Chapter 734: Lou Yujing

Chapter 734: Lou Yujing

In the imperial study of Hongyue, the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue frowned as he perused a set of reports and articles. Beside him, Tu Jiuniang peeled him some grapes and tenderly fed them to him.

"Is there something on your mind, Husband?" Tu Jiuniang asked, seeing her husband's frown.

"The spies we sent to Shenfeng are useless," the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue spat out.

"Oh? But haven't they made their way into various cities all across the Shenfeng Empire? They'll easily be able to make a mess of the administration on your command, Husband. Could they all have been discovered?" Tu Jiuniang exclaimed.

"No—it's a matter of the policies that Shenfeng devised. They're completely bound to their roles, and they're unable to do anything beyond what they're responsible for. What's more, the common people can report any officials they see acting suspiciously. Our spies can't do anything—no, they're only serving to help Shenfeng!"

"How does Shenfeng retain its officials, then?" Tu Jiuniang exclaimed.

"Shenfeng is emulating the Dazheng Empire and grants its recruited officials high wages. They receive generous remuneration for fulfilling their roles and nothing beyond it."

"That damn Xiao Nanfeng," Tu Jiuniang gritted out. "He must have deliberately allied with the Divine Emperor. He's trying to go against us at every turn!"

"This isn't the worst of it. Xiao Nanfeng and Yang Chuan have convened a gathering of our enemies and are intending to take me on together."

"They would dare?!" Tu Jiuniang exclaimed.

"They sent out invitations en masse. Have a look," the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue said, passing her a few documents.

Tu Jiuniang immediately began scanning the documents herself. "Husband, they're inviting the cultivators to take revenge, but the zombies were the ones responsible for their deaths, not us!"

The Immortal Emperor of Hongyue shook his head. "They're not fools. I may not have played an obvious role, but I was the first to lure them into the black coffin hidden realm. Many know that I'm likely the one to blame."

"What do we do, then?" Tu Jiuniang exclaimed.

"Don't worry. They don't have any conclusive evidence—they wouldn't dare attack me out of nowhere. What's more, the strongest cultivators are the ones most likely to have perished. Those who remain are nothing more than weaklings. We'd easily be able to take them on," the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue said confidently.

"Of course, Husband. I can't imagine any of them would be a match for you!" Tu Jiuniang said with reverence.

"However, they intend to meet in the vicinity of the black coffin, which may prove troublesome. My zombies are still within the black coffin, after all." The Immortal Emperor of Hongyue narrowed his eyes.

"Husband, are you worried Yang Chuan is plotting something?" Tu Jiuniang asked.

The Immortal Emperor of Hongyue shook his head. "No. Yang Chuan isn't much of a concern. I'm worried about Xiao Nanfeng."

"Xiao Nanfeng?"

"I didn't expect someone like Xiao Nanfeng to emerge from the husk of the Taiqing Immortal Sect."

"He's only a True Immortal, isn't he? Why worry yourself over him?"

"Don't underestimate him. He took down a divine empire by himself."

"What? But—"

Xiao Nanfeng smiled. "Let's go greet him, then."

Yang Chuan nodded. He stood up and strode out of the hall, Xiao Nanfeng following quickly behind him.

As they emerged, the two Martial Aspects saw that all manner of cultivators were already present. The official meeting was slated to start the next day; all of them had arrived early.

Some were fortunate to have escaped from the black coffin hidden realm, while others were friends and relatives of those who had perished. They were all eyeing a group of red-armored cultivators, led by the Immortal Emperor of Hongyue, coldly.

"Lou Yujing, how dare you show yourself?!" Yang Chuan demanded.

The Immortal Emperor of Hongyue, Lou Yujing, smiled. "I heard that you were inviting those friends and relatives of the cultivators who perished in the black coffin hidden realm to take revenge. Why didn't you send me an invitation, too? There are plenty of cultivators in Hongyue who perished to the zombies. I'm more than happy to take revenge alongside you."

"The pot calling the kettle black, I see. Aren't you the mastermind who caused the deaths of so many cultivators?" Yang Chuan demanded.

Everyone turned toward Lou Yujing with dark expressions on their faces.

"Southern Aspect Yang, I advise you to choose your words wisely. Do you have any proof of your claims?"

"I witnessed it myself in the valley containing the altar. You were in cahoots with the zombies. You even backstabbed them in order to gain full control over them!" Yang Chuan accused.

"Can anyone else corroborate these claims?" Lou Yujing demanded.

"Who else would have seen it?" Yang Chuan demanded.

"I know there must be a misunderstanding between us, Southern Aspect Yang. We can't just trust you blindly. What if I were to claim that you were the mastermind?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Yang Chuan's gaze grew colder than ever.

"Of course, if you insist on defaming me, I can't stop you—but I'll request that you not mislead other cultivators. The zombies were the ones who killed the cultivators in the black coffin hidden realm. I'm not to blame."

"I'll find evidence," Yang Chuan declared.

"I await the very day," Lou Yujing replied, smiling.

The cultivators around them frowned as they fell deep in thought.

Then, Lou Yujing turned to Xiao Nanfeng, who was standing by Yang Chuan's side. "Martial Aspect Xiao, I heard that everyone else suffered heavy losses in the black coffin hidden realm except for you. You even acquired an ancestral fire dragon's pearl!"

Everyone turned to Xiao Nanfeng with a frown. They had all lost friends and relatives; how could Xiao Nanfeng have escaped unscathed? They couldn't help but feel a sense of antipathy toward him.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "Your information must be outdated. I did obtain the ancestral fire dragon's pearl, but was forced to return it in self-defense. The locations of all the treasure within the black coffin hidden realm could be sensed by the zombies, you see. Surely you don't expect that I was able to safeguard such a relic?"

The cultivators nodded. That was a far more reasonable conclusion, and one that made them feel much better.

Lou Yujing frowned. He knew that Xiao Nanfeng was lying, but could hardly prove it.

He glared at Xiao Nanfeng, who met his gaze without flinching. The atmosphere suddenly seemed to grow tense.