Chapter 1180: The Finishing Blow
Uan moved swiftly. After leaving Tongyou City, he wasted no time, returning to the city in less than a day, accompanied by several others.
Without exception, these individuals were Uan's trusted subordinates from Jiangyu City. With the Tongyou City Underworld Division having suffered heavy losses, and the situation in Tongyou City being quite complex to begin with, if he were to parachute in as a solitary commander without support, many tasks would be difficult to initiate quickly. Restoring the Tongyou City Underworld Division to its former glory would naturally be even harder, so he needed capable assistants. Bringing these confidantes to Tongyou City was precisely for this purpose.
However, among the trusted subordinates he brought, one would not remain with him in Tongyou City. This was the person he had chosen to take over his position as Emissary of Death in Jiangyu City. The main reason for bringing this person to Tongyou City was for him to meet Yang Haoran, to allow Yang Haoran, the Guardian, to see if he approved of this individual.
If Yang Haoran approved of the person he had chosen, he could directly appoint them and have their physical body reconstructed. If Yang Haoran was not satisfied, he could choose a suitable candidate from his other trusted subordinates.
Yang Haoran had no objections to Uan's chosen candidate, directly appointing this person as the new Emissary of Death for Jiangyu City and publishing the appointment letter in the Underworld Iron Tome. Uan's own appointment letter was, of course, also published simultaneously.
In addition, Yang Haoran also announced the slaying of Ding Tianhua on the Ninth District's exclusive page within the Underworld Iron Tome, including the cause of death.
The announced cause of death was the same as what Yang Haoran had told Uan and Luoyang: Ding Tianhua colluded with outsiders in an attempt to assassinate him, the Guardian, but was counter-killed by Yang Haoran.
Strictly speaking, Yang Haoran's words were not incorrect, nor was he deceiving anyone. Ding Tianhua was indeed slain by him for colluding with outsiders, as in his eyes, Huo Laoban was never one of his own.
After this matter was announced in the Underworld Iron Tome, it not only caused a tremendous stir within the Jingling Continent Underworld Division's Ninth District, but also greatly astonished other Guardian Districts outside the Ninth District, including those in other continents.
Yang Haoran did not explicitly state who these "outsiders" he referred to were—Spirit Mediums or members of other factions. This led to some people speculating while others harbored doubts, but it did not diminish the incident's impact on the Underworld Division in the slightest.
On one side was a Guardian, and on the other, a powerful expert who had opened his Heaven and Earth Souls. Both were figures of status and standing within the Underworld Division, with the former holding an even higher position. For such an event to suddenly occur, it was difficult for the Underworld Division not to be shaken.
If Yang Haoran had not announced this matter, it would naturally not have caused such a sensation in the Underworld Division. The fact that he announced it and even published it on a dedicated page in the Underworld Iron Tome naturally stemmed from his own considerations.
Many Emissaries of Death coveted the position of Guardian; at least eight or nine out of ten wished to ascend to it. For these Emissaries of Death, they would absolutely not miss any opportunity to become a Guardian.
Even more, some would rack their brains to create opportunities when none existed, all to achieve their goal. Yang Haoran's announcement of Ding Tianhua's slaying carried the intent of deterrence and warning. He wanted to tell others, especially certain Emissaries of Death within his Jingling Continent Underworld Division's Ninth District who harbored ill intentions, not to think of Yang Haoran as an easy mark. Without absolute strength, it was best not to scheme against him, nor against the Ninth District Guardian, or their fate would be the same as Ding Tianhua's.
Although Uan had taken over the Tongyou City Underworld Division, Yang Haoran did not immediately leave Tongyou City. He wanted to see how Uan would manage the current predicament in Tongyou City.
After Uan took charge of the Tongyou City Underworld Division, he immediately consolidated the surviving Night Watchers, then reshuffled and re-grouped them. He also meticulously arranged targeted plans, both for external affairs and internal operations.
Yang Haoran merely observed, saying nothing and showing no intention of interfering. He wanted to let Uan perform freely, to see if Uan could meet his minimum internal standards in a short period.
Yang Haoran did not leave, nor did he interfere with the major or minor affairs of the Tongyou City Underworld Division. Uan naturally understood the intention behind such actions.
Originally, Yang Haoran planned to stay in Tongyou City for a few more days to assess Uan's overall capabilities, but he was forced to go to the Underworld headquarters due to an order from Luo Yao.
Inside the conference room, all nine Guardians of the Jingling Continent Underworld Division were gathered. Luo Yao, the Great Emperor, rightfully sat at the head of the table. However, Luo Yao's expression was not good; to be precise, it was grim.
Luo Yao had not only ordered Yang Haoran to the Underworld; the other Guardians had also received commands to report there. In such a period of complex circumstances, unless there was something truly significant to announce, Luo Yao would certainly not summon all nine of his Guardians simultaneously.
Sure enough, after the nine Guardians assembled in the conference room, Luo Yao, with a grim expression, began speaking of the recent major battles in the Jingling Continent. Apart from the victory in Tongyou City, all other battles had ended in devastating defeats against the Spirit Mediums.
The losses in these battles not only brought immense damage to the Jingling Continent Underworld Division but also caused it to completely lose face, making an already dire situation even worse. Luo Yao, as the Great Emperor of Jingling, could only imagine how terrible his mood was.
Undoubtedly, in this meeting, Luo Yao gave the relevant Guardians a thorough dressing-down, demanding that they publicly make self-criticisms, self-examine the root of their problems, and finally, publicly guarantee that similar situations would not recur. Only then did Luo Yao's anger slightly abate.
After mercilessly berating the relevant Guardians, Luo Yao then publicly praised Yang Haoran. The reason was simple: among the recent battles against the Spirit Mediums, only Yang Haoran's Ninth District had not been defeated by the Spirit Mediums; on the contrary, at a critical juncture, it had turned defeat into victory, even slaying two Grand Spirit Masters on the spot. This achievement presented a stark contrast to the other utterly disastrous battles, so Luo Yao naturally could not help but praise Yang Haoran publicly.
Yang Haoran had always been Luo Yao's man. Whether as an Emissary of Death in the beginning or now as a Guardian, he had been personally promoted by Luo Yao, so it was no exaggeration to say that Yang Haoran was his subordinate.
Now, Yang Haoran had only recently become a Guardian, yet he had already rendered such significant service to their Jingling Continent Underworld Division. How could Luo Yao not be pleased? This was the only thing that could make him happy recently, as the other battles had been a complete mess.
Luo Yao's happiness did not mean that the other eight Guardians present were equally pleased. Aside from Xu Meijing, who was genuinely happy for Yang Haoran, the other seven Guardians felt little joy. Some even felt greatly annoyed, and Huo Laoban was one of them.
Facing the Great Emperor Luo Yao's praise, Yang Haoran remained humble, neither arrogant nor impetuous, appearing extremely composed. This pleased Luo Yao even further.
However, Luo Yao had no intention of praising Yang Haoran endlessly. When he felt it was enough, he prepared to move on to the next segment, outlining the future work arrangements for his nine Guardians. But at this moment, someone suddenly spoke out of turn.
"Hmph, someone who isn't even willing to spare his meritorious subordinates—I don't see anything worth praising about that."
Long Yan let out a cold snort, his gaze sweeping over Yang Haoran before he spoke coldly, his tone carrying undisguised disdain and contempt.
The moment Long Yan spoke, everyone else present turned their gaze to him, including the Great Emperor Luo Yao.
Luo Yao's gaze fell on Long Yan, his brows furrowing slightly, but he did not speak.
Xu Meijing also fixed her gaze on Long Yan, but compared to Luo Yao, her reaction was somewhat different. Her brows were tightly furrowed, her expression displeased, and icy killing intent emanated from her eyes.
No one present found Xu Meijing's strong reaction strange. After all, the relationship between Xu Meijing and Yang Haoran was well known. Now that Yang Haoran was being targeted, Xu Meijing naturally wouldn't give Long Yan a pleasant look.
As for the others present, their expressions varied. Some were emotionless, while others wore a look of anticipation, waiting to see a good show.
Everyone present understood what Long Yan's words meant. Yang Haoran's slaying of Ding Tianhua was no secret and had caused a certain commotion throughout the Underworld Division; few were unaware of it. Furthermore, Long Yan had spoken very clearly, so everyone understood what he was referring to.
Although Huo Laoban did not show a gloating expression, he was secretly pleased. Even if Long Yan had not brought it up, he would have done so himself, as this was part of his plan to target Yang Haoran.
However, he was Luo Yao's subordinate after all, and Luo Yao valued Yang Haoran so highly. Bringing this up in front of the other Guardians might displease Luo Yao. But if he didn't bring it up, his subsequent plan would be difficult to carry out, and even if it could proceed, its effectiveness would be greatly diminished.
So, he had just been considering whether to risk displeasing Luo Yao and proactively raise the issue after Luo Yao finished his arrangements, but he never expected Long Yan to speak up at this moment, actively bringing up the matter of Yang Haoran slaying Ding Tianhua.
With Long Yan stepping forward to take the lead, Luo Yao naturally couldn't ask for more. Not only was his objective achieved, but he also didn't have to take the risk himself. He was, of course, secretly pleased and waited to watch the show.
"Heh heh, is Guardian Long referring to Ding Tianhua, the Emissary of Death of our Ninth District's Tongyou City?"
Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged, appearing extremely composed, as he asked Long Yan with a smile, showing not the slightest hint of the panic or anger one might expect when caught with a handle.
"Heh, could it be that Guardian Yang has slain more meritorious subordinates than just Ding Tianhua recently? I truly misjudged you. I never expected Guardian Yang to be so formidable."
Long Yan scoffed, digging a not-so-small trap, waiting for Yang Haoran to foolishly jump in.
The trap was too obvious; one could see the pit ahead at a glance. How could Yang Haoran be so foolish as to jump into it?
"Heh heh, since Guardian Long knows I personally slew Ding Tianhua, then you must also know why I slew him. First, this Ding Tianhua was no meritorious subordinate. Judging by the powerful methods he used against me, he clearly did not use his full strength in that battle in Tongyou City. If he had used his full strength, and not held back his most powerful techniques to use against me, but instead against the Spirit Mediums, then the losses of my Tongyou City Underworld Division would not have been so great. His fight with the Spirit Mediums was merely to buy time, to stall until I appeared. Therefore, I do not consider him a meritorious subordinate."
His voice paused slightly, then Yang Haoran continued to speak.
"Secondly, my decision to strike down Ding Tianhua was entirely of his own making. For the sake of the Guardian's position, he colluded with outsiders to scheme against and try to assassinate me, intending to take my place. After I saw through his schemes and machinations, I gave him more than one chance. Yet, he stubbornly refused to change his ways, determined to eliminate me. I gave him a chance, and I even saved his life, but he cast all that aside. Tell me, should I have killed him? If you were in my shoes, would you have killed him? If I hadn't killed him, was I supposed to let him kill me instead?"
Yang Haoran consecutively asked Long Yan several questions. These questions were rather pointed, causing Long Yan's brows to furrow tightly.
However, Long Yan seemed to have anticipated that Yang Haoran would use such sharp questions to refute him. Thus, the moment Yang Haoran's voice fell, he immediately responded.
"Ding Tianhua is one of the rare veteran Emissaries of Death in our Underworld Division. For many years, he staunchly defended Tongyou City and rendered significant services to our Underworld Division. Yet you claim he has no merit; from this alone, one can see your prejudice against him is extraordinary. In my opinion, you simply felt that his mid-stage Earth Soul strength posed a threat to you, so you wanted to use this opportunity to eliminate him and consolidate your position as Guardian!"
Long Yan evaded answering the questions Yang Haoran had consecutively posed. Instead, he first brought up Ding Tianhua's years of staunchly defending Tongyou City to prove that Ding Tianhua indeed had merits to the Underworld Division. Then, he proceeded to level a serious accusation against Yang Haoran, slandering him by claiming that he slew Ding Tianhua entirely because he felt threatened by Ding Tianhua's strength, and thus, to consolidate his position as Guardian, he took advantage of the battle in Tongyou City to eliminate Ding Tianhua.
Long Yan's words, to those unaware of the full situation, did indeed seem to hold some truth, as they were well-reasoned and seemingly evidence-based, as if it truly might have been the case.
Yang Haoran did not take Long Yan's evasion to heart, nor did Long Yan's slander cause any emotional fluctuation in him. His expression remained unchanged, still wearing a faint smile, a picture of calm composure.
"Heh heh, Guardian Long is right, Ding Tianhua's strength was indeed commendable. But precisely because of that, I had even less reason to strike him down. After all, our Underworld Division is currently in dire need of talent. If there wasn't a compelling reason to kill him, how could I possibly personally dispose of one of my top generals? Wouldn't that be like lifting a rock only to drop it on my own foot? As for your claim that Ding Tianhua threatened my position as Guardian, that holds even less water. I ascended to the Guardian position through a martial arts competition. If Ding Tianhua had the ability, then it wouldn't have been Yang Haoran who became Guardian that day, but him, Ding Tianhua. A defeated competitor, in my eyes, poses no threat whatsoever. Do you think I needed to make another move to eliminate him?"
Yang Haoran asked Long Yan with a smile. Hearing this, Long Yan was about to retort, but Yang Haoran cut him off with a smile.
"Heh heh, if I truly felt Ding Tianhua was a threat and wanted to eliminate him, then I wouldn't have personally come to Tongyou City for that battle. You should know that at the time, the Tongyou City Underworld Division had three Grand Spirit Masters. As long as I didn't appear, Ding Tianhua would surely die. I clearly had the opportunity to let him die legitimately at the hands of the Spirit Mediums, without incurring the slightest trouble for myself, so why would I rescue him from the Spirit Mediums?"
Retorted so directly by Yang Haoran, Long Yan's expression turned grim, and for a moment, he didn't know how to refute. His reaction signified his defeat in this verbal confrontation.
Huo Laoban, who had been secretly pleased, saw Long Yan defeated so quickly, and the joy in his heart instantly vanished. He had hoped to see Long Yan pushed to desperation by Yang Haoran, but it now seemed he had overestimated Long Yan.
Seeing Long Yan speechless from Yang Haoran's questioning, Xu Meijing cast a disdainful glance at Long Yan, and couldn't help but let out a cold snort of contempt.
Luo Yao observed their verbal confrontation but did not interrupt. Now seeing Long Yan defeated, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed somewhat.
Luo Yao had originally thought this interlude would end with Long Yan's inability to refute, but he never expected that at this moment, another discordant voice would emerge.
"Heh heh, I believe everything Guardian Yang says is true. In the current situation, Guardian Yang certainly wouldn't be so foolish as to personally eliminate one of his own generals. However, merely with words, it's difficult to convince people, and it's inevitable that doubts will arise. But I do have a good way to resolve these issues. As long as Guardian Yang extracts Ding Tianhua's soul in front of the Great Emperor and the Guardians present, then everything will be revealed. I believe with our capabilities, even if Ding Tianhua says nothing, we can still learn the full truth of the matter."
The person who suddenly spoke was none other than Huo Laoban, the mastermind behind the entire incident.
Huo Laoban saw Long Yan defeated and knew that this prime opportunity to target Yang Haoran was about to disappear. He did not want to miss this once-in-a-thousand-years chance, so even though he knew speaking might displease Luo Yao, he still decided to deal this finishing blow!
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