Chapter 10: The Spoils of War

“This little girl,” Yue Feng mused, toying with the two gold coins in his hand as he rode towards the town. He recalled Wang Yu’s stubborn expression and chuckled softly.

“Everything is difficult at the start, isn’t it? Should I buy some gifts to boost her favorability, Master?”

Shi Yang glanced at his disciple. “Do you even know what that girl likes? She’s not like ordinary girls. Besides, she already plundered the secret room’s small treasury, so she shouldn’t be lacking anything except common daily necessities.”

Yue Feng considered this, then sighed helplessly. “I can’t even send her a gift. Her ‘conquest difficulty’ has been nightmare-level from the very beginning.”

The secluded cabin was not truly far from the nearest city; it was simply well-hidden, making it difficult to discover.

Yue Feng soon saw a towering city appear before his eyes.

Yunfeng City, as it was now known, had not always borne this name. Its moniker had been changed as the neighboring Yunfeng Sect grew in power. It was likely that its name would change again before long.

Upon entering Yunfeng City, Yue Feng found it far more desolate than when he had first visited. Many shops had closed, their owners having fled early in fear of being caught in the impending war.

Yue Feng gave a self-deprecating laugh. He was, after all, ‘indispensable’ to Yunfeng City’s current plight.

This war touched upon too many things for him: the great vengeance for his annihilated sect, the humiliation of constant wandering, and the interests of the imperial family and numerous other sects.

Though he was confident in victory, to ensure absolute success, he had extensively cleared out Yunfeng City and established it as his base of operations.

Yue Feng walked silently into Yunfeng City. ‘The fault for this city’s decline lies with me, yet I have no regrets.’ He did not view the guilt in his heart as weakness or hypocrisy; rather, he welcomed it.

The trials of the mortal world had not rendered him heartless. If one committed wrong deeds without a shred of remorse, that truly would be terrifying. A person without a sense of good and evil was no different from a beast.

Upon entering Yunfeng City, Yue Feng walked directly towards the city’s largest restaurant. Someone was waiting for him there.

***

Inside the Yueyun Tower in Yunfeng City, a group of people sat around a large circular table in the most luxurious private room. They exchanged silent glances, while only an elderly man meticulously savored his tea.

These were the various sect masters who had participated in the attack on Yunfeng Sect, along with Elder Huang, the imperial family’s representative.

The Yunfeng Sect had been annihilated, its formidable defenses stripped away, leaving it ripe for them to carve up like a grand cake.

However, in the process of dividing the spoils, the sect masters found themselves in an awkward predicament. With Yunfeng Sect destroyed, there was no longer any power within the nation capable of standing against the imperial family.

Taking too much might incur the imperial family’s displeasure, leading to their own annihilation.

Taking too little, however, felt like a great loss, especially since they had contributed the most effort, while the imperial family had only sent Elder Huang.

Frustration was their true feeling at this moment. They could only hope that the young man who had united them would, out of consideration for their arduous efforts, grant them some sweet benefits.

Elder Huang slowly sipped his tea, unhurried. He knew the largest share of the profits would undoubtedly be his. Those who could become sect masters were no fools.

They had previously been blinded by the immense spoils of Yunfeng Sect, but now they should have sobered up.

If any hotheads remained, the imperial family would not hesitate to kill them to assert dominance, making it clear who held supreme authority now.

The only variable was that young man, but the imperial family had already reached an agreement with him beforehand.

Elder Huang watched the sect masters with a hint of amusement, knowing they likely still imagined using Yue Feng as a pawn, unaware they had long since been sold out.

The door to the private room opened, and a dashing young man with a slight smile entered.

The sect masters quickly rose to their feet. Elder Huang, not daring to be slow, cupped his hands and said, “Young Hero Yue has arrived. Please, take a seat.”

Yue Feng returned the gesture. “You are too kind, everyone.” Afterward, Yue Feng casually found an empty seat. The distinction between main seat and honored seat no longer held meaning; no matter where he sat, he would be the center of this table.

Elder Huang naturally noticed this, sighing inwardly at the thought: ‘The waves behind push the waves ahead.’ To achieve such a status, both prestige and strength were indispensable.

This young man had accomplished what the imperial family could not, uniting so many sects single-handedly to confront Yunfeng Sect.

Before reaching twenty, he had already attained the Xiantian realm and could even kill Transcendent realm experts. He was admirable, formidable, and terrifying.

“Yunfeng Sect committed countless evils, incurring the wrath of both gods and men. All of you, with your profound understanding of righteousness, set aside past grievances and united against the enemy.

Now that Yunfeng Sect is destroyed and its chief culprit executed, your contributions are invaluable. I toast to everyone present.” Yue Feng was the first to speak, rising and raising his cup.

“We wouldn’t dare, this was only proper,”

“Without Young Hero, how could we have annihilated Yunfeng Sect?”

“Yunfeng Sect ran rampant and bullied people in our nation; we had long found it intolerable.”

The others present dared not be slow, quickly rising and raising their cups in return.

Yue Feng looked at the people seated before him, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

When Yunfeng Sect had been at its peak, they had feared it like a tiger, even aiding its tyranny, not daring to show the slightest dissatisfaction, like a scattered pile of sand.

Now, however, they were all leaping out to kick it while it was down.

To be honest, despite the deep-seated blood feud, Yue Feng felt that the Yunfeng Sect Master, who had chosen to fight to the death and perish with his sect when pushed to the brink, might have been more respectable.

Of course, he showed none of these thoughts. “Since this battle has been won, it is only right that we discuss rewards,” Yue Feng stated calmly.

The various sect masters instantly perked up.

“Now that Yunfeng Sect has been destroyed, its mountain stronghold and numerous properties are naturally ownerless. We cannot allow them to fall into disuse,”

Yue Feng said, cupping his hands. “Since this war began because of me, I shall make the decisions. What do you all think?”

“Young Hero Yue is always just. It is most fitting for you to make the decisions,” Elder Huang suddenly echoed.

The sect masters, seeing that the two most influential figures had made their decision, also chimed in, “We naturally have no objections.”

“Then I shall not be modest,” Yue Feng declared. He then began to outline his plan. “Yunfeng Sect’s mountain gate and all nearby territories shall belong entirely to the imperial family.”

The sect masters listened, unconcerned. They had their own territories to manage and were not worried about Yunfeng Sect’s lands.

“As for the spoils of war collected this time, the imperial family shall take sixty percent, and the remaining sects forty percent.”

Upon hearing this, the sect masters frowned slightly but still agreed. This was, after all, within their acceptable range.

“However, Yunfeng Sect’s assets located outside of its main territory shall all belong to the various sects. The specific divisions will be based on the principle of proximity to each sect’s assets.”

Immediately, the sect masters were stunned!

“This…” Elder Huang hesitated upon hearing this.

Yue Feng smiled persuasively. “After all, the various sects contributed the most and suffered the greatest losses in this war.

If they are not adequately compensated, the imperial family might struggle to gain their full support, especially since the imperial family will need to govern the nation alongside these sects in the future.”

“That’s right, Elder Huang. We will certainly follow the imperial family’s lead from now on,” the sect masters also urged.

“Alas, very well,” Elder Huang sighed helplessly.

“It’s truly wonderful that everyone agrees.” Yue Feng raised his cup. “Come, let us drink another toast.”

Afterward, the sect masters, along with their disciples, hurriedly departed, as if fearing Elder Huang would change his mind. Only Elder Huang and Yue Feng remained in the private room, quietly sipping tea.

Yue Feng, with his hands behind his back, spoke indifferently, “Are you satisfied now?”