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Chapter 1244: Yun Yao of Bamboo Sea

Seeing that Soul-Sower Ding Tianhua had taken the bait, Huo Laoban was secretly delighted, though he allowed no trace of his inner joy to show on his face.

“As for what needs to be done, I've actually already devised a countermeasure for Soul-Sower Ding. Otherwise, I wouldn't have traveled all this way to find you. ”

Upon hearing that Huo Laoban had already prepared a solution, Soul-Sower Ding's anger instantly dissipated, replaced by an expression of pure delight!

“Brother Huo, you're not pulling my leg, are you? ”

Soul-Sower Ding asked, his words tinged with uncertainty, yet the expression on his face and the expectant gleam in his eyes clearly betrayed his immense excitement.

Huo Laoban's earlier words had dealt him a considerable blow. He had truly believed it would be difficult to successfully claim the Guardian position this time; even a single Yang Haoran was proving troublesome, let alone the others.

With a mind not particularly fond of overthinking, he had stepped, little by little, into the large pit Huo Laoban had dug. Once brimming with confidence, he now found himself quite unsure.

But a single sentence from Huo Laoban instantly reignited his hope, prompting such a dramatic shift in his mood, his internal fury completely supplanted by pleasant surprise.

Huo Laoban gave an affirmative reply, and this confirmation immediately intensified the delight in Soul-Sower Ding's heart.

“Brother Huo, quickly tell me, what's the plan? ”

Soul-Sower Ding eagerly pressed, his face a picture of impatience.

Huo Laoban didn't respond immediately, instead glancing at the beautiful woman in charge of pouring drinks.

This woman had already cleared away the shattered coffee table and replaced it with a new one before them. As she was no ordinary person, possessing inner strength, her movements were remarkably swift as she handled the task, completing it perfectly in just a few motions.

After completing her duties, the beautiful woman didn't leave, remaining to serve Huo Laoban and Soul-Sower Ding. Seeing Huo Laoban's gaze turn to her, she seemed to understand something and quickly turned her head to look at Soul-Sower Ding.

Soul-Sower Ding had initially been somewhat annoyed, thinking Huo Laoban was about to play coy again, drawing out the suspense. But seeing Huo Laoban look at the beautiful woman, and then the woman look at him, he immediately understood.

“You may withdraw. Without my command, you are not to approach this area, nor is anyone else permitted to. ”

Soul-Sower Ding gave the order, and the beautiful woman bowed and withdrew. After she left, Huo Laoban still felt it wasn't secure enough. With a wave of his hand, he set up a soundproofing enchantment, enveloping both himself and Soul-Sower Ding within it.

With this soundproofing enchantment in place, their conversation would remain unheard by any third party.

“Brother Huo, is there a need to be so cautious? This Tongyou City is my territory, Ding Tianhua's, and this is my residence. Who would be so blind as to come here to eavesdrop on our conversation? ”

Soul-Sower Ding felt Huo Laoban was making a mountain out of a molehill. Despite his words, he did not dispel the soundproofing enchantment Huo Laoban had set up.

“Hehe, Soul-Sower Ding, caution keeps the boat for ten thousand years. What I'm about to say is no small matter. Should even a whisper of it get out, it would bring considerable trouble for both of us. I'm not just thinking of myself, but of you too, Soul-Sower Ding! ”

Huo Laoban said with a smile. Hearing Huo Laoban's words, Soul-Sower Ding's complaints instantly vanished. However, while he didn't voice his irritation at Huo Laoban's suspenseful speaking style, it certainly made him anxious.

“Brother Huo, you're always thinking of me, and I'm endlessly grateful. But could you please stop keeping me in suspense? Just get to the point, alright? ”

As Soul-Sower Ding spoke, though no trace of dissatisfaction or displeasure could be heard in his voice, the anxiety in his heart was undeniably written all over his face.

Huo Laoban chuckled, then spoke unhurriedly and calmly.

“Actually, dealing with this Yang Haoran problem is quite simple. All you have to do is, during your fight with him later, accidentally incapacitate him by not controlling your strength, or even take his life. Then, even if the Emperor holds him in high regard, he absolutely cannot become a Guardian. After all, our Jingling Continent Underworld Office is currently very weak. A Guardian must be a powerful individual capable of raising the banner. The Emperor would absolutely not allow a useless person to sit in the Guardian position. ”

Huo Laoban's words instantly stiffened Soul-Sower Ding's expression. When he finally reacted, the excited look on his face vanished, replaced by a stunned one.

“If I cripple or kill Yang Haoran during the martial arts competition, that's a grave taboo. After all, regardless of the type of martial arts competition in our Underworld Office, the emphasis is always on stopping before severe injury; one must not take a life. If I truly did that, I fear. . . ”

Soul-Sower Ding's brows furrowed deeply, and his tone couldn't help but betray his worry.

“Hehe, I just made it very clear to Soul-Sower Ding. All of this is predicated on you *accidentally* failing to control your strength. Blades and swords have no eyes; who can guarantee perfect control during a fight, not hurting their opponent at all? That's simply impossible. ”

Huo Laoban said with a laugh. If it had been anyone else in this situation, they might have asked Soul-Sower Ding why he, who feared even the Great Emperor Luoyao, would be constrained by such minor rules. But Huo Laoban didn't voice such a question; he knew what kind of person Soul-Sower Ding was, and he knew what to say and what not to say.

After hearing Huo Laoban's words, Soul-Sower Ding pondered for a moment, then nodded with a smile.

“Brother Huo is right. Blades and swords have no eyes during a martial arts competition; accidental injuries are perfectly normal. With my level of strength, every attack is earth-shattering. I truly can't guarantee my attacks won't harm an opponent. ”

Huo Laoban's reminder seemed to have brought Soul-Sower Ding to a realization, for the worry on his face vanished, replaced once more by a brilliant smile.

“Actually, Soul-Sower Ding, if you don't make a move against Yang Haoran, there's still a chance for you to become a Guardian. After all, there are two Guardian spots this time. Excluding Yang Haoran's, there's still one Guardian position left. With your strength, Soul-Sower Ding, it's not impossible to contend for that spot; it's just that the probability of success would be much lower. ”

Huo Laoban spoke with a smile, once again beginning to pour his "enchantment art" into Soul-Sower Ding.

“How could one spot be enough? What if some accident occurs, and I miss out on the Guardian position entirely? More spots mean more opportunities. When the time comes for the competition, I'll just find an opportunity to eliminate this Yang Haoran. I've waited for countless years, and now I finally have a chance to climb higher. I refuse to miss this opportunity! ”

Soul-Sower Ding spoke coldly. By the end, his words even erupted with intense killing intent, naturally directed at Yang Haoran.

After these words fell, Soul-Sower Ding suddenly thought of something, and his eyes immediately brightened.

“Brother Huo, what do you think of this: we find a way to deal with Yang Haoran *before* the competition. That way, he won't be able to participate in the martial arts competition at the end of the month. Wouldn't that be even better? ”

Regarding Soul-Sower Ding's suggestion, Huo Laoban did not outright reject it, but responded ambiguously.

“That could certainly work. However, if you choose that path, you must guarantee 100% success, or you'll merely stir the grass and alert the snake. Moreover, you'd need to do it without a trace, completely unbeknownst to gods or ghosts. If any rumor gets out, and the Emperor learns of this, your troubles will be immense. Conversely, if you accidentally injure Yang Haoran during the competition, or directly cause his death, that's somewhat more justifiable. ”

Soul-Sower Ding considered this carefully, finding Huo Laoban's words very reasonable. He then agreed with Huo Laoban's suggestion, deciding to make his move during the martial arts competition itself.

He was quite confident in his own strength, believing that eliminating Yang Haoran was no difficult feat for him. However, when it came to doing so without anyone knowing – "unbeknownst to gods or ghosts" – he truly couldn't guarantee it. If any rumors were to leak, it would only lead to greater trouble for him.

“Alright, we'll do as you say! ”

Soul-Sower Ding's eyes narrowed as he made up his mind.

“This matter is no trivial one. Should any accident occur, not only will you not escape responsibility, but I'll also suffer along with you. I'm devising this plan solely for you, my brother, so don't you go getting me into trouble. Therefore, if there's no clear opportunity, don't act rashly, and don't display killing intent towards Yang Haoran from the start; that would make it very easy for others to notice something amiss. ”

Huo Laoban reminded him, even changing his address for Soul-Sower Ding from "Soul-Sower Ding" to "my brother"—a much more intimate form of address.

Soul-Sower Ding didn't notice any particular significance in Huo Laoban's change of address. He simply found "my brother" much more pleasant to hear, which deepened the smile on his face, and he made a solemn promise to Huo Laoban.

“Hahahahaha, Brother Huo, don't you worry. Even if I suffer a loss myself, I would never drag you down. If I couldn't even uphold such a basic rule, then I truly would have lived all these years in vain. ”

Huo Laoban smiled and nodded, then raised his wine cup and clinked it with Soul-Sower Ding's. Since he had already dismissed the beautiful woman who poured wine, Huo Laoban personally filled Soul-Sower Ding's cup, showing not the slightest hint of a Guardian's airs.

“The method for dealing with Yang Haoran is generally this: as long as Yang Haoran is out of the picture, your chances, my brother, of securing a Guardian spot will significantly increase. However, besides Yang Haoran, there are a few others you, my brother, should pay extra attention to. These individuals previously served under other Guardians, not directly under the Emperor, so the Emperor holds no special sentiment for them. This means they'll be relatively easier to handle, but you still cannot let your guard down, my brother. ”

Soul-Sower Ding nodded repeatedly. Judging by his expression and reaction, he was in complete agreement with Huo Laoban's words.

“Rest assured, Brother Huo. Although I'm not a cautious person, with your reminders, I still know what should and shouldn't be done. Please, quickly tell me about the situations of the others, and how I should proceed. ”

For the next few hours, Huo Laoban meticulously provided Soul-Sower Ding with information on each of the other individuals, detailing everything. Some of these details couldn't even be found in the Underworld Iron Tome, revealing that Huo Laoban had put considerable effort into acquiring this intelligence.

Huo Laoban did all this not out of genuine concern for Soul-Sower Ding, but to ensure that Soul-Sower Ding would absolutely trust his words and follow his arrangements. While Soul-Sower Ding wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he wasn't a complete fool. Therefore, if Huo Laoban wanted to achieve his goal of eliminating Yang Haoran through Soul-Sower Ding's hands, he needed Soul-Sower Ding to believe him from the bottom of his heart. Only then would Soul-Sower Ding step, one by one, into the pit Huo Laoban had so carefully dug.

In Huo Laoban's view, to truly earn Soul-Sower Ding's heartfelt trust, he needed to demonstrate some tangible efforts. That's why he spent time and resources to gather useful information for Soul-Sower Ding regarding the upcoming martial arts competition.

Several hours later, Huo Laoban left Tongyou City. Through several hours of effort, Soul-Sower Ding not only trusted him but was also genuinely grateful, naturally achieving Huo Laoban's objective for this trip.

Huo Laoban's ability to win over Soul-Sower Ding within a few hours, besides Soul-Sower Ding's less-than-sharp mind, was also greatly aided by their long-standing friendship. Regardless of whether Huo Laoban truly considered Soul-Sower Ding a friend, in Soul-Sower Ding's eyes, Huo Laoban was his beloved Brother Huo. It was precisely this sentiment that left him without any guard against Huo Laoban, allowing him to be easily manipulated within a few hours.

Besides these two reasons, Huo Laoban's verbal prowess was equally indispensable. If Huo Laoban had been the type of taciturn person who couldn't utter a word for half a day, then let alone a few hours, he might not have achieved his desired outcome in several days.

Leaving Tongyou City, Huo Laoban immediately set off for his next destination without a moment's rest. He wasn't placing all his hopes on Soul-Sower Ding alone. To achieve his goal, he needed more assistance, ensuring that he could eliminate Yang Haoran, this thorn in his side, during the upcoming martial arts competition!

Huo Laoban was unlike Yang Haoran. He had been an Emissary of Death for far longer than Yang Haoran. Combined with his usual amiable demeanor and eloquent speech, he had cultivated many reliable friends. Among these friends were individuals who had successfully 'opened' both their Earth and Heaven Souls. There was no doubt they would participate in this martial arts competition to contend for the Guardian position.

Therefore, he also intended to ask these friends for assistance. However, these friends' personalities and minds differed from Soul-Sower Ding's, so the methods he planned to employ would naturally be different from those he used on Soul-Sower Ding.

...

In Qingshan Continent lay a city named Bamboo Sea City. It earned this name because within its borders, countless bamboo forests of all sizes flourished. Even the city itself was constructed within a vast and dense bamboo grove.

Bamboo Sea City's style was highly unique. Most of its buildings were predominantly bamboo structures. Even some special buildings that couldn't be entirely made of bamboo would still be adorned with a layer of bamboo on their exterior. Besides the architecture, the furniture and even some daily necessities were crafted from bamboo.

In Bamboo Sea City, almost everything visible to the eye or tangible to the touch was related to bamboo. It truly lived up to its name, "Bamboo Sea."

The world had fallen into chaos, and many cities were riddled with scars from war. Even those cities not utterly devastated were, to varying degrees, still affected.

While Bamboo Sea City had also experienced some impact, it was not significant. No traces of war could be seen here, and its people lived relatively content lives, at least with their basic needs met.

Compared to other war-torn cities, Bamboo Sea City could be called a paradise. The reason for its uniqueness was that Bamboo Sea City currently only harbored two factions: one being the city's Administrative Courtyard, and the other, the Bamboo Sea City Underworld Office.

The Bamboo Sea City Underworld Office and the Bamboo Sea City Administrative Courtyard had never clashed. In fact, their relationship was quite close. Whenever an external enemy invaded, both factions would unite to resist, which was why these two powers could coexist harmoniously in Bamboo Sea City.

As for other factions, they had long since been purged by the Bamboo Sea City Administrative Courtyard. Thus, the only remaining powers in Bamboo Sea City, apart from the Administrative Courtyard, were the Underworld Office.

The Death God Temple in Bamboo Sea City shared the architectural style of the city's other buildings; apart from the Death God statue in the plaza, nearly all other structures were constructed using massive amounts of bamboo.

Inside the largest Death God Temple in Bamboo Sea City, a woman sat in a bamboo building, lazily leaning back in her chair, a breeze rustling around her as she casually flipped through the Underworld Iron Tome in her hands.

This bamboo building was situated at the highest point of the temple, offering a panoramic view of the entire Bamboo Sea City. Looking out, the swaying bamboo forests rippled like waves on water, one after another, presenting a truly picturesque scene.

However, the young woman in the bamboo building seemed uninterested in the scenery. Perhaps she had seen it so often that she was accustomed to it, or perhaps for some other reason, but at this moment, she didn't spare a glance for Bamboo Sea City's vista. Instead, her entire attention was fixated on the Underworld Iron Tome in her hands.

“The Jingling Continent Underworld Office is holding a martial arts competition at the end of the month to select two Guardians. Will that honest fellow go? ”

The young woman murmured to herself, simultaneously checking some information in the Underworld Iron Tome.

This young woman was none other than Yun Yao, the Emissary of Death for Bamboo Sea City. While Yun Yao appeared to be a girl of only seventeen, her true age was unknown to most. Few dared to inquire about it.

After perusing the Underworld Iron Tome for a while, Yun Yao put it away, a look of disappointment involuntarily appearing on her face.