Crown Prince of the Empire, I quit!

At the heart of the ruins, a massive, makeshift tent stood abruptly. Its dark green background was embroidered with intricate golden patterns of sacred wood, creating an eerie, ornate atmosphere under the dim moonlight.

Inside the tent, the candlelight shone brightly, yet it couldn't dispel the chill that penetrated deep into the bones. The air was thick with incense, a strange mixture of sulfur, corpses, and some expensive spices, trying to cover it up, but only adding a touch of sickening luxury.

Hua Yunhong sat upright in the main seat, draped in a dark green brocade robe with coiled dragons. His face remained gaunt and refined, but the cold calculation in his narrow eyes, once as serpent-like as a venomous snake, was now shrouded in a lingering layer of sinister intent and fatigue. His slender fingers unconsciously stroked a warm black jade pendant at his waist, their fingertips icy. The devastating defeat at Bone Burial Cliff, like a maggot on his tarsal bones, gnawed at his dignity and foundation. The fragments of the sacred tree's heart were stolen, the Toruhan sanctuary burned, the High Priest Gulutai's remains were gone, and only one in ten of his elite shadow guards remained!

Qin Ming's black armored iron hooves that can burn everything are like a sword hanging over one's head, and can flatten the capital of Shenmu at any time!

"Everyone..." Hua Yunhong's voice sounded, still calm, but with a subtle hoarseness, as if it had been rubbed by gravel. "Qin Ming is tyrannical and unjust. He destroyed our Shenmu Holy Land, slaughtered our Toruhan people, and even slaughtered refugees with plague and evil methods. His actions are outrageous to both heaven and man! If this beast is not eliminated, there will never be peace in the northern border! Shenmu... is willing to join you in this righteous cause and punish this tyrant!"

Under the tent, there were not subjects of the Shenmu Royal Court, but several faces that were either arrogant, greedy, or indifferent.

They are envoys from small countries on the northern edge that are dependent on the three major dynasties, Beimang, Nanzhao, and Xiliang, but have ulterior motives.

The envoy of Tiele tribe, Batulu, was as burly as a bear, with a face full of whiskers and a huge scimitar hanging on his waist. His voice was like a broken gong: "Your Majesty King Shenmu said it lightly! Qin Ming's black armored cavalry made even the three major dynasties temporarily avoid the edge! What can we small tribes use to challenge his iron bucket formation? Our heads?" His thick fingers knocked on the table, making a dull sound.

The Black Water Tribe envoy, Wusuli, had a sinister face and deep-set eyes, like a hawk, and spoke in a shrill voice, "That's right! The battle at Burial Bone Cliff wiped out the elite troops of the Shenmu Royal Court! Even the Toruhan Holy Land was burned down!

"You think of us now? What were you doing earlier?" He picked up the silver cup in front of him, took a sip of the scarlet wine, and a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The envoy of the Shatuo tribe, Helu, was short and fat, with a smooth smile on his face, but his eyes flashed with shrewd calculations: "Your Majesty King Shenmu, it's not that we don't want to help, it's really... Qin Ming is too powerful to stop! Look, the three lords of Beimang, Nanzhao and Xiliang, aren't they also... um, waiting and watching?" He rubbed his fat palms, hinting at something.

A hint of cold anger flashed through Hua Yunhong's narrow eyes, but a gentle smile remained on his face. "What you all said is true. Qin Ming is tyrannical and is indeed not someone you can easily deal with. However, if the lips and teeth are gone, they will be cold! If the sacred tree is overturned, Qin Ming's next target will definitely be you! Rather than sit and wait for death, it is better to... strike first!"

He paused, his eyes slowly sweeping over the people in the tent, his voice carrying a hint of temptation:

"Shenmu... is willing to treat you with sincerity! North of Jackdaw Valley, there are three cities! Tiele, Heishui, and Shatuo tribes, each taking one! As... the reward for this alliance!"

"Three cities?!" Baturu's eyes widened suddenly! His breathing became heavy! The Tiele tribe had been nomadic for generations, and they had always dreamed of owning a city with abundant grass and water!

A gleam of light flashed in Wusuli's sinister eyes! The Heishui tribe lives in a bitterly cold land. If they can capture this city, their strength will skyrocket!

The smile on Helu's face became even more smooth, but a trace of greed flashed in his eyes: "Your Majesty the King of Shenmu... As expected... generous!"

A barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of Hua Yunhong's mouth. Greed...is always the easiest weakness to exploit.

"But..." Wusuli put down his wine glass and uttered a cold voice, "The three cities are indeed tempting. But Qin Ming's Black Armored Cavalry can't be dismissed with three empty cities! Your Majesty the King of Shenmu... do you want us to be the meat grinder in that iron barrel formation?"

"Exactly!" Batulu slammed the table, shaking the cups and glasses. "We can send troops, of course! But the Shenmu Royal Court... can't just talk, right? What about Toruhan Shadow Pharmacist's methods? What about those plagues? We have to bring them out to give our brothers some confidence, right?"

Helu nodded repeatedly. "Lord Baturu is right! Your Majesty, King Shenmu, if you could give us some of that plague that turns people into mad dogs... hehe, we could launch a surprise attack on Qin Ming's rear, cut off his food supply, and burn his camp! Wouldn't that be twice the result with half the effort?"

Hua Yunhong narrowed his narrow eyes slightly.

Plague... Shadow Pharmacist... These are his last trump cards and also the biggest taboos!

Kaligon was dead, the Gulutai was shattered, the Holy Land of Toruhan was burned, and the Plague Mother Gu was completely destroyed! The remaining Shadow Pharmacist and the Plague Sample were his only remaining hope for a comeback! How could he give them away so easily?

"You guys are joking." Hua Yunhong's voice was still calm, but with a hint of unquestionable coldness.

"The art of plague and poison is detrimental to nature and can easily backfire on oneself. The Divine Tree... has long since abandoned it. As for Shadow Pharmacist... he shed his last drop of blood for the Divine Tree in the battle at Bone Burial Cliff." He lifted the jade cup before him and took a sip, concealing the coldness in his eyes. "The three cities are the Divine Tree's greatest sincerity. If you feel it's not enough..."

He put down the jade cup, his eyes swept over the crowd, and his voice carried a hint of threat: "Then I will pretend... that I have never mentioned this matter. However... when Qin Ming's cavalry crushes the sacred tree and his troops march towards us... I wonder how long you... can remain immune?"

The tent instantly fell into dead silence, with only the crackling of the burning candle and the howling of the wind outside the tent.

Baturu, Wusuli, and Helu's expressions shifted wildly. Greed and fear clashed fiercely within them. The allure of the Three Cities was like a sweet poison! Qin Ming's threat was like a sword hanging overhead! And Hua Yunhong's trump cards... seemed truly... running out?

"Your Majesty, King Shenmu..." Helu rubbed his hands, a more flattering smile on his face. "The land of three cities... is naturally excellent! But... you see, the expenses of our three armies sending out troops... food, weapons, and pensions... are not a small amount! Do you think... can you... give us a little more?"

"Yes! Add a little more!" Batulu immediately agreed, "The three cities belong to us! But the city's treasury, granary, and craftsmen... at least they belong to us, right? And... the spoils captured in Qin Ming's camp... we have to take 70%!"

Wusuli's cold voice rang out: "Also! The Shenmu Royal Court must provide a guide!