NOVEL NEXT Chapter 718: Requires 6 Votes
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"Pretty Girl, when you registered for the Ancestral Court Elite Competition, this was the name you used. Therefore, I will address you as such. Your situation is unprecedented for the Ancestral Court. In the history of the Ancestral Court, there has never been anyone with a non-Monsters bloodline attempting to achieve the position of City Lord. However, your body carries the bloodline of humans, and more than half at that. This poses a serious challenge to the rules of the Ancestral Court. That is why, during the first trial, you faced three opponents instead of the customary single adversary. Do you understand?"
Pretty Girl nodded slightly, "I understand."
Upon hearing the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox's words, both the White Tiger Great Demon Emperor and the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor instinctively furrowed their brows. Was the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox implying that the second trial would be even more difficult? Was there really a need for that?
The Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox continued, "Therefore, if you wish to become the rightful master of Jiali City, a mere majority will not suffice. At least six of the nine Great Demon Emperors must approve before you are deemed to have passed. I hope you can understand this."
Pretty Girl was stunned for a moment, her eyes flashing with disbelief as she blurted out unconsciously, "Six?"
"Yes, six!" the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox said earnestly.
The White Tiger Great Demon Emperor opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, but ultimately held back. There were two reasons for this: first, the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox's rationale was solid. In the history of the Demon Race, there had never been a half-blood from a foreign race that became a City Lord. Of course, in fact, there had been no half-bloods with Pretty Girl's level of talent and strength, making her an exception. Second, would she have passed if it were only five? Thus, the White Tiger Great Demon Emperor had retracted his initial opinion. As he had presumed at the beginning, it would ultimately be impossible for Pretty Girl to succeed in her presentation.
However, Pretty Girl had already brought him enough surprises for the day. The White Tiger Great Demon Emperor even felt that whether the presentation succeeded was no longer significant. With such talent, if he could take her under his wing and carefully nurture her, it might take only five years for her to reach the peak of Great Demon King strength, and then look for an opportunity to ascend to Emperor status. Once she achieved the Emperor's Posture, matters of the main city could wait. After all, on the Demon Monster Land, everything was ruled by strength. With the potential shown by Pretty Girl, once she became an Emperor in the future, she wouldn't just be at the level of emperors like the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor; she might be among the very best. Then, with his support, who would be able to stop her progress?
So, the White Tiger Great Demon Emperor didn't say anything further. After the vote, he was ready to take Pretty Girl away. He intended to personally protect his granddaughter, ensuring she would fully realize her potential in the future.
"Do you have any questions?" the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox asked Pretty Girl again.
Pretty Girl looked at him deeply, thinking to herself, even if I have questions, what good would it do?
"None," Pretty Girl shook her head, her gaze still serene.
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"If I've passed the first trial and defeated my opponents, like the ones from the Undying Fire Phoenix Tribe you mentioned, what then? How do I get past the second trial?! Could I get approval from more than half of the Demon Emperors? Right now, we can be pretty sure of only my grandfather, and at most one more who is well-disposed toward us, the Sword Saint Big Demon Emperor. The other emperors..."
"Don't worry about the second trial; leave that to me. When the time comes, you just need to wait for the results," someone said.
"You have a way?"
"I do have a little something in mind. You'll find out when the time comes. But, try not to look too surprised."
...
Recalling the words Tang San had said to her earlier, Pretty Girl's mind was filled with even more confusion and uncertainty.
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Before her stood the difficult challenge as Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox had mentioned: she needed the support of six Emperors to pass. Not to mention six, even five seemed impossible to her! So, could Tang San really solve this problem as he claimed he would?
At this very moment, in the Ancestral Court Council, none of the Emperors present, nor Pretty Girl themselves, believed she could surmount this obstacle. The approval of six Emperors was just too hard to obtain.
The gaze of Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox turned to the Emperors present as he solemnly said, "Now then, let us begin the vote. According to the rules, starting with the Emperor Sky Pillar, from lowest to highest."
Different Emperors naturally have varying degrees of influence. The more powerful the Emperor, the greater their influence. For example, among the Emperors from the Phoenix Clan, the influence of the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor can't be compared to that of the Undying Great Demon Emperor! Hence, it's not just the number of Emperors that counts; the attitudes of the higher-ranking ones are even more crucial.
In the absence of the Crystal Great Demon Emperor, Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox had the highest rank. According to the order from lowest to highest, the first to express an opinion would naturally be the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor.
Standing atop his own Emperor Sky Pillar, the gaze of Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor fell upon Pretty Girl. Looking at her beauty that so resembled her mother's, his eyes couldn't help but soften a great deal.
His daughter, his very own daughter! Even though her bloodline had been changed by the Peacock Demon King and her Demon God Transformation traits altered, deep down she still possessed the Phoenix Bloodline! Moreover, she was so exceptional, far surpassing his own abilities when he was young. The Peacock Demon King was sly and cunning, but when it came to cultivation talent, he was far behind. His daughter's excellence must undoubtedly be due to the talent she inherited from him. Thus, it was due to his own legacy that his daughter had become so outstanding and powerful.
"Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor, please state your position," the voice of Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox pulled the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor from his reverie of paternal love.
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Almost subconsciously, the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor lifted his head, swiftly raising his right hand as he said, "I agree with her report."
As soon as he spoke, the entire court was shocked; nearly all the Great Demon Emperors looked at him with incredulity. Even Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox widened his eyes slightly in a rare show of being flustered.
"Have you misspoken? You support her?"
If there was any Emperor who should be most opposed to Pretty Girl's report among those present, Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox believed the first name should be the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor! As the absolute archenemy of the Peacock Demon Clan, how many years had he fought to the death with the previous Peacock Demon King? In the end, the fall of the Peacock Demon King due to him had led to this current situation with Pretty Girl's report to inherit the position of Jiali City Lord.
The two should be absolute mortal enemies! Whether it was the long-standing enmity between the Peacock Demon Clan and the Phoenix Demon Clan or the personal grudges between Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor Lin Ximo and the previous Peacock Demon King, to Pretty Girl, this man was someone with a blood feud against her father. Yet, he agreed to the report? How could this be possible!
The White Tiger Great Demon King couldn't help but open his mouth, his fangs almost uncontrollably sprouting forth, not out of delight, but sheer astonishment.
The gaze of every Emperor involuntarily turned to the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor. After briefly losing his composure, Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox quickly recovered, his voice grave as he demanded, "Your reasons!"
Without looking at him, the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor's gaze remained fixed on Pretty Girl, and he saw the same look of disbelief on her face. A pang of sorrow hit him; she probably didn't know yet, her mother had never told her the truth of her lineage.
But it was not surprising, after all, the Peacock Demon King had just died, and she was the current matriarch of the Peacock Demon Clan. Now was not the right time to let her in on the secret.
With an inward sigh, Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor said sternly, "Her power has shown the posture of an Emperor, and she is arguably the most likely of the younger generation I've seen in recent years to achieve the status of an Emperor. Many among us Emperors are over a thousand years old. In the future, our tribe will need a successor. Following the Ancestral Court's principles of fairness and justice, a descendant who demonstrates such imperial posture deserves more opportunities. As the Jiali City Lord, I believe she will become an Emperor in the near future and will also guard the Sea Realm well. Therefore, I agree that she has completed her report."