I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1232 - Chapter 1232 Chapter Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Greedy for

Chapter 1232: Chapter Five Hundred and Twenty-Five: Greedy for Life, Fearing Death Chapter 1232: Chapter Five Hundred and Twenty-Five: Greedy for Life, Fearing Death The most absurd hatred in the world is none other than having someone tell you to your face that they killed your father, and then ask you if you want to live or die.

Xiang Lan felt she should be angry, should loudly denounce the other, but with all her strength, the only sound she could muster was a vague whimper.

After all, standing before her was the Devil Lord Gouchen, whom even Buddha’s Country feared.

That cold, emotionless mask, carved with the emblem of Emperor Gouchen’s star, displayed a pair of silver eyes devoid of any feeling, but filled with resolute killing intent.

The whimpers were indistinct, yet they did not hinder Tang Luo’s judgment, “A father’s murder cannot be shared under heaven, so, you want to die?”

“Wuuu!!!”

When fear reaches its peak, a strange strength emerges within the body, and it made Xiang Lan shake her head and keep retreating until her back was completely against the wall.

“Heh… So you do want to live after all.”

As Tang Luo stroked his chin, he changed his previous judgment, “Wise choice, that will save me a lot of effort.”

Xiang Lan knew her performance was shameful, but she understood she had survived.

What she had read in Gouchen’s eyes just now was true killing intent; any sign from her would have met with merciless execution.

If not for facing life and death, this noble, who had been nurtured from childhood to nominally sit at the pinnacle of Chaochang, would never have realized how much she feared death.

It was only when she saw Gouchen’s stance that the inexplicable burst of strength within her body dissipated, leaving behind no support, causing Xiang Lan to collapse to the ground.

Even though she was a martial practitioner who had shed her mortal shell, her behavior in the face of death was not even as good as some ordinary women’s.

Behind the mask, Tang Luo curled his lips with a hint of regret as he stood up, turned around, and left. His raspy voice of lament echoed in the dark prison cell.

“I will come again tomorrow to discuss how you should save your life.”

It must be said, a woman’s intuition is sometimes quite accurate, Tang Luo indeed harbored some intent to kill when he visited, or else he would not have bluntly told Xiang Lan that he had killed Xiang Ange in her presence.

Originally, he wanted to capture Xiang Lan to use Yun Xiu to impersonate her and infiltrate the Xiang Residence and Yun Clan Council for coordination from within and outside to drive the Xiang Family out.

But now with Yun Clan Council wiped out by the Tang Clan, Xiang Lan’s worth had diminished considerably. Furthermore, he had accepted a mission from his family, and he might have to act under the identity of Tang Luo from now on.

Before changing his identity, however, he needed to find an opportunity to confess his real identity to Yun Xiu and deal with the loose ends involving Yun Piaopiao. He also had to figure out how to allow the Longxi Alliance to take over Chaochang openly and above board.

Most importantly, he had a huge amount of martial arts lessons to complete–each and every task was more important than squandering time with Xiang Lan.

Considering there was no possibility of reconciliation with the Xiang Family, he thought it might be better simply to kill her outright, which was Tang Luo’s thought when visiting the prison. But Xiang Lan’s attitude of clinging to life and fearing death caused Tang Luo to change his mind at the last moment.

A puppet that clings to life and fears death still has significant utility value; after all, a sturdy fortress is easiest to breach from within.

Xiang Lan’s identity has always been Chaochang’s ultimate weapon, with the Xiang Family’s twenty-year cultivation of her in Chaochang representing a tremendous investment.

Living in these chaotic times with unenlightened people shrouded in ignorance, there naturally needed to be someone to enlighten the path ahead.

Subservience is a habit, and even today’s Chaochang still bears the mark of the Yun Clan.

For most of Chaochang’s subjects and free citizens, even though the current rulers are the Xiang Family, the object of their loyalty remains the Yun Clan’s Celestial Maiden.

What is meant by ‘the will of the people is a tool to be used’ is precisely this state of affairs, yet even the best of causes are insufficient without the framework of military power.

Yun Xiu and the Xiang Family make up a single entity ruling Chaochang, with City Lord Yun Xiu representing legitimacy and Xiang Family representing military might.

Now, the cause that rules Chaochang has been reduced to a prisoner of the state, and this prisoner’s crave for life and fear of death, ignorant of her importance, has presented not an insignificant opportunity for exploitation.

…

Zhongzhou, Hanging Sky City

The wails in the dark prison for a hundred days finally fermented into a hatred intent on destruction.

Those words overheard unintentionally, those glimpses caught by chance, those messages delivered on behalf of their master–all were compiled by the Dutian Heavenly King into a volume, turning into a sharp blade against the Yun Clan.

One person confessed that the grain for Longyuan came from a relative of the Yun Clan in Zhongzhou, and the herbs supplied were from a wealthy merchant in Min City.

The Yun Clan’s hidden threads spread across the three continents of Xiehe, their underground networks bearing strange and various names.

Responsible for the intelligence of the Ancient Blood Tower, the Yun Clan’s array of information was surprisingly extensive.

After draining the blood and sweat of tens of thousands, the compiled intelligence filled a great hall, and each piece of seemingly scattered data held unique value.

Beyond gathering intelligence, the Dutian Heavenly King also found a person who could destroy the Yun Clan.

An inconspicuous maid, after enduring unbearable humiliations, provided critically important information.

“The young lady did not return to Longyuan, but stayed in Chaochang,” she confessed.

The bond of kinship that was like that of sisters between the maid and her mistress couldn’t withstand the methods of the king’s envoy. To survive, the maid didn’t hesitate to betray her mistress completely, “She gave me a way to contact her before she left so that I could find her in Chaochang!”

After the Soul Master confirmed that the maid’s words were not false, this piece of news was handed over to the highest leader of the king’s envoys, Commander Cao.

To activate the power of the Boundary Breaking Stone, the bloodline of the Yun Clan was necessary, and the known descendants of the Yun Clan were only Yun Ji and Yun Xiu.

Normally, it was assumed that both individuals would have been adrift in the void with Longyuan, but unexpectedly, one bloodline remained outside, never having returned.

This turn of events brought unexpected joy to Commander Cao, who summoned the Boundary Master to inquire if the clan’s bloodline could be used to devise a plan against Longyuan.

After receiving confirmation that it was possible, finding the Yun Family’s young lady became the most important task at hand for the Dutian Heavenly King’s envoys.

Because finding Yun Xiu meant a minor Spiritual Realm that had been refined and was incredibly formidable, a vast collection of secret arts, and the accumulated wealth of the Yun Clan across generations.

“Send someone to take this maid to Chaochang, have the Xiang Family cooperate, and bring that heavenly girl of the Yun Clan to Hanging Sky City,” he ordered.

…

Longzhou Calendar 1787,

the first day of the third month

To describe the Xiang Family at this moment with internal and external troubles was more than apt; Xiang Qian, who presided over the Xiang Residence, had never imagined that the death of Xiang Ange would trigger such a massive chain reaction.

Within, the Liu and Nong families, both powerhouses, were discontent with the Xiang Family; outside, the Da Lin Commerce Alliance was gathering a massive army and advancing towards them at a rate of hundreds of miles each day.

Even local bandits took the opportunity to loot merchant caravans in Chaochang.

The turmoil of last winter’s end had not yet settled, and a new challenge was already before the Xiang Family. The council in the clouds had collapsed, and the gentry and citizenry of Chaochang were calling for the city lord to take charge of the situation.

The Xiang Family publicly claimed that Yun Xiu was seriously ill while actively lobbying various forces to support the Xiang Family anew.

But the consecutive upheavals had shaken Chaochang’s trust in the Xiang Family, to the extent that even those who were friendly to the Xiang Family were keeping their distance during this time.

“I remember the fate of the twelve renowned merchants well; the Xiang Family is too ruthless. It’s better to consult with the Tang Clan of Nangang about political matters.”