713 - Evil begets evil
Chapter 713 - Evil Begets Evil
Similar changes once again appeared.
Names gradually appeared one after another on the Wall of Storm.
Like before, they were the names of the thirty demon-like supreme talents, with Ye Qingyu’s own name sparkling in a dazzling light at the very top. Those twowords were like two eternal near-impassable and lofty divine mountains which made people look up.
"To think that a demon-like talent would appear among the Human Race. Could a human imperial planet really be rising, just like the old prophecy said?" The master's blurry green figure stood in front of the wall, seeming extremely emotional. "Will the emperor's prophecy be confirmed by this young man? And, that girl, she has a rare, true imperial qi which is even more unique than the Taiping God's... what secret is the Heaven Wasteland Domain hiding?"
After ruminating for some time, the master suddenly raised his hand and gently stroked the Wall of Storm.
The surface changed.
The thirty names were flipped over like the turning of pages in a book.
A new surface appeared, and on it were many names which were closely recorded.
The highest name on this surface was Xue Feihan, the former 30th place of the first surface, and now the 31st place. Below him were the 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, and so on... until the 60th place. Like the first surface, these were also the names of bygone demon-like talents, and they included not just humans but other races as well. Every name represented a glorious period in history and a heart-stopping period of the past.
Very few people knew that the Wall of Storm actually recorded more than just the names of the top 30 supreme demon-like talents.
It would assess and remember the strength and potential of each and every person who took the Wall of Storm test, albeit the names after the 30th would not be displayed to most people. Only the master of the Violet Gold Divine Office had the right to check these rankings.
The master raised his hand repeatedly, flipping through surface after surface of records.
"58th place, Yan Buhui."
"79th place, Ximen Yeshui."
"80th place, Wen Wan."
"90th place, Yu Xiaoxing..."
His astonishment grew as he looked over the names recorded on the Storm List.
The Storm List disappeared following the surge of a beam of green flowing light in his hand. Although the master did not continue flipping through the list, he knew that it would certainly contain more people from the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps than the ones he had already seen.
He was amazed by their high rate of getting on the list.
There were a staggering seven of them among the top one hundred. This percentage was a little too insane.
"Heaven Wasteland... Heaven Wasteland... what kind of secret could it be holding? The winds and clouds of the Alliance of Domains have recently been surging, and many dark currents have been flowing, clearly toward this small domain, while even those forces have been alarmed... Hmm, I must properly investigate this matter. In any case, it's my obligation to protect a demon-like talent who has topped the Storm List,"
the master murmured to himself.
...
After the time it takes to burn an incense stick.
The Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps had returned to their quarters in the city.
With great anxiety, the mission members who had been guarding the camp immediately greeted the returnees, and were eager to know the final outcome.
They had been even more nervous than the test participants, and had behaved like cats on hot bricks because they could not be kept informed of the circumstances on the test site and could do nothing but wait.
"We succeeded!"
"Hahaha, we totally passed!"
Quickly, news of their test success swept like a tempest and reached the ears of every member who had stayed behind. Thunderous cheers erupted throughout the camp. Everyone was thrilled and could barely contain the joy in their hearts.
They had finally passed through the first checkpoint.
However, the leaders, including the Wuzhao Empress Yu Xiaoxing, dared not lighten up too much. There was only a month's time to get through the Road of Chaos, and thus time was extremely pressing. In order to seize every second and minute, Yu Xiaoxing gave orders to immediately decamp and advance to the next city.
Everyone on the plaza became busy.
A squad of Violet Gold Divine Guards suddenly arrived just as everyone had readied themselves for departure.
Leading the squad were the deputy commander Shangguan Wu and the Violet Gold Divine Office front court supervisor Huang Tayun.
They had led a squad to the plaza and arrived in front of the main tent.
Ye Qingyu and several others hurriedly stepped out to receive them.
"Lord Shangguan, we meet again so soon. You're here because..." Ye Qingyu saluted and asked with a smile.
Everyone showed immense respect for Shangguan Wu, the upright and outspoken deputy commander of the Violet Gold Divine Guards who had greatly assisted the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps during the test process.
As for Huang Tayun, however, Ye Qingyu was much less well-disposed, and neither looked at nor greeted him.
Huang Tayun's countenance became ever more somber.
"Lord Ye, judging from your haste, are you about to set off? It's fortunate I came in time. The master had said to account to you before you leave the city, and so we've brought the culprits." Shangguan Wu smiled affably with his face looking a little apologetic, before he shook his head, saying, "Black sheep have appeared among the Violet Gold Divine Guards, and as a commander, I was unaware and so am to blame as well. We've found out the truth regarding the theft case. I shall allow you to punish these despicable wretches."
Ever since the Storm List incident, Shangguan Wu's appreciation of Ye Qingyu, the supremely talented youth and fellow human, only grew. Therefore, his attitude while talking to the latter naturally became a lot friendlier.
"Lord Shangguan, thank you for your troubles."
Ye Qingyu looked toward the direction the former pointed in.
"Bring them over." Shangguan Wu beckoned by nodding.
From among the dozen-odd guards behind him, several trussed-up men were pushed in front of Ye Qingyu.
Standing at the very front, gnashing his teeth and looking unresigned, was none other than the little Captain Huang Lin.
He had been stripped of his Violet Gold Divine Armor and was left in his overalls. With his hands and legs shackled and his inner yuan entirely sealed, he looked very much like a convict.
To one side was a middle-aged man who had long been trembling in fear and seemed on the verge of kneeling on the floor - the [Refine Armor's] Shopkeeper Zhou.
Beside them were several Violet Gold Divine Guards who followed Huang Lin.
Ye Qingyu swept a glance across these people before turning to respectfully thank Shangguan Wu. "Many thanks to the Office Master for apprehending the saboteurs and clearing our names. Lord Shangguan is truly swift and powerful at getting things done. Junior admires you completely."
Shangguan Wu politely shook his hands and said, laughing, "That's not all. Master has issued a city order declaring that, from today on, all of [Refine Armor's] assets and wealth shall belong to the Heaven Wasteland Domain, while these slanderous culprits shall be at your full disposal."
Hearing this, Ye Qingyu was inwardly delighted.
This was really good news.
As a one-thousand-year-old shop in Sunrise City, [Refine Armor] possessed deep foundations and a great fortune, while in its storehouse was a large number of armors and weapons which were top-notch martial resources enough to raise the strength of the entire envoy mission by a level. In addition, the shop was situated in a prime location within Sunrise City, giving the envoy mission a stronghold from where it could gradually make firm progress. The master of the Violet Gold Divine Office had truly bestowed them a generous gift.
"Many thanks to the Office Master for his kindness. It would be disrespectful of Junior to decline." Ye Qingyu smiled so widely that his eyes squinted.
"It shall be up to you to punish this wretch who colluded with Huang Lin to frame you." As Shangguan Wu spoke, a guard by the side kicked Shopkeeper Zhou before Ye Qingyu.
The shopkeeper, who had been trembling all over throughout, was instantly frightened out of his wits. His feeble body crawled nearer to Ye Qingyu before he begged in a quivering weak voice, "Lord... Lord Ye... I... I was deceived and my conscience blinded... I was confused... Lord... don't take offense at a lowly person like me... let... let me go..."
Instead of looking at him, Ye Qingyu glanced sideways at Huang Lin, who was bound into a large dumpling by a [Soul-Confining Cangue] and a [Yuan-Inhibiting Rope].
This former little leader, who depended on Huang Tayun and was notorious in the city for abusing his authority, was still gnashing his teeth brutally and glaring bleakly at Ye Qingyu, albeit he did show a little fear.
By looking at his appearance, the latter naturally knew what he was thinking.
His uncle was, in any case, a front court supervisor of the Violet Gold Divine Office, and possessed not only a reputation throughout the city but also strength which was much higher than Ye Qingyu's.
Therefore, even though he was all trussed up, he still firmly believed that Ye Qingyu would at most be able to reprimand him, and would not dare to really lay a hand on him.
Ye Qingyu came up with a plan.
Revealing a smile at the corners of his mouth, he looked at Shangguan Wu and said, "Lord Shangguan, as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This being Junior's first time in Sunrise City, Junior doesn't know the local laws. May I ask, what's the appropriate punishment for framing others for theft, according to the city's laws?"
"According to the law, death," Shangguan Wu answered.
"I see." Looking assured, Ye Qingyu nodded as he looked at Shopkeeper Zhou, who prostrated before him. Smiling, he greeted, "We meet again, Shopkeeper Zhou."
Horrified, the latter looked uneasily at the white-robed youth in front of him.
Although Ye Qingyu was clearly smiling, the shopkeeper felt as if the person he was facing was the grim reaper, whose body emanated a fierce killing intent and chill, from Asura's purgatory.
Shopkeeper Zhou desperately admitted his guilt and begged Ye Qingyu for mercy. "Lord Ye... spare me... I won't ever... I won't ever dare... [Refine Armor]... everything is yours... I'll be your... servant and worker... spare me... it's all... Huang Lin, he directed me! He's the mastermind! I did what I was told... I was forced..."
Ye Qingyu gently shook his head.
At the moment of impending death, the deficiencies and weaknesses of human nature would often show up this vividly and thoroughly.
Although Shopkeeper Zhou was but an executor directed by others, he had nevertheless assisted in doing evil. Judging from the hideous face he showed on the day of the incident, he would certainly not spare the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps if he was not caught, and thus Ye Qingyu would not show the least bit of mercy. Keeping him alive would be equivalent to creating a ticking time bomb for oneself.
Ye Qingyu had long known his decision.
His body emanated an invisible ice qi, while he continued to smile.
"Before I left that day, when I said that we would meet again, you should already know what the outcome would be, Shopkeeper Zhou... You reap what you sow. If we were to swap roles, I believe you wouldn't spare me either. So... don't blame me for being cruel and merciless."
Before the sound from his words dissipated, Ye Qingyu exerted a palm.
Instantly, Shopkeeper Zhou seemed as though he had been frozen by an extremely terrifying power. He fell flat on the floor, completely devoid of breath.
Bam!
The next moment, this ice statue shattered into countless fragments of ice crystals and disappeared into the air.
When Huang Lin saw this, his complexion changed dramatically and his body began to shudder unconsciously.
He never thought that Ye Qingyu would kill for real, and so briskly and neatly to boot.
But he still held a glimmer of hope in his heart. After all, these matters started because of his uncle...
With beseeching eyes, he sneaked a glance at Huang Tayun beside him.
The latter certainly saw his nephew's distressed expression, and after a brief hesitation, he looked at Ye Qingyu with an amiable and apologetic smile and said, "Lord Ye, congratulations to the Heaven Wasteland diplomatic corps for passing the test. My nephew Huang Lin is still too young, and was instigated by a few malicious people to do some reckless things and cause problems for you, but this was, after all, only because he acted on impulse. Please give him a chance to correct his ways and start anew, seeing as he's young and ignorant..."
Ye Qingyu replied, laughing, "Supervisor Huang, you think that he was acting on impulse? When he and his men brought me to the Lightless Dungeon, he repeatedly expressed his wish to kill me. I would be a dead man by now if I wasn't fortunate enough."
Somewhat embarrassed, Huang Tayun's complexion darkened. Knowing he could not afford to lose his temper, he hesitated briefly before continuing, "Lord Ye, everything is Huang Lin's fault, but may I ask that you forgive him this once, seeing as he's my nephew."
Ye Qingyu remained silent for a few moments after hearing Huang Tayun's words, then, with a flash of his pupils, revealed a faint odd smile and said, "Supervisor Huang, let me make things clear. It's precisely because he's your nephew that I cannot spare him."
With that, he struck out.
A stream of max-level ice-cold yuan qi surged from his palm and struck toward Huang Lin.
Thump!
"No, I..." Huang Lin was panic-stricken yet helpless as his stiffened body collapsed straight onto the floor like a felled tree, his eyes wide open in a disbelieving look.
In a twinkling, the young cavalry leader breathed his last.
"You..." Huang Tayun became enraged upon seeing this. Killing intent surged from all over his body, which trembled in anger.
He glared at Ye Qingyu with incomparably malicious-looking eyes and declared, "Fine, fine, fine. Heh heh, I never thought Lord Ye would be this cruel and merciless despite being so young and would do things in such an extreme manner... But as they say, relationships and hatred are eternal and never-changing, the road ahead remains very, very long, so take care and do your best, Lord Ye, I believe... we'll meet again!"
"Ho, is that so? Junior also cannot wait for the next meeting with Supervisor Huang." Ye Qingyu finally looked at Huang Tayun and spoke with profound significance.
Huang Tayun snorted and did not say another word.