Chapter 910: Just What's Happening?
Proofreader : Papatonks
Walking over to the divine sword and picking it up, Zhuo Fan traced the scarlet blade with a smile before he placed it in his ring.
The divine sword was now dead inside and lacked the power of a sacred weapon. He only had to look, and use Divine Eye of the Void 7th stage Void Seal, and the sword spirit ended up sealed in space.
It was one of the few skills within Heavenly Sovereign's twelve stages art that could trap someone. And that was forever, in a different space pocket.
Zhuo Fan reckoned, the five great sacred beasts fell victim to this skill and endured torture in the mortal domain. Zhuo Fan's own Divine Eye of the Void 7th stage had just been achieved. Sealing spiritual beasts was hard enough, let alone sacred beasts. Thus sealing the ignorant sword spirit was much easier.
He'd reach omnipotence only by getting to Heavenly Sovereign's cultivation.
Zhuo Fan was looking forward to it. The more he gleaned into the Divine Eye of the Void, the more realized there was no limit to Heavenly Sovereign.
Such an ultimate skill had to have taken millions of years so how could he, a mere copycat junior, be a match in any way?
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath, sighing at the depressing thought. He had to figure out a way out of this deadly situation, if he wanted to get rid of his loneliness.
And that only started mattering recently...
Zhuo Fan shook his head of all these bad thoughts, looking up with confidence once more as he stepped for the waterfalls.
Whoosh~
The roar of water falling from ungodly heights sounded as constant explosions with each step closer. Yet the magnificence of this world wonder was lost on Zhuo Fan, who checked the moon and stars for his direction.
"The Big Dipper... so here..."
Zhuo Fan's eyes flashed looking at the shining seven stars arranged across the night sky as he searched their matching location here on the ground. He flicked his hand and sacred stones flew out into the earth.
Minutes later, Zhuo Fan took a deep breath, having done the hard part, "With this, a fallback is in place. So even if they do find out something is off here by chance, I can escape. Ha-ha-ha, hardly any in mortal domain know much about star arrays, ha-ha-ha..."
Zhuo Fan now turned to the water park, his face hard.
[It's time to seal this place.]
Whoosh~
Zhuo Fan hovered under the moonlight, sending sacred stones down like rain.
In the next hours, the situation shifted all over the manor.
The roars, howls and wails on the blood streaked ground were proof the men had gone insane, seeing nothing but red.
Jade Falls was silent by contrast. All the guards had been mobilized against Shangguan clan, leaving but ten to watch this place. Though hardly a challenge for a man of Zhuo Fan's caliber to dispose of. It was exactly how he wanted it, peace and quiet so he'd finish his own plan, throwing more sacred stones than a shopping addict.
In a dark little room, Shangguan Feiyun was hearing the commotion as he patiently waited like a fool. His men, part of the ambush, were quite bored, but had no choice in the matter.
[They've been at it for an hour now. Why isn't anyone coming here as well? If they don't show, I'll go there to fight myself!]
[Curses, was that Shangguan Yulin's info right or not?]
...
"Young Sanzi~"
A bright voice echoed around the water garden, carrying her eagerness and worry as she tried to keep her tone low as possible while also searching for someone.
Zhuo Fan shook and his hands paused, his mood affected.
[What's this lass doing here? I thought Shangguan clan had you all kids run off!]
Zhuo Fan went back to work, his face back to normal, if not colder.
[Not my problem. Since you hate freedom so much, hell's doors are wide open for you. You clearly have a death wish coming here.]
[What an annoying chick!]
"Young Sanzi~"
Her voice drew closer, right up to the roaring waterfalls. Following her was a man, "Cousin, not so loud or the guards will catch us!"
"I know, cousin."
Shangguan Qingyan was tense as she kept calling out, "Young Sanzi! Young..."
Shangguan Qingyan noticed Zhuo Fan in midair spraying sacred stones for his array and the situation stunned her.
Shangguan Yulin started as well. He knew Zhuo Fan was in the manor, but what was he doing here exactly?
Zhuo Fan only spared them a look, deigning it not worthy to stop his project for them.
"S-sir Gu?"
Shangguan Qingyan stammered, "W-what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the imperial capital with Baili Jingwei?"
Zhuo Fan did not respond.
"Hey punk, my cousin asked you a question! What's going on here?" Shangguan Yulin was overjoyed, using this chance to paint this guy the scapegoat for this disaster.
In his mind, since Zhuo Fan had been seen as a spy and wasn't dead, that meant he betrayed them as well. It was only natural since the great young master of Shangguan clan could, some thick yokel couldn't be faring any better.
[Him having more integrity than me? Like that's gonna happen! Humph, I'll have you know I received a much higher education!]
Shangguan Yulin still couldn't get rid of his young master airs, his mind stuck with hopeless fantasies...
Zhuo Fan mocked and toyed, "Cousin, you're saying you don't know?"
"How should I know?" Shangguan Yulin tensed.
[Does he know everything? Did Baili Jingwei tell him?]
[How could Baili Jingwei just expose someone as important as me? I may be a spy but I'm also a hidden ace. How's a Prime Minister so sloppy?]
Zhuo Fan eyed him and mocked him while his hands did all the work, "Ha-ha-ha, cousin, you're so rotten no one could surpass you, nor ever will. The term degenerate demon is practically made for you."
"Wha-, h-how do you know that..." Shangguan Yulin panicked.
[Only that sicko... wait...]
Zhuo Fan turned to Shangguan Qingyan, "If you value your life, walk away. If you want to know everything, you're welcome to stay, but so will your life."
"Just what's happening? What are you talking about?"
Shangguan Qingyan shook as she watched Zhuo Fan's evil smirk with doubt. Zhuo Fan had dispensed with his usual childish act and was now showing deep and mysterious eyes.
She had never seen eyes like these, but she had been warned by her elders to get as far away from them. They were toxic and undecipherable while always at danger of being killed.
Zhuo Fan gave her that feeling, a man shrouded in secrets.
While Shangguan Yulin's tense face was painting a different picture, "Cousin, what's going on?"
"How should I know? Don't listen to his nonsense!" Shangguan Yulin evaded and glared at Zhuo Fan with bloodthirst.
[Just how many secrets does this punk know?]
[I have to silence him for good either way and stop him from running his mouth and ruining my return to eastern lands.]
Shangguan Yulin shot straight for Zhuo Fan, bent on snuffing him out. Though not forgetting about making Zhuo Fan the fall guy for everything under the sun, "Gu Yifan, you sold the Shangguan clan! That's why you're back. I'm going to make you pay!"
"Cousin, wait! We're not sure if..." Shangguan Qingyan cried, but Shangguan Yulin had no intention of listening.
Shangguan Yulin was right next to Zhuo Fan now, unleashing his full power as a Soul Harmony Stage cultivator as he brought down his savage fist on his prey's head. All Shangguan Qingyan did was to tense up and look in worry.
She hated herself for wasting time instead of focusing on cultivation. A mere 8th layer Ethereal Stage cultivation was nowhere close enough to stop a Soul Harmony expert's blow. Let alone catch him.
Zhuo Fan was about to bite the dust and Shangguan Qingyan began crying, unable to do anything but shout, "Don't, cousin! Mister Gu, look out..."
Zhuo Fan's arms never slowed in setting up an array, despite death looming over him. Shangguan Yulin's face was twisted as his punches came for his head, speaking evilly for his ears alone, "Punk, I've wanted to do this ages ago. I finally got the chance, so die!"
Zhuo Fan's flat look and unresponsive attitude exuded complete disregard. Only as the last sacred stone left his hand did he sigh, "Done at last..."
"What?" Shangguan Yulin was stumped.
Giving him a cold look, Zhuo Fan turned to the fist coming for his face, "I told you not to goddamn bother me!"
Bam!
Shangguan Yulin slammed into the ground in a cloud of dust. As it scattered, Shangguan Qingyan watched Shangguan Yulin laying in a half a mile crater with his chest caved in and spitting blood. He was looking with fear at the hovering man, unable to process what happened.
Zhuo Fan lowered his right hand and wiped it with the other, just like removing a swatted fly.
The action left Shangguan Qingyan in shock.
A Radiant Stage cultivator had just pulverized a Soul Harmony expert like it was nothing.
[Mister Gu, w-what are you?]
Shangguan Qingyan was overwhelmed and perplexed by this mystery man, her delicate face expressing her naked confusion...