Qu Xin Rui had repeatedly extended her invitation for Jun Xie to come to the Heavenly Cloud Chambers and Jun Xie had accepted them the first few times. But in regards to Qu Xin Rui's request for them to collaborate and work together, Jun Xie had not given any indication of a positive reply but had instead dragged it out time and time again. And this time, Jun Xie had just outright refused to come to the Heavenly Cloud Chambers. Such an attitude did not seem to be telling Qu Xin Rui that Jun Xie was willing to cooperate with her.
"Seems like your beauty had not been able to move the little Emperor at all and he had even given you such a superfluous reason to reject the invitation. If my guess is correct, I'm afraid he will not be coming here to see you anymore." Shen Chi said.
Qu Xin Rui clenched her jaw tightly. It wasn't that she had been oblivious of Jun Xie's perfunctory responses, but it was just that she had not expected even after she had employed all her charms, there could actually be a male that could still remain so calm, who had not only not been mesmerized, but had even been able to completely disregard her allure!
This was the point, against the high regard and absolute confidence Qu Xin Rui had towards her own beauty, took to be the most serious humiliation.
"Since he refused the politely proffered wine, he will now then be given the wine as punishment." Qu Xin Rui said with derision in her voice.
Shen Chi looked at Qu Xin Rui's darkened expression and went on to remind her to say: "People on the Lower Realm are weak and powerless. To make Jun Xie submit wouldn't be a difficult task at all. But you must think clearly on one point. He is still the Emperor of the Fire Country and if you really come to inflict any harm upon him, it will not be easy to answer to the people in the Fire Country. The strength behind the Fire Country is of utmost importance to us and if we can convince the Fire Country to mobilise their troops to go down to the Heaven's End Cliff, then our exploration of the Heaven's End Cliff will definitely be much faster than anything we will be able to achieve with the Thousand Beast City."
With just that puny little youth, it was deemed to be beneath Shen Chi to pay him any attention. What really caught his attention was the might of the Fire Country behind Jun Xie!
The biggest country of the Lower Realm, their military might an inestimable number.
"I do not believe that anyone under the Heavens can resist gaining everlasting youth and eternal life! He had refused it so decisively and did not seem too interested in gaining the power of the Purple Spirit. Don't tell me….. other Palaces have already come into contact with him?" Qu Xin Rui was startled by her own sudden realization. There were seven among the Twelve Palaces who held a portion of the Dark Emperor's tomb in their hands and besides the Soul Return Palace, the other palaces who held the maps must also be up to something.
The Fire Country might not be even worth mentioning in the Middle Realm, but as a sacrificial lamb, they would be the best choice in the Lower Realm.
Shen Chi had considered the same worry that Qu Xin Rui had, but he quickly shook his head.
"If it is said that other palaces wanted to make use of the Fire Country, I will not be surprised in the least. But Jun Xie was not from the legitimate and reigning Imperial Family in the Fire Country. He had suddenly taken over the Fire Country's throne and the other palaces are not doing it like we are doing here to remain permanently in the Lower Realm. Jun Xie had not ascended to the Fire Country's throne for long and the previous ruler was forced to abdicate, so how could he give up his throne willingly? Even if people from the other palaces have contacted the Fire Country's Emperor, it will not be with this little Emperor who had just ascended into the throne, but the previous Emperor, and he surely would not be willing to hand over the benefits the people of the Twelve Palaces were providing to them so readily." Shen Chi said and then paused before he went on.
"What we need to do now is, before any of the other palaces comes into contact with Jun Xie, pull him over to join our camp, and make the Fire Country within his hands work for us. As long as he still remains in the Thousand Beast City, we will stand a better chance than any of the other palaces."
Judging from the timing, Jun Xie would seem to have made his way to the Thousand Beast City on the same day almost immediately after his ascension to the throne. Shen Chi was confident that even if the other palaces have received the news, they would definitely not have enough time to discuss about cooperating with the little Emperor who had just ascended into the throne!