The Steward Demonic Emperor
chapter-929

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[Win-win?]

Shangguan Yulin squinted and mocked, “Sounds too good to be true. You win, I win, everybody wins. But tell me this, why on earth should I help you?”

“You said it yourself, everybody wins. Or do you plan on spending the rest of your life in Shangguan clan’s torture chamber, spending every second of it in unadulterated agony?”

Shangguan Yulin haughtily said, “I’d willingly stay in the ninth circle of hell so long as you’re a couple circles above. I may know only pain, but seeing you right there beside me with a wretched look will be a sobering experience, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan sighed, “Do you hate me that much? We don’t have anything against each other. I only fooled you a few times now. Getting you to knock your head on the floor, carved degenerate demon on your chest, made you shout master this and master that, had you grovel at my feet – but only for a couple of times – then… Was that all? I honestly can’t recall. Meh, that should be it, right?”

“You want more? Isn’t that goddamn enough?!”

His face twitched with every sore spot that Zhuo Fan thoroughly skewered, bringing his anger to an all time high, “Gu Yifan, you’re nothing but a foul rat. I come from a respected house, the Shangguan clan. Do you really think that having toyed, humiliated, and tortured me so many times does not warrant my burning hatred for you? I rather choose death before dishonor. The world isn’t big enough for the both of us. I’ll be sure to return every indignity you subjected to me a thousand times over, and I’ll start with your precious son, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan just stared as Shangguan Yulin cackled.

The elders eavesdropping shook their heads. One venerable sighed, “I never knew Shangguan Yulin knows only cruelty. Such luck we managed to see his true colors in time. He would’ve only grown to become a disease upon the clan once he takes the seat, just as wretched as Shangguan Feiyun.”

Shangguan Feixiong sighed, feeling regret. Yulin was a good seed among the disciples, only to find out he had a twisted mind…

One venerable was not so quick to agree, “Although Shangguan Yulin is vile, he has his reasons. It was that endless humiliation that brought him so low. Tell me, would any of you be able to take the high road and have a clear conscience when Gu Yifan toyed with you?”

“Hmm…”

That had them all second guessing their rash nods. “Ha-ha-ha, maybe we couldn’t. This just goes to show what a real ‘player’ this guy is.”

Shangguan Qingyan giggled and Shangguan Feixiong glared, “A man is never to be demeaned. Dignity is most important to a practitioner. Gu Yifan is even more twisted, having humiliated and played Shangguan Yulin like a fiddle, so why are you laughing?”

Shangguan Qingyan covered her mouth before any laughter slipped again.

She knew this wasn’t right, but just picturing Shangguan Yulin banging his head on the ground before Zhuo Fan’s feet was most hilarious.

Has her proper and handsome cousin ever gone through such low times?

[Mister Gu is such a bad guy…]

Her mind was saying something while her curving lips betrayed her true feelings.

Shangguan Feixiong sighed and shook his head…

“So you won’t help me?”

Zhuo Fan asked earnestly after he waited for Shangguan Yulin’s cackle to die out, though the guy didn’t know when to quit, “Help you? Maybe in another life, ha-ha-ha. Even as I’ll be cooked alive, I’d still laugh just thinking of the grief of losing your son, hi-hi-hi….”

“Such pain is definitely there.”

Zhuo Fan sighed but then smiled, “Though it’s bound to last five years, a hundred tops. With our long lives, it’s like a drop in the bucket. It’ll pass anyway. Having descendants and spending time with them will be sure to numb the pain.”

Shangguan Yulin shook, “Time with descendants?”

“Well you can’t expect me never to move on. He’s only a son. “

Zhuo Fan put on an evil smirk, “Speaking of, the chance of a house filled with children is right now knocking on my door. Your uncle and elders are begging me to take the apple of their eyes, all for a measly Soaring Sword. So you can keep your help and I just have to accept the loss of a son to move on and make some more. I’ll go to Yan’er right now, get the buns in the oven so they can’t weasel out. It’ll make giving the Soaring Sword all the more a sound decision. Your uncle can’t have his little girl turn a widow so fast either.

“As for you, my good disciple, whether stuck in hell or pushing through it, remains to be seen if you’ll see me wallow in misery over the loss of my son or bask in the laughter of my kin, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan walked to the door having finished his piece.

Shangguan Yulin was left stumped.

[How could I forget? He doesn’t actually need to get his son, not when there’s another choice with an endless future waiting. His son might die, but he’ll have a pretty wife and be surrounded by kids.]

[And I, nothing more than a patsy, fated to die either way. Seeing him smile from hell will only pour acid on my wounds.]

[How can I have such rotten luck? Any choice will get me killed while his choices all promise a nice and cozy future.]

[And by not saving his poor son, he’d become Shangguan clan’s son-in-law, rising higher.]

It was something this young master with an ‘if you’re there to suffer along’ mentality could not accept.

So Shangguan Yulin cried out, “Wait, back up. I-I agree. How can I not? All I’m asking is that you keep your distance from Yan’er.”

Zhuo Fan paused and looked back with a devious smile.

[Finally fell for it, bastard…]

“Amazing!”

A venerable praised, “The kid’s mind games are ridiculously good, toying with Yulin’s feelings and thoughts. He has the other’s state of mind under control, ergo his desires. What do you guys think now of the previous indignity? It was because of that little show we put on that Shangguan Yulin believes we value the Soaring Sword so much that we would listen to Gu Yifan. Especially about using Yan’er as leverage. That hit him right where it hurt.”

They all bobbed their heads like wise men, with another venerable turning to Shangguan Feixiong, “Feixiong, take notes, this is the kind of mentality you should have as a Clan Head, as the leader of eastern lands!”

“Me… learn from him?”

Shangguan Feixiong went red in the face, “Gu Yifan is just a… a junior…”

“And? The way I see it, you’re the youth in his twenties here, with how naive you are. While he’s the real monster living through ages with his cunningness.”

Smiling, the venerable said, “Don’t you see? Even old guys like us are learning from him.”

The venerable pointed and Shangguan Feixiong was shocked to see his oldies taking out jade slips and recording.

Shangguan Feixiong’s face twitched, “That…”

“Is called taking notes!”

Shangguan Feixiong was this close to spewing blood from the shock. These millenia old geezers were as shameless as rash teenagers.

[Where’s your self-respect?]

Shangguan Qingyan was the only one angry, stomping away through them, “Don’t just write everything! It’s nothing but empty words! Stop at once?”

Everyone gave her odd looks.

[What’s up, Yan’er?]

Shangguan Feixiong sighed and shook his head, “Yan’er, are you angry at him for his untrue words and sulling your name? Or is it at him for not following through with it? Ha-ha-ha…”

Ignorant of all the ruckus outside, Zhuo Fan flicked his hand and the chains were off Shangguan Yulin. Then he threw him on the ground.

“Hey, what’s that for? I agreed didn’t I…”

“Quiet!”

Zhuo Fan shouted for him to stop talking, “You did agree, but there’s nothing trustworthy about you. I’ll have to leave my mark on you again in case you get any ideas along the way. Just you try…”

Zhuo Fan chopped at his neck and the guy was out like a light.

He placed a hand on his back and his right eye flashed with the black thunderflame, surging as it followed the hand and into Shangguan Yulin…