Senju Yukika was stunned!
Even though he had stayed in Stone Town for a while and had become a frequent guest of the Tanaka family, strictly speaking, he had no real connection to the lord of Stone Town, right? So then, why was the Lord of Stone Town going out of his way to forcibly help him in this moment of crisis?
What Yukika didn't know was that the Lord of Stone Town wasn't doing this because of him—but because of Maple.
After all, the Lord of Stone Town was well aware that Maple and Yukika had already formed a special bond. Though he didn't know the full extent of it, he had a vague sense that Maple would probably keep Senju Yukika around.
So, what the Lord was doing now was nothing more than sending a subtle signal to Maple through Yukika—offering a quiet gesture of goodwill, trying to get on board with the powerful figure.
Others might not know, but 027—the true Lord of Stone Town—clearly understood just how terrifying Maple's strength was!
Without a doubt, his agility alone was enough to defeat the Master of the White Light Sect. It was also enough to make Stone Town a sovereign power, capable of doing as it pleased!
This planet, despite being tightly controlled by a system of kingdoms, still housed many powerful and prideful rogue cultivators who didn't care about these kingdoms at all.
Living here was dangerous. The only effective strategy was to follow the path of the strong. That way, you could not only intimidate minor factions, but even the royal families of nations wouldn't dare offend you easily.
Take these old devils, for example—if they knew about Maple's existence, they wouldn't dare force the Lord of Stone Town to test the Grey Mist.
But the Lord's actions had completely enraged one royal powerhouse.
He was a prince of the Rakshasa Kingdom, known as Lord Yuhuang, whose cultivation had already reached the transcendent level!
Not only that, but Yuhuang had also led a team to hunt down the demons of the Old Muxu Clan. In the Rakshasa Kingdom, he was undoubtedly among the top elite fighters.
Yet now, someone like the Lord of Stone Town dared to publicly defy his orders? To openly oppose him?
And to make matters worse, the Lord of Stone Town was technically one of the dukes under Rakshasa Kingdom's jurisdiction. Where did he get the nerve?
Prince Yu's expression darkened, and he snapped coldly, "Lord of Stone Town, what's the meaning of this?"
There were thirty-six major city lords in the Rakshasa Kingdom, each with power beyond the ordinary. But none of them dared to defy the will of the royal princes.
After all, these princes directly obeyed the Rakshasa King himself—who would dare offend them lightly?
But now, the Lord of Stone Town had made up his mind.
No matter what, today he would protect Senju Yukika. Yukika was an important asset for the future!
And so, the Lord of Stone Town spoke righteously, "Lord Yuhuang, the Grey Mist is lethal. Forcing someone into it is tantamount to ignoring human life—this is an act of senseless slaughter!"
The moment the word "slaughter" was spoken, a trace of ridicule flashed in Yuhuang's eyes.
That smile of his—it showed utter contempt for the world. As the Emperor of Jade, with control over the lives and deaths of countless people, how could a little monk matter to him?
Prince Yu sneered, "Since you pity these innocents so much, why don't you go into the Grey Mist yourself and try it for them?"
At those words, the crowd immediately changed expressions—even the other royal elites who had arrived with Yuhuang looked surprised.
After all, the Lord of Stone Town was still one of the thirty-six lords of the kingdom.
But everyone also knew that the prince was genuinely angry this time, so they didn't dwell on it and simply let the words pass.
Everyone was well aware of Yuhuang's temperament. No one would speak up for the Lord of Stone Town now—that would be asking for trouble!
Even though some of the royals had decent relationships or personal ties with the Lord of Stone Town, everyone knew full well where their loyalties had to lie.
So, at that moment, they all stood silently, trying to understand the situation. Many just stared blankly into the distance, pretending to admire the view of the sky...
After hearing Prince Yu's words, the Lord of Stone Town couldn't help but feel angry.
He had served the Rakshasa Kingdom faithfully for so many years—only to be used now as cannon fodder by a royal prince?
Sadness welled up in his heart, but he stood firm and declared, "Lord Yuhuang, I advise you to be more cautious. The waters of the Giant Peak Mountains run deep—it's not a place where you can act recklessly."
"Hmph, such arrogance! You dare speak to me that way?"
Yuhuang was even more furious, yet also secretly annoyed. Why wasn't this city lord getting the message?
Did he really intend to send the Lord of Stone Town to his death? Of course not.
It was just that, with so many royals and sect leaders present, Yuhuang's authority was being tested. He needed to reassert himself and regain face.
If the Lord of Stone Town had just played along and given him an excuse to back down, Yuhuang would've withdrawn his demand.
But to his surprise, the Lord of Stone Town confronted him like an unruly child.
Still, how could the Lord not understand what was happening?
He had simply made his decision—he would cling tightly to Maple, no matter what.
In his eyes, if he could win Maple's favor, it would be far more valuable than currying favor with some entitled royal brat.
What gave the Lord even more confidence was that the Lords of Tyrant City and Sunrise City were also standing behind him in support.
The combined weight of these three city lords carried significant influence. What's more, their three cities formed a triangle—an independent region.
If these cities united to resist the royal family of Rakshasa Kingdom, it would cause massive trouble for the monarchy!
There was once an ancient, powerful kingdom that suffered internal strife. A few city lords banded together to form a state within a state.
From that day on, the ancient royal court became the laughingstock of the world!
Now, seeing the three city lords standing side by side, Prince Jade narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of jealousy crossing his heart...
He hadn't expected things to escalate this far, and now he didn't know how to respond.
Nearby, the old demons laughed mockingly. Naturally, they were delighted to see the royal court of the Rakshasa Kingdom humiliated.
The situation on the side of the Giant Peak Mountains was growing increasingly delicate and tense.