Douluo Dalu 5: Rebirth Of Tang San

"I agree!"

When the Tenebrous Demon Emperor uttered those three words, the White Tiger Demon Emperor instinctively jumped slightly on his Celestial Pillar. The other Emperors present were all visibly shocked.

A miracle had occurred once again. Yes, for Mei Gongzi, this was absolutely a miracle.

Standing below, watching each Emperor cast their vote, Mei Gongzi's expression could only be described as incredibly complex. When the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor said he supported her, she could hardly believe her ears. The hatred she harbored for this murderer of her father was unimaginable.

Though her feelings for the Peacock Great Demon King were not particularly deep, he was still her father. Not only were they connected by blood, but he had raised her with the utmost care, and he had left her absolutely everything he had. If there was anyone among the Emperors present whom she hated the most, it was undoubtedly the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor, without question.

But even under such circumstances, the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor had chosen to support her. It was almost unbelievable. She even instinctively wondered if this was part of some scheme.

Yet the truth was laid bare before her, leaving her no choice but to believe it. Moreover, from the other Emperors’ reaction, it appeared that they were no less shocked than she was.

The subsequent support from the Sword Saint Demon Emperor was within her expectations, giving her some relief. She knew this was due to Tang San's efforts. But that made two votes already; it seemed gaining votes was easier than she had imagined.

The Mammoth Demon Emperor's opposition brought Mei Gongzi back to reality. Of course! It was only natural; how could so many support her?

But then it was the Tenebrous Demon Emperor's turn.

Mei Gongzi instinctively shifted her gaze to the next Emperor, her grandfather. Yet from his side, she heard the words "I agree."

She turned her gaze back in shock, staring at the Eternal Night Sovereign that had once hunted them to the ends of the earth, nearly causing Tang San's death. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fathom why he would choose to support her. This was simply…

Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind of when she had asked Tang San, and he had shown that mysterious smile.

At that time, he had confidently told her to leave the second trial to him. Could it be that he had persuaded the Tenebrous Demon Emperor as well? But how was that possible? If he had sought out the Tenebrous Demon Emperor, then he would have walked right into a trap. Forget about convincing the Emperor, he would have been lucky to even survive the encounter. So how?!

To the Emperors, the incredulity they felt was even more intense than what Mei Gongzi experienced.

From Mei Gongzi's first trial, where she faced three opponents—the last of whom was a seasoned Great Demon King from the Immortal Flame Phoenix clan—it was clear as daylight that the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor did not want her to succeed.

Since this was the will of the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, it should naturally have been the will of the Tenebrous Demon Emperor as well. After all, their relationship was the closest among all Demon Emperors. Mei Gongzi did not know this, but they were well aware—centuries ago, before they became Emperors, the Tenebrous Demon Emperor had been the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's protector.

The Celestial Foxes lacked direct combat abilities, so when they reached the six-tail level, some of the exceptionally gifted ones would choose a protector. These protectors were naturally selected from among the strongest beings in the Empyrean Dominion.

Nearly all the strong demons were willing to become protectors of a Celestial Fox, for a simple reason: if they were assisted by fortune, their own future growth would be much smoother.

It was under such circumstances that the Tenebrous Demon Emperor was chosen by the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, and they ended up forming the closest of bonds. He protected the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor for many years until the latter became an Emperor, and in turn, he also rose to become an Emperor shortly after. Now, as the Eternal Night Sovereign, he stood by the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's side, ruling over the Ancestral Court.

Who could have imagined that the Tenebrous Demon Emperor, who should have followed the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's lead, would choose to support Mei Gongzi instead? It simply made no sense! The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor was so caught off guard that he lost his composure. "What?!"

The Tenebrous Demon Emperor turned to look at him, an apologetic expression in his eyes. "I agree with her trial."

……

"What kind of power is this?" the Tenebrous Demon Emperor asked, both shocked and furious, as he stared at the golden rings of light encircling his body. He realized that he was completely immobilized. The young man before him, holding a golden trident, was slowly burning away, yet the terrifying properties of the trident had completely sealed him in place, and let alone his abilities, he couldn’t even summon up his courage.

"You don’t believe me? Alright. The power of the Sea God will obliterate you, and you can do nothing about it. Once you are in the afterlife, you will believe me!" The masked Asura, seemingly oblivious to his body slowly turning into ashes, directed his chilling killing intent entirely at the Tenebrous Demon Emperor.

"I don't believe you!" These three words nearly escaped the Tenebrous Demon Emperor's mouth, but in the end, he didn't dare to say them. The golden rings of light encircling him not only suppressed his abilities but also completely restrained his divine consciousness. If the next attack from his opponent was of similar strength as this lock, he wouldn't be able to withstand it and would undoubtedly fall. So, he didn't dare to gamble; he truly didn't. Because his life was on the line, and he could give up anything but that.

Asura chuckled lightly. "You could actually take a gamble, see if I really have such a powerful attack. If I don't, you might survive."

The Tenebrous Demon Emperor gritted his teeth. In the end, he had no choice. "What do you want?"

"If you don't want to take my next strike, then you will swear a blood oath. In the future, when Mei Gongzi heads to the Ancestral Court for her evaluation, you must support her and cast your vote in her favor."

Would the Tenebrous Demon Emperor dare to gamble with his life? Especially when compared to such a seemingly trivial condition?

He did not dare!

……

…

As memories of the past flooded his mind, the Tenebrous Demon Emperor felt the incredulous stares of the other Emperors and the disbelief of the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor. His heart couldn't help but twitch.

He had never told any of the Emperors about that incident; it was the absolute most humiliating thing that had ever happened in his entire life. How could he possibly bring it up?

In his view, whether that little girl's evaluation succeeded or not wasn't something he alone could decide. His opinion alone wasn't that important, and a mere vote in exchange for his life was nothing major.

But now, after the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor and the Sword Saint Demon Emperor had both expressed their support, everything had changed. The support from these two had made what seemed an insurmountable hurdle for Mei Gongzi begin to look somewhat climbable.

So now, when the Tenebrous Demon Emperor voiced his agreement, his heart was somewhat uneasy. But as an Emperor, the constraints of a blood oath were enormous—far more so than they were for lesser demons and nymphs. His vote of approval now would free him from the blood oath, and that, to him, was the most important thing.

"Reason." The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor's voice was noticeably colder.

The Tenebrous Demon Emperor had already prepared his explanation and immediately said, "Mei Gongzi performed excellently in the Ancestral Court's Elite Competition, even defeating my heir. It was at that time that I took notice of her. Her extraordinary talent could very well lead her to become a powerful Emperor in the future, further strengthening our Empyrean Dominion. Although she severely injured my descendant, causing issues with my legacy, I still approve of her; that is in line with the fair policies of the Ancestral Court. I hope she continues to work hard and soon becomes an Emperor, fighting together with us against our enemies."