From the fake emperor to the concubine

"Ling Xiaoyun, you—" Zheng Tianhao wanted to say something, but Ling Xiaoyun no longer had the strength to listen.

"Zheng Tianhao, remember this: I lost this time, but the Ten Thousand Blades Sect will not let this go," Ling Xiaoyun said with her last breath. "One day, someone will avenge me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Xiaoyun's breath came out completely, and a powerful figure fell from grace.

Zheng Tianhao stared at Ling Xiaoyun's corpse, his heart filled with complex emotions. His former comrade-in-arms had become his mortal enemy, a sorrow he couldn't express.

"Ling Xiaoyun, if you hadn't chosen to be our enemy, perhaps the outcome would have been completely different," Zheng Tianhao said softly, as a final farewell to his old friend.

Just then, the entire Spirit Gourd space began to shake violently, and the cracks in the void grew larger and larger.

"Oh no! The space is about to collapse!" someone exclaimed.

"Quickly, everyone get out of here immediately!" Zheng Tianhao shouted.

Everyone rushed toward the exit of the space, but Zhang Yunfan moved slowly due to his weak body.

"Master!" Upon seeing this, Wei Siling immediately picked up Zhang Yunfan and ran towards the exit.

Just as everyone was about to rush out of the space, the entire Spirit Gourd Space finally couldn't withstand it and began to collapse completely.

Countless fragments of space flew everywhere, creating a scene as terrifying as the end of the world.

Fortunately, everyone managed to escape in time, and no one was trapped in the collapsed space.

When they returned to the Zheng family mansion, they found that the battle outside had ended.

"Clan leader!" Zheng Hui and the others breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Zheng Tianhao return safely.

"How is the situation?" Zheng Tianhao asked.

"The enemy has all retreated or been annihilated. Our Zheng family has won!" Zheng Hui said excitedly.

The night was deep, but the Zheng family mansion was brightly lit.

Despite the victory, there was no celebratory atmosphere in the Zheng family.

The night was deep, but the Zheng family mansion was brightly lit.

Despite the victory, there was no atmosphere of celebration within the Zheng family. Everyone understood that this victory was only temporary, and the real test was yet to come.

Inside the Zheng family's council hall, a dozen elders and core members sat around a long table on either side, the atmosphere so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Zheng Tianhao sat in the main seat, his face tired but still dignified. The fierce battle just now had taken a heavy toll on him. Although it wasn't outwardly apparent, those who knew him well could tell. He was forcing himself to preside over the meeting.

"Gentlemen, although we won today's battle, our losses were considerable," Zheng Tianhao said slowly, his voice somewhat hoarse. "According to the statistics, we lost a total of thirteen clansmen, twenty-seven were seriously wounded, and countless others were lightly wounded."

Upon hearing this number, everyone present fell silent. Although the casualties were negligible compared to the enemy's losses, for the Zheng family, which was already small in number, the death of each member was a tremendous loss.

"Chieftain, what about the clansmen who died?" Zheng Hui asked cautiously.

"It's all arranged. The compensation will be doubled according to family rules," Zheng Tianhao sighed. "They died for the Zheng family; we must not let heroes be disheartened."

"The clan leader is wise." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"However, we need to discuss a more important issue now." Zheng Tianhao looked around at everyone. "Although we repelled the enemy who attacked today, the real mastermind behind it all, the Demon Heart Sect, is completely unharmed. That old fox Qi Yang is hiding behind the scenes, letting others be cannon fodder while he remains unscathed."

The moment Qi Yang was mentioned, everyone present turned pale.

"Damn Qi Yang!" Zheng Chengbai slammed his fist on the table indignantly. "If it weren't for that old bastard sowing discord, none of this would have happened! Clan leader, we absolutely cannot let him get away with this!"

“Cheng Bai is right!” an elder echoed. “The Demon Heart Sect is the instigator. If we don’t completely eliminate them, there will definitely be more trouble in the future.”

"That's right! While our morale is high, why don't we just charge in and wipe out the Demon Heart Sect once and for all!"

"That old scoundrel Qi Yang is ruthless and will never let this go. Rather than waiting for them to come back, we should take the initiative!"

The atmosphere in the council chamber was electric, with most people inclined to launch an immediate counterattack against the Demon Heart Gate.

However, some people hold different opinions.

Zheng Tiansu cleared his throat and said slowly, "Everyone, I think this matter needs further consideration."

"Elder Tian Su, what do you mean by this?" Zheng Chengbai asked, puzzled.

"Think about it," Zheng Tiansu analyzed. "Although we won today's battle, we also exposed quite a few of our trump cards. The techniques passed down from our ancestors, our true strength—this information has definitely already spread."

"So what?" someone retorted. "The stronger we are, the less those petty scoundrels will dare to mess with us, right?"

“That’s not how it works,” Zheng Tiansu shook his head. “It’s precisely because we’ve shown too much strength that we’ve aroused more people’s suspicion. In the cultivation world, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. If our Zheng family acts too ostentatiously, we might attract a united attack from even more enemies.”

These words made many people fall into deep thought.

Seeing this, Zheng Tiansu continued, "Moreover, although our strength has greatly increased, our foundation is not stable. While the techniques passed down from our ancestors are powerful, we haven't practiced them long enough to fully grasp their intricacies. A rash attack might not be a wise move."

"So what do you mean?" Zheng Tianhao asked.

"I suggest we first recuperate and consolidate our strength, while simultaneously sending people to gather intelligence on the Demon Heart Sect's movements. Knowing your enemy is half the battle. Once we have a clear understanding of the Demon Heart Sect's strength, we can then consider whether to launch an attack."

Zheng Tiansu's words made a lot of sense, which calmed down the initially agitated crowd.

But Zheng Chengbai was still somewhat unwilling: "But wouldn't this mean that old scoundrel Qi Yang would escape?"

"Chengbai, you're too hasty," Zheng Tiansu said with a wry smile. "Qi Yang is no ordinary person; he's managed to rise to this level in the cultivation world. If we act rashly, we might fall into his trap."

"This won't work, that won't work, are we just going to give up like this?" Zheng Chengbai was so anxious that he was jumping up and down.

Just then, Zheng Tianming, who had been silent all along, spoke up: "I think Elder Tiansu has a point. But we can't just wait passively."

"Second Uncle, what do you mean?" Zheng Tianhao asked.

“We can proceed in two steps,” Zheng Tianming said in a deep voice. “First, immediately send people to all the major powers to spread the word about what happened today. Let everyone in the cultivation world know that it was the Demon Heart Sect that initiated this conflict.”

"What's the point of doing this?" some people wondered.

"To create momentum." A glint flashed in Zheng Tianming's eyes. "Although the cultivation world reveres strength above all else, it also values ​​legitimacy. If we have a legitimate reason for our actions, even if we attack the Demon Heart Sect in the future, no one will accuse us of bullying the weak."

"Furthermore," Zheng Tianming continued, "we can also take this opportunity to contact some forces that have had grudges against the Demon Heart Sect. The enemy of my enemy is my friend; it's always good to have more allies."

This suggestion received considerable support. "And what's the second step?" Zheng Tianhao asked.

"The second step is to prepare for war," Zheng Tianming's tone became serious. "We must be ready to strike at any moment. Once the opportunity arises, we will launch a swift and decisive attack, giving the Demon Heart Sect no chance to react."

“Second Uncle is right,” Zheng Tianhao nodded. “This approach is neither too radical nor too conservative.”

But at this moment, Zheng Tiansu raised a new concern: "What if the Demon Heart Sect strikes first? That old fox Qi Yang might not give us enough time to prepare."

“I’ve considered that too,” Zheng Tianming said thoughtfully. “Therefore, our preparation time cannot be too long, at most a month.”

"A month?" an elder exclaimed. "What can be done in such a short time?"

"That's enough," Zheng Tianming said confidently. "What we need now isn't training from scratch, but rather teamwork and familiarization with the new techniques. A month is enough time to elevate our combat effectiveness to the next level."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tianhao fell into deep thought.

As the patriarch of the Zheng family, he must be responsible for the future of the entire clan. While radical revenge might provide temporary satisfaction, it would be a greater loss if it brought even greater disaster to the Zheng family.

However, if they are too conservative and allow the Demon Heart Sect to escape punishment, it will not only discourage their own people, but also make other hostile forces think that the Zheng family is easy to bully, thus bringing more trouble.

"Clan leader, what do you think?" Zheng Hui asked cautiously.

Zheng Tianhao remained silent for a long time before finally saying slowly, "Second Uncle Tianming's suggestion is excellent, but I have one more concern."

"What are you worried about?"

“Ancestor,” Zheng Tianhao’s voice was somewhat complicated, “during today’s battle, you used my technique to suppress the demon god. I could sense that it wasn’t an easy task for you either.”

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Zheng Yi's existence is the Zheng family's greatest asset. If anything were to happen to their ancestor, the Zheng family's situation would become extremely dangerous.

"Clan leader, how is our ancestor doing now?" Zheng Tiansu asked worriedly.

"I'm not quite sure either," Zheng Tianhao shook his head. "Since just now, I haven't been able to sense the ancestor's aura. I don't know if he's recuperating, or..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood his concerns.

"How about we go and take a look at the place where our ancestor secluded himself?" someone suggested.

“No,” Zheng Tianhao shook his head firmly. “Our ancestor once said that we must not disturb him under any circumstances. We can only wait.”

The atmosphere became solemn again.

If Zheng Yi really has a problem, then all their previous plans will have to be reconsidered.

Just then, Zhang Yunfan's weak voice rang out: "Elders, please forgive my impertinence, but I feel that arguing about these things now is pointless."

Everyone turned to look at him and found that although the young man was pale, his eyes remained firm.

"Yunfan, what are your thoughts?" Zheng Tianhao asked.

"It's simple. We'll meet force with force and water with water," Zhang Yunfan said slowly. "No matter what schemes the Demon Heart Sect has, we just need to do our own thing."

"That's easy to say, but how exactly will it be done?" some people questioned.

"First, immediately strengthen defenses to prevent a sneak attack from the Demon Heart Sect," Zhang Yunfan said, emphasizing each word. "Second, send people to gather intelligence and track the enemy's movements. Third, contact allies to isolate the Demon Heart Sect. Fourth, prepare the army for battle and be ready to fight at any time."

"We've considered these things, but the key is the situation of our ancestors."

“We can’t control our ancestors’ situation, but we can control ourselves,” Zhang Yunfan interrupted the man. “If our ancestors are alright, then we’ll be prepared to retaliate at any time. If something really happens to our ancestors, then we must unite as one and rely on our own strength to protect the Zheng family.”

These words shocked everyone.

An outsider, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, actually uttered such insightful words.

"Yunfan is right," Zheng Tianhao nodded approvingly. "No matter what the situation, we must not lose our composure."

"What does the clan chief mean?"

“Let’s do as Yunfan and Uncle Tianming suggest.” Zheng Tianhao stood up. “Immediately send people to spread the news to all the major powers, while strengthening defenses and preparing for war. If the Demon Heart Sect hasn’t made a move in a month, we will launch a preemptive strike!”

"The clan leader is wise!" the crowd echoed in unison.

But just then, Zheng Chengbai raised a new question: "Clan leader, what about those rogue cultivators? They helped us a lot today."

This is indeed a problem. Zhang Yunfan, Wei Siling, Zhuo Liqun, and other independent cultivators all made contributions in today's battle, especially Zhang Yunfan, who even killed a powerful enemy like Horse-Face.

“That’s simple,” Zheng Tianhao said after thinking for a moment. “Those who wish to stay with the Zheng family will be treated as guest elders. Those who do not wish to stay will be generously rewarded, and we will never force them to remain.”

"A guest elder?" An elder frowned. "Could this be..."

"There's no such thing as 'whether or not'," Zheng Tianhao waved his hand. "Without them today, our losses would have been even greater. Besides, it's always better to have more friends than more enemies."

“The clan chief is right,” Zheng Tiansu agreed. “Especially that Zhang Yunfan, with such strength at such a young age, he’s bound to achieve great things. If we treat him well now, we might reap unexpected rewards in the future.”

"Alright, it's settled then," Zheng Tianhao decided. "Hui'er will handle the matter of the rogue cultivators; the rest of you proceed according to plan."

"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.

After the meeting ended, everyone left one after another. But Zheng Tianhao stayed behind, sitting alone in the council chamber, deep in thought.

"Clan leader, is there anything else you're worried about?" Zheng Tianming asked as he walked over.

"Second Uncle, do you think there might really be something wrong with our ancestor?" Zheng Tianhao asked anxiously.

"This..." Zheng Tianming didn't know how to answer.

Zheng Yi's existence is too important to them; if anything goes wrong, the fate of the entire Zheng family will be changed.

"Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it," Zheng Tianhao shook his head. "We can only do what we can."

“Clan leader, I actually have another suggestion,” Zheng Tianming said after a moment’s hesitation.

"What suggestion?" (End of Chapter)