Chapter 618 Wang Jian's Proposal To Devil Tribe Leaders
A hush fell over the grand council chamber as Queen Xiulan rose, her crimson gown flowing around her like liquid fire. "Esteemed leaders," she began, her voice resonating with confidence, "allow me to introduce my...beloved, Lord Wang Jian."
The other Devil Tribe leaders exchanged disdainful glances. It had barely been a year since the death of Queen Xiulan's formidable husband, Mo Tianyang, and here she was parading a lover already. Morals, however, were a luxury devils like them seldom indulged in. Still, they couldn't help but voice a snide remark.
"A bold choice, Queen Xiulan," Patriarch Moloch rumbled, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Though some might find it...unseemly."
Queen Xiulan's smile remained undeterred. "Lord Wang Jian," she continued, ignoring the veiled insult, "is not just my companion, but a man of immense influence. He holds the title of City Lord of the Astral Jade City, and enjoys a close relationship with Pavilion Mistress Jiu Lan of the esteemed Heavenly Jade Pavilion."
A collective gasp escaped the four Devil leaders. Wang Jian, the enigmatic figure who had risen so swiftly in power, the one rumored to have the backing of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion itself. This was a revelation they hadn't anticipated.
Wang Jian, savoring the shift in power dynamics, cleared his throat. "Indeed," he confirmed, his gaze sweeping across the chamber. "And it is upon this understanding that I propose a collaboration of the utmost importance."
He spoke seriously, "I believe a unique opportunity presents itself. The recent arrival of the Devil Race and Angel Race from the Northern Cosmos could be a turning point in the history of the Eastern Cosmos."
A frown creased Patriarch Moloch's brow. "An opportunity, you say? Or a threat?" he rumbled, his voice as deep and powerful as an earthquake.
"A potential of both," Wang Jian conceded with a nod. "However, if we are to seize the former, we must act with unity. I propose an alliance between your Devil Tribes and the Devil Race of the Northern Cosmos."
The other leaders, however, furrowed their brows.
"The Northern Devils," Matriarch Xifeng scoffed, her voice laced with disbelief, "are notoriously prideful. They consider us Eastern Devils inferior, their bloodlines purer than ours. Forming an alliance with them is wishful thinking."
"Furthermore," Lord Belial interjected, his voice a chilling rasp, "they are currently allied with the very Angel Race you wish to attack. Why would they break that alliance to side with us?"
Xiulan, her loyalty absolute, readily agreed. With a graceful movement, she swallowed the pill whole. It coursed through her system in a torrent of pure devil energy. Her celestial beauty intensified, a dark, seductive aura blooming around her. Agony and ecstasy warred on her face as her body underwent a radical transformation.
For three agonizing yet exhilarating hours, the council chamber echoed with the sounds of Xiulan's grunts and gasps. The three male leaders watched, a mixture of awe and fear blooming in their hearts. Finally, the transformation subsided. Xiulan stood tall, her eyes glowing with an infernal light.
Wang Jian stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Queen Xiulan," he declared, his voice resonating with power, "demonstrate the extent of your newfound abilities."
Xiulan obliged, unleashing a surge of devilish energy that pulsed throughout the chamber. The very walls seemed to tremble under the sheer intensity of her power. The leaders gasped, their eyes wide with newfound respect – and a touch of fear. They could sense the immense power surging within her, a power that dwarfed their own.
This was the kind of strength they craved, the kind of power that could elevate their tribes to dizzying heights. Seeing it firsthand, witnessing its transformative effects, erased any lingering doubts. The price, suddenly, seemed less steep.
Matriarch Xifeng, a woman who valued power above all else, was the first to cave. "Very well, human," she conceded, her voice devoid of its earlier arrogance. "You have my loyalty... and my body. Use me as you see fit, but first, grant me the power you promised."
A predatory grin spread across Wang Jian's face. This was the reaction he had been waiting for. He tossed a pellet at her feet, the gesture almost playful. Xifeng retrieved it with a predatory grace that did not escape his notice.
The other leaders, their resolve crumbling under the weight of Xiulan's transformation, followed suit. Patriarch Moloch, the epitome of brute strength, hesitantly mentioned his eldest daughter, a renowned warrior in her own right. Lord Belial, the embodiment of shadows, spoke of his youngest daughter, whose beauty was as legendary as her dark powers. Even Grand Elder Corvus, the wizened leader, offered his granddaughter, a woman rumored to possess the blood of a mythical avian beast.
Wang Jian, a master manipulator, readily agreed to their propositions. However, his eyes held a glint they couldn't decipher. As he distributed the remaining pellets, a dark thought slithered across his mind. He wasn't just interested in their daughters; their wives, too, held a certain appeal. After all, why limit himself when he could indulge in all that power and beauty? Perhaps, he mused, a little coercion would be necessary to secure those additional "tributes." He mentally relished the challenge, the prospect of bending these devil leaders to his will completely.
The council chamber, once a place of tense deliberation, now hummed with a different kind of energy. The air crackled with anticipation, a twisted mixture of ambition, lust, and betrayal.
As the final echo of departing footsteps faded, an unsettling silence descended upon the grand council chamber. Queen Xiulan, her eyes now glowing with an infernal fire, stood beside Wang Jian, a silent testament to the power he wielded. Matriarch Xifeng, her earlier arrogance replaced by a simmering mix of desire and trepidation, remained rooted to the spot.
"Come, Matriarch," Wang Jian purred, his voice laced with a suggestive warmth. "The night is young, and the path to power is paved with... negotiations." His words hung heavy in the air, leaving no doubt about his intentions.