Chapter 109: Making Him Famous

In the basement of the City Lord’s mansion in the First District...

It was an exceptionally spacious secret chamber, at least a thousand square meters in area by sight.

Every inch of the room, from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, was lined with some kind of white brick.

There was not a single piece of furniture or clutter inside.

Only a single portrait hung on the western wall.

Li Zong sat cross-legged before the portrait, eyes closed as he drew in and exhaled a faint, peculiar breath.

Crack.

The chamber door opened, and an elderly man with snow-white hair and sparse whiskers stepped inside.

It was the lord of the First District, Lord Mu.

“During yesterday’s match, did you use a Law?”

Lord Mu came to a stop behind him and sat casually on the floor.

At the sound, Li Zong slowly opened his eyes and let out a murky breath.

“He was very strong.”

“If I wanted to defeat him without giving him the slightest chance to resist, that was the only move I could use.”

“Oh? And how does that compare to when you were level forty?”

“Hard to say.”

Lord Mu looked at him in surprise, then after a brief pause, said in sudden realization, “Then even you had no confidence in defeating him, which means... the two of you were evenly matched?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. That child named Song Qi has an almost frightening level of talent!”

Although Li Zong was gifted beyond measure, he had been kept under strict watch from a young age to prevent interference from the demon race.

As a result, he was not very good at dealing with people and had always spoken bluntly, with little room for tact.

So if he said he had no confidence, then he truly had none.

It was neither modesty nor arrogance.

“You sensed the presence of a Law when you were level forty.”

“Did you feel any trace of Law power in him?”

Li Zong thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head.

“In him personally... no.”

“But his two summoned spirits do carry a trace of it. Very faint, though. They should not have reached the level of mastery yet.”

At those words, Lord Mu froze.

He was not surprised that Song Qi himself had no trace of Law power.

After all, the young man was only level forty, and had only changed class a little over a month ago. Failing to comprehend it was perfectly normal.

In terms of insight alone, one could hardly expect everyone to be as monstrous as Li Zong.

But now, he was being told...

“His summoned spirits carry the aura of a Law?”

Lord Mu’s brows furrowed.

The summoner himself had not comprehended the Law.

Yet the summoned spirits had already grasped it in advance?

“This...”

For a moment, he did not know whether Song Qi’s comprehension should be called good or bad.

If the summoned spirits possessed such terrifying insight, could that even be counted as the summoner’s own talent?

After pondering for quite some time...

“Count it as half, then.”

Lord Mu ultimately settled on that judgment in his heart.

“Right, I came today to tell you that tomorrow’s match can proceed normally between you and the other side.”

The Death-Word Master side has sent word that the demon race’s curse-killings have completely stopped.

“Completely stopped in the truest sense of the words. There has been no further movement at all!”

At this, Li Zong did not relax. Instead, his brows knitted more tightly, confusion deepening.

“From the overnight barrage that began yesterday to this sudden halt as soon as the news came out tonight?”

“Even the probing curse-killings have stopped?”

“That makes no sense!”

How could they have devoted such tremendous effort to cursing him just last night, so frenzied it seemed like a battle to the death, only to return to calm in the blink of an eye after a single day?

Even if they truly believed they had made a wrong judgment, they should not have stopped so decisively.

It was only an attempt to curse a human prodigy.

Given the demon race’s resources, they could easily afford it.

Lord Mu felt much the same.

“Not only you, I think it’s strange too.”

“With the demon race’s nature, even if they knew Song Qi’s talent was not as extraordinary as they first thought, at most they would reduce the intensity a little. The probing curse-killings would never stop.”

“But this time... it has truly, completely, and absolutely ceased.”

“We still do not know the exact reason.”

“Of course, I also suspected the demon race might be preparing some major move in secret.”

“So I specially arranged for a large number of Death-Word Masters to fortify his defenses.”

As he spoke, he paused and took from his storage ring a turtle shell that had been burned until it was cracked and dry.

A few dark, unhealed drops of blood still stained its surface.

“So this time, I came hoping you could divine his fortune and misfortune.”

“I’ve already put in the required essence blood. You can use it directly.”

“Don’t tell me not to use it. I’ve already dripped it on there. If it isn’t used, it’s just a waste.”

Hearing this, Li Zong showed a look of reluctance, but in the end he still accepted the turtle shell.

“Your injuries have not healed yet. The essence blood required for this shell is far too damaging for you.”

“If there is a next time, and you do not discuss it with me first, then even if you have already dripped the blood on it, I will absolutely not use it!”

“You know me. I never lie.”

Lord Mu gave a helpless explanation.

“Anyway, I won’t be alive for many more years. I might as well make the most of the time I have left and contribute a little more to humanity...”

Halfway through, he looked up and found Li Zong’s gaze to be unwavering, so resolute it made him feel a sudden pang of unease.

The words in his throat no longer dared to come out.

In the end, he could only yield.

“All right, all right, I know, I know. Next time I’ll definitely discuss it with you first.”

“This time, just use it for now...”

Li Zong’s expression remained firm. Though his features were still youthful, it was instead the older Lord Mu who looked awkward.

“No more exceptions.”

Only after receiving that promise did he lift the turtle shell.

Then, holding the shell flat in one hand, he formed a sword seal with the other. A faint yellow glow radiated from his fingertips as he drew, in the air, a figure resembling some kind of character.

When the final stroke fell, the empty space before them suddenly filled with a huge character.

“Accept!”

Thud.

The character slammed down onto the turtle shell, shaking it violently.

Crack, crack.

The fissures on the shell began to widen, and a dim light leaked from within.

Just as Li Zong was about to sense the information hidden inside...

Bang.

Something inside the shell seemed to explode with the force of a bomb.

It flew straight out of Li Zong’s hands, slammed into the ceiling several meters high, then crashed back down to the ground.

“The divination... failed.”

“Someone has placed at least a Law-tier veil over him.”

Li Zong said with a grave expression.

“Law-tier?!”

Lord Mu was startled.

“Could it be his summoned spirits... no, no! His summoned spirits only carry the aura. They have not yet mastered the Law.”

“As far as I know, among the city lords of humanity, there doesn’t seem to be anyone who controls a similar Law...”

“Then perhaps some powerful existence who bears a grudge against the demon race as well happened to lend Song Qi a hand?”

That was the only explanation Lord Mu could think of.

“Then... we can be certain now.”

With that thought, he actually seemed somewhat relieved.

“Though I do not know which kind soul did this...”

“the demon race has absolutely already set its sights on that child!”

Although both of them were very clear that this veil was not the handiwork of humanity, the demon race would not care so much.

They would only assume that humanity had gone to great lengths to protect Song Qi.

If the curse-killings before were merely the appetizer,

then next, the demon race would likely bring out the main course.

“At the same time, I can finally be certain...”

“In yesterday’s list of competitors and staff, there must have been a demon race spy!”

He laughed lightly, carefree.

Rather than worrying over the fact that a traitor was hidden among them, he seemed relieved instead.

“Knowing where the enemy is is far better than searching blindly through the sea.”

“Having a direction is always better than wandering without purpose.”

As he finished, Lord Mu rose and brushed at nonexistent dust on his clothes.

“As for tomorrow’s match...”

“I hope you can let him off a little. Best if you can fight Song Qi for three hundred rounds.”

Li Zong considered it, then asked, “Luring the snake from its den? Or do you want me to test the limit of his strength?”

“Both. Do as you see fit.”

Lord Mu explained.

“In short, force out his full strength.”

“The more intense the fight, the better!”

“I just want to see what his potential and talent truly are.”

“Besides... since he has already been targeted, we may as well make it public.”

“Having one more genius will also help raise the morale of all humanity.”