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Translator: StarReader
Editor: CutieBinkie
Proofreader: Papatonks
Before the rooster could announce the coming of a new dawn, a group of men were packed and ready in front of the Flying Cloud manor gate. All wore their finest, oozing nobility, yet just thirty of them were so excited they were bursting with joy and glee at their meteoric success. Such were the selected from the Pill King Convention.
Giving them a look of disdain, Baili Jingwei sneered. Talents like these, and that was already overstating it, were only good as props for his plan. He’ll just hand them over to the real alchemists as servants when they got to the imperial capital.
[Imperial family’s alchemist? Ha!]
Shangguan Feiyun’s thoughts were the same, watching these delusional bums with equal scorn.
Thump~
A man and a woman were approaching this group with light steps.
Baili Jingwei cupped his hands and sported a vague smile, “Grandmaster Gu, have you settled your matters? May we set off?”
“Thank you, Prime Minister, for your concern. Everything is in order.”
Zhuo Fan returned the gesture with a light bow before turning to Shangguan Qingyan and putting on a yearning face, “I’ll be gone for a long time in the imperial capital and I’d be grateful if cousin will look after young Sanzi.”
Shangguan Qingyan’s expressive eyes were filled with complex emotions, but only nodded, “Don’t worry, I’m young Sanzi’s aunt and will give my all to take care of him. I’ll be sure to bring him to you personally and reduce the longing.”
“Thank you.”
Zhuo Fan sighed and cupped his hands at Baili Jingwei, “Prime Minister, we can go.”
“All is in order for mister as well.”
Then he shouted, “Set off!”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards, over a hundred, made of Soul Harmony and Genesis Stage experts, escorted the others in a grand fashion. Dragon Cleaving Sword King had a flat look, at the side, while Sword King Feiyun cupped his hand and saw them off.
Shangguan Qingyan watched them go, her worried eyes ever on Zhuo Fan.
Shangguan Feiyun grinned and teased, “Miss Gu, Grandmaster Gu will be part of the inner circle now, gaining a nobility rank and having anything he could ever want. There’s no cause for worrying either, not with Danqing Shen and Prime Minister watching over. Everything will be fine, bar treason. You should be happy for him, ha-ha-ha…”
Shangguan Qingyan’s lips fell in dismay, looking at him with a crooked smile worse than crying, only to sigh and leave.
“The minute Prime Minister Baili is out, seal the city and impose a curfew!”
The commanding voice echoed behind her, “Those thieves might have slipped away with the visit of Prime Minister, but I’d rather be on the safe side. Comb the city and root them out! I won’t tolerate the Shangguan clan causing chaos in my Flying Cloud City!”
Shangguan Qingyan paused, her face hard as she rushed faster for the Gu household.
Looking at her so eager to report, Shangguan Feiyun’s eyes flashed, his smile particularly crafty.
[By Prime Minister’s plan, we should ease their minds. No, we should incite their greed, ha-ha-ha…]
Minutes later, Shangguan Qingyan rushed into the parlor to see Shangguan Feixiong and his experts waiting for her news.
“Dad!”
Shangguan Qingyan flushed with anger, “Shangguan Feiyun will place the city in lockdown and search it for our people once Baili Jingwei left. He said that he only loosened his guard and gave us the chance to escape only because Baili Jingwei happened to come.”
Shangguan Feixiong looked at the three venerables and his experts and saw their nods.
“It’s as we thought. Baili Jingwei came with the Crown Prince’s matter in mind and not for us. With Shangguan Feiyun’s prideful character, he’ll never admit his manor was attacked, hiding it from Baili Jingwei. He’d then resume the search once he leaves.”
“Yes, that’s Shangguan Feiyun’s style, everything for appearances. That means Baili Jingwei and Danqing Shen won’t be a part of this plan, not when they are oblivious of it. Our enemy is only one, Shangguan Feiyun!”
“Right…”
“Great, now we don’t have to face two Sword Kings…”
…
Everyone voiced their agreement with joy.
A shout came as a man barged in and bowed, “Clan Head, Baili Jingwei’s procession is fifty miles out with no sign of turning back. They’re almost out of sight and gone for good. They’re also looking to be in a rush, with nothing flashy to denote Prime Minister is among them…”
“That explains why Baili Jingwei came to Flying Cloud City without notice. He’s truly worried about the Crown Prince’s situation.”
Shangguan Feixiong nodded, “Now all doubts have been lifted, knowing Baili Jingwei has only been a guest here and nothing more. Now that they left, we don’t need to bother with them.”
They all nodded, with a venerable’s eyes shining as his voice rose, “The Shangguan clan won’t miss this chance providence laid before us. In three days, we strike! “
“Yes, sir!”
They all cheered, as if victory was in sight. Only Shangguan Yulin, in his little dark corner, sported a creepy smile…
While the Shangguan clan got fired up and ready for the big raid, Baili Jingwei’s group was now a day away when he stopped.
Zhuo Fan faked obliviousness as he asked, “Prime Minister, do you need rest?”
“Ha-ha-ha, I may not be much of an expert, but I am an 8th layer Ethereal Stage cultivator. A day of walking isn’t enough to tire me.”
Baili Jingwei grinned.
Zhuo Fan gave him a long look, “Then…”
“Return!”
Baili Jingwei casually pointed at the Soul Harmony experts, “You, you and you, are to escort the thirty alchemists to the imperial capital. The rest of you will follow me back to Flying Cloud City!”
Zhuo Fan shuddered and showed a bright and clueless smile, “Prime Minister, what do you mean?”
“Ha-ha-ha, Grandmaster Gu, you’ll know soon enough.”
Baili Jingwei showed a vague smile and waved for two Soul Harmony experts to flank Zhuo Fan and grab his shoulders, taking him away.
Zhuo Fan started, “Prime Minister Baili, what are you doing?”
“Taking Grandmaster Gu back to the city.”
“But we just got a day away from Flying Cloud City and had those other alchemists escorted to the imperial capital. I should go with them. If you have a pressing matter, you can return by yourself, why take me as well?”
Paling and panicking, Zhuo Fan forced himself to sweat to make the act even more believable.
Baili Jingwei gave a mocking smile, taunting, “Grandmaster Gu, I’m bringing you along to enjoy the show.”
“A show?”
“Quite.”
Baili Jingwei’s eyes shone, “This act shall be known as ‘Blindsided’!”
Zhuo Fan shook harder, overwhelmed
Baili Jingwei signaled the guards to hold Zhuo Fan as they flew to Flying Cloud City. Prime Minister’s many powerful guards were gone in a blink, gone back to the city in secret.
All that remained were three Soul Harmony experts and the stumped alchemist looking at each other like a cow looking at a new gate.
[What just happened?]
[Are you taking us to the imperial capital, to enjoy riches and live glorious lives? Why are there just two guards left and the others up and ran off? Do we mean so little?]
[We’re future imperial alchemists here!]
“Step it up!”
As they were trying to make sense of it and failing, the Soul Harmony experts barked at them.
The prideful alchemists were annoyed, with someone having the bright idea to voice his discontent, “What’s the rush? Don’t you know I’m to be an imperial alchemist? Who the hell are you to order me…”
Bam!
His ranting came to an abrupt stop, only a bloody mist remaining of his trace in this cruel world.
A guard wiped his hand, glancing at the others with disdain, “Prime Minister ordered us to escort you to the imperial capital, and kill any who refuse!”
That was the cruel truth. Baili Jingwei never gave a hoot about them. All he cared about was not letting them flee, to plug any leak, though only for these three days…
The alchemist watched the blood soak the earth with empty eyes, their minds out of commission.
[Weren’t we imperial alchemists? How can a mere guard treat us like cattle?]
[Just what jobs awaits us in the imperial capital anyway?]
They were wrecked with fear, doubt and terror. They were sensible enough not to speak any more, the hope in their eyes now turned into despair…
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