When he heard the City Lord's angry reprimand, Wu Zhiming immediately felt as if struck by thunder, his face turning deathly pale.
Shame and self-reproach welled up within him.
Opening his mouth, Wu Zhiming spoke weakly, "City Lord, I… Alright, here's how it is…"
Wu Zhiming wished to explain something, but in the end found himself unable to, so he simply decided to truthfully and thoroughly report the situation to the City Lord without any concealment.
He also informed the City Lord about why he was willing to help Mu Jinyu delay for an hour.
After listening to Wu Zhiming's words, the City Lord's expression changed several times before finally letting out a long sigh, shaking his head in helplessness:
"You're really muddle-headed, so muddle-headed! Yes… Without Brother Mu's righteous intervention, we probably wouldn't have been able to stop those Five Great Demon Kings and would have died under the iron hooves of the beast tide, with Demon Slaying City already trampled over!"
"But that's one thing for another!"
"When a beast tide appears, the Heavenly Palace won't bother with such trivial matters; however, if a Demon Emperor level demon beast appears from the Demon Beast Mountain Range, the Heavenly Palace will definitely intervene. By letting Brother Mu fool around and risk the lives of tens of thousands in Demon Slaying City for some potential Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, I really don't know what to say to you!"
"If that Demon Phoenix truly has some treasures, and in the end, it's taken away due to the Heavenly Palace's intervention, I can always request for treasury access from His Majesty back in the King's City to compensate Brother Mu, no problem!"
"Yet you're hesitating over this matter, helping him delay time, staking the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens on a gamble... I'm truly..."
By the time the City Lord finished speaking, he was trembling with anger, rendered speechless.
He finally snorted coldly, casting a disappointed glance at Wu Zhiming before preparing to contact the Heavenly Palace and request for a Unity Realm Stage expert to come to Demon Slaying City.
As for whether Mu Jinyu has successfully slain the Demon Phoenix and obtained the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, thereby lessening the potential threat to Demon Slaying City, he had considered this possibility but dared not gamble on such a risk.
Even if Mu Jinyu succeeded, with the arrival of the Heavenly Palace personnel, the obtained Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would likely be stripped away.
Even if he must regret the outcome for Mu Jinyu, as he had just mentioned, he'd rather open the King's City treasury to find the appropriate treasures as compensation.
Compared to the lives of hundreds of thousands, mere Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures amount to nothing.
Furthermore, he considered the probability of Mu Jinyu dying at the hands of the Demon Phoenix, inciting its wrath, far greater than Mu Jinyu's chance of slaying it!
The City Lord hurriedly returned to the City Lord's Mansion, then entered his room and found an ancient Bronze Mirror.
He rapidly operated his True Yuan, pouring it continuously into the Bronze Mirror.
Instantly, a thin layer of misty light emerged from the mirror's surface.
Soon, the brilliance intensified, illuminating the entire room.
Then, the light twisted on the mirror's surface, revealing an old face.
The old man's face was full of age spots and wrinkles crisscrossed like a dying candle in the wind, looking like an ordinary elderly man with little time left.
Yet the City Lord dared not show the slightest disrespect.
For this man was an executive of the Heavenly Palace.
Even if he had no cultivation, his rank and authority were beyond what the City Lord could offend.
Furthermore, the City Lord knew the old man couldn't be ordinary.
Once the old man's visage appeared on the Bronze Mirror, the City Lord's expression turned respectful as he promptly informed him of the potential situation in the Demon Beast Mountain Range.
"Oh? A Demon Emperor-level Demon Phoenix? Are you sure?"
Upon hearing the City Lord's report, the old man seemed slightly interested, his tired demeanor waning. His aging eyes focused on the City Lord, speaking indifferently.
"Although we haven't seen it exactly, someone has indeed sensed changes in the Demon Phoenix's aura, and this Demon Phoenix has been among Third Rank Demonic Beasts for many years. The possibility of it breaking through to the Demon Emperor realm is quite high!"
The City Lord quickly explained with utmost respect.
"Alright then." The old man, upon hearing the City Lord's words and realizing he wasn't entirely certain about the Demon Emperor-level Demon Phoenix, lost much of his interest and spoke somewhat impatiently.
Nevertheless, given the Demon Phoenix's unique nature, it was still worth dispatching personnel from the Heavenly Palace. He thus continued, "I will send someone over shortly, but it won't be a Unity Realm powerhouse. However, the individual will possess a Treasured Item capable of easily dealing with a newly ascended Demon Emperor level beast. Just wait…"
"Thank you, sir!"
Upon hearing this, the City Lord was elated and expressed his gratitude.
"Buzz!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the brilliance on the Bronze Mirror dissipated, returning to its original ancient appearance.
Tap…"
Afterwards, the Bronze Mirror seemed to lose its True Yuan support, dropping from mid-air.
Having anticipated this, the City Lord swiftly caught it in his hand.
Carefully stowing away the Bronze Mirror that could communicate with the Heavenly Palace, the City Lord took a deep breath, patting his chest, saying, "Now it's settled, no need to worry about the Demon Phoenix's revenge!"
The City Lord couldn't afford further delays, hurriedly left the room, exited the City Lord's Mansion, and returned to an empty space on the city platform.
This space didn't host a God Slaying Cannon but was intricately arranged with complex patterns, embedded with numerous special materials.
This was a Teleportation Array, used for personnel from the Heavenly Palace to teleport from the Heavenly Palace to any location within Kunlun Ruins with a Teleportation Array, upon providing sufficient Spirit Stones.
If the personnel from the Heavenly Palace were to arrive, they would surely emerge from this Teleportation Array.
They wouldn't travel miles on a Flying Shuttle or other Magic Treasures.
If they had to wait for Heavenly Palace personnel like that, they'd have to cool their heels indefinitely and wait forever.
"City Lord, how is the situation?"
Wu Zhiming, with a pale face, came to the city platform, his gaze complex as he looked at the City Lord, inquiring softly.
The City Lord turned to look at him, knowing that now, with the Heavenly Palace's assurance of sending someone, his tense nerves relaxed considerably, his expression ushering some calm as he spoke, "I have informed the Heavenly Palace, and they have decided to send someone to investigate. Now wait here with me; if someone from the Heavenly Palace takes a liking to you and casually awards us treasures, they'll be enough for us to use for some time."
"Good." Wu Zhiming replied, nodding lightly.
His expression remained listless, filled with shame and self-blame, evidently conflicted.
The City Lord discerned his thoughts, offering reassurance, "It's almost been two hours since you returned to Demon Slaying City, yet Brother Mu has not returned. I estimate misfortune has befallen him, so you need not accuse yourself for having called the Heavenly Palace ahead of time!"
"Whiz!"
At this moment, a sharp sound of something piercing the air rang out.
It emanated from the direction of the Demon Beast Mountain Range.
Hearing this disturbance, Wu Zhiming and the City Lord couldn't help but react, raising their heads abruptly to look in the direction of the sound.
They saw Mu Jinyu in mid-air, riding a beam of light, rapidly rushing toward Demon Slaying City!
The City Lord reconsidered the time, realizing it had just been two hours!
Thud!"
In mid-air, Mu Jinyu's figure suddenly flickered, instantly teleporting onto the city platform. With a faint smile, he glanced at Wu Zhiming and the City Lord, smiling gently, "Brother Wu, I'm back. Didn't exceed our agreed time, did I?"