Chapter 145: Chapter 143: Deranged
A monarch’s whim, the Great Sacrifice is nigh, and all people are plunged into darkness.
Favorable to look after oneself. Unfavorable to aid the world.
Upon reading this, Fang Yang’s pupils contracted sharply.
The hand clutching the secret order tightened its grip subconsciously.
These three fortunes revealed a terrifying scenario:
————All the tribes of the Leran Grassland were to be offered up in the Great Sacrifice, utterly annihilated!
The implication was so unconscionable that Fang Yang could hardly believe it.
It was as if Sen Yue, the accomplished Daoist Lord, intended to exterminate the people of these tribes.
Even the White Feathered Eagle Tribe had to be sacrificed!
At that moment, Fang Yang’s brow furrowed.
He just couldn’t understand. Sen Yue himself had played a part in establishing the White Feathered Eagle Tribe.
The "Fortune Materialization" technique, for example, had been a gift from Sen Yue.
And yet, Sen Yue still intended to sacrifice the White Feathered Eagle Tribe.
He was cutting off one of Fang Yang’s own arms, metaphorically speaking!
It was as though anything given could be taken back at any time. He didn’t seem to care about what was invested or gained.
’So is this why I have to return to the Thunder Punishment Banner immediately after escorting the tribes to the Cloud Sea Archipelago?’
Fang Yang asked himself.
The secret order commanded him to return to the Thunder Punishment Banner at top speed after completing this mission.
In other words, he was still of some use in Sen Yue’s eyes.
He raised his head to the sky. It was dark, and bolts of lightning streaked across the ominous clouds, looking utterly malevolent.
He still couldn’t understand why Sen Yue would do such a thing.
The situation was simply too dire!
Even during the War of the Profound Aegis, this would be considered a world-altering event.
An event of this magnitude would surely draw the attention of the Saints. Even Longevity Heaven would have to intervene.
What kind of audacity was this?
Moreover, if his own Silver and Bronze Tribes were sacrificed, wouldn’t that weaken his own faction’s power?
Unless... Sen Yue already possessed the power to sweep aside the entire mortal realm!
In that instant, a chill shot up Fang Yang’s spine and into his mind, causing his body to stiffen.
He suddenly realized that if he looked past the "filter" of Sen Yue’s favorable treatment, he actually didn’t know Sen Yue at all!
But while he didn’t understand Sen Yue, he understood Sen Wei perfectly.
If Sen Wei were in Sen Yue’s position, then everything would make perfect sense.
Fang Yang let out a slow breath and put away the secret order.
He stood outside his tent, silently contemplating his next move.
He himself wouldn’t be caught up in this earth-shattering event, but he had to find a way to preserve the White Feathered Eagle Tribe.
He had to do it for the White Feathered Eagle Tribe, but also for his own cultivation path.
Although the consequences of being overdue were severe, it was better than losing everything.
Soon, a plan began to form in his mind.
However, the strategy involved Wuxi Ferry, where Fang Min was stationed, and even the Hengyu Mountain Range, garrisoned by Fang Hao.
Fierce fighting was currently raging in the Hengyu Mountain Range!
Fang Yang spun around and strode into the command tent.
Inside the command tent were Vice-General Lin Keyi, Centurion Fang Duanhai, and others.
Seeing Fang Yang return, they all scrambled to their feet to greet him.
"Bring me the sand table and the map!"
Fang Yang’s expression was calm. "An order has come from the Banner. We are to move out with fifteen other tribes and head for the Cloud Sea Archipelago..."
His words immediately caused a stir of surprise among the officers.
None of them had expected the situation to deteriorate to this extent.
Fang Yang ignored their discussion and went about his business.
Once the sand table and map were laid out on the table, he began to work through the plan that had already formed in his mind, step by step.
Lin Keyi, Fang Duanhai, and the other commanders assisted him in this process.
「An hour later.」
Fang Yang cleared his throat.
"Alright, the migration route is set."
"We will first move to Wuxi Ferry, then take boats to the Hengyu Mountain Range, and finally cross the mountains to the Cloud Sea Archipelago."
"Vice-General Lin, take your soldiers and relay these orders to the various tribes."
"We depart tomorrow at dawn."
"Any who refuse to comply will be executed!"
As he spoke the last words, Fang Yang’s expression turned cold, his voice brimming with killing intent.
’Better them than me. Under Sen Yue’s immense pressure, I can only sacrifice the other tribes for now to save the White Feathered Eagle Tribe.’
...
「That night.」
Dark clouds gathered and a torrential rain began to fall.
A clamor of frantic activity broke out across the Leran Grassland.
Tribes such as the White Feathered Eagle Bronze Tribe, the Snow Swallow Bronze Tribe, and the Wind Sparrow Bronze Tribe were all preparing for the next day’s migration.
It was all too sudden.
The order had come so abruptly that they had no time to prepare.
What troubled them most was having to dismantle, piece by piece, the Divine Temple that housed the sacred crane statue.
At that moment, Fang Yang was seated inside the command tent of the White Feathered Eagle encampment.
DING, DING-DONG, DING-DONG-DONG...
Gradually, the notes of a guqin drifted through the air.
The melody was as elegant as high mountains and flowing water, as clear as a bubbling spring—utterly melodious and captivating.
It was Fang Yang, playing the guqin for the first time in a long while.
His fingers danced lightly over the Yimu Guqin.
The beautiful notes drifted out, making the White Feathered Eagle smile, the Small Frost Horse drowse off adorably, and the Electric Python coil up lazily.
Before him, Lu Yao danced gracefully in a purple palace gown, as nimble as a young deer.
Yet, at the same time, the enchanting grace of her movements was on full display.
Whenever she lifted her head and straightened her back, she revealed a neck as elegant as a swan’s and the delicate line of her collarbones, creating a captivating sight.
’In great affairs, one must remain calm.’
Fang Yang appeared to be watching Lu Yao with lowered eyes, but in truth, his mind was a million miles away.
As he played the Yimu Guqin, he considered how to perfectly execute the plan from the "neutral" fortune—that is, ensuring only the White Feathered Eagle Tribe failed to arrive on time.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as an idea flashed through his mind like lightning.
He thought he finally understood why Sen Hui was so sensitive and insecure, despite receiving so much attention from Sen Yue and Sen Wei.
’With siblings like that, who wouldn’t feel immense pressure?’
’Ultimately,’ Fang Yang concluded, ’Sen Hui is still the best patron I can rely on right now.’
’The Yimu Guzheng, Sen Hui, discussing the art of Pill Masters... Looks like I need to find an opportunity to brush up on my Pill Master skills and make some progress. It would be terrible if I had nothing to talk about with her. Sigh, I’ve ended up on this path after all. How am I any different from Fang Nian? No, there is a difference. I won’t become a mere "plaything" of the Sen family.’
...
「Meanwhile.」
The unusual movements among the tribes of the Leran Grassland were quickly discovered by Liu Manlou and his fellow invaders.
It was unrealistic to think such a large-scale operation could be hidden from them completely.
"Liu Manlou, you useless coward."
"You must now perform a great service. While it won’t erase your failure, it will at least give us a reason to clean up this mess for you."
"Don’t you dare disappoint us again..."
After fleeing without a fight that day, Liu Manlou had been severely reprimanded by his superiors.
Some had even called for him to receive three hundred lashes from the military whip.
A punishment like that would be a fate worse than death!
Not only was Liu Manlou punished, but his protector, Third Uncle Liu, also came under heavy criticism.
Liu Manlou felt helpless in the face of these punishments.
He knew that on that day, Fang Yang could have easily killed him.
The threat Fang Yang posed felt even greater than that of Shengkai.
Dueling a general like Fang Yang meant certain death!
At that moment, Third Uncle Liu sighed in resignation. "The front at the Ming Sea is one step away from total collapse. That’s why Fang Yang and his people are in such a hurry to evacuate the Leran Grassland."
Hearing this, Liu Manlou’s expression turned savage.
"Don’t worry, Third Uncle. This time, I will take back everything I lost."
"I may be no match for Fang Yang in a one-on-one duel, but that’s not necessarily true when it comes to commanding an army."
"I might not be able to defeat the garrison commanded by Fang Yang, but the White Feathered Eagle Tribe? Impossible. I can’t lose to them."
