone."

Dudian continued to read information after Hawkeye left. These information were the collected data by the previous elders about the other 11 regions.

"There are three kings in the 12 regions. The Night King of the 3rd region, the Sword King of the 1st region and Underworld King of the 5th region. The other elders are attached to these three men. In addition, the 2nd region, the 10th region and the 12th region are not affiliated with any of these factions. There seems to be four factions in total. However those unaffiliated ones should help each other but only to a certain degree."

Dudian's eyes lit up as he went through the information.

After a long time.

Hawkeye joined the room and reported: "Elder, Stuart and Corina, two five-star alchemists have come and are waiting for you in the chamber."

Dudian frowned as he looked at the hourglass: "What about others?"

Hawkeye bowed: "They are on the way."

"Are they usually so slow?" Dodian frowned.

Hawkeye bowed: "Elder, they are far away from here. Some of them have matters in their hands so it is inevitable slow for them to reach the hq."

Dudian looked at him: "How long is the slowest time for all of them to reach?"

There was tension in Hawkeye's eyes: "The slowest was when the others had reached here in two and half hours."

"It's been an hour now so we will wait for another 1.5 hours." Dudian waved his hand: "Tell them to wait."

"Alright." Hawkeye responded in hesitation.

1.5 hours passed.

Hawkeye knocked the door.

"Come in."

Hawkeye pushed the door and went into the room. He saw Dudian sitting by the desk and concentrating on the information in front of him. He bowed his head: "Elder, the time is up."

Dudian looked up at Hawkeye: "Is everyone in here?"

Hawkeye hesitated a bit: "Elder, seven people aren't attending."

"Seven?" Dudian wrinkled his eyebrows.

The total number of people to attend the meeting supposed to be 16. At the moment nearly half of them weren't in the hq.

"Alright." Dudian got up from his desk: "Write down the names of the people who haven't come and wait for my instructions."

Hawkeye looked at Dudian as if he sensed what Dudian wanted to do: "Elder, you just took over the region. If they move to reinforce other regions then our 9th region will be greatly impacted. I hope you won't act on impulse..."

Dudian stopped when he heard Hawkeye's words. He said in an indifferent tone: "Don't forget it. In my house everyone follows my rules!"

Dudian walked in big strides as he went out of the room.

Hawkeye caught up with him. He secretly looked at Dudian's eyes which weren't covered by the mask. He saw that there was no anger in them but calmness.

They reached the spacious room on the second floor. Dudian saw eleven figures sitting in the room. Five of them exuded senior hunter level heat from their bodies. The remaining six were bleak but slightly higher than average civilians. But those six were weird. The head was unevenly distributed in their bodies. For example there was one who had both of his arms exuding a great heat while the other had his chest exuding great heat.

"Elder, please." Hawkeye showed the way.

The room was a very luxurious conference hall. It was decorated with resplendent tables and chairs which were made from expensive materials.

The laughter and chatter within the room stopped when Dudian entered it. All the eyes were focused on Dudian's body. Some of the frowned as they watched Dudian.

Dudian wasn't tense because of their gazes. He was aware that the people sitting in the room weren't angels but people who are identified as 'devils' in the current era. However he was not a young child that he was years ago. He was master of the Temple and had been in contact with other high status people and knew how to calmly deal with these occasions.

He sat by the table: "I'm the new elder of the 9th region. My code name is 'devil'. I have called you over to casually talk about few things."

"Devil?" All of them were stunned as they heard the overbearing nickname.

An enchanting woman sitting in a nearby chair said: "Devil? Elder, in addition to three kings within the dark church no one dares to use word 'king' let alone devil. We would come under harsh suppression if the other three kings misunderstood your code name."

"Yes!"

"Elders, you are heavily provocating them. Change the code name!"

Two more people joined her.

Dudian narrowed his eyes as he quietly waited for them to finish. He saw that no one else was going to speak so he said: "Today, is the first day that we meet and you want me to change my code name. Is this how you welcome me?"

The enchanting woman said: "Elder, you misunderstood us. We have no other meaning behind our proposition. It's just your name is too overbearing and our 9th region is only at moderate level. The consequences will be unimaginable if you cause the unhappiness of the kings."

Dudian stared at her. He roughly judged that the woman was a great potion master. He smiled: "Unimaginable like what?"

The woman's face turned ugly: "Elder, I just kind of..,"

"I know." Dudian interrupted her. The smile in his face disappeared as he coldly glanced at everyone: "The main reason that I called you over was to talk about the future development and position of the 9th region. I only have one goal and that is to be the strongest!"

The hall turned silent after his words echoed.

Everyone looked at him in astonishment.

"The strongest" A middle-aged man who was frozen for a long time said as he smiled: "Elder, you just took the office so you may not have good understanding of the situation. The 9th region... "

"I know." Dudian interrupted him: "I know the situation of 9th region. I have checked the intelligence on 3 kings. I am also aware of our current ability. We can compete with three kings. However we can develop and catch up. You have been watching three kings plunder and swallow the resources. Don't you dare to do anything?"

Everyone looked at each other. They knew that Dudian had done his homework after he said the last sentence.

"We want to but catching up with three kings is very difficult. Even if they stagnate at the same place we will need more than ten years to catch up with the." An old man said in a helpless tone.

"Well." The enchanting woman nodded: "Elder, what is the plan? Its not wonderful if you only talk about it. It will only cause the anger of three kings which is not something that our 9th region can afford."

Dudian lightly said: "The plan is very simple. We will enhance the training curriculum of the academy, cultivate new five-star alchemists and great potion masters while we train dark knights on the side."

The woman was stunned however she reacted after a while: "Elder, are you joking?"

Dudian replied in a serious tone: "Do I sound like that?"

The woman was dumbfounded: "You are right about the plan. But its very difficult to nurture a five-star alchemist, great potion master or a great diviner. Even if we are lucky to find talented students, we will need seven to eight years to achieve success. To nurture a new five-star alchemist we will need at least ten years of time."

"It's not that difficult." Dudian said in indifferent manner: "I have my own methods about that. In the future when I give you taks I hope you will take them seriously. If any tasks fails because of the personal reasons then you won't imagine what the consequences will be."

"Hmpf!" A loud sound echoed. A middle-aged man wearing a black cloak who sat at the end of the conference table rugged his face which was full of ridicule. He coldly looked at Dudian: "Ignorant! It's ridiculus to see someone like you being appointed as an elder. What kind of a profession do you think a five-star alchemist or a great potion master is? Do you think that everyone can become a dark knight as long as the 'god's blessing' is used? Ignorant!"

Dudian's eyes narrowed as he looked at him in silence.

"What? Aren't you convinced?" The middle-aged man's eyes were full of arrogance as he looked at Dudian without the slightest fear.

Dudian knew that the man was the commander of the dark knights. They had high status within the organization. Even the elders need to be polite towards them. They could defect to other regions any time. Although it would cause impact on their fame and reputation but there was room for the free action.

Moreover they had strength and influence as well as the commanded the teams of dark knights. It would be very difficult to arrest them even if the elder made the order.

"Anything else?" Dudian said.

The middle-aged man continued: "Your feet aren't firm but you already dare to challenge the three kings. Nothing but thetoric! If I had known that it will be so then I would have slept at home!"

Dudian looked at him in silence.

The middle-aged man's face looked good as he saw Dudian didn't speak: "Don't you have anything to say?"

"I'll begin since you have finished." Dudian slowly said: "You just argued that the cultivation of alchemists and dark knights is very difficult. Indeed, for you it is difficult. Otherwise the 9th region wouldn't be in the position that it is for so many years. From today the 9th region is under my control. You only need to the tasks that are given to you! In 6 months the 9th region will be in top five regions and I'll become the new king!"

"You can choose not to believe it but I don't care! I will say it once! After the task is given if its not completed because of personal reasons or collusion with the other regions then don't expect a light punishment!"

Everyone's face changed. Neither the woman or the middle-aged man thought that Dudian would speak in such a harsh tone.

The middle-aged man frowned as there was dissatisfaction in his heart. But he held back as he saw Dudian's assured look. Half a year was not much of a time. If the new elder couldn't realize such big words then he would lose all his prestige.

The middle-aged man believed that Dudian knew about it. No matter what the character of the elder was at least they had a brain to think.

"Elders, do you have any plans?" Old man asked in curious tone.

Dudian said: "NAturally."

"We will believe you since you have come up with such a big goal." The enchant woman glanced at the audience.

Dudian looked at Hawkeye: "Did you write the names of the people into the list."

"Yes." Hawkeye handed out the list.

Dudian didn't pick up the list: "I don't need it. Cancel their positions."