Chapter 810: Bird King Sheng Fei
The Bird King eventually appeared before the waiting crowd. Sheng Fei was not a particularly eye-catching man. He wore plain clothing with coins hanging from his sleeves and robes. This made him appear to be more of a shrewd businessman than a cultivator.
However, no one would dare to look down on him after seeing his eyes. They were especially sharp, like the eyes of an eagle. Once people met his gaze, they would feel as if they were his prey.
He had a cold aura, a clear sign of ruthlessness. A halo that was being emitted from his body showed that he was not a character to mess with. Su Mingchen immediately went to greet him along with the other guests.
Only Li Qiye calmly sat there and threw him a quick glance without saying anything.
Sheng Fei was a bit proud of being received by so many leaders. He nodded his head to return the greeting. Among the leaders here, only Heavenly Kings like the Sacred Demon Leader and the Tombskull Master were worthy of his respect!
These leaders were quite unhappy after seeing how Li Qiye remained seated without any reaction. However, they ignored him since they would rather talk to Sheng Fei instead.
"Young Noble Sheng has traveled so far to get here, did anything fun happen along the way?" A royal lord quickly scurried for his favor: "My country has a few ancient temples, would you be interested in taking a look?"
"Ancient temples? What kinds of temples?" Sheng Fei became interested after hearing this.
Sheng Fei was inferior compared to his first brother, the Golden Crow Prince, with regards to cultivation. However, he had his own specialty, he liked old relics. To be more exact, he had a passion for archaeology. One of his favorite things to do was to excavate old graves or ancient earths from declined sects to find treasures. Of course, such business often resulted in failure, but sometimes, one could obtain amazing stuff.
It was for this reason that Sheng Fei wanted to buy the Tie Clan to see if he could find any treasures within the ruins.
The royal lord noticed his interest and immediately added: "These temples have a great history, they were once occupied by ancient demons!"
"Ancient demons?" Sheng Fei's interest grew as he immediately nodded: "I'll definitely take a look if I have time."
"My sect's territory also has a particular grave. Strange phenomena occur quite often there." The other leaders also tried to gain his attention after seeing the success of the first royal lord.
In their minds, Sheng Fei was still young, so this was the best time to please him. Later on, when Sheng Fei becomes an elder of the ravine, their tributary states would be able to obtain his help.
Among them, only the Sacred Demon Leader and the Tombskull Master remained quiet. They were part of first-rate sects. Moreover, they were Heavenly Kings, so organizing a banquet for Sheng Fei was already quite sensible. There was no need to lower themselves to win his favor.
"You…" During the pleasantries and small talk, Sheng Fei's followers became quite proud as well. However, one young man's expression quickly soured after he saw Li Qiye.
This young man was none other than the Qilin Marquis that had suffered back at the Tie Clan. He came with Sheng Fei this time just to deal with Li Qiye, but he didn't expect to see Li Qiye here!
His first reaction was to stagger backward after seeing Li Qiye. After all, Li Qiye's strength made him quiver. However, after remembering that Sheng Fei was here as his backing, he became much more courageous.
He fortified his stance and pointed at Li Qiye then shouted: "Second brother, this is the little bastard that killed our brothers! He even declared that he could crush you to death with one hand and trample our ravine with one stomp!"
Brimming with energy from his backing, the marquis fanned the flames even further! He wanted to use his second brother to destroy Li Qiye so that he could wash away his past humiliation.
The marquis' sudden outburst made many guests look over towards Li Qiye. A few of them began to have ideas; this could be a good opportunity to please Sheng Fei.
Su Mingchen, on the other hand, felt cold sweat dripping down his back. He was hoping that Li Qiye and Sheng Fei could sit down and have a nice chat. But now, with the Qilin Marquis escalating the situation, his hope was only a pipedream!
Li Qiye chuckled at the cocky marquis. He didn't refute the exaggeration and smiled: "It seems that a dog like you actually has a good memory, you were able to remember me so well."
The marquis turned livid with an unsightly expression. However, after remembering his second brother, he grew bolder and snorted: "Dumbass, to speak such disdainful words to my ravine, no one in this world can protect you!"
Some royal lords here also wanted to please Sheng Fei; one of them began to yell at Li Qiye: "Ignorant brat, to have the nerve! The ravine isn't a place that a brat like you…"
Li Qiye waved his sleeve dismissively to interrupt him: "This is none of your business. Scram to the side, the person I want to find today is him!"
Having said that, his gaze fell upon Sheng Fei.
This royal lord was furious after being interrupted by Li Qiye. He was a distinguished figure, so how could this nobody dare to speak to him with such hubris?!
Even the Sacred Demon Leader and the Tombskull Master frowned. They wondered who Li Qiye was to be able to act so arrogantly in front of Sheng Fei.
After being called out, Sheng Fei gazed at Li Qiye. He was suddenly startled after he saw Li Qiye's face and slowly approached.
The marquis thought that his second brother was about to attack Li Qiye, so he grew even more audacious and cried out: "Second brother, kill this bastard for the glory of our Heavenhoof Ravine and let him know—"
"Pop!" But before he could finish speaking, Sheng Fei quickly slapped his face, leaving behind a burning palm print.
This sudden change shocked the marquis. Not even in his wildest dreams did he expect that his second brother was not going to take care of Li Qiye and would rather slap him instead.
Sheng Fei ignored the marquis and continued to walk forward. He cupped his hands together and asked with a serious demeanor: "May I know your name?"
Li Qiye glanced over him and answered: "Li Qiye."
This name was like a hammer smashing into Sheng Fei's chest, causing him to be breathless. For a disciple of an imperial lineage, the name Li Qiye was thunderous! How could he not know Li Qiye? This was the person who killed their genius alchemist, the Vinepill Monarch, and he even killed their Heavenhoof elder!
This was a great enmity. Their sect had a picture of him, and the elders had discussed this before. They swore to never let this go until they killed Li Qiye!
Who would have thought that Li Qiye would actually come to their door? He was now in the Beast Realm, and the territory of their sect at that!
Sheng Fei was a smart person. He took a deep breath and cupped his hands once more towards Li Qiye: "So it is the Alchemy Realm's Deity of this generation, Brother Li. It is an honor to finally meet you."
All of the people here, especially the Sacred Demon Leader and the Tombskull Master, quivered after hearing this name despite being famous Heavenly Kings and experts.
The deity of a generation! After hearing Li Qiye's name, the leaders present all knew that this was just a compliment. In current times, who didn't know that Li Qiye was a ruthless man?!
Killing Young Noble Pei Yu, destroying the Xian Clan, and even shaking the Alchemy Kingdom — any of these battle feats could shock the entire world! His title of Fierce was erected from blood and bones!
"An honor?" Li Qiye smirked after hearing such cordiality. He naturally understood the feud between him and the ravine.
However, he didn't care for such things. He simply waved his sleeve and leisurely spoke: "Whether I am a deity or if it is your honor to meet me, I shall accept your compliments. Since you have been quite polite, very well, I will give you some face as well. I heard that you want the Tie Clan's site."
"The Tie Clan's site?" Sheng Fei noticed Tie Lan standing to the side and immediately understood what was going on! He truly did want this particular location. As the lord of a country and the disciple of the ravine, he was very conscious of his own reputation. He didn't want others to say that he forcefully seized land from a mortal. Plus, he also wanted to give the Ox King some consideration, so he said that he wanted to buy the land.
Unfortunately, despite his generous offer, Tie Lan was very stubborn. Even if he raised the offer, she would still refuse all the same!
"No, this is definitely not true!" Sheng Fei vehemently denied this claim by shaking his head.
"Really now?" Li Qiye grinned and touched his chin as if he was pondering something. He then looked at the marquis: "Then what was the deal with him? Your servant decided to act on his own? I saw it with my own eyes."
810 TeaserThe Bird King eventually appeared before the waiting crowd. Sheng Fei was not a particularly eye-catching man. He wore plain clothing with coins hanging from his sleeves and robes. This made him appear to be more of a shrewd businessman than a cultivator.
However, no one would dare to look down on him after seeing his eyes. They were especially sharp, like the eyes of an eagle. Once people met his gaze, they would feel as if they were his prey.
He had a cold aura, a clear sign of ruthlessness. A halo that was being emitted from his body showed that he was not a character to mess with. Su Mingchen immediately went to greet him along with the other guests.
Only Li Qiye calmly sat there and threw him a quick glance without saying anything.
Sheng Fei was a bit proud of being received by so many leaders. He nodded his head to return the greeting. Among the leaders here, only Heavenly Kings like the Sacred Demon Leader and the Tombskull Master were worthy of his respect!
[collapse]Chapter 811: Ruthless Abandon
Sheng Fei's expression quickly shifted. He glared at the marquis and harshly shouted: "Bastard, what did you do?! Tell me now or I'll show no mercy!"
"Second brother, this…" The marquis was lost by this sudden development. He was confused as to why his second brother, who was supposed to be his backing, was suddenly reprimanding him.
He weakly responded: "Brother, didn't, didn't you tell me—"
"Bastard!" Sheng Fei interrupted him and, with a murderous glare, cried out: "You dared to use my name to commit all sorts of evil trickeries?! Such heresy must be punished!"
"Second brother, it wasn't my idea—" Sheng Fei's sudden change in attitude left the marquis confused. He couldn't react in time and was quivering in fear.
"Unrepenting animal! You still try to defend your actions?! What's the point of keeping an animal like you?!" Sheng Fei shouted and reached his hand out towards the marquis.
"No, second brother, you, you can't kill me…" The aghast marquis cried out, but it was too late. With a snapping sound, his neck was snapped by Sheng Fei's grip.
His corpse dropped to the ground like a pile of mud. His eyes were still wide open since he didn't even realize where he went wrong. Not even in his dreams would he have expected for his second brother to kill him.
None of the leaders here said anything. All of them were sly foxes and naturally understood why Sheng Fei suddenly killed the marquis. This turned their hearts cold; this Sheng Fei turned out to be a very cruel person!
Even Tie Lan was stunned. She wanted to say something but managed to hold it in. She was a general and was accustomed to seeing death, but she was quite displeased with such a method!
Li Qiye, on the other hand, only watched this scene with a cold glare. How could he not know what Sheng Fei was trying to do? After killing the marquis, Sheng Fei acted as if nothing had happened. He cupped his hands and bowed towards Li Qiye: "Brother Li, it is a shame that our ravine had such a traitor. He actually committed a crime by using my name, so I killed him in place of our sect. I do apologize, Brother Li."
Li Qiye was too used to this sort of thing and he didn't care about revealing this little play.
"It is best that you don't have any ideas about the Tie Clan." Li Qiye glanced at him first, then his gaze swept over the leaders present: "Seeing as how all the royal lords and sect masters in this region are here, I'll be making an announcement. From today on, the Tie Clan will be under my protection. Anyone who touches the Tie Clan will be provoking me, Li Qiye!"
Tie Lan had no response to this declaration. She simply stood there emotionlessly.
"Of course not, of course not." Sheng Fei immediately echoed: "Cultivators like us are heroes of justice, helpers of the weak. The current Tie Clan only consists of mortals, so who would make it difficult for them? If anyone dares, our ravine will be the first to disagree!"
"Yes, of course." All the other sect masters voiced their agreement. Even the two leaders of the top two sects nodded their heads.
"That would be for the best." Li Qiye naturally did not believe this type of rhetoric. Of course, he didn't care either. His eyes narrowed as he said: "If anyone feels that they have the ability to provoke my authority, then do so! I am ready to wash the world with blood, but I'm not so sure if my enemies are as prepared!"
Having said that, Li Qiye was too lazy to give them a second look. He turned around and left. The turtle and the cold-as-ice Tie Lan quickly followed him.
The leaders could only watch Li Qiye leave. Although they were annoyed at him, it couldn't be helped. They simply didn't want to offend a brute that could fight against even the Alchemy Kingdom.
Eventually, the party ended with a negative atmosphere. Su Mingchen was powerless and couldn't do anything. He could only pray for nothing else to happen and for Li Qiye to leave his country as soon as possible. This unlucky omen staying even a single day longer at his country meant another day of peril.
Of course, he wouldn't dare to say that to Li Qiye's face, so he could only silently pray.
"Return to the sect immediately and bring this letter to my master. Be sure to personally see him!" After returning to his residence, Sheng Fei immediately sent his most trusted confidant back to the ravine.
He must bring the news of Li Qiye's arrival at the Ox-Herder Country to the elders! The blood feud between them was irreconcilable! Due to this, he wanted to prolong Li Qiye's stay in this country. He would wait until the army of the ravine arrives. Then, Li Qiye would simply be a fish on the chopping block!
After sending away his confidant, Sheng Fei gritted his teeth and declared with a cold expression: "Li Qiye! Today, I pretended to be pitiful in front of you. I will repay this humiliation doubly!"
He was a royal lord and the second brother of the ravine. Until now, others only dared to flatter him due to his untouchable status! But today, he had to act humble in front of Li Qiye. Of course, it was just an expedient measure despite being so shameful.
When Sheng Fei was seething in his hatred and wondering how to kill Li Qiye, another attendant came in and reported: "Your Majesty, the Stony Edge Kingdom's Cloud Soaring Venerable is here to see you."
"Cloud Soaring Venerable? Quick, invite him in." Sheng Fei immediately gave the command.
The main descendant of the ravine, the Golden Crow Prince, had a good relationship with Ye Qingcheng. At the same time, the venerable was Ye Qingcheng's number one strategist and was highly regarded by him, so Sheng Fei didn't dare the slightest discourtesy in his reception.
"Brother Sheng Fei, I didn't expect to see you here." A while later, the Cloud Soaring Venerable walked in.
Sheng Fei personally greeted him and asked him to sit down before smiling: "What brings you here, Venerable?"
Despite his powerful position, he was far weaker than the Golden Crow Prince in both status and strength. A character like Cao Guoyao would dare to act arrogantly before the venerable, but not him.
After sitting down, the venerable cheerfully smiled and asked: "Is there something on your mind?"
Sheng Fei slightly shook his head in response: "Nothing, there is no need for you to worry. I only came to this place to relax a bit. No worries here."
"Brother Sheng Fei, you must not consider me as a friend to say something like that." The friendly venerable could call anyone brother: "Although I am weak, I can still do a decent job of strategizing. If some recent events are going awry, tell me and I shall try my best to assist you."
Sheng Fei had been suppressing his anger, so he was a bit tempted after hearing this. Moreover, the venerable was a famous strategist that even Ye Qingcheng relied on.
"Who else but that bastard Li Qiye? He's ruining all of my plans!" Sheng Fei gritted his teeth and explained the circumstances.
The venerable pondered for a moment before speaking with a serious tone: "Brother Sheng Fei, this is quite a grand matter."
"What do you think about this?" Sheng Fei immediately asked.
The venerable responded: "Who is Li Qiye? A famous brute. And what about this tiny location, the Ox-Herder Country? I'm afraid he wouldn't care for such a tiny place. Out of all the places he could go, he chose to come here and declared his intention to protect the Tie Clan. What is he trying to do?"
"What are you saying?" Sheng Fei was slightly startled after hearing this.
The venerable continued: "The Tie Clan must have treasures, great treasures at that. Otherwise, it wouldn't be able to attract a brute like Li Qiye! Brother Sheng Fei, you love to explore and excavate, so you must have heard the legends. The Tie Progenitor was a brilliant goddess that had swept through the nine heavens. This lineage might have declined, but I believe that there are still incredible treasures buried underneath their clan."
"Your thoughts are the same as mine." Sheng Fei slapped his thigh in agreement and said: "I have tried to find many ancient scrolls about the Tie Clan."
His mood became much better while talking about treasures: "Just as you have said, I do think that there are treasures there despite the decline of the clan."
The venerable added: "The previous master of the Tie Clan was a wasteful fool and wrung the clan dry of everything. Later on, he swore that there was still an amazing treasury there! Although many people didn't believe him, I still feel that this remark is not baseless."
Sheng Fei became very eloquent and talkative regarding this topic: "I have heard of this late clan master too. Although this fool was a useless mortal, he was also a bookworm. He read all the writings of their clan, so he must have known many secrets! Despite his uselessness, his literacy is not without use. I do think that his adamant claim before death is plausible."
Chapter 812: The Beguiling Venerable
Things were exactly as Sheng Fei had recounted; the late master of the Tie Clan, or Tie Lan's father, was a complete scoundrel. He came from a cultivation clan yet didn't try to do anything useful and chose to be an idle black sheep. He even sold the cultivation manuals of his clan. However, his hobby was to look through ancient books and strange scriptures. He had read through all the books in their home and found some clues from his ancestors' personal accounts and records. He speculated that there was still a great treasure in the Tie Clan.
At that time, he was driven mad from poverty. He had sold everything possible, including the ancestral home. If Su Mingchen didn't buy it back, there would be no Tie Clan right now.
Due to his madness, he went around and spread rumors about the treasures in order to sell the ancestral home once more at a high price. However, no one believed this scoundrel and thought that it was only a madman’s ravings.
However, Sheng Fei paid attention to this since he was always interested in excavation. As a result, he wanted to buy the Tie Clan, but unfortunately, Tie Lan had no intention of selling!
"Brother Sheng Fei is right." The venerable echoed the sentiment: "Would Li Qiye protect the Tie Clan if there wasn't a great treasure? It is already declined with nothing left, so what is he trying to do? In my opinion, he is simply trying to take it all for himself!"
These words touched Sheng Fei's nerve. He was an adventurer who loved digging treasures out from ruins. His blood boiled and his heart raced from the thought of the Tie Clan having some treasures.
"Damn that Li Qiye!" Sheng Fei bit his teeth once he realized Li Qiye's greed. He wanted to snatch the treasure from Li Qiye's hands.
The venerable reminded him: "Brother Sheng Fei, before Li Qiye can succeed, you need to seize the opportunity as well as the treasures."
Sheng Fei shook his head in response: "Venerable, I am not overestimating the enemy and lowering our morale, but Li Qiye is no good samaritan. His schemes are so amazing that he was able to shake even the Alchemy Kingdom. I am not his match, so I can only wait for reinforcements from my sect. Hmph, at that time, I want to see just how he can get out of it!"
Despite his greed for the treasures, he knew himself quite well in that he wouldn't be Li Qiye's match. Otherwise, he wouldn't have killed the marquis and apologized to Li Qiye.
"I'm afraid that if we wait till then, Li Qiye will have obtained the treasures and escaped already." The venerable shook his head and smiled: "Plus, Brother Sheng Fei does not need to confront him directly, can't you try to outsmart him?"
"Outsmart him?" Sheng Fei was already tempted by the venerable and had to ask: "Do tell, Venerable."
"Brother Sheng Fei, there is a great saying — urge the wolves to bite the tiger. Of course, this comparison is not completely accurate, but you can use someone else." The venerable smiled.
Sheng Fei became spirited and immediately asked: "How do we carry it out? Please show me the way."
"Brother Sheng Fei, think about it. Li Qiye is arrogant and unbridled with enemies everywhere. I know that there are extremely powerful lineages looking for Li Qiye in search of vengeance!" The venerable said: "As long as you send news to them, they would be more than willing to attack Li Qiye!"
"This method is feasible." Sheng Fei's heart started to beat faster after hearing this suggestion.
The venerable continued: "There are many ways to deal with Li Qiye. For example, the Sacred Demon Tribe and the Tombskull Sect; Brother Sheng Fei can try to ask them for help."
"You think too highly of me." Sheng Fei shook his head: "They would definitely listen to my first brother, but not me. Even though they do give me some face, I won't be able to command them."
"That is because Brother Sheng Fei is too honest." The venerable smiled deviously: "This is not called commanding, but an alliance."
"Keep going, please." Sheng Fei humbly urged. He thought very highly of the Cloud Soaring Venerable's intelligence since he was Ye Qingcheng's advisor.
The venerable mused: "Brother Sheng Fei, just imagine this. Who is the Golden Crow Prince? He is the successor of the ravine, the crown prince of the Golden Crows. Once he takes control over everything, would the Sacred Demon Tribe and the Tombskull Sect have any chance to earn his favor?"
Sheng Fei felt that this statement made sense. The ravine controlled the entire southern region of the Beast realm and reigned over more than ten powerful sects and countless lesser ones.
His first brother, the Golden Crow Prince, had always been imperious. Everyone knew that he was the future ruler of the ravine! Numerous lineages in the south wanted to please him, but it wasn't so easy for these two sects to build friendly ties with him.
The venerable noticed that Sheng Fei was moved, so he quickly struck while the iron was still hot: "Brother Sheng Fei, you don't need to belittle yourself. Given your innate talents, you only need more experience and opportunities. In the future, you will definitely become an elder, so the two sects should be more than happy to work together with you if they want a promising future."
Sheng Fei's mind swayed after hearing the venerable's opinion. Perhaps this was not just an attempt for a treasury. It was just like the venerable had said, Sheng Fei indeed had a chance of becoming an elder, but this was in the distant future.
Moreover, he was missing an external force, unlike his first brother who could muster great support from many lineages with a single call. Items and people were readily available at his beckoning.
Although many smaller sects also tried to win his favor, Sheng Fei knew very well that these sects wouldn't be able to do anything. Only lineages like the Sacred Demon Tribe or the Tombskull Sect carried some clout.
If he could gain the support of these two and earn their external backing, then he could definitely fortify his future seat as an elder with great influence!
"I'm afraid persuading these sects might be a difficult matter." Sheng Fei mused.
The venerable smiled and said: "Brother Sheng Fei, you have an ace in your hand, or at least, you can create one."
"Venerable, I'm all ears on how to create this ace card." Sheng Fei asked humbly.
The venerable responded: "Brother Sheng Fei, just remember the fact that there are people looking for revenge on Li Qiye. Since you know his location, the alliance that would come from scattering this intelligence would be unimaginable. Since you are the master of this domain, even if a more powerful lineage wanted to find Li Qiye, they must rely on you."
"Plus, I can give you another option. Have you heard of the Dragonfowl Tribe?" The venerable asked.
"The Dragonfowl is a powerful and mysterious demon tribe. I heard that there is a heaven-defying grand character among them who is working for Imperial Edge Mei Aonan." Sheng Fei nodded.
"Brother Sheng Fei, you can secretly inform the Dragonfowl tribe of this supreme treasure trove! They will definitely come to cause trouble for Li Qiye, and at that time, even Mei Aonan will have to help you." The venerable explained.
Sheng Fei was a bit hesitant after hearing this: "How could that be? I have no ties with the Dragonfowl. Plus, Mei Aonan wouldn't give me that much face."
"Brother Sheng Fei, you are misinformed about that." The venerable responded: "I have heard my young master's calculations before. Rumor has it that the Dragonfowl had a feud with the Tie Clan, so they will definitely not sit still if there is truly treasure for the taking. Think about it, if the tribe chooses to take action, then will the big shot from Mei Aonan's tribe just sit there and watch? At that time when they come here to kill, won't they need your assistance as well?"
Sheng Fei was startled about a particular legend. It stated that Ye Qincheng could divine both the past and present, so he felt that the venerable's words made sense.
"But if that happens, Mei Aonan or at least the Dragonfowl tribe would own the treasures." Sheng Fei pondered.
The venerable shook his head: "Brother Sheng Fei, since we are close enough, please excuse me for being frank; your view is too nearsighted in this matter." He analyzed the situation: "If you could use this opportunity to take down Li Qiye, do you know what this means? It would be an incredible merit for your sect. You won't only enjoy an astonishing fame but will also receive rewards from your sects, perhaps even a Heaven's Will Secret Law!"
Sheng Fei was quite stimulated by hearing this. Although he was second among the younger generation of the ravine, he was still not qualified to learn secret laws. This remained one of his greatest aspirations.
"If you succeed, then all of the powerful lineages like the Sacred Demon Tribe and the Tombskull Sect will become your allies. Then, you will also be able to become the First Elder and do as you please. So what if Mei Aonan and the Dragonfowl take the treasures? The treasures are nothing compared to an achievement like this."
Chapter 813: Drumming Up Support
The venerable analyzed the costs and benefits, making Sheng Fei quite excited. Just thinking about taking the seat of First Elder at the ravine and ruling over everyone left him greatly tempted.
The two of them planned for a long time throughout the night. When the venerable was about to leave, Sheng Fei tried his best to get him to stay. He wanted a strategist like the venerable to work for him.
After leaving Sheng Fei's place, a confidant asked the venerable since he was confused: "Sir, Sheng Fei is only a junior, so why did you have to waste so much effort on him?"
Although Sheng Fei had some reputation among the younger generation, he was truly nothing to someone like the Cloud Soaring Venerable.
"Although he might not be anyone important, an insignificant pawn in the grand scheme of things, he will serve as a spark just fine." The venerable chuckled.
His confidant still appeared to be puzzled to the chagrin of the venerable: "Fool, the ravine and Li Qiye are enemies, so if a war breaks out here, will the ravine sit still and do nothing? How could they swallow this anger without killing Li Qiye? Plus, we can bring the Dragonfowl tribe into the mix by using Sheng Fei, and the same goes for Mei Aonan! If Li Qiye and Mei Aonan fight, then who will reap the most benefits? Of course it will be our Young Noble! Without Mei Aonan and Li Qiye, who else can compete with our Young Noble?"
The confidant woke from his stupor and praised: "Sir, this is an incredibly crafty plan stemming from your peerless wisdom. This lowly one is lost in admiration!"
The venerable dismissively said: "This overarching move was planned by Young Noble. I am simply implementing it."
After sending the venerable away, the eager Sheng Fei immediately went to meet the Sacred Demon Leader and the Tombskull Master who had yet to leave the Ox-Herder Country.
The two were surprised to see Sheng Fei calling for them. After the three gathered, Sheng Fei looked at the two and went straight to the point in a serious tone: "Gentlemen, I need your support."
The two couldn't help but look at each other. Eventually, the Tombskull Master spoke: "Your Majesty is too polite. What do you need of us? As long as it is within our capabilities, we will definitely support you."
Although Sheng Fei was far from being comparable to the Golden Crow Prince and they had no need to please him considering their status, they would still give him some face.
Sheng Fei spoke with a deep voice: "I need you two gentlemen to lend me a hand in order to hold down Li Qiye."
This was met with some hesitation by these two. Prior to this when they didn't know who Li Qiye was, they would have agreed without any qualms.
However, it was now different. Li Qiye was a notorious brute who dared to do just about anything. Who would want to provoke such a murderer? It was the same as poking a beehive. 1
"About this…" The Tombskull Master pondered for a moment before speaking: "Your Majesty Sheng Fei, I'm afraid this won't be easy."
They naturally didn't want to be cannon fodder for someone else. If it was the Golden Crow Prince, then they would show their absolute support, but it was not the same case with Sheng Fei!
"I know that in your minds, you are laughing at me for not knowing my own abilities." Sheng Fei was ready for this reaction. After being guided by the venerable, he already came up with a solution.
He lightly said: "Yes, I truly don't know my own limits. Moreover, I am not my first brother and have no way to make you two work for me."
"Your Majesty, that isn't the case…" The Sacred Demon Leader shook his head. Although they didn't want to help him, they also didn't want to offend him.
Sheng Fei slightly motioned with his hand: "There is no need to explain to me, I am well aware of who I am. However, I have one question for you two. Hypothetically speaking, even if you two wish to cling to my first brother, is it really possible? In the southern region, lineages with ties to my brother are innumerable! In terms of power and friendship, will he give you two any benefits after he comes into power?"
These words were quite sharp and caused the two leaders' hearts to become dejected. Although they were unhappy, they had to admit that Sheng Fei was right.
Among the fifteen strongest sects and countries in the southern region, it was difficult for their sects to even enter the top ten! Under the sovereignty of the ravine, these powers all wanted to form good relations with it, so its future heir, the Golden Crow Prince, was always a target for flattery. And it was too true that even if the Sacred Demon Tribe and the Tombskull Sect tried their best, they wouldn't necessarily be able to garner his attention.
"But what if you two become allies with a future elder of the ravine? A real alliance forged of iron." Sheng Fei declared. He must obtain the support of these two sects in accordance with the venerable's plan.
The leader and the sect mater contemplated for a moment. They had friends in the ravine as well as characters of the elder level as their backing.
Although Sheng Fei had a high chance of becoming an elder in the future, there were many elders in the ravine. Only an elder with true influence would actually be useful.
"I know what you two are thinking." Sheng Fei stressed: "Correct, if I become an elder, I might just be one without great influence." He chuckled at this point and raised his voice: "But if I take down Li Qiye?! How great of a merit would that be?"
This was worth thinking over for the two leaders. Everyone knew about Fierce Li Qiye and his feud with the ravine. If Sheng Fei managed to take down someone who dared to fight against the Alchemy Kingdom, then it would absolutely be an outstanding contribution!
"I think it is clear that as long as I capture Li Qiye, no one can compare to me in terms of prestige and contribution outside of my first brother." Sheng Fei coldly said: "With this being the case, who else would take the seat of First Elder besides me in the future? At that time, I'm sure you two will know of the backing behind me."
Sheng Fei's ambition surged after being tempted by the venerable. Although he was not comparable to his first brother, he could still try for the First Elder's position in the future!
The leaders naturally understood this logic. However, they had to first capture Li Qiye for this hypothetical situation to work.
"Li Qiye is not to be trifled with." The Tombskull Master was not too interested in this suggestion.
"I know that Li Qiye shouldn't be easily provoked. Otherwise, I wouldn't have pretended to be so pitiful earlier." Sheng Fei was full of confidence as he drily said: "Gentlemen, I didn’t invite you two here on a whim!"
This attitude from Sheng Fei made the leaders feel strange; it was as if he had become a different person.
"What was Li Qiye's biggest card when he attacked the Alchemy Kingdom?" Sheng Fei said in an awe-inspiring manner: "The Phoenix! But I'm sure you two already know that his Phoenix has flown away. Without the Phoenix, Li Qiye has nothing left!"
Sheng Fei stared at the Tombskull Master and threw out a rhetorical question: "Even though people say that Li Qiye knows how to summon undead, can anyone actually compare to the Tombskull Sect in this regard?"
"Li Qiye's dao of alchemy is no joke. He also has many treasures that are quite hard to deal with." The Sacred Demon Leader replied.
Sheng Fei responded: "I know! But you two shouldn't look down on my ace! I have the support of the Radiant-Sea Sect! They have been searching everywhere for Li Qiye to take revenge. Right now, Li Qiye is within our territory, so the Radiant-Sea Sect is willing to work with us!"
This slightly dazed the two. They didn't expect Sheng Fei to have a backing as powerful as the Radiant-Sea Sect.
"I'm sure you two are still doubtful." Sheng Fei continued: "Don't worry, I will let you meet a big character from the sect."
The two glanced at each other once more. Eventually, the Sacred Demon Leader asked: "What is the stance of the ravine's elders?"
They hoped to hear the opinion from the ravine. In their opinion, if the ravine took action, then everything would be much easier.
"What do you think?" Sheng Fei spoke deeply: "For what reason am I here? For what reason am I working with the Radiant-Sea Sect? Is it not clear by now? My master and grandmaster are supporting me as the vanguard so that I can have the first meritorious opportunity! I believe I don't need to say more."
Sheng Fei was merely bluffing. He still hadn't received an answer from the ravine. However, he must use this chance to draw these two sects into his camp.
The two shuddered after hearing this. They knew that among the younger generation, Sheng Fei was indeed worthy of the ravine's investment.
If his master and grandmaster were purposely giving Sheng Fei a chance to contribute, then everything would be different. With this merit, his seat as the future number two would be fortified! Thus, it could be just as he had said earlier. He could truly become the First Elder and have tangible influence!
"Gentlemen, the Radiant-Sea Sect is not the only one I have reached out to. I also have the support of the Dragonfowl tribe and Imperial Edge Mei Aonan!" Sheng Fei spoke solemnly.
"Even Mei Aonan is willing to help Your Majesty?" The leader shuddered after hearing this.
Sheng Fei continued: "If you two don't believe me, then just wait until the people from the Dragonfowl tribe are here. You two surely must know that there is an invincible character from this tribe working under Mei Aonan. Mei Aonan will be ordering experts from this tribe to be the vanguard."
The two of them thought that if all of this were true, then it seemed that the ravine was indeed interested in nurturing Sheng Fei.
"What is Your Majesty's plan?" Eventually, the Sacred Demon Leader relented.
"We shall…" After obtaining their agreement, the happy Sheng Fei revealed his plan.
I modified one line here. "A brute like Li Qiye who would dare to massacre the Xian Clan and fight the Alchemy Kingdom". It is something I'm thinking about doing more often when it is repeated materials. This particular lines had been mentioned quite a few times in the last 10 chapters or so. I want to stay true to the raw but at the same time, I also want to improve the script when applicable and within reasons. In a true editing process for publishing, many lines would be removed. Do note that I remove lines very sparingly; only when I can't put it in another way. Compared to the rigidity and adherence to the raws of early ED chapters, I believe the recent ones are a better experience for English readers. ↩