Douluo Dalu 5: Rebirth Of Tang San

The Peacock Great Demon King gestured for Mei Gongzi to release his arm, then stepped forward, spreading his arms as if to embrace Kali City. "Everyone, please be seated."

The people on both sides sat down, their eyes all focused on him.

The Peacock Great Demon King looked at the distant Kali City, his eyes shimmering with a peculiar light. Yes, at this moment, he was still the ruler of this vast main city. But it was just for today; now was the time for the transfer of power, and tomorrow’s sun would greet his successor.

Was he truly willing to let go? He couldn’t say a hard and decisive yes. Power is difficult to acquire, and certainly even more difficult to relinquish. But he knew what he had to do.

"Since I took charge of the Peacock Demon clan thirty years ago, I have been diligent and dedicated, not daring to slack off for even a moment. Our clan has no Emperor, and although we are in a corner of the world, we face many difficulties. It is with everyone's help that Kali City and our Peacock Demon clan have reached today's prosperity. The clans in the city live and work in peace, and our Peacock Demon clan can thrive. As the clan leader and the city lord, I am truly pleased.

"But I also bear a heavy responsibility. I constantly remind myself that no matter what, I must ensure the continuation of the Peacock Demon clan, keeping it in its rightful place among the strongest. I have always strived to go further, to reach that level, because only then could I ensure the Peacock Demon clan had no future worries. But I did not succeed; my talent was ultimately not enough. I could only manage Kali City better, making everything here more harmonious. Today, I can hold my head high and tell my ancestors that for the past thirty years, I have no regrets regarding the way I’ve lead the Peacock Demon clan and Kali City."

With these words, all the nobles present, including those from the Peacock Demon clan, bowed to him once more.

The Peacock Great Demon King was right. Among his generation in the Peacock Demon clan, he was undoubtedly the most outstanding. Since inheriting the position of clan leader, everything he had done had indeed brought the Peacock Demon clan and Kali City increasing prosperity.

Over the past thirty years, he had transformed the entire Peacock Demon clan and made Kali City as prosperous as any other main city, in spite of its remote location. He had even established the wealthiest merchant caravan in the Empyrean Dominion. And even though it had been done with the collaboration of many others, all of it was under his leadership. There was not one individual in Kali City who did not admire him for this; even the queen consort slightly bowed, expressing her approval of his words.

Feeling the emotions of the spectators, a proud smile appeared at the corner of the Peacock Great Demon King's mouth. For thirty years, everything he had done had been seen by the various clans living in Kali City. The phrase "no regrets" was his greatest pride, and this phrase he could utter with a clear conscience.

"But… I have grown tired. I intended to fight for Kali City and our Peacock Demon clan for another ten or a hundred years, but the arrival of powerful external enemies doesn't allow me to continue. Kali City is the foundation of our Peacock Demon clan, and I cannot let any being take it away, not even an Emperor. That is why there was that battle last time. In that battle, I borrowed the power of our ancestors to repel the strong enemy, but it also damaged my essence. To ensure the better continuation of our clan under a more capable leader, I have decided on today's ceremony. Today, I will step down from the position of clan leader and pass it on to a more suitable person."

"Please reconsider, Clan Leader!" shouted all the members of the Peacock Demon clan, bowing simultaneously.

A cold smile appeared at the corner of the Peacock Great Demon King's mouth. He could certainly hear how much reluctance and dissatisfaction were hidden in this plea.

"My mind is made up, there’s no need to persuade me. I am certain that under the new clan leader, the Peacock Demon clan will reach even greater heights. Soon, we will stand once more at the pinnacle of the Empyrean Dominion."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Mei Gongzi. "It is my decision that from today, I will step down from the position of clan leader and pass it on to—"

"Wait a moment." A cold voice interrupted the Peacock Great Demon King.

The queen consort, who sat in the first seat on the Peacock Demon clan’s side, had stood up again, facing the platform.

The Peacock Great Demon King and the queen consort locked eyes, and his face immediately darkened.

Although he had anticipated this, when the queen consort truly stepped forward to stop him, the Peacock Great Demon King's expression still turned extremely ugly.

This was undoubtedly a great humiliation for the Peacock Demon clan and for him as the Peacock Great Demon King in front of all the nobles of Kali City.

The queen consort looked intently at the Peacock Great Demon King and said sternly, "The succession of a clan leader is the most important matter for any race. It requires discussion by the Council of Elders and ultimately their approval. Yet it seems that you have bypassed this process. Doesn't the new clan leader need the support of the Council of Elders?"

The Peacock Great Demon King replied in a deep voice, "I have already informed the Council of Elders of my decision. The succession of the clan leader does indeed require the support of the Council of Elders. But according to our clan's rules, the next clan leader is designated by the current one. The Council of Elders' role is to cooperate, not to question. As the chief elder, are you questioning my decision?"

The queen consort responded calmly, "Exactly. I have just one question for the king. Among your own offspring or our many outstanding descendants, is there not one who can be a successor? Why choose a vassal as the clan leader? This has never occurred in the history of the Empyrean Dominion, especially considering that our clan has an imperial legacy. As the chief elder, I have the right and duty to question the clan leader's decision if I believe it erroneous. The matter of the new clan leader pertains to the continuity of our clan and its future. How can a leader that lacks pure blood convince the masses and lead our clan?"

The Peacock Great Demon King did not get angry; he looked down at the queen consort with a calm and superior gaze. "Indeed, Little Mei has human blood in her veins. Furthermore, she also carries the bloodline of the White Tiger Demon Emperor. I believe everyone here is already aware and has confirmed this news. But not long ago, she won both the individual and the doubles championships in the Ancestral Court Elite Competition. She defeated all the heirs of the Emperors, becoming the first double champion in the competition’s history. With such extraordinary talent, how could she not lead our Peacock Demon clan to prosperity?"

The queen consort responded calmly, "No matter how excellent she is, she is not a pure clan member. For any clan, the purity of bloodline is paramount. Without the leader having a pure bloodline, how can our clan's heritage remain pure? Therefore, no matter what, I cannot agree with her inheriting the position of clan leader. This is also the will of the Council of Elders. I hope that you will reconsider. You should know that if more than eighty percent of the elders in the council agree, they have the right to impeach the clan leader."

The Peacock Great Demon King laughed. "Are you suggesting that even I, the clan leader, should be impeached? Then tell me, who can inherit this position? The external threats are not yet resolved, and yet we are starting to tear apart from within?"

Seeing the smile on his face, the queen consort frowned slightly. She knew her husband well, and she admired him greatly. When it came to cultivation, she considered herself not much weaker than him, but in terms of leadership and capability, she acknowledged her net inferiority. Over the past thirty years, under the Peacock Great Demon King's leadership, the Peacock Demon clan had indeed made tremendous progress, and that was precisely the reason the Ancestral Court was wary of them. If not for his efforts, Kali City might have been lost long ago, and not just when the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor appeared. After all, more than one Demon Emperor was without a main city, and the Ancestral Court could have simply granted the city to someone else.

She believed she was well-prepared, yet the Peacock Great Demon King's composure at this moment made her feel a sudden unease.

The queen consort said coldly, "For the continuation of our clan, this is something we must do. I ask you to reconsider, Clan Leader."