The armies smashed into each other like floods.
The side who pushed the other, who pressed their momentum, would soon gain control over the entire battlefield.
A role most suited to a poisoner, especially when it came to wars.
Zhuo Fan looked down on poisoners, saying that they were useless in a battle of experts, but when it came to culling, no one was better at it.
And in a battle like this, a poisoner was a force to be reckoned with, a veritable grim reaper doing his job as god intended.
Yan Bogong knew of his importance, wishing to use this chance to showcase his power.
But against the traitorous Yan Song, his chance was gone and he had instead suffered from poisoning himself in a cruel twist of irony.
It only worked to shame him further.
The great Hall Lord using poison to kill others was now being served the same coin. And Yan Song's poison wasn't limited to affecting him, but Regent Estate faction's experts en masse. If he pulled back now, there'd be nothing left of his name to speak of.
You Wanshan watched the poisoned mist as he retreated. A dozen Radiant Stage experts, confident in their strength, pushed through it to take Yan Song down.
He had to die for their army to survive.
Luo clan's power couple entered the scene mid way pushing these oldies back with miserable faces.
And that wasn't even half of it. What got them so wretched and wishing they could tear the two piece by piece, was that Luo clan in its entirety had inherited Zhuo Fan's expert turning skills.
With the fall of Hell Valley, Pill King Hall and Merry Woods, Luo clan had bolstered their elder ranks with every fallen house. The Venerables and elders who did not crack under Zhuo Fan's masterful silver tongued promises, ended up as an example for those who did.
But some stragglers were bound to have escaped the destruction of the houses and returned to their house lords.
It was all good and well, so far. With these new elders being quite close to each other, and Yan Song's poison to clear a path, once Luo clan had the upper hand, they'd follow Zhuo Fan's vile plan into striking their hearts, and not chase a vanquished enemy.
When push came to shove, these experts would choose self-destruction and that would've been a far worse scenario.
So before the war started, Zhuo Fan taught them to target their minds, appeal to their compassion and friendship. The best plan so far.
And so, within the cruel battlefield, some very touching and sappy reunions cropped up in remote corners.
"Brother, y-you turned over to Luo clan?" Hell Valley's third Venerable looked at the other in shock, "I thought Zhuo Fan had you killed three…"
The Ex High Venerable of Hell Valley sighed, "It's a long story. All in all, we're with the Luo clan now. Zhuo Fan is a tyrant, but as long as you don't anger him, he has quite the respect for us. And he even welcomed us with cultivation methods the likes of which Tianyu has never seen. We are certain that in fifty years we can enter the Ethereal Stage!"
"What?" The third Venerable stood dumbstruck, "Brother, didn't you say there's no chance for us to reach it with our talent?"
"Ha-ha-ha, that was earlier, with Hell Valley's limited resources. But after getting to know the Luo clan, I realized that those Seven Noble Houses are nothing but ignorant whelps. Luo clan has a far bigger legacy than even the imperial family. There are rare ingredients piled up in mountains in countless rings. Vicious Pill King Yan Song's only job is to take some alchemy disciples and bake in the Pill House. They even use 6th-grade ingredients to raise the success of making just 3rd-grade pills; a hundred thousand of them."
"A true waste, such moneybags!" High Venerable praised.
Third Venerable was stunned. [Why is a third rate clan so awesome? With their stuff, no one in Tianyu can compare. It's like they've harvested the nation for a thousand years!]
High Venerable turned serious, "Old third, we each have our lords. I hate for being the one to hurt you, brother, and can only present you with three choices. Leave and live in seclusion far away from here, stay and I will have no choice but to fight you, or join Luo clan and live together with your brothers."
"That…" Third Venerable was conflicted.
"Since you do not want to join us, I can only hope you'd leave. We four have worked together for so many years. I'd hate to see my brother's bloody face." High Venerable shook his head.
Third Venerable waved all over the place, "Oh, no, no, no, elder brother, you're wrong. I just want to ask, are you for real?"
Third Venerable's eyes shone with greed.
"Of course, have I ever lied to you in all these years?" High Venerable stuck his head out, "Old third, Zhuo Fan is a master tactician and already has a plan in place to handle everything. Did you really think Regent Estate was going to win? Look around you, Luo clan is on a constant rise. Even if Huangpu Tianyuan is strong, he is chasing his grave. There will only ever be Zhuo Fan in this world. He has destroyed all houses in Tianyu, even his allies'…"
High Venerable whispered, "Steward Zhuo has set up the Luo clan as the biggest, making it the supreme power in Tianyu. I am not going to lie to you. Come, join us as a new elder. This will be your only chance!"
"What, a single power? Zhuo Fan has such ambition?"
Third Venerable pondered and nodded, "Elder brother, I wish not to ruin our brotherhood and can only hope to stand by your side as we make history!"
"Good, old third, I expected nothing less!"
High Venerable grabbed his palm, taking a vial from his back with a Bloodworm inside, "Brother, to enter Luo clan, you must take this Bloodworm."
[Uh…]
Third Venerable found it improper, but from High Venerable's stern look, this was no game.
Recalling again the promise of resources from Luo clan, the third Venerable swallowed it.
High Venerable laughed, going together on a nice little trip to Regent Estate to murder the rest of 'em.
The same exchange happened all over the place. Saying it's out of brotherhood when the dangling bait was just too damn good.
These guys were homeless anyway, they didn't even have time to worry about resources. Along came the Luo clan extending its gold plated hand. Who in their right mind would refuse it?
As an extra proof of sincerity, it came from old pals.
The battle was a few hours in when You Wanshan and the other lords found something strange. [What are the Venerables and elders doing, slaughtering their way over? Wasn't it a bit early to come back? And why are there so many of them?]
Taking a good deal of time to process this, they all came to one conclusion, "Fall back!"
[Much of a war this turned out to be. The enemy didn't come to kill us, but to turn us.] How could they win now? All that was left was for them to turn as well.
Leng Wuchang sighed. [Zhuo Fan's psychological warfare is otherworldly.]
[Just what did he use to achieve it? There must be something off about this to get so many in such a short time.]
"Back to Regent Estate! We'll think about it then!" Leng Wuchang shouted to his faction. Luo clan was hot on their tail.
Shadow King's trio watched the odd 'war' with dumb faces.
"W-what the hell? What did Luo clan do to them? Isn't it too fast?" Shadow King was flabbergasted.
Fang Qiubai sighed, "If you're looking for a specialist in turning experts, go to Windgaze City's Luo clan and find Zhuo Fan!"
Shadow King's face twitched. Even with Zhuo Fan away, everything still played by his rules.
Regent Estate's victory was based on Huangpu Tianyuan's Nine Dragons Diamond Body alone while Zhuo Fan had some tactical counters in place besides just himself.
To put it another way, this trick of his had a heavier impact than his strength.
In this aspect, Zhuo Fan had Leng Wuchang beat by miles.
"Again using himself as bait!" Fang Qiubai sighed, "Zhuo Fan used the same tactic in the Esoteric Debate with flying colors. While now, he has caught Leng Wuchang unprepared, his schemes working at full power even while he is away. He won in every aspect!"
"In your opinion, was his defeat fake?" Shadow King looked at the sky, "Then he must have a way to deal with Huangpu Tianyuan. I'm really curious about what can possibly hold Nine Dragons Diamond Body in check. Zhuo Fan's final rivals may very well be us!"
Fang Qiubai and Sima Hui nodded while flying away to watch the events play out…