Chapter 1126: You're Looking for Me?

Proofreader : Papatonks

"Are you certain that the Devil Palace Lord is in there?"

Three months flew by. The Zither Sword King was in a lavish hall, framed by a soothing light and in elegant clothes.

A man kneeled before him, old and bald.

"Sword King, I've been scouting the Devil Palace for decades, while the Palace Lord's whereabouts are always unknown."

But thanks to my broad experience these many many years, I drew some conclusions at long last based on his known locations. I went there to try my luck and actually came to find one of the five Dharma Kings, Sparrow King. She and Beast King are the most common of the five that go with the Palace Lord. Her presence is solid proof the the Palace Lord is there, in Swordfall!"

The Zither Sword King nodded and waved him off.

Bald Demon bowed and took his leave.

"Well, well, I didn't know that the Zither Sword King wanted to see me so much, ha-ha-ha..." A laughter sounded around, "Then you ought to have a rough idea what my palace is about. Why go through all this trouble tracking me down for decades?"

The Zither Sword King and Bald Demon flinched, their hearts jumping in their chest. They whipped their head about and finally noticed the extra youth with covered eyes sitting in his Sword King throne, a playful yet insidious smile on his face.

He had a girl and a youth on either side, staring them down like hawks. The tokens on their waist glittered in the light in a dazzling fashion.

Bald Demon's eyes went wide, almost soiling himself as he stammered, "B-Beast King and Sparrow King! Y-you're the Palace Lord?"

"The Dark Demon Lord of the Devil Palace?"

Zither Sword King's brow quivered, caught by surprise at the sudden appearance. Then he turned grave.

Zhuo Fan nodded, "It would be a darn shame for all that effort tracking me down all those decades not to show up, don't you think? So I figured why not come to you and put you at ease, ha-ha-ha..."

Gulp.

Bald Demon's knees were jelly, sweat pouring down like rain. He turned a pleading look to the Zither Sword King, waiting on his decision.

[Boss, you put me up to this. This is your turf, you gotta help me!]

The Zither Sword King had no time to mind his existential crisis, staring hard at Zhou Fan before taking out a millenium zither. He flicked his hands and a soothing melody sounded, releasing seven sword energies straight at Zhuo Fan.

"They say they the Dark Demon Lord is beyond strong, at the peak of the world's strength. I would like to test my meager skill against your lordship's, if sire deems me worthy."

"Seven Notes Obscure Sword?" Bald Demon lit up.

"How dare you!"

Qiao'er raged but Zhuo Fan waved her back.

Hum~

Zhuo Fan snickered from the grand throne, he didn't need to even move as a shield formed around him.

The seven strikes backed by the power of a Sword King fizzled out on contact. They couldn't even get the shield to shake. Even a three-year-old was stronger.

Zither Sword King's eyes shook from shock, his spine taken with a chill.

[The Dark Demon Lord is beyond monstrous. My Seven Notes Obscure Sword couldn't so much as touch him, canceled out like nothing.]

[T-this can't be happening!]

Bald Demon was gaping wide, his eyes bugging out. His innards, however, writhed in regret for going after such a ludicrous expert like the Palace Lord. Not even a Sword King's attack could make him flinch.

Since it was out that he was the Zither Sword King's spy, then his life was forfeit, especially since his boss couldn't save him.

He felt like crying then and there. The thrill of doing all he wanted in the lands for being under the Zither Sword King got to his head.

He thus disregarded the Devil Palace Lord and his kings, taking them for overinflated rumors compared with the might of a true Sword King from the central area. Why else would they stick to the shadows and be so sneaky about it?

Reality though proved otherwise.

[Shit! They're insanely strong! You call yourself a Sword King when you can't even get him to twitch a finger?]

Bald Demon bowed at once to Zhuo Fan, "Spare me, Palace Lord, I had no choice. The Zither Sword King made me. Please..."

"Sword King, did that suffice your curiosity? I now have a little curiosity of my own and was wondering if you could tell me why would you insist on going through such lengths to find me out? Of the Ten Sword Kings, the Zither Sword King is the most casual and relaxed of them, not going out of your way. My people had an easy time working in your area as well, making me not even see the Zither Sword King as an enemy."

Ignoring the background noise, Liu Mubai had Zhuo Fan's full attention and smile.

The Zither Sword King chuckled with joy, before all mirth vanished like it never existed, "I am grateful for the Palace Lord's indulgence, but before I answer, would it be presumptuous of me to ask the Palace Lord something? With the Devil Palace spread throughout the five lands, do you have any intentions to take down the Sword Star Empire?"

"Yes." Zhuo Fan was quick to reply.

"Why?"

"It's in my way and has to be removed." Zhuo Fan was as earnest as he was serious.

Zhuo Fan needed to set up the recoil array that ran through all the lands. Sword Star Empire held power in the central area and was sure to interfere with his project if left be.

[It's not like I can waltz in saying 'Hey, let me set this up real quick and I'll be on my way.']

Why?

Be it territory or assets, all were based on power. Why would anyone talk with you when you had nothing to your name? And in the case you had the power, why waste time with empty chatter when taking was so much easier?

For himself and his goal, Zhuo Fan had to take the empire down. All that was left was for the right moment to avail itself.

Zither Sword King stared hard at him and noticed the truth. He smirked, his eyes shining with hope, "Then I can be frank with the Palace Lord as well. Let's work together!"

Qiao'er and young Sanzi shared a curious look, while the bawling Bald Demon choked on his tears and snot as he shot a wide look at him.

[Boss, are you high? You didn't send me after him to take him out but to cooperate? What the hell?]

"Why?"

Zhuo Fan saw it coming, judging by the flat look, "Give me one good reason why I should trust you?"

"We have the same goal, you and I, the demise of the Sword Star Empire!"

The Zither Sword King sighed, "Before the Sword Star Empire came to rule the central area, it was the Liu clan that wielded Sundering Sword, my clan. The Invincible Sword challenged everyone left and right, rising above us all. He is indeed a genius, becoming unstoppable even before he got to understand Sundering Sword's art, able to take it by force from my clan. Then the Sword Star Empire grew and swallowed all of the central area. Any dissidents were culled and my clan was left to decay.

"But the hope that one day we might recover the Sundering Sword and destroy the empire was passed down through generations, all the way to me. My little insight into the Sundering Sword Art was all thanks to my ancestors, allowing me to rise to the rank of a Sword King and into the heart of power. It may be ancient history or perhaps the Invincible Sword had defeated too many experts for him to remember me as well. In any case, he has no suspicion of me. I have stayed all this time as the central area's Sword King for the right timing to get back at them."

"So you came for me?"

"Yes, I noticed the Devil Palace decades ago, quicker than anyone else and knew therein lay my chance. I just didn't know how far it would go or grow enough to threaten the empire. For this I planted a spy to observe."

The Zither Sword King was excited, "I'm glad to know the wait was not in vain. The Palace Lord is a heavenly genius. In a century, you set up a faction that can fight with the empire's Ten Sword Kings. While lordship, yourself, are even unmatched. I am now certain that with both of us working together, the empire will fall!"