Translator: StarReader
The raid on Hell Valley ended as quickly as it had begun.
Valley Lord You Wanshan and the elders were visiting Regent Estate for the plans on how to deal with Drifting Flowers Edifices and the others. Of the four Venerables guarding the valley, one escaped, three turned and the valley now looked like the aftermath of a tornado.
Even with a number of ten thousand, the disciples couldn’t handle the incoming raid of just a few thousands of Luo clan’s guards, for more than a few short hours and were killed to the last one.
At the first light of a glorious red dawn, the hellscape of the valley laid bare. The howls halted, the place deserted, with only streams of blood flowing down the mountains, releasing its repugnant stench.
And as a true picture of hell, it couldn’t do without corpses, lots and lots of them to make a mountain. All strewn about, waiting for anyone to come give them a proper burial.
“Steward Zhuo, it’s done.” Li Jingtian glanced below at the genocide and turned a flat face to Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan spoke after a pause, “Take the bodies back to Luo clan. We can now get on to more serious matters.”
“Getting serious? Taking Hell Valley wasn’t serious enough?” Li Jingtian asked.
Zhuo Fan grinned, “Ha-ha-ha, did you think I’d need so many people to destroy Hell Valley? Us two are more than enough.”
“Then…” Li Jingtian probed.
Zhuo Fan said, “Desecration!”
Sss~
Li Jingtian shuddered and gasped, “S-Steward Zhuo, the dead are to be respected. Is your hatred with Hell Valley running so deep that you need to dig up their ancestors?”
“Ha-ha-ha, you’re jumping too far ahead. I never cared a whit about Hell Valley nine years ago, and it goes double now. Besides, the most people I’ve killed came from this house. They should be the one hating me to the bone, not the other way around.”
“Then why…” Li Jingtian was lost.
Zhuo Fan had a crafty smile, “Go do your part while I do mine.”
Li Jingtian left because he believed Zhuo Fan’s every decision was backed by reason.
The Luo clan obeyed Zhuo Fan’s orders to the letter, taking it like any ordinary day back at the job. Only the Hell Valley Venerables were jumpy.
They had turned their backs on Hell Valley in exchange for their lives and were now forced to do such tasks.
Faced with the order of digging up their ancestors, they just couldn’t do it. That was where Hell Valley’s elders, Valley Lords and Venerables were laid to rest.
What logical explanation did the posterity have to dig them up?
[This is outrageous!]
The trio were going to see Zhuo Fan about this. Preach reason, that the two clans weren’t enemies to such a degree.
Li Jingtian saw through their intent and glared, “You, newbies, listen up and listen well. In Luo clan, Steward Zhuo’s word is law. Any complaints you have will be met with a quick trip down under.”
Li Jingtian flew away.
The trio sighed in helplessness, stopping in their tracks.
A guest could only play a guest in a host’s home.
[Since Steward Zhuo wants us to shame our ancestors to get our trust, we’re his men.]
They took this task as Zhuo Fan’s test of loyalty, to have them break all ties with Hell Valley. After flipping over one’s granddaddy’s tomb, one lost all right to call this place home.
A darn shame that all their conjectures were wrong from the get-go. Zhuo Fan never cared about them.
But to prove their change of heart, they worked the hardest in tomb raiding their long long ancestors.
Li Jingtian didn’t take much to have them figured out and laughed.
“Steward Zhuo, these old coots will do anything to get your trust, ha-ha-ha…” Li Jingtian mocked.
Zhuo Fan had a faint smile, “Nothing strange about it. Respecting one’s ancestors is the righteous way, while demonic cultivators only pay attention to power. That makes digging up one’s old man more common with demonic cultivators. When taking people in, one needs to keep an eye on their character. These three are expert demonic cultivators. I don’t care if they bear any grudge for me after this since all you have to do is, sit on them and they’ll be as meek as lambs.”
“Steward Zhuo is a genius. That’s why you sent the order to have them dig their ancestors. You never feared their resentment. You truly know the heart of a demonic cultivator!” Li Jingtian laughed.
Zhuo Fan shook his head, “Hardly. Righteous cultivators aren’t any different. Give them enough incentive and they’ll do the most menial and nasty thing you ask. Just that they had to always dress it up with fancy justice. Like they do it, ha-ha-ha…”
Zhuo Fan had a strange smile, throwing Li Jingtian off on a loop.
Li Jingtian’s eyes lit up, having picked up something in the corner.
The Luo clan members were digging up Hell Valley’s ancestors, everywhere but there. Two dozen people moved around the place and looked around, not doing much of anything.
They were the emperor-bestowed Profound Heaven fakers.
While the rest of the Luo clan was putting their backs into it, they didn’t do so much as lift a pebble.
“Blast it, these guys were last in the battle of Hell Valley and now they’re goofing off when it comes to work. See how I’ll give them an earful! “
Li Jingtian stomped but Zhuo Fan stopped him from going, “Elder Li, easy, let them go. Besides, they’ve completed their mission. When we return, take care of them and make sure the three newbies see it to drive fear into them.”
“T-their mission?”
“Yep, leaking!” Zhuo Fan snickered, “Why else would I bring these losers along? To drag me back?”
“Then you…”
“Let them inform the emperor.”
Zhuo Fan smiled, “Even before the Luo clan rose to power, the emperor had these guys play the moles. That’s why I had Elder Lei handle them all this time, letting them report only what we wanted. After feeding them for so long, they finally have a use, to report to the emperor!”
“What? B-but… Steward Zhuo, why do this? Isn’t the emperor focused on you?” Li Jingtian jumped in fright.
Zhuo Fan was reckless. If the imperial family joined Regent Estate in coming here, they were finished!
Zhuo Fan could escape with his ridiculous power, but the Luo clan members would fall for sure. All the effort spent raising them for the last decade would go to waste.
Zhuo Fan laughed, “Elder Li, that’s only half true. He isn’t focused just on me, but on everyone. Taking the lone road means everyone in this world is your enemy, be it in the court or outside it.”
Blinking, Li Jingtian was still lost, and Zhuo Fan continued, “Elder Li, who do you think he wants to kill right now?”
“You of course. He even allowed the seven houses to use the Demon Purging Decree.”
“Ha-ha-ha, wrong. He wants to get rid of chess pieces. Me, Regent Estate and Zhuge Changfeng included. How will the nation change if he only gets rid of me? Regent Estate will get the houses, becoming the biggest power outside court and a threat to him. While in court, Zhuge Changfeng will be against him every step of the way. This is something he wants to avoid at all costs. So after getting wind of what we’re doing here, he will not only sweep it under the rug, but even help me.” Zhuo Fan’s eyes shined, his voice firm.
That confused Li Jingtian even more, “Help you?”
“Indeed.” Zhuo Fan smiled, “I can’t kick the bucket just yet, or Regent Estate will have free reign. We got word that he has sent Divine Dragons to assist the Regent Estate. To help alright, but it’s only a thinly veiled disguise to force them into fighting us. He doesn’t want us to remain in a stalemate. But when I make my move, because Regent Estate is stronger, they will act faster than me. At that time, the help will drag the Regent Estate down, to give us room to build strength and fight only when we’re on equal footing. That’s the best way for the emperor to swoop in and swallow us both.
“By letting those fools snitch to the emperor, I am in fact telling him that I’ve made my move and plan on removing his biggest thorn, the seven houses. This will make his day for sure and he’ll tell Fang Qiubai to hold back Regent Estate’s campaign against our allies while giving me time to take these corpses back and refine them. That’s all we need. Once we get these bodies ready, no one in Tianyu can stand up to us. It will be ours for the taking, ha-ha-ha…”
Cackling, Zhuo Fan’s eyes shone with confidence, “The emperor had taken into account every step across the board. But what he overlooked were my killer moves. This will be his downfall!”
Li Jingtian stared at him befuddled, then exclaimed, “Steward Zhuo, although I am rough and a boor and can’t understand a word, I do sense you have victory in sight. He-he-he, that’s great. You guys play your schemes as mere games. If I had my own faction, I’d be twisted around your fingers till I breathed my last…”
