There was moderate rain in Lin’an on the 10th day of August.

The dense drizzle fell all over the city, and the scenery of the whole West Lake became more and more charming.

The lonely boat on the West Lake was still floating aimlessly.

The person on the boat was still fishing.

This picture seemed to have become a part of the West Lake. Day and night, it seemed to be an eternal scenery.

The one who watched the scenery was still enjoying the scenery.

The scenery was refreshing.

He was not tired of enjoying it.

The private room above Mingyue Tower was still quiet and exquisite. He sat in front of the window with a pale face and looked out of the window, as silent as a statue.

The lonely boat in the middle of the lake was far and near, near and far.

Time pa.s.sed slowly.

The sky was still gloomy, and the rain was getting heavier and heavier.

He silently watched the lonely boat on the lake drifting along with the wind. The misty scenery of the whole West Lake seemed to be leaving him.

All he could see was the dark night on the lonely boat.

The night was like a curtain, deep and obscure.

There was a glimmer of light in the almost extreme darkness.

It was like the first ray of light that illuminated the world at dawn.

His pupils contracted slightly. He narrowed his eyes and laughed.

The whole exquisite private room seemed to have merged with him. As his chuckles spread, the whole room became extremely cold and empty.

The phone suddenly rang.

He picked up the phone on the table casually and took a look at it. Then he answered the phone.

An embarra.s.sed face appeared on the screen of the mobile phone, with a little anger that couldn’t be concealed.

He looked down at the phone screen and did not speak.

The man on the other end of the line said in a hoa.r.s.e voice, “Your Majesty.”

He seemed to be a little embarra.s.sed. “I didn’t find Jiang Qiansong.”

At the other end of the line, it was Mellad, the vice commander of the Holy Disarmament Corps of the Vatican, who was also His Majesty’s first follower.

His Majesty looked at him quietly and asked, “Reason?”

“I was kept at bay by the Master of Samsara Palace for a while. When I arrived at the address that Your Majesty gave me, they should have entered the secret base of the Jiang family of South America. I looked around for a few days but didn’t find the right opportunity.”

The follower was ashamed.

He knew very well what an important position Jiang Qiansong had in His Majesty’s plan.

He was the second-in-command of the Holy Disarmament Corps of the Vatican, and he also followed Holy Virgin Angel to Recchi City. Jiang Qiansong almost ran away under his nose, but he failed to stop him, which directly destroyed an important p.a.w.n of His Majesty.

The follower lowered his head and said in a deep voice, “I am incompetent.”

His Majesty nodded.

He asked, “Are you sure you met the Master of Samsara Palace?”

The disciple hesitated slightly. Before he could speak, His Majesty had already said blandly, “Don’t think about it. If it had been the real Master of Samsara Palace, you would have had no chance to stand here and talk to me.”

The follower repeated, “I am incompetent.”

His Majesty was silent for a while. He looked at the lonely boat in the distance. After a long time, he said calmly, “It doesn’t matter. Since you can’t get the chips of the Jiang family of South America, your task in the Vatican will be heavier. I will try my best to create an opportunity for you to control the Holy Disarmament Corps. Wait for my news.”

“To take control of the Holy Disarmament Corps?”

The follower froze. “What about Aresis?”

He was the second-in-command of the Holy Disarmament Corps.

And Aresis was the commander of the Holy Disarmament Corps.

Among the few superiors at the peak of the Invincible Realm in the Dark World, Aresis in his normal state was not very powerful, but after the coronation, Aresis was almost as mighty as anyone.

He could be said to be the biggest deterrent force of the Vatican in Eastern Europe. As long as he was there, the follower could only be the second-in-command.

“No big deal.”

His Majesty’s tone was a little cold. “If he’s dead, you’ll naturally become the new commander of the Holy Disarmament Corps.”

The follower looked at His Majesty on the phone screen, and there was a flash of excitement in his eyes.

“Put the affair of the Jiang family of South America on the back burner. Next, keep a close watch on Angel.”

After saying that, His Majesty hung up the phone.

There was a knock on the door almost at the same time as he hung up the phone.

A figure pushed the door open and walked in, steady and calm.

“Secretary w.a.n.g, take a seat.”

His Majesty smiled and extended his hand to invite w.a.n.g Qinglei, who was still staying in Lin’an, to sit down. He asked, “How many days are left before the meeting is over?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei had been attending the eye-catching Southeast Meeting in Lin’an in recent days.

Not long after the end of Youzhou Conference, under the proposal of w.a.n.g Qinglei, the high-level leaders of Wuyue, Jianghuai, Jiangzhe, and Minnan Provinces met again and again, and finally decided to establish the economic circle of the four provinces, which was the Southeast Meeting held in Lin’an today.

There was no doubt that this was the dissatisfaction of the Southeast Group about the Li family’s comeback after the Youzhou Conference. Once the economic circle of the four provinces was established, the relationship between the four provinces would be closer. At that time, all the pressure would fall on the Li family who had just gained a foothold in Jiangzhe.

w.a.n.g Qinglei poured himself a cup of tea and said casually, “It will be over tomorrow.”

His Majesty replied with a “Hmm” and seemed to be deep in thought.

“What can I do for you?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei said directly, “Our ident.i.ties are special. If there are no special circ.u.mstances, I think it’s better for us to meet each other less, especially in such a sensitive situation.”

“Of course.”

His Majesty chuckled and said, “You and I have been friends for nearly ten years, so you should know me well. If it’s not important, I won’t meet you rashly.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei twitched the corner of his mouth into a smile.

His Majesty took out a large but ancient file pocket from his side.

He handed the file pocket to w.a.n.g Qinglei and whispered, “I hope this thing can appear in front of Xuan Ming as soon as possible.”

“What does this mean?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei subconsciously frowned.

He knew this thing. If he guessed correctly, it should be an X-ray of some years.

w.a.n.g Qinglei didn’t know what it meant to show up in front of the person in charge of the intelligence department of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.

His Majesty said with a smile, “Eastern Europe is in a deadlock again now. I think His Majesty the Sword Emperor is also in a dilemma. But the deadlock is not good for everyone. It may be able to help the Sword Emperor make up his mind.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei took the X-ray in his hand and looked up. “Can I have a look at it?”

“Please.”

His Majesty’s tone was calm.

w.a.n.g Qinglei took out the X-ray and looked at it for a long time.

The light in the room was a little dim, and he didn’t know Martial Arts, let alone medicine, so he couldn’t see what this X-ray meant.

w.a.n.g Qinglei looked at His Majesty and said, “I don’t understand.”

His Majesty said calmly, “You don’t have to understand. w.a.n.g Tianzong will understand.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei took a deep look at him, put the X-ray back into the pocket, and said slowly, “You have been paying attention to Eastern Europe but don’t go there. If your plan can be implemented, what will the result of the chaos in Eastern Europe be?”

There was dead silence in the private room.

His Majesty did not seem to know how to answer him.

It took a long time before he calmly said, “It’s too big a question.”

“What will happen to Tianzong?” w.a.n.g Qinglei asked the question he was most concerned about.

His Majesty gave him a strange look, thought for a moment, and said, “It depends on the final result. If Li Tianlan dies, he dies. If Li Tianlan is alive, he must live.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei looked at His Majesty quietly, waiting for his explanation.

“Li Tianlan is very strong. If he eventually grows up, I can’t think of any other people who can balance him except w.a.n.g Tianzong. But I can get my priorities straight. At least in the chaos of Eastern Europe, my primary target is Qin Weibai. Only when she is dead can I do things freely. After Qin Weibai’s death, it’s Li Tianlan’s turn. If Li Tianlan dies, it’s the best thing. But if he can survive, I can only put the matter on the back burner. If Li Tianlan is alive, his rise will be unstoppable, so w.a.n.g Tianzong must be alive.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei narrowed his eyes and digested the information that His Majesty had told him. “If Li Tianlan grows up, aren’t you even a match for him?”

“No.”

His Majesty calmly said, “My state is similar to his, but they’re completely different. However, he walks faster than I do. In the end, I’m hardly a match for him.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei asked, “What about Tianzong?”

“He will make a breakthrough. At present, the chaos in Eastern Europe is the only opportunity for him to break through. However, even if he breaks through, he is not absolutely invincible. At least the Samsara Palace has the power to balance him, so the best result should be the death of Qin Weibai, Li Tianlan, and w.a.n.g Tianzong. If this becomes a reality, the whole world will be our domain.”

“Qin Weibai is indeed very important.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei nodded thoughtfully. “But I remember you once said that you haven’t won the games with her.”

“That’s not the key point.”

His Majesty said lightly, “Life is like a chess game, but it is not a real chess game. Temporary victories are not important. What is important is that I’ll win the most crucial game. She is in the light, but I am in the dark. I almost know all her chess pieces, but she doesn’t know who I am. I can even push w.a.n.g Tianzong to break the deadlock in Eastern Europe. Qin Weibai wants to win? How?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei didn’t speak but just slowly tapped his finger on the file pocket containing the X-ray.

“Secretary w.a.n.g, please.”

His Majesty turned and looked at him, his voice sincere.

w.a.n.g Qinglei smiled. “Before tonight, this thing will appear in front of Xuan Ming, and before tomorrow morning, it will reach Eastern Europe.”

He stood up with the file pocket.

“Good.”

His Majesty nodded and raised the teacup in front of him.

w.a.n.g Qinglei glanced at him and left the private room calmly.

His Majesty quietly sipped the tea and looked at the lake in the distance.

On the distant lake, the lonely boat drifted over gradually, carrying dark and pure sword intent.

The rays of light in the darkness had begun to disappear and become dormant again.

His Majesty looked down at his watch.

It was almost noon.

He picked up the menu and started ordering.

The lunch was not simple and was as hearty as a banquet. The entire kitchen of Mingyue Tower started to become busy with His Majesty’s order.

His Majesty took out a high-grade Shaoxing wine from the corner and prepared two wine gla.s.ses. After everything was done, he looked at his watch again.

There was a knock at the door.

The person outside the door did not push the door open but waited quietly.

His Majesty smiled, stood up, and opened the door.

An old man, neatly dressed but already a little bent, stood outside the door of the private room. There was something strange in his eyes as he looked at His Majesty’s face.

His Majesty shot him a glance and chuckled. “I feel honored by your presence, Senior Li.”

Only one person in the entire Dark World was worthy of being called by His Majesty like this.

Li Honghe.

“I’m flattered.”

Li Honghe shook his head and walked into the private room.

The kitchen had started serving dishes.

All the delicacies were served one after another.

His Majesty opened the bottle of high-grade Shaoxing wine.

The fragrance of the wine pervaded the room.

Li Honghe watched His Majesty, who was very active, quietly and suddenly said, “I don’t know you. Who are you? What did you ask me to do here?

The three questions were straightforward.

His Majesty smiled.

Outside the window, a gloomy light came in and shone on his face, and a somewhat stiff but extremely ordinary face revealed itself.

“I have admired you for a long time, Senior Li. I’d like to drink a toast to you.”

His Majesty’s voice was calm, and he raised his gla.s.s.

Li Honghe looked down at the wine in the gla.s.s and drank it in one fell swoop.

His Majesty did not hesitate to drink all the wine in the gla.s.s and looked at Li Honghe.

His smile was broad, but his eyes were a little cold.

“Good wine.”

Li Honghe put down the gla.s.s and poured himself another gla.s.s of wine.

His Majesty chuckled and said, “The wine with Glazed Stars and Blue Flowers in it is of course good.”

There were many kinds of poisons in this world.

Some poisons were mild.

Some were highly toxic.

And Glazed Stars and Blue Flowers had completely been out of the category of highly toxic poisons and were truly unable to detoxicate.

The combination of the two could easily poison anyone to death.

Li Honghe glanced at him.

“Scared?”

His Majesty’s eyes were cold.

Li Honghe said quietly, “I had a brother. His name is Yu Donglai.”

“I know, the famous Poison Physician. But he is not with you. How can he save you?”

His Majesty sneered.

“Don’t get me wrong. The Poison Physician is my brother, and I naturally have the eyesight to distinguish poisons. I wouldn’t have drunk the wine if it had been poisoned. And how precious are Glazed Stars and Blue Flowers? They are legendary things. How can you waste them on a man like me who is no longer in the Invincible Realm?”

His expression was calm, without the slightest difference.

His Majesty looked at Li Honghe coldly.

After a long time, he suddenly laughed and said, “Glazed Stars and Blue Flowers are indeed legendary things. You’re really well-informed, Senior Li. I haven’t even seen these things, not to mention to kill you with them.”

Li Honghe’s face remained unchanged, as quiet as water.

His Majesty said suddenly, “I wonder if you can show me the legendary poisons, Senior Li?”

Li Honghe said, “I haven’t heard of Glazed Stars and Blue Flowers in recent years. I’m afraid they’re already extinct. Where do I get them? I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you.”

“No, I’m not disappointed.”

His Majesty smiled and said, “No matter how highly-toxic Glazed Stars and Blue Flowers are, they’re dead things after all. But I heard that the Li family once raised a bird. I have made an appointment with you today for the sake of that bird.”

Li Honghe said expressionlessly, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“The Glazed Star is extremely hot and generally lives in a volcanic environment, which is called the peerless fire poison.

“The Blue Flower is extremely cold, generally comes from the glacier, and is the poison of cold.

“I heard that the Li family had collected two kinds of strange poisons for the Poison Physician. In order to fuse them together, you used countless resources to cultivate a bird with a special biological structure. That bird is named linnet, and it can perfectly combine the poison of heat and the poison of cold.”

His Majesty looked at Li Honghe softly. “Senior Li, what I want is that bird.”

Li Honghe lowered his head, ate the food, and said lightly, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Why are you so mean? I want that bird, but not for nothing. I’m sure the pay will satisfy you as well.”

His Majesty smiled sincerely.

“Oh?”

Li Honghe glanced at him.

“What can you give me?”

There was a twinkle in His Majesty’s eyes, and he said, “I can…”

“Swish!”

He had just opened his mouth, and the moment the voice came, Li Honghe raised his hand abruptly.

The good wine in the gla.s.s rose up in the air, as sharp as a sword.

Li Honghe jumped at the mysterious Majesty without hesitation and grabbed his face with one hand.