As dust billowed, the boom traveled a thousand miles.
You Yushan’s side couldn’t pierce the veil of dust and were beside themselves with shock. Who knew Zhuo Fan was capable of such power? So much so that it almost overwhelmed Huangpu Qingtian!
The worry was prevalent in all, but none ventured forth to clarify it. They were too afraid to interfere between Soaring Demonic Dragon and Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord’s deathmatch.
When the dust settled all they saw was a mess. When they double checked the two were nowhere in sight, they scrunched up the little courage they had and investigated the disaster.
But the sudden explosion scared them back. Looking at the source, they found Huangpu Qingtian shooting from the ground, wretched and dirty.
He may look unseemingly, but there was no apparent wound on him.
The shock was palpable at Huangpu Qingtian’s state. Taking into account the force behind that fist yet him coming out unharmed in the least, surged them with joy and admiration.
“Eldest young master, you’re ok!” You Yushan’s gang dashed over.
Taking a deep breath, Huangpu Qingtian’s eyes glinted coldly, but he wasn’t looking at them, “Where’s Zhuo Fan?”
“Uh…”
The three were confused, until You Yushan came forth with a bow, “Eldest young master, Zhuo Fan’s punch unleashed a cloud of smoke. Once the dust finally settled we only saw the eldest young master appear. We saw no trace of him. I suspect he has already fled.”
Brow shuddering, Huangpu Qingtian spread his Discerning Field for a more precise investigation. Certain that Zhuo Fan was gone, he said, “And Chu Qingcheng’s group?”
Blushing, the three hanged their heads, “Forgive us, eldest young master! W-we let them escape!”
Huangpu Qingtian’s eyes flashed icily.
Reeling, the three broke out in sweat.
They wished for Huangpu Qingtian’s cursing so badly right now. At least it would vent some of his anger. Anything was better than this eerie silence. The fear of not knowing his thinking was only mounting.
One day Huangpu Qingtian may very well be so angry as to strike them down!
The three shuddered in horror, trying to scour for a gesture, anything that betrayed his state of mind.
Huangpu Qingtian kept silent for a long time before finally smiling, “Let them run. It won’t change anything.”
The three were stunned, having never seen Huangpu Qingtian like this and didn’t know how to react.
[Wait, is this the same cold-blooded eldest young master? Not only did his scheme come apart at the seams, but he also lost a Brimming Sacred Pill and a 6th level spirit animal. No to mention he invested so much effort in this plan too, but even after gaining nothing from it, he isn’t flying into a rage?]
[Am I dreaming?]
[Did he flip?]
Baffled by the sudden turn of events, they looked on at him in bewilderment. Like he was a different man.
Easily picking up on their thoughts, Huangpu Qingtian showed a vague smile, “Don’t forget our mission in this battle!”
“How can we? It’s the position as head of the seven houses!” Lin Xuanfeng let it slip.
Having nothing but scorn for the man, Huangpu Qingtian shook his head, “Regent Estate has been the head for a thousand years and not because of this child’s play, but by raw power! We don’t need this insipid game to prove anything. Not now, not ever!”
Huangpu Qingtian instilled fear in each one of them with his declaration.
[That’s the Regent Estate we know, unchanged for a thousand years.]
“Is it for… Brimming Sacred Pills then?” You Yushan ventured.
Grinning, Huangpu Qingtian shook his head again, “Brimming Sacred Pill is a rare 8th grade pill that even the Regent Estate covets. However, that is hardly our goal!”
“Then please enlighten us, eldest young master!” Yan Bangui bowed.
Huangpu Qingtian’s eyes burst with coldness as he clenched his crackling fist, “Zhuo Fan!”
[What?!]
The crowd was in complete shock.
Sure, Zhuo Fan was like a disease, but the Esoteric Debate was held once a century to settle the power struggle between the clans. Yet he was saying that Regent Estate only joined because of one man?
[Aren’t you overthinking things?]
His cold eyes swept the crowd, lingering longer on his three allies, then Huangpu Qingtian clarified their doubts, “Do you believe Zhuo Fan and Esoteric Debate to be two separate matters?”
Despite everyone avoiding his powerful and steady gaze, there were nods.
“Humph, ignorants!”
Huangpu Qingtian mocked, “Fools! You have that wretched mentality that says he is only a talented cultivator, that you will sooner or later put him down with the power of your houses. What if I tell you that as long as he’s around, Luo clan will stand abreast the seven houses in ten years, surpass us in twenty, and in thirty, it will be the strongest clan in Tianyu that not even all seven houses together can oppose! Will you still think this Esoteric Debate to be nothing but a boring game?”
[This can’t be…]
This was too much to bear. You Yushan was even denying it as he second-guessed Huangpu Qingtian’s words, “Eldest young master, aren’t you exaggerating? The legacy of the seven houses is a thousand years old. He won’t reach our level in a century, not to mention decades!”
“Humph, exaggerate? Ha-ha-ha, if it was me saying that, your reaction would be inexcusable, albeit understandable. However… ”
The crowd was hanging on every one of his words.
Huangpu Qingtian snickered, “What if it came from Sir Leng? Would you doubt the words of a cunning man with ineffable plans like the Unwonted Contriver?”
“What? Leng Wuchang said that?”
They just got the shock of their lives. For even Leng Wuchang to say that, it meant the prediction had to be true!
They just couldn’t wrap their head around how Zhuo Fan being a monster gifted with such godlike skills.
Huangpu Qingtian smiled at their skepticism, “Sir Leng said he is of incredible talent, equal to Zhuge Changfeng. He only needs to grasp power and he will soar beyond anyone’s reach. That is why we need to clip his wings before he can fully spread them. Or the seven houses will soon be no more. Shame Drifting Flowers Edifices, Veiled Dragon Pavilion and Sword Marquise Abode are too blind to see it. They are playing with fire standing behind him and will find one day robbed of everything!
“But the Luo clan is under the imperial family’s protection, and they have Dugu Zhantian for support. We are without means to strike him down in any other circumstances. The only way to eradicate him is to do it within the bounds of the Esoteric Debate!”
Huangpu Qingtian turned his bloodthirsty eyes to them, “That is why our main mission in the Esoteric Debate is to get Zhuo Fan’s head. Everything else is secondary!”
The others turned grave, realizing Huangpu Qingtian had finally revealed Regent Estate’s real objective for the Esoteric Debate.
But this was nigh impossible to achieve. Harder than gathering the Brimming Sacred Pills and facing spiritual beasts.
After witnessing Zhuo Fan’s mystical abilities, they came to realize that he was unrivaled beneath the Radiant Stage.
Even the Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord, the strongest of Six Dragons and One Phoenix, had allegedly barely overpowered him. But when they thought about ignoring him, that was an absolute no.
[Or Huangpu Qingtian would’ve turned him into a bloody damn smear by now! Why waste so much time explaining it to us?]
“Uh, eldest young master, how are we to go about purging Zhuo Fan? Our best chance was when we had everyone cornered and Zhuo Fan was forced to stay. But now they will be on guard and make it even harder!” You Yushan sighed.
Grinning, Huangpu Qingtian said, “That was our best chance? Ha-ha-ha, merely bait. The punk has bit on it and all that is left is to wait for the poison to take its effect.”
Everyone was clueless.
Ignoring them, Huangpu Qingtian turned towards where Chu Qingcheng’s group was last seen, “Ha-ha-ha, they thought they’d escaped when in fact they fell right for it! Not even the cunning Zhuo Fan has hope of breaking out of Sir Leng’s personally designed master plan. Relax, all’s within my grasp… “
The others shuddered, clueless as to what got into him.
And since Sir Leng intervened himself, then this should be a done deal. Sir Leng was hailed as the number one schemer, with a zero fail rate.
The shadow tailing them was startled, [I’ve heard of Tianyu’s Unwonted Contriver, but never imagined he will lower himself to deal with a junior. Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord is talented and powerful, but now he even has Leng Wuchang behind him. Zhuo Fan, you are up against peak experts in both brawn and brains.]
“If you fail, it’s only fair I discard you. But if you win… you just became a hot commodity, he-he-he…”