Chapter 966: Clan Ruination

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"What, Prime Minister knows him?" Wu Ranze only now saw Baili Jingwei so baffled and cried out.

Baili Jingwei squinted and gnashed his teeth, "Not only know, but he even humiliated me. I thought I got rid of him for good, but... Now everything's clear. Gu Yifan, this was just another one of your twisted schemes to destroy the Sword Star Empire. Well the joke's on you. As long as I'm around, you'll never succeed!

"Humph, so what if a third of officials are dead? I just need a bit of time and everything will be patched up. So what if you stole the Soaring Sword? The Patriarch is out of seclusion and the Nine Sword Kings have gathered. The sword will soon be returned. A puny and lone Radiant Stage punk has nothing on me, Gu Yifan!"

Everyone heard Baili Jingwei's declaration and now knew the truth.

[He not only knows him, but they're mortal enemies.]

But who could be able to get their brilliant Prime Minister so crazed over one guy?

[He must be something to fight Baili Jingwei on equal footing.]

Murong Xue gasped.

"Young miss, who knew the ones we saved would turn up to be so important? He even has the renowned Baili Jingwei worried."

"Not just worried, but threatened."

Murong Xue sighed, "Brother once said Baili Jingwei is the Unsung Sword King; just as good. But to see him so furious over one person and losing himself over it, one can see that Gu Yifan is more than he seems."

Zhui'er giggled, "Does that mean we saved the right guy three days ago? The enemy of our enemy is our friend. Saving Baili Jingwei's mortal enemy will make this wise Prime Minister lose his focus and will make our grand plan of making the four land alliance fruitful. Once we get back, remember to mention it to Clan Head and get something for it, hi-hi."

"You think it's some feat? If I had to do it again, I would have never saved him!" Murong Xue lamented.

Zhui'er flinched, "Young miss, don't you always say that saving a life is better than any honor? Why..."

"Yes every life is precious, but saving a demon will plunge the world into chaos."

Murong Xue sighed and glanced at Baili Jingyu's black corpse with pain, "He's so malicious and enigmatic. Who knows how many other cruel things he might do. And all of this is my fault. I can only hope evil hasn't consumed him, that he will return to the right path and do good with his life."

Glancing at Murong Xue then at the black corpse, Zhui'er fussed, "But that's our enemy lying dead there..."

"No matter who it is, all life is precious. None deserve such a cruel ending. It's against all I stand for. No matter what, evil is evil and demonic is demonic. It doesn't matter where he stands, he will never be on our side!"

Murong Xue shook her head, reaffirming her staunch belief she held within herself. Zhui'er nodded, "Oh, got it. The next time we see him, I'll get rid of this demon for you, young miss..."

Murong Xue chuckled and shook her head.

[Just from how serious Baili Jingwei is treating this Radiant Stage cultivator, you can see how problematic he is. Yet a girl thinks she can best him?]

[Save yourself the humiliation by keeping your bragging to yourself...]

"Prime Minister Baili, since you know who he is, I ask that you seize him at once. My company, spread throughout the lands, will do everything to help."

Seeing the deep loathing in Baili Jingwei, Wu Ranze bowed and declared.

Baili Jingwei was not about to let this disaster they caused slide with just that.

Baili Jingwei wore a cruel smile and said, "Eldest young master Wu, I'm an official, not a merchant, so don't try to haggle with me. Help me? Just how much power do you think your Serene Shores Trading has in the world? Don't you fear those leading still? Also, I couldn't get him in the central area, yet you think you can do it in any other area? And speaking of, why the hell would I trust the same person that helped him escape using the commercial line?"

"Prime Minister, you have to believe me, my company will..."

"Enough, Ranze!"

Wu Jiangtao shouted at him to stop his desperate attempt at getting out of it scott free.

Wu Jiangtao's eyes shone and spoke through gnashed teeth, "Ranze, don't waste your breath. Prime Minister spoke clearly. He's an official and not a merchant. He doesn't bargain, but goes is after settling this matter. With Gu Yifan's whereabouts unknown and the empire losing close to half of its high class, shaking the world, someone must take the blame. I believe Prime Minister wants our company and Baili Jingyu to be the fall guys."

"Ha-ha-ha, Old Wu, you haven't lost your touch to see the obvious."

Baili Jingwei slowly clapped, "I don't care how involved you are in this, whether intentional or not, but since you're in this from the start and it has turned out to be quite the mess, you're liable to pay the price. It's the only way I can present His Majesty and Patriarch with an explanation. This is my accomplishment as a politician, always finding the perfect answer, while ignoring the right and wrong."

Wu Jiangtao's face shook and took a deep breath, "Then, Prime Minister Baili, how big do you think it has become? Can my life bear it?"

"Don't you think one meager life for half of the empire's officials is a little thin?"

Baili JIngwei fixed his cold stare on the old man, "Old Wu, the empire thanks you for all the work you have done these millennia in connecting the five lands. Too bad this grave matter made Serene Shores Trading no longer needed in the central area..."

Wu Jiangtao shuddred at the heavy news, closing his eyes.

The other merchants glared at Baili Jingwei with clenched fists.

Behind Baili Jingwei, all those Genesis experts release their mighty aura, filled with bloodthirst.

Wu Ranze started begging for mercy, "Prime Minister Baili, we can talk about this..."

"Ranze!"

Wu Jiangtao's shout echoed, giving his intelligent son a warm smile, "Ranze, I always told you business and politics don't mix. But I never finished it. Wealth can only get you so far, that one's use has an end, and that everyone's expendable. Business grows with the high class and falls with it. Prime Minister has taken such a clear-cut stance with us because he believes we have outlived our usefulness. In other words, Prime Minister's plan to dominate the five lands has begun. Our company, connecting them is no longer deemed important."

Baili Jingwei showed a vile smirk, "Old Wu, I never knew you had such foresight for a businessman. Yes, with Patriarch coming out of seclusion and the Nine Sword Kings gathering, fighting the other four lands won't be an issue. Once the world is under one banner, there won't be any need for middlemen. While this matter had been the fuse, it was only a matter of time before Serene Shores Trading would be cut off."

"Prime Minister Baili, you're a fearsome politician. Everyone says that merchant can't part with their wealth, but politicians? Shameless and unscrupulous, never deserving of any friendship."

Wu Jiangtao smiled and sighed, "However, Prime Minister, I don't think it'll be that easy for you to remove my company, ha-ha-ha. Ranze, I always say your brother is impulsive, but now it's my turn to be so. Guards, our company will fight them to the death! Even if we all die, we'll take them down with us!"

"Yes, sir!"

The men bowed and unleashed their power as they charged.

Baili Jingwei had a cold smirk as he flicked his hand, letting the Genesis guards behind him attack, "I knew you were a tough nut to crack, old man. Why do you think I got the imperial guard to come? Ha-ha-ha..."

Bang~

"Aaaah~!"

The sky rumbled under the loud explosions and shouts as the experts from both sides drew blood from each other, all for the purpose of killing the other.

Serene Shores Trading had plenty of strong guards, but could they match the imperial guard?

Casualties soon mounted to a high degree as howls echoed.

Wu Ranze panicked, "Father, we won't last much longer. Let's retreat!"

"And where should we run to? There's no place to go!" Wu Jiangtao sighed and shook his head in despair.