I was just making up techniques… how did all of you become Emperors? Chapter 642 642 Cao Youqian: Looking at you like this, you wouldn't have been interrupted while doing good deeds, would you?

"Old woman, never thought you'd be into stuff like that, Big Lei. Spill it quick—how big is that old woman exactly?"

Cao Youqian eyed Lei Qilin with pure gossip hunger, while the pair of disciples trailing him shot out looks brimming with curiosity.

Lei Qilin rolled his eyes hard, snapping irritably, "Brother Qian, what the heck are you imagining? The old woman I'm talking about is that Thunder Phoenix Clan member. She's more than a thousand years my senior—doesn't that make her an old woman?"

"That's all?" Cao Youqian slapped Lei Qilin's shoulder.

"I figured you were itching for kids and spotted some hot Qilin babe, so you hit me up for tips on reeling her in."

"Brother Qian, you know about this stuff too?" Lei Qilin got totally derailed by Cao Youqian's words.

But he snapped back fast; chatting about love lives wasn't the moment. He rushed out, "Brother Qian, can't you get serious for once?"

Cao Youqian landed a solid punch on Lei Qilin and declared, "You haven't even clashed with her yet—how do you know defeat's coming? Once you drop, I'll step in myself."

Lei Qilin shook his head wildly like a drum and blurted, "Brother Qian, I refuse to carry the shame of getting thrashed by a woman."

Cao Youqian fixed Lei Qilin with a weird stare. "You, of all people, care about that prodigy pride?"

"What prodigy pride? I just hate the idea of taking a beating, period. You swore that if I let you hitch a ride, you'd keep everyone from pounding me. How're you backing out now?"

Lei Qilin struck a pose like a pig unfazed by hot water. His vibe screamed that without agreement today, he'd plant himself and not budge.

"Hahaha..."

Cao Youqian cracked up at Lei Qilin's spoiled antics and flailing. Grinning, he added, "Alright, this Seat gives you his word. I'll head out and tame that little Thunder Phoenix, then stretch our Tyrant Fist Holy Land's borders."

Lei Qilin's face lit up with thrill at those words. He flashed a bootlicking smile, "Brother Qian, I always knew you had my back the most. Shame I'm not a girl Qilin, or I'd throw myself at you."

"Scram—this Seat isn't into your type."

Cao Youqian grumbled and booted the opportunist. Yet the three clans' power clash would hit him hard too. It could wreck his Master's big schemes. He had to shoot a warning to the Asking Dao Sect for his Master to gear up. Plus, alert his Eldest Senior Brother for early prep.

Xia Kang and Ying Li, silent till now, perked up at that and chimed together, "Master, mind if we join the campaign with you?"

Cao Youqian nodded instantly, "Of course. And it's not only you two—this round, the whole Tyrant Fist Holy Land crew comes along. Perfect chance for you youngsters to build some battle smarts."

The kids' eyes sparkled bright. Xia Kang piped up, "I'll rally the junior brothers right away then."

"Go on."

Cao Youqian dipped his head and proclaimed, "Like the old saying: Strike while the iron's hot, no need to wait for lucky stars. We're off now to crush that Thunder Phoenix!"

"Yes!"

Xia Kang barked back eagerly, then dashed off to alert his sect mates with a pumped-up grin.

Thirty minutes on, Cao Youqian spearheaded his disciple squad charging toward Thunder Phoenix turf.

Wind Thunder Valley. Fierce gales lash it year-round, paired with nonstop thunderclaps—that's where the name springs from.

In such brutal conditions, life barely clings on in Wind Thunder Valley. Just one Thunder Phoenix calls it home. That same Thunder Phoenix rules as Demon Emperor over ten thousand miles of land. Yearly, hordes of creatures flock to pay homage.

But today, that lofty Thunder Phoenix in the valley acted all soft and girly, cuddling up to a Zhuque. She whined, "Brother, you cold-hearted jerk—why'd you wait till now to show? You promised a century ago you'd drop by. It's been over five hundred years already."

The Zhuque rushed to soothe her, "Sister Lei, it's not like Brother skipped out on purpose. Brother shut himself in for three centuries to punch through to the God Realm. Now I'm a full Demon God too. I jumped at the chance to guard this spot. From here on, we can stick together always."

Learning her dear brother hit Demon God status, Thunder Phoenix's face glowed with awe. "I figured you wouldn't fail me, Brother. So, when're you heading to my nest to ask for my hand?"

Those marriage words made Zhuque's heart skip. His Demon God leap came from cozying up to a highborn Phoenix Clan dame. This trip wasn't for eternal bliss with this pint-sized Thunder Phoenix—it was orders to seize the zone and fold it into Phoenix Clan domain.

He scrambled to clarify, "Sweet sister, hold off on that for now. Let me wrap up His Majesty Phoenix Ancestor's orders first. Then picture it: us building our own realm right here—pure bliss, right?"

Thunder Phoenix missed the off note in Zhuque's pitch. To her, millions of miles nearby lacked any Demon God watch. Once her brother flexed his god might, clans would bow in droves. Their big night wouldn't lag far behind.

"Brother's spot on. Sister'll round up my demon underlings now and have them blast the word of your arrival. Bet we'll snag your goal in no time."

"Hold up."

Zhuque replied, "Sweet sister, first fill me in: any Dragon or Qilin Clan offspring lurking in nearby lands? I'll take them out to shock the masses. That'll keep everyone too scared to buck us."

"Why though?" Thunder Phoenix's face twisted in confusion.

Those two clans matched Phoenix strength toe-to-toe. Wasn't her brother's play just begging for foes?

Zhuque laid it out, "Our Phoenix Clan’s already locked in battle with the other two. This round, we settle who's top dog."

Thunder Phoenix's look shifted at the news. "Doesn't that mean endless chaos for us?"

Zhuque eased her, "Sweet sister, chill out. Once the Old Ancestor triumphs, Dragon and Qilin Clans'll crumble like paper tigers."

Thunder Phoenix got that this wasn't for a lowly Demon Emperor like her to sway. She coughed up a map from her maw and passed it. "Dear brother, this charts all the local power setups. One peek and you'll get it."

Zhuque scanned the map, eyes firing with hype. He pulled Thunder Phoenix into a hug and said, "Sweet sister, you're the absolute best. Come here—let brother dote on you a tad."

"You pest."

Thunder Phoenix grumbled pest, yet her frame snuggled right into Zhuque's hold. Moments later, cozy murmurs echoed across the valley...

Right as the Phoenix pair got all lovey-dovey, Cao Youqian atop Lei Qilin touched down beyond Wind Thunder Valley. He stashed the Messaging Jade in his storage ring. The trek dragged, so he'd already tipped off his Master and Eldest Senior Brother about the three-clan war brewing.

"Brother Qian, here's that old woman's turf." Lei Qilin craned his neck to chat with Cao Youqian riding him.

Cao Youqian leaped off and commanded, "We're here, so you go issue the challenge. The instant that Thunder Phoenix shows, this Seat'll pin her down."

"Easy enough."

Lei Qilin might be a scaredy-cat, but with boss Cao Youqian backing him, he puffed up like a thug and bellowed, "Old crone, drag your butt out here to meet your end! Else your Grandpa Qilin stomps your Wind Thunder Valley flat in one go!"

His shout barely faded when his frame ballooned hundreds-fold, and he slammed a kick at Wind Thunder Valley.

Rumble!

One kick alone rattled the earth and bucked the peaks in Wind Thunder Valley. Spotting that, Lei Qilin shrank back to normal size quick.

Next beat, a furious bellow exploded from the valley depths. "Who the hell's out there kicking my gate?!"

With the bellow crashed a savage aura, bursting like a volcano. Crimson glow painted the blue heavens scarlet.

"Demon God?"

"Didn't you say some lady Thunder Phoenix holed up in this Wind Thunder Valley? How's it a dude now?"

Though Lei Qilin and Cao Youqian voiced it differently, their baffled faces matched perfectly.

"Beats me?" Lei Qilin looked lost too.

Truth was, the real head-scratchers weren't them, but the Tyrant Fist Holy Land disciples tagging along. They'd geared up to see Master squash a Demon Emperor, yet a Demon God lurked in the valley now. Would things go sideways this time?

While confusion swirled, a colossal flame-wrapped shape drifted out slow from the valley.

The shape's emergence iced the skies and lands. Across ten thousand miles, every creature hit the dirt, heads down, too terrified to glimpse its shape.

Even Demon Emperor Lei Qilin quaked on all fours under the crush, knees nearly buckling. One thought hit him: Where'd this Demon God pop from?

Only Cao Youqian buzzed with thrill. He eyed the sky's Zhuque, rage pouring off it, and quipped, "Old firebird, from that glare, Big Lei must've crashed your fun times, huh?"

His line dropped, silence blanketed everything, and every eye locked on Cao Youqian...

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