"Emperor-grade. Even if you encounter an Emperor Realm expert, you'll be able to escape," Chen Fan said casually.
At the same time, he felt utterly reassured. The Falling Cloud Sect was his leading force for controlling the entire Heavenly Abyss Domain! He couldn't afford to lose it.
To establish a desolate ancient lineage, a single domain was far from enough. He needed at least three, or even more, and still had to expand like mad.
"Emperor-grade!" Yun Lan had already suspected as much, but hearing Chen Fan say it still thrilled her.
Even their Falling Cloud Sect had no emperor artifact. They had only seen other people's and silently drooled over them. And a warship-type emperor artifact consumed far more precious materials than an ordinary one.
"Thank you for your trust, Great Emperor. Yun Lan will not fail you!"
Chen Fan lending it to her was a sign of trust! Otherwise, if she lost the emperor artifact, the loss would be absolutely incalculable.
She was instantly moved beyond words. The Great Emperor's boldness was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Chen Fan waved casually. "Yun Lan, you'll be working under me from now on. There's no need to stand on ceremony. Go..."
Go be the captain. At the same time, two thousand Tribulation Transcendence Realm puppets flew straight onto the Star Warship, then formed a solemn ring of guards, their oppressive presence overwhelming.
Yun Lan smiled, cupped her hands in farewell, and turned around with burning eyes.
She leaped aboard the Star Warship with dashing grace.
"Depart!"
Chen Fan watched silently as well.
Suddenly-
"Master! I'm going to be the captain!" Bai Fengyao announced, then zipped up aboard.
Yun Lan was stunned.
Chen Fan was stunned too. Immediately, like a great emperor snatching up a chick, he hauled his eldest disciple back from far away.
"Little girl, you can't go running wild."
Just look at you, wanting to join in everything. If you had even half of Yu'er's inferiority complex, you'd behave yourself.
"Hehe." Bai Fengyao looked at Chen Fan, awkward but still polite.
"Master, I understand."
Then she flashed an Anya smile.
Aboard the Star Warship, Yun Lan fell silent.
Bai Fengyao had come and written a sentence.
Su Chanyue was forbidden to board.
What a headache. This disciple was far too protective of her master.
And her own disciple had become the target of torment. She spared a second of pity for her disciple.
Yun Lan went to destroy the Zhang Lineage.
Chen Fan also prepared to set off and carry out his own plan.
Among all the lineage forces in the Heavenly Abyss Domain, the Zhang Lineage was the largest, with a Saint Realm expert presiding over it.
The other somewhat stronger lineages had Tribulation Transcendence Realm ancestors, or spent heavily to hire Saint Realm attendants to guard them. Clearly, they posed little threat.
At the first hint of trouble, those outside experts would flee faster than anyone. They certainly wouldn't fight to the death.
In addition, across the Heavenly Abyss Domain's hundred-plus cities, most Saint Realm experts were city lords or wandering rogue cultivator Sages stopping there on their travels.
There was no need to wipe them all out. They wouldn't pay too much attention to disputes between lineages.
Of course, one thing still warranted caution: a large portion of the lords of powerful cities had been dispatched by the imperial clan...
The changes in the Heavenly Abyss Domain couldn't be concealed either. To occupy the entire Heavenly Abyss Domain, he would have to drive out the imperial clan as well. For now, though, they still coexisted while he infiltrated. He only needed to watch how things developed.
Chen Fan's targets were the nine other Saint-grade sects besides the Falling Cloud Sect.
Of course, by the eighty-twenty rule, even those nine sects combined were basically no match for the Falling Cloud Sect.
After all, the Falling Cloud Sect had peak Saint Realm elders presiding over it.
As for the other sects, even having someone at the first level of the Saint Realm qualified them as Saint-grade forces. They sounded similar, but the actual gap was enormous.
Chen Fan gave instructions regarding some lineage affairs, then headed out.
Retiring behind the scenes to enjoy a life of leisure wasn't realistic yet.
Great Void Province.
Weiyang Domain.
The Yang Lineage.
Yang Qi looked at Chen Shujian.
He asked casually, "Chen Shujian, how did persuading my younger sister go?"
Although he thought highly of this man's ability to get things done, this concerned his younger sister, after all. One could never let down one's guard against others.
He wanted to see just what Chen Shujian was thinking.
Chen Shujian's expression showed a little hesitation.
"Eldest young master, I tried persuading her with the best intentions. But the madam simply refuses..." Then he watched Yang Qi's expression.
He should believe him. He had spent ages persuading her yesterday, practically wearing his lips raw.
Yang Qi immediately snorted. "In that case, don't waste any more effort. Just keep her locked up. Could she possibly escape?"
"You're right, eldest young master." Chen Shujian nodded and bowed, then changed tack.
He said gravely, "Eldest young master, I have a plan. Would you be interested?"
"Oh? Let's hear it." Yang Qi watched him silently.
Was Chen Shujian playing tricks on him, or did he really have a solution? After all, he didn't want his younger sister threatening death over getting married. If the whole thing fell apart, that wasn't the kind of mishap he wanted to see either.
Immediately, Chen Shujian's expression grew considerably more sinister.
He spoke in a low voice.
"Eldest young master, the madam has an obsession: that son of hers. If we brought him to our Yang Lineage, perhaps the madam would behave herself..."
A classic treacherous villain's face.
Yang Qi frowned. Threaten her with that nephew of his? That could work.
But.
"He's your Chen Lineage's young master. Could you really bear to do that?" It was suspicious.
He didn't want to waste time on a mere Chen Lineage, and couldn't be bothered to travel thousands of miles to seize a nephew. Besides, it wasn't honorable. But if his younger sister kept threatening death, this might be the best solution.
Chen Shujian smiled. "You jest, eldest young master. I'm no longer a member of the Chen Lineage. Besides, we're all one family to begin with. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."
"Furthermore, the Chen Lineage's little young master might not be living well in White Emperor Province. Bringing him here could even be a good thing."
Yang Qi hesitated slightly.
"Very well."
Once that nephew was brought here, he wouldn't be able to stir up any great storms under Yang Qi's watch. Even if he opposed his mother remarrying, they could simply lock him up. He could also be used to threaten his younger sister into behaving. Two birds with one stone.
"Good. I'll personally go bring him back to the Yang Lineage!" The pretext was simple. They were related by blood, after all. Even if he seized the boy, he would have a justifiable cause, and outsiders wouldn't say anything.
"You mustn't!" Chen Shujian immediately stopped him. "Eldest young master, you absolutely mustn't!"
"Why?" Yang Qi was puzzled.
"Eldest young master, you only need to send word and have him come to the Yang Lineage himself. Why appear in person?" Chen Shujian continued.
"You mustn't let the madam know you intend to use her son to threaten her. Instead, her son should voluntarily come to the Yang Lineage to seek his relatives, walking straight into the tiger's jaws! That will keep the madam from becoming agitated and causing some other mishap."
Yang Qi smiled. "You've thought this through. I'll send someone to notify him and have him come to our Yang Lineage!"
His own nephew? He had never met him, and did rather want to see him.
Chen Shujian smiled. "Eldest young master, there's one more matter. Someone would not want to see you join forces through the madam's marriage to the Huang Lineage head. Why not let me sound him out, so we can take precautions beforehand..."
Yang Qi perked up. "My second brother?" His younger half-brother was indeed a nuisance.
Chen Shujian nodded meaningfully.
"Good. Go take care of it," Yang Qi said casually.
"Yes." Chen Shujian left.
Yang Qi's eyes flickered. "Chen Shujian, oh, Chen Shujian..."
It wasn't that he was overly suspicious, but he had to remain on guard. In that case, he could suspect that Chen Shujian might betray him, choosing to join forces with his second brother and help his younger sister escape...
Yet Chen Shujian had personally told him about this. By saying it aloud, he had cast a veil of mist over the matter, leaving Yang Qi unable to ascertain his loyalty.
Of course, he was very pleased with the first suggestion. As for the rest... Chen Shujian had better know what was good for him.
Soon.
Chen Shujian met the Yang Lineage's second young master, Yang Feng.
"What are you here for?" Yang Feng frowned.
Chen Shujian said, "Second young master, as you know, I came from the Chen Lineage, and I don't want to see the madam suffer. I wish to join forces with you to prevent her from marrying into the Huang Lineage."
"By the same token, that would keep the Huang Lineage from becoming the eldest young master's support... which would be unfavorable to you. What do you think?"
Yang Feng narrowed his eyes. "You want to betray Yang Qi? How can I trust you?"
He certainly didn't want the Huang Lineage supporting his eldest brother. After all, that would be another nuisance, and unfavorable to him.
But Chen Shujian didn't feel particularly trustworthy.
Chen Shujian said evenly, "You don't believe me, second young master? Yang Qi is now planning to use my Chen Lineage's young master to threaten the madam! How could I tolerate that!"
He bristled with righteous indignation.
Yang Feng was bewildered. This...
"Second young master, I came to warn you out of goodwill. Before long, my Chen Lineage's young master will arrive at the Yang Lineage. You don't want to watch Yang Qi achieve his goal so easily either, do you?" Chen Shujian glanced at Yang Feng's expression.
Yang Feng gave a hum. "I'll consider it."
Afterward, Chen Shujian left.
Yang Feng sank into thought. His nephew? Although he didn't know what to make of Chen Shujian, the information he had brought did carry some weight.
If it was true, perhaps he could consider it. As for the rest, he would watch how things developed.
After leaving, Chen Shujian smiled. "Neither of you trusts me? That's exactly right!"
Then he happily headed to the Yang Lineage head's main hall.
The moment he entered.
He nearly burst into streams of old man's tears.
"Lineage head, you told me to keep an eye on the eldest and second young masters. I have news! They both want to go after your own grandson..."
That was right. A true undercover agent never told others where he was working undercover.
Without blushing or his heart skipping a beat, he would protect the madam this time, even if he had to stake the head on his shoulders!