"Zhou Hong, you are despicable and shameless! If you have the guts, don't use these base tactics. Face me honorably!" the City Lord roared.
"I will."
The City Lord was taken aback. He had expected Zhou Hong to retort, "Who's stupid enough to be honorable with you?" but instead, Zhou Hong agreed.
"What do you mean? If you have the guts, give me the antidote first and let me recover," the City Lord tried to provoke him, hoping Zhou Hong would be foolish enough to give him the antidote if he was goaded.
"Fine, I'll give you one antidote pill first. After you take it, you'll be back to normal. Then, let's see what else you can say about me being despicable."
Zhou Hong immediately produced an antidote pill from his person and tossed it to the City Lord.
This move completely flustered the City Lord.
"Hmph, you think I'd believe you? This must be a fake antidote."
"Whether it's real or fake, you'll know after you eat it. I, Zhou Hong, do things honorably. How could I give you a fake?"
The City Lord pondered for a moment. If Zhou Hong wanted to poison him, there would be no need for such elaborate deception. He immediately swallowed the antidote.
As expected, in a short while, the City Lord felt his body fill with strength, and he returned to his normal state.
"Hahaha, Zhou Hong, you've been tricked!" the City Lord burst into laughter. Feeling his power return, he was once again filled with confidence.
"How have I been tricked?"
"I deliberately provoked you to see if you'd be foolish enough to give me the antidote first. To my surprise, you actually gave it to me! Hahaha, you idiot! Now, what can you do to me?"
Zhou Hong feigned a look of sudden realization and exclaimed, "I've been tricked by you!"
"Hmph, Zhou Hong, you killed my daughter, dismembered my son, and now you want to harm me! Today, if I don't tear you into eight pieces, I'll change my surname to yours!"
"Don't be ridiculous. We surnamed Zhou don't have useless people like you."
"Die!" The City Lord no longer had the patience for banter. He charged forward, intending to kill Zhou Hong.
"Wait a moment." Zhou Hong quickly called out to stop him.
"Do you have any last words?"
"City Lord, my father-in-law must have told you. The antidote I gave you requires you to take one pill every month, otherwise, you'll revert to your previous state."
"You...!" The City Lord finally remembered that the Black Orchid Demon King had indeed mentioned this before.
"City Lord, I originally intended to kill you and refine you into a puppet artifact. However, after arriving in this underground chamber, I had a change of heart. Refining you into a puppet would greatly reduce your power compared to your current self. Therefore, I won't kill you for now. Of course, this depends on whether you're sensible. If you're not, I'll still refine you into a puppet. You choose."
Indeed, Zhou Hong had initially planned to refine the City Lord into a puppet. But now that his Demon Subduing Pestle had been upgraded, he no longer needed to rely on the City Lord. Moreover, keeping him alive as a subordinate would allow him to utilize his full strength, whereas a puppet would only have half its original power.
"Zhou Hong, are you dreaming?"
"Heh heh, City Lord Chen, since I dared to give you the antidote, I naturally have the means to kill you."
"Then let's try." The City Lord's eyes turned cold.
Zhou Hong wasted no more words and thrust his Demon Subduing Pestle towards the City Lord. With the power of a fourth-grade demonic artifact, the City Lord couldn't react in time.
The next second, much like with the Black Orchid Demon King, cold sweat poured down the City Lord's face, feeling as though his very soul was being forced out.
"City Lord, if I hadn't held back just now, your primordial spirit would have been plucked out. Do you still think I can't kill you?"
"The... The Demon Subduing Pestle, how is it in your hands?"
"Hmph, why should I tell you? This Demon Subduing Pestle is now a fourth-grade demonic artifact. If you want to live, you'd best obey me. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to refine you into a puppet."
"How is that possible!"
"Alright, I don't have time to waste with you. I'll count to three. If you don't kneel down and call me City Lord by then, I'll refine you into a puppet. One, two...!"
Before Zhou Hong could finish counting to three, the City Lord plopped down onto his knees. Though unwilling, what choice did he have?
"Greetings, City Lord Zhou Hong." The City Lord prostrated himself on the ground, his voice a low murmur.
"Hmph, you know what's good for you. Remember, from now on, I am the City Lord of Wumeng City, and you are my subordinate. You must come to me for an antidote pill every month."
With that, Zhou Hong walked out of the underground chamber.
Heilan was waiting outside the chamber. Seeing that Zhou Hong hadn't refined the City Lord into a puppet, he looked confused.
"Zhou Hong, why didn't you refine him into a puppet?"
"There's no need. My current strength can instantly kill him. Puppets are lifeless, and it's better to have a living subordinate who can be ordered around."
"Alright." Heilan asked no further questions.
The City Lord, his face grim, also walked onto the ground. He glared at Heilan.
"Slap!" Heilan smacked the City Lord across the face and threatened, "If you dare to look at me like that again, don't blame me for being impolite. I am Zhou Hong's father-in-law. Although my strength is inferior to yours, from now on, I am your superior."
"You...!" The City Lord's face was contorted with anger. His eyes involuntarily darted towards Zhou Hong. Su Dan Novel Network.
Zhou Hong chuckled and said, "What my father-in-law says, I say. From now on, if my father-in-law asks you to do something, you must do it."
The City Lord clenched his fists, clearly indignant. He had to submit to Zhou Hong, and now he was being threatened by Heilan, a first-grade demon king.
"Slap!" Heilan slapped him again.
"Why are you clenching your fists so tightly? Do you want to rebel?"
The City Lord dared not speak out in anger. No, he was no longer the City Lord.
"What's your real name?" Zhou Hong asked the City Lord.
"Lubugan."
Zhou Hong couldn't help but smile. "Lubugan? What a name. Alright, from now on, I'll call you Lubugan."
The City Lord dared not protest. If Zhou Hong called him Lubugan, he had to accept it.
"Lubugan, I am now the City Lord of Wumeng City. Go and arrange a press conference or something. I want to give a speech in front of the entire city." Zhou Hong commanded.
"Yes!" Lubugan nodded and turned to leave.
"Zhou Hong, what if Lubugan goes out and finds someone to break the Eightfold Pagoda, so he no longer needs your antidote? What then? In that case, it would have been better to refine him into a puppet." Heilan said with some concern.
"Do you think he knows anyone that capable? If he really finds someone who can break the Eightfold Pagoda, then he's just lucky."
"Zhou Hong, is there really no antidote for this Eightfold Pagoda of yours? If there is, please tell me. Given our current relationship, you don't need to control me with this anymore." Heilan looked at Zhou Hong with great expectation, as enduring the monthly need to take an antidote was not pleasant.