Chapter 214 Lu Zhi Confesses, Xiao Wuji Wants to Punish Cheng Yu
Amid the wreckage of the stronghold.
Cheng Yu nudged Blood Owl’s dying figure with his foot. The Origin Internal Energy that formed this avatar was continuously dispersing.
Ning Dingyuan’s shattered body lay to the side, thoroughly dead.
Before the might of Dragon-Scorching Sword Qi, the two Ninth-Rank experts had been completely powerless to resist.
Within the final remnant of Blood Owl’s consciousness, only extreme terror and despair remained.
Why?
Cheng Yu was only a junior who had emerged in Great Qian not long ago, no more than twenty years old. How could he unleash such terrifying strength?
The rumors were true.
Cheng Yu could contend against Grandmaster-level enemies. This talent was probably enough to compare with the founding ancestor who had established Great Qian!
How had that unlucky wretch Ning Dingyuan provoked such a person and dragged him into it too?
At this moment, Blood Owl’s mind went completely blank.
He even lost the motivation to resist and looked sincerely at Cheng Yu, surrendering and begging for mercy.
“Young Lord Cheng, spare this avatar of mine. I am willing to recognize you as my master!”
If he lost the Origin Internal Energy within this avatar, Blood Owl’s true body in the Northern Suppression Army would definitely not have an easy time.
There were quite a few people waiting to step on his head and climb into his position.
Submitting to the brilliantly talented young man before him was the best choice in terms of cost and benefit. He might even have far greater prospects than Prince Chu!
Blood Owl refused to believe that anyone could reject the submission of a Ninth-Rank martial artist.
But when Cheng Yu heard this, he calmly shook his head. “Sorry, but your qualifications cannot pass the political vetting of the Jinyiwei under my command.”
After saying this, Under Blood Owl’s disbelieving expression, he stomped on his head and crushed it. Pure Origin Internal Energy scattered in all directions.
Cheng Yu clapped his hands in satisfaction and finished the job.
“As if any stray cat or dog is worthy of entering the Jinyiwei under me?”
At the same time.
The System’s voice rang beside Cheng Yu’s ear.
【The Host has upheld firm standards, carefully selected his team, and ensured the quality of the Jinyiwei ranks. Reward: Treasure “Jinyiwei Intelligence Network Center”!】
“Hm?”
...
The Far North of Great Qian.
At the border between the human empire and the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, where demonkind gathered, a vast military camp stretched endlessly across the land. Inside it stood an ornate tent.
Blood Owl was absorbing the blood of three female martial artists before him to cultivate.
As he absorbed it.
His face suddenly flushed red, and his expression changed drastically. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his body becoming incomparably withered as a sense of emptiness spread through him.
“My avatar is gone!”
Incomparably astonished fury flashed through Blood Owl’s heart. The avatar had dispersed too quickly. He had not even had time to sense the situation from afar.
Who did it?!
It had to be at least Grandmaster-level strength!
Blood Owl’s heart abruptly chilled. “My avatar is gone. Something must have happened on Duke Dingguo’s side. Could Xiao Wuji have made a move?”
Although he was unwilling to expose the fact that he had lost his Origin Internal Energy, since that would put him in danger when there were plenty of people eyeing his position covetously.
Duke Dingguo’s collusion with Prince Chu and subsequent capture or death was an earth-shaking matter that could not possibly be concealed.
He had to report it to Prince Chu as quickly as possible!
...
“Ning Dingyuan, that dog, truly colluded with that uncle of mine who harbors treasonous ambitions? Even Blood Owl’s avatar from the Northern Suppression Army appeared?”
Inside the Great Qian imperial palace.
As Xiao Wuji listened to the report, he stood up from the Dragon Throne in anger.
“They have turned the heavens upside down! Beasts worse than pigs and dogs! And to think I properly comforted and accommodated him! I finally understand. The more I accommodate you people, the more outrageous you become!”
Since ascending the throne, this Emperor had been known for his generosity and benevolence.
He had never been as furious as he was now.
Duke Dingguo had betrayed his good intentions and colluded in rebellion. As for the Jinyiwei, they were an entire pack of useless incompetents.
They had actually watched helplessly as the man escaped!
Lu Zhi knelt on the ground, his head buried deeply. He did not dare say a word.
“Raise your head!”
Xiao Wuji roared, “Tell me exactly what happened!”
Lu Zhi spoke with incomparable panic. “After this humble subject received Cheng Yu’s message, I also feared that something serious would happen, so I immediately found the Shadow Guards, had them report to Your Majesty, and then rushed to Duke Dingguo’s Estate.”
“By the time this humble subject arrived, Cheng Yu had already alerted the enemy and caused Ning Dingyuan to flee. Lu Ming failed to stop him in time and was ambushed by Blood Owl, leaving him in mortal danger. By then, it was already too late...”
“This humble subject handled the matter poorly, failed Your Majesty’s trust, and deserves ten thousand deaths!”
After saying this, He kowtowed repeatedly. On the surface, he looked as though he were taking responsibility on his own initiative, but his words had already made the matter very clear.
It had all been caused by Cheng Yu acting on his own and alerting the enemy!
After Xiao Wuji heard these explanations, he narrowed his eyes, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked expressionlessly to stand before Lu Zhi.
“Was the situation already too late to salvage? Or were you unwilling?”
Lu Zhi hurriedly nodded, then shook his head. Even if there had been time, he still had to say there had not. This was all the result of Cheng Yu’s actions!
“Replying to Your Majesty, at the time, Lu Ming had suffered a serious injury, while Blood Owl and Ning Dingyuan had already escaped. This humble subject truly could not make it in time...”
He began explaining his own difficulties.
His biological son had been gravely wounded, and he had also been facing two Ninth-Rank martial artists. There had truly been nothing he could do.
But as he continued speaking.
Lu Zhi realized that Xiao Wuji’s expression was becoming more and more wrong.
“Are you finished?”
His Majesty the Great Qian Emperor spoke coldly, anger and displeasure nearly overflowing from his dignified gaze.
After all that, the root of it was simply that he was not loyal enough!
Since the Jinyiwei had been founded, what had allowed them to seize the momentum during Great Qian’s most prosperous age and awe the world was not anything else. It was loyalty.
As the Emperor’s Personal Troops, they were utterly loyal and fearless in the face of death. They represented the eyes, senses, and blade of Great Qian’s imperial authority!
What the Lu Family had relied upon to reach its current position was loyalty.
No matter how Lu Zhi explained, he could not refute the fact that he was not loyal enough to Xiao Wuji. His son had been wounded, and he had been facing powerful enemies?
That was no reason to watch the enemy leave with his own eyes!
Xiao Wuji did not need eyes, ears, and blades that hesitated and weighed every consequence!
Lu Zhi’s heart immediately cried out that this was bad, and he slammed his head heavily against the ground.
“This humble subject was derelict and handled matters poorly. There is no excuse.”
“It is enough that you understand certain things. Many times, the fact that I do not punish you does not mean there is no problem with you. These past few years, the Jinyiwei has disappointed me far too much!”
Xiao Wuji’s face was cold. The Jinyiwei was the force closest to him.
Now that something like this had happened.
If the ministers began making a commotion, it would not only be humiliating, but it would also put him, the Emperor, in a difficult position.
If not for the fact that he truly had no one available except the Lu Family, he definitely would not have spared Lu Zhi lightly.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s mercy!”
Lu Zhi kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude.
The matter had gone exactly as he had expected. The punishment against the Lu Family had been muddled through just like this!
Xiao Wuji raised a hand to stop him, then continued coldly, “As for that Cheng Yu, what do you think should be done?”
When Lu Zhi heard this, he hurriedly raised his head and revealed a conflicted expression.
“Commandant Cheng is a rare genius and has rendered many great merits. This matter only resulted in a grave mistake because he was anxious for a moment. It is only that his methods were somewhat extreme and reckless. This humble subject believes he should not be punished too heavily!”
Xiao Wuji raised his brows, and his expression became even more displeased.
“Mind your own affairs first before trying to excuse others!”
“Is his problem merely that his methods were reckless and extreme? He discovered intelligence and did not report it, then secretly made a move and alerted the enemy! Who does he think he is? Does he truly think he can easily deal with Ninth-Rank martial artists?”
“Someone like this must be heavily punished. Otherwise, he will never know the immensity of heaven and earth!”