Chapter 1150: All Set
Proofreader: Papatonks
“Blasted Baili Jingwei, he was actually testing us all this time! Curses!”
“He was looking for our own limit, while we didn’t find anything about his. A real piece of work!”
The clear moon shone down on the gloomy trees as a group walked hastily among them, with Leng Wuchang and You Ming the only ones complaining.
Zhuge Changfeng sighed in the end, “Alright, neither of us could figure him out or how big his game is. He now has Alliance Leader with him and plans on squeezing him for all his worth. Preying on our affection for Alliance Leader and the fate of the entire Luo Alliance. He’s right, we’ve fallen in disfavor with the leaders. If he keeps using Alliance Leader for his own agenda, then it’s only a matter of time before our own people turn on us and give us a miserable death.”
“Yeah, living is for fame and fortune. To die for loyalty and honor isn’t a bad fate either. But to die with scorn, who would be willing to go down like that? Maybe he’s right, that our only hope is the empire. He took our Clan Head and blocked all other options. Baili Jingwei is too d.a.m.n good!”
Leng Wuchang sighed, but then turned to the worried Luo Yunchang.
[Young miss must be hurting the most. It all falls on her shoulders, whether to live or die.]
[Maybe she decided to give up her brother, plunging the clan in misery and filling the alliance with shame. Even a man couldn’t take such pressure, let alone a woman.]
Everyone frowned harder.
They took three days to return, back to the shack. Luo Sifan rushed at their sight, saying, “Auntie, Grandpa Zhuge, Steward Zhuo came!”
“What?!”
Luo Yunchang cried out, a glimmer of hope piercing through the dark despair. She burst into the shack, searching all over for the one she longed for years and years.
She was under too much weight and needed someone to shoulder it. But any search proved to be in vain, finding no trace of him after dozens of searches.
Li Jingtian came with a bow, “Young miss, there’s no point. Steward Zhuo left moments after he came.”
“Left?”
Luo Yunchang’s hope plunged into the darkest abyss of sorrow, “Why would he leave? Doesn’t he know how much I need him to help me with this problem? How could he just leave?”
Luo Yunchang burst out into tears.
Zhuge Changfeng came next to Elder Li and spoke, “Did he say something?”
“He left a message for you.”
“What message?”
“It’s…” Li Jingtian recounted Zhuo Fan’s words. The three minds frowned in thought, “Think of the Luo Alliance as the past Luo clan? Abandon everything for the darkness? Steward Zhuo means…”
“Young miss, how was the past Luo clan? We only came later and don’t know.” Zhuge Changfeng asked.
Sniffing, Luo Yunchang wiped her tears and spat, “How else could it be? In ruins and hunted. We were at risk of starving to death!”
“What did Steward Zhuo do?”
“He had the skill to find allies everywhere, trying every trick to get them. Sometimes he even got the leaders of Veiled Dragon Pavilion so confused that they agreed to bring us resources. I warned him that this isn’t right, since they’re allies. But how could they be allies when they were far stronger? They weren’t respectful towards the Luo clan, but towards Zhuo Fan. His guile was endless, scamming his own allies saying all the same that he’d pay back.”
“Scamming allies, I see…”
The three minds nodded, grinning from ear to ear. Zhuge Changfeng said, “Steward Zhuo saw through Baili Jingwei’s plan and told us we can’t handle anything so might as well give up trying. Return to darkness to find survival, throwing away even honor and righteousness while only thinking of ourselves. As a house divided goes against our survival, raising unrest among us, in western lands and in so doing the same thing that Baili Jingwei does.”
[Eh?]
Luo Yunchang asked, “That villain is saying to agree with Baili Jingwei and strike western lands together? Since when is he on the enemy’s side and asking us to surrender?”
“Ha-ha-ha, Steward Zhuo is prideful and arrogant. Baili Jingwei lost once so it’s easy to make him lose again. Baili Jingwei won’t soon forget Steward Zhuo either. These two mortal enemies would never join hands. Steward Zhuo must have a different plan in store. There’s no harm in following his wishes, we’ll hardly lose anything.”
Zhuge Changfeng sighed, “Baili Jingwei gave us a single way out, a suicidal one, while Steward Zhuo has his plan with it.”
Sniffing twice, Luo Yunchang’s eyes burned with anger, but Zhuo Fan’s answer soothed her worried heart, bringing tranquility, “Fine, tell Baili Jingwei we accept. Sifan, don’t worry, since that wretched man has a plan, your parents will be fine.”
Luo Sifan blinked clueless at her aunt and her blind faith in the man, inspiring trust in her as well.
[Blind uncle, my parents’ lives are in your hands…]
In an icy wasteland, a lone figure trekked through the heavy snow, the blistering winds flinging the ends of the eye cover.
Whoos.h.!.+
A blue figure p.o.o.ped in front, cupping his hands, “Big brother, you’re here at last! I’ve missed you to death!”
“Changqing, it’s been a while.” Zhuo Fan raised his head as he faced the best disciple in northern lands, Ouyang Changqing.
It was a close guarded secret that this northern lands expert was actually one of Devil Palace’s three emissaries, Moon Devil Emissary.
Due to Moon Devil Emissary’s position and fame he had from his real ident.i.ty, Devil Palace didn’t need to infiltrate the northern lands over the past century, already having it under its thumb.
Zhuo Fan patted his shoulder, “Activate the barrier. I’m going to North Sea.”
“You’re entering seclusion again, big brother?”
“Yeah, Baili Jingwei has made his move and I need to seize the moment.” Zhuo Fan said, “I’ll be aiming for Genesis Stage this time. If I don’t come out in time, besides following the plan, I ask that you look after the Luo clan as well.”
Ouyang Changqing nodded, showing a confident smile, “Don’t worry, big brother, I’ll handle it. But weren’t you against getting them involved? Devil Palace never made contact with them all these years. Why would they…”
“I’ve been waiting for Baili Jingwei to pick his p.a.w.n from western lands, but it turns out to be Luo clan. Since there’s no way out, I can only let them trudge deeper and just watch over them a little, that’s all.” Zhuo Fan sighed in defeat.
Ouyang Changqing nodded, making a sign to open the barrier and the two stepped into Sea Bright Sect. Behind it was where Zhuo Fan was going to enter seclusion, in the North Sea housing the sea demon.
Nothing could disturb his training with the sea demon keeping watch.
Perhaps none in even the Sacred Domain could enjoy such lavish treatment…
In the Thunder Pavilion of the imperial capital, Baili Jingwei was grave as he walked into the range of those heavy rumbling, looking at the streaking lightning with sharp eyes.
“Patriarch, I’m back.”
Baili Jingwei smiled, “My mistake had caused you such heavy wounds, cutting your boundless life to a mere hundred years. For that, I felt guilt crus.h.i.+ng me. We didn’t know what to do while you entered Thunder Pavilion in seclusion. It has been a hundred years now. In your state, doing anything could be life-threatening, but we know no one can change your mind. But having not come out this past hundred years, rumors go around saying you’ve pa.s.sed away inciting further unrest within the empire.
“Rest a.s.sured, that with me here, the empire will be safe no matter what! All is set as I begin cleaning up all the dregs. Patriarch, no matter if you’re still healthy or gone, watch as Sword Star Empire unites the lands and roots out all traitors.”
Baili Jingwei gave one last bow to the rumbling lightning, shouting his last words and leaving with resolve in his eyes.
A boom echoed out, shaking the world as Thunder Pavilion crumbled. A huge thunderstorm exploded in the heavens above, with all the lightning gathering soon after into a three hundred meter thunder sword, unleas.h.i.+ng deadly power.
Baili Jingwei shuddered, looking back, “Patriarch… you’re out!”