The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

The world was tranquil around one gazebo, as a stream trickled by and birds danced in the light breeze. Paradise.

Baili Jingwei, Shangguan Feiyun and Danqing Shen were having tea here, when something flashed closer and closer.

Baili Jingwei put out his hand and a jade slip rested in it.

Scanning it, Baili Jingwei grinned at the two, “The plan went perfectly. Shangguan clan doesn’t suspect a thing while Shangguan Yulin had done a great job in finishing his mission, dispelling any doubts anyone might have.”

“Who knew that feisty girl had a son so cautious and sinister? That means she must’ve gotten a doormat for a man, ha-ha-ha…”

Grinning, Shangguan Feiyun said, “Did he say what Shangguan Feixiong is planning next?”

Baili Jingwei nodded, “Of course, it appears your niece has been going around the manor and got a grasp of the area. But there’s still five places she couldn’t go to. Now they want to have Grandmaster Gu to scout them to be safe.”

“Humph, I see.”

Shangguan Feiyun sneered, “I’d have opened the manor from the start if I knew this, to let them scout to their hearts content so they could attack already. It makes taking them all down faster.”

Baili Jingwei shook his head, “Sword King Feiyun, you’re wrong. Haste makes waste. If it’d be that easy to get into Flying CLoud manor, it would only make them more suspicious.”

“And?” Shangguan Feiyun looked him in the eye, “When Grandmaster Gu arrives, the ban will still be there. With such a tiny Radiant Stage cultivation, he’ll hardly take a step inside. He won’t find anything, ha-ha-ha…”

Baili Jingwei chuckled, “Going by Sword King Feiyun’s words, who knows when our plan will take effect. But like I said before, we’ll destroy them in two weeks and not a day later. I don’t have the time to play around Sword King manor. I’m a busy man.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“Have someone show him the way and fill in the blanks.”

With a confident smile, Baili Jingwei said, “Starting tomorrow, we’ll invite him to the manor, for fun, drinks and meals, while giving him room to finish up the map. In this process, we need to adjust our attitude, make him believe we appreciate his alchemical talent while dispelling any doubts. When the Shangguan clan makes its move, we can also contain Grandmaster Gu so the thieves won’t disturb him.”

Shangguan Feiyun nodded and mocked, “Prime Minister Baili, you’re still placing Grandmaster Gu’s safety as top priority. You sure like your talents, ha-ha-ha…”

“As the empire’s Prime Minister, it’s only natural for the empire to seize talents!”

Baili Jingwei smiled and looked at the ever silent Danqing Shen, “Dragon Cleaving Sword King, I and Sword King Feiyun are more familiar with the Shangguan clan. It would arouse suspicion if any of us would go. I ask that sir go tomorrow and invite Grandmaster Gu to the manor, to show my great regard for him.”

Danqing Shen nodded.

Meanwhile, at Shangguan clan’s interim base, there were a dozen people in the three venerables’ room. Clan Head was present with the best experts his clan had, all in Genesis Stage.

Yet they all had shadows flitting across their faces.

Rubbing his forehead, Shangguan Feixiong replied in annoyance, “I didn’t want to affect morale while in the parlor, and only celebrated Yifan’s great success. But with all important figures of the clan here, the pillars, I must be frank. There’s too many unknowns regarding this second ambush which amplifies the danger beyond our estimates.”

“Clan Head, are you referring to Baili Jingwei and Danqing Shen?” The men all knew the source of his vexation.

Shangguan Feiyun sighed, “Yes, they are the greatest variables to our mission. Danqing Shen is the best of western lands, Shangguan Feiyun’s equal. With them working together, the manor’s power just doubled. And that isn’t even the worst part, since our three venerables can hold them back for a time. The crux is that Baili Jingwei!”

“Sagely Statesman, Baili Jingwei, is cunning and devious. For almost a century now, the four lands have suffered from his tangled schemes.”

One venerable sighed, “If he draws us into a corner and works with the two Sword Kings, our losses will be catastrophic.”

The others nodded heavily.

“However, Baili Jingwei isn’t like the two Sword Kings. In this game of chess, he is deploying the men. As the leader, he must know the other side’s moves lest he comes under a surpise attack and throws his own side into confusion. Just how much does he know about our mission?”

Shangguan Feixiong’s eyes flashed, “If he’s oblivious, we can use the map to assault the manor and increase our chances even with two Sword Kings. While the opposite is also true…”

“Of course he knows! He’s Baili Jingwei, the wisest man in the Sword Star Empire. Nothing escapes him…”

“I wonder about that. He came here to hold the Pill King Convention and help heal the Crown Prince. He might not know about us…”

“You mean Shangguan Feiyun wouldn’t tell him?”

“Ha-ha-ha, you don’t understand Shangguan Feiyun. He’s too prideful and arrogant. He’ll never lower himself and call for help when his domain is in trouble, especially a sage.”

…

Shangguan Feixiong’s words threw the room into chaos as everyone started talking. Some were for the mission now that they had such a great chance. Getting eyes and ears inside the enemy base was too rare of an occasion to pass up.

While others opted to wait for Danqing Shen and Baili Jingwei to leave first, as they posed the greatest threat.

Shangguan Feixiong was plagued with indecision. This choice affected the life and death of his clan’s main force. It was too much for him to bear.

A rash choice here would damn his clan.

It led to the Shangguan clansmen arguing on and on, well into the evening and then into dawn. Yet they showed no signs of stopping still.

Noon found Shangguan Feixiong’s ears clogged with all the buzzing, but no outcome arose even now.

The safe return of his spies, Shangguan Yulin and Zhuo Fan, proved Baili Jingwei was none the wiser, or he’d have already caught them the minute they raised his suspicions.

Shangguan Yulin assured him as well that Baili Jingwei was only here to select alchemists to heal the Crown Prince’s condition. Everything pointed to him being here for the Crown Prince and not them.

Thus, Shangguan Feixiong called this meeting, to discuss how to proceed. He could never otherwise ignore someone like Baili Jingwei appearing out of nowhere, especially when he came with the Dragon Cleaving Sword King.

Shangguan Feixiong has so much trust in his nephew, that he was willing to go against his principles. It was also why he was now having a headache from all the shouting.

Cries came from outside that broke the noise within the room. A man burst into the room, scared to death, “Clan Head, t-there…”

“How dare you barge into the venerables’ room! We’re in the middle of important talks! What the hell got you so shaken to run here?”

Shangguan Feixiong wiped his head around to bark at the Soul Harmony Stage guard.

With no time for manners, the guard looked like he’d seen a ghost, “A-an old man… came…”

“And just an old man sent you in a panic?”

“H-he said he’s Dragon Cleaving Sword King!”

“What?!”

Everyone froze, their faces paling. Shangguan Feixiong was really anxious now, “Is he alone? Was there anyone else with him?”

The guard stammered, “N-no, but he said that he came to see Grandmaster Gu. Young miss had me come notify you, Clan Head, on what to do.”

“You idiot! What are you coming to me for? Go see Gu Yifan! He’s the Clan Head of this house! Go have him deal with Danqing Shen!” Shangguan Feixiong cursed.

The guard startled, darted from the room, and bobbed his head in panic, now rushing to Zhuo Fan’s room.

Sweating buckets, Shangguan Feixiong and the others were shaken up, giving a stiff nod.

[Let’s go check what Danqing Shen’s up to…]