Devil's Son-in-Law

It's not that Python didn't want to get rid of Chen Rui, but from the perspective of interests, she needed to use the power of Chen Rui to enter the Holy Light Mountain again to comprehend the origin of creation. After all, this was the most important goal for her to come to the human world after lurking for so many years.

Chen Rui's murderous intention to Python was even heavier because Python had threatened the safety of his most cherished relatives and friends in the Demon Realm, and his cooperation with Python was not for profit, but forced by the situation. Neither Brilliant Thunder of Light nor Holy Grail was enough to really control Python, but it only increased the chip weight in his hand, which made him compete for the best result in the comparison of his current strength.

As for the Tower of Glory, it was an unexpected gain, and it was also a step for cooperation between the 2 parties.

Python proposed to continue staying on Chen Rui's wrist on the 6-star imprint, but Chen Rui rejected it, saying that it was currently inconvenient due to training and living needs. He only said that she could stay there when it was time to go to the Holy Light Mountain. Chen Rui tentatively brought the topic to the equality contract, but Python quietly changed the topic. After personally experiencing Chen Rui's abolition of Pseudo-God's contract and the strange power of the 'Kingdom of God', Python no longer had the previous high-level look-down mentality at least in terms of ability and scheming. Instead, she put Chen Rui at the height of an almost equal opponent.

With the experience of the Holy Light Mountain battle, whether it was Chen Rui or Python, they were even warier of each other. In fact, the real trump cards of both parties must be more than what they saw on the surface. No one was sure who would be the final winner at present.

Python stayed in the lord's mansion. Chen Rui then explained the origin of Python to Zola and Isabella. Even Zola was surprised. She didn't expect that this 'guest' who came to visit and had a good understanding of magic was actually the powerful Pseudo-God in the silver box of Dark Moon Estate!

However, this terrifying enemy had now done hiding, and she had changed into a 'temporary ally' with common interests. In any case, before heading to the Holy Light Mountain, the danger factor of Python was not too threatening for the time being.

In the evening.

The Dragon Bright Empire Royal Palace.

Lex the Great was contemplating on the throne. The recent disappearance of Arthur had complicated the relationship with the Blue Glory Empire and must be carefully sorted out to maximize the benefits.

In fact, as a father with the bloodline sense, he knew better than anyone that Arthur might be missing, but he wasn't dead.

At this time, Ulse, the leader of the imperial guards team, came to report, "Your Majesty, Princess Freya has something important to report to Your Majesty."

Lex the Great pondered, "Let her in."

"Yes."

Soon, Princess Freya appeared before Lex the Great.

Lex the Great was still very fond of this daughter because Freya was not only well-behaved and docile, but she was also born to the late Queen Ikrina. There were countless women in Lex the Great's life, and hundreds of concubines were already registered, but the only woman he loved was Ikrina. After Ikrina passed away due to illness, he still hadn't elected another queen.

The love for her extended to her children, so Lex also doted on the pair of children, Arthur and Freya, left by Ikrina. However, Arthur disappeared 7 years ago, and now he reappeared and set off a series of waves. Especially the refusal to marry in public in the Blue Glory Empire; it was hard to imagine that it was caused by the son who was calm and wise in front of him. Not only that, Lex was also troubled by the fact that Arthur disappeared again after this much-publicized rejection of the marriage…

"Father."

Princess Freya's voice interrupted Lex the Great's thoughts. Looking at the pretty daughter standing in front of him, Lex vaguely saw the shadow of Ikrina, and his gaze softened a lot.

"Freya, what's the matter?"

"Father, I…"

Seeing her fumbling, Lex smiled, "Are you worried about Proyo? He's now staying in the Blue Glory Empire as an envoy to negotiate Arthur's disappearance. You want me to transfer him back to the empire?"

"No…" Although Freya didn't have any special fondness for the marriage partner, Proyo, the other party was the confirmed fiance after all, so the girl's face suddenly turned red as she shook her head vigorously. She looked at the surrounding imperial guards, "Father, I want to report this matter to you alone, okay?"

Lex nodded, waved his hands, and the imperial guards all backed away.

"Okay, Freya, now you can talk."

Freya hesitantly said, "It's actually the third brother…"

"Arthur?" Lex frowned. His pupils shrank suddenly, and his eyes turned to a figure gradually condensing beside Freya. The original questioning tone also changed to shock, "Arthur!"

Originally, Lex the Great had a special kind of bloodline sense for his children. However, he didn't know whether it was due to some special concealment ability or the illusion caused by Freya's presence, this missing son suddenly appeared now without the slightest warning in advance.

"Your Majesty." Chen Rui bowed to Lex.

"I'm sorry, Father, I…" Freya lowered her head.

"It's not Freya's fault," Chen Rui glanced at the younger sister with a smile, "I let her keep it a secret for now."

Lex felt the clear bloodline power and nodded slightly, "Freya, you go out first and instruct Ulse to be on guard. No one is allowed to approach me without my order."

Freya gave Chen Rui an encouraging gaze before she bowed and stepped back.

After Freya left, Lex asked, "Arthur, what happened? Where have you been these days?"

"I don't know what the specific place name is. I only know that it is a hell-like existence. If it weren't for luck, my life and soul would have been annihilated. I have to pay a heavy price just to save my life - All 3 guardians have fallen."

"With the strength of your 3 guardians… all of them actually died?" Lex was shocked. Originally, in his impression, the super-level strong man with a lazy appearance and a wine bottle in his hand was the strongest guardian. Even the strange onion had a breath that made the ordinary Saint powerhouse tremble. Meanwhile, those 3 women were much inferior.

However, after receiving the intel from Proyo, he learned that the real strongest guardian was the mysterious woman with a veil, Zola, who also had an identity as a woman of 'Arthur'.

Arthur actually has such a powerful woman.

The most incredible thing was that 3 such powerful guardians actually died! It could be seen how dangerous the encounter that 'Arthur' experienced!

"Yes, they are all dead, but they won't die in vain." Chen Rui's face didn't show any emotion, but his gaze was like ice. Even Lex couldn't help but feel a chill.

Lex quietly changed the subject, "Why refuse marriage?"

"I remember when I first met Grand Master Chique, Your Majesty asked me to stay for a talk," Chen Rui's cold eyes gradually subsided, "Before leaving, Your Majesty asked me a question."

"What I'm asking was, 'What do you want'?" Lex had a pretty good memory and immediately remembered. He sneered coldly, "Publicly rejecting marriage, causing disputes between the 2 empires… Is that what you want?"

"No, that's not what I want… Maybe, it's what Your Majesty wants." Chen Rui shook his head and said something startling.

"Nonsense!" Lex slapped the armrest heavily. The special metal material emitted a muffled echo. He said angrily, "What do you mean by that?!"

"Does Your Majesty remember, I once said to Your Majesty - 'My reappearance will break the original balance and even more things, but I can promise that I will not shake Your Majesty's ruling. I will only make it stronger."

"You did say so, but what you're doing right now is simply disrupting the balance! Just for the woman whose husband died, for the so-called old love, you are willing to abandon your fiancee who has been waiting for you for 7 years and slap the Blue Glory Empire's King Klongter in the face!"

Facing Lex's undisguised anger, Chen Rui smiled and shook his head, "Landbis didn't wait for me for 7 years, but I was 'waited by' Your Majesty for 7 years. During these 7 years, she rose step by step in the turbulent struggle from an ignorant girl, and even became a strong contender for the throne. I guess… the urging behind Your Majesty should have played a considerable role, especially in her initial stage—— The Blue Glory Empire is powerful, but a solid castle is often captured from within. From this perspective, Your Majesty made a well-thought-out move."

Lex's anger gradually subsided, and he took a deep look at Chen Rui without speaking. His index finger continued to move on the armrest. This was a subconscious habitual action that was usually done only in 2 situations. The first was restlessness, and the second was killing intent.

"It's just that, in recent years, the ability and daring that Landbis has shown also includes something called 'ambition', which has exceeded Your Majesty's expectations and has also become more and more difficult to control. If she really inherits the Blue Glory Empire, then that castle will most likely be more difficult to conquer. To use an unfamiliar phrase to describe it, it is 'making a wedding dress for others'. So after I returned, Your Majesty soon restarted the marriage with the Blue Glory Empire. Just such a decision has reshuffled the political situation in the Blue Glory Empire. Even if the marriage fails, you can better control some things… Unfortunately, some things are unforeseeable. Now, Landbis has taken advantage of the situation to rise. It will be difficult for Your Majesty to repeat the old tricks."

"Go on." Lex's eyes flickered slightly as his fingers continued the habitual rhythm of tapping.

Chen Rui said with emotion, "People's desires are endless, especially the desire for power and control. Your Majesty's ambition has always been big. Although the Dragon Bright Empire is 1 of the 2 Holy Empires, it has been unable to satisfy Your Majesty. The above is just my guess. If there is any offense, may Your Majesty forgive me."

"Judging from your attitude, you don't care about the so-called 'offend' or 'forgiveness at all'." Lex sneered, "That's all your guess?"

"Your Majesty, your gaze now tells me that you are in a dilemma. In fact, this contradiction has always existed. First of all, as a father, you must hope that your children are as good as possible, even better than yourself." Chen Rui didn't care about Lex's fierce gaze, "However, as a ruler… you often hope that your children can have excellent abilities to inherit the empire, yet you worry that they are too good that it will threaten your status. Am I right, 'father?"

Lex narrowed his eyes, "Since that time, it's the first time you've called me 'father' after so many years. I'd be happier if your tone wasn't so sarcastic."

"Your Majesty really cares about this title? Your Majesty has always been a ruler with a strong desire to control, as can be seen from the absolute domination of the Dragon Bright Empire. It's just that there are 2 sides to everything. It is because of your desire to control that you want your officers and even your sons to follow your subconsciously prescribed route and range. Once we exceed this range, you will try to 'correct' what you think is a 'threat' or 'mistake'. As a prince, I'm already good enough, far beyond the expectations of the 'father', and even beyond a certain boundary. If I really marry a 'strong helper' like Landbis, once I get out of control, I'm afraid that It will be more difficult for 'father' to be at ease. You want me to be excellent, but you don't want me to be too excellent. You want to kill the future threat that Landbis may pose to the Dragon Bright Empire through marriage, and yet you are worried that my 'joint' with Landbis will shake your throne. As a ruler, such a contradiction is understandable, but doesn't Your Majesty feel too tired? If everything is really going according to the framework of your constraints, you think that a 'shaped' person is really capable of inheriting this empire?"

"You can 'guess' to this point, it is indeed better than I thought." Lex took a deep breath, "If you can really inherit power from me, you will probably become an excellent ruler with far better achievements. But the premise is that you can wait until that day. There can be many good princes, but there is only one ultimate ruler. You're much stronger and smarter than Luke and Garfield, I don't think you are an impatient idiot. The more I test, the more I feel like I can't see through you. I don't understand. Why do you want to speak directly like this? Why can't you be as restrained as Luke?"

"What should be understood, will be understood eventually." Chen Rui shrugged. With that said, he said a proverb that Lex couldn't understand, showing an indifferent expression, "Then, the test that Your Majesty said… refers to the Black Rock Mountain's ambush?"

As soon as these words came out, Lex's facial expression changed slightly. The index finger that tapped on the armrest stopped abruptly.

TL: Does he want to dethrone Lex?