Chapter 195 - 147: Unifying the Buffer Zone
Chapter 195: Chapter 147: Unifying the Buffer Zone
Lu Yuan didn’t hesitate, directly ordering the city gates opened to receive the force.
At this point, the Celestial King Stronghold’s army had swelled to seven hundred thousand men, and its number of experts was by no means small.
It had officially become the number one power in the buffer zone.
In the main hall, Lu Yuan looked at the kneeling Fan Chen, took a sip of tea, and said slowly, "Your cultivation level is quite high. Tell me, how can I trust you?"
His voice was low, yet it carried an unmistakable air of authority.
Fan Chen’s expression was grim. He was the fish on the chopping block, and there was nothing he could do.
His failure to dispatch troops had led to the army’s defeat, and now that he had surrendered, he had no escape. Both the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince were surely eager to see him suffer death by a thousand cuts.
Furthermore, he was a wanted man in other dynasties.
And he didn’t believe he could possibly survive being hunted by two Princes.
He could only grit his teeth and say, "Village Chief, there is a type of talisman in this world called the Life-Controlling Talisman. It’s used by members of the Demon Sect to control their subordinates. I was once an Elder of the Yin Demon Sect. After the sect was destroyed, I fled to the Northern Lands on my own."
"I have some of these Life-Controlling Talismans, and I can even craft them myself. I beg you, Village Chief, to give me a chance to serve you."
After speaking, a simple, ancient-looking talisman with blood-red characters on a yellow background appeared in his palm.
Fan Chen dabbed a drop of his blood onto it, his face contorting in pain. He then presented the talisman to Lu Yuan and said respectfully, "If I ever dare to betray you, just tear this talisman to shreds. My death will be certain."
Lu Yuan took it, not doubting Fan Chen’s words in the slightest. The moment the talisman landed in his hand, he could feel it clearly.
A connection had formed between him and Fan Chen. With a single thought, he could subject him to a fate worse than death.
After placing it in his Space Ring, a smile finally graced his lips. "Fan Village Chief, there’s no need for such formalities. From now on, you are a Patron Elder of the Celestial King Stronghold. You’ll be responsible for dealing with any experts we can’t handle, and you will also help Wu Han keep our men in line."
"How does that sound?"
Now that Fan Chen was one of his own, Lu Yuan was no longer so harsh.
After all, the Celestial King Stronghold was in dire need of resident experts.
"Yes, Village Chief," Fan Chen said hurriedly.
Lu Yuan then turned his gaze to Wu Han. "Take some men and secure Ice Mirror Lake and Tianya Village. See what supplies they have and bring everything back. Also, I want a full count of the new troops who’ve joined us, along with their cultivation levels."
"It will make managing them easier."
"As you command!"
After acknowledging the order, Wu Han walked out of the hall.
Lu Yuan then looked at Fan Chen. "You go with him. Help Wu Han get it done."
"Yes, Village Chief." Upon receiving his orders, Fan Chen turned and left.
When only Lu Yuan remained in the great hall, he let out a long sigh of relief.
’I now command a full seven hundred thousand troops.’
’In two years, they will be immensely useful.’
’That will be more than enough to deal Dayong a fatal blow.’
Inside the Seventh Prince’s main hall, the Eldest Prince’s face was so dark it looked like it could drip ink. As he watched the Profound Light Mirror show Fan Chen kneeling and kowtowing to Lu Yuan, a chilling frost crept across his features.
His fists were clenched tight.
’That bastard! Not only did he ruin my plan, he actually went and surrendered to my enemy!’
His face was beet-red; he had already cursed Fan Chen countless times in his mind.
The Third Prince shot the Eldest Prince a glance, his eyes filled with unconcealed contempt. ’So you like to scheme, do you? Look where it got you. You played yourself.’
’Now none of us can even dream of becoming the Crown Prince.’
He stood up and left the Seventh Prince’s Mansion without a moment’s hesitation.
A moment later, the Eldest Prince also stormed out in disgrace.
The Seventh Prince, on the other hand, couldn’t suppress his grin.
As soon as his two older brothers were gone...
"HAHAHAHAHA..."
A torrent of laughter echoed through the empty hall.
"Zhao Yu! Zhao Yu, bring me wine!" As his voice faded, Zhao Yu hurried in from outside the hall.
His face was etched with fatigue; with several Princes in the hall, he hadn’t rested for days.
But his cultivation level was nothing compared to the Seventh Prince’s, and the lack of sleep had left dark circles under his eyes.
He carefully carried a jar of wine and placed it on the Seventh Prince’s table.
The Seventh Prince grabbed the jar and took a huge swig.
Only then did the Seventh Prince manage to suppress his elation. He felt that the luckiest thing he had ever done in his entire life was recruiting the Celestial King Stronghold.
’In such a short time, I’ve turned a losing game into a landslide victory.’
’With such a capable subordinate, what can’t I achieve?’
In his eyes, the Village Chief of the Celestial King Stronghold’s talent for commanding troops was no less than that of the Unparalleled Marquis.
He valued him more than anyone else.
After all, a subordinate skilled in warfare who commanded a seven-hundred-thousand-strong army was his greatest asset. Since he wasn’t the emperor, he didn’t have to worry about a subject’s achievements outshining his own.
Zhao Yu stood respectfully to the side, awaiting his orders.
After a moment, the Seventh Prince said coolly, "Send a man to relay a message to the palace immediately. Tell them the situation in the buffer zone is settled."
"As you command!" Zhao Yu said at once.
Then, the Seventh Prince called out, "Sun Tao! Immediately send all the Bone Forging Pills we have to the Celestial King Stronghold. Tell their Village Chief that he can ask for anything he needs."
"I have only one demand: improve the strength of the Celestial King Stronghold’s army as quickly as possible. I have great need of them in two years."
Sun Tao, who was outside the hall, did not dare hesitate. He answered in affirmation and withdrew.
He hurried to the treasury, organized a team, and began to haul out the pills.
In less than an hour, the long line of men stretched all the way outside the city gates.
Watching this scene from the city wall, Helian Shang couldn’t help but sigh. "Goddammit. It’s bad enough our treatment is worse than the Imperial Guard’s, but now we’re not even on par with the mountain bandits in the buffer zone. Tens of millions of Bone Forging Pills... This is the first time I’ve ever seen such a spectacle.