Chapter 320: Taking the Blame

Zuoqiulong knew better than anyone the methods of this woman. She was not only vicious but also possessed formidable cultivation. Apart from Lord Blackhorn the Great King, she was the strongest cultivator in the entire Water Mansion. A Pseudo Core cultivator at the Perfected Foundation Establishment Realm, she was also a monster cultivator. In the Foundation Establishment Realm, human cultivators simply couldn’t match the accumulated advantages of their monster counterparts; their lifespan alone granted them an overwhelming advantage over human cultivators of the same level.

“These Marauder Cultivators dared to kill even Lord Blackhorn’s offspring,” the woman said, her voice dripping with venom. “Their audacity knows no bounds. It’s a pity that the Water Mansion’s years of accumulation have been reduced to ashes.”

She slowly strode toward the hall’s exit.

As the First Madam of the Water Mansion, she had controlled its resources for years, embezzling vast quantities through both overt and covert means. In the past, such minor transgressions would have gone unnoticed. But recently, Lord Blackhorn the Great King had encountered some extraordinary fortune, prompting him to demand all the Water Mansion’s accumulated resources to prepare for a breakthrough.

How much would this breakthrough cost?

The Treasure Vault was already empty! The resources meant for Lord Blackhorn’s breakthrough had been diverted by the First Madam, and her subordinates had all taken their share. How could they fill this gaping hole? Given Lord Blackhorn’s ruthless nature, discovering the embezzlement would undoubtedly trigger a bloodbath.

The First Madam never expected that man to show her any sentimentality, so she devised this plan.

It wasn’t clever.

But it was practical!

After millennia of human societal development, didn’t they still resort to setting fire to treasuries during audits? She was simply borrowing a tried-and-true method.

“Have you lured them all to the designated location?”

“They’re already in Ao Ye’s courtyard,” Zuoqiulong replied immediately.

“Then kill that bastard child inside as well. I’m tired of playing with such a fool.” As she spoke, the woman’s figure vanished into the courtyard. Only then did Zuoqiulong straighten up, glance in the direction she had disappeared, and follow after her.

Ao Ye had been discovered.

How could a child who hadn’t even embarked on the path of cultivation evade the Divine Sense of these Marauder Cultivators?

“Boy, where’s the Treasure Vault?” The Blood Blade Cultivator lifted Ao Ye by the scruff of his neck, his Foundation Establishment aura crushing the boy’s spirit. Terror filled Ao Ye’s eyes as he clutched the book in his arms, as if it were his only lifeline.

Slap!

Seeing Ao Ye’s silence, the Marauder Cultivator beside him, who specialized in breaking Restrictions, delivered a stinging slap. The sharp pain snapped Ao Ye back to reality.

“What’s that you’re hiding?”

A hand reached into Ao Ye’s robes and snatched the book away.

“Give it back!” Ao Ye’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot, his pupils crimson as a palpable wave of murderous intent erupted from him. Unfortunately, a child utterly ignorant of cultivation could not harm a Foundation Establishment cultivator, no matter how intense his emotions. They couldn’t even sense it.

“Records of the Nine Provinces: Immortals and Gods?” The Marauder Cultivator who had seized the book glanced through it disdainfully before tossing it aside. It was nothing more than a common piece of trash, the fanciful imaginings of a scholar who hadn’t even entered the Cultivation World. To Marauder Cultivators like them, such books were utterly worthless.

“Records of the Nine Provinces: Immortals and Gods? Isn’t this the Dragon Transformation Secret Art?”

“Where’s the Treasure Vault?” The Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator had no time for explanations.

“I… I don’t know,” Ao Ye stammered, glancing at the discarded book beside him. He truly didn’t know. Having been confined to the courtyard by the First Madam for years, he had never left the estate. How could he possibly know the location of the Treasure Vault?

“Then you’re useless.” A wisp of bloody light materialized in the Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator’s palm as he prepared to strike.

Suddenly, a hand landed on the Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator’s shoulder, suppressing the blood qi he had just begun to circulate. The immense spiritual energy caused the Marauder Cultivator to freeze, and he instinctively turned to see who had spoken. It was none other than the inconspicuous “Gu Demon Khan Jiu.”

“I quite like this child,” Chen Luo said with a smile. “Give him to me.”

Such a promising seedling couldn’t be allowed to die so easily.

“Since Fellow Daoist Han desires him, you may have him,” the Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator replied, averting his gaze and tossing Ao Ye to Chen Luo. The remaining Marauder Cultivators paid no attention. Over their years as Marauder Cultivators, they had encountered countless demonic cultivators who practiced corpse cultivation and Soul Refining. In their eyes, Chen Luo undoubtedly intended to take the child back to nurture gu. After all, his title included the word “gu.”

“I… I can’t die yet,” Ao Ye stammered, trembling in Chen Luo’s grasp. He still had unfinished business; how could he die now?

“Oh?” Chen Luo studied the boy. In his vision, a vibrant cloud of emotional energy swirled around Ao Ye, enveloping him like a multicolored mist. Even the Demonic Heart Art stirred restlessly, eager to plant a Demon Seed within him.

“Time is running out. We need to hurry and leave enough time to escape.”

The Marauder Cultivator who had been disabling the Restriction hadn’t even finished speaking when he abruptly turned around, his eyes darting into the darkness behind him.

“Who’s there!”

At his shout, spiritual energy rippled from every Marauder Cultivator in the courtyard. As seasoned bandits, their vigilance far surpassed that of ordinary people.

A woman in a long red dress emerged from the shadows.

“We have guests at home. How could I, as the host, not come out to greet them?”

Though she stood alone, the expressions of all the Marauder Cultivators turned grave. A monster cultivator at the Perfected Foundation Establishment Realm! Before coming here, they had gathered intelligence: the strongest force in the Water Mansion was the Great King of Black Horn, and the second most troublesome figure was his First Madam—a sea serpent with seven centuries of cultivation.

“Hong Madam.”

The Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator materialized two Blood Blades in his hands, three illusory blades hovering behind him. The other Marauder Cultivators drew their Magic Artifacts, preparing for battle. Hong Madam stood calmly in the center, unhurried and composed. In the distance, Water Mansion experts hidden in the shadows watched the Marauder Cultivators intently. Only then did the intruders realize they had been completely surrounded.

“Are you looking for the Treasure Vault? I’ll take you there,” Hong Madam said suddenly, ignoring the group’s tense atmosphere.

Her words stunned everyone into silence.

Undeterred by their reaction, Hong Madam turned and strode toward the Treasure Vault.

“Shall we go?”

“We’ve risked everything to get here. There’s no way we’re leaving empty-handed! She’s alone. If necessary, we’ll join forces to kill her first and divide the treasure later.”

The Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator withdrew his Divine Sense. He had just sensed a number of monster cultivators lurking in the shadows, but most were mere First-Tier cannon fodder. Only two were second rank, making a total of three including Hong Madam.

With thirteen of them, their odds of victory were high.

The other Marauder Cultivators shared this sentiment. Seeing the Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator move, they followed.

A single Hong Madam wouldn’t deter them. As long as it wasn’t the Great King of Black Horn himself, they feared no one. Chen Luo, carrying Ao Ye, trailed behind the group. He had already swept the area with his Divine Sense but found no trace of Xue Ning’s hidden treasures.

Soon, the group arrived at the courtyard housing the Treasure Vault.

The buildings here were noticeably taller and grander, surrounded by layers of Restrictions. It was clear at a glance that this place was far more heavily guarded than the previous courtyard. The main gate was studded with golden copper nails, their surfaces swirling with faint golden Restriction patterns.

“This is the Treasure Vault of our Water Mansion. Whether you can obtain anything depends on your own abilities,” Hong Madam announced, halting and turning to address the assembled Marauder Cultivators.

“What are you planning?” one of them demanded.

“You are all Foundation Establishment Marauder Cultivators, and there are so many of you. As a mere woman, I have no choice but to cooperate to survive,” Hong Madam replied, her voice trembling with feigned vulnerability.

“Let’s hope that’s true.”

The Blood Blade Cultivator found Hong Madam’s behavior perplexing. Her motives remained unclear. Hong Madam fell silent, her gaze sweeping across the group before settling on Ao Ye, whom Chen Luo was holding nearby.

“Little Ye, why don’t you greet your aunt?”

“I…” Ao Ye’s body shook as he desperately suppressed the hatred burning in his eyes.

For years, Ao Ye had been concealing his emotions, convinced he was doing a good job. Little did he know that Hong Madam, a seasoned great demon, saw through his flimsy act in an instant. She had been toying with him all along, relishing his desperate struggles and the despair that followed.

Several Marauder Cultivators stepped forward to touch the Treasure Vault’s entrance.

A Restriction immediately lit up around the vault.

“I’ll handle this,” said the cultivator specializing in breaking Restrictions. He pulled out a dozen small black orbs from his robe and hurled them at the door.

Boom!

After the violent explosion, the Treasure Vault’s door was crudely blasted open. A gust of cold wind swept out, and the cultivators peered inside.

Empty?

The Marauder Cultivators stared at the empty vault, their faces darkening. This woman was clearly mocking them!

How could such a grand Water Mansion have an empty Treasure Vault? It was impossible!

“Now that’s much better,” Hong Madam said, a satisfied smile spreading across her face as she surveyed the shattered vault door.

The Marauder Cultivators gradually sensed something was amiss. The Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator’s expression turned icy.

“You want us to take the blame for this?”

As Foundation Establishment cultivators who had lived for over a century, they instantly understood Hong Madam’s scheme. The Marauder Cultivators had broken into the Treasure Vault, only to find it empty! When Great King Black Horn returned, he would assume they had stolen his treasures, and all the blame would fall on them.

“I never imagined that the son of Lord Blackhorn the Great King would harbor such hatred for his own father, colluding with outsiders to plunder the Water Mansion’s treasures.”

Her gaze remained fixed on Ao Ye, making it clear who she meant by “the son of Lord Blackhorn the Great King who harbors hatred for his own father.”

“You’re lying!” Ao Ye roared, his anger surging as if he were reliving the day this woman had poisoned his mother and younger sister. Back then, she had fabricated a flimsy excuse to deceive his negligent father.

Whoosh!

A crimson blade flashed, piercing Ao Ye’s chest.

The Blood Blade Marauder Cultivator struck first, and the others followed immediately. They had no patience for her lies. The moment they realized the Treasure Vault was empty, they attacked.

Empty?