The Steward Demonic Emperor

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Whoosh~

Deep in a thick forest, two shadows cut through the trees, before finally stopping and revealing their features.

One, looking imposing and having sharp features, with Soul Harmony Stage aura, was Shangguan Yulin. The other, looking plain yet having deep eyes, was Zhuo Fan.

Looking ahead, Zhuo Fan feigned puzzlement when seeing the bamboo, “Uhm, cousin, what’s odd here? I can’t see anything out of place.”

[Who the hell’s your cousin? This rotten bastard knows only how to claw his way up through another’s power. That’s why she fell for his fancy speech.]

Shangguan Yulin rolled his eyes, but didn’t show his anger, “Brother Gu, when I watched the guards, I thought I saw them pass through here. I couldn’t look alone so I brought you along. If you meet them, just say you’re here for the view, ha-ha-ha…”

“Really? But I don’t see any signs of people around.”

Zhuo Fan frowned, his eyes darting around.

Shangguan Yulin pushed him lightly with a vile smile as he enticed, “Look ahead, there’s definitely some guards here. Go see what they’re doing and help report to uncle for merit…”

“Then I shall…” Zhuo Fan took slow steps walking forward.

Shangguan Yulin, however, did the opposite, getting some distance and watching Zhuo with a cold gaze.

There was even some bloodthirst mixed in there…

Hu~

Shangguan Yulin sent a sudden palm to Zhuo Fan’s back.

Zhuo Fan cried out. He knew Shangguan Yulin was up to something, but not so soon.

He wasn’t the only one in this, but the entire Shangguan clan’s safety would be affected. If something happened to the Gu family of Flying Cloud City, the manor would definitely investigate it.

Next was obvious, fleeing like rats, especially now when they were at their weakest.

Shangguan Yulin was no moron to not realize the consequences.

Zhuo Fan frowned, stuck in hesitation.

[To dodge or not?]

Dodging would expose his level and he might have to silence the kid. But he’d also had to make up a damn good excuse to avoid Shangguan clan’s suspicion.

The other option… How was he to react if it hit?

[As a Radiant Stage, Ethereal Stage, or Soul Harmony Stage cultivator?]

Well, his body was as tough as a Soul Harmony expert now.

The problem wasn’t the hit, but what came after. Well, he’d just wing it.

[If found out, killing him is still on the table.]

Zhuo Fan’s vexation was unrelated to his safety, but his reaction.

Shangguan Yulin would’ve been so pissed if he knew.

He was a strong and outstanding member of the Shangguan clan’s younger generation, widely known throughout eastern lands. Now this pipsqueak didn’t give a whit about the backstab but how to fool him instead. The fact he entertained the thought of silencing him as well was what really took the cake.

[How conceited can you get?]

Not that it mattered since it was all hypothetical…

Hu~

Zhuo Fan looked stunned for a moment then reacted, sensing the biting wind on his back.

[It won’t take the life of a Radiant Stage cultivator as it is. He’s not out to kill me at least, but wound me.]

[Let’s play along, and then…]

Zhuo Fan made a plan and struck his body, giving himself a flesh wound and showing some blood from his mouth.

Only then did Shangguan Yulin’s palm strike.

Bam!

Pff!

At least he got the timing right, spitting blood right as the attack hit and crumbling on the ground in feigned faint.

Snickering like a fox, Shangguan Yulin muttered “Damn bastard, I warned you to stay away from my cousin. You brought this on yourself, humph…”

Shangguan Yulin walked over to Zhuo Fan, his right hand growing cold.

Sensing the chill behind him, Zhuo Fan was stumped.

[What’s he trying to do now?]

“Punk, don’t think for a second that by being the Shangguan clan’s cover, no one will touch you.”

With a cold glint in his eyes, Shangguan Yulin lifted his icy hand with a creepy grin, “We may need you for cover and can’t kill you, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hurt you. This Crippling Hand of mine is nothing fancy, but at least it leaves no tracks. I just need to press your major pressure points and your meridians will rot!”

“In ten days, your Yuan Qi flow will fall. In twenty days, your cultivation will plunge. In a month, you’ll be a full fledged cripple. And the best part, you’ll never know why. A cripple, even as part of the Shangguan clan, will have no right to be around cousin. Humph, what a joke, ha-ha-ha…”

“There’s still clues leading to today though. Aren’t you scared Shangguan Feixiong will notice your rotten character and won’t let his daughter around you?”

A heavy and gruff voice entered his ears.

Not even that worked to wipe the smug smile off Shangguan Yulin’s face. “As if, since I thought it through. The punk didn’t see who struck him. I’ll just say we met with a patrol and in the fight, he was backstabbed before bringing him back. Uncle might doubt his crippled status, but will think it had something to do with today’s wound. He’ll never place the blame on me. Ha-ha-, wait, who are you?”

Shangguan Yulin’s laughter got stuck in his throat.

[Who said that?]

“Hi-hi-hi, kid, seeing you so devious, petty, greedy, immoral and cocky, you’re right in tune with my demonic path. Why not leave the Shangguan clan and join me down the path of evil?”

Whoosh~

A shadow shrouded the sky, turning everything pitch-black and cutting Shangguan Yulin off from reality.

Shangguan Yulin panicked, “Domain soul!”

But then he mocked, “You think you can contend with me, a Soul Harmony expert, by using a domain in the Ethereal Stage? Ha-ha-ha, you wish! I’ll break it with this punch!”

Shangguan Yulin did just that.

“Dragon Trapping Chain!”

The voice came before he could finish the attack.

Whoosh~

Something huge slithered around his body and seeped into his body and blocking his Yuan Qi in place.

A great power fell on him, stopping him from even budging.

Shangguan Yulin, a Soul Harmony expert, found himself trapped and cried, “W-what is this?”

“Hi-hi-hi, kid, the world is far and wide. Not all Ethereal Stage cultivators are weaker than Soul Harmony cultivators. You’re too cocky.”

The creepy voice echoed around, filling Shangguan Yulin with fear.

[Who is he? How does he have such a strange skill?]

This never happened before. No Soul Harmony expert ended up trapped by a mere Ethereal Stage cultivator’s domain soul.

Shangguan Yulin’s heart shivered with dread. Looking around, all he saw was darkness, and the unknown only fed his fears.

While he was blind as a bat, the other side saw clearly.

Smirking at Shangguan Yulin being squeezed by the chain, Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed with a toying gaze. His voice was gruff, “Kid, I find your wretched and debased style reminding me of my olden days. Those were the days. I’ll make an exception and take you in, so kowtow a hundred times and call me master, ha-ha-ha…”