After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

"Master, this black fruit is delicious."

Xiao Rou held the Demon Infant Fruit, her fingertips swirling with demonic energy.

Zhou Ran opened his eyes and looked at her hand:

"That's a breakthrough material."

Xiao Rou shrank back and put the fruit back into the jade box:

"I didn't eat it, I just let Xiao Hei smell it, and it said there was no poison in it, nor any Void Realm smell."

Qin San dragged the black iron box in. The box hit the ground, and the stone bricks of the secret room trembled.

"The people from the City Lord's Mansion have arrived."

Zhou Ran leaned back in his chair: "What did you give me?"

"Three catties of Nine Nether Marrow, seventeen Demon Infant Fruits, two Star Transformation Grasses, plus 30% of the Black Wind City tax deed."

Gu Li stepped into the house, his expression subtle.

"And the city lord himself, he knelt outside, saying he wanted to pay his respects in person."

Zhou Ran lightly tapped his knee with his fingertips:

"Let him in."

A short while later, a thin old man wearing a black and gold robe walked in with his head down.

Wu Heng, Lord of Black Wind City, is at the early stage of the Integration Realm.

He was able to maintain his position entirely by guarding the border for the Grand Duke of Tun Gu.

Upon entering, Wu Heng only dared to stare at the ground.

He glanced at the center of the formation and saw that Zhou Ran's face was pale and blood was seeping from his chest.

But he dared not look too closely, much less harbor any disloyal thoughts.

At Zhou Ran's feet lay the Taihuang Black Blade. Even before it was drawn, the demonic power emanating from it suppressed the flow of demonic blood within him.

Wu Heng knelt on both knees, his forehead pressed against the stone slab:

"Wu Heng, Lord of Black Wind City, pays respects to the Emperor."

Zhou Ran looked at him:

"I have accepted the tribute."

Is there anything else?

Wu Heng's voice trembled: "Your Majesty, of the six major powers in the city, five have already sent tributes, but the Zhenbei Military Warlord's Mansion remains completely silent."

"They control the northern military camps and the geothermal mines, and have 30,000 elite Black Armor soldiers under their command."

"Commander Yan Lie is already at the peak of the Integration Realm and has always only obeyed the orders of the Bone-Swallowing Duke."

Zhou Ran's fingertips paused slightly:

"He also has the mine-guiding platform in his possession?"

Wu Heng replied:

"Yes, that is the only well-preserved lightning-attracting array base on the border. It can draw upon the Nine Heavens Mystic Lightning to temper demonic artifacts and also assist in breaking through realms."

"Yan Lie is extremely vigilant; even his subordinates are not allowed to get close to him on ordinary days."

Xiao Rou's eyes lit up:

"Zhou Ran, didn't you say you were in dire need of thunder power?"

Zhou Ran didn't reply, looking at Wu Heng:

"What were Yan Lie's exact words when he said he wouldn't come?"

Sweat beaded on Wu Heng's forehead. He hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"He said... a true Demon Emperor would never hide in an inn to accept tributes, and he suspects that you have only obtained the relics of the previous emperor and are just bluffing here."

Only Wu Heng's heavy breathing could be heard in the secret room.

Gu Li snorted coldly, his killing intent fully revealed.

Xuan Ying pressed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, waiting for Zhou Ran to give the order.

Zhou Ran chuckled softly.

"Since he doesn't believe it, let him continue to doubt."

Wu Heng couldn't fathom the thoughts of this young emperor.

Zhou Ran swept the box on the ground with a flick of his sleeve:

"These things are enough for me to recover most of my energy. As for the lightning-summoning platform, I will retrieve it myself."

The communication dominoes at Wu Heng's waist trembled violently, flashing with a blinding blood-red light.

He grabbed the dominoes, and from inside came the scout's startled cry.

"Lord! The Black Flag Army of the Bone-Swallowing Duke has been spotted a hundred miles outside the city!"

One hundred thousand iron cavalry and three thousand war beasts—the oppressive aura of those at the Tribulation Transcending stage has sealed off the void!

Wu Heng's hand trembled, and the dominoes almost slipped from his grasp.

"The Grand Duke of Bone Swallowing has personally arrived!"

"At most half a day later, the army will be able to besiege the city!"

The atmosphere in the sealed room became heavy.

Wu Heng collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale.

"Your Majesty... the Grand Duke of Bone Devouring must have come for the deceased messenger. With 100,000 demon soldiers pressing in, what should we do?"

An army of 100,000 arrived in half a day.

Wu Heng lay on the ground, his breathing extremely low.

He was filled with remorse, regretting that he shouldn't have been so greedy for the credit and come to offer tribute.

If the person before him is truly the reincarnation of Ye Futian, then his act of delivering this message can be considered a sign of loyalty.

But if the other side is just an empty shell, once the army of the Bone-Swallowing Duke arrives, he, the city lord, will be the first unlucky one to be sacrificed.

Xuan Ying stepped forward, his expression solemn:

"Your Excellency, the Bone-Devouring Duke has entered the Tribulation Transcending stage and wields the laws of the Demon Realm of the Sixth Heaven. He should not be underestimated."

Gu Li suggested in a low voice:

"How about I escort you out of the city?"

Before the encirclement is complete, find another secluded location to set up defenses.

"Leaving the city will only hasten your death."

Zhou Ran broke the bone.

He picked up a Demon Infant Fruit, his fingertips tracing the rough peel:

"Now, countless eyes in Blackwind City are watching this place. Once we leave, Yan Lie and the various forces in the city will immediately turn against us."

"Moreover, since Tun Gu was able to track them all the way here, he must be carrying a karmic artifact left behind by Ye Futian. He can't escape."

Qin San stood with his hand on his knife:

"Master, what do you mean?"

Zhou Ran looked up at the top of the secret room.

"Right here, I will force my way through this realm."

Wu Heng raises his head:

"Your Majesty, are you about to trigger a heavenly tribulation within the city?"

"Why not?"

Wu Heng swallowed hard and explained:

"The tribulation of the sixth level of the Nascent Soul realm is no small matter. It will cause a great disturbance and will not be able to be kept secret from the 100,000 troops outside the city."

"I never intended to hide it from them."

Zhou Ran remained calm.

"Tun Gu wants to force me to reveal my true form, and Yan Lie is waiting for me to show a weakness. Since they both want to see, then I will send them a heavenly tribulation."

This lightning tribulation is the best shield.

Xiao Rou looked at him and said, "But your injuries haven't fully healed yet."

That's why we need these things.

Zhou Ran swept over the medicinal herbs on the ground.

Nine Nether Marrow can reshape meridians, Star Transformation Grass can stabilize the primordial spirit, and Demon Infant Fruit can fill the deficiencies in the primordial spirit.

These resources are enough for him to completely stabilize his nascent Nascent Soul realm.

The only variable left is the mine-guiding platform.

Without the guidance of the array base, the raging lightning tribulation would instantly raze this inn to the ground, completely exposing them.

Qin San frowned:

"Yan Lie regards the Thunder-Summoning Platform as his lifeblood and will never hand it over easily."

He will pay it.

Zhou Ran put the Demon Infant Fruit into his sleeve, his face turning cold:

"If he refuses to hand it over, I will give him a chance to take advantage of his misfortune."