Caw~
In the glow of the twilight sun, cawing entered the ears of the people there, as a murder of crows circled the bloodbath.
Huangpu Qingtian stared in Zhuo Fan's last direction, panting and frustrated.
He had prepared the ambush, put so much effort into it, only to be routed and failing to take Zhuo Fan's life. Such disgrace lowered his royal prestige in the public's eye.
What right did he have now to go vie for his father's position after such a gruesome slaughter?
Ah!
Huangpu Qingtian vented his frustration by wailing. The regret and anger only festered in his core. The crows landing nearby flew away startled.
You Yushan's trio was grounded and unable to move. Watching Huangpu Qingtian's irritation, they knew when to keep to themselves, afraid they'd direct his anger on themselves.
"Eldest young master?"
A weak voice ventured. Looking over they saw Yan Fu bringing a dozen survivors of vassal clans, fear clearly painted on his face.
Snapping his eyes on him, Huangpu Qingtian spat, "Humph, such fortune upon you. So many have died, along with hundreds of Profound Heaven experts, but you, Bone Tempering fools and Yan Fu, the ants, still breathe."
Yan Fu and the others shuddered but he was the first to fall to his knees followed by the rest. Their heads lowered, silent as the grave.
"Eldest young master, forgive us. That m-monster put fear into us and we escaped before the array was activated. S-so…"
"So you lived?" Huangpu Qingtian sneered.
Yan Fu trembled, nodding stiffly.
Huangpu Qingtian only had contempt for them, but Yan Bangui's round of abuse cut him off before he could continue, "Yan Fu, you are the stain of Pill King Hall. That monster killed your master and when you had the chance to ambush him what did you do? You chose the path of a sniveling coward!"
"Eldest young master, I failed to teach my junior brother proper manners. If you want to punish him, you may go ahead and even kill this disgrace to avoid shaming us further." Yan Bangui barked.
Yan Fu gulped, shivering from fear yet hatred growing inside him.
It wasn't as much chastising but more for the sake of the audience of Hall Lord Yan Bogong.
With everyone running away in fear just now, if Huangpu Qingtian were to think of killing them, who was there to stop him? Even if they were killed out in the open, would Pill King Hall seek Regent Estate for justice?
Absolutely not. That in turn would make the world look down on Pill King Hall.
And this was where Yan Bangui's words came into play. By mocking Yan Fu, he saved the face of Pill King Hall, letting Huangpu Qingtian vent while also giving Regent Estate a resounding round of ass kissing, showing his endless devotion towards Regent Estate.
In the case Huangpu Qingtian killed Yan Fu then and there, he'd be safe, since Pill King Hall now authorized Huangpu Qingtian to deal with the main offender.
Regardless of the outcome, Pill King Hall's honor was safeguarded and the two houses would never be closer.
All at the low price of throwing Yan Fu to the wolf.
And that wasn't even the best part. Yan Bogong would definitely reward him for having saved Pill King Hall's honor.
Yan Fu's rage only grew inside him, but he still laid there waiting.
Huangpu Qingtian glanced at Yan Bangui, aware of his ploy, then smiled, "It's fine. We have lost too many in this battle and we need all the help we can get. We can't just have Yan Fu, a rare alchemist, killed. It will be of great help to us now that he's alive."
"Eldest young master's mercy knows no bounds. Let me express a thousand thanks in my junior brother's stead." Yan Bangui put on the good guy act then berated, "Yan Fu, what are you gawking at? Thank the eldest young master for his mercy. It is all thanks to the eldest young master's infinite generosity that I don't have you punished as well!"
Yan Fu groaned, wishing nothing more than to give the man a few slaps.
[You threw me away, my own clansman, not even pleading for me and now you're acting the savior? Even going as far as asking me for thanks?]
[As if Huangpu Qingtian respects you so much that he spared my life.]
[Humph, just you wait. I'll be sure to return the favor, don't you worry.]
And yet Yan Fu's face was filled with respect and gratitude, "Thank you eldest young master for your mercy. Thank you senior brother for your care!"
Nodding, the two accepted in glee, putting on the face of chastising naughty children.
"What are the rest of you standing around for? Look after their injuries!" Huangpu Qingtian pointed at You Yushan's trio.
Yan Fu nodded, taking first a pill for Huangpu Qingtian, then he and the rest went to nurse the other three.
Huangpu Qingtian nodded at Yan Fu's meek figure.
[The kid has good eyes to know who gets the first pill.]
But then Huangpu Qingtian sighed over the biggest worry, letting Zhuo Fan escape. It would be hard looking for him in the wide expanse of Beast King Mountain.
Huangpu Qingtian scowled and took out a jade slip.
It was the last jade slip Leng Wuchang gave him, warning him repeatedly to never open it unless he ran out of options.
The state he was in wasn't just out of options, even with a thousand ways he still wouldn't have anything remotely good he could use. With Zhuo Fan's cunning, the same trick wouldn't work twice.
Not to mention he had no clue where to even begin the search.
Sighing, Huangpu Qingtian paused in hesitation then ultimately read the jade slip.
[Just what could Sir Leng have prepared in this late hour. What ingenious trick could we use?]
Finished reading the jade slip, his eyes shined and he laughed, "I see it now. Sir Leng is a true mastermind to take even that into account. Ha-ha-ha, Zhuo Fan, no matter how sly you are you shall never escape my grasp!"
"Eh? A Brimming Sacred Pill?"
The faint sound behind him caught his undivided attention.
Huangpu Qingtian whipped his head to see Yan Fu trembling and facing away from everyone. The excitement got to him as he shouted, "Yan Fu, what are you doing?"
"Uh, n-nothing." Yan Fu stiffly turned around to show a painful smile while hiding his hand behind him.
Squinting, Huangpu Qingtian said coldly, "What are you holding? Show it to me!"
Sweating buckets, Yan Fu hesitated for a long time before putting on a smile and presenting a storage ring with both hands, "Congratulations, eldest young master. I found the Brimming Sacred Pills, all four of them!"
"Where?" Huangpu Qingtian's eyes shined as he snatched the rings. Emptying them, he was looking at four vials in his palm, the Brimming Sacred Pills.
Yan Fu pointed at an arm soaked in blood, "I took it from that arm. I thought…"
"Isn't that Zhuo Fan's arm?" Huangpu Qingtian stared Yan Fu down, "You found it quite fast and even knew it was his. Were you perhaps watching our fight, waiting for the right moment to steal our things?"
"Eldest young master, I would never even dream of it!" Yan Fu fell to his knees in fear.
"Wouldn't dream of it?" Huangpu Qingtian had a sinister smile as he eyed the four vials, "Then how do you explain the missing seals from all four of the vials? Did you plan on switching the pills, is that it?"
Huangpu Qingtian used Discerning Field on the spot, only relaxing when he found the genuine goods in the vials.
Yan Fu was scared to death and pleaded, "Eldest young master, please, I only wanted to confirm they were real. As an alchemist I just couldn't help but want to see an 8th grade pill."
The hard stare was making him sweat buckets. Huangpu Qingtian spoke, "Listen here, leave the other's possessions alone for now. The only items you are ever allowed to use are those I give you. You aren't even allowed to look, understand?"
"Y-yes, I shall take it to heart, eldest young master!" Yan Fu bobbed his head.
Grinning, Huangpu Qingtian gave a pleased nod. Then he turned to the somewhat recovered trio and showed them the pills, "See that? I told you. All the pills I lost will one day return to me!"
"Brimming Sacred Pill!"
The three perked up.
Huangpu Tianyuan was moved. He was worried that the rotten bastard would only go after one, but instead he had obtained all four. With such a fortune, he, the Estate Lord, would surely get one as well.
The smile had yet to reach his eyes as he watched Huangpu Qingtian share the three pills with his allies.
The three looked at him puzzled.
Huangpu Qingtian snickered, "Take it and let's go hunt down Zhuo Fan together!"
[What?!]
The three were stunned.
The Brimming Sacred Pill was as rare as it got. Yet Huangpu Qingtian was just going to hand it over? Huangpu Tianyuan went slack jawed.
[Since when is that brat so generous? You should keep them to yourself when it counts the most. If you ever feel like being generous, do that in your own house, not with some brats!]
Snorting, Huangpu Qingtian could tell what they were thinking and said, "Remember this well. The future of the world is ultimately ours!"