The standoff continued for a few seconds before the green flash viper decided to break the silence in the intense atmosphere.

“I can’t believe ‘the most powerful false king’ would want to have a chat with a lowly one like me. I’m not worthy of it but I know who is, you can try having a chat with him since you’re both powerful figures. You know who I’m talking about right Liao Ying? This monstrous golden-scale alligator the true ruler of this place who likes to sleep a lot. I don’t think he’d mind the company of a fellow powerhouse, you may even form a pact and ascend to zone 7 together,” the green flash viper said with a mocking show of humility. The black cosmos caiman wasn’t triggered, he still had the same playful teasing look on his face.

“It’s not my fault the spirit beasts and the human cultivators in this zone think that way. I didn’t start the rumor and I’m too lazy to do anything about it. You know at our level we don’t bother much about the talk of small critters,” the black cosmos caiman said lazily in an unbothered tone as it shrug off the green viper’s snide remark.

The green flash viper internally sighed seeing how calm the black cosmos caiman was. He guessed it must be his current injured state that left Liao Ying so calm. The caiman had always been known for its volatile temper and its penchant for being too bloodthirsty even by the spirit beast standards. It was narrow-minded and vengeful for the tiniest slight. Liao Ying once murdered his closest subordinate because the subordinate stepped on his shadow. From that day forth every spirit beast under his reign kept a significant distance from him.

“What do you want Liao Ying and don’t say to catch up. We’ve known each other far too long, so I know what you are like.” Li Lun said as he narrowed his eye.

Liao Ying earlier playful expression changed and was replaced by a solemn expression with a hint of malevolence and bloodlust flashing in his eyes.

“I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to have a chat but that was before I saw your current state. I’ll have to shift my plans accordingly now. My purpose for looking for you was to suggest to we form an alliance. With us working together we’d be able to wipe out a few of the human sects around this zone. You know how these human cultivators like to store up the good stuff zekekeke and they’re much more beneficial to our growth than what devouring spirit beasts could do. If we hit a few sects we’d have enough resources to push our realms higher and faster than we would have been able to, sticking to our current routine. We were to do all this in preparation for the real goal which is to target that infamous lord of the eighth zone the golden-scaled alligator Ren Qiang. With our combined strength, we could even pull in the dystopian gaze turtle to help us. He’d be foolish not to.

With our improved levels our odds of defeating him would be higher even though we would likely end up with some serious injuries but it would be well worth the risk if we consumed him. You’ve heard the rumors that he may have a dragon’s bloodline even though it’s the thinnest of traces. It is still a valuable tonic to us.” Liao Ying couldn’t help but have a gluttonous smile at the thought of it. He paused for a moment as his look turned serious with even a hint of boiling anger.

“You know Li Lun I’ve never much cared for titles but I just can’t accept it. That derogatory name false kings. After all, we have gone through, the numerous brushes with death every single day for the past century to get where we are and all we get for it is the title of false king. A name that belittles us at every turn, a constant reminder that we are not the rulers of this place just some placeholders for a beast that sleeps year on end. I can’t stand my name being muddied by the word False in it by these weaklings out here. I WANT TO BE A REAL KING and I think you do too Li Lun. But none of that matters now, seeing your current state you’d not make a fitting partner for this venture. But you could still contribute to the cause in a different form zekekekke.” Liao Ying said as he greedily eyed Li Lun.

Li Lun was outwardly calm without the faintest ripple of emotion. He was like a silent detached observer in this whole play but internally it was a different case. He couldn’t help but be frustrated at his current circumstances. A failed hunt that left him injured and meeting up with the most self-serving greedy beast in the whole zone. He had clashed with Liao Ying more than once and in all that time it was always a close battle with no clear winner. They never went all out as they always held back as whoever won it would be a pyrrhic victory that would end up benefitting some other spirit beast out there waiting to fish in troubled waters. But Li Lun’s current situation was extremely unfavorable. He was gravely injured and he had to divert his attention to keep the injury at bay. These were all circumstances he couldn’t afford to have when facing off against Liao Ying. It would have taken all he had to force a draw against him but now with the injuries the odds were hugely stacked against him and the greedy caiman knew that too. Li Lun couldn’t help but speculate that Liao Ying was deliberately delaying the inevitable clash to ensure the misty qi further ate away at his strength to further increase his odds.

“Well two can play at that game you black overgrown lizard,” Li Lun silently thought to himself as he steadied his resolve for what was to come.

A curving smile appeared on his face which threw Liao Ying off who couldn’t help but frown and wonder if Li Lun had something up his scales. Each of the false kings didn’t reach their level just by being stronger, especially in their younger days they survived by having special tricks up their sleeves. Liao Ying’s caution was therefore warranted.

“Bolin looks like I might be joining you soon. That human cultivator truly opened my eyes today to what true ability is. We deserve to be called false kings. We are just weaklings playing as big shots. No wonder even the golden scale alligator never interferes in our affairs. We may be nothing but amusing ants in his eyes. Hehehehe Liao Ying your hubris will be your downfall but as your friend, I’ll need to leave you with some farewell gifts.” Li Lun silently thought as he turned to face Liao Ying finding his cautious look amusing.

“You know Liao Ying, I think I’ll take you up on that offer to chat. I always knew you had greedy ambitions that bordered on stupidity and insanity but I never knew it was this much. It seems you grew tiger lungs and a dragon heart since we last met for you to have the gall to suggest attacking the golden-scaled alligator. But if anything you are predictable, I can give you that. A greedy, insatiable, and reckless beast with no self-awareness other than an inflated ego and an unquenchable petty vengeful streak. All this talk about becoming real kings who are you trying to fool with that spiel? I know you Liao Ying unlike your followers over there I know your history.” Li Lun paused with a cheeky smile on his face. Liao Ying was silent at the moment as he turned fierce and fiery. He wanted to attack immediately but he couldn’t help but wonder if this was Li Lun’s trick to try and bait him in.

Li Lun expected as much. The caiman was known to be brutal but it was extremely cautious and this had much to do with its past.

Li Lun continued his chat with his voice louder than before ensuring that all the spirit beasts within the encirclement heard him clearly.

“The spirit beasts and human cultivators out here keep saying you’re fearless and the most powerful false king who has the highest chance of becoming the true overlord of this place. Hehehe truly the rumblings of weaklings who don’t know anything. They have no idea their fearless leader over here once upon a time when he was a young beast in the early stages of core formation once went to challenge the golden-scaled alligator. The young beast had numerous victories under his belt. With his head swollen with pride, he went ahead and challenged the most powerful being in the area. He bragged to his underlings how he would emerge victorious.

Remind me what happened again, Liao Ying. Oh yes, that little na?ve beast knew what true power was that day. A single gaze was enough to petrify him so much that he couldn’t move an inch. The beast in fear for his life started groveling and crying begging for his life for weeks till his voice turned raspy and cracked. The alligator spared him not because the groveling worked but because he disdained eating something so weak-willed. You were no less than a wiggling sniveling worm to him.

LISTEN TO ME ALL YOU BEASTS OUT THERE. You all know Liao Ying to love battling and being bloodthirsty, especially in the last 50 years. What you don’t know is that most of the creatures killed by him in that period were all spirit beasts privy to his embarrassing tale with the golden-scaled alligator. Pitiful you even killed your closest friend because you couldn’t stand anyone knowing that embarrassing moment of your life. Rumors say you killed him because he stepped on your shadow hehehe it was creative I’ll give you that. You forgot one thing there was someone else there when you challenged the golden-scaled alligator and unlike the others, he lived to tell the tale. Some big talk about wanting to be a king and all you want is to wipe the stain of your life that most likely turned into an internal demon for you. I wonder how the second round will go.” Li Lun asked with a teasing look as started to boisterously laugh completely ignoring the effect it would have on his injuries. If he was to go he would do it with a bang.

He had achieved his goals with that speech. He had involved the spirit beasts present in the encirclement by bringing up Liao Ying’s embarrassing past. It didn’t matter whether they believed it or not, what mattered was they heard it in the presence of Liao Ying who was known for being petty, vengeful, and prideful. Being his underling they knew him all too well. Currently, the best scenario for them was for the two false kings to massively injure themselves in the fight that was all but guaranteed to happen. With this, they may try to take out both of them in their injured state if they had the guts for it. Li Lun had effectively ensured those beasts wouldn’t interfere in his fight and give assistance to Liao Ying. The other goal was he had added a ticking time bomb to Liao Ying’s ranks. Those who believed his story and those with doubts will never look at him the same. Spirit beasts respected bravery as much as they did strength. In their minds, Liao Ying was the perfect embodiment of both but now it wasn’t so. That doubt would breed discontent from discontent seeds of mutiny will grow. Some may even be thinking of making their escape just in case Liao Ying decides to silence them all. With these Liao Ying’s reputation will be sullied forever and the fear he ingrained in the spirit beasts in the area will have a crack. Challenges upon challenges will be mounted on him from all over by beasts who think he is unworthy of his title.

Liao Ying’s gaze turned dark with fury.

“Good, good Li Lun it seems you’re as good at running your mouth as you are at moving your body. Before I thought of giving you a quick and painless death as a fellow false king but now I’ll make it as excruciating as possible.”

“I’m not your underling to be scared of your threats. I may be injured but don’t think you’ll be getting out of this scot-free. I have a reputation as a false king to uphold after all.”

The pressure from both beasts increased astronomically. A black wave clashed against a green light curtain with none giving room to the other.

“Enough talk” .𝙘𝒐𝒎

“My sentiments exactly.”

The two false kings for the first time in their lives charged furiously at each other without holding anything back. Li Lun stopped fighting back against Feng Xin’s corroding misty qi. At the point of collision, a thunderous explosion was formed which spread around them destroying everything within half a mile. The spirit beasts within the encirclement had to retreat further lest they be caught in the aftermath. Some even had half a mind to escape this wasn’t something they could intervene in even the ones with ideas of profiting from it quickly dropped the idea. It was at this moment they saw what to be a king albeit a false one meant. The gap between them and the two kings was that of a lion and a cat.