Chapter 251 - 249: Taking Sides and Bloodlust

Chapter 251: Chapter 249: Taking Sides and Bloodlust

"Sect Leader, Fang Can is being targeted by other countries right now."

In Yanggu County, within the Tiger Slaughter Sect, Li Fengtian’s expression grew worried as he received a report from his subordinate.

As the one who had recommended the boy to the sect, he had actually been keeping an eye on Fang Can’s every step.

In just two or three months, this kid—a boy he could have once crushed with a single hand—had grown into a peer on his level. It was impossible for Li Fengtian not to be stunned.

Although no one in the entire Tiger Slaughter Sect said it aloud, they were all secretly watching to see what this young man—expelled by the Sect Leader not long ago—could achieve.

"See? I was right, wasn’t I?"

Yang Duan, the Sect Leader of the Tiger Slaughter Sect, took a light sip of his tea, an all-knowing glint in his eyes.

"These characters, the ones who seem like protagonists straight out of a novel, leave a trail of bodies wherever they go. Disaster follows in their wake, and they kill until the land is stained with blood."

"I’ve trained for decades and only reached the Second Turn, yet he’s been out for a few months and has already stirred up trouble involving a Fourth Turn expert."

"If we had kept him in the sect, the Tiger Slaughter Sect wouldn’t have lasted a single day."

Yang Duan instructed, "Don’t you get involved, either. Anyway, with that kid’s luck, there’s no way he’ll die."

"Besides, we’re just small fry. How could we possibly handle matters involving a Fourth Turn expert? Even if that kid Fang Can dies, it’s none of our business. We’ve already treated him more than fairly."

...

Meanwhile, news that Jiejian Mountain had sealed its gates spread immediately. The authorities in the Great Yan Country received the report on practically the same day.

"Jiejian Mountain has already abandoned Fang Can?"

Prince Qing listened to his subordinate’s report with a look of astonishment. ’How did they fold even faster than me?’

He had still been hesitating, but now that the leader had made its stance clear, there was no point in being stubborn. A Third Turn’s thigh can’t out-muscle a Fourth Turn’s arm, after all.

Having survived this long in the imperial court by catering to the whims of Fourth Turn experts, they understood the three great principles of self-preservation in officialdom better than anyone.

Anticipate danger! Adapt to change! Know when to retreat!

Of course, they had no intention of kicking a man while he was down. They simply planned to lie low.

The moment the thought occurred to him, Prince Qing immediately ordered everyone in his residence to remain indoors for the time being.

It wasn’t just Prince Qing. Old General Yang, Minister Fang, and others who had previously supported or helped Fang Can all fell silent and ceased their activities.

Seeing their colleagues behave this way, the other Third Turn experts were also unwilling to be the first to make a move. Instead, they sent some of their underlings to do the dirty work.

Although Fang Can now seemed like a dilapidated house, teetering on the verge of collapse and ready to fall with a single kick...

...it was best to let someone else be the pawn who delivered that kick.

Atop the Ancient City of Great Chu, Ji Donglai stood alone, filled with curiosity about this world.

"So you really can reach the Otherworld through the Ancient City. Now, it’s our turn to shine. Let’s fucking wreck this whole world!"

Ji Donglai’s lips didn’t move, but a voice emanated from within his body. A hand then emerged from his chest and pointed south. "Boss, Fang Can’s located in that direction. If you head straight that way, you’ll get there in about 7,000 kilometers."

"You damned wastrel, you think I run on air? This is all part of our strategic reserves for later," Ji Donglai said viciously.

"See if you can borrow some powers now that we’re in the Otherworld. Get a teleportation ability and take us there."

"Lame-o Boss, if you insist, I can only obey," the King of Trolls said airily. "But shouldn’t we come up with a slogan or something?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, since this is a team effort, we should have a slogan that will echo throughout the world. You know, a catchphrase for when we combine, like ’And I’ll form the tonsils!’ or something."

"I don’t care about that crap, do whatever you want. Can we just get a move on?" Superman F, from within Ji Donglai’s body, urged. "Fucking King of Trolls, if you keep dragging your feet, I’ll kill your whole family. See if I don’t."

"You already killed them. My entire family is dead, which means I have no weaknesses. I’m terrifyingly strong now. Just so you know."

The King of Trolls drawled, "It’s not that I don’t want to. There’s a bit of a lag, crossing over from another world. I have to let the superpower ’fly’ for a bit before I can borrow it. We’re looking at a three-second delay."

As he spoke, the young man’s body shimmered and transformed into that of a stranger. He then whisked them all thousands of miles away.

...

At the gates of the Fang Mansion, the once-bustling street was now deathly silent. Several thousand Imperial Guards had surrounded the area, their grim, murderous gazes fixed on the building before them.

"By order, following a report that Fang Can has colluded with a princess from an enemy nation, the Imperial Guard is commanded to imprison him and conduct a rigorous interrogation!"

A general on a tall white horse at the head of the group made the proclamation, his voice echoing down the entire street.

As soon as he spoke, a hush fell over the sides of the street. Everyone waited for a response from within the mansion.

The residents hiding in the nearby buildings were stunned. Fang Can, the national hero of the Great Yan Country, colluding with the enemy? It felt like some kind of nightmare.

’Just what had gone wrong?’

Just then, the main gate swung open with a CREAK. With all eyes on him, Fang Can, dressed in a white robe, slowly strode out.

"Where is Old General Yang?" Fang Can asked immediately.

"The General has taken ill and is resting at home. Prince Qing has secluded himself and refuses to come out. Minister Fang left this morning to visit his family in his hometown..."

The general on the tall horse rattled off the names, clearly well-aware of Fang Can’s network in the Capital City.

Then again, no one who cultivated along the Heaven-Ascending Road was a fool. He only dared to act as the vanguard after confirming that Fang Can was utterly alone.

The powers that be behind him had said his mission would be complete as long as he got Fang Can into a prison cell.

With this act as his pledge of fealty, he would enjoy a meteoric rise through the military ranks. The Second Turn would be within his grasp, and there was even a sliver of a chance he could break through to the Third Turn.

’So, Fang Can, please don’t resist,’ the man on the white horse prayed. ’Once you’re locked in prison, it will have nothing more to do with me.’

He had no personal grudge against Fang Can; he was only willing to step forward this time for the sake of a single word: profit.

So, looking at Fang Can before him, the man leaned down and said softly, "Young Hero Fang, I’m just following orders. Please don’t make things difficult for us."

"Following orders? Whose orders?" Fang Can’s question was met with silence. The name was too heavy to speak aloud.

He swept his gaze around. The several thousand Imperial Guards were all at the Ninth Layer.

According to what Prince Qing once said, these Ninth Layer guards had been force-grown using a secret elixir. They could reach the Ninth Layer Realm within a year, but after the elixir’s ten-year effect wore off, they would become mere mortals, their aptitude for cultivation permanently crippled.

And in addition to these thousands of basic Ninth Layer guards, five commanders at the First Turn Realm were hidden among the crowd.

"So... I’m being underestimated."

A vicious grin spread across Fang Can’s calm face as an invisible force field materialized, enveloping the entire area.

"They know perfectly well that I’ve broken through to the First Turn, yet they still only sent this handful of people."

Fang Can’s eyes were as cold as daggers. "I’ll give you one warning. If you don’t want to die, it’s not too late to leave."

"Otherwise, none of you will leave here alive."