NOVPUB
Chapter 71: The Undercurrent in the Night
Yu Ruomei trembled upon hearing Aldrian’s offer. Rebuild her family? Was the young master joking? But he seemed serious. How could he rebuild a family that was now just her and her son? Did he plan to go against the entire City Lord’s Manor? Besides their immense power, they had significant influence over the surrounding forces.
Yu Ruomei couldn’t understand how Aldrian intended to accomplish this, but she hoped he wouldn’t push himself to the point of no return, opposing numerous demonic cultivators. If something big happened here, the Piercing Heaven Sect would surely hear of it, especially with devils involved in the mess.
"What? How?" she asked, bewildered.
"First, we must clear your family’s name. I will find a way to unveil the truth and make the City Lord’s Manor pay for their actions. Once the main obstacle is removed, the following steps will be much easier," Aldrian explained.
"But how will we do that? We don’t even know how they contacted the devils. Catching them off guard and finding evidence will be difficult," Yu Ruomei said.
"For others, that might be difficult, but for me, I can bring that proof by tomorrow at the latest—if they act according to my prediction. You don’t need to worry," Aldrian assured her.
Looking at Aldrian’s confidence, Yu Ruomei was somehow convinced to trust him. Could he really pull it off? The image of her dead family resurfaced, and the vision of confronting the City Lord to finally serve justice was the future she desired most.
"When this is all over, can you take care of the children in this manor? I will send all the children I’ve freed from city guards here. This will be the second step in rebuilding your family, after your name is cleared," Aldrian said.
"Of course, young master. Even though I don’t have resources at the moment, now that I return to my prime even stronger than before—I will find a way to provide for them. I still have some connections among the nobles and other powers, after all," Yu Ruomei replied.
"Good. I will help you as well, so you don’t need to worry about resources," Aldrian said with a satisfied nod.
"I’ll be staying here with this ’Heavenly Rock.’ You can return outside; there’s no need for you to accompany me constantly. After checking the entire manor again with my special sense, I have to say—the City Lord’s Manor is truly arrogant. They’ve left this place completely defenseless, with no measures in place," Aldrian remarked.
After establishing his domain, he scanned the manor once more to ensure he hadn’t overlooked anything.
Did the City Lord’s Manor truly believe no one would dare snatch what they coveted? Even the devils? Well, the devils and the City Lord were at each other’s throats but maintained a fragile balance to pursue their own goals. For now, he doubted the devils would turn on them.
Yu Ruomei bowed before leaving him alone. Aldrian sat cross legged, immersing himself in a session of deep comprehension. Now that something new and relevant to him had surfaced, he intended to take full advantage of it.
Reflecting on the day’s events, he realized today was special, it was the first time he fought opponents much stronger than himself in cultivation, outside of his domain. When facing the City Lord’s men, he also tested his battle prowess, assessing his ability to combat enemies who were more than four minor realms above him.
That kind of combat power was absurd. He had even reached mind-boggling levels, contending with enemies up to seven minor realms higher than his own—and he hadn’t even been pushed to a desperate situation. What was his true limit? He didn’t know. Only real combat experience could determine the boundaries of his cross-level battle capability.
For now, he cultivated without worry, momentarily forgetting the problems outside.
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The sun was already sinking toward the western horizon, making way for the night to take its place. In the world of demonic cultivators, things weren’t so different from the orthodox cultivators—the activity continued to bustle even as the sun disappeared from sight. In some parts of the city, nightfall was actually the prime time for their endeavors—such as the brothel.
Cultivators frequented these establishments most in the evening, seeking entertainment after a long day and indulging in worldly pleasures to release the beasts within them.
In one of the largest brothels in Dual Horns Peak City, a place often visited by the Skull of Dual Horns group, there was a room where a beautiful woman sat, her legs crossed on chair.
Her black hair resembled the night sky, her sharp eyes accompanied by a pointed nose and red lips. The wickedness in her sharp features left an impression on anyone who looked at her. Her loose red robes were designed to entice, revealing her cleavage to fuel the imaginations of many men.
At this moment, she was writing something. Once finished, she folded the paper and placed it in a small container. Attaching the container to the leg of a black pigeon, she sealed it with a formation before releasing the bird. She watched the pigeon fly away for a brief moment, then turned her gaze behind her, where a figure clad entirely in black stood.
From the figure’s curves, it was clear that the figure too, was a woman.
"How?" asked the woman who had just released the bird.
"They’ve split into two groups. The ones in the Yu Manor haven’t made any moves yet," the woman in black reported.
"Keep watching," the woman in red replied.
"Yes, ma’am."
The black-clad woman vanished without a sound, leaving the woman in red to gaze at the darkening sky.
"Who are these people, capable of all this, yet the City Lord’s Manor hasn’t reacted? What are the City Lord’s Manor waiting for? And what are these strange newcomers planning?" she pondered silently.
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In the City Lord’s Manor, the city lord listened intently as one of his men delivered a report. He frowned at its contents before dismissing the messenger. Pondering for a moment, he turned to the man standing by his left side.
"What do you think? Killing my men without trouble, healing that woman, and not even bothering to erase his traces. It seems reckless, but I’m not sure. Their actions don’t show any significant movement yet. And from what we can tell, after entering the Yu Manor, that man hasn’t made any moves."
The man beside him tapped his fan lightly on his palm and smiled.
"As long as they stay inside the Yu Manor, we can control them easily. Thanks to that man, we finally have a way to the ’Heavenly Rock.’ After ransacking the entire manor and coming up empty-handed, that woman will lead us to the treasure."
"Exactly. Those damned devil bastards—they nearly wiped out the entire Yu family. If we hadn’t stopped them in time, the treasure could’ve been lost for good, and we’d never have known it," the city lord said.
"For the past year, the devils have grown anxious, pressuring us to be more proactive in aiding them. They’re speeding up whatever plan they have because of some unexpected factor in the Ivory Empire. And now because of that, the Piercing Heaven Sect’s dogs have started sniffing around the demon territories. If not for them catching wind of something strange here, I could have dealt a big blow to those rats causing havoc in my territory," he added, frustration evident in his voice.
The man with the fan silently observed the city lord before smiling and replying,
"We need to keep unexpected factors, like those people, in check. We don’t want to end up like those devils. If we want to draw them out or eliminate them to prevent future trouble, why not force them to show their weakness?"
"What do you mean?" the city lord asked.
"Simple. Use the children to make them come to us voluntarily. These orthodox cultivators love to preach about justice and righteousness—let’s force them to choose between their so-called justice and their own lives," the man with the fan replied, a sly smile on his face.
"You want me to take those kids and use them as bargaining chips? Easier said than done. I don’t want to make any bold moves right now. We can’t afford to attract the attention of the surrounding territories. If anything happens, even the Piercing Heaven Sect might get involved."
"We don’t have to act directly. Let the devils handle it. All we need to do is sit back and wait for the results. Let me manage this. We’ll keep our hands clean while they do the dirty work."
The city lord pondered the plan for a moment before sighing. "Fine. I’ll grant you authority over this operation. Make sure they know—no one can mess with us in this city without facing the consequences."
"I’ll bring you good news soon," the man said, bowing his head before leaving the room, a creepy smile spreading across his face.
"Finally it’s time."
