The Prefect's Thoughts

Lake Tamokin was a golden lake southeast of Liang'an City. Its shores were covered with unusual emerald-green flowers and plants. From a distance, the water reflected the greenery, creating a beautiful natural landscape.

The lake was surrounded by a ring of mountains, and no bandit groups roamed the area. At the bottom of the lake, a thousand li deep, stood a magnificent mansion a hundred meters tall. A transparent film shimmered over the bricks and stones along its walls, keeping the water out.

At that moment, inside the golden mansion, an elderly white-haired servant was reporting to a purple-haired middle-aged man seated in a small, elegant courtyard, his eyes closed.

"Oh? You mean the Iceblood City Lord, Ren?"

Alfred, Prefect of Liang'an, had been resting with his eyes closed. Now he suddenly opened them, and two streaks of purple lightning flashed in his gaze.

"Yes, my lord. City Lord Ren is competing in the Battlefield in Liang'an City. He has already won fifty matches. Here is the information we have on him." The white-haired elder bowed slightly and handed over a detailed report, keeping his head lowered as he spoke.

Ren's identity was unknown to most ordinary residents. For one thing, he had cultivated for only a few tens of millions of years, making him relatively young. And when he fought the previous City Lord, no Floating Projection had been recorded. As a result, few people in Liang'an Prefecture had ever seen Ren's true appearance.

For another, Seven-Star Demon City Lords usually made their titles public rather than their names. Unless Ren said he was the Iceblood Fiend or the City Lord of Iceblood City, people wouldn't connect the name Ren with the Iceblood Fiend.

That was why, at the Battlefield, almost none of the million spectators knew Ren's identity. The only exception was Ophelia, the silver-haired manager who had been fortunate enough to see the information from Fiend Castle. Of course, ordinary residents were one thing; Fiend Castle was another.

Ophelia had reported the matter immediately that very day. Fiend Castle promptly relayed it to Hobbs Percy, the Prefect's steward. As the Prefect's steward, Hobbs understood what it meant for a Seven-Star Demon City Lord to compete in the Battle Arena, so he had come to see the Prefect at once.

"Oh? Becoming a Seven-Star Demon after about ten million years of cultivation is certainly impressive. But challenging me after only another twenty million years? This young fellow is getting ahead of himself."

Alfred took the report and flipped through it casually before shaking his head.

As a veteran Asura, Alfred had lived through countless ages and seen too many geniuses fall. Ren's talent was certainly respectable, but Alfred didn't think it was anything special. As for defeating him, he couldn't imagine someone who had cultivated for a mere thirty million years managing it.

"Since he's already won fifty matches in a row, have Electra go meet him. If he can't get past Electra, there's no need for him to bother me."

Alfred put away the report and waved a hand.

"Yes, my lord." At Alfred's instruction, Hobbs replied at once and withdrew respectfully.

"I wonder whether City Lord Ren has any chance of earning the Prefect's recognition. But given Electra's strength and judgment, it seems unlikely."

After leaving the Prefect's chambers, Hobbs muttered under his breath. He wasn't optimistic about Ren.

Electra was the strongest Seven-Star Demon under the Prefect. He cultivated the Law of Destruction, and his ultimate technique, Light of Destruction, had tremendous offensive power. The Prefect had once said that Electra's material attacks alone nearly reached the level of a Commander. So despite Electra's unusual interests, the Prefect still valued him highly.

Talented fighters had competed in Liang'an City's Battlefield before and earned the Hundred-Battle Victory. But ever since Electra became the Prefect's subordinate, no one had succeeded. Each one had lost to Electra after winning fifty matches in a row.

Hobbs had served as the steward of Liang'an Prefecture for countless years. He had seen far too many so-called geniuses. Liang'an City had produced several Hundred-Battle Victory champions, and Hobbs had seen at least eighty of them, if not a hundred. Only two or three had ultimately challenged the Prefect, and none had lasted three moves against him.

And all of those challenges had taken place before Electra became the Prefect's subordinate. Ever since Electra arrived, whenever someone reached fifty consecutive wins in the Battlefield, Electra would test them in the Prefect's stead. If they were strong enough, he would invite them to serve the Prefect. If they refused, he killed them.

Over the years, no one had ever defeated Electra. Most were killed by him. The sole survivor was Belfield, the current City Lord of Beifei City. Electra had spared him because he was willing to serve the Prefect, and he was now a direct subordinate of Alfred, Prefect of Liang'an.

In the central residential district of Liang'an City, a dazzling courtyard spanning more than a hundred meters stood. A handsome young man in blue robes was kneeling in the outer room.

"Hm?" A moment later, the young man seemed to sense something. He looked up at the sky in confusion.

"Whoosh!"

A visible streak of white light descended from the sky and touched down on the ground, transforming into a mild-looking, white-haired elder.

"Mr. Hobbs, what brings you here?" The handsome young man in blue robes immediately stood and asked respectfully.

"Salomon, is Mr. Electra here? The Prefect has something to discuss with him, so I came to see."

The white-haired elder, Hobbs, smiled warmly and looked at Salomon as he asked.

Though he had phrased it as a question, Hobbs knew Electra was always here and had never left. Still, he was here to pay Electra a visit, and basic courtesy mattered.

Hobbs knew his place well. Though he was the Prefect's steward, he was only a Five-Star Demon. Stewards were everywhere, and the Prefect kept him mostly because he didn't want to manage the day-to-day affairs himself. Hobbs wasn't all that important.

As a steward who had been able to stay by the Prefect's side for countless years, Hobbs had his own code of conduct. Treating others kindly was a basic principle. So he always showed due respect to Electra, Belfield, and the other Seven-Star Demons under the Prefect.

As for Electra's disciple, Salomon Boy, Hobbs knew Electra wasn't the sort to care much about his student. Hobbs didn't pay Salomon particular attention, but he didn't put on airs around him either.

"My teacher is in his room. Please go right in, Mr. Hobbs. He once told me that you could come in without being announced." Salomon immediately answered with a friendly smile. He looked like an ordinary, sunny young man.