Chapter 435: Chapter 437 A Monarch’s Position Awaits You [1/5]

The closest subordinate to the Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks was deeply discontent. He believed it should have been his turn to ascend the throne after the Monarch abdicated. Instead, the Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks had chosen Wu Tian to inherit the great title.

Good heavens, how absurd is this? Wu Tian is from Dragon Country, not a native of the Kingdom of Sticks! I truly can’t fathom what’s going through the Monarch’s mind. Did he get his head stuck in a door or something?

“Although Fusang has fallen, the power of the Underground World still remains!” the Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks said with a guise of profundity. He was, however, still unaware that the forces from Fusang’s Underground World had been utterly wiped out.

“So what?” the subordinate asked again.

The Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks smiled slightly. “He needs the protection of a nation to deal with the Underground World. Even though Dragon Country has two rulers, the true sovereign is still the Lord of the Four Seas. Wu Tian is destined to never become the True Dragon Emperor! Only my Kingdom of Sticks can give him this hope.”

The more he spoke, the angrier the Monarch’s tone became. “Do you think I want to relinquish the throne to a foreigner? Isn’t it because you’re all so useless? Looking at your generation, not a single one of you is a worthy candidate. If I hand the Kingdom of Sticks over to you, when will we ever have the chance to become one of the top three nations in the world?”

The subordinate and the four grandmasters fell silent.

In our opinion, he’s no different. He hasn’t managed to make the Kingdom of Sticks soar either, they thought, though it was a sentiment they could only keep to themselves.

“Therefore, I have chosen the Martial God,” the Monarch said, his face solemn. “The position of a nation’s monarch will entice him to renounce his Dragon Country citizenship and join our Kingdom of Sticks. This is a huge win for him.”

In the Monarch’s eyes, Wu Tian truly had no reason to refuse. In Dragon Country, Wu Tian was the King of the South, but that title was one of leisure without any real authority. It would be different in the Kingdom of Sticks. Upon inheriting the throne, the land, the people, and the army of the Kingdom of Sticks would all answer to him alone. No matter how the Monarch thought about it, he could not conceive of any reason for Wu Tian to refuse. Wu Tian stood to gain so much from this deal. How could he possibly say no?

During a typhoon, as the rain poured down relentlessly, Wu Tian had already returned home. On his first day back, the Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks hadn’t sought him out immediately. Instead, he went to discuss the matter with the Lord of the Four Seas. Meanwhile, Wu Tian was at home, spending time with the little one.

A day went by, and just like that, the typhoon was gone. The next day’s sunrise was intense, and by just past ten in the morning, it was already unbearably muggy. The typhoon had moved elsewhere.

Wu Tian was in the courtyard sketching a design for “No Heaven Villa,” the place he would reside in the Underground World. He was designing it now, complete with pavilions, towers, small bridges over flowing water, and the sights and sounds of birds and flowers—all indispensable elements. The little one watched by his side.

Wu Tian was only halfway through his drawing when the Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks, along with his subordinate and the four grandmasters, arrived at his door. They didn’t ask for permission to enter; the four grandmasters leaped into Wu Tian’s courtyard first and then opened the gate for their Monarch.

Wu Tian’s brows furrowed slightly. “Call if you have business. If not, get lost!”

Wu Tian’s attitude was infuriating. Flames of wrath ignited in the eyes of the subordinate and the four grandmasters, and they looked ready to argue. But the Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks stopped them. He knew full well how powerful Wu Tian was. Wu Tian had annihilated Fusang, so how could his Kingdom of Sticks possibly afford to provoke him?

The Monarch approached and said politely, “Mr. Wu Tian, I’ve come to see you with two pieces of news, one bad and one good. I wonder which you’d like to hear first?”

Wu Tian continued drawing, ignoring him completely. The little one, taking her cue from him, focused intently on the drawing, likewise paying no mind to the Monarch.

The Monarch felt a wave of embarrassment. As the leader of a nation, he had never been so thoroughly ignored. But surely, once I tell him the news, he’ll have to take me seriously, right? He’ll have to respect me, won’t he? He’ll have to treat me with deference, won’t he?

With that in mind, the Monarch announced, “The Fusang forces in the Underground World seem to be plotting against you. That’s the bad news I have for you!”

The little one already knew what her dad had been doing on his trip. For the Monarch to bring this up now was like stating the obvious after the fact. She gave him a look as if he were an idiot.

This little girl… why is she looking at me like that? The Monarch noticed her peculiar gaze but paid it no mind. His main purpose for coming was Wu Tian.

“Mr. Wu Tian, what do you think of this matter?”

“If that’s all you came to say, you can leave,” Wu Tian said, his focus still on the drawing before him. He held a fine brush, sketching a pavilion.

“Aren’t you worried?” the Monarch asked, his brows furrowed. “The power of Fusang’s Underground World might not compare to that of Dragon Country’s, but it’s not to be underestimated. Their leaders are the descendants of the three heroes of Fusang’s Warring States period: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Oda Nobunaga! They were extraordinary, and their descendants are likely to be exceptional figures in their own right.”

After a pause, the Monarch smiled slightly. “However, you needn’t worry. There’s an old agreement between the Surface World and the Underground World that forbids them from harming a nation’s sovereign. As the King of the South, you aren’t a sovereign. But you don’t need to fret. Now, I have good news for you. I have decided to abdicate in your favor. As long as you take on the citizenship of the Kingdom of Sticks and become one of our people, you can inherit the throne and become the True Dragon Emperor.”

What?

The commotion in the courtyard had, of course, attracted the attention of Murong Yezi and Qin Yuhan inside the house. They never expected the Kingdom of Sticks to play this card.

A smile lingered on the Monarch’s lips. He was sure Wu Tian’s heart was first shocked, then filled with overwhelming joy.

His subordinate and the four grandmasters nodded in agreement.

“Accept it.”

“Yes, our Kingdom of Sticks is not so bad, you know!”

“The Kingdom of Sticks is the true homeland of Confucius, the actual birthplace of Sun Zi, and the origin of the Double Ninth Festival. All of it is here in our Kingdom of Sticks.”

“After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, our economy entered a period of moderate growth. Our industries, mainly manufacturing and services, are world-class. Our output in semiconductors, electronics, automobiles, shipbuilding, steel, chemicals, machinery, and cosmetics all rank in the top ten globally. Large conglomerates hold a significant position in our economy. Once you become the Monarch, you can relocate Boundless Corporation here, and it will naturally rise with the tide!”

“Are you finished?” Wu Tian suddenly asked.

The Monarch of the Kingdom of Sticks nodded, confident Wu Tian would accept. He smiled and said, “Now, Mr. Wu Tian, please tell me what’s on your mind.”

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