Chapter 330, Next Up

Bring out the box. Let's see who's the next lucky bastard.

Zhuo Fan's condescending smile turned manic, The suspense is killing me. I have to get back in the game, hi-hi-hi

Zhuo Fan's demonic side was there for all to see, sending shivers and horrors to the fainthearted.

People thought Zhuo Fan was using an excuse to let them go, for the bigger picture and what not. But they all knew they had grossly overestimated him. Zhuo Fan wanted nothing more than to play a savage game and toy them to death in the process.

The hatred boiling in Zhuo Fan had driven him mad for a long time now. His 'unorthodox' method at exacting revenge had few appalled, and the rest horrified.

Only those three knew of Lin Xuanfeng's true anguish and pain. The rest would be fortunate to seek out suicide than wait for Zhuo Fan to find them.

Shaking their heads, people sighed. Messing with the seven houses? Fine. Stomping on Regent Estate's toes? Not bad either. But may god have mercy on any who was ignorant enough to incite the wrath of Demon Archon Zhuo Fan. The end wouldn't be pretty, that was for sure

Yan Fu presented the object of interest and Zhuo Fan smiled. He plunged his hand inside and soon came out with the lucky runner up.

Zhuo Fan looked at the number and smirked, Humph, enemies meet on a narrow road. So I'll be hunting down this lackey next.

Zhuo Fan flipped the wooden piece over toward the wood exit for all to see.

Two.

None other than Xue Ningxiang's killer, You Yushan!

Zhuo Fan's eyes flashed and he pointed above.

Whoosh!

A flare rose above the clouds, exploding in a brilliant double firework.

Huangpu Qingtian and Yan Bangui checked nervously, then looked at the holes on their chest, and finally relaxed.

[Thank god it's not me!]

Though they knew this safety was ephemeral.

With how soon Zhuo Fan let out the second flare, it went without saying that Lin Xuanfeng had bit the dust. With You Yushan as the second victim, who was to know how long he'd last before death would loom over them?

With nerves stretched tighter than a violin, the wait was mounting the ever present fear. They could literally feel Zhuo Fan's demon claw squeezing down on their throat.

Like Zhuo Fan said, death wasn't terrifying. But dying was agony.

Palpable fear was their longtime companion now, Huangpu Qingtian in particular. The guy had been invincible one too many times in his life and had never experienced this side of a battle, almost having a nervous breakdown.

He had reached such a state that any loud noise was treated as Zhuo Fan sending a signal, doing nothing but pushing him further into the depths of despair.

Right now, he was angry. Providence had made him king, so how could he be such a coward? He had completely ignored the precarious and erratic state his mind was currently in.

Zhuo Fan's death game had him running scared, crushing any royal demeanor he ever had

In another corner of the forest, You Yushan finally had the keys to the metal exit. His cheering was quite premature and disconcerting, at least when the flare exploded in the sky and fear replaced any trace of joy.

Looking down at his own chest, two holes were there for all to see. Demon Zhuo Fan was on the hunt for him.

You Yushan's face fell, his fate suddenly turning on him. It was so appalling that his mind exploded in quite the colorful curses.

[That damn rotten Lin Xuanfeng! Wasn't he praised for speed? Why did he let himself get caught so fast? Did he give up? Couldn't you hang on for at least a few days longer and let your brothers reach safety?]

[Humph, a gimp is a gimp, alive or dead. Not a single damn use!]

You Yushan cursed at the dead, but the top priority was still getting out of here and out of Zhuo Fan's range.

As luck would have it, he was a short way off the metal exit. He only had to reach it and he'd wallow in safety.

You Yushan set into a sprint, thinking he still had some time before Zhuo Fan got to him.

You Yushan dashed like a maniac and the fact that Zhuo Fan hadn't shown himself yet, eased some of his tense muscles.

His guess had been spot on. Zhuo Fan would need time to get to him.

But as we all know, appearances can be deceiving. The golden exit shined its glow before him, like the goddess of victory opening her arms to welcome him. But then his eyes shrank and his body froze in place.

What awaited him were two very familiar figures.

Yan Fu, the snitch, and Zhuo Fan, the demon.

The viewers sighed. [Oh, you poor poor schmuck, these two have been waiting for you for ages and you just had to walk right into their trap.]

Zhuo Fan looked at the sky and then at the dumbstruck You Yushan, You came. I've been waiting here for an hour now!

[What are you doing here? How did you know I was coming here? And more importantly, did you come here to stop me?]

You Yushan's mind was going a mile a minute, not knowing what to do.

He just couldn't tell if Zhuo Fan was now a master diviner or not. How did he get here so fast moments after dealing with Lin Xuanfeng?

As if a mind reader, Zhuo Fan's cold smile came in response to his thoughts, You Yushan, you are Ning'er's executioner. Now then, what's the best way to go about killing you?

Gulping, You Yushan watched Zhuo Fan inch closer towards him. His legs were shaking like noodles and he soon collapsed in fear. He started bawling on his knees for mercy, Brother, let me go! I am a mere underling. Leng Wuchang is the one who planned to kill her. Huangpu Qingtian was the director and I was merely following orders. Take your revenge on them, I was just a lackey, mere nobody. Please let me go!

Tch, what Six Dragons and One Phoenix? Aren't they all sniveling cowards when death looms? Yan Fu was milking his dread for all he was worth.

Zhuo Fan's follower felt no little satisfaction seeing the grand Six Dragons and One Phoenix treated with such derision.

On the viewers' side, everyone sported disgust at You Yushan's character.

Valley Lord You Wanshan's face was dark and broody. You Yushan was a dragon, which in turn represented the image of Hell Valley.

Even with his cultivation sealed, meeting Zhuo Fan would merely end up in death. But instead he opted for the coward's way out, bawling on his knees for his miserable life, while also shaming Hell Valley completely.

The seven houses of Tianyu were seen as lofty existences, revered and feared. But now, that respect is long gone.

Even the great disciples of their houses were merely men in the end. [They fear the strong and death just like the next bloke. Even our clans have a few intrepid characters among us.]

[In this aspect at least, we are stronger than the houses]

The seven houses were seen as gods in the Tianyu Empire. But taking them down from their cozy throne would make all the reverence vanish.

Fang Qiubai and Dugu Zhantian nodded with a smile.

The way they saw it, Zhuo Fan was practically issuing a death sentence to the houses. At the very least, the vassals the seven houses enjoyed seeing fighting over their attention, would thin out.

It was just another blow at their name, what the emperor only dreamt of achieving. Who'd have thought it would come to fruition at the hands of Zhuo Fan? The seven houses' image was almost ruined.

[The emperor would laugh for days if he knew.]

Long Xingyun and Xie Tianshang sighed at their fortune.

The fortune of sticking with Zhuo Fan. Otherwise, they would've been standing in You Yushan's place by now. Losing their life was nothing compared to losing their house's image.

Zhuo Fan was a Demon Archon, an incontestable existence. It was far better to join him than suffer his wrath.

Long Xingyun looked at Long Yifey in respect.

[The old man knows his stuff to see the diamond in the rough. His mind is even sharper to stay close as well.]

Long Yifey noticed his son's eyes and held his head high. [Xingyun, see that? That's how a house lord should be, to have an eye for talent]

Zhuo Fan smirked at the hapless and disgusting thing, Did they also tell you to rob Ning'er's essence?

Uhm You Yushan was sweating bullets, not missing a beat in his begging and bowing, They wanted to see her suffer and all I could do was follow orders. You uh, here, take the girl's essence. Please have it and let me go.

You Yushan took a censer from his ring and presented it.

Zhuo Fan received it and looked at the pure essence within. Feeling the familiar aura, Zhuo Fan's hands shook, his heart was in pain and his eyes looked ready to burst, but he pushed the sadness back.

Even with the essence in his hand, his towering rage blew like a volcano, You Yushan, since you took it, then you must know how long the body can last before it must be returned!

Uh twenty four hours You Yushan trembled, his voice faltering under Zhuo Fan's rage.

Squinting, Zhuo Fan barked, You know it's useless now, yet you still dare to give it to me? I should smash you to death with it

Zhuo Fan was about to do just that. You Yushan held his head in fear. But as it was Ning'er's memento, he couldn't bear to stain her pure essence with this filth.

Zhuo Fan put the censer away and smiled, Do you believe taking one's essence to be the most excruciating pain? Hhha, that's because you haven't seen me do it