Free Web NovelChapter 90: Chapter 88: You Asked Me to Come Out? So Here I Am
「Two hours later.」
Chen Xuan’s carriage finally arrived at the South City stronghold.
As soon as he arrived, he saw that the area outside the stronghold was already densely packed with experts from the Twelve Alliances.
At the very front stood an old man with silver hair and a silver beard, dressed in an embroidered robe. He leaned on a walking stick polished to a smooth patina, a smile on his face.
"You must be the new Foreign Affairs Envoy Chen. This old man is Han Zhenshan. It is a pleasure to meet you, Foreign Affairs Envoy Chen. I have long heard of your great name, and seeing you today, I can tell the rumors don’t do you justice. Under your leadership, the South City will surely see a new era of glory!"
Han Zhenshan wore a broad smile and was exceedingly polite.
As a man on the verge of death, with one foot already in the grave, he naturally had no desire to make an enemy of Chen Xuan.
If he could ensure a smooth transition of power, he would do so. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
"Elder Han, you’re too kind. It’s all for the good of the Alliance."
A smile touched Chen Xuan’s lips as he stepped out of the carriage.
"Foreign Affairs Envoy Chen, please, hurry inside. This old man has already arranged a welcome banquet in your honor."
Han Zhenshan said with a smile, cupping his hands.
"No need!"
Chen Xuan suddenly waved his hand dismissively. "We can eat later," he said coolly. "Business comes first."
"Business?"
Han Zhenshan froze.
"That’s right. A few of you, come and carry the people out of the carriage."
Chen Xuan said.
Under Han Zhenshan’s suspicious gaze, several members of the alliance immediately rushed forward, threw back the carriage curtain, and carried out two figures.
To be precise, one was a man covered in blood, his arm severed.
The other was an unconscious Cat Demon.
Han Zhenshan’s pupils contracted violently. His heart seized with shock as he cried out, "Yuan Qing!"
The black-robed man with the severed arm was deathly pale. He looked at Han Zhenshan and said with great difficulty, "Elder Han, I... We were exposed. It’s all thanks to Foreign Affairs Envoy Chen, who found me on the road and rescued me..."
"What?"
A tremor went through Han Zhenshan. "What about the others?" he asked.
He had arranged for several spies to infiltrate Shangguan Castle, and Yuan Qing was one of them.
"They... They’re probably all dead."
Yuan Qing said bitterly.
Han Zhenshan’s body swayed as if struck by lightning, his heart filled with grief and rage.
"Alright, that’s enough talk. Gather all the men at this stronghold for me right now. I’m going to settle the score with Shangguan Castle immediately!"
Chen Xuan said abruptly, holding nothing back.
"Settle the score with Shangguan Castle?"
Startled once again, Han Zhenshan quickly looked at Chen Xuan.
"Exactly. These demons killed so many of our Alliance members. They think they can escape death by hiding in Shangguan Castle? They’re wrong. And as for Shangguan Castle itself, for colluding with demons and slaughtering their own kind, I will destroy them as well. I’ll kill them all, down to the last one. We move now!"
Chen Xuan said coldly.
"Wait! Calm down! You must calm down!"
Han Zhenshan was terrified, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He hastily tried to talk him down, "The Shangguan Castle Master, Shangguan Ao, is at the Fifth Layer of Gang Energy! Not to mention, he has demons helping him from the shadows. We absolutely cannot act recklessly! Besides, there are too many eyes and ears here. We have to be careful about information leaking... Please, we must consider this carefully. At the very least, we should wait until the Alliance Leader is free..."
He had never expected Chen Xuan to be so aggressive.
To think he’d want to take on Shangguan Castle, the toughest nut to crack, right from the start.
’Are all young people this reckless nowadays?’
"Consider my ass. I’ve already thought it through. We move now."
Chen Xuan said in a cold voice.
"Listen to me."
Han Zhenshan began speaking again, spit flying from his mouth in his haste. "The situation in the South City is completely unstable. Multiple factions are maneuvering against each other, secretly watching our Twelve Alliances. Who knows how many of them are just waiting for a chance to take a bite out of us."
"You’ve only just taken over. There’s no need to pick a fight with Shangguan Castle, the toughest of the lot. What if you get hurt? The loss would far outweigh the gain."
"Besides, the moment you make a move, all the other factions will be in an uproar."
"If someone decides to stab you in the back, we’ll be caught in a pincer attack. One wrong move, and even our stronghold could be assaulted. The trouble would be even greater then."
"Stab me in the back?"
Chen Xuan laughed. "That would be a double blessing. Alright, Elder Han, I understand your good intentions. But I’m not some brainless fool. If I dare to make a move, it’s because I’m confident I can succeed. Say no more."
"No, you don’t understand the situation in the South City at all..."
Han Zhenshan quickly spoke again. "Calm down, I’m begging you, please calm down! We absolutely cannot give the other factions an opportunity to move against us..."
"Enough, Old Deng! Why are you so damn long-winded!"
Chen Xuan waved his hand dismissively and said coolly, "Your men were nearly wiped out, and you can still just sit here and do nothing. I’ve got to hand it to you. If this continues, who will dare to follow you?"
"You gather the men, I’ll raid their home. It’s a simple matter. What’s all this nonsense about? Now, muster the men and assemble them. Understood?"
Chen Xuan’s voice turned sharp as he asserted the authority befitting a Foreign Affairs Envoy.
"You!"
Han Zhenshan’s expression shifted, his lips trembling, but in the end, he said no more.
’So arrogant!’
’This young man is just too arrogant!’
’Yes, it’s true you’re at the Gang Energy Third Layer, but he’s at the Fifth Layer of Gang Energy! That’s an insurmountable gap! And besides, he has demons on his side.’
’Those demons are elusive and incredibly powerful. If one of them ambushes you from behind, you won’t even know what hit you.’
’What’s so bad about biding our time for now?’
But he had already lost his real authority. No matter how much he objected, it was useless.
"Fine, fine. If you want to make a move, then go ahead. But can this old man stay behind and guard the stronghold?"
Han Zhenshan said with a bitter smile.
He didn’t want to see the stronghold he had painstakingly managed for over a decade get attacked by other factions amidst the chaos and be put to the torch.
"Of course you can."
Chen Xuan’s tone was indifferent.
