Proofreader: Papatonks
“That settles it, Sect Leader Ren. Will sir want to look at this year’s shares?”
Zhuge Changfeng made a bow and gave a smile that was easy to understand.
Ren Xiaoyun nodded, “The flourishing of Tianyu depends on your Luo clan. Don’t worry, as the empire’s three guardian sects, no one will dare to stir chaos in Tianyu, not even from the three sects.”
“Ha-ha-ha, thank you, Sect Leader Ren!” With another deep bow, Zhuge Changfeng withdrew from the hall.
Seeing him go, Ren Xiaoyun nodded, feeling pleased with himself. From now on, the Demon Scheming Sect would cease to be a threat to him while Tianyu’s representative was now under Heaven Trailing Sect.
Tianyu’s resources, even trades, all would be in Heaven Trailing Sect’s pocket.
[The other two sects? Humph, they dare think about my money when they’re hanging by a thread?]
In all honesty, after all this chaos Zhuo Fan stirred up, the Mystical Heaven Sect ended up ruined while the Demon Scheming Sect crippled. Only Heaven Trailing Sect was the big winner here, taking all of Tianyu’s income for himself.
[I’ve won big time in this, ha-ha-ha…]
Ren Xiaoyun was giddy on the inside, then shouted, “Guard!”
“Yes, sir!”
A man in black up and appeared in a bow.
Ren Xiaoyun spoke, “Use a sending jade to tell the pursuers of the Demon Scheming Sect remnants to come back. Also, use my name to warn the Demon Scheming Sect and Mystical Heaven Sect that they are forbidden from interfering inside Tianyu and disturbing it.”
“Yes, sir!” The man bowed again but paused.
Ren Xiaoyun frowned, “Why are you still standing there?”
“Sect Leader, you’ve been talking with that man so far and I have yet to notify you. Actually, the pursuers of the Demon Scheming Sect remnants have already returned.”
“What? Who told them to come back so soon? I didn’t even get to send them a message!” Ren Xiaoyun raised an eyebrow.
The man hesitated, “Sect Leader, from the elder’s recounting, they pursued the remnants at Tianyu’s border when they met Luo clan’s experts blocking them. They trapped the elder’s team but then let them go, telling me to tell sir that they have reached an agreement with Sect Leader. They were unclear and had not received sir’s message, but since they were let go, they came to confirm this. Uhm, Sect Leader…”
Stumped for a long time, Ren Xiaoyun came to and muttered, “They said they had a deal with me? Even if that’s true, it just took effect moments ago…”
Ren Xiaoyun turned to where Zhuge Changfeng was gone and sighed, “They truly believed a mere old man’s ramblings could persuade me. Truly cunning… the Luo clan has talents and it keeps growing…”
“Sect Leader!”
The man asked, “Do I send the message?”
Ren Xiaoyun gnashed his teeth, “I hate how a secular clan toyed with me, but I have to admit, Zhuge Changfeng’s words moved me.”
“Send it! Let the two sects know Tianyu’s head of power, Luo clan, is Heaven Trailing Sect’s representative. It has no ties with the Demon Scheming Sect.”
“Yes, sir!”
The man nodded and vanished, leaving Ren Xiaoyun with his muttering, “Zhuge Changfeng, the three sages, humph, I’ve now come to see what you are…”
A month later, Zhuge Changfeng was back in the Luo clan’s home, Windgaze City. Everyone gathered in the hall, waiting for his news.
Venerable Bai’s group was the most tense, wanting to rush through Tianyu still and enter Quanrong to escape pursuit. Luo Yunhai had to advise him many times to wait.
Now that Steward Zhuge was back, they all gathered around eager to know the answer.
Zhuge Changfeng calmly looked at them and smiled, milking the tense moment for all it was worth.
The only ones calm were Leng Wuchang and You Ming, sipping tea at leisure.
“Steward Zhuge, how is it?” Luo Yunhai could not hold it in.
Smirking, Zhuge Changfeng was about to speak, but Leng Wuchang put one leg over the other as he began, “Clan Head, just look at his obnoxious grin. Of course he did it.”
“Hey, Old Leng, I risked my life in mediating the problem while you just relaxed in your comfy chair.” Zhuge Changfeng glared.
Leng Wuchang stuck his chin out, “And? I’ve been making plans here.”
“Shitty plans more like it. You think I or You Ming can’t do the same?” Zhuge Changfeng mocked, “Try having a chat with that stone-cold Ren Xiaoyun. See how you’d fair then.”
“This time I have to agree with Steward Zhuge. He is much better at us in being a mediator. I am best at strategizing while you are at shooting your mouth.”
You Ming grinned.
Leng Wuchang’s face twitched, “Hey, are you two ganging up on me now? My tactics aren’t for show. Old Zhuge, did you divide Tianyu’s resources again? Cutting ten percent from the Demon Scheming Sect and adding to Heaven Trailing Sect? He-he, I’m not an Unwonted Contriver for nothing.”
“Since when was it your plan?”
Zhuge Changfeng mocked, “Since the Demon Scheming Sect wants to fight us, there’s no point in holding back at all. And we needed a new cover too. Giving ten percent to Heaven Trailing Sect will make the two sects look cross, but Demon Scheming Sect’s hatred will turn on Heaven Trailing Sect. While Mystical Heaven Sect’s unchanged income would make it look from the side at their scuffle. This way, it won’t mind us as well. Adding Heaven Trailing Sect’s cover to that, the matter is settled.”
“Really, Steward Zhuge, is it really over?” Luo Yunhai cheered.
Zhuge Changfeng nodded, “Of course, Clan Head can rest easy. It wasn’t much anyway, far more relaxed than Tianyu’s previous tangled mess. First of all, the three sects aren’t being difficult, especially Heaven Trailing Sect. It sent troops to help the Demon Scheming Sect but it was only to control their growth. With it becoming a middle-three sect, it posed a threat to Heaven Trailing Sect. It was not for some meager five thousand sacred stones, but to make sure that never happened, even going against Double Dragon Manor’s rules openly.
“Since he has a goal, then that made it easier. Now that we’re on his side, suppressing the Demon Scheming Sect together would sure to put a wide smile on his face.”
“And to avoid the Demon Scheming Sect from being up against the wall, we only took just ten percent, making it turn on Heaven Trailing Sect as well, and not us. Otherwise, if we had cut every supply with it, it would be against western lands’ rules and force it to invade Tianyu. At least with some income from us, they’d think twice about ruining Tianyu. This makes us appear more neutral.” Leng Wuchang explained.
Zhuge Changfeng mocked, “Easier said than done. Implementing it has a lot of dangers. Sir Leng, if it had been you who went, you’d have been obliterated.”
“Hey…” Leng Wuchang shouted.
Luo Yunhai smiled as he eased up the tension.
While none of these intellectuals boasted they were the best, neither was about to back down, always butting heads when they met.
Venerable Bai’s side was stumped.
They had been hounded by three sects yet the matter had been solved just like that.
This was the power of the three sages.
Looking at them bickering, with Luo Yunhai mediating, Venerable Bai was gratified.
They had little in terms of cultivation, but they had their own skills no one could surpass…
“Alright now, we should get ready to avenge brother Zhuo.”
The bickering stopped and Luo Yunhai turned serious, his eyes red.
The others were pensive as well.
“According to our scouts, Steward Zhuo had been under attack, resulting in an inferno for a thousand miles and a barren wasteland for many more.” Leng Wuchang grumbled, “Just what has the Universal Righteous Sect done?”
Zhuge Changfeng muttered, “For revenge, we must first gather our strength. Our enemies are four sects, with one being a superior-three sect.”
“You still want revenge?” Venerable Bai looked at them in disbelief. “The enemy is stronger than you can imagine, a sect for thousands of years…”
Luo Yunhai shouted, “No matter who it is, this vengeance shall be paid in full! The Luo clan rose under brother Zhuo’s protection. We all owe him our lives. This is something we must do!”
Luo Yunhai’s bold words echoed in everyone’s ears.
Venerable Bai shouted, “Then… count us in as well…”
