We Share the Golden Cup, but Spare No One the Naked Blade (Six)

With four Purple Mansion cultivators fallen, Tianlan Ruin Realm's spirit rain and clear radiance would likely continue to fall for several years.

A Purple Mansion cultivator could leave a mark upon heaven and earth.

Using Divine Abilities as brush and ink, and heaven and earth as a scroll, they painted upon it, making the rules of heaven and earth bend and change according to their Divine Abilities.

They rode the wind, commanded the rain, moved people's hearts, and stood high above all.

But all things were conserved. What was gained from heaven and earth would surely return to heaven and earth upon death.

When a Purple Mansion cultivator fell, their Divine Abilities unraveled of their own accord and returned to the Principles of heaven and earth.

Thus, a strange and oppressive tide of spiritual atmosphere formed.

Throughout Tianlan Ruin Realm, plants grew wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye. Some spirit medicines that normally needed decades to mature sprouted and budded within a few hours, while some mortals and creatures of exceptional talent awakened a faint spiritual intelligence in their innocence.

At the very center of the battlefield, the Ye Clan's Guardian Residence and the Transport Commissioner's Residence would likely become Tianlan Ruin Realm's foremost sacred land of cultivation in less than a few years.

Through the now-mended boundary wall of the Ruin Realm and the formation's firmament, the glitter of spiritual power and traces left by Divine Abilities could still be seen.

Wind, rain, and spiritual objects formed from the fall of various Dao foundations pattered down. In the void, invisible hands seemed to seize them, while Spirit Gathering Formations were swiftly set up one after another.

Ye Clan cultivators moved back and forth without pause, collecting and sorting the immense gift of essence left by the fallen Purple Mansion cultivators, taking it in and refining it to nourish their Law Power.

Inside the Guardian Residence, the hall's floor was polished as smooth as a mirror.

Ye Zhanyan, the Punishment Hall's seventh elder, wore an exceedingly cold expression on his face, as unruffled as an ancient well.

The hem of Ouyang Yu's robe trembled faintly as he stood below with his hands at his sides, while Ye Wenting wore a smile.

Before long, Ouyang Xiong stepped out of a rift in the Great Void. Several fresh bloodstains marked his robes, mingled with a trace of the spirit rain's faint, pure radiance.

His hair was combed with meticulous care, and storage rings of various designs hung at his waist, giving him the air of a bandit who had just robbed and plundered. He carried a plain-looking square box in both hands, a grim killing aura radiating from him.

He strode inside, first meeting Ye Zhanyan's gaze at the head of the hall, then bowed deeply. "Seventh Elder."

The corners of Ye Zhanyan's mouth curved slightly.

"You lot do have some use after all..."

At that moment, Ouyang Yu also nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Uncle."

Ouyang Yu's voice transmission was pitched extremely low, carrying both relief after the tension and the breathless anticipation of waiting for the dust to settle.

Seeing this, Ouyang Xiong said no more. He walked straight to a spot several paces before Ye Zhanyan's seat, knelt on one knee, and raised the black iron box high in both hands.

"Reporting to the elder, the six rebel households stubbornly refused to see reason and brazenly raised arms in revolt. Fortunately, thanks to the main family's heavenly might, True Person Fengyi's divine sword, and the Punishment Hall elders' thunderous methods, they have all been put to death and their ringleaders captured."

"This is the core of the six households' inheritances and their hidden wealth, which their heads entrusted to me for safekeeping as they made their desperate last stand."

Ouyang Xiong paused, then continued in a steady, unruffled voice. "They vainly hoped to use my hands to preserve their bloodlines and keep the flame of rebellion alive.

"I am keenly aware of the main family's immense kindness and dared not betray it. Thus, I pretended to agree and took their tokens of trust.

"The lists of the six households' hidden death warriors and guest retainers, as well as some of their secret resource sites, are all inside.

"In addition, copies of the core account books the six households concealed over the years, along with several recorded images of secret letters exchanged with unknown forces, have also been sealed in this box. Please inspect them, Elder."

Every word rang out with perfect clarity, echoing through the silent hall.

Ye Zhanyan's gaze fell on the black iron box. After a long moment, he slowly spoke, his voice like metal scraping against metal. "Open it."

"Yes."

Ouyang Xiong answered, gathering a thread of pure spiritual power at his fingertip and pressing it against several specific runes on the box.

The lid slid open without a sound. There was no anticipated burst of treasure light, only layers upon layers of Jade Slips, beast-hide scrolls, token seals and keepsakes bearing different presences, and, on top, several inheritance jade pendants whose light was restrained but whose spiritual power fluctuations were astonishing.

Ye Zhanyan's Divine Sense flowed into the box like invisible mercury, sweeping over every item.

A moment later, he withdrew his Divine Sense. His face remained expressionless, and he merely gave a slight nod to a Punishment Hall elder standing nearby.

The elder stepped forward, carefully accepted the black iron box, placed several sealing restrictions on it, and withdrew.

"Household Head Ouyang," Ye Zhanyan said, his gaze returning to Ouyang Xiong, whose back remained straight as he knelt. "You found your way back from the wrong path, ventured deep into the tiger's den, and earned merit by obtaining evidence. You cooperated well in suppressing the rebellion. Your Ouyang Household has done very well."

"It was my duty. I dare not claim any credit." Ouyang Xiong lowered his head, his voice steady.

Ye Zhanyan said no more and waved a hand.

Ouyang Xiong rose and withdrew to a position slightly behind Ouyang Yu, his hands at his sides.

Almost as soon as Ouyang Xiong stepped back, the heavy sound of chains dragging across the floor came from outside the hall, accompanied by rough, broken gasps that could not be suppressed.

Two Punishment Hall deacons with chilling presences entered the hall, escorting two human figures.

They were the heads of the Gongsun and Li households.

Only half of the Gongsun household head's body remained. His wound was not a bloody mess, but a patch of azure spiritual light, and the drip, drip of rain echoed through the hall.

That's the Divine Ability Rain's Clear Radiance. It can seal off heaven and earth and dissolve spiritual power... It's a good Divine Ability for a fight.

I wonder whether the young master will reward me for this...

Ouyang Yu speculated inwardly.

Purple Mansion cultivators had long since transcended the mortal realm. They could feel the Divine Abilities they took pride in dissipating, while Sword Qi tormented them in countless ways within their bodies.

They remained utterly conscious, right up to the final moment at the end of their lives.

But at this moment, the Gongsun household head was furious beyond measure.

His eyes were bloodshot, fixed on everyone at the head of the hall, especially Ouyang Xiong. The venom and madness in his gaze seemed ready to take physical form and pour forth.

"Ouyang Xiong... you petty villain... And that court, just a bunch of petty villains too..."

Around the edge of a bowl-sized hole through the Li household head's chest, strands of clear, bright sword light likewise coiled, concentrated and undispersed, preventing any possibility of healing.

Large amounts of Clear Heng Radiant Wind escaped from his body, lending him an extraordinary bearing, but even that could not hide the deathly, ashen desolation in his eyes.

"Ouyang... Xiong... hehehe... The winner is king, the loser an outlaw. Come on, it's only death."

Outside the residence, True Person Fengyi had stood among the clouds for a long time. He paid the proceedings a little attention, but found them dull.

He gently squeezed his hand, and the token bearing the character "Jin" turned into an insignificant speck of ash, sifting down between his fingers and mingling with the spirit rain that filled the sky.

Then his figure vanished from this realm.

At the same moment the token was crushed, a recently sealed memory was unlocked in the minds of the Gongsun household head, the Li household head, and the two men of the Ouyang Household.

The four wore different expressions: some were dazed, as if waking from a great dream, while others showed fear.

Cloud-Heaven Azure Palace's young master has only just ascended to his position, yet his schemes run so deep?

The Jin envoy, the secret agent of the wider universe-they were all... fake.

We slaughtered one another, unaware that we were caught in a scheme.

Ye Zhanyan chuckled softly. A chain flew from his robes, bound the two men fast, and was then tossed to Ouyang Xiong.

"Household Head Ouyang, these two are your reward."

Ouyang Xiong's expression remained unchanged at those words, but he secretly gathered the power of a Divine Ability in his hands as he took them.

The Divine Ability invaded the two household heads' bodies.

Boom-

One hand was covered in azure spiritual light, while Clear Heng Radiant Wind escaped from the other.

He then kowtowed together with Ouyang Yu.

"May the Ye Clan endure for ten thousand generations. The Ouyang Household shall serve with loyalty for all generations, and Tianlan shall never rebel again."

Cloud-Heaven Azure Palace.

Ye Jinyu reclined on a jade couch. Before him were more than ten beauties selected from the various Ruin Realms: some charming and alluring, some pure as ice and clean as jade, and some fiery.

Each had her own appeal, and each was a proud daughter of heaven in her own realm. All had been offered up by their respective realms to curry favor with the young master.

It was not that Ye Jinyu was a lecher, but then again, since they had already been sent to him, there was no harm in appreciating them a little.

He was already the young master. Could he not enjoy himself?

These past few days had indeed been quite pleasant.

He tapped his fingertips on the armrest, listening to music and watching the singing and dancing.

Before long, Xu Feng's figure slowly appeared. He saw that the teacup before Ye Jinyu was empty.

He immediately refilled it, personally lifted the spirit tea and presented it to the young master, then said flatteringly,

"Young master, you truly are gifted and wise. This old servant has already taken care of everything... I spent a fair few years at court back then, after all, so I know these matters inside out... Those tokens were more genuine than the real thing..."

Xu Feng placed the spirit tea in front of Ye Jinyu.

Mist rose from the steaming spirit tea, making Ye Jinyu's expression indistinct for a moment.

"Ouyang Yu... It seems that of all the realms, this Ouyang Yu is the most decisive and ruthless." Ye Jinyu murmured the name once, then suddenly chuckled.

"Good... good. He's a fine chess piece, and a ruthless man too. He'll stop at nothing..."

Xu Feng said quietly, "Young master, all things considered, this man is the best choice. But he is deeply calculating and has no bottom line in his conduct, like a mad dog.

"Used well, he is a sharp blade; used poorly, I fear he may turn and bite his master.

"Should we secretly put checks on him, or..."

"Ah..."

One of the beauties offered up by these Ruin Realms, who knew which, had overheard a little and, in a moment of carelessness... stumbled.

Ye Jinyu raised a hand to stop Xu Feng and stood up. A Divine Ability flashed briefly in Xu Feng's hand.

Every beauty in the hall went blank-faced.

Wine and women are a hero's grave; the land of gentle pleasures is, after all, a first-rate fetter on my Dao Path.

I've indulged myself enough these past few days.

"Handle them properly..." Ye Jinyu said to Xu Feng, his voice cold. Then he turned his gaze toward the vast sea of clouds.

"So what if the Ouyang Clan is a mad dog? As long as I hold the leash and it knows whom to bite, it's a good dog.

"The Yellow River's waters may run clear or muddy. Put him to use, and he is a dragon; cast him aside, and he is a worm. The desires of the human heart are no more than that."

His tone was calm, yet carried the clarity of one looking down from above.

"He craves power, so I'll give him authority and let him become a lone minister whom others hate and fear.

"A lone minister, a hound of the court-as long as I and the Ye Clan remain, he'll be the most loyal...

"If he wants to climb higher, I'll give him the chance to earn enough bloody merit.

"The more ruthless he is, the less he cares what means he uses, the more he will be this young master's blade, clearing away those deep-seated ills."

"'We share the golden cup, but spare no one the naked blade.'" Ye Jinyu withdrew his gaze and picked up the spirit tea from Xu Feng's hand.

"They did their work cleanly and beautifully. This young master won't be stingy with rewards either."

"Assign Ouyang Yu to the Transport Directorate as Deputy Transport Commissioner and put him in charge of investigating illicit dealings. Also allow him to browse the Azure Nether Palace's scripture repository and choose two Purple Mansion Cultivation Methods."

"As for the Ouyang Clan, leave them there to watch Tianlan Ruin Realm carefully. With six dead, there are six additional Purple Mansion slots... Let the various peaks divide them up... Give priority to disciples of the Ye Clan's branch families..."

Ye Jinyu's words suddenly took a turn. "However... take none who are disloyal, employ none who are not close to us..."

"Grant Ye Wenting, Tianlan's guardian, opportunities to cultivate in Azure Nether Heaven and Autumn Evolving Heaven... Enroll him in the Cloud Palace. Once this young master has sorted out these matters, it should be time for Wind Abyss to open.

"Then send him to Jiangnan to make preparations ahead of this young master."

Xu Feng understood at once.

Transferring him to Yunlan meant entrusting him with an important role, but also keeping him under their watchful eyes.

Granting Cultivation Methods was a favor, but also a way to bind him more tightly to them. Transferring Ye Wenting away from Tianlan Ruin Realm was both a reward for his service and a way to remove him from the open and hidden struggles that would follow there.

"Young master, your Sagacity is unmatched." Xu Feng bowed, and his figure slowly faded away.

Silence returned to the hall.

Ye Jinyu sat alone, the faint azure light at his fingertips flickering in and out, illuminating his deep eyes.

To be an old patriarch, one must be deaf and dumb.

He saw clearly how the people beneath him fought and schemed.

As long as the final results flowed into his cauldron and nourished the great tree that was the Ye Clan, why quibble over a few filthy methods?

The blade had to be sharp, the hand steady.

That was all there was to the art of employing people.

He looked at the Heavenly Cauldron of Fate, floating quietly in the system interface.

The cauldron's radiance was subdued, yet it seemed capable of absorbing every desire and struggle.