Soul Land V: Rebirth of Tang San

The Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox smiled and said, "Alright, the Battle for Succession has concluded. Now, we must proceed to another critical matter in this competition. All Quasi Emperors and reserve Quasi Emperors present here are the elites of the new generation, the future successors of our realm. Your offspring will be equally important. Next, I hope you all find ideal partners for yourselves. To the two Quasi Emperors, I would like to add a word of caution: although your cultivation base is already very advanced, achieving the rank of Emperor still requires a formidable journey ahead. The process of ascending to the rank of Emperor is perilous, and in choosing your spouses, you must be particularly careful. A suitable spouse will greatly contribute to your eventual success in becoming an Emperor. For example, if your spouse is one of the Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes from my clan, their luck will accompany you during the Emperor Tribulation, reducing its difficulty by at least thirty percent and almost guaranteeing your ascension to Emperor. The Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes possess the power to manipulate the luck of my clan. Although cultivation is challenging for our Heavenly Fox Clan, there are currently only four Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes remaining, and regrettably, all are female. Jin Miaolin, if you are willing, I can offer all four Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes in marriage to you as equals. Although you possess extraordinary talent, your diverse range of abilities is a major disadvantage during Tribulation. With the aid of the luck from the Four Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes, you're sure to ascend to Emperor rank. I ask for the forgiveness of the honored ruling Emperors; my recommendation is not guided by personal bias. You all understand the great significance of Jin Miaolin's ascension to Emperor for our realm and even the entire Ancestral Court. Based on my calculations of luck, if an Emperor were to emerge from the Blue Golden Tree Clan, the life force they command would not only benefit the realm but also extend the lifespan of every one of us by at least five hundred years."

The Heavenly Spirit Emperor, who had originally been on the verge of losing his temper upon hearing the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox propose four Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes as wives for Tang San, suddenly fell silent as he listened to the later part of the speech.

The Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox was not wrong. If Tang San, already a Quasi Emperor, were to ascend to Emperor rank, it would hold tremendous significance for all rulers. Extending the lifespans of every Emperor and consolidating the realm's life force—his importance to the Ancestral Court was no less critical than the role of the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox in consolidating luck. Especially given the fact that the emperors weren't young, prolonging their lives by five hundred years was paramount.

Tang San, having shaken off his inner frustration, listened to the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox's words and inwardly cursed, Well, this old fox was waiting here all along. No wonder there hadn't been any female members of the Heavenly Fox Clan who came forward to build rapport with me earlier—this old fox, who wields control over luck, had already made his preparations. And how generous—offering me not one, but four female Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes.

There was one point that the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox made that was indisputable: cultivation for the Heavenly Fox Clan was indeed arduous. Even someone like him, possessing the Spirit Rhinoceros Eye, faced great difficulty in cultivating luck—it was a domain that depended on luck itself, something intangible, ethereal, and impossible to control. If, in the future, the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox were to perish due to the exhaustion of his lifespan, his position would certainly be inherited by one of the four Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes. By offering them all in marriage to Tang San, he was essentially entrusting the entire Heavenly Fox Clan's future to him—a massive gesture of recognition.

As Tang San observed the old fox grinning at him, he felt no small amount of helplessness and began pondering how he could refuse. But before he could respond, someone interjected.

"Honored rulers, I am the champion of this competition and the one who initiated the matchmaking tournament. Shouldn't I be the one to choose first?"

The speaker was none other than Pretty Girl. At that moment, her face appeared perfectly serene. As the foremost Quasi Emperor, even the Emperors had to take her words seriously.

The Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox laughed heartily and replied, "Of course. This tournament was originally organized for you, after all. Have you decided yet?"

Pretty Girl turned her gaze toward the competition grounds below the mountain. From Tang San's angle, he could only see her profile, but under the sunlight, her fair skin seemed to glimmer with a faint golden hue—stunningly beautiful beyond comparison.

The rulers all focused their attention on her. Though her ascension to Emperor wouldn't carry the same significance for the Ancestral Court as Tang San's, she was nonetheless the foremost Quasi Emperor! Moreover, her blood-red Divine Artifact Sword had left a lasting impression on the Emperors during the competition. If she ever ascended to Emperor with its power, her potential would be limitless, capable of leading the Peacock Demon Clan to renewed glory.

Tang San, too, felt a surge of tension. In front of so many Emperors, he couldn't give Pretty Girl any signals whatsoever. If she declared she would not choose him, who knew what other tactics the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox might employ to force him? Yet he was powerless to change the situation—after all, he had to lose. There was no other way.

"Today, I choose my husband. My future spouse shall take only me as his wife. If any other women dare to seduce my husband, it doesn't matter whether they are demons or elves—they will meet my blade." As she spoke those words, killing intent filled the air. She even unleashed the pressure of her Killing God Field. This wasn't choosing a husband—it was staking her claim.

Even Tang San felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Compared to his previous life, this version of her was far more domineering.

The Emperors were equally astonished. Thinking back to the moment Pretty Girl had burned her bloodline and struck at Tang San with her sword during the competition, even the rulers were uneasy. They suspected that Pretty Girl might not be exaggerating—if an Emperor attempted to seduce her future husband, she might actually slay them.

"Have you made your choice?" the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox asked.

Pretty Girl nodded and stated, "My husband must be able to follow my lead and contribute to my clan. I have made my choice."

"You've chosen?" Even Tang San couldn't help but be shocked. Could she truly mean a human like him? If so, she would surely face immense pressure, potentially even losing her status as a Quasi Emperor.

"Oh? And whom have you chosen? For someone to captivate the attention of our foremost Quasi Emperor, they must certainly be extraordinary," said the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox with a sly smile.

Pretty Girl replied coldly, "I hadn't originally decided. I must thank you. Since you're willing to simultaneously offer four Eight-Tailed Sky Foxes in marriage to him, it proves he is indeed exceptional. You, who wield luck, I trust your judgment."

At first, the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox listened to her words with a cheerful expression, but by the end, his smile froze. He had calculated and schemed from the moment Tang San entered the finals, determined to secure the marriage alliance with the Blue Golden Tree Clan at all costs, only to be completely blindsided at the last moment.

Tang San stared at Pretty Girl in utter astonishment and disbelief, unconsciously raising a hand to point at himself, "You, you're choosing me?"

Pretty Girl regarded him icily and said, "Yes, I'm choosing you. Aren't you fond of me? The rulers all think you're outstanding. I guess you're qualified to be my husband."

"You chose me, and earlier you still tried to cut me down?" Tang San exclaimed incredulously.

"It was you I struck," Pretty Girl replied coldly before turning her head away, refusing to look at him further.

If Pretty Girl had chosen him, then there was only one explanation—she had discerned his true identity. Even Tang San himself wasn't sure at what point he might have exposed a flaw.

Still, he couldn't help but feel amused and helpless. Since she recognized him, why had she burned her life force and attacked him earlier? Clearly, it was to vent her anger. She could have just allowed him to win and chosen her outright, couldn't she? Nonetheless, this had turned out to be the best possible outcome. By choosing him and making her earlier declaration, she had effectively shielded him from the Great Demon Emperor Heavenly Fox's proposal for any other alliances. She had solved the problem entirely.