Chapter 359

“Cough… cough…”

From inside the great hall came the sound of a frail, weak cough.

The Red Chai Gong Wo placed down his chess piece and slowly walked step by step toward the source of the sound.

Pulling back the bed canopy, he revealed an old beastman lying there—skin shriveled and clinging to bone, cheeks and eye sockets deeply sunken, though his eyes still held a faint clarity.

Just a few coughs seemed enough to exhaust all his remaining strength.

“More than twenty years ago, it was you and I standing here. Who would have thought, after so many years, nothing has changed… except…” Gong Wo’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably, “except my Great Shensi—how did you turn yourself into such a state?”

He circled the bed appreciatively, feigning regret:
“Such an entertaining chess match, yet you no longer even have the strength to get up and watch. What a pity, what a pity.”

The Great Shensi lifted his eyelids. Facing someone who should never have appeared here at all, his gaze was calm.
“Chai Mu, your ambition sent you into the dungeon. Even now, it can never be realized… ugh…”

Chai Mu’s hand suddenly clamped around the Great Shensi’s throat.
“Your words are still as grating as ever.”

Impeached by the Six Clans, betrayed by his own kin scrambling to protect themselves—that was a stain Chai Mu never wished to admit.

“Mu Wei, you are no longer qualified to compete with me. No one in all Beast God City is qualified. In the end, the victor will only be me.”

“Heh… you… will never win…” The Great Shensi’s face contorted from suffocation, yet a cold snort forced its way out. “The Divine Son… the Divine Son has already descended… Beast Continent… will return to the age of the Beast God… and you, Chai Mu—you are nothing…”

Chai Mu’s fingers tightened, a ruthless glint in his eyes. But a moment later, he released him, watching as the Great Shensi collapsed heavily back onto the bed.

“Cough… cough, cough…” The Great Shensi’s chest heaved violently, as if he might stop breathing at any moment.

Chai Mu leaned down in madness:
“You cannot die. I want you alive. Only if you live can you watch me ascend to the seat of Great Shensi. I want you to know, in utter despair, that there is no Divine Son, no Beast God, no one to save you. Only I will control everything!”

Straightening, Chai Mu returned to his seat by the chess table.
“They should all have arrived by now.”

The noonday sun slanted across his back, leaving his face in darkness.

“Those fools still think themselves close to victory, not knowing they are merely pawns in my hand. Wherever I choose to place them, there they must fall.”

---

At the very heart of the snowy plains—

Six tall thrones carved of ice were arranged in a hexagon. The snow around them had been swept clear, leaving what looked like a lonely island adrift in the white wilderness.

Of course, only such an exposed stretch of land could serve as the site of the Six Cities Conference.

The so-called Six Cities referred to the six forces stationed at the grassland’s edge. Besides Hei Yao, the others were Beast God City, Ji City, Ji City’s subordinate Qi City, Song Wu, and Qing Chi.

Since Jia led his troops to Yan’a Gorge, he had set camp there, directly seizing control of the passage in and out of the grasslands, and then invited all six camps to attend this conference.

And today was the agreed date.

Luo Shu shifted uneasily in his seat.

The crystal-clear ice chair was beautiful, crafted by artisans of the Sacred City—but Luo Shu had never in his life sat in such a grand seat. His limbs and body felt at odds with one another, no posture seeming natural.

In truth, it wasn’t just the chair. He felt his very presence here was out of place.

Looking around at the reserved seats—Beast God City, the Upper Cities, the Middle Cities—Qing Chi was probably the only Lower City in all the continent able to sit among them as an equal.

Turning to Qi Bai at his side, Luo Shu fired questions like arrows:
“Tell me—what’s Jia Shenshi’s purpose in calling this conference? And why invite Qing Chi as well?”

By reason, Qing Chi, as a subordinate of Ji City, should have been lumped under Ji City’s banner in such a setting—just as the Hao Xiong three clans were folded under Ji City. Yet Jia had pointedly invited them, and even arranged their seating without discrimination.

“His purpose,” Qi Bai said, “is likely to make sure you don’t get involved.”

Luo Shu frowned:
“If he doesn’t want us involved, wouldn’t it make more sense to leave us out entirely…” His words trailed off, realization dawning.

Jia’s reasoning wasn’t hard to guess.

Yan’a Gorge lay too close to Qing Chi. Any help Qing Chi gave to one side could drastically sway the balance. Though a mere Lower City, their stance was unusually important.

Luo Shu rubbed his nose, keeping his secrets buried.

They’d never know that Qing Chi and Hei Yao had already struck deals right under their noses.

At that moment, the crunch of boots on snow came from either side.

Qi Bai looked over and saw Yong Shensi and Fu Shensi approaching. Their guards stopped outside, leaving only Bao Tan, Bao Xi, and Ji Zhao to follow them in.

The temporary ice-hall offered excellent visibility. At a glance one could see everyone inside.

As Yong and Fu drew near, their gazes instinctively went to the empty main throne—and to the still-vacant seat of Ji City on its right.

The two of them merely paused, then simultaneously ignored the attendants’ guidance and walked straight toward each other.

Qi Bai, who had already sat down quite frankly:
“…So, Beast God City also believes in making a grand entrance.”

“Yong Shensi, to meet you here is unexpected,” Fu Shensi said with a smile, eyeing him being supported by Bao Tan. “At your age, you should be spending winter warmly in Beast God City, not wandering.”

Yong Shensi forced a smile. It was the second time recently someone had jabbed at his age. Both times, the words rang true, leaving him with nothing to refute.

He brushed off Bao Tan’s arm, gripped his staff, and stepped forward:
“At my age, I must see the world. And you, Fu Shensi—what brings you here?”

Fu Shensi pointed to Ji Zhao, smiling:
“I recently acquired some fine beast bones. I brought them for Ji to practice with. Perhaps you don’t know—this child is Ye’s cub. His smithing skills are no worse than his father’s.”

Yong Shensi smirked:
“Indeed. The Chi Hu clan of Beast God City has made no progress in forging for years. You’ll have to rely on him.”

This time it was Fu Shensi’s smile that froze.

Truly, these two old colleagues were masters at driving knives into each other’s ribs.

Meanwhile, the scorned Bao Tan could only retreat, fuming when he saw Bao Xi already seated.

Formal conference or not, not just anyone deserved a seat.

Ji Zhao and Luo Shu, as city lords, were one thing. But why Bao Xi?

Why did he get to sit by Yong Shensi while Bao Tan could only stand behind?

Bao Tan’s resentment mattered little. For just then, Jia entered with Red Chai’s Qin and Wang Shensi.

At their appearance, Yong and Fu instantly separated, not even bothering to scold Jia for arriving later than two Shensi. They simply went to their seats.

Once all were seated, Jia began:
“Yan’a Gorge is but a small, barren patch of grassland. No rich herds, no food to gather, unconnected to your cities.

All of you are Shensi of the Temple. To clash over such a scrap of land is truly beneath you. Why not leave now?”

At his words, faces shifted around the hall.

Fu Shensi arched a brow.
“Does Jia Shenshi speak with the Great Shensi’s authority?”

As a mere Shenshi, how dared he summon them? They came only for the Great Shensi’s sake. And yet Jia spoke in tones of command. Naturally, they bristled.

Jia said coolly:
“The Great Shensi is far in the Sacred City and cannot know these circumstances. But with his bone token, I may act in his name. You should all return to your cities.”

“You’re nothing!” Wang Shensi roared. “Even the Great Shensi himself would not speak to us like this!”

Qin Shensi still smiled like a tiger, though his words were sharp:
“Jia Shenshi knows well that Hei Yao killed Cang Shensi and Chai Ding Maofu. Why urge us to withdraw?”

He added with a smile:
“But if Hei Yao is willing to pay a price that satisfies Red Chai, we will not trouble you.”

Qi Bai tilted his head curiously.
“What kind of price would satisfy Red Chai?”

Qin Shensi was surprised he asked such a thing, but quickly answered calmly:
“Your crimes are unforgivable. But the Beast God is merciful. If you surrender your city, I can spare you and the Hei Yao City Lord. Only the horned warriors who fought in that battle must die.”

“Pfft.”

Qi Bai covered his mouth lightly, as if he had only sneezed.

Wang Shensi barked:
“What are you laughing at?”

Smiling, Qi Bai waved a hand:
“I only don’t understand. Didn’t Hei Yao win that battle? Why must we pay the price of defeat?”

“Victory isn’t about the present,” Qin Shensi said smoothly. “Red Chai spares your people from slavery—that alone is a great gift.”

He looked at Lang Ze:
“City Lord of Hei Yao, if you are wise, you’ll see this is the best choice.”

Lang Ze leaned on the armrest, seemingly uninterested in all their talk. At last he lazily uttered two words:

“Keep dreaming.”

Wang Shensi slammed his palm down, shattering half an ice chair.
“What did you say?”

Lang Ze barely lifted his lids, his voice cold as steel.
“I said—you’re dreaming.”

As Wang Shensi surged forward, Qin Shensi raised a hand to stop him.
“So, our negotiations have failed.”

His eyes narrowed.
“The Great Shensi has already decreed—we act by the rules of the Beast Continent. Since Hei Yao chooses destruction, no one else can be blamed.”

He glanced around.
“Still, Jia was right on one point. None of you are bound to Hei Yao. I advise you to leave early, lest you suffer Red Chai’s wrath.”

At that, Yong Shensi, who had sat silent as stone, suddenly spoke. His hawk-like eyes locked on Qi Bai and Lang Ze.
“Whether Ling Bao and Hei Yao are connected remains to be seen, does it not?”

Qin Shensi’s brow furrowed. Last time, it was Yong Shensi who shielded Hei Yao before the Great Shensi. Now he stirred trouble again. If Ling Bao truly sided with Hei Yao, the situation would turn dire.

But to Qin’s surprise, Lang Ze brushed aside Yong’s words entirely.

Seated on his ice throne like a king above all, Lang Ze declared:

“Hei Yao will never surrender. If you want war—then war it is.”