Chapter 47: The Troubles of an Elder and the Schemes of the Serpent

For the next few days, Yue Feng truly understood the meaning of ‘a fleeting moment of pleasure leading to days of deprivation.’

Wang Yu had been frantically avoiding him, granting him no opportunity to approach, leaving Yue Feng deprived of his ‘Wang Yu element’ for days.

“Ah, this is so frustrating. Cai’er, what should I do?”

Yue Feng lamented, his arm around the girl’s delicate shoulder, unabashedly taking advantage. It was as if he sought to reclaim from her what Wang Yu had denied him.

The girl’s face was flushed with embarrassment, yet before Yue Feng, she was as meek as a lamb, utterly incapable of resistance.

Meanwhile, Wang Yu had securely locked herself in another room, keeping Yue Feng firmly outside.

“It’s all because you’ve been teasing Sister Yu’er too much, Brother. She can’t quite handle such intense actions yet,” the girl weakly protested against her cousin, though her efforts were futile.

“How was I to know Yu’er would react so strongly? And you, Cai’er, you’re not even helping me! Just wait until I get my hands on you,” Yue Feng growled playfully, pouncing on the girl like a big bad wolf.

“Ah!” The girl cried out, a helpless shriek escaping her lips.

***

“Ah, how vexing. Can’t they show some consideration for an old man?”

Coincidentally, in a premium chamber within the Tian Gong Institute’s exclusive residence, the white-haired Elder Zhang Xiaoyou sighed repeatedly as he perused the intelligence in his hands.

“According to investigations, personnel from the Nether Sect and Demonic Sect are frequently active in Fire Brazier City. There are suspicions that sect elders, not registered in Fire Brazier City, have appeared nearby.”

“Situ Yan, the second young master of the Situ family, has been acting suspiciously recently. Prior to this, scouts observed his close association with the Nether Sect and Demonic Sect. The reason is unknown, and the objective remains unclear.”

“Suspected ‘Executors’ have appeared in Fire Brazier City. It is impossible to confirm if any ‘Apostles’ are present.”

‘A time of trouble indeed,’ he mused. He had his suspicions regarding the Nether Sect and Demonic Sect.

Fire Brazier City was likely due for a change of ownership soon, and these two factions were probably vying for future influence and status within the city.

This was not a matter he needed to worry about; professionals handled such affairs, and his expertise lay elsewhere.

Both the Nether Sect and Demonic Sect were not cult-like organizations that engaged in murder or human sacrifice. Their ancestors were once Daoist Venerables.

While the Demonic Sect was labeled ‘demonic,’ it was merely due to their overly direct methods.

It wasn’t to say there were no evil individuals among them, but most of their disciples were chaotic neutral, devoid of pure malice.

Their actions could only be described as ruthless, yet they rarely massacred the innocent. The Demonic Venerable, their leader, famously believed, “Killing should never be the goal, but rather, one should kill with a purpose.”

This Venerable reveled in settling grievances swiftly, never harming common folk or the innocent. However, against their enemies, their methods were incredibly sharp and cruel.

This philosophy profoundly influenced the sect they founded. The Demonic Sect was considered quite ‘people-friendly’; most of its disciples came from impoverished backgrounds, typically living amidst the mortal world.

They would recommend talented individuals they discovered to their sect. Of course, the initiation trials were extremely perilous, with ninety percent of aspirants perishing.

Those unwilling to join were not forced. All of this was openly declared by the Demonic Sect: they offered an opportunity to join their sacred land, but this opportunity demanded one’s life in exchange.

Whether to seize it was entirely up to the individual.

The Nether Sect, however, was different. It rarely had young disciples, often comprising elders whose lifespans were nearing their end.

Their research delved into the taboos of life, seeking to break the limitations of longevity and glimpse the mysteries of reincarnation.

They frequently dealt with the deceased and sometimes even conducted human experiments.

Most of these experiments involved cultivators nearing the end of their lives or individuals who voluntarily entered contracts with the Nether Sect.

Their existence closely resembled that of demons on Earth: one signed a contract, the demon fulfilled a wish, and then claimed the soul and body.

It was precisely this type of contract that gave the Nether Sect its perpetually poor reputation. Regarding this, the Nether Sect’s Daoist Venerable remained disdainful, merely stating to the world,

“The Nether Sect’s contracts are always signed on the principle of free will. Life is precious, yet there are always matters that transcend life itself, which ordinary people often lack the ability to achieve.

I now offer them this chance. If a Nether Sect member signs a contract but fails to fulfill it, they will also suffer a backlash from the contract, facing near-certain death.

Even if they survive, the cost will be immense. Therefore, I see nothing improper in this.

If some individuals carelessly squander the precious lives given by their parents for trivial matters, then I do not believe they are qualified to enjoy the beauty of this world.”

With the Daoist Venerable’s pronouncement, no one dared to object further. Nevertheless, the Nether Sect itself was aware of its unpopularity.

Like the Demonic Sect, they generally remained reclusive, with specialized individuals sent out to recruit disciples.

What truly vexed Zhang Xiaoyou was the last item on the report. This was precisely why he, a Grand Elder, was the leader for this training expedition to Fire Brazier City.

The ‘Executors’ were high-ranking cadres of the Serpent of Devourment, commanded by seven Apostles, acting under the Alliance Leader’s will to cause trouble everywhere.

Indeed, ’cause trouble’ was the operative phrase. Sometimes, even the Sacred Lands couldn’t fathom what benefit such disruption brought them.

Yet, their founder was also a Daoist Venerable, which elevated the scale of their troublemaking to a level that even the Sacred Lands found agonizing. Zhang Xiaoyou wondered who had given this Daoist Venerable such ideas.

Today, the Tianyuan Kingdom, located in the central part of the Tianxuan Continent, stood as one of the few great nations that had survived the Primordial Daoist Venerable’s era.

Its heritage was incredibly ancient, not quite a Sacred Land, and it had never produced a Daoist Venerable, yet it rivaled Sacred Lands in influence.

Perhaps due to its extreme age, the nation was now embroiled in a reform movement. The imperial family could have easily suppressed it, as they had done before.

However, the Serpent of Devourment intervened, deploying three Apostles, seven Executors, and several assisting units within the Tianyuan Kingdom.

One should not underestimate this force; Apostles and Executors were not appointed merely based on strength. They each possessed abilities far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Moreover, the rules established by that Daoist Venerable when the organization was founded dictated that Executors must possess a unique skill, be outcasts, or individuals with powerful obsessions.

There was no absolute hierarchy between Executors and Apostles. After an Apostle devised a plan, they could summon interested Executors, but could not force them to join.

Once an Executor joined a plan, they had to obey the Apostle’s arrangements. Ordinarily, Executors were free to act as they pleased, unconstrained by their status, and enjoyed high-level treatment from the Serpent of Devourment.

The waters of the Tianyuan Kingdom instantly boiled. The Tianyuan imperial family was utterly bewildered. By the time they reacted, the wave of rebellion had already swept across the entire nation.

Had it not been for the deep foundations of the Tianyuan Kingdom, the sagacious and formidable emperor of that era, and his exceptionally intelligent crown prince who tirelessly sought aid abroad and even deployed a formidable weapon, they would have been overthrown directly.

Even so, they were compelled to yield to public opinion, implementing a series of concessions to their system, and the autocracy of the imperial power was greatly diminished.

One might assume this meant the Tianyuan imperial family had defeated the Serpent of Devourment. However, it was only after the incident reached its climax that the Serpent of Devourment began to ‘go easy,’ setting up obstacles for the Tianyuan imperial family to overcome one by one.

When defeated, they would retreat, leaving the Tianyuan imperial family in utter agony. Of course, publicly, it was declared that they had endured hardships and successfully defeated the Serpent of Devourment.

But Zhang Xiaoyou, as a high-ranking member of the Tian Gong Institute, knew the inside story. Their Tian Gong Institute had even dispatched elite disciples to assist the crown prince and were privy to the entire course of events.

Later, after several Sacred Lands communicated, they remained utterly baffled by the Serpent of Devourment’s true intentions. If there were benefits, they genuinely couldn’t perceive them.

They had, after all, lost years of their own arrangements within the Tianyuan Kingdom without any discernible gain. It seemed as though they were genuinely forcing the Tianyuan Kingdom to implement reforms, only to then brush off their sleeves and depart, their achievements hidden.

‘Could they truly be good people?’ Such thoughts had more than once popped into the minds of those in the Sacred Lands.

Regardless of their motivations, their ability to create chaos was absolutely world-class. Those who had experienced it all said… they were utterly maddening.

At least, that was what a certain great nation, severely weakened by the ordeal, believed.

But now, it was these Sacred Lands’ turn to suffer headaches. Who knew what chaos these people would stir up? And this second idiot of the Situ family—did he even realize how he was harming his own clan?

None of his collaborators were benevolent figures. No, this was too much; his head ached. Zhang Xiaoyou felt his age truly catching up to him. Any more of this torment, and he might ascend to immortality prematurely.

Fortunately, Zhang Xiaoyou secretly rejoiced that he had invited Fang Yue. She was practically a human combat aircraft. In an era without Daoist Venerables, few could withstand her fists.

With two of the world’s strongest experts guarding this place, surely nothing would go wrong, right? Surely nothing. Ha-ha, ha-ha.

***

Within the Situ family’s grand manor, in the confinement chamber, the second young master squatted, utterly resentful and idle.

Just then, a voice drifted in from the side: “Oh, oh, oh, I thought it was someone else imprisoned here. Isn’t this our second young master?”

Situ Yan roared, his face contorted in fury: “Is this how you treat me, your collaborator? Without my help, you won’t achieve anything! Release me at once, do you hear? Without me, you’ll never find the control center of Fire Brazier City, nor will you get inside!”

“My, my, still so short-tempered,” a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a rather frivolous man. “Alright, alright, haven’t I come to rescue you? You know, we value you greatly, Second Young Master.”

“However,” the man suddenly appeared behind Situ Yan, grabbing his neck, “as your collaborators, shouldn’t you show a little more respect? Without us, you’d never become the head of the Situ family. Don’t forget, you’re not the only one with direct Situ family blood.”

Situ Yan’s face turned swollen and red, and he nodded frantically. Only then did the man release him.

“Excellent. Come, Second Young Master of the Situ family. It would be rude to keep such an important collaborator in this rundown iron room.

Let’s move to another location. That is our Serpent of Devourment stronghold, where you will certainly receive VIP treatment.”

With that, the man led Situ Yan away, vanishing into the shadows. Astonishingly, not a single member of the Situ family detected their departure.

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