Chapter 582 - 582: Zheng Clan's Conspiracy! Jun Tianyun's Plan

The grand hall of the Zheng Clan was thick with an oppressive, suffocating silence. In the center sat Patriarch Zheng Chang, his face flushed purple with unbridled fury, his breath coming in ragged, trembling gasps. Bloodshot eyes glared down at the kneeling attendants and solemn elders lined along the carved stone pillars.

"Why is he still alive?! WHY THAT BASTARD FENG CHU IS ALIVE?" Zheng Chang's roar tore through the chamber, rattling the heavy brass censers. He violently slammed his fist down, and under the sheer weight of his erupting internal energy. The ornate hardwood armrest shattered, instantly ground into fine dust that crumbled around his trembling knees.

"My son! My flesh and blood! The direct heir of our Zheng Clan was butchered like a dog in broad daylight on that tournament stage! And that little bastard Feng Chu breathing freely while my boy lay cold in the ancestral tomb?!"

The elders winced, exchanging cautious, dismayed glances. None dared meet the Patriarch's venomous stare until the Third Elder took a hesitant half-step forward, bowing low with quivering hands.

"Patriarch... calm your divine wrath," the Third Elder pleaded in a low voice. "It is not that our clan lacks the resolve. But Feng Chu seized first place in the tournament. The moment the battle ended, he retreated into closed-door seclusion. Worse still... the Vice Hall Master himself took a liking to the brat and promised security to his seclusion, granting him seven whole days of absolute sanctuary. With the Vice Hall Master's power over that abode, if our Zheng Clan dares to break through the wards, we would be openly declaring war on the Hall. We cannot touch him, not yet."

"Sanctuary?!" Zheng Chang gnashed his teeth so hard the sound grated like grinding millstones. "This is a resounding slap to the face of our entire bloodline! Not only was my son slaughtered before the eyes of the entire province, but the beast also stripped away our clan's magical treasures! We are the laughingstock of the region!"

The hall descended into uneasy murmurs until the First Elder, seated calmly to the right, stroked his silver beard and finally broke his silence. His voice was deep, cold, and calculated.

"Patriarch, a week of seclusion is mere a short break. A martial artist cannot hide behind another's robes forever. The Vice Hall Master promised seven days, not an eternity."

" The very second his foot crosses outside that threshold, the protection disperses. At that moment, we will rip him apart limb from limb and reclaim what he has taken. His death is already written; it is merely deferred by seven sunrises."

Before Zheng Chang could respond, a dry, raspy voice drifted from the dimmest corner of the hall. The Grand Elder slowly opened his sunken eyes, a veil of grim reality hanging over his wrinkled brow.

"If we move openly, the Martial Court authorities will hold our Zheng Clan accountable. We originally intended to hire the assassins of the Netherworld Temple to extinguish his soul cleanly without leaving a trace back to us."

" However... reliable news reached me just hours ago. The Netherworld Temple is no more. A mysterious, unknown woman descended upon their ancestral mountain and wiped the entire organization from existence in half a day. Not a single soul survived. If we want his blood without implicating our banners, we must seek another hand."

A low murmur of dread rippled across the assembly at the mention of the temple's abrupt destruction.

The First Elder, however, merely sneered, his gaze flashing with ruthless confidence. "The Netherworld Temple may have crumbled, but they were never the only rats roaming through the shadows. I happen to possess channels leading directly into the Hidden Dagger Club. Their assassins care nothing for the laws of sects or the wrath of noble clans. For the right price, they will turn that boy's emergence into his execution."

Zheng Chang rose from his throne, the suffocating aura of a high-stage realm flaring around his broad shoulders like a blazing furnace. He swept his robes aside, his voice dripping with venom as he turned his back on the elders and strode toward the inner chambers.

"I do not care who you employ. I do not care how much it costs. One week. The moment Feng Chu steps into the sun next week, I want his severed head placed upon my table, no matter what it takes!"

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Miles away from the mortal grudges and scheming dens of the city, a pristine flying treasure boat glided through the azure sky, cleaving the endless sea of white mist like an immortal swan.

On the open polished deck, Jun Tianyun was the picture of unbothered leisure. Propped up against a silk bolster, he lounged with one leg casually crossed over the other, pouring wine his mouth.

Around him, the ethereal, translucent figure of Su Qingyao drifted on a gentle breeze. Her silken skirt billowed weightlessly as she tilted her head, observing his languid demeanor with amused curiosity.

" My dear Host," Su Qingyao asked, her melodorous voice chiming like soft bells in the wind. "You look as if you don't have a single care under heaven. Pray tell, where are we heading now? What grand scheme are you going to carry out?"

Jun Tianyun swallowed a berry and chuckled, wiping his fingers on a clean handkerchief. "Scheme? You think too highly of me, Qingyao. I'm just running a small, mundane errand around the Cloud Ridge."

"A small errand?" Su Qingyao arched a delicate, skeptical eyebrow, drifting closer to his shoulder. "Every time you claim to run a small errand, you will be flipping a few families around. I am sure you are hunting another protagonist?"

" I heard some recent tales." Jun Tianyun said lazily, sitting up slightly. "Long before the present powers carved up these borders, an Ancient Tyrant arose in these mountains. A terrifying fellow who unified the entire Azure Cloud Domain with his demonic saber, sweeping away all rivals before him."

" Unfortunately for him, he encountered the Heavenly Demon, and was slaughtered. But a tyrant's wealth doesn't just vanish into the void. His inheritance remains buried beneath the earth, waiting for someone with fortune."

Reaching into his sleeve, Jun Tianyun pulled out his archaic heavenly compass. The bronze artifact hummed softly, its needle spinning wildly before locking steadily toward a rugged, mist-shrouded mountain spur jutting from the Cloud Ridge like a jagged dragon horn.

Jun Tianyun's eyes curved into a satisfied crescent. "Aha, found it."

Without another word, he stood up, dusted off his robes, and leaped cleanly off the side of the flying boat.

Su Qingyao gasped softly, drifting to the edge of the railing to watch his form plummet through the sea of clouds like a falling leaf. Within minutes, Jun Tianyun had reached the jagged mountain ridge, his boots tapping lightly against the damp stone floor. He vanished into the thick foliage, scouting the terrain with measured, experienced steps.

A short while later, a streak of light shot upward as Jun Tianyun vaulted back onto the deck of the flying boat. He didn't rush to dig or meditate, nor did he pull out formidable sealing talismans. Instead, he walked toward the bow, conjuring a strand of pure spiritual flame between his thumb and forefinger.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the spark downward.

The flame expanded into a cascade of roaring golden fire as it struck the mountain cliff below. Within moments, the blaze latched onto the centuries-old tree branches and thick creeping vines that clung to the sheer side of the mountain, crackling loudly as flames reduced the ancient flora to drifting white ash.

Su Qingyao floated beside him, her pretty face filled with utter bewilderment. She looked down at the wall of fire, then looked back at Jun Tianyun's nonchalant, grinning face.

" This… what in the world are you doing?" she asked, genuinely baffled. "Are you looking for an ancient inheritance, or did you just come all the way to Cloud Ridge to play with fire?"

Jun Tianyun smirked, " Don't worry, you will know the result in a few days. Right now, we have a much important thing to do."