The most critical thing was that above the pass, Jiang Chen, like the grim reaper, had still not attacked!
That lethal bow and arrows, that dominating stance from above—once he made a move, the lives of True Qi Masters would be cut down like straw.
Under such immense pressure, some True Qi Masters whose cultivation was slightly weaker were struck by the sword birds, promptly knocked down, dragged away, and devoured.
The flesh and blood of True Qi Masters were an absolute feast for the Golden-Winged Sword Birds.
Every time a True Qi Master fell, over a dozen Golden-Winged Sword Birds would swarm to feed. Those that didn't get to eat became even more ferocious; their urge to feed made them more savage and ruthless.
More and more True Qi Masters couldn't hold on.
Long Zhaofeng's cultivation was also astonishing; as an Eleven-Meridian True Qi Master, he could barely protect himself in the crowd.
As for Long Juxue, she stayed close to her father, not leaving his side. In her phoenix-like eyes lurked a cold, sinister hatred; that gaze seemed capable of freezing a person and grinding them to dust.
Long Zhaofeng's heart quivered. He looked around and realized that the number of True Qi Masters gathered near him had already decreased by a third.
"Is Heaven really planning to destroy me?" Long Zhaofeng felt a surge of despair.
He wasn't reconciled and didn't want to die like this. He still had grand ambitions—he wanted to sit on the throne for another hundred years and rule the land for another century!
"Jiang Chen!" Long Zhaofeng suddenly shouted. "Do we really have to go down to a death match?"
Jiang Chen hadn't expected Long Zhaofeng to say something so naive at this point. He just sneered and said nothing.
Now everything said was empty. Seizing the victory and uprooting the enemy was the only way.
"Jiang Chen, listen to me. I know you are talented and a genius. My daughter Long Juxue is also a genius. In this tiny kingdom, having two geniuses is a blessing from Heaven upon this land. Why must geniuses kill each other? Why can't geniuses set aside their differences and join forces with a powerful alliance?"
Long Zhaofeng's voice was urgent, his words becoming a silver tongue: "Jiang Chen, as long as you stop attacking, I am willing to swear a oath on the Heavenly Dao and betroth my daughter to you! You know that my daughter has an innate Azure Luan body; even the bigwigs of the hidden sects look upon her favorably and have accepted her as a disciple. If you kill us today, you will offend the entire hidden sect world. On the contrary, if you stop now, you can win the beauty, and perhaps in the future, you and my daughter can both enter the sect, becoming a celebrated tale in the kingdom. As for me, I can use the combined strength of you two to expand our territory, conquer lands, unite the surrounding sixteen kingdoms, and found a dynasty! Isn't that the best of both worlds? And your Jiang family can share in the wealth and honor—isn't that far better than being a small vassal lord?"
It had to be said that Long Zhaofeng's words were very seductive. Moreover, he spoke with conviction, and it all sounded very reasonable.
Stopping the war would allow him to win a beauty—Long Juxue, the kingdom's foremost beauty, extraordinary in talent and already noticed by a sect. Marrying such a woman was the dream of every young man in the kingdom. If they formed a powerful alliance, expanded territory, and established a dynasty, it indeed held great promise.
Not stopping, and killing the entire Long family, would likely lead to pursuit by the hidden sects and incur the wrath of the whole hidden sect world.
It could be said that Long Zhaofeng's words captured the subtle situation and hit the core of the matter. Anyone with a sound mind would know how to choose.
Long Juxue was initially somewhat surprised. Her cherry lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but then she said nothing and calmly looked toward Jiang Chen.
"Jiang Chen, you've seen my daughter's attitude. She has always been proud, but that doesn't mean she lacks passion. The kind of man she admires is one who can control her, conquer her. In the entire kingdom, only you, only a genius like you, can conquer her and win her heart. Look at my daughter—she has a beautiful face, she has great breasts, she has a nice rear. In all sixteen surrounding kingdoms, you won't find another!"
Beauty and power are the two most powerful temptations for a man, and the ones they are most enthusiastic about and find hardest to resist.
Long Zhaofeng had cast out both these temptations in one breath.
Even Princess Gouyu above the pass froze. She became preoccupied with worry, anxious about gains and losses, her maiden heart trembling. Standing beside Jiang Chen, she didn't even have the courage to look at him.
She worried: faced with such temptation, what man in the world could resist it?
Even Dongfang Zhiruo's voice trembled: "Brother Jiang Chen, do you want that woman? I…"
Princess Gouyu also said in a trembling voice: "Jiang Chen, Long Juxue is venomous as a viper. Marrying her would be like having a poisonous snake coiled around you."
Even Jiang Feng advised: "Chen'er, our Jiang family and the Long family are irreconcilable. Long Juxue is definitely not a good match, nor a suitable partner."
Long Juxue stood below the pass and said clearly: "Jiang Chen, I know you have unclear relations with the two women of the Dongfang family. That's fine. If you like them, they can serve as bed-warming maids—that's also okay. I, Long Juxue, only admire powerful men."
Jiang Chen had been wearing a faint, mocking smile all along. These promises and temptations from Long Zhaofeng would likely have been irresistible to any son of a feudal lord.
After all, beauty and power were deadly aphrodisiacs for men.
However, as attractive as a kingdom and a beautiful woman were, did Jiang Chen need to obtain them from Long Zhaofeng?
Obviously, Jiang Chen did not!
In his past life, as the son of the Heavenly Emperor, did he lack these kinds of temptations?
Countless beauties awaited his favor.
Countless kingdoms awaited his rule.
In the end, these had never been Jiang Chen's greatest pursuit.
When Princess Gouyu heard Long Juxue say such shameless words, her usual forthright character made her recall the one-sided agreement she had made with Jiang Chen before—that if Jiang Chen could defeat the Long family, she and Ruo'er could both be taken by him. At that thought, Gouyu blushed slightly.
On the contrary, the normally shy Dongfang Zhiruo, her face flushed red, shouted at the top of her voice: "My brother Jiang Chen would never want you as his woman!"
"Jiang Chen, what are you hesitating for? Which man doesn't want a kingdom and beauties?" Long Zhaofeng said loudly.
Jiang Chen chuckled. He had remained silent until now because he wanted to see how much more ugliness the Long family father and daughter could reveal.
"Kingdom and beauties?" Jiang Chen shook his head listlessly. "Long Zhaofeng, is selling your daughter's beauty your last trick at this point?"
"Jiang Chen, I…"
"Shut up! Long Zhaofeng, I told you long ago that this Erdu Pass is the most suitable burial place for you. Your daughter? A genius? A beauty? Hahaha, so what? A venomous woman, a pink skeleton—even if she stripped naked and came to me, I, Jiang Chen, would have no interest. Long Juxue, save your self-righteous posturing for seducing lonely ghosts in the underworld."
With these words, Jiang Chen's expression hardened. He chanted the Beast Language again and issued the strongest attack order!
All the Golden-Winged Sword Birds received the order. They cried out in unison and launched their assault.