Chapter 603: Setting a Trap
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"Abyssal," Zhang Ruochen called out.
The space ring on his finger emitted a circle of white light, and the Abyssal Ancient Sword flew out from within, refining all the sacred swords, protective treasures, and True Martial Treasures on the ground.
As for the remaining pills and secret manuals, Zhang Ruochen placed them all into the ring, storing them away properly.
Things that Hongyu Xing Shi dared not touch, Zhang Ruochen took without hesitation.
Only the sacred edict on Youlan Xing Shi's body did Zhang Ruochen touch.
The sacred edict was an excellent treasure, even priceless, but it bore the sacred power left by a Saint. Even if Zhang Ruochen hid the edict in the Scroll World, Youlan Xing Shi's master would surely trace it back to him. In short, some things could be taken, and some things could not.
After putting away the now more powerful Abyssal Ancient Sword, Zhang Ruochen grabbed Youlan Xing Shi's corpse and flew toward Qingyun Commandery City.
Outside Qingyun Commandery City, hidden deep in the mountains, stood a Daoist temple called "Yunzhong Daoist Temple." This ancient, rustic temple was built on a cliff hundreds of meters high. At dawn and dusk, white mist bridges floated among the mountains, and spirit cranes soared through the peaks, creating a wondrous scene of a sacred mountain treasure land.
A few days ago, the Liangyi Sect disciples who had tried to snatch Zhang Ruochen's sacred stones had fled Qingyun Commandery City and immediately hid in Yunzhong Daoist Temple. An elder of the Liangyi Sect lived in seclusion there, enough to protect their safety, so they weren't afraid of evil path experts pursuing them.
However, Lin Yue had been quite troubled in recent days.
Originally a Heaven List expert, considered a talented youth, handsome and charming, he had countless junior and senior sisters who admired him.
But now, those junior and senior sisters all gave him a wide berth, casting disdainful glances.
He knew the reason: he had knelt before that evil path expert and betrayed his uncle master, causing the Liangyi Sect's treasure-seeking compass to fall into that evil path expert's hands.
Lin Yue didn't think he had done anything wrong.
That evil path expert was so powerful that even his uncle master had been severely wounded and unable to resist. Did he have a choice?
As long as he could survive, what was kneeling?
People, as long as they lived, would always have their moment to rise above others, their moment to shake the world, their moment to earn countless people's respect.
But once dead, there was nothing.
What was more important than life?
"That day, I was just enduring humiliation for a greater purpose. One day, I'll make you all see me anew, make you know that I, Lin Yue, am no coward who fears death."
Lin Yue clenched his fists, speaking indignantly.
Suddenly, a faint sound of wind came from behind him.
Lin Yue turned to look, and when he saw the familiar figure standing behind him, he was scared half to death. His legs gave way, and with a thud, he knelt on the ground, trembling all over.
Zhang Ruochen, carrying Youlan Xing Shi's corpse on his shoulder, stood three zhang away from Lin Yue. Seeing Lin Yue's cowardly appearance, he couldn't help but find it amusing. "Why are you so afraid of me?"
"The... the senior's majestic presence stands before me, like a Saint manifesting, a god descending. This... this junior is terrified, how could I not kneel?"
Lin Yue had long witnessed Zhang Ruochen's power, his face pale with fear, stammering, trying to say as many flattering words as possible to stabilize Zhang Ruochen.
"You still remember me?"
"Of course I do."
Zhang Ruochen nodded, too lazy to waste more words. "Now, an opportunity to become famous is placed before you. Though there are some risks, the rewards are immense. It depends on whether you dare to seize this chance."
"What opportunity?"
Lin Yue suddenly looked up, asking incredulously.
Such a good thing existed in the world?
Fame—who didn't want it?
"Bang!"
Zhang Ruochen threw Youlan Xing Shi's corpse to the ground and kicked it toward Lin Yue. "He is the Youlan Xing Shi of the Black Market First Class Hall. I severely wounded him. You just need to stab him twice, and the credit for killing him will be yours."
"Youlan... Xing Shi..."
"What? Scared?" Zhang Ruochen said coldly.
"No, not scared."
Lin Yue took a deep breath, suppressing his fear, and extended a finger to press on Youlan Xing Shi's wrist. Then, as if electrocuted, he immediately withdrew his hand, exclaiming, "He... he... he's already dead!"
Zhang Ruochen's eyes turned cold. "I said he's only severely wounded now. Understand?"
"Understand, understand."
Lin Yue nodded like a chick pecking at rice. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "The senior means that with my cultivation, I couldn't kill Youlan Xing Shi at his peak, but I could kill him when he's severely wounded."
"Exactly."
Zhang Ruochen continued to guide him. "Then, how did he become severely wounded?"
"Wasn't it you who wounded him?"
Lin Yue wanted to say that, but seeing Zhang Ruochen's gaze, he swallowed the words back and said tentatively, "Youlan Xing Shi fought a decisive battle with a mysterious senior of our Liangyi Sect. Both were severely injured. In the end, I stepped in at the critical moment, not only saving that senior but also killing the severely wounded Youlan Xing Shi. Senior, is that acceptable?"
He had to admit, Lin Yue was a genius at fabricating lies, even earning Zhang Ruochen's admiration.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "How you spin it is your business. If you want fame, seize this opportunity. Once famous, what can't you get?"
"Thank you, senior, for your guidance. Lin Yue will never forget your kindness."
Lin Yue showed a grateful expression, pressing his hands to the ground and kowtowing in thanks.
When he looked up again, only Youlan Xing Shi's corpse remained on the ground; Zhang Ruochen was gone.
Lin Yue looked around, confirming Zhang Ruochen had left, then snorted coldly. "Senior? What kind of senior? He probably killed Youlan Xing Shi and, afraid of the Black Market's retaliation, wants to pin it on me. But... I'm a Liangyi Sect disciple; I'm not afraid of the Black Market's revenge."
Lin Yue stood up, dusting off his knees.
His gaze fell on Youlan Xing Shi's corpse. He immediately crouched down, searching the body, and soon found the scroll of the sacred edict.
Opening the sacred edict, Lin Yue trembled with excitement. "It's the sacred edict issued by Youlan Xing Shi's master, Blood Prison Saint! With this edict in hand, along with Youlan Xing Shi's corpse, who would dare say he wasn't killed by me? Haha!"
Lin Yue no longer cared about the mysterious evil path expert's purpose in giving him Youlan Xing Shi's corpse. With this sacred edict, everything was explained.
He could already imagine returning to the Liangyi Sect, the shocked expressions of his teachers, the admiring gazes of his junior and senior sisters, and the endless cultivation resources.
No, he had to craft a perfect story.
Since he was about to become famous, how could he not have a legendary tale that would make people applaud? The more Lin Yue thought about it, the more excited he became.
Leaving Yunzhong Daoist Temple, Zhang Ruochen headed straight back to Red Willow Manor.
Zhang Ruochen believed Lin Yue was a man chasing fame and fortune and would surely use Youlan Xing Shi's corpse to make a big splash, achieving instant fame.
Even if Lin Yue told the truth, it would be Hongyu Xing Shi who suffered, not Zhang Ruochen. He could simply change his identity and set up a new trap for Di Yi, just wasting a bit more time.
"Youlan Xing Shi was killed by a Heavenly Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist from the Liangyi Sect. The news should spread quickly. Will Di Yi believe it? Will he think Hongyu Xing Shi has already begun secret cooperation with the Liangyi Sect?" Zhang Ruochen pondered.
The Eastern Domain had five major powers: the Black Market, the Eastern Domain Saint King Manor, the Martial Market Bank, the Liangyi Sect, and the Moon Worship Demon Sect.
Among them, the Eastern Domain Saint King Manor, representing official power, had the Chen Clan's backing, a large army, and Confucian civil officials, making it the most powerful force.
The Martial Market Bank and the Black Market were mortal enemies.
The Moon Worship Demon Sect both cooperated with and opposed the Black Market.
Thus, in the entire Eastern Domain, only the Liangyi Sect and the Black Market had no conflict of interest. Although the Liangyi Sect claimed to be the "Leader of Ten Thousand Sects" and the "Righteous Path Leader," they had never truly engaged in large-scale conflict with the Black Market, the representative of the evil path, only minor skirmishes.
Even if Hongyu Xing Shi formed factions within the Black Market, Di Yi wouldn't care. After all, the Black Market was his territory; no matter how Hongyu Xing Shi stirred things up, she couldn't cause much trouble.
Only by hinting to Di Yi that Hongyu Xing Shi had begun cooperating with the Liangyi Sect would he truly take notice and personally come to Qingyun Commandery to deal with her, eliminating the threat.
As long as Di Yi could be lured to Qingyun Commandery, everything would become much easier.
"Di Yi, I'm looking forward to seeing what decision you make when you learn of Youlan Xing Shi's death."
When Zhang Ruochen returned to Red Willow Manor, he saw a group of evil path martial artists loading bloody corpses onto carts, preparing to feed them to barbarian beasts.
Hongyu Xing Shi had launched a bloody purge upon returning to Red Willow Manor, killing over forty people—all the fence-sitters who had gone to pledge loyalty to Youlan Xing Shi that morning.
Ji Gui should have died too, but as a half-saint disciple and a Fish-Dragon Seventh Change expert, Hongyu Xing Shi spared his life for now, knowing he wasn't loyal. He was still a useful expert.
"Greetings, Great Protector."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, the evil path martial artists showed reverence, approaching and kneeling to pay their respects. Among them was even Ji Gui.
(Supernatural novel *Yin Yang Ghost Art* by a great author has been published. Highly recommended!)
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