The Ice Emperor stood motionless.
He casually drew a blank card from the void, clasped it between both hands, then quietly fixed his gaze on Gu Qingshan.
"At first, I didn't pay you much attention. It wasn't until those traitors showed themselves again that I realized your value. How did you manage to deceive me?"
In his hands, the blank card took on Gu Qingshan's likeness, and a star appeared in its upper-left corner.
The Ice Emperor pondered for a moment, then murmured to himself, "An ordinary Holy Chosen? No, I can sense the will of Chaos forming World Apocalypse Online behind you, and... there's also some ultimate mystery. That's why you deceived me."
As he spoke, two more stars appeared in the card's upper-left corner.
Three stars.
Gu Qingshan said nothing. He turned his hand and gripped the World-Defining Divine Sword, then took hold of the Tide Sound Sword with his other hand.
"Fine weapons, and you've got some nerve. You even managed to hold your own against my traitors."
Admiration showed on the Ice Emperor's face. He said softly, "You know, if another Bronze Lord stood here, they might tear you to pieces on the spot. But I'm different."
"I believe that," Gu Qingshan replied.
"Oh?" said the Ice Emperor.
"When you choose your people, you require them to at least discover your whereabouts before you give them the chance to follow you," Gu Qingshan said.
Fu Si had been accepted by this Bronze Lord and joined the War Sequence precisely because she had discovered the problem with the mountain bar.
The other Waiters had similar stories.
The Ice Emperor smiled inscrutably. "I don't want any mediocrities under me. Mediocrity belongs in the other sequences."
"You want me to become one of your people?" Gu Qingshan asked.
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