Chapter 3: The Puppet Master’s Gambit

That foolish junior brother remained oblivious that the black-robed figure was no longer his senior, Zhang Jiu’s brother, but rather our transmigator, Wang Yu. ‘Haha, the plan is unfolding flawlessly!’

Indeed, it wasn’t due to Zhang Jiu’s low intellect, but rather Wang Yu’s profound understanding of him, coupled with a lavish investment that utterly clouded Zhang Jiu’s judgment.

Wang Yu, after all, had inherited the former sect master’s memories.

And who understood the former sect master better than the very junior brother who had once vied with him for the leadership of the sect?

From these memories, Wang Yu knew that Zhang Jiu, the deputy sect master, was the son of the sect’s former Grand Elder. With his influential father’s backing, he had been but a single step away from claiming the sect master’s position.

Yet, every grand ambition has its ‘but.’ His senior brother, the current sect master, had emerged from seemingly nowhere.

This man had proven far more cunning than Zhang Jiu, exploiting the conflict between the former sect master and Grand Elder, and employing intricate schemes against Zhang Jiu to ultimately secure the leadership.

Zhang Jiu had watched, helpless, as his hard-won prize slipped through his fingers.

He harbored a deep, burning hatred for the current sect master and had been secretly amassing power, foolishly dreaming of a day when he could reverse his fortunes.

Wang Yu, keenly aware of Zhang Jiu’s inner turmoil, seized the opportunity. He delivered a crushing blow, effectively stunning Zhang Jiu and enveloping him in a ‘dimwitted’ aura.

‘Heh heh heh, this fool probably thinks his luck has turned. Go on, be my perfect scapegoat.’

‘Now, I just need to sacrifice this old man’s body in front of the protagonist, then find a more handsome one, and finally embark on the path of a life winner—ah, no, the path of a successful, carefree idler.’

‘I mustn’t get carried away. Stay steady. Making a fortune quietly is the true path.’

‘Right, making a fortune, a fortune indeed! 👍’

Wang Yu chuckled as he opened the secret door to a hidden chamber. Inside lay the illicit gains the current sect master had embezzled from the sect’s points over many years, lining his own pockets with ill-gotten wealth.

‘I, Wang Yu, as a morally upright young man, cannot tolerate such misconduct. Let me collect it all, contributing my strength to the progress of this world! Hahahaha, after this, I’ll leverage advanced knowledge from my past life to cultivate and trade, soaring to become the world’s richest man.’

Wang Yu felt that the days of sleeping on a bed of money were not far off, even if it was still just a fantasy. ‘But a person without dreams isn’t even a salted fish!’

***

“How are the preparations coming along?” Zhang Jiu asked blandly from his seat as sect master. A trusted elder beside him hastily replied, “Reporting to the Deputy Sect Master, the entire sect is ready for battle. We—”

“Hm?” Zhang Jiu cut him off before the elder could finish, casting a quick glance. The elder, having been Zhang Jiu’s confidant for many years, immediately understood his meaning.

“This subordinate deserves to die! Now, *you* are the sect master!” the elder flattered with a fawning smile.

“Hmph,” Zhang Jiu snorted, though a barely concealed smile threatened to spill from his eyes. He toyed with the sect master’s token in his hand.

“Do not speak nonsense. I have merely been appointed as acting sect master by the sect master. I am not yet the true sect master. Continue with your report.”

“Yes, yes, yes, the Sect Master is right,” the trusted elder quickly responded.

“Sect Master, although we have accumulated strength and are ready to brave any danger for our sect, the enemy’s momentum is fierce. I fear we may not be able to stop them.”

As his words fell, the other elders in the grand hall also nodded vigorously, chiming in, “Indeed, Sect Master Zhang, we are at our wits’ end!”

“Hahahaha, rest assured, everyone! My senior brother and I have already formulated a plan. We are simply waiting for those rats to arrive here so we can capture them all in one net.

This crisis for our sect may seem perilous, but it is, in fact, an excellent opportunity for our sect to grow and prosper!” Zhang Jiu rose to his feet, loudly encouraging the elders.

“Once this crisis passes, I will not shortchange any of you for the great contributions you have made to our sect!”

The elders, reassured by Zhang Jiu’s confident words, relaxed and bowed their hands in praise, “The Sect Master is wise!”

Zhang Jiu’s face was alight with triumph. He had considered the possibility that his senior brother might be plotting against him, but no matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t conceive of such a thing.

As for his senior brother fleeing, he refused to believe it for a second. Just as his senior brother understood him deeply, he too knew his own senior brother profoundly.

His senior brother would sooner die than abandon years of hard work like that.

Moreover, they hadn’t reached such a dire pass yet.

It was merely a slightly formidable young upstart. At most, they would pay a small price, resolve the matter, and their sect’s prestige would rise even further. Perhaps even truly dominating Yunfeng Sect wouldn’t be out of the question.

Of course, all of Zhang Jiu’s assumptions hinged on his sect master senior brother doing his utmost.

However, it was clear that the current Wang Yu was of the cold-hearted type. The harsh realities of his new existence had long since numbed most of his emotions. For strangers, his motto had always been: ‘May my friends die, but not me.’

Zhang Jiu could rack his brains until they burst, but he would never imagine that his senior brother had already ascended to the heavens, having played himself to death.

Inside his senior brother’s body now resided a ‘salted fish’ from Earth. He cared not for the intricacies of the situation; his mind was solely focused on making a swift escape.

Two more days passed. This particular day would undoubtedly be unforgettable for the disciples of Yunfeng Sect. Previously, they had been the ones to flaunt their power before other sects, but now, their mountain gate was besieged.

Outside the mountain gate stood a formidable-looking assembly of small and medium-sized sects. Yet, the most striking figure among them was not one of their leaders.

At the very forefront, a white-robed youth stood with his hands clasped behind his back, surrounded by the various sect masters.

He was exceedingly handsome and dashing, with a noble bearing. His expression was serene, yet his gaze remained fixed intently on Yunfeng Sect.

This white-robed youth was named Yue Feng. He looked upon the sect he had once dreamed of joining, now destined to be destroyed by his own hand.

But Yue Feng harbored no regrets. His vendetta against Yunfeng Sect had been forged the moment they annihilated his family, a blood feud that would only end with death.

To overthrow Yunfeng Sect, a colossal entity in his eyes, he had endured countless hardships to reach his current peak in the Innate Realm.

Moreover, he possessed the strength to contend with experts of the Transcendent Realm. To counter Yunfeng Sect’s immense power, he had also rallied other sects that had suffered under their oppression.

This arduous journey had matured his resolve at an astonishing pace.

Three years of forbearance culminated in this moment.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he strode forward. “Yue Feng of Yanlan City, on behalf of the many sects bullied by Yunfeng Sect, I have come today to seek your esteemed guidance!”

Yanlan City, the city where Yue Feng’s family had once lived and thrived, had been utterly destroyed by Yunfeng Sect.

“Hmph! A mere junior, and only at the Innate Realm?” Zhang Jiu scoffed, releasing his Transcendent Realm aura. However, before it could exert any deterrent effect, it was blocked by an old man on the opposing side.

“Heh heh heh, Zhang Jiu, your opponent is me,” the old man said. He was clad in magnificent yellow robes, his demeanor clearly extraordinary.

Upon seeing the old man, Zhang Jiu’s expression turned grim. “Elder Huang, as a royal enshrinement, isn’t it improper for you to meddle in sect affairs?”

“Oh dear, at my age, I truly don’t wish to, but some people, the more you concede, the more they push their luck. They even try to ride on your head.

Alas, this old man has no choice but to intervene!” Elder Huang said with a chuckle, though his tone was laced with palpable killing intent.

The royal family and Yunfeng Sect had long been at loggerheads over power, their relations as tense as fire and water.

However, they had previously been forced to endure due to Yunfeng Sect possessing two Transcendent Realm experts. Now, this was the royal family’s perfect opportunity for revenge.

“Hmph! You will regret this!” Zhang Jiu glared venomously at the old man. He was, of course, well aware of the matters between their sect and the royal family, and he himself had played no small part in them.

‘Well, who back then, when power was on our side, would have foreseen such a turn of events? Regardless, what needed to be done was done. Perhaps they just went a little too far.’

Although Zhang Jiu still maintained an outwardly fearless appearance, he was inwardly quite apprehensive. After all, his strength was, at best, on par with Elder Huang’s.

Perhaps, being in his prime with vigorous vitality, he might be slightly stronger than the aged Elder Huang, who had limited lifespan remaining.

However, that young man was truly troublesome. Though only at the Innate Realm, he had managed to force his senior brother to a point of mutual destruction, which spoke volumes about his terrifying power.

‘My senior brother, mind you, was a Transcendent Realm expert, stronger than even me.’ Zhang Jiu still possessed some intelligence, though Wang Yu would have been even happier if he didn’t.

Thinking of this, Zhang Jiu couldn’t help but resentfully wonder, “What is that old schemer doing? He couldn’t have actually fled, could he?”

Just then, his senior brother’s voice echoed in Zhang Jiu’s ear:

[Let that Yue Feng come to the main hall. You, junior brother, deal with the others.

Tell that Yue fellow that if he doesn’t come, we’ll burn his family’s secret manuals.]