Game World: I Can Share Talents

Quite a few Witches shared Ailu’er’s sentiment. Thanks to their preconceived notions, they were all convinced that Westheid must have relied on his transcendent Charm and potent Revolving Wheel Technique to start leeching off a Great Demon.

Although Demons were great, inhuman existences, a Celestial God’s Shadow also possessed human emotions. Perhaps it even had a fixed physical form.

Falling in love with a mortal, while unprecedented, was theoretically possible.

And the idea that Duke Qinghui could be the pioneer was utterly convincing—after all, his Charm was already transcendent. If a mortal were to form a bond with a great being, surely they would have to be just like him.

"So, you needn’t worry about my ability to pay the price."

Westheid felt the Witches’ gazes were rather discourteous, but he didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he said persuasively,

"The Sub-Deity Power obtained from the Master of Extinction... even if there truly is a price, you will suffer no side effects. Feel free to use it."

"Duke Qinghui... you are being a bit too eager."

After processing Westheid’s "marital" status, Ailu’er tilted her head slightly and rested her cheek in her palm.

"Avoiding tedious and vexing contracts is naturally a great boon for us Demon Practitioners. But nothing in this world comes without a cost. So... what is it?"

"Is it as Hecate suggested? Do you want us all to be annexed into the Qinghui Territory?"

’Exactly!’

"Precisely. That is my intention."

Westheid admitted it without hesitation. If before he needed to conceal his ambitions with nonsense about "mutually beneficial cooperation," now he no longer needed any pretense. He could state plainly his intent to annex and absorb the Ring of Clear Skies.

Thanks to Wan Qi, he now controlled a stable and harmless Demon Path. At present, this was merely an alluring offer to the Ring of Clear Skies. But soon, when the Master of Greedy Banquet breaks free from its cage, the situation will be entirely different.

The Sub-Deity Power was far too crucial for the Witches; it concerned the very survival of their organization and their path. With such vital interests at stake, no other choice would be permissible.

Of course, the Witches did not yet feel such urgency. They were simply coveting the pure Demon Power provided by the Master of Extinction, viewing it as nothing more than a great convenience.

Hearing Westheid openly state his desire, Ailu’er exchanged subtle glances with her sisters, then offered a faint smile.

"In the past, many have sought to claim the Ring of Clear Skies for themselves. But it’s been so long since we’ve heard—"

Before Ailu’er could finish, Westheid stepped forward and cut her off. His chest was practically pressed against the Miss Witch, making her slender frame tremble as she tilted her head back to look up at his placid face.

"I believe you’re mistaken. I am not making a wish; I am stating an inevitable fact,"

the black-haired, violet-eyed man said.

"The Ring of Clear Skies will be absorbed into the Qinghui Territory and become my strong right arm. There is no other path."

The Witches, angered by his arrogant declaration, retorted:

"If we refuse to obey your command, will the Qinghui Army turn its blades against us?"

"One might think the Ring of Clear Skies is a soft target for the Qinghui Territory to crush at will."

"If anything, we are the ones in the superior position here."

"......."

Facing the grumbling but still alluring Witches, Westheid chuckled.

"Of course not. I have no intention of using force against the Ring of Clear Skies. I am simply confident that you will come to me of your own accord."

Ailu’er immediately let out a scornful laugh.

"You are... confident to the point of arrogance."

"Because I will accomplish what you long to, but dare not."

Duke Qinghui walked past Ailu’er and approached the other Witches, his voice calm.

"The Ring of Clear Skies has existed for decades, passed down through two generations. You’ve established a firm foothold in the Borderland, becoming its undisputed masters. And yet, to this day, you still squander your time, hesitating, failing to reclaim a single inch of your conquered homeland!"

Ailu’er tried to retort, "That’s because we aren’t prepared enough—"

"Ah, yes. The time isn’t right. You need foolproof preparations. You can’t afford to fail... These are all perfectly valid reasons, of course. I understand your hardships and your concerns. You can only rely on yourselves, and you delve into forbidden knowledge. One wrong step means plunging into an abyss, so it’s only right to be cautious."

Westheid nodded, then extended his arm and pointed in the direction of the Purity Forest.

"But I am not so prudent. If there is even a chance of success, I will not hesitate to wager everything!"

"That is why I left the comfort and prosperity of the Imperial Capital to return to the Qinghui Territory! That is why I accepted the power of a Demon without reservation! And that is why I will stop at nothing to expel the Chaos!"

"And so, I have washed away the shame of my fallen homeland with the blood of our enemies! I have made it so my people can once again hold their heads high! And I will continue to expand my army and prepare for war to liberate more lands lost to the Chaos Domain, so that all the displaced people will sing my name and praise my accomplishments!"

The man’s voice boomed with conviction. Pale golden sunlight illuminated his form, a perfect display of masculine virility and Charm. On his peerlessly handsome face, his deep, indigo-violet eyes blazed with unwavering resolve.

Then, his gaze softened, growing gentle.

Westheid gave a slight nod.

"I simply trust that all of you in the Ring of Clear Skies will not stand idly by as the Qinghui Army advances. I believe you will join our ranks... because your blood still runs warm, and because you have not forgotten your original purpose. Am I wrong?"

By the end of his speech, Hecate’s eyes were practically sparkling with hearts, and the other Witches were visibly dazed, an unusual light shining in their gazes.

Sensing the distinct change in their gazes, Westheid couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction.

He was determined to bind the Ring of Clear Skies to him with his Charm, and naturally, he had done his homework.

Though the Witches all appeared alluring and aloof, at their core, they were Scholars, and thus surprisingly innocent.

’To be honest,’ Westheid thought, ’the Ring of Clear Skies Witches aren’t true Powerhouses. They embarked on this forbidden path out of desperation, not by choice.’

’If they had a choice, they would much rather place their hopes in someone else—someone who could show them the way, someone who could relieve them of their heavy burdens.’

’They longed for a Hero to lead them.’

’Hecate’s admiration for a Hero who fights Chaos was something all the Witches shared; the Red-haired Witch was simply more open about it.’

’Since that was the case, Westheid didn’t mind becoming the very Hero these Witches craved. He would use his absolute ambition and the aura of a true Powerhouse to utterly conquer them!’

’And the results... were remarkably potent.’

Westheid said, "...Please, stay in the Qinghui Territory a while longer. Even if you don’t intend to join, consider yourselves my friends and guests, and allow me to fulfill my duties as a host."

Westheid had thought it would take some time for his words to take effect, but no sooner had he spoken than Ailu’er licked her lips, her gaze burning as she asked:

"Duke Qinghui, regarding this Demon Power of yours... I do have some questions, actually. I wonder if you might be able to provide some answers?"

’Huh? Why does everyone from the Ring of Clear Skies use the same euphemism?’

’Liliana, Hecate... none of them can seem to arrange a private meeting without calling it ’research,’ can they?’

Westheid smiled faintly and said,

"I have no objection. However, I am in the middle of expanding the ranks of the Qinghui Guard right now. Let’s put a pin in this chat for now. When midnight arrives... we can have a more... detailed discussion."

’Bagging the Ring of Clear Skies Witches is a piece of cake. Why? Because I’m the Qinghui Enchantress!’