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A deadly bloodthirst enveloped them, like a sea of needles aimed at their heart. Bali Yuyu was frozen in place by now, while Zhuo Fan took a casual step forward, “We came to give you the Nether Sea map.”

The Sword Emperor immediately stopped his relentless pursuit for vengeance, staring hard at Zhuo Fan, “W-what was that?”

“Sword Emperor, we came to give you the Nether Sea map. Kill me and you’ll never get the chance again.”

“Humph, you think it’ll save you? Think again!”

The Sword Emperor flicked his hand, but then he went back to his throne, barking, “What the hell are you up to? Talk already before I lose the little patience I have left!”

Zhuo Fan cupped his hands, “Sword Emperor, it’s like this. You must’ve heard by now how the Falcon Emperor and Wraith Emperor are moving. The Demonic Emperor doesn’t fear them and only wants to spare the people the needless destruction and pain. Thus he is asking the Sword Emperor to mediate…”

“You can’t beat them so you came crawling to me. Don’t you think offering a copy instead of the original is a little… insincere?”

“My hands are tied. This is as far as the Demonic Emperor will bargain.”

Zhuo Fan sighed, “Seeing as the Sword Emperor rejected the proposal, we shall leave.”

The two bowed.

“Wait!”

The Sword Emperor shouted. Zhuo Fan looked back, “Anything else I can do for you, Sword Emperor?”

“Use it to cut off your legs and you may leave with your life.” The Sword Emperor pointed at the sword Bali Yuyu threw on the ground.

Bali Yuyu grimaced, awaiting Zhuo Fan’s signal.

Zhuo Fan smiled and sighed. He stared at the sword, “Sword Emperor, can’t I make amends instead? I would rather not go without my legs for the rest of my days.”

“This is what you get for cutting my junior brother’s legs. I’m not as gracious as you might think.”

“Sword Emperor, I told you that I can make amends. Just tell me what I have to do, short of cutting my legs.”

“What do you have that’s worth my junior brother’s legs?”

“At Gambling Town, senior Liu cut his two toes for the Nether Sea map. I figured using the same map in exchange for his legs should be worth it. I’m sure senior Liu would’ve gladly given up his legs then just to earn the map.”

The old man eyed the Sword Emperor with a grave look, nodding. The Sword Emperor said, “Then hand it over, but can you take it from the Demonic Emperor?”

“Not the original, only a copy, if you don’t mind…”

“Copy?”

Sword Emperor glanced at elder Liu to see him frowning then nodding.

[Anything’s better than nothing.]

“It shouldn’t be fake either, right?”

“Of course not. I have a way to prove it to sir and you can even take it up with the Gambling Emperor to validate it.”

“That’s settled then. The girl will stay here as insurance.” Sword Emperor clapped, his decision final.

Zhuo Fan snickered, bowing, “Sword Emperor, you don’t need a hostage. All sir has to do is mediate the war and the Demonic Emperor will gladly offer the copy.”

“What?”

Sword Emperor glared at him, “You’re toying with me!”

“Sword Emperor, I would never.”

“Outrageous! I deigned letting you make amends by exchanging the Nether Sea map copy for your legs, but in the end, you’re still dragging the Demonic Emperor into this. How is that making amends?”

“Sword Emperor, please, I’m really doing what I said.”

Zhuo Fan bowed in panic, “To be honest, the Demonic Emperor already found an ally, the Ruby Cloud Sect’s Enchanting Empress. Two against two would be enough to force the enemy Emperors to withdraw. The matter with Elder Liu that day weighed heavy on my mind that I insisted on making another copy and having the Sword Emperor for an ally. The Sword Emperor is the head of the Eight Emperors, lofty and respected. Your mere presence will smooth things over.

“However, the Demonic Emperor was disinclined towards this proposal. More copies meant… ha-ha, you understand. So I worked three days and three nights to get the Demonic Emperor to accept the Sword Emperor as an ally. It’s just a matter of mediating and sir will get the copy. It’s hardly any different from doing nothing, isn’t it? Isn’t this ample proof of my sincere actions?”

[Uh…]

The Sword Emperor paused, looking at Zhuo Fan’s smile and said, “I can see now how you got a name for yourself in Gambling Town, thanks to that insidiousness and guile. With you by the Demonic Emperor’s side, it’s like having a hundred more Spirit Kings!”

“Sword Emperor, you flatter me.”

“That’s no compliment, but reality!”

The Sword Emperor waved, “Fine, you can go. I’ll agree with the Demonic Emperor’s request. We’ll now wait to meet and settle the rest. By the way, bring the Gambling Emperor as well to inspect the map.”

Zhuo Fan bowed, “Thank you so much Sword Emperor. Farewell!”

Zhuo Fan and Bali Yuyu left.

The Sword Emperor’s face fell, “Rotten brat, so cunning that it makes me want to flay him alive but I can’t do nothing to him. Humph, just a Bone Tempering cultivator yet…”

Bam!

The Sword Emperor slammed the table beside him to pieces.

Xu Zhensheng started, “Master, we’re just going to let him go? Elder Liu’s legs…”

“Didn’t he say it himself? He made up for it with the Nether Sea copy…” Elder Liu looked downcast.

“But isn’t that just a simple trade?”

“It is, but in his view, it’s making amends so that’s what it is. He also brought up the Ruby Cloud Sect to corner us. We could forgo the deal, but all we need to do is mediate and we’ll get a copy of the Nether Sea map. We can’t let this easy win pass us by.”

“But we could’ve still cut his legs. He made no amends, just speaking on behalf of the Demonic Emperor. A deal is one thing while retribution is another!” Xu Zhensheng’s eyes flashed with cruelty.

The Sword Emperor and elder Liu shook their heads.

“Ah’Sheng, when you meet him again, strike him then and there. Don’t ever give him the chance to speak.”

“Why?”

“The moment he does, you’d have lost all reasons to do so.”

The Sword Emperor sighed, “I could’ve done it at first, but lost my chance as he skirted around the Nether Sea map, the reason for the deal. With it in play, I lost all reason to deal with him. He represents the Demonic Emperor. Killing him means no deal, when we truly want it to go through. The kid is bad news, able to save his skin and accomplish the Demonic Emperor’s task…”

Xu Zhensheng started and elder Liu sighed.

The debt for his legs would remain on hold for a long time…

A month later, Zhuo Fan returned to Devil Mountain. Zhao Chen could hardly wait, questioning the minute he stepped in the hall, “Well, how did it go? Those two geezers have been growing restless these past months. They’ve taken three towns already. I haven’t joined the fight since I’ve been waiting for you to give me a reply.”

“Demonic Emperor sir can rest easy knowing everything went as planned.”

Zhuo Fan smirked, “The Enchanting Empress and Sword Emperor will be stepping in, all for just one copy of the map and nothing more. Now it’s up to sir, to use them against each other. The Wraith Emperor and Falcon Emperor will come out heavily wounded at the least.”

Zhao Chen laughed, “Steward Zhuo, you’re amazing to get two helpers so quickly. Luck’s on my side, ha-ha-ha. I’ll send letters to them right away to have a talk and settle those geezers.”

“Brilliant, sir!”

Zhuo Fan bowed, his smirk obvious.

Three days later, Devil Mountain sent two jade slips. After two more months, the Sword Emperor and Enchanting Empress arrived with their forces, along with a fat man in fancy clothes…