If governing a kingdom was like tending to ten thousand chickens, then governing a world was like tending to a hundred thousand chickens, clucking all day and night and giving its owner a headache that persisted from dawn till dusk.
The scaleman king spread his arms. "Before the evolution into a superior world, it wasn't so bad. At the beginning, everything was rough, but after I built up enough of a foundation and manpower, I grew used to it. After the world evolved into a superior one, however—even though I became a superior king as well, my mind and body couldn't handle the effort, Master."
"Is it that bad?"
"Isn't it?" The merger of dozens of worlds, dozens of cultures and traditions and races—there would undoubtedly be conflict, and monumental conflict at that.
The scaleman king sighed. "It's a miracle that I lasted so long. Worst of all, the kings of the various worlds haven't been helping me deal with these conflicts at all. They're all fighting each other, even trying to trip me up, in order to obtain as much of the treasure of this world as they can. I'd like to behead them all, myself."
None of the kings and leaders dared to directly go against the scaleman king, but they used all sorts of dirty schemes and tricks in their attempts to vie for power, and were even working together against the court officials of the scaleman world.
The scaleman king sighed. "To be honest, I've been growing more and more weary after the world's evolution."
Zhang Lie replied, "I'm sorry to have caused you such a burden. Perhaps I shouldn't have pushed you onto the throne—you would still have been the happy ninth prince, then."
The scaleman king waved a hand. "No, no, I'm not that weak! It's just tiring."
Even now, the scaleman king was immensely grateful to Zhang Lie for giving him an opportunity to change his fate.
"However, when I'm at my most tired, I keep wondering whether I would have been happier choosing not to become the king of the realm and following by your side instead."
Zhang Lie shook his head. "Perhaps so, but perhaps not. Who would know?"
"Indeed."
There was no going back now, and it was pointless to entertain the notion that he could have been happier. Before all else, he was the king of the scaleman world.
The disaster-grade dragon flew back toward the Zongming world. The moment it arrived, Li Zongming sent him a mental transmission to have him head straight to the palace, where the draconian sage and members of Team Zenith were already waiting.
Upon noticing Zhang Lie's unusual expression, the scaleman king asked, "Has the Zongming king contacted you?"
Zhang Lie nodded.
The scaleman king replied, "In that case, it's time for me to meet this new superior king, then."
Zhang Lie brought the scaleman king to the Zongming palace, whereupon they found Li Zongming and the draconian sage having a discussion over tea. Li Zongming looked over in excitement. "Zhang Lie, you're here! My discussions with the draconian king are going well. Hold on, this person by your side is..."
Upon sensing the scaleman king's aura and recognizing him as a fellow superior king, Li Zongming stilled.
Zhang Lie introduced, "This is the other new superior king I told you both about, the scaleman king."
The draconian sage hurriedly stood up and examined the scaleman king, while Li Zongming's eyes widened. "Zhang Lie, you really are impressive! I thought you had gone over to the scaleman world to discuss the alliance, but you stole the king right over!"
Zhang Lie was speechless. "I didn't steal him anywhere; he was willing to accompany me back."
Li Zongming laughed. "It's just a joke, a joke. Why didn't you tell me that he was coming?"
Zhang Lie grumbled, "How do you expect me to? I'm not a superior king, and this isn't my world! Only you would be able to do so within the Zongming world, not me!"
The scaleman king greeted the Zongming king. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, king of the Zongming world. Your reputation precedes you."
Li Zongming replied modestly, "Haha, and you must be the new superior king of the scaleman world! You really are young—I wasn't even a king of the realm at your age."
The scaleman king laughed. "It was my master who helped me win the throne, and he who helped me evolve my world to a superior one. I couldn't have come so far so quickly without his aid."
The draconian sage stepped forward. "How should I address you?"
The scaleman king replied politely, "You can call me Lie Lin. You must be the superior king of the draconian world. Master brought you up many times in conversation on our way here."
Li Zongming asked curiously, "Your master? Who is he? I'm very curious who was able to foster a superior king."
The scaleman king smiled. "He's right by your side."
Li Zongming and the draconian sage glanced all around the palace before Zhang Lie finally raised a hand.
"It's you!"
"You again?" Li Zongming and the draconian sage cried out simultaneously.
Zhang Lie smiled. "I am indeed the master of this superior king."
Li Zongming grumbled, "I was wondering who this master could be—but it's you!"
The draconian sage recovered from the shock rather quickly. Almost as though he had expected it, he commented, "I suppose it's not unusual if you're his master..."
After all, all three superior kings present owed their kingship to Zhang Lie.
Li Zongming added, "It looks like all three of us are deeply connected to you." He patted Zhang Lie on the shoulder. "Becoming the master of a superior king just like that? It's more impressive than I could have expected." contemporary romance
Zhang Lie raised his head to the sky. "It's a coincidence, nothing more."
Hong Tianqi had hidden the map fragments he had accumulated within the scaleman world. Zhang Lie had arrived just in time to catch the death spirits' invasion. Because Zhang Lie had once known the scaleman king, he resolved the crisis and was able to collect a large quantity of the world's energy.
This series of coincidences led to the birth of the superior scaleman world.
Li Zongming beckoned the scaleman king over. "Please, scaleman king, join us!"
The scaleman king replied, "Master's had a long journey. He should get seated first."
The draconian sage and Li Zongming could easily see that the scaleman king deeply respected Zhang Lie.
"Captain, you're back! We knew it was you the moment we saw the disaster-grade dragon fly by," Sun Mengmeng exclaimed. The members of Team Zenith, Hong Xi, Zhang Hanxiang, Dong Mingxing, and Li Qianlin all walked over at this time.
Sun Xiaowu grumbled, "Sis, there's no need to rush so quickly even if it's the captain!"
Sun Mengmeng blushed. "Nonsense! Li Qianlin beat me here."
Yang Ze rolled his eyes. "Someone who doesn't understand the situation might think that the two of you were having a race within the palace."
Li Qianlin and Sun Mengmeng simultaneously lowered their heads as they blushed...
done.co