Chapter 319 The New City Lord_1
All nine votes went to Ouyang Ming.
Upon hearing the announcement from the nine elders, the crowd was shocked and astonished.
Jin Chiyang had been defeated, losing outright and having to relinquish his position as City Lord.
However, they didn't think there was anything fishy going on, someone colluding with the Martial Emperor, because not even one vote went to Jin Chiyang, and the artifact that had been refined better than the Heavenly Dragon Tower was enough to explain everything.
"City Lord Jin, although your Heavenly Dragon Tower is also excellent, our judgement is that the Heavenly Dragon Tower was bestowed with the spirit of a half-step True God, the Heavenly Dragon, which took advantage of the Dragon's spirit. However, Ouyang Ming has bestowed his artifact with a spatial attribute using the flame of his refining, the difference in quality is clear.
Do you have any objections to our nine-person judgement?"
One of the elders said: "If there are no objections, you will be removed from your position as City Lord."
"I have no objections."
Jin Chiyang's face was gloomy.
Although he couldn't accept it in his heart, as an accomplished Refining Master himself, he knew that as soon as the Sky Warship showed spatial attributes, it had already surpassed his Heavenly Dragon Tower.
The device he refined was inferior to the other party's, this was fact and there was no point arguing. Enjoy more content from empire
Persisting in arguing would only bring him further humiliation.
"Ouyang Ming wins."
Even more gloomy was the half-step True God of the Imperial Dynasty.
Ouyang Ming was a member of Dawu, which meant that some of the power of the City of Refining would be concentrated on Dawu in the future, that was not good news.
"Ouyang Ming, although your father is Ou Yangzi, your refining techniques seem quite unusual compared to his. What puzzles me is that in just a hundred years, you seem to have become a different person."
The nine elders were all puzzled.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"You've got it wrong. My refining skills didn't improve over a hundred years, but over the year and a half since I joined Dawu."
Ouyang Ming said.
"What? How is it possible that you have become a completely different person in just over a year!"
The nine elders exclaimed incredulously.
"Haha, you nine elders need not be too shocked, your Majesty's power is beyond your imagination."
As he spoke, he turned to Chu Yuan, after receiving a signal from him, he brought out nine thin booklets, and said: "You will understand once you finish reading this."
"What is this?"
The nine elders opened the booklets, as if opening a new world, they stood frozen in place for a long time before they let out a sigh of relief. "The insights recorded here are all from divine level Refining Masters!"
These insights were not from one person, but from many different divine-level Refining Masters, any one of which was enough to overpower them.
They finally understood the reason for Ouyang Ming's rapid improvement.
"Actually, this is only a small part," said Ouyang Ming: "As long as you obey his Majesty's commands and make contributions, there will be even more insights from divine-level masters."
He had only copied a few pages so far.
Making Ouyang Ming the City Lord was just the first step, next they had to make the nine elders wholeheartedly loyal to Chu Yuan, in order to control the entire City of Refining.
"Can we resist such a temptation?"
The nine elders were not fools, they knew what Ouyang Ming meant, but they couldn't resist such a temptation. If they thoroughly studied so many insights from divine level masters, they might even be able to break through to the realm of True Gods.
When one becomes a True God, even if it's a weak True God, one would have a life span of 100,000 years and can suppress half-step True Gods at will.
Status and power are what everyone pursues, right?
"We should go and report this to his Majesty."
The people of the Imperial Dynasty said.
"Martial Emperor!"
Li Rong saw the change in expressions of the nine elders and exclaimed: "Could you let me take a look as well?"
Chu Yuan nodded, allowing Ouyang Ming to give him a copy of the booklet.
When Li Rong saw it, his eyes couldn't move away. He was engrossed in it, at last, he surprisingly said: "Martial Emperor, I, Li Rong, am an independent cultivator with no school or sect behind me. I wish to join Dawu, to become your Majesty's subject, and serve at your behest!"
Even the very existence of a half-step True God is willing to pledge allegiance.
"Li Rong, you!"
Seeing Li Rong willingly join Dawu seemed like a slap on the face of the Xuanzun Imperial Dynasty's formidable members. They fell into a blazing fury and rebuked, "Dare you betray Xuanzun!"
"Ha ha, I just agreed to participate in this Artifact Refining competition with you, our deal is over." Li Rong sneered, "I never belonged to the Xuanzun Imperial Dynasty."
"Why should I accept you? What value do you bring?" Chu Yuan said.
"Long live the emperor!"
Li Rong took it upon himself to kneel, demonstrating an act of allegiance, "I hope Your Majesty allows me to join Dawu. I am willing to take an oath, to refine Divine Artifacts for Your Majesty."
"If you want to obtain the true understanding of Artifact Refining, surrender your Soul Origin. I don't trust oaths."
Could Chu Yuan really trust the oath of a demonic cultivator?
A sinister flame flickered in his hand, the Netherworld Soul Lamp had the power to imprison souls.
"Soul Origin!"
Li Rong struggled, saying, "As long as Your Majesty gives me the same Artifact Refining enlightenment as Ouyang Ming, I am willing to surrender my Soul Origin, I ask for Your Majesty's promise."
"What makes you think you're in a position to demand a promise from me? You're begging me, not the other way around."
Chu Yuan was about to put away the Netherworld Soul Lamp.
"I surrender, I agree to surrender!"
Li Rong bared his teeth, and handed a ball of Soul Origin into Chu Yuan's hands.
He was helpless, his Path of Artifact Refining had reached a bottleneck, unable to further breakthrough, forever trapped at the realm of demi-gods, until his life force is depleted.
But the little booklet he saw just now gave him hope for a breakthrough, that he might become a True God level powerhouse.
To become a True God, he was willing to pay everything.
"From now on, you are a man of Dawu. Follow Ouyang Ming, you will get more understanding of the True Essence of Artifact Refining."
Chu Yuan put away the Netherworld Soul Lamp. This kind of demonic cultivator could only be trusted if he was firmly controlled.
"Dawu has attracted a demi-god to its cause!"
Many people saw this scene and knew that the strength of Dawu had increased yet again, not a good news for the Xuanzun Imperial Dynasty.
"Li Rong, you did well. I hope you won't regret leaving the Xuanzun Imperial Dynasty."
The demi-god of the Xuanzun Imperial Dynasty had a dreadful expression and left furiously.
"Since the completion of this competition, let us have the City Lord's succession ceremony tomorrow."
Chu Yuan proposed.
"Respected Emperor of Dawu, there is no problem with that. Ouyang Ming's Artifact Refining skill has won us over. His becoming the City Lord is right and fitting."
The Nine Elders hurriedly answered.
Trapped at the demi-god realm for a long time, they eagerly wanted to gain more understanding of the True Essence of Artifact Refining, and thus they submitted to Chu Yuan.
They didn't want to be controlled by anyone, but they were bitter, for the opponent's true understanding of Artifact Refining was like a life-saving elixir, immeasurably vast in providence, firmly controlling them.
"Jin Chiyang, prepare to abdicate tomorrow, I'll be waiting here for you."
Chu Yuan turned to Jin Chiyang.
"I will, Emperor, don't worry."
Jin Chiyang was almost gritting his teeth as he spoke. This Emperor not only had Ouyang Ming defeat him, but also the little booklet he exposed drew the Nine Elders to his side, his forces were eroding.
How could he possibly be resigned in his heart?
With the Artifact Refining competition over, everyone dispersed. However, today's shocking events were far from over.
Everyone knew that the new City Lord was from Dawu, and the Nine Elders had expressed their loyalty. Dawu, almost unnoticed, had seized control of the City of Artifact Refining, something even the Xuanzun Imperial Dynasty had failed to do.
After Jin Chiyang left, he went to a secret chamber in the City Lord's mansion.
In front of him, two more people appeared, seemingly discussing something.