For ten straight days, the guard barracks of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion had been filled with an air of strict discipline. Yun Ce appeared at the training grounds punctually every day at the hour of the Dragon, personally overseeing the guards' training. He was neither harsh nor indulgent. Guards who trained diligently and made rapid progress received immediate rewards of spirit stones and pills; those who slacked off or did things halfheartedly were never let off lightly. Minor offenders were sent to work at the beast-taming grounds, while serious offenders were expelled from the guards altogether.
That afternoon, after training ended, Yun Ce stood in the middle of the training grounds and surveyed the guards lined up before him. His voice rang out clearly. "I've been watching everyone's progress over these past ten days. Ten of you have improved the most. Zhao Hu, read out their names."
Zhao Hu stepped forward, unfolded the roster in his hands, and loudly read out ten names. The ten guards hurried forward and bowed at the head of the formation, their faces full of nervous anticipation.
Yun Ce raised a hand, and ten bags of spirit stones and ten bottles of pills slowly appeared, hovering before the guards. His tone was gentle but solemn. "These are your rewards. Each bag contains fifty pieces of mid-grade ore, and each bottle has three Qi Gathering Pills. They'll be enough for you to craft powerful magic treasures and strive for a higher realm. From now on, as long as you train diligently and follow orders, I won't shortchange anyone. Those who earn merit will be rewarded, and those who make mistakes will be punished. I'll show no favoritism!"
The ten guards' eyes brimmed with joy. They hurriedly bowed and said excitedly, "Thank you, Chief Guardian! We swear to serve you with our lives and train hard!"
The other guards watched with envy, silently resolving to train diligently so they, too, could earn the Chief Guardian's favor and rewards. The awe they had felt toward their newly appointed Chief Guardian gradually gave way to genuine support. Most of them were low-ranking demon cultivators who had received only meager resources at the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion. Now Yun Ce was not only giving them better cultivation techniques but also letting them earn generous rewards through their own efforts. They would remember his kindness.
Qin Yu stood beside Yun Ce and said softly, "Master, your combination of favor and force is certainly working. The guards genuinely support you now."
Yun Ce smiled faintly and looked over the ranks of guards, his tone gentle. "These guards come from humble backgrounds. All they ask for are cultivation resources and room to grow. If we give them opportunities and let them see hope, they'll naturally pledge themselves to us. Zhao Hu, Li Bao, you've both done well during this time. These rewards are for you."
As he spoke, Yun Ce took out two mid-grade spiritual artifacts and handed them to Zhao Hu and Li Bao. Their eyes lit up with delight, and they hurriedly bowed. "Thank you for your generous reward, Chief Guardian! We'll do everything we can to help you manage the guards!" After spending these ten days with Yun Ce, they had completely submitted to his strength and bearing. They no longer considered themselves retainers of Cha Po and Cha Ge, but sincerely served Yun Ce.
Yun Ce nodded and continued, "Next, I'll select twenty guards with outstanding aptitude to form a personal guard unit. I'll guide their cultivation myself. Zhao Hu, Li Bao, you'll handle the selection. Give me the list tomorrow."
"Yes! Understood!" the two replied in unison, their respect for him growing ever deeper. To any low-level demon cultivator, receiving personal guidance from a Void-Piercing Realm powerhouse was an extraordinary opportunity. They knew Yun Ce was deliberately cultivating his own trusted forces.
While Yun Ce was reorganizing the guards and winning their loyalty, a stifling atmosphere hung over Sang Mo's cave dwelling. Sang Mo sat in a stone chair, his face dark and sinister. He gripped his wine cup so tightly that it creaked, his eyes brimming with resentment and bitterness. Yun Ce had easily suppressed him that day, leaving him humiliated. Now, after only ten days, Yun Ce had won the hearts of the guards and seemed poised to surpass him. Sang Mo's hatred had only grown more intense.
"Yun Ce! You're just an outsider. What gives you the right to arrive and immediately claim such a high position, stealing all the attention from me?" Sang Mo growled under his breath, his voice dripping with spite. "I've spent years building my standing at the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion, and now I have to serve under an outsider. I won't accept it!"
He knew full well that he alone was no match for Yun Ce. If he wanted to suppress Yun Ce or even drive him out of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion, he would have to join forces with the other guardians and form a faction capable of opposing him.
"Someone!" Sang Mo called in a low voice.
A guard at the Golden Core Late Stage hurried into the cave dwelling and bowed. "At your service!"
"Go invite Bai Yin, Ran Lan, Mu Xu, and Zhuang Zhong. Tell them I have important business to discuss and ask them to come discreetly. Make sure no one else finds out." Sang Mo's voice was cold, and a calculating gleam flashed in his eyes. He knew that Bai Yin and the others managed the storehouse and the beast-taming grounds, giving them control over some of the cave mansion's resources. Yet Cha Hong had always overlooked them, leaving them dissatisfied. Their cultivation was only at the Golden Core Late Stage, and they were undoubtedly wary that Yun Ce's arrival might threaten their positions. They would surely be willing to join forces with him.
"Yes! I'll go at once!" The guard bowed and quietly left the cave dwelling to deliver the message to the four guardians.
Before long, Bai Yin, Ran Lan, Mu Xu, and Zhuang Zhong slipped into Sang Mo's cave dwelling. All four wore ordinary black robes and looked cautious. As soon as they entered, they shut the doors and warily checked their surroundings. Only after confirming no outsiders were nearby did they relax.
"Guardian Sang Mo, you summoned us here today. What is it you wish to discuss?" Bai Yin asked first, his tone cautious. Sang Mo was cruel by nature and rarely interacted with them. His sudden summons surely meant he had a particular purpose.
Sang Mo gestured for the four to sit, poured each of them a cup of wine, and forced a smile. Yet his words carried a hint of provocation. "My brothers, I'm sure you've all felt it. Ever since Yun Ce arrived, our standing at the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion has become more and more precarious."
The four exchanged glances, recognition flashing in their eyes. Ran Lan sighed. "Guardian Sang Mo is right. As soon as Yun Ce arrived, he was appointed Chief Guardian, placing him above us. He also took over the thousand guards who had served as Cha Po and Cha Ge's personal troops. Now he's reorganizing his subordinates and winning people over. If this continues, our positions will soon be in jeopardy."
"It's not just our positions that are in jeopardy. I think Yun Ce is ambitious enough to want control of the entire cave mansion!" Sang Mo's voice grew more forceful, his eyes full of venom. "No one knows where Yun Ce came from, and he spends money lavishly. He's no ordinary demon cultivator. He wouldn't have lowered himself to join the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion without some ulterior motive. Once he takes control of the cave mansion, he'll surely push us old guardians aside—or even kill us to silence us!"
Mu Xu's heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Guardian Sang Mo, what should we do? Yun Ce is a Void-Piercing Realm powerhouse. We're no match for him!"
"On our own, we're certainly no match for him. But if the four of us join forces and bring in the many guards under our command, we may well be able to stand against him!" A calculating glint flashed in Sang Mo's eyes as he continued, "Besides, although Cha Po and Cha Ge have lost their personal guards, they must resent Yun Ce as well. If we win them over and form a sufficiently powerful faction, we can pressure Lord Cave Master Cha Hong to suppress Yun Ce and drive him out of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion!"
Bai Yin pondered for a moment before speaking. "Guardian Sang Mo, this is a serious matter. If we fail, we could all end up dead. Besides, Cha Po and Cha Ge are Cha Hong's younger brothers. Would they really join forces with us?"
"Though they're Cha Hong's younger brothers, they're narrow-minded. They've lost their guards and are already unhappy. If we offer them enough benefits and drive a wedge between them and Yun Ce, they'll surely agree!" Sang Mo said confidently. "My brothers, we're all in the same boat. If we don't join forces, Yun Ce will suppress us one by one sooner or later. Better to act before he's firmly established himself. We can join forces to get rid of him and protect our positions at the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion!"
The four wavered as they listened. They knew Sang Mo was right. If Yun Ce continued to grow in power unchecked, their situation would only become more difficult. Zhuang Zhong gritted his teeth. "All right, Guardian Sang Mo. We're with you! As long as we can protect our positions, we'll follow your lead!"
"Excellent! Excellent!" Sang Mo was overjoyed, an elated gleam flashing in his eyes. "With you four at my side, we're sure to succeed! We'll each handle our own part. I'll go win over Deputy Cave Masters Cha Po and Cha Ge. The four of you will discreetly contact your trusted subordinates and keep watch on Yun Ce's movements. The moment an opportunity arises, we'll act!"
"Understood!" the four answered in unison, each with a ruthless glint in his eyes.
After reaching an agreement, the four quietly left Sang Mo's cave dwelling and returned to their own quarters to secretly contact their trusted followers and plot how to bring Yun Ce down. Sang Mo stood by the window of his cave dwelling, gazing toward Yun Ce's. His eyes brimmed with venom and malice. "Yun Ce, just you wait. I'll make you pay. I'll drive you out of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion!"
At that moment, Yun Ce sat cross-legged on the stone bed inside his cave dwelling, his divine sense silently spreading to cover the entire Crimson Blood Cave Mansion. Every word of Sang Mo's conspiracy with the four guardians reached his ears. A cold smile appeared in Yun Ce's eyes, and the corners of his lips curled slightly. As expected, Sang Mo couldn't sit still and had secretly allied himself with the other guardians to suppress him. That saved Yun Ce the trouble of making the first move. He could use this chance to wipe them all out and eliminate the threat they posed within the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion.
Qin Yu entered the cave dwelling and, seeing Yun Ce's expression, asked softly, "Master, what's wrong? Has something happened?"
Yun Ce slowly opened his eyes. His tone was gentle, but tinged with coldness. "It's nothing. Sang Mo couldn't sit still, so he secretly allied himself with the four guardians led by Bai Yin to come after us."
Vigilance flashed in Qin Yu's eyes. "Master, should we prepare in advance? If Sang Mo and the others join forces, they won't be easy to deal with."
Yun Ce smiled faintly and shook his head. "There's no need to rush. They're nothing but clowns. For now, we only need to keep reorganizing the guards and cultivating our trusted followers. Once they make the first move, we can wipe them all out, eliminate the threat, and take the opportunity to bring the guards under their command under our control."
Black Feather, the Dragon Rock Lion, and Red Phoenix also gathered around and sent their voices through their spiritual senses. "Master, if they dare come, we'll deal with them!"
Yun Ce nodded in satisfaction, his tone gentle. "Good. Everyone, handle your own duties and continue with the plan. For now, we'll watch Sang Mo's scheme unfold and wait for the best moment to act."
Night deepened. The Crimson Blood Cave Mansion seemed peaceful, but under the surface, currents were already churning.
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