275: Be an adult's dog! (ask for monthly ticket)

Chen Yuan laughed aloud.

So this Liu Family Heavenly Gate wanted to use his hand to replace the Family Head.

Following the Ninth Mountain was a temporary measure; seizing power was the real goal. He had a good plan.

He stepped down from his seat, raised a hand, and beckoned towards the desk. A scroll flew out from the mountain of documents piled there. The paper unfurled, and he slowly began to speak.

"Liu Tiansheng, current Liu Family Head, Dao Soldier Realm Heavenly Gate."

"In the thirty-sixth year of Tianwu, the Yuan Family of West City, Jinguan City, refused to hand over their Xuanjin Fire Mine. The Yuan Family Head and the Second Manager were exposed thirty miles outside the city. In August of the same year, the eldest son of the Liu Family's First Branch proposed marriage, taking the youngest daughter of the Yuan Family's First Branch as his wife. This Yun Family's youngest daughter's dowry was precisely that Xuanjin Fire Mine of the Yuan Family. A month later, the Yuan Family's youngest daughter died from an illness and was hastily buried. However, investigations revealed that the girl had been abused and humiliated, unable to bear living, and had hanged herself."

"In the thirty-eighth year of Tianwu, in July, a massacre occurred in West City."

Chen Yuan spoke each word calmly, but his voice was like a series of heavy hammers, pounding Liu Tianming, who was bowing by the armrest below him, making him stoop lower and lower, his expression constantly changing, not daring to even breathe.

"Heh, on these scrolls, the blood and tears of countless people are summarized in simple words. Your elder brother seems to have a lot of blood on his hands."

Chen Yuan sneered. With his other hand, he reached out to the desk, and another scroll flew into his hand. He then tossed it in front of the Liu Family Heavenly Gate.

"This is yours. Why don't you take a look?"

The Liu Family Second Manager frantically caught it with both hands, then immediately recoiled as if he had touched a hot potato. He looked up, his Face filled with terror and dread, his pupils wide with fear.

"Crack!"

He immediately knelt down with a thud.

"My Lord, please calm your anger. I am terrified, I..."

The Liu Family Second Manager wanted to say something but couldn't. He knew that saying more would be useless. This Ninth Zhonglang had already investigated their background thoroughly. The more he said, the more mistakes he would make. Since this Lord hadn't exposed his disgraceful deeds, it meant there was still room for maneuver.

Immediately, he slammed his forehead against the ground, prostrating himself.

"Please, My Lord, give me a chance!"

Seeing his appearance, Chen Yuan slightly raised his eyelids. "Don't you want to be the Liu Family Head?"

As he spoke, Chen Yuan raised one hand and extended it out of the hall. A giant golden hand instantly materialized, piercing through clouds and fog, making the mountain tremble with a rumbling sound. It reached down and stopped at the villa halfway up the mountain.

Following that, a suction force came from the giant hand. The entire villa instantly shook like an earthquake, vibrating ceaselessly. The people imprisoned inside felt the world shaking, causing bursts of alarm.

The Restriction in one of the rooms extinguished with a puff, and then the door opened with a "bang." A figure cried out in surprise and was dragged out of the room, flying towards the giant hand.

The figures in the villa, looking through the windows, saw this scene, their eyebrows twitching in shock.

Then, the golden giant hand, like grinding rocks, clenched and retracted with incredible speed, shooting straight up and shrinking against the wind.

One or two breaths later,

A strong gust of wind surged into the Xuntian Great Hall, followed by a dull thud and a pained groan.

A figure, bound tightly with golden ropes, lay curled up, sprawled on the ground.

This person was dressed in a white robe with green embroidered pythons and wore a jade crown, which had fallen off and rolled to the side. His hair was disheveled, and he had tiger-like brows and wolf-like eyes.

This was the current Liu Family Head of West City, Liu Tiansheng.

He lay on the ground, looking extremely disheveled, his messy hair falling over his eyes. Through the strands of hair, he caught sight of his second brother, who was kneeling and kowtowing. His eyes flickered rapidly.

Since his second brother had come here, it seemed he was pleading with Ninth Zhonglang to release him.

Hmph!

Thinking of himself, a dignified Family Head, being treated like a prisoner, Liu Tiansheng's heart was filled with unquenchable rage.

Even when the Zhenmo General was stationed in Jinguan City in previous years, he had never treated their aristocratic families like this. Thinking of his own anxiety while being imprisoned below, his eyes beneath his hair were like a wolf's, then he hid it well.

Currently, the situation was stronger than him, so he could only show weakness for now. After getting out, the green mountains would remain, and the green waters would flow on. After all, Ninth Zhonglang's current actions would surely displease the major aristocratic families in Jinguan City. The major aristocratic families and Sects had been rooted here for so many years and certainly had some trump cards. In the future, there would be no opportunity to contend with this Ninth Zhonglang.

"Second brother, quickly plead with Lord Ninth Zhonglang. Our Liu Family has always been benevolent and has never disrespected Your Lordship."

Then, he reined in the emotions in his eyes, raised his head, and saw Chen Yuan standing in front. Meeting those pale golden pupils, his body trembled. He struggled to curl up, straightened himself, knelt on the ground, and his eyes showed reverence. "Please, My Lord, show mercy!"

Chen Yuan quietly watched the other party's "performance." The anger in the other party's eyes, no matter how subtle, could not escape his sight.

Then he looked at the Liu Family Second Manager, who was kneeling on the other side, slightly raised his eyelids, and said indifferently, "Don't you want to be the Liu Family Head?"

"Kill him!"

"Everything will be as you wish, and This General will help you!"

Chen Yuan's words were like those of a demon, stirring people's hearts, echoing in the Liu Family Second Manager's ears.

Liu Tianming's body trembled, then he slowly raised his head, turned his Face, and met his elder brother Liu Tiansheng's suddenly wide-open eyes.

Liu Tiansheng, upon hearing Chen Yuan's words, suddenly realized that his second brother had come not to plead for him, but to replace him.

Damn it!

His wolf-like eyes became incredibly enraged, his eyes wide with fury. He desperately struggled against the golden ropes on his body, roaring at Liu Tianming,

"Second brother, how dare you!"

"You truly deserve to die! How dare you? If it weren't for me, Liu Tiansheng, how could you have gotten to where you are today?"

Then, his pupils trembled violently, and a trace of panic flashed across his enraged Face, because he saw his second brother actually stand up.

"What do you want to do?"

He shouted frantically, using all his strength to break free from the golden ropes, his Face flushed, but it was useless.

In his panic, he retreated, his body collapsing to the ground like a wriggling worm, his Face terrified, watching his second brother approach step by step, his voice becoming hysterical.

"Stop!"

"How can you conspire with a tiger and trust him?"

"He will surely devour our Liu Family until not even bones remain."

As he shouted, the current Liu Family Head's pupils finally filled with terror. His gaze turned towards Chen Yuan, and he shouted for mercy.

"My Lord, spare my life!"

"Let me go, let me go!"

"I will surely serve you like an ox and a horse, making the entire Liu Family bow down and become your dog."

"As long as you let..."

Before he could finish speaking, a surging force struck, and a strong wind pressed down on his crown.

He saw his good younger brother, seeing him struggling on the verge of death and offering to be Chen Yuan's dog, suddenly lunged forward from his gradual steps. He raised his hand, his Face becoming extremely ruthless.

He slammed his large hand heavily onto his elder brother's head.

The sound of bones shattering.

Red and white matter splattered everywhere.

Following that large hand, a phantom was pulled out, a tragic scream rang out, and then it was crushed by his palm.

After doing all this, Liu Tianming's hands didn't tremble, and his Face didn't redden. Only his eyes were filled with gloomy ferocity. However, when he turned sideways and his eyes met the golden glowing pupils on the steps ahead, they immediately jumped, and the fierce light in his eyes instantly dissipated like a tide, vanishing without a trace.

His blood-stained hand bowed towards Chen Yuan, his voice subtly trembling.

"Thank you, My Lord, for fulfilling my wish!"

At this moment, Liu Tianming's heart was swelling with ambition, but facing Chen Yuan, he dared not be presumptuous in the slightest.

He had originally wanted to use this Lord's blade, but this Lord had made him personally kill his brother. With that one palm strike, he could no longer turn back.

Fratricide and patricide, in aristocratic families whose Foundation was based on Legacy, were considered grave sins, reviled and unforgivable.

But compared to the ambition for power, what did that matter?

He had seen the prestige of the Yun Family and the generous rewards. Now, the Ninth Mountain was like the sun at its zenith, and it just so happened that the Liu Family was now leaderless. It was time to make a decisive move.

A small mind is not a gentleman; a man without venom is not a true man.

At this moment, Chen Yuan's eyes flashed with golden light and flowing radiance, recording the scene that had just occurred. Then, the golden light in his eyes receded.

He looked at the lifeless body of the Liu Family Head on the ground, then at the Liu Family Second Manager awaiting his fate. His expression was unmoved; he simply nodded.

"Open your Mud Pill, and I will bestow upon you a divine thunder. If you encounter any minor trouble, you can use this thunder."

As he spoke, he raised one hand, and crackling sounds emanated from his fingertips. Five-colored electric arcs, radiating a terrifying aura, danced between his fingers.

With a flick of his fingertip, a bolt of lightning, as thick as a thumb, shot between Liu Tianming's eyebrows.

Liu Tianming's body suddenly trembled, and an intense pain seemed to tear his brain apart.

His teeth almost shattered.

However, this pain only lasted for two or three breaths.

Chen Yuan withdrew his hand and then spoke,

"You may leave!"

"If, at this point, you still can't secure the position of Liu Family Head, then it means This General's judgment is poor. After you take the position, go and persuade other forces. If you perform well, This General will not be stingy with rewards."

Liu Tianming's body trembled when he heard the last part.

"I will not fail Your Lordship's trust."

"I will take my leave now."

As he spoke, he bowed almost ninety degrees, his buttocks nearly sticking out, and retreated five or six steps before turning and quickly leaving.

As he stepped over the high threshold and exited the Xuntian Hall, a hidden excitement flickered in his eyes, and his figure gradually receded into the distance.

At this moment, in the Xuntian Great Hall, Cloud Skyborn, who had been standing by, watched the receding figure of the Liu Family Second Manager. He walked to the front of the hall and bowed to Chen Yuan, his expression somewhat flickering.

"Does This General truly intend to take this person into his service?"

"This person is deeply scheming, ruthless in his actions, and stops at nothing for power. This subordinate worries that he might backfire on Your Lordship."

Cloud Skyborn frowned slightly. He had a very poor impression of this Liu Family Second Manager. As someone from an aristocratic Family, he was somewhat wary and disgusted by the other party's behavior, so he couldn't help but add a few extra words.

Everyone's position dictates their perspective, leading to different conclusions.

Chen Yuan did not immediately answer. He extended his hand and retrieved the scroll that had fallen to the ground. Then, with his other hand, he patted off the dust from it, and then spoke, his tone faint:

"This General naturally knows all this. This person's background is not clean, and the crimes recorded in this scroll are no less than his brother's."

As he spoke, he shook the scroll in his hand and looked up at Cloud Skyborn,

"Tiansheng."

"Here!"

"This world is never black and white. Anyone who climbs to a certain height will have countless bones under their feet. Just like the Four Sects and Eight Families in this city, and those second-rate and third-rate Families, large and small forces, which one truly has a clean record? Even This General, in raiding homes and exterminating Families, has killed countless people. There must be innocent people involved. Don't they feel that This General is an executioner, a Devil Head who kills without batting an eye?"

"Cherish what you cherish, and become the person you want to be. That's enough."

Chen Yuan spoke, taking two steps forward, looking outside the hall, his eyes deep.

"Currently, the front lines are tight, and the Fushi are almost wiped out. We must send these people up and unite all forces that can be united to find a way out for ourselves."

"Right now, if This General speaks, these people might, under pressure, show some Face and feign compliance. But what about on the battlefield? These people might stab This General twice. Therefore, we need sharp blades, we need biting dogs, to get this done as quickly as possible!"

"As for what you just worried about, This General has his own methods."

The other party's life and death were in his hands. His divine thunder was not so easily obtained.

Chen Yuan spoke, hands behind his back, his eyes flashing. His plan was, of course, to first cleanse Jinguan City, then spread his prestige to the various prefectures of Shu, mobilizing them.

The project was immense, the situation complex, and the difficulty imaginable.

Plus, there were those fellows from the Central Plains.

He had to cut through the mess quickly!

But none of that was the main point.

"This subordinate understands!"

At this moment, Cloud Skyborn, having heard This General's words, felt as if he had been enlightened and profoundly awakened. His position had limited his thinking.

His This General's methods did not care about one person or one Family, but were orchestrating the entire situation. Now it seemed that This General's capture and imprisonment of those twenty to thirty Heavenly Gate experts yesterday was not a casual act or a random shot, but rather a carefully planned strategy.

First, imprison these Heavenly Gate experts from various forces, isolating them from the outside world. Then, the forces outside would reveal their true colors, scurrying around and stirring up the situation, allowing him to seize the opportunity.

This General's methods are truly brilliant!

Chen Yuan did not know that his subordinate's thoughts had spread so widely, thinking so much.

He withdrew his gaze from outside and focused on Cloud Skyborn.

"Next, you all will also be busy."

"This subordinate's duty is clear. Does This General have another plan?" Cloud Skyborn immediately brightened up, his heart becoming lively. Having stayed on the battlefield for so long, suddenly relaxing, he felt restless for a day.

"This General was planning to let you all have a few more days off, but looking at you..." Chen Yuan smiled and shook his head.

"You are now a Piaoji General. Although it's a nominal position set by This General, have you understood This General's intention?"

"Expand the army!" Cloud Skyborn answered quickly.

As the former leading Captain of the Ninth Mountain, he naturally knew what the Ninth Mountain's most urgent problem was.

The Ninth Mountain Army only had over a thousand men, and a portion were injured or disabled.

Of course, they needed to expand the army!

"Exactly!"

"The Devil Head's true breakthrough may happen very soon. Our Ninth Mountain must quickly strengthen its forces and recuperate. You go back first and await This General's orders."

"This General, this subordinate has one more thing. The Sihai Sect Master wants to..."

Soon after, in the villa on the mountainside, a Vice Sect Master of the Sihai Sect was released.