The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

"Have the Merfolk Race thought it through?"

An old scholar spoke calmly.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk's expression was grim, and he did not answer directly.

"I will report this matter to my Imperial Father. He will make the decision."

This old scholar before him was none other than the Mr. Yuan those Xuan Yang officials had been pursuing, and here he was, right inside the Water Court.

Mr. Yuan scoffed. "I'm afraid the Jue Emperor is not far from his tribulation, is he?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the side hall grew even heavier.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk narrowed his slender eyes.

It was true. The Xuanjiang Aquatic Race was facing its greatest crisis in a thousand years.

The pillar of the Water Court, the Jue Emperor, was about to face a once-in-a-millennium heavenly tribulation. If he passed, his lifespan would increase by another thousand years; if he failed, he would be reduced to nothing but ash.

The Jue Emperor had already lived for a very long time. He had passed two heavenly tribulations before, and this one would only be more terrifying.

Even the Jue Emperor himself did not have much confidence.

That was why the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk was meeting with Mr. Yuan—to secure a way out for the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race.

It was true that the Jue Emperor had signed a pact with Xuan Yang's founding emperor back then, but a thousand years had passed, and times had changed.

The reason Xuan Yang had been so amicable toward the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race was not because they were keeping their word or honoring a thousand-year-old promise, but simply because the Jue Emperor's power was too great.

As long as the Jue Emperor was present, the Xuan Yang Court was still wary. But if the Jue Emperor were to die under the heavenly tribulation, what would happen afterward was anyone's guess.

The later Emperors of Xuan Yang grew more and more insatiably greedy, and had already attempted to encroach upon the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race several times.

But they were all thwarted by the Jue Emperor. Without the Jue Emperor, the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race would no longer be able to stand against the Human Race.

Currently, the strongest in the Aquatic Race was only the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk, a Tier Eight Great Demon. Against a Divine Communication Powerhouse from the Human Race, he would be completely at their mercy.

Therefore, they had to find another way out.

And the only power in this world that could contend with Xuan Yang was, of course, the Demon Sect.

Mr. Yuan had seen this opportunity, which was why he had appeared in the Xuanjiang Water Court.

A thousand years ago, the Aquatic Race had fought alongside Xuan Yang to drive the Demon Sect to the Northern Plains. Now, two of the parties were joining forces once again.

There truly are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk snorted coldly. "My Imperial Father is in the prime of his life. I suggest you watch your words, sir."

Mr. Yuan chuckled. "No matter. I can wait."

With that, he sat down cross-legged in the side hall and said no more.

Although the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk was displeased with Mr. Yuan's arrogant behavior, he could only endure it.

After all, he knew that everything Mr. Yuan had said was true.

Once the Jue Emperor fell and the Xuan Yang Court moved to exterminate the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race, Mr. Yuan would be his last hope.

...

"Lord Fang, aren't you afraid that Merfolk Prince was lying?"

An official from the Ministry of Justice questioned him.

As the Government Office responsible for interrogating criminals, the Ministry of Justice knew better than anyone that the human heart was difficult to fathom—and the hearts of merfolk were no different.

Fanghua smiled faintly. "Of course I don't believe him. It was just to rattle their cage."

The reason he went to the Water Court was to put pressure on the Merfolk Race, forcing them to show their hand sooner.

Emperor Xuanyang had long been eyeing the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race covetously. He just lacked a reason to act, and now was the perfect opportunity.

As long as they could obtain proof of the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race's secret dealings with the Demon Sect, the pact between the two races would naturally be void.

Furthermore, according to the Astronomical Bureau's calculations, the Old Jue Emperor was about to face his heavenly tribulation.

Fanghua said, "We will lie in wait nearby. With the Old Jue Emperor's tribulation imminent, the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race is bound to lose its composure."

Hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

The current Emperor was determined to become a peerless emperor for the ages, just like the Grand Ancestor Emperor. He vowed to unify all forces within the Profound Sun Realm, and the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race was the most crucial piece of the puzzle.

If they could find leverage against the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race this time, it would surely be a major accomplishment.

...

Days passed.

Bai Yuan and his group had been staking out the banks of the Xuanjiang, observing the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race's every move.

"A squad of merfolk is patrolling in the mountains."

Bai Yuan closed his eyes, sensing the demonic energy.

Fanghua had long since witnessed Bai Yuan's methods for finding demons.

He couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had brought Bai Yuan to the Xuanjiang. Otherwise, with their own methods, they would never have been able to detect the merfolk from such a great distance.

"Just as I thought, they couldn't hold back."

Now that the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race had made a move, an opening would soon present itself.

Fanghua had a faint premonition. There was an eighty percent chance the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race had already met with that Elder Demon Yuan.

...

「The Water Court.」

Seven days. In another seven days, it would be time for the Jue Emperor's heavenly tribulation.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk's mood had sunk to rock bottom. He was almost certain that the Jue Emperor had no chance of surviving this heavenly tribulation.

If the Jue Emperor were to survive this tribulation, he would very likely become a Celestial Demon, a being comparable to a human Martial Saint.

Unfortunately, the Jue Emperor simply did not possess that kind of power.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk held a piece of jade as pure and white as moonlight. An image was materializing on its surface.

The Xuan Yang officials who had previously come to the Water Court were clearly visible in the image.

"Shameless Human Race!"

The fury in the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk's heart had reached its peak.

For the past thousand years, although the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race had remained prosperous, it had never produced a Tier Nine Great Demon.

Aside from the fact that the Demon Race naturally grew very slowly, there was another reason: whenever an exceptionally talented Water Demon appeared among the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race, they would die a mysterious and premature death.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk knew, of course, that those Water Demons had all died at the hands of the Profound People.

Or rather, they had all died as part of the Court's schemes.

All of it was to prevent another Great Demon like the Jue Emperor from appearing in the Aquatic Race.

That was why, over the past thousand years, the Aquatic Race had produced more and more powerhouses, yet not a single one had managed to break through to Tier Nine.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk made his decision.

「In the side hall.」

Mr. Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

"Have you made up your mind?"

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk snorted coldly. "Can the Demon Sect truly guarantee my race's safe passage to the Northern Ice River?"

Mr. Yuan replied, "Of course. Besides... it seems the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race has no other choice."

"..."

A long silence fell over the side hall.

Finally, the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk let out a soft sigh.

Just as the human before him had said, the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race had no path of retreat. Though the Demon Sect couldn't be trusted either, their interests were at least aligned. Until the Xuan Yang Dynasty was overthrown, they would not move against the Aquatic Race.

The Northern Ice River that Mr. Yuan spoke of was the new home the Demon Sect had chosen for the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race.

He had heard that river was frigid all year round, but that was still better than staying in the Xuanjiang to be annihilated by the Profound People.

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk asked, "Then what should we do next?"

Seeing the change in the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk's tone, Mr. Yuan's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "First, kill the few Profound People staking out the area outside the Xuanjiang."

The Seventh Prince of the Merfolk took a deep breath.

"Alright!"

He knew very well that the heads of those Profound People would be his pledge of allegiance to the Demon Sect.

Mr. Yuan seemed to recall something. "There's a young official among them, surnamed Bai. Don't kill him."

"Understood."

A cold glint flashed in the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk's eyes as he turned and left.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!