Chapter 1734 War... Rises Again

• “What are you waiting for?” Damon King’s easy confidence made the Swordmaster waver for a beat. This kid really was born to run the show. Just that raw swagger and certainty—he fit the throne more than the Swordmaster ever did. Plans? Plans come with loopholes. Loopholes breed screw-ups. If that’s the case, why even make a plan? The Swordmaster let out a dry laugh. “I’m not as bold as the City Lord, that’s for sure.” “You’re kidding me.” Damon would never underestimate him. He can mock himself all he wants—doesn’t mean Damon should agree. Damon smiled. “From what I’ve seen, your temperament suits the lone-wolf road. Forcing you to stay locked in one realm as its ruler for a million years? That’s harsh, sir.” Even now, he still called the Swordmaster “sir.” He seemed to understand this old man better than anyone. “Ha!” The Swordmaster barked a laugh. “You’ve got a good eye, City Lord. You get me.” No need for flowery speeches. One line—You get me—was enough. In that moment, the Swordmaster felt light, unburdened. He grinned. “Once we settle the East, I’m grabbing a few old friends and roaming the chaos. Let the kids build the future. This world’s wonders are theirs to forge.” He’d already decided to throw down the mantle. That thought had been simmering for a long time. In the distance, the Sword Domain’s elites blanched. They wanted to talk him out of it but had no idea where to start or what to say. A heavy knot sat in everyone’s chests, choking them. The Swordmaster was meant to be a free wanderer of chaos, but for the Sword Domain, he’d sealed himself away for a million years. He’d sacrificed too much. A man who craved the open wild was caged. “Sigh.” Only a stream of tired sighs flowed out. They couldn’t bear it, but they couldn’t fight it either. The Swordmaster chuckled. “You guys—I just want to go have some fun for a while. Don’t look at me like I’m already dead. I’ll be back.” He made it sound easy, but no one was smiling. Not until the Death Sword Emperor spoke, voice ringing out like a bell: “Brothers, if you care for the Swordmaster, then go all in. Crush the East and let him walk away with his head held high. That’s the best payback we could give him.” “He gave us a million years. Now it’s our turn to give back to the City Lord.” To be honest, the Death Sword Emperor fit the job of realm lord better than the Swordmaster did. A few sharp words flipped the mood on its head. In a heartbeat, every fighter in the Sword Domain was stoked, itching to burn Four Regions to the ground. The Swordmaster smiled, pleased, and looked at Damon. “I picked a good realm lord, huh?” “Not bad.” Damon nodded, then shot a glare at Xiqiu and Zhao Kai, clearly annoyed. Those two knuckleheads did nothing but bicker and throw punches. Zero management skills. The Life-and-Death Realm was running on heart and hot blood alone. Nobody was really steering the ship. “Ahem…” Zhao Kai and Xiqiu looked awkward. It’s not like they had a choice. “Forget it.” Damon didn’t want to blame them. They were conscripts shoved on stage. He’d dragged them into it himself. He wasn’t blameless. He turned back to the Swordmaster. “We good to move?” The Swordmaster rose. The moment he stood, the ordinary fell away. Blade intent tore into the sky, whipping the clouds into a frenzy. “Let’s go. Time to end this mess.” “Move out.” Two mighty forces joined hands and thundered toward the Five Realms Alliance. … Their momentum rolled out, suffocating as a storm front. Amid forests of colossal worlds, the Five Realms Alliance gathered every top dog. Bloodkill, Redscale, Hundred Flowers, Savage, and War—these five were the original heads of the alliance, and to this day, they still wore the crowns. On both sides, eighth-tier heavyweights took their seats. All of them hailed from major worlds that joined later and earned a place here. The alliance now counted nearly ten worlds, though the name never changed. No one even brought up renaming it. At the end sat Hanhai Realm’s three emperors and several seventh-tier figures. “Ha!” A loud laugh rang out. Four figures strode in, shoulder to shoulder, tight as a sealed wall. Together, they were seamless, like nothing could slip between them. Wherever they stood, that spot became unbreakable. No one could breach their bond. “Friends,” Bloodkill said with a clasped fist. “These last few days in our Five Realms Alliance—have they treated you well?” “Not bad.” The flame-haired figure ran his tongue over his lips, satisfied. “Those enchantresses from Hundred Flowers Realm—tsk, tsk… spicy.” “Hehe.” The Hundred Flowers Empress didn’t take offense. Flower demons loved coupling with the strong. For their kind, it was a win. A powerhouse’s essence could push their evolution. Those flower fiends wished they could bed every champion in existence. So the Empress just smiled. “Glad you’re pleased, sir.” The flame-haired man chuckled. “Wonder if the Empress herself wants to try me?” His eyes burned, shameless and greedy as they raked over her body. “…” The Empress’s brows pinched. She wanted to snap, but she reined it in and offered a soft smile. “Bring me Damon King’s head, and… I won’t say no.” Her laughter curled, silken, sliding past his ears. The flame-haired man’s eyes went redder. He licked his lips hard. “Done. Don’t you forget your promise.” “Naturally.” She nodded. Their little flirt was just a blip. Bloodkill cut in. “You four—are you sure you can take Damon King’s head? If he walks away again, no one’s stopping him from soaring, ever.” That kid only got stronger the more he fought. You could call him the chosen one and not be wrong. Miss a few chances to kill him, and he’s gone for good. Bloodkill couldn’t relax. “Even Hanhai’s Great Emperor fell to his blade.” “Tch.” The flame-haired man scoffed. “Hanhai’s trash. The four of us could’ve put him down easy.” The emperor from Hanhai Realm stood to the side, hearing his realm lord dragged through the mud as if from afar, quiet and still. The man was dead. What good was a retort? They knew Redscale’s type—mouth like a sewer. “Shut it.” The other three broke their silence. The figure heavy as bedrock snapped, then turned to the Hanhai crowd. “My apologies. My brother shoots his mouth off.” “…” No one answered. They glanced at the Earth King, then looked away. Who knew if they accepted the apology or not? Calm. After being hunted this long, you learn to face everything with cool blood. The Earth King’s brow twitched, then smoothed. He looked back to Bloodkill. “Relax, friend. The four of us will take Damon King down. The rest… we leave in your hands.”