Chapter 1123: Imperial Capital Gathering

Proofreader: Papatonks

“Dad, I’m back…”

Qiao’er knocked before entering with a bright smile. Then she burst out in joy, “Brother, how come you’re here?”

Zhuo Fan was still in his chair, swaying, with Gu Santong sitting next to him, “Qiao’er, is it wrong for a son to visit his father?” 

“Please, you think I don’t know you? You just came to cut work. The only thing that changed about you is your height.” Zhuo Fan patted his head as he joked.

Gu Santong puffed his cheeks in annoyance, with Qiao’er giggling at the side.

Zhuo Fan turned serious, “What happened? Who came?”

“No one special, just one of our own from the western lands called Bald Demon. He saw the brats and greed and lust got the best of him. I already shooed him, don’t worry.”

“Bald Demon?”

Zhuo Fan’s brow shook, “That geezer has a bad name, doing every vile thing imaginable. Was someone after him that he came here?”

Qiao’er shook her head, “Can’t be. The western lands envoy has tight control over them, avoiding conflict with the western lands’ factions. Bald Demon’s heinous crimes are his alone. Coupled with his high cultivation, all factions in the western lands focus on self-preservation. They wouldn’t go after him lest provoked. Or maybe someone’s out there doing a world a favor by hunting this evil down? The thing is, there has hardly been any signs in western lands to point towards a manhunt.”

“Strange, why else would he be caught dead in this barren place? Since hiding is out, then it can only mean hunting!” Zhuo Fan asked, “Qiao’er, did he follow the brats?”

“Shouldn’t be. He’s too impulsive in lust to hold it in for so long.” 

“Is it for me then?” Zhuo Fan mulled, “Ha-ha-ha, well isn’t this interesting. My own men tracked their Palace Lord.”

Gu Santong widened and shouted, “They have the nerve to look for Palace Lord? Are they ignoring their lives to breach the palace laws?”

“Not by those honest disciples. They’d never try it. There must be someone else behind him.” Zhuo Fan smirked, “Qiao’er, young Sanzi, he shouldn’t be too far. Let’s go for a stroll. I’m curious to know why wants to see me so much, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan stood and left the house with his children.

Gu Santong exclaimed then, “Wait, father! Uncle Dong wanted me to ask you when we’ll begin the last step of the plan.”

“Very… soon.”

Touching his covered eyes, Zhuo Fan grinned…

In the royal family’s main hall of the imperial capital, Emperor Baili Jingshi was at the head of a dozens of meters-wide oval table. On his side was Prime Minister Baili Jingwei, followed by the nine Sword Kings. Only the farthest seat was empty.

All eyes were on it, impatient. Shangguan Feiyun was the first to complain, “Does he still think of himself as heir? What never…”

Thump~

Faint footsteps echoed, followed by a familiar figure.

Clap~

“Lone Arm Sword King, you finally grace us with your presence. We could never start without you, ha-ha-ha…” 

Shangguan Feiyun ridiculed. the other Sword Kings held smiles of disdain. Only Baili Jingshi sighed. 

The man sat in the empty spot. Baili Jingtian had now lost his Crown Prince title, becoming the 10th Sword King.

The official title was Sword King Jingtian, while among the other Sword Kings he got dubbed Lone Arm Sword King, all because he lost the other at Zhuo Fan’s fire. 

Baili Jingtian looked with sadness at the empty sleeve. The Crown Prince was meant to inherit the throne, but there was no way a gimp would take that power.

With little choice, he was reduced to a prince.

Baili Jingshi was bleeding while Baili Jingwei shook his head.

[What a waste of a good seed…]

“With Sword King Jingtian present, let the Ten Sword King gathering commence!”

Baili Yulei cleared his voice and began, holding no ridicule for the late comer, even using his official title, “Prime Minister Baili, what is the purpose of this meeting?”

Baili Jingwei looked at them and spoke, “Your Majesty, Sword Kings, due to my gross negligence, I have let evil run amok in our nation for a hundred years. But in these many years, our nation is once again restored to its glory. The army filled its ranks, the people are wealthy, but the greatest disaster is now upon us. One that may very well be the end of our great nation.” 

The men waited nervously for him to finish.

“Do you all remember the rise of that one great talent from the world war? He made me taste defeat for the first time and sullying the name of Baili.”

“Zhuo Fan!” Baili Jingtian spat through gnashed teeth. The rest were looking complicated, unsettled as well at the mere mention of the name.

Baili Jingwei nodded, “It’s this genius versed in politics and war that sent our magnificent nation on the brink of collapse a hundred years ago, foiling the land unification plan. He has my complete respect, to be honest, as the only man I could never read. Fortune was with us that day, swallowed whole by the sea demon. I may regret losing such a rival, but I rejoice at world free of such a dreadful man.” 

He got nods from everyone.

“However, while the devil has been purged, his poison remained, spreading into our nation.”

Baili Jingwei’s eyes shone, shouting, “Do you all remember where he came from?”

“Devil Mountain!” Baili Yuyun spoke up.

Baili Jingwei nodded, “We heard of this mystery sect from his own mouth, unable still to confirm or deny it. Its influence, however, is unquestionable. In the past century, there has been many forces using similar names, Devil Sect, Devil Island, Devil Group, Devil City, and so on. They all wanted to use a dead man’s name to garner power. We have crushed every last one of them, proving that those carring the devil’s name are nothing but liars!

“Unacceptable! What’s more concerning is the small faction, under a hundred member, having begun using this name, Devil Gang, Devil Stronghold, and even Devil Village. This poor imitations are preposterous. Of course, we cull them swiftly, but the momentum is to be feared. All want to make use of this terrifying legend and gather power to restore it. This affected our nation, worsening the century long unrest far greater than I anticipated. There’s no shortage of people believing we lost to Devil Mountain’s disciple and thus took its name. It has stained the illustrious reputation of our empire!”

“So? How much noise can a bunch of weaklings make? They’ll get wiped out with a snap of our fingers.” 

Shangguan Feiyun disdained, “At worse, they’ll only make us work harder. No bug could change the way the world works.”

The other Sword Kings agreed. 

[They’re not genuine, only using the name. What’s there to be scared of when the real Devil Mountain is not involved?]

Baili Jingwei was, however, very serious when it came to these pests, “I wouldn’t have called all Sword Kings here if it were about some rabble. The crucial fact is that one of them gained incredible power. It has tight ranks and spread out, a force that the five lands have never seen. People, have any of you heard of Devil Palace?” 

All froze, turning grave. Shangguan Feiyun even frowned, “Devil Palace?”

“A secret force growing since a hundred years ago that has only just began to be noticed by the main factions of the lands. It’s terrifying how secretive it is.”  

Baili Jingwei had never been more serious in his life…