Chapter 457: Traitors
"Continental representative selection? At this time of the year?"
At the renovated Myriad Cauldron's Palace at Yeet City, Yuan Shaoqing read the invitation letter, which had been delivered by hand.
The messenger, aka sheep-headed angel, was expressionless. Azazel stared at Yuan Shaoqing, waiting for his reply in silence.
Yuan Shaoqing continued to read the letter from the start to the end without missing a word. As he was experienced in this type of selection tournament, he wouldn't miss a hidden clause, condition, or obscure information that might come back to haunt him.
The War Game at Siren City was a huge blunder on his part. He wouldn't repeat that mess ever again.
Upon reading the letter twice, Yuan Shaoqing finally found the vague information in the letter, which might be a trap or hide a loophole.
One of the causes stated;
All invitees are obliged to participate in the selection tournament. However, the invitees may refuse to participate in the selection tournament by paying a penalty fine, issued by the Continental Host.
What penalty fine? The letter didn't state it clearly. but Yuan Shaoqing already figured that it could be anything, including his life!
After all, this sheep angel was a subordinate of THAT deity, who came to help Miaomiao during the war game.
Yuan Shaoqing wouldn't miss this hint!
"So, do I have to send at least one representative to fight in this selection tournament?"
Azazel shook her head.
"No. More than that."
"Then, how many representatives do you require?"
"The number of representatives depends on the territory size that you're currently governing. The final cut for Aves Continent to join the Holy Land Tournament is 10, but we need at least 100 top experts to join in this event to make a fair selection. You currently own 15% of the continent. Therefore, you are obliged to send at least 15 representatives!"
"…"
"Oh, all representatives must be top experts. We will not forgive you if you send a trashy 5th-stage cultivator or weaker to fight in this tournament."
Hearing that Azazel wouldn't allow a 5th-stage to join this event, Yuan Shaoqing raised his eyebrows. He thought of Mao Miaomiao, whose strength was merely the foundation establishment realm.
"If no 5th-stage cultivator could join, would Mao Miaomiao be able to join this selection?" Yuan Shaoqing voiced his thought.
Azazel maintained her pokerface, "Mao Miaomiao is Lord Joshua's business partner. He is automatically selected as one of the representatives for this selection tournament to honor the deity."
"But if he can join, why can't other 5th-stage cultivators join!?"
"Can normal 5th-stage cultivators defeat multiple nascent soul cultivators at the same time like what Mao Miaomiao did?"
"… No. Definitely impossible."
"Then, you should understand our reason. He is not a weak cultivator. Normal logic can't be applied to his abnormal strength. From the world guardian's perspective and the Swan Goddess' verdict, he should be treated equally as any nascent soul cultivator."
Yuan Shaoqing gritted his teeth. He knew that this tournament was a death trap, laid by this angel's master. He didn't want to join this risky event where Miaomiao had the upper hand.
Thus, he tried to make an excuse, "My territory has just been ravaged by war. We are short on talented cultivators. I'm afraid that there won't be enough 6th-stage cultivators or stronger fighters to meet your requirement."
"Then, we shall inform the Swan Goddess and the Host of Aves Continent. They shall inform you about the penalty fine a week later."
Yuan Shaoqing sighed. He believed that saving his life was a priority here, so paying the fine might be a better choice.
"What is the penalty fine? Could you tell me?"
"The Host of Aves Continent and the Swan Goddess will deem that you're too incompetent to continue being the local lord. Most precisely, they will execute you and imprison your soul. Then, they will let the other capable lords, sect masters, clan leaders, or promising cultivators to take over your territory."
"WHAT!?"
This was absurd!
This was a death threat!
Unacceptable!
Yuan Shaoqing was enraged. He wanted to kill Azazel right now, but he was too weak to do so.
The other party might even be another deity! Yuan Shaoqing was too weak to be her opponent!
'Dammit! Where is Yuan Hua!? What about her ally, Kishin Douji!? Why hasn't she contacted me yet!? I need her help, right now!'
Yuan Shaoqing prayed to his sister, but he received no feedback.
He was helpless!
"…I'll do my best to find 15 representatives to join this event."
Without a choice, Yuan Shaoqing planned to find scapegoats to join this event in his stead. He thought about capturing some of the strong Cyclop tribesmen as slaves and force them to join this event.
As if Azazel could read Yuan Shaoqing's thoughts, she elaborated.
"I forgot to tell you. If the territory size changes, there will be adjustments according to the percentage of your territory and representative ratio. The cyclop clan that you have fighting is controlling 5% of the Aves Continent, so they will have to send five representatives. If you were to capture their territory before the event, the required number of your representatives may increase."
"!!!"
Yuan Shaoqing smashed his armrests with his fist. He wanted to yell at Azazel, but he swallowed his anger down his throat.
"I understand."
"Good. Then, I hope you can contribute to the "Harvest" like you always did. Good luck, and thank you for your hard work."
"…"
…
After Azazel had left, Yuan Shaoqing flew into a rage. He destroyed a portion of the Palace Hall with his fist.
This event was rigged. It was arranged to destroy him!
Now, Yuan Shaoqing regretted waging war against Siren City early on - He had lost so many allies and top experts during the fight. His credibility and reputation also took a hit.
Moreover, after the war game was over, his army and followers were ambushed by the Oni Army and Orc Army of Liu Yan. Aside from his best generals, everybody was either captured or killed.
Even Han Wenji, aka Ju Shoufen's rival alchemist, was captured by the orcs. Her fate was unknown.
That was not all. Yuan Shaoqing's home base, Yeet City, was pillaged by the Gongsun Clan. All capable men were either broken or killed while women were treated as work slaves
After Yuan Shaoqing, Wen Chou, and Yan Liang managed to reclaim their territory and destroy the Gongsun Clan, their bases, cities, or affiliate sects no longer had any capable cultivators remaining.
All 6th-stage cultivators or stronger experts had already perished!
The survivors were all weaklings!
"FUUUUUUUCK!!"
Yuan Shaoqing was so angry that he vomited several mouthfuls of blood and collapsed on the floor. He looked around to ask someone for help, but nobody was in the palace.
Not even Yan Liang or Wen Chou was around. Yuan Shaoqing was left alone!
"Damn those deities! Curse you, Mao Miaomiao! UGH!!"
Yuan Shaoqing vomited blood again and fainted.
…
A day later, Yuan Shaoqing woke up and found himself inside his room. His concubine was tending his condition and wiped the sweat on his forehead.
Yuan Shaoqing tried to sit up, but he couldn't muster his strength. Oddly, his cultivation base and Qi was depleted.
He frowned as he tried to remember. Then, he recalled that he had vomited a few drops of blood essence because of his rage.
He accidentally crippled himself!
Tears rolled down his cheek as Yuan Shaoqing blamed his misfortune. He continued to curse the Heaven.
"Dear, why are you crying?" Yuan Shaoqing's concubine was worried.
"… I'm just frustrated. I'm angry at my fate and my misfortune!"
"…"
"I guess this is it for me. In a week, that emissary will return for my life."
"Dear…"
"Go and bring Yuan Tan, Yuan Xi, and Yuan Shang here. I want to see them one last time."
"Okay…"
Yuan Shaoqing's concubine held his hands for an hour before she went out to fetch his sons to see their father on the death bed.
However, a few hours later, the next visitors were not Yuan Shaoqing's sons.
They were the people from the Poison Pavilion, the Jian Clan.
Jian Meng and Jian Yong showed up here. Also, the people that Yuan Shaoqing had believed to be dead came as well.
Qiong Sui, Li Jue, and many 6th-stage cultivators, who were once elders of Myriad Cauldron Sect were present. Counting their heads, 10 experts came here!
Yuan Shaoqing widened his eyes when he saw their faces.
"You all… where have you come from? I thought all of you were dead."
Qiong Sui sneered at Yuan Shaoqing, "Yeah, had we fought against Gongsun Zan during the raid, we would have died. We feigned our death and hid in a cave around here."
"You bastards! Why didn't you protect the city!?"
"Because we don't need to. Now that we fulfilled the contract for serving you, we want our money. Where's our pay?"
"You… you ingrates! How dare you extort my money when I'm sick!? You didn't do your work!!"
"Will you give us your treasures, or will you pay with your life? Pick one!"
Yuan Shaoqing's condition was worsened again due to the rising anger. His subordinates had betrayed him when he was down!
The clan lord tried to sit up. He mustered all his feeble strength and managed to sit, but his back and his upper torso muscle trembled.
Yuan Shaoqing glared at the people. He tossed the only spatial ring in his hand to Qiong Sui's face.
"Take it! Take everything! Oh, by the way, you still have another assignment from me!"
Qiong Sui and others laughed, "Why should we listen to you when we're no longer your subordinates? Are you stupid?"
"Nah, you're the stupid one," Yuan Shaoqing sneered at them. He remembered everyone's name in his mind and waved his hand, "When the time comes, you'll understand it. Have fun spending my money, you ingrates!"
"HAHAHAHA! Right, you're just a senile old man without your former authority and money! Without your wealth, you're nothing, Yuan Shaoqing! Hahahahaha!!"
The villains laughed and left Yuan Shaoqing's room. They didn't forget to take various pots, paintings, and gold from his room. Even the bedsheet wasn't spared.
Yuan Shaoqing, being powerless, watched them with bloodshot eyes. He swallowed several mouthfuls of blood, trying his best not to be enraged and worsen his condition.
After everyone had left, a maidservant entered Yuan Shaoqing's room to inform another piece of bad news.
His sons, Yuan Tan, Yuan Shang, and Yuan Xi refused to meet him. They also transferred the authority of Yuan Shaoqing among themselves and took Wen Chou and Yan Liang away. Even the two experts agreed to join hands with these children instead of working for Yuan Shaoqing.
Even his wives and concubines abandoned him!
Despite hearing the pieces of bad news, Yuan Shaoqing brightly smiled. He felt like he had no regret anymore.
"You all did this among yourselves. Don't blame me for being merciless!"
…
A week later, Azazel returned. She found Yuan Shaoqing in the run-down room.
Yuan Shaoqing no longer had the aura of a nascent soul cultivator. His hair turned white, and he aged at least a decade from the last time that she had seen him.
Despite all that, Azazel didn't care.
"Yuan Shaoqing, I'm here for the representative list. How many people will you contribute to the event?"
"Before that, let me ask you a few questions," the old man snickered.
"Sure. Go ahead."
"If I nominate the names, but they don't show up at the event, will you punish me or them?"
"Since they're working under you, obviously, we'll punish you."
"I see," Yuan Shaoqing was disappointed.
"However, we will not leave the deserters alone. We will brand them as traitors, and we shall announce to the Holy Continent and all immortals that they are untrustworthy. Their luck will be confiscated, and their life will be full of misfortune for the rest of eternity."
"Oh? You can do that?"
"The Swan Goddess is the god of this planet. She can do whatever she wants with the world's population, including dictating their fate or lives."
While lying on the hard bed, Yuan Shaoqing burst into laughter. He thought of the faces of his former subordinates and his sons, who had already abandoned him.
"I have the names with me."
"Go ahead, tell me. I'll note them down."
"I have to warn you though, they might not show up at the event."
"We shall inform them through voice transmission that they have to be there on time. Failure to do so, and they shall face the Divine Punishment."
"Good. Now, listen well. I will only say it once."
"…"
"Yan Liang, 8th-stage cultivator. Wen Chou, 8th-stage cultivator. Qiong Sui, 7th-stage cultivator. Jian Meng…"
The list went on.
Azazel kept counting the names while she continued to take notes. She didn't know how, but Yuan Shaoqing managed to salvage 12 experts, not including himself.
He failed to gather 15 representatives.
Azazel blankly stared at Yuan Shaoqing, "As I had already stated, there will be a penalty fine. I shall take your soul with me."
"Go ahead. I'm ready."
"But before I do… I shall restore your health a bit. The penalty fine will be collected after the event."
"Why don't you kill me now? I'm tired. I want to die."
Azazel finally revealed a sinister smile, "I can see several karmic knots in your soul. There will be an issue for me if I, a person from a Heaven Realm, were to kill you. I shall bring you to your executioner, who holds the other side of your karmic knots. "SHE" will be the one to perform the finishing blow."
"…"
Azazel injected a strand of her Providence Dao Energy into Yuan Shaoqing's dantian. The latter regained his youth, but he could no longer use his nascent soul or his Qi.
The sheep angel wrapped him with a divine rope and dragged him off his bed. Along with her prisoner, Azazel flew back to Siren City, where the selection tournament would be held.
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