Chapter 96: The Arrogant People of Red Blood Mansion

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Arrogant People of Red Blood Mansion

In the East Courtyard of the Nanling County Capital’s Prefectural Residence, two men in their fifties, one holding black stones and the other white, were locked in a soul-stirring battle on the grid of a Go board.

A third old man stood beside them, his forehead beaded with sweat as he watched, letting out a long sigh from time to time.

"Governor Qu, your self-control is still lacking. It seems you failed to grasp the profound meaning of the Purifying Heart Spell I gave you some time ago!"

The old man with the black stones said, looking up at the spectator after placing a stone at the 9-2 position.

Governor Qu wiped the sweat from his brow and chuckled awkwardly. "I’m making a fool of myself, Mr. Wei. It’s just that both of your skills at Go are as unfathomable as your cultivation methods. I thought that after watching for so long, I had finally understood your strategies on the board. But the more stones you both play, the more I realize how shallow my understanding truly is."

"Hahaha, Mo Chuan, the principles of Go are the same as the principles of life. You can never let anyone know how many trump cards you hold, nor can you let them know your true intentions. And by ’anyone,’ I mean your enemies *and* your friends. Often, the one who stabs you in the back is the person you trust the most." The old man with the white stones stroked his beard and chuckled, placing a stone on the board as he finished speaking.

Mo Chuan was Governor Qu’s courtesy name. Of the two men playing, the one with the white stones was more familiar with Qu Mochuan, and thus addressed him by it.

"How could I not know the truth in your words, Liangfu? If I were in either of your positions, I’m afraid I’d be utterly crushed within twenty moves." Qu Mochuan shook his head and said to the man with the white stones.

Wei Fangzhi suddenly tossed a handful of stones onto the board, making Fang Liangfu’s beard bristle as his eyes went wide with anger.

Wei Fangzhi said, "Are you worried, Governor Qu?"

"You worry too much, Mr. Wei. With you two here overseeing things, what do I have to worry about?"

As he spoke, Qu Mochuan led the two to a nearby tea table and sat down. He personally poured each of them a bowl of tea and added, "In the end, they are just lowly commoners. If it weren’t for their own greed, what cause would there be for concern?"

"You speak the truth, Mo Chuan. This world has never been short of ants who do nothing but breed. A batch dies, you give them some grain, and in a few years, countless more children will be born crying. So you have no need to worry. As long as our Sect Leader’s plan succeeds, when the day comes that my Red Blood Mansion stands above all the mortal royal families, will you, Mo Chuan, still worry about not reaching the pinnacle of power?" Fang Liangfu said.

Qu Mochuan set down the teapot, waved his hand, and said, "As for reaching the pinnacle of power, it is no longer a concern of mine."

Just then, the steward of the Prefectural Residence stopped at the Moon Gate, looking on. He appeared anxious but did not dare to step forward and interrupt.

Fang Liangfu’s gaze shifted toward him. Qu Mochuan waved the steward over and said, "If you have something to report, come in and say it. There are no outsiders here."

The old steward walked in and said, "My lord, a report just came from my subordinates. Over an hour ago, a heaven-shaking battle took place at the Ten-Mile Pavilion. The pavilion has been destroyed, and five people died violently on the spot. It was likely the work of Cultivators. The investigating officer asks for your instructions, my lord: should he investigate this case?"

Upon hearing this, Qu Mochuan first glanced at Fang Liangfu and Wei Fangzhi, then said, "A fight between Cultivators that doesn’t involve the county’s common folk? Investigate my ass. Tell He Yucheng if he’s got nothing better to do, he can pull out the case files from the last few years and organize them."

The old steward acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Fang Liangfu and Wei Fangzhi, however, exchanged a glance, each seeing a hint of surprise in the other’s eyes.

"Could it be that the couple had help?" Wei Fangzhi asked, puzzled.

Fang Liangfu took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "Even if they had help, didn’t they die all the same? With Chen Jingshan and his men making a move, unless they ran into one of the true powerhouses from the Six Sects and Eight Gates, how many could possibly escape unscathed?"

Wei Fangzhi narrowed his eyes, gently stroking his beard. After a long moment of contemplation, he said, "The pavilion at Ten-Mile Pavilion was carved from solid stone. For a single battle to destroy such a structure means the opposing side must have had a Martial Artist at least as strong as the Golden Core Realm Late Stage. I don’t care that people died, but I’m afraid this might implicate some other power and interfere with the Sect Leader’s plan."

"Brother Wei, you’re overthinking it!" Fang Liangfu clapped Wei Fangzhi on the shoulder and continued, "Isn’t the Sect Leader’s plan for the Cultivation Realm in the Eastern Domain to become as chaotic as possible? Besides, we’re still here!"

"Fine, fine. I was originally thinking of going to take a look myself. But hearing you say that, it’s probably better not to. Tonight, let’s meet with Chen Jingshan alone and ask him what happened," Wei Fangzhi said.

Just then, a voice rang out from the sky above: "I’m afraid you won’t be able to see that Chen Jingshan."

The three of them looked up in the direction of the voice and saw Bao Zhishuang and Zhu Zishu—the forms Chu Fan and Yun Xi had taken.

"Bao Zhishuang?" Wei Fangzhi asked in disbelief.

"That’s right, it is I. Your Red Blood Mansion has made some fine calculations. A pity that while your abacus was clacking away, you miscalculated the final sum." The ’Bao Zhishuang’ that Chu Fan had transformed into laughed heartily. With a casual wave of his hand, dozens of human heads crashed into the courtyard.

When Fang Liangfu and Wei Fangzhi saw ’Bao Zhishuang’ wave his hand, they both shot to their feet, about to dodge. But when they saw the human heads, they froze in their tracks.

When they got a clear look at the face of one of the heads, their expressions turned ashen.

Because these were the heads of none other than the Red Blood Mansion disciples who had followed them to Nanling County.

After Chu Fan and Yun Xi had disguised themselves as Bao Zhishuang and Zhu Zishu, they had first gone to several private residences, found the Red Blood Mansion disciples, slaughtered them all, and then beheaded them before coming here.

For Chu Fan, who shared a deep-seated hatred with the Red Blood Mansion, killing their people brought him no psychological burden. In fact, he found it satisfying—a cathartic release.

"Bao Zhishuang, you’ve gone too far!" Wei Fangzhi roared.

"Gone too far? Compared to what your Red Blood Mansion has done, I am far too benevolent." Chu Fan didn’t know the names of these three old men, so he only referred to the Red Blood Mansion.

Fang Liangfu gave a savage smile. "Bao Zhishuang, it seems your Wuji Sect wants to declare war on our Red Blood Mansion?"

"Declare war? Isn’t it your Red Blood Mansion that has declared war on our Six Sects and Eight Gates? First you attacked the Lingyun Sect, then you destroyed the Celestial Derivation Sect’s Medicine Valley, and after the auction, you sent people to ambush and kill members of several other sects. And now? You order those minor sects and factions that cling to you to wreak havoc in the mortal world, sullying the reputation of the Cultivation Realm. Don’t think everyone under heaven is a fool who doesn’t know what your Red Blood Mansion is plotting." The ’Bao Zhishuang’ that Chu Fan was impersonating roared.

"In that case, you can leave your life behind!" As soon as Fang Liangfu finished speaking, he waved his hand, and a scimitar resting several dozen feet away by the Go board flew directly to him.

Grasping the blade, he shot straight up and slashed at Chu Fan.

The moment Fang Liangfu moved, Wei Fangzhi also drew his blade and flew into the air.

As for Prefect Qu Mochuan, he had been scared witless the moment the dozens of heads crashed down. He was, after all, an ordinary person. When had he ever seen such a bloody, gruesome scene?

Seeing the two men charge toward him and Yun Xi at the same time, Chu Fan was secretly delighted.

He summoned the Juntian Sword to his hand and immediately executed the Yifeng Sword Technique.

Facing these two, he naturally didn’t dare let Yun Xi join the fight. He had her retreat to a safe distance as his single sword strike intercepted both of them.

Faced with Chu Fan’s sword strike, which contained neither Sword Qi nor Sword Gang, Wei Fangzhi sneered, "Bao Zhishuang, I never thought that after all these years, your Sword Dao would have actually regressed."

Chu Fan gave a sinister smile. "Is that so? Did you really get a clear look at my sword?"