The domain was lifted.
Shui Yao returned to the deck, her eyes filled with disbelief as she gazed at the majestic figure before her. She was still struggling to recover from the overwhelming shock. "You... You're a monarch!"
Judging by his appearance, there was no doubt that he belonged to the dragon race.
The status and position of a dragon monarch was incredibly exalted!
How could such a great being appear here, and why did he rescue her from these pirates?!
Wait!
A sudden realization struck Shui Yao.
To her knowledge, the true dragons on the continent lacked the ability to transform into draconians. That was a unique talent possessed only by some Abyssal Dragons in the abyssal world.
Therefore, draconians were an incredibly rare race on this continent.
Before this encounter, she had only seen draconians in one place. And that place was none other than the headquarters of the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce. Could it be mere coincidence? Highly unlikely!
"You come from the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce?"
"And you're a Demon King as well?!"
Zhang Nu smiled faintly. "Impressive. You're even smarter than I anticipated. I don't come from the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce. To be precise, I am the behind the scenes master of the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce."
Shui Yao had heard some insider information.
These rumors spoke of an immensely powerful Demon King residing in the Chaos Forest of the north, a figure that even the Thunder Empire struggled against.
The Dark Dragon merchant guild had obvious ties to the Chaos Forest; otherwise, they would not be able to transport large quantities of products crafted by elves and dwarves to the Azure Water Federation.
A Demon King with the power of a monarch and he claimed to be the secret mastermind behind the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce.
Under these circumstances, his identity and origins were not difficult to deduce.
"I wouldn't save a stranger without reason, and I believe you have already guessed my identity. So now you have two choices," Zhang Nu stated.
"First, follow me and become my subordinate. Join the Dark Dragon merchant guild and obey my commands."
"Second, I will allow you to depart from this world without any pain."
Shui Yao did not hesitate for long. "I am willing to pledge my allegiance to Your Majesty, the Demon King. However, I have one request: if given the opportunity, please help me avenge my parents by eradicating the Holy Tides City Heroes Guild!"
"Granted," the Demon King replied without hesitation.
For the Demon King, slaying Hero was as natural as a wolf preying on sheep. Such a request did not require an explicit agreement, whenever the opportunity presented itself, the Demon King would undoubtedly take the kills.
[White Sands Family Chieftain: Shui Yao is seeking affiliation under your banner. Accept?]
Zhang Nu successfully recruited the merfolk girl, though only individually, not the entire White Sands family.
Nevertheless, it did not matter.
Step by step, he would proceed. For the time being, having this merfolk girl by his side was sufficient.
Zhang Nu could not fully trust a newly recruited native subordinate, but to demonstrate her sincerity, the merfolk girl willingly drank a cup of Holy Grail of Blood's blood wine.
The Holy Grail of Blood was equivalent to a powerful contract. The effect of its blood wine was enough to provide assurance.
Zhang Nu realized that his journey had not been in vain.
Wasn't he trying to establish a connection with an influential force to expand the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce's business and establish a foothold in the Azure Water Federation? Now, without exerting much effort, the leader of the White Sands family, the merfolk chieftain, had become a direct subordinate of the Demon King.
This chess piece, although weak at the moment, was held by the Dragon Demon King himself.
She would play a crucial role in the Demon King's development of the Dark Dragon merchant guild, as well as in his plans for the Azure Water Federation.
As for pledging loyalty to the Demon King, Shui Yao felt no psychological pressure. Despite her young age, she had a keen mind and understood that this was an exceptional opportunity that could not be sought after.
First and foremost, this life was saved by the Demon King.
Merfolk were a race known for their gratitude, it was common for them to repay a debt of life by offering themselves in return. Thus, it did not matter to Shui Yao to pledge allegiance and devote herself to the Demon King.
Moreover, the White Sands merfolk family was facing challenging circumstances.
Although the Demon King's influence did not extend to the Azure Water Federation, the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce seemed promising. Only by receiving the assistance of the Demon King and the merchant guild could she lead her clan through this difficult time.
From this moment on, Shui Yao became a member of the Dark Dragon merchant guild. She also became a resident of the Darkness City.
Shui Yao had very limited knowledge about the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce and the Darkness City. She believed that since she had already decided to serve the Demon King, it was necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the Demon King, the Darkness City, and the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce.
To this end, the Demon King agreed.
He allowed Shui Yao to return to Dark Dragon Island and she would gain all the knowledge and information she desired.
Shui Yao did not dare to delay and quickly gathered her clan members to transport the supplies back to the family headquarters. After handling the affairs, she paid another visit to Dark Dragon Island.
"Chieftain Shui Yao."
"We meet again."
Rao Jian's face was filled with excitement as he said, "Mr. Long has already informed me about your situation. From now on, we're in this together. We must wholeheartedly manage the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce and make a name for Mr. Long in the Azure Water Federation."
Mr. Long?
He must be referring to the Demon King. It seemed that the Demon King did not want to be discovered.
Shui Yao asked, "Where is Mr. Long? I would like to visit him."
Rao Jian smiled and said, "You're a bit late. Mr. Long is constantly busy with important affairs. He returned yesterday."
"What? He left?"
Shui Yao felt a bit frustrated and disappointed. After all, she was the chieftain of a prominent merfolk clan, but the fact that His Majesty the Demon King had taken her in but then neglected her made her feel undervalued.
Rao Jian then suggested, "Although Mr. Long has already returned, Chieftain Shui Yao can go to his residence to find him."
"It's easier said than done."
"I can't simply leave everything behind."
Shui Yao grew even more frustrated. The Chaos Forest was thousands of miles away. Even with the swiftest flying magical beast, it would still take three or four days for a round trip.
Without explaining, Rao Jian simply said, "Follow me."
Shui Yao felt perplexed as she followed the gnome into the heart of the island treasury.
This was the guild's warehouse, heavily guarded with three large gates. As they walked towards the innermost section, Shui Yao sensed a fluctuation of energy.
Before her eyes, a white tower, twenty meters tall, adorned with intertwined runic formations and emanating a mysterious aura, suddenly appeared.
"This... What is this?"
"It's a teleportation tower created by Mr. Long!"
Rao Jian explained the function of the teleportation tower to Shui Yao.
He added, "The two teleportation towers have been connected with transfer nodes. If you wish to visit the Darkness City or the Chaos Forest, you can go at any time. Mr. Long has already approved it."
Upon hearing these words, Shui Yao was completely stunned. She had heard of teleportation facilities before, but the cost, time, materials, and craftsmanship required for such teleportation stations were unimaginable.
Across the vast territory of the Azure Water Federation, there were only a handful of teleportation stations. Even in the southern border of the Thunder Empire, including the Bachor Duchy, there were only five teleportation stations. The preciousness of such facilities was evident.
His Majesty the Demon King had actually prepared a teleportation facility for the Dark Dragon merchant guild?
This was truly unbelievable.
"Please, step inside."
Rao Jian activated the teleportation tower, creating a teleportation field.
Shui Yao composed herself, suppressing her excitement. She stepped into the teleportation field, feeling the surging spatial energy enveloping her. In an instant, a flash of light engulfed her vision.
After one or two seconds, the surroundings came back into focus.
The warm and humid environment of the island had vanished, replaced by a lush and verdant forest.
"Are you Chieftain Shui Yao from the Azure Water Federation?" a dragon soldier approached to verify her identity and said, "This is the Dark Forest, nestled within the Shadowy Valley. The main city is just over twenty miles to the east."
As a sea-dweller, Shui Yao had never ventured far from the ocean in her entire life.
She could never have imagined that one day she would find herself deep in the Chaos Forest, a staggering distance of 9,000 kilometers from Dark Dragon Island.
In a mere blink of an eye, she had crossed this vast expanse.The sheer power of the teleportation tower was awe-inspiring!
The Demon King had constructed teleportation towers both in the Darkness City and the Azure Water Federation, granting him unrestricted access to these two regions.
And vice versa.
As members of the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce, Shui Yao, Rao Jian, and their comrades could now easily travel to the Darkness City at any time.
It was beyond belief, so incredibly convenient!
As soon as Shui Yao arrived in the Darkness Valley, she felt an instantaneous surge in her various stats and abilities, experiencing an explosive growth.
Once a mere ordinary Level 4 lord, she now possessed the prowess of a top-tier Level 4 lord, capable of enduring prolonged battles even against formidable adversaries like the Level 4 overlord sharkfolk Hero.
But that was not all.
In the Darkness Valley, everything seemed to operate at twice the speed compared to the normal environment, be it recovery or training.
Was this really the Demon King's lair? It felt more like an unparalleled paradise, a hidden sanctuary rarely encountered in this world. Shui Yao could not help but entertain the thought of relocating her clan here, allowing them to train and bolster the strength of the White Sands clan.
Following the given directions, Shui Yao made her way to the Darkness City.
This majestic city, perpetually under construction, left the sea-dwelling native in awe once again.
Wasn't the Chaos Forest known as a desolate wilderness? How could such an unimaginably grand city come into existence?
Not only that, Shui Yao could sense a unique power emanating from every house, street, and well within the city. And let's not forget about the Soul Altar, Tower of Lost Trials, Altar of Inferno, Ancient Elven Sanctuary, Temple of Nature, Temple of War, and other structures that held an indescribable power.
She could clearly perceive that each of these buildings possessed an incredible force beyond imagination!
Though the population in the Darkness City was currently sparse, representatives of various races could be found, including giants, elves, orcs, trolls, dwarves, tigerfolks, bearfolks, and even goblins.
Witnessing the diverse inhabitants within the Darkness City, Shui Yao gained a whole new understanding of the Demon King. His majesty was not merely a tyrant driven by power and brutality, but a great ruler possessing terrifying creativity and governing prowess.
How else could such a miraculous city be constructed in the heart of the Chaos Forest, a land known for its untamed wilderness? How could numerous races, with varying strengths and conflicting interests, coexist harmoniously?
The Demon Dragon Castle stood majestic and towering, leaving Shui Yao in utter awe. She could sense the pervasive power enveloping the Darkness City and even the entire Darkness Valley, seemingly emanating from this very castle.
Stepping into the Demon Dragon Castle, the mermaid maiden beheld heavily fortified and grand palaces. The soldiers guarding the premises were at least draconian super soldiers, surpassing even the finest within the Azure Water Federation. It was a testament to the immense strength of the Demon King's army.
Just then, a thunderous shout reverberated, "You dare!"
In an instant, Shui Yao felt a shift in her surroundings, as if she was pulled into a desolate wasteland of rocky terrain. The gravity seemed to intensify a thousandfold, rendering her motionless and gasping for breath.
A monarch's domain, again?
Yet another monarch's domain!
Another figure of monarch-level stature!
Shui Yao was left bewildered.
Within the walls of the Demon King's castle, how could there be another monarch-level presence?
Then, a voice, wise but tinged with age, spoke up, "Zhang San, hold your ground! She is not an intruder. She is a new recruit under our master's command!"
Zhang San paused momentarily, releasing the Earth Domain and alleviating the intensified gravity. He glanced at the mermaid maiden and uttered, "So, you're one of our master's newly recruited followers. My previous judgment was mistaken, as I had not seen you before. I ask for your forgiveness."
"Great monarch... Are you also a subordinate of the Demon King?"
Zhang San shrugged dismissively, "Newcomer, there's no need for such astonishment. I, Zhang San, am just an insignificant servant under our master's command."
Shui Yao was utterly taken aback. The Demon King had actually brought a monarch-level figure into his fold!
What's even more absurd was that this monarch referred to himself as a servant, completely overturning Shui Yao's view.
Zhang San continued, "Don't be too surprised. Our master has more than one monarch-level subordinate. You'll come to understand this in due time. To our esteemed lord, what significance does a monarch hold?"
This was way beyond comprehension!
At that moment, Li Si chimed in, "Unfortunately, you've arrived when our master is away. However, if you don't mind, allow me to give you a tour of the various cities."
"Our lord specifically recruited you into the Dark Dragon Chamber of Commerce. It's important for you to acquaint yourself with the resource locations, production bases, and the current status of diverse industries across the cities."
Shui Yao raised a perplexed eyebrow, "Doesn't the Demon King have only one city?"
Li Si chuckled, "Of course not. Presently, 80% of the cities within the Chaos Forest have pledged their allegiance to our master, and the remaining ones will soon follow suit."