This is known as using one's own methods against them!
Ling Du Zhan Shen sneered, "You are already at the end of your tether. What right do you have to fight us now?"
"Precisely. If you know what's good for you, surrender quickly. Otherwise, when the grand army arrives, your flesh and blood will be scattered!"
Even if Yun Fan was powerful, they had a hundred thousand troops. They could simply overwhelm Yun Fan with sheer numbers.
"Junior Brother, you go first. We'll cover your retreat!" Zhao Fanghua quickly reminded Yun Fan.
"That's right. While there's life, there's hope. Boss, in our next life, we'll still be your subordinates!" Hei Long added in agreement.
Seeing their worried faces, Yun Fan said, "The situation hasn't reached that point yet. There's no need to worry!"
With that, Yun Fan suddenly attacked, catching everyone off guard. He moved straight for Yu Shuai.
"Stop him!"
Ling Du Zhan Shen was the first to react, but in just one exchange, Yun Fan sent him flying.
The remaining seven Zhan Shen tried to intervene, but it was too late. Yun Fan had unleashed a speed beyond his limits.
Before the Zhan Shen could react, Yun Fan had already reached Yu Shuai and seized him by the neck.
The entire maneuver was seamless, completed in mere seconds. No one present had time to process what had happened before Yun Fan had finished.
"Release Yu Shuai!"
"Otherwise, with a single command from this Zhan Shen, everyone will be buried with you!" Su Dan Novel Network
The eight Zhan Shen roared threats at Yun Fan, but he remained unmoved, showing no intention of releasing Yu Shuai.
Yun Fan then shouted, "All of you, back off! Otherwise, your Yu Shuai will not live!"
At these words, the eight Zhan Shen lost their arrogance. Yu Shuai was their backbone, and his safety was paramount.
Though the eight Zhan Shen dared not advance, they also showed no sign of retreating.
Yu Shuai said to Yun Fan, "Give up! You can't threaten them. Even if I die, I'll take you with me!"
"That's not necessarily true. How will you know if you don't try?"
Suddenly, Yun Fan applied a little more pressure, and Yu Shuai began to gasp for air.
"Don't harm Yu Shuai!"
The eight Zhan Shen panicked, surprised that Yun Fan actually dared to act.
Yun Fan said, "I won't repeat myself!"
"Don't fall for his trap! Attack!"
Yu Shuai immediately gave the order, but how could the eight Zhan Shen obey? Despite being Zhan Shen, without Yu Shuai's protection, they were nothing.
The powerful figures could dismiss them from their positions in an instant. In reality, even a Zhan Shen was far from as formidable as they were portrayed in novels.
In novels, Zhan Shen and hall masters were all-powerful, capable of killing gods and buddhas, and even the Heavenly Emperor would show them respect.
The reality was that without the protection of someone as high-ranking as Yu Shuai, it was a matter of minutes to deal with a Zhan Shen.
"Yu Shuai, I cannot obey your command!"
Several Zhan Shen did not initiate an attack. If they attacked, they didn't know if Yun Fan would die, but Yu Shuai certainly would.
"You..."
Yu Shuai ultimately said nothing further, as he understood the consequences of an attack. He had merely spoken out of anger.
At this, the eight Zhan Shen each ordered their respective troops to withdraw.
Half an hour later, the hundred thousand troops had gradually withdrawn from Jiangnan, and were stationed outside the city.
Yun Fan was satisfied with this outcome. He knew exactly what these people intended: to return once Yu Shuai was safe.
But by then, he would have no reason to hesitate.
"Our people have all withdrawn. Can you release Yu Shuai now?" the Zhan Shen said coldly to Yun Fan.
Yun Fan replied, "No rush!"
"What do you mean?"
The Zhan Shen became furious. They hadn't expected Yun Fan to break his word. In fact, Yun Fan had never promised to release Yu Shuai after the army withdrew.
"Kid, don't push your luck!" the Zhan Shen glared at Yun Fan.
Yun Fan said, "Hand over Lin Wushuang, and I'll release you!"
This statement was not directed at the Zhan Shen, but at Yu Shuai.
Yu Shuai coldly replied to Yun Fan, "This exceeds your current leverage!"
"Is that so?"
Yun Fan applied more pressure, and Yu Shuai felt like he was suffocating.
"Stop!"
Yu Shuai's subordinates quickly said, "We'll bring Lin Wushuang over immediately!"
Yun Fan stopped, then sneered at Yu Shuai, "I never expected your life to be worth so much!"
"My life is not worth much. It's just that I consider them brothers in life and death. They only want to save their elder brother!" Yu Shuai said indifferently.
"It seems your ability to win people over is truly remarkable!" Yun Fan mocked. He didn't believe Yu Shuai considered these people brothers. In the eyes of powerful individuals like Yu Shuai, everyone was merely a pawn to be used.
"Hmph!" Yu Shuai snorted, unwilling to argue with Yun Fan.
Before long, Lin Wushuang, battered and bruised, was brought forward.
Even Yun Fan could not bear to look at him in such a state. He had not expected this man to be tortured so severely. It was impossible not to pity him.
"Yun Fan, you shouldn't have meddled in my affairs!" Lin Wushuang was surprised that Yun Fan had taken Yu Shuai hostage. He was filled with admiration for Yun Fan's strength. He had not expected that merely a chance encounter as partners would lead Yun Fan to save him at any cost.
"Stop the nonsense!" Yun Fan said to Yu Shuai's subordinates, "Release him, and I'll release Yu Shuai!"
"No!" someone immediately proposed, "An exchange of hostages!" They feared Yun Fan would renege on his word.
However, Yun Fan coldly stated, "You have no room to bargain with me. If you don't release him, then the two of them might as well die here!"
"This..." The onlookers looked at Yu Shuai with distress.
Yu Shuai said, "Release him!" He knew Yun Fan was a man of his word. Since Yun Fan said he would release him, he would. There was no need to waste time.
"Release him!" Subsequently, Lin Wushuang was freed by Yu Shuai's subordinates. Yun Fan also released Yu Shuai.
"Men, exterminate everyone in the Black Dragon Society! Leave no one alive!" Ling Du Zhan Shen immediately ordered.
The thousands of people who had not yet retreated immediately surrounded them, and the hundred thousand troops outside the city were also advancing towards the city.
At this moment, everyone could see that the Black Dragon Society was trapped, with no possibility of turning the tables.
However, Yu Shuai watched with alarm, as Yun Fan showed no signs of panic. He knew Yun Fan must have a backup plan. But even if Yun Fan had a plan, he still had to deal with Yun Fan and Lin Wushuang. Therefore, he decided to take a gamble! He wondered if he could have done better from Yun Fan's perspective.
"How about we make another bet?" Yun Fan smiled at Yu Shuai.
"Bet on what?" Yu Shuai looked confused.
Yun Fan said, "I bet that everyone in my Black Dragon Society will remain unharmed!"
"Fine, I'll humor you with this bet!"
Just as Yu Shuai was about to seize the opportunity and launch an attack on the Black Dragon Society, suddenly, Helian Shan, leading the Jiangnan City Defense Army, arrived. Although not as numerous as a hundred thousand, they still numbered several tens of thousands.
"All of you, halt!" Helian Shan rushed forward, positioning himself between the two forces.
"What are you doing here?" Yu Shuai glanced coldly at Helian Shan. He knew that Helian Shan had been swayed by his junior brother, Du Gu Ming. Logically, Helian Shan should have been on their side, even if he hadn't provided substantial assistance.
Helian Shan, without fear, replied, "Since I preside over Jiangnan, I am responsible for its safety. Yu Shuai, you have surrounded my Jiangnan without any prior instruction. What is your intention? Are you perhaps attempting rebellion?"
At these words, Yu Shuai's eyes turned cold. He hadn't expected Helian Shan to directly accuse him of such a thing. This made him furious.
In fact, Helian Shan had initially intended to remain neutral, being a seasoned veteran. However, his only daughter had died, which ignited his rage, especially when Yun Fan had sent someone to inform him of her death and the perpetrator. He seemed to age decades overnight. His power had reached its zenith, and his only concern was his daughter, Helian Yi. Now, his only daughter was dead. From that moment on, he vowed to avenge his daughter with his own hands. He had no chance against the Four Guardians, but the main culprit was Yu Shuai. Now, he was practically shouting, "I am irreconcilable with evil!"
"The Black Dragon Society members are all heinous criminals. As a Grand Marshal of the Empire, I am duty-bound to eliminate these villains!"
"I request Governor Helian not to interfere. Otherwise, I will report this to the Heavenly Emperor!" Yu Shuai's tone carried a hint of threat. If he reported to the Heavenly Emperor, Helian Shan would be in danger. After all, he had many allies in the court, and it would be trivial for him to bring Helian Shan down.
Helian Shan heard this without any change in his expression.
"Even if they are criminals, it is my duty to deal with them. Yu Shuai, are your hands not reaching too far?"
"If I insist on apprehending them today, what will you do?" Yu Shuai lost his patience, no longer willing to negotiate with Helian Shan. He realized Helian Shan was clearly targeting him.
Helian Shan calmly replied, "If Yu Shuai insists, then this Governor will see it through to the end!"
At this, the Black Dragon Society members were bewildered. When had Helian Shan fallen out with Yu Shuai? They knew Helian Shan had been targeting Yun Fan previously. Now, to protect Yun Fan, he was confronting Yu Shuai. In reality, Yun Fan and Helian Shan were still not well-acquainted. It was Lin Wushuang, after hearing Yun Fan's suggestion, who went to persuade Helian Shan. However, during his persuasion, he revealed the truth about the real culprit.
"A joke!" one of the Zhan Shen said mockingly, "With your mere tens of thousands of city guards, you dare to contend with my seasoned army of a hundred thousand? You overestimate yourself! With a single command from me, your tens of thousands of city guards will be crushed into pulp!" The Zhan Shen looked at Helian Shan with disdain.
But Helian Shan did not falter. "Gentlemen, can you bear the consequences?" At these words, the Zhan Shen hesitated. Although they commanded a hundred thousand troops, these were given to them by the powerful figures. They had no authority to deploy them as they pleased. If they truly did so, regardless of whether they eliminated Helian Shan, they would face repercussions afterward.
At this, Yu Shuai said, "Governor Helian, I will remember this!"
"Let's go!" Yu Shuai said to his subordinates.
"Yu Shuai..." The eight Zhan Shen were unwilling. If they retreated now, they would be ridiculed.
But Yu Shuai rebuked, "Are you not even listening to my orders?" At this, though unwilling, everyone could only leave.
As they retreated, Ling Du Zhan Shen asked, "Yu Shuai, if we don't deal with these people, the situation for us will likely..."
Yu Shuai interrupted him, "It's too late!"
"What?" To their dismay, Yu Shuai said, "It's too late for them. Tonight is the final deadline set by the powerful figures and the four great families. After tonight, even if they know the secret, they will be like ants in my eyes!"
Everyone suddenly realized. That's right, whether it was Yun Fan or Lin Wushuang, it was too late to rush to Jinling now. No wonder Yu Shuai had been blabbering for so long earlier. It was all to stall for time! In the past, Yu Shuai would simply say, "You'd best think clearly," and leave. He wouldn't engage in pointless arguments with Helian Shan. It was all to stall for time. It seemed that after tonight, Yu Shuai would be the one in charge of China.
At this, Yu Shuai said, "These people can be dealt with after the situation stabilizes. Now, arrange a plane for me immediately! I need to return to Jinling to preside over the grand affairs!"
"Yes, sir!"
...
At dawn, Yu Shuai and his entourage arrived in Jinling. For Yu Shuai, arriving at this time was perfect, as it signified that light would follow darkness. The battle between the powerful figures and the four great families should be nearing its end. He tidied his clothes; it was time to take charge of the situation. Although he was heavily injured, compared to the glorious moment that awaited him, his injuries were insignificant.
However, as soon as he and the eight Zhan Shen disembarked from the plane, they were surrounded layer upon layer.
"What's going on?" For some reason, Yu Shuai had a premonition of something amiss. The script was not supposed to be like this. Wasn't he supposed to take over the position of the powerful figure?
"Protect Yu Shuai!" The eight Zhan Shen also sensed something was wrong and quickly formed a protective barrier around Yu Shuai. However, compared to the opposing forces, their formation was insignificant. The other side had deployed two half-step Xiantian masters and over twenty Houtian masters, with six or seven of them being Houtian peak. Not to mention the dense army, conservatively estimated at sixty to seventy thousand. They had come alone, and even if they fought, they had no chance of winning.
At this, an old man, whose status was comparable to Yu Shuai's, approached. "Old Yu, long time no see!" The speaker was Lin Wushuang's grandfather, Lin Wudi. It had to be said that the Lin family had impressive naming conventions. Not only Wudi (invincible) but also Wushuang (unparalleled). Lin Wushuang's father was named Lin Wuwei (fearless). Yu Shuai, upon seeing him, immediately had a bad feeling. If his suspicions were correct, Lin Wudi should have died by now.
"You're alright?" he asked Lin Wudi, confused.
"How could an old man like me be alright?" Lin Wudi said to Yu Shuai, "If your conjecture is correct, the battle between the four great families and the powerful figure should have ended by now. You came to clean up the mess and then take over the position of the Heavenly Emperor, right?"
"You didn't have an internal conflict?" Yu Shuai asked incredulously. He had simulated this scenario countless times. As long as the files were not in hand, their internal conflict was unavoidable.
"Of course not. All of this is thanks to that young man named Yun Fan. He had someone send the files ahead of time, thus avoiding this internal strife!" Lin Wudi was very pleased with Yun Fan. Although he had not met Yun Fan in person, his grandson held Yun Fan in high regard.
"It's him again!" Yu Shuai gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected Yun Fan to be so cunning as to send the files ahead. He had to admit that in this battle of wits, he had completely lost to Yun Fan, losing without a trace. At this, Lin Wudi said, "Old Yu, both of us are esteemed elders. Why did you have to take that step?"
"Hmph! I have nothing to say to you!" Yu Shuai refused to explain. He and Lin Wudi had always been at odds.
"Alas!" Lin Wudi sighed, "Old Yu, out of consideration for our past friendship, I'll give you a dignified exit. Give up your resistance!"
"Never!" Even if he had lost, Yu Shuai had no intention of surrendering. At this, Lin Wudi directly gave the order, "Except for Yu Shuai, all others will be killed without mercy!"
"Yes!" Subsequently, the two sides engaged. However, the engagement was brief, as this was a complete annihilation. Within five minutes, all eight Zhan Shen were dead.
"Yu Shuai, your subordinate bids you farewell!" Ling Du Zhan Shen said tremulously before his life ebbed away. Yu Shuai's eyes turned crimson, his body trembling with rage. Twenty years of planning had vanished overnight. He was unwilling, he refused to accept fate, but alas, even in his dreams, he should have woken up by now. Yu Shuai stood on the ground like a withered old man, filled with shock, unwillingness, and confusion. The others intended to capture him, but Lin Wudi stopped them. At this, Lin Wudi walked up alone.
"Marshal Lin, be careful! He might counterattack!" Lin Wudi's subordinates quickly warned him.
But Lin Wudi said, "It's fine!" Firstly, his strength was comparable to Yu Shuai's, even slightly superior. Secondly, he could see that Yu Shuai was already at the end of his tether upon his arrival. Of course, he knew that this was all Yun Fan's doing. Therefore, even if Yu Shuai counterattacked, he would be no match for him. Moreover, he was the fearless God of War. He wouldn't even blink facing an army of thousands. Much less Yu Shuai, a completely defeated, aging old man.
"Come with me to see the Heavenly Emperor!"
"Alright!" Yu Shuai answered curtly and followed Lin Wudi.
...
Jiangnan. After completing this task, Yun Fan breathed a long sigh of relief. He had anticipated that this task would be difficult from the start. He hadn't expected his prediction to be so accurate. Yun Fan even cursed himself for being a jinx, as whatever he predicted seemed to come true. Fortunately, it was completed, and he had not failed his master's instructions. He had originally planned to rest for a while before taking on the next task, but driven by curiosity, he opened the fourth task.
"I hope this task won't be too difficult!" Yun Fan prayed inwardly. However, the more he prayed, the stronger his premonition became that this task would also be difficult. In fact, his premonition was correct. This task was indeed difficult, and when he opened it, he was completely dumbfounded. Because this task was related to him. Unlike the previous task, which offered no hints, this task seemed more user-friendly.
[Little brat, when you open this letter, you must be very excited, because this task is about you. You are the child I adopted, but you are not an orphan from Nanshan Village. You come from Jinling. Now that you have come of age, it is time to reclaim what belongs to you. Master wishes you victory!]
Yun Fan could only say, "Why the hell would I be excited!" After reading the letter, he realized he had fallen for his master's trick again. He had thought this letter was long and would contain detailed information about the task. But there was none. He even suspected if his master was just padding the word count. Not only was there no detailed information, but there wasn't even a hint. As expected, the longest road he had ever traveled was his master's trickery. However, upon mentioning his origins, Yun Fan was somewhat shocked. He hadn't expected to be from Jinling. Reclaim what belongs to him? He didn't even know what he had. He only had inexhaustible money and the many beautiful women who constantly pestered him. If there was anything else, it was his unparalleled strength. Other than that, he had nothing. He was a complete pauper. However, Yun Fan remained indifferent to his origins. After all, if his parents could abandon him back then, there was no such thing as familial affection. For years, he had fantasized, but it always ended in disappointment. He was grateful to only two people in his life. The master who adopted him, not only adopted him but also taught him his miraculous skills. The seventh senior sister who raised him since childhood. He vaguely remembered that since he could remember, his seventh senior sister was still just a child. She carried him on her back every day, fed him, changed his diapers, and worked tirelessly without any complaints. Therefore, seventh senior sister Leng Ning Shuang held an irreplaceable position in his heart. At this, Yun Fan withdrew his thoughts and stopped thinking about other things. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
...
The Ye Family, Jinling.
"Young Lady, the civil war did not erupt. I heard it was Yun Fan's doing. He personally exposed Yu Shuai, the main culprit! Yu Shuai has now been apprehended!" Upon hearing this, Ye Qingcheng showed no emotion, as she believed Yun Fan would have this capability. If he didn't, how could he compete with her?
"Very good. He has finally met my requirements!" Ye Qingcheng nodded with satisfaction. At this, her subordinate asked, "Young Lady, should I go and play with him next?" In his opinion, Ye Qingcheng had not made a move until now because she was toying with Yun Fan. Someone on the seventh level toying with someone on the third level, or even below the third level. Although Yun Fan had displayed impressive strength, it was not enough to catch Ye Qingcheng's eye. He was not worthy of Ye Qingcheng's personal attention.
Ye Qingcheng said, "No!"
"Since he has met my expectations, I will deal with him next!" Ye Qingcheng was filled with anticipation. She wanted to personally defeat Yun Fan and make him understand despair. Hearing this, her subordinate shivered. He knew the Young Lady's methods. If she didn't act, she would act with overwhelming force. Yun Fan would likely not even have a chance to retaliate. Even though the Young Lady was a beauty whose name meant "beautiful and prosperous," in terms of methods and strength, not to mention the younger generation of the four great families, even the older generation of the four great families were far from her match. Although Ye Qingcheng was merely the eldest daughter of the Ye family, she had actually taken control of the Ye family three years ago. Now, for any major decision in the Ye family, it was Ye Qingcheng who had the final say. At this, Ye Qingcheng said, "Arrange for me. I need to go to Jiangnan!"
"Didn't the Young Lady ask him to come to Jinling?" her subordinate asked, confused. In fact, Ye Qingcheng had previously intended to have Yun Fan come to Jinling. But Jinling was her home turf. Defeating Yun Fan on her home turf would bring no sense of accomplishment. Jiangnan was Yun Fan's home turf, so she would defeat him on his home turf. As Ye Qingcheng's gaze turned cold, her subordinate wisely lowered his head and quickly made arrangements for her.