The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

Ignoring the fleeing woman, Mountain Lord He focused on his own thoughts. 

A shout broke through his concentration, with the street bustling with activity, “Look, the Luo clan made an announcement!”

Everyone rushed in that direction, leaving Mountain Lord He baffled.

[There’s nobody surnamed Luo among the Eight Emperors.]

Mountain Lord He walked over as well and saw a golden paper on the gatehouse. His eyes picked up on Zhuo Fan’s name.

“Where have I heard this name…” Mountain Lord He muttered, “The Enchanting Empress said that the Demonic Emperor had a shrewd man under him related to Chu Qingcheng. But since he’s working for the Demonic Emperor, what’s he doing in the Enchanting Empress’ lands?”

While he was baffled, the people around him started talking and cleared his doubts.

“The Luo clan is honorable and kind. They looked after us in our time of need and now they’re saying they’re using their own wealth to help rebuild our homes. It’s such a blessing to have them governing us instead.”

“Those Eight Emperors fought nonstop and we could only bear the suffering. With the Luo clan in charge of all the lands and Steward Zhuo’s eminent status, the world is at peace, ha-ha-ha…”

“Luo clan ruling the eight lands?”

Mountain Lord He grabbed a man and shouted, “What the hell are you spouting? Aren’t they under the Eight Emperors? How can the Luo clan take over?”

The man winced in pain and looked at him with apprehension, “Have you been living under a rock or something? That’s old news. A year ago, three Emperors died and the rest vanished. There’s no Eight Emperors anymore.”

“What about the new Emperors from the Sacred Mountains? Did they run away?”

“Them?”

At their mention, the man looked sneered despite the pain, “You call those devils Emperors? They threw all the lands in chaos the minute they took charge. There were more deaths than from even an Eight Emperors war. Plus, to make matters worse, those three devils were unreasonable. It’s only thanks to the Luo clan’s kindness and Steward Zhuo’s wise guidance that this mess was dealt with. Or all of the Emperors’ lands would’ve been deserted, with people fleeing into the mountains.

“Just ask around. Everyone hates those pricks. We’d have long since revolted if not for them having the Sacred Mountains behind them.”

Mountain Lord He’s hand shook and he released him, “Where are the fools now?”

“Who knows? Anyway, we all follow the Luo clan’s lead. No one cares about them. Guess they couldn’t live with the shame of staying around and must’ve run back to Sacred Mountains.”

Pa!

A crisp slap rang and the person tumbled to the ground with a bleeding mouth from the shattered teeth.

“Why did you hit me?”

“It’s already enough mercy that I only slapped you after you slandered the Sacred Mountains’ disciples!” Mountain Lord He glared, “Beat it!”

The man flinched and scrambled away. The crowd scattered to stay clear of his ire.

Only Mountain Lord He was left, along with the bright and dazzling announcement.

He tore the announcement to pieces before walking away with pride.

[Humph, I’ll check on the Ruby Cloud Sect first. I’ll handle the Luo clan later.]

An hour later, Mountain Lord He was before Ruby Cloud Sect, finding it rundown and deserted. Mountain Lord He roared, “Enchanting Empress, show yourself!”

The booming voice shook the heavens and the mountain range trembled. Alas, no one came to meet him.

Mountain Lord He was looking dark.

[That broad is hiding. But where did she go?]

Crack!

At the sound, Mountain Lord He shot over there and arrived at a spring where someone was shaking like a leaf.

He yanked the girl’s shoulder.

“D-don’t kill me! Master, don’t kill me…”

The girl’s messy hair was blown away and he recognized her as a Ruby Cloud Sect disciple. He cried, “Where’s the Enchanting Empress? Talk!”

“E-Enchanting Empress?”

The woman’s spirit snapped and she wailed, “No, don’t kill me master, please…”

[What could’ve driven this girl to madness?]

Mountain Lord He looked at her with a cold eye and pierced her skull with his fingers, letting the blood dye her face red.

The girl’s eyes bugged out and she grimaced in pain.

Mountain Lord He showed an evil smile, “Girl, don’t worry, the Soul Separating Art will trigger your memories so you can remember. Now tell me, who are you?”

“Ruby Cloud Sect’s head disciple, Fang Min.”

The woman’s face swelled like a red balloon, stammering from pain. Her answer was flat, like her mind was gone.

Her soul was in this guy’s hand, making it impossible to lie. Even mad as she was, her soul still held memories as she retold everything she knew.

Mountain Lord He said, “Do you know where the Enchanting Empress went?”

“Yes, Hidden Dragon Mountain, Broken Cave!”ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ ɴovᴇlꜰɪre.ɴet

“What’s she doing there?”

“C-cultivating.”

“Cultivating what?” Mountain Lord He roared.

Fang Min’s terror was reawakened and her soul trembled as her face grimaced harder, “I-I don’t know. M-master turned scary. She’s turning people to dust and her temper is getting wilder. She can’t have enough people so she used my sisters to train, even senior Aunt Mei fell. I managed to escape amidst the chaos. She wants to get me back. No, I can’t go back, I can’t… agh!”

Hum~

Fang Min’s eyes were filled with terror and her soul reacted the same way.

With a boom, she detonated her spirit, ravaging the deserted Ruby Cloud Sect, leveling half of it.

When the dust settled, Mountain Lord He brushed away the dirt on his clothes and looked puzzled.

[The Enchanting Empress kidnapped people to cultivate? But what kind of evil skill is she training in to cause her disciple to go mad?]

Mountain Lord He sneered, “Fine, I’ll see for myself what you broads are up to.”

Mountain Lord He vanished.

Two weeks later, before Broken Cave on Hidden Dragon Mountain, there was blood everywhere. He knew he was at the right place and rushed inside.

The scene shocked him to the core.

The cavern was huge yet before him, the mountains of bones almost filled it. There was also a lot of dust and scraps of clothing everywhere. It looked more like a graveyard.

Waving the dust away and the scraps, Mountain Lord He grasped one clothing scrap in particular.

This was very familiar to him, belonging to his son. It was the same one Enchanting Empress showed it to him and now he was seeing it here.

“Rotten biddy, get out now! You killed my son, didn’t you? I’ll rip you to pieces for fooling me!”

Mountain Lord He roared and the mountain shook. Tornadoes wrecked the cavern.

Hi-hi-hi!

A shrill cry reached his ears and a woman in gorgeous clothing appeared among the ashes.

Her hair was messy and she had a dark face with black energy oozing out of her. Her eyes looked distressed, but more mad than anything.

“Brother Dong, you finally came to see me. When will you take me to the Sacred Mountains for us to live together?”