The four demon emperors revealed expressions of terror.
Yet, one by one, they vehemently shook their heads.
They hadn't expected their master's strength to be so weak, but they even less expected that despite his weakness, he possessed such formidable subordinates.
"You four should obediently be your master's enforcers. As for me, it's best you don't concern yourselves with me!"
"Big brother, how could we possibly concern ourselves with you? If anyone concerns themselves with anyone, it's you concerning yourself with us!"
Iron Rooster nodded with satisfaction.
"Then why aren't you all rushing off already? Wait, oh no, I'm leaving!"
With a flap of its wings, Iron Rooster vanished from before the four.
At this moment, Zhang Pingfan walked towards them with a grim expression. He had spotted these four from afar, playing chicken fights here.
"Is my Iron Rooster that cute? That you four are all gathered here to watch!"
Zhang Pingfan's sinister voice rang out, startling the Azure Dragon Demon Emperor and the others.
The four immediately knelt in unison before Zhang Pingfan.
"Greetings, Master. Master, spare us!"
Honestly, what was so great about an Iron Rooster?
"Alright, I can't be bothered to argue with you. Sooner or later, I'm going to stew that Iron Rooster. It's such a bother!"
The four were drenched in sweat. To even dare say such a thing was too terrifying.
"You four, tell me about this 'Dominator' you speak of. What exactly is he? I have a feeling he might still cause me trouble!"
The Phoenix and the other two looked towards the Azure Dragon Demon Emperor. In terms of contact with the Dominator, the Azure Dragon had the most.
The Azure Dragon whispered, "Master, what do you want to know? I'll tell you everything I know!"
Zhang Pingfan pondered.
"Does that Dominator look like you? Are all of you like this boss-type?"
The Azure Dragon Demon Emperor shook his head and said, "No. Initially, there was no such person on the Divine Myth Continent. He appeared suddenly and contacted us demon emperors. However, I still haven't seen his true form, so I don't know what he looks like."
Zhang Pingfan was so frustrated he wanted to take off his shoe and slap him.
"You don't even know what he looks like, yet you're working for him? Is your brain mush?"
The Azure Dragon quickly shook his head and explained, "We didn't agree at first. We four brothers are, after all, demon emperors who dominate our territories and are the apex existences in this world. However, the four of us combined couldn't defeat that Dominator!"
"What? You can't even defeat someone whose appearance you don't know? Don't joke with me, or I'll get angry!"
Seeing that his master didn't believe him, the Azure Dragon Demon Emperor hastily explained.
"It's true. The form he presented was a ball of black energy. If you don't believe me, ask the other three!"
The Phoenix and the others also nodded. They had indeed only seen a ball of black energy, and it was this ball of black energy that had subdued them.
"Oh, if that's the case, then who is more powerful between him and that willow branch from today?"
The four fell silent. After all, they didn't know the Dominator's exact strength.
The Phoenix hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Although the Dominator is very strong, I feel that willow branch is even more powerful. When it appeared, time itself seemed to freeze. The Dominator doesn't have that ability!"
"Yes, the Dominator is indeed very strong, but only a bit stronger than us. We can at least fight him. But that willow branch is completely different; it was a one-sided crushing of us!"
Zhang Pingfan let out a sigh of relief. If that was the case, it meant he didn't have to worry too much, as this mysterious willow branch, as far as he could tell, was helping him.
"You three betrayed that Dominator. Will he come after you?"
"We're not sure about that either. However, they ordered us to capture Barren City. This was the first step, but it seems this first step has already failed. I don't know what actions he will take next, but Barren City will definitely be the main battlefield!"
Zhang Pingfan nodded. The Azure Dragon Demon Emperor was right. If that were the case, Barren City would need heavy defenses.
"Since that's the case, you four will guard Barren City. If any demon emperor with no eyes dares to invade, you can repel them, or even kill them!"
"Yes, Master!"
Upon receiving their master's command, the Azure Dragon Demon Emperor and the other three hurried towards Barren City.
Zhang Pingfan contemplated the current strength of his subordinates.
The four demon emperors and the Lord of Barren City were all peak ninth-tier powerhouses.
However, there were countless peak powerhouses in this world, and he didn't have many subordinates.
For instance, in the Central Land Empire, based on his previous conversation with the Lord of Barren City, he could tell that peak ninth-tier powerhouses were merely regional overlords there.
Even in higher-level regions of the Central Land Empire, peak ninth-tier powerhouses were nothing special.
To maintain his current position and avoid being targeted by those unknown powerful beings, Zhang Pingfan had to cultivate a large number of peak ninth-tier powerhouses.
Black Emperor and the three City Lords had followed him for a long time and were considered loyal veterans.
How could he enhance their strength?
[Ding! System prompt: The system has issued a new mission to you. Elevate the strength of Black Emperor, Pingjiang City Lord, Seven Stars City Lord, and Haibin City Lord to peak ninth-tier War Gods. Mission duration: one month. Failure to complete the mission within one month will result in the forfeiture of all your powers!]
"...System sister, you don't need to blurt out what I'm thinking, do you? I know you like to spy, but you don't have to be so blatant about it, alright?"
[Ding! This is your own inner desire. I am merely issuing a mission to supervise your completion. Don't forget, you still have approximately 12 months!]
Zhang Pingfan's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't realized so much time had passed unconsciously.
"But how do I do it? How do I elevate their strength?"
[Ding! That is your problem!]
"...Wow, they are all ninth-tier War Gods! Although not peak, they are still very strong, alright? They are NPCs, how would I know how they improve their strength!"
However, the system did not reply. What should he do?
Zhang Pingfan scratched his head helplessly. It was his own fault for thinking so much, which resulted in him digging a huge pit for himself.
Zhang Pingfan beckoned, calling Black Emperor over.
"Master, what are your orders?"
Zhang Pingfan asked, "How do you guys level up?"
"Level up? What is that?"
"I mean, how do you improve your strength? You are ninth-tier War Gods now, right? But how do you become peak ninth-tier War Gods?"
"By fighting monsters and consuming heavenly treasures. But at our level, it's very difficult to improve our strength. It's not just about fighting monsters to increase power!"
"So, it's by consuming some heavenly treasures, right?"
"Yes, but unfortunately, heavenly treasures are often found in dangerous areas. With our current strength, going there would be a near-death experience!"
"It's alright, don't I have you? Tell me, where are these heavenly treasures located?"
"Divine Realm Continent!"
"Oh, another new term!"