Strongest War Emperor

Cai Ying glanced at Deng Jianchen with pity, sighed, and said, ”He drank a Giant Potion to save my lady and was bedridden for a month. He’s only just now able to get out of bed, and here you are...”

”Oh, it seems Jianchen’s luck is a bit off this year... Ah, I’m off to find my spring!” Chu Qingcheng fanned himself with his paper fan and headed for Shen Lang’s home.

Just as he left and the crowd on the main street began to disperse, on another street, Xu Daolin stood in a corner with his hands clasped behind his back, listening to an old man’s report.

”Evil Wind Valley arrived quickly, just as I’d hoped. They haven’t disappointed me. The Iron Guard has completely blockaded the Shen Family, and it looks like they’ll be annihilated any moment now... But the destruction of a small family like that has little impact on the grand scheme of things. Next up is the City Lord’s Mansion. Senior Brother Long, the poison in Senior Brother Yun Qing will wear off on its own in half an hour. I’ll have to trouble you and him to lead some men and pay a visit to the City Lord’s Mansion.”

”Think nothing of it. Your business is my business. Leave the City Lord’s Mansion to us. Once I’ve dismantled their forces, I’ll send a signal immediately. You can then proceed with the plan to hold Celestial Phoenix City’s martial arts tournament ahead of schedule. In half a day, Celestial Phoenix City will be completely under our control,” Long Fong said coldly.

Xu Daolin fell silent for a moment before adding, ”That Demon Martial Artist in the basement in Celestial Phoenix City has a cultivation of at least the Spirit Martial Realm Sixth Heaven...”

”Relax. I’ve already sent three of my junior brothers. It’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel!”

”However, there are people from Evil Wind Valley in Celestial Phoenix City right now. And we have reliable information that Ling Chen, the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall of Evil Wind Valley, has arrived at the Shen Family residence,” Xu Daolin said, his expression grim.

Long Fong replied dismissively, ”As long as the people from Evil Wind Valley aren’t idiots, they’ll know what’s going on the moment they see us from the Imperial Dragon Sect. They wouldn’t dare interfere. Besides, Ling Chen is only here to investigate the Yi Hongchen incident. With Shen Lang already dead and Yi Hongchen’s group having been torn to shreds by Big Grey, that incident alone will be enough to keep them swamped. What time would they have to meddle in the affairs of Celestial Phoenix City?”

”Mm, you’re right, Senior Brother. I was overthinking things... This grand show is about to begin, and we, the main characters, will be taking the stage shortly.”

”Hehehehe...”

The two exchanged a look and broke into sinister, knowing smiles.

Xu Daolin’s miscalculation lay in the unpredictable factor that was Shen Lang.

According to the intelligence they had, Shen Lang was already dead, having perished in the Abyss with Nalan Ziyun.

Furthermore, Xu Daolin had sent people to guard the exit of the Tala Prairie for many days, but they had seen no sign of Shen Lang.

After causing a huge ruckus during the two academies’ trials, Shen Lang instructed Mo Liusheng to keep everyone from Tayun Academy under control. With the exception of a few of Shen Lang’s friends, everyone else was taken back to Tayun Academy, and not a single person was allowed to leave. Among them were Xu Daolin’s younger brother, Xu Qing, and his followers.

As for Celestial God Academy, there were also people from the Xu Family or families on good terms with them.

But with a simple trick, Shen Lang managed to bring Celestial God Academy under his tight control as well.

He had Mo Liusheng and the other elders reveal some of the valuable things that the senior figures at Celestial God Academy had lost to them. Using this as leverage, he blackmailed those same senior figures into keeping their students and instructors in line.

With these elders keeping things under wraps, it was impossible for news of what Shen Lang had done in the Zuoge Ruins to reach Celestial Phoenix City for at least two or three days.

And all of this was because Shen Lang had long anticipated that Xu Daolin would enact his conspiracy soon, so he deliberately gave him the opportunity to proceed.

If news that Shen Lang was not dead got out, Xu Daolin would certainly change his plans, which would inevitably lead to more unforeseen complications.

Shen Lang had foreseen many things, so he had begun taking precautions early on.

Therefore, just as Xu Daolin was launching his plan, the Shen Family he had completely written off was not only not destroyed, but was in fact bustling with activity.

At that moment, the sounds of fighting erupted from the City Lord’s Mansion.

Meanwhile, at the Shen Family residence, everyone was happy, feasting and toasting one another.

Shen Lang, however, did not seem particularly happy. He sat stone-faced in his chair, making the atmosphere in the room extremely awkward.

Directly in front of him, Shen Jianfeng was coughing continuously, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Xiaohong was frowning as she wiped his face.

Shen Jianfeng’s father, Shen Haoxuan, had tears streaming down his face as he spoke to Shen Haotian. Shen Daofeng stood off to the side, his head hung so low it created a double chin.

Shui Qingwu, Xue Dangdang, and the others were all silent, studying the teacups in their hands as if the ordinary cups were priceless antiques.

”You punched yourself. What was the meaning of that?” Shen Lang asked lightly.

Shen Jianfeng’s face was pale and his chest heaved, but his voice was steady. ”That punch was on behalf of my father. I know what he did was out of line, but there was nothing I could do to change it. For the past few days, I’ve been coming to give Uncle Haotian massages. It wasn’t to curry favor with you. I started visiting him often after he fell ill. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”

”I know you’ve suffered a lot of injustice over the years, being looked down on and bullied... But as your older cousin, have I ever said a single harsh word to you? Have I ever once laid a hand on you?”

”I went to see a doctor for treatment... that was my personal privacy, yet you spread it around without a second thought. I really wanted to beat you up back then—and if I had beaten you up over that, you would have had no right to complain, would you?”

”Daofeng often led others to bully you, and that was his fault. But he’s only a few months older than you. Back then, it was just kids roughhousing. Why must you still hold such a grudge over it?”

After saying all this, Shen Jianfeng seemed to have finally gotten everything off his chest. He let out a heavy sigh and looked at Shen Lang, saying no more.

Shen Lang was silent for a while before he spoke. ”Then what do you want me to do?”

”I just want you to forgive my father and let the past be the past... If you don’t want him to remain the Clan Leader of the Shen Family, I will convince him to step down. Also...” Shen Jianfeng paused, his face flushing red. ”I want you to guide my cultivation.”

’That little brat!’ Shen Haoxuan was furious. ’He didn’t say a single thing I told him to say, just those few casual words! And he even talked about making me give up the Clan Leader position?’

”Lang’Er, Jianfeng is your cousin. Your father and I watched him grow up. He’s helped our family a lot these past few years after your father got sick, so...” Luo Dieqi started to say, but trailed off.

Shen Lang glanced at her, then at his own father, and gave a slight nod.

And with that one casual nod, the fate of the Shen Family was changed forever.

The anxious members of the Shen Family could finally let out a long sigh of relief. The heavy stone that had been weighing on their hearts was finally gone.

The line between Heaven and Hell was drawn by a single thought from Shen Lang.

「Just then...」

”DONG!”

A somber bell suddenly tolled in the distance. The members of the Shen Family and their guests immediately poured out of the house and into the courtyard.

Horror was written on every face as they all looked towards the City Lord’s Mansion...