NOVEL WEB CHAPTER 293
CHAPTER 293: Desperation
From the very beginning, Lu Ming had always known the truth—Moonfiend Yue was little more than a figurehead.
She held power, yes, a strength that some might call godly, but only when measured against the weak. In truth, her might was far from the majesty one would expect from a true god.
As Moonfiend Yue began to speak, her words drew immediate sneers from Shufang and Hao Jun.
“Killing you? You think the Subverters would let us off so easily?” Shufang’s tone was thick with sarcasm, barely concealing his disdain.
Hao Jun chuckled, his voice low and mocking. “Sister, you talk as if we’re best friends now.”
Moonfiend Yue’s attempts to salvage her position were painfully obvious. This was desperation disguised as diplomacy. It was the only hand she had left to play.
Fortunately for her, Shufang didn’t seem inclined to escalate things. His mocking smile faded, and his voice dropped to a measured calm. “Go back and tell your superiors this: with the Hundred Schools of Philosophy guarding these mountains, you won’t pass the Hundred Thousand Mountains.”
His tone darkened. “Now leave. And don’t let me catch you here again.”
Moonfiend Yue didn’t offer any response. She simply rose from her seat in silence, her expression carefully neutral. With Lu Ming and Tang Chongye at her heels, she turned toward the exit, moving with a quiet but unmistakable urgency.
It wasn’t just a retreat. It was a humiliation.
As they passed by Hao Jun, he flashed a savage grin at Moonfiend. “Trash,” he hissed. “And tell me, is it true what they say? That you're best known for warming the beds of men?”
Moonfiend Yue’s lips quivered, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles whitened. Yet, she said nothing. She just kept walking, her silence louder than any retort.
Princess Haona, watching the exchange, turned to Shufang and Hao Jun. “You’re not going to kill her?” she asked, a faint smirk on her lips.
Shufang shook his head, his expression impassive. “There’s no point. Killing her would only escalate things needlessly. We’ve already surpassed them in power. Why trigger a war we’re not fully prepared for?”
It wasn’t fear that stayed Shufang’s hand. It was calculation. The number of Divine Realm experts on both sides had long since surpassed a hundred. In such a precarious balance, Moonfiend Yue was not a critical piece. Removing her would provoke retaliation, but it wouldn’t tip the scales in anyone’s favor.
Hao Jun’s reasoning was even simpler. “She’s weak. It doesn’t matter when you kill the weakest god. You can crush them whenever you like.”
Princess Haona’s attention shifted to the massive Blackmond Beast King standing nearby. She smiled and said, “From now on, Shufang and Lord Hao Jun will guard the heart of the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Blackmond, you’ve made the right choice. We won’t abandon you.”
Blackmond grinned, a slow, predatory smile that revealed his sharp teeth. “Good. But what about the secret techniques you promised me?”
Princess Haona chuckled softly. “I’ve brought them, as promised.”
The moment the trio stepped outside the grand hall, Moonfiend Yue shot into the sky, her aura blazing with fury. Lu Ming and Tang Chongye were dragged along in her wake, barely able to keep up. The force of her power was overwhelming, making resistance futile.
In a matter of seconds, they soared across the landscape, the scenery blurring into an indecipherable smear. Even Lu Ming’s sharp senses couldn’t process the speed at which they were moving. Within three heartbeats, they were at the outskirts of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Then everything went still.
The world around them seemed to freeze, suspended in a tense, oppressive silence. Moonfiend hovered in the air, her back turned to them, her figure as rigid as a statue. The air around her crackled with barely contained rage.
Neither Lu Ming nor Tang Chongye dared to speak. The murderous intent emanating from Moonfiend was palpable. It hung in the air like a blade, ready to fall at any moment.
It was clear now—she was considering killing them both.
Lu Ming’s mind raced. He didn’t need to think long to understand why. They had witnessed her humiliation. For someone like Moonfiend Yue, that was unforgivable. She was like a predator, wounded by stronger foes, now turning her frustration toward the smaller prey she could still dominate.
The tension grew heavier, suffocating. Then, slowly, Moonfiend turned to face them. This time, there was no mistaking the murderous intent in her eyes. It was a cold, unrelenting fury.
Her gaze locked onto Tang Chongye.
Terror washed over Tang Chongye. His face turned pale, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. “Lord Moonfiend, please, you can’t kill me! My father is a high-ranking officer in the Insect Clan’s military! I have protections—resurrection methods, divine soul binding! If he finds out that I died—”
Moonfiend’s sneer cut him off, sharp and cruel. “You dare to threaten me? You?”
In an instant, her patience snapped. The air around Tang Chongye shimmered as if reality itself was bending, and then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Erased from existence. No trace of him remained.
Whatever safeguards he had boasted about—his resurrection, his divine soul protections—were useless before the wrath of a god.
Lu Ming sighed inwardly. Tang Chongye had some potential, but in the end, his fate was sealed by Moonfiend’s foul mood. He had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now, it was Lu Ming’s turn.
“It’s your turn,” Moonfiend’s voice was ice, the words a cold whisper in his ear.
Lu Ming’s mind worked quickly. He couldn’t fight her, that much was clear. His only hope was to reason with her, to appeal to whatever sliver of logic remained beneath her rage.
“Lord Moonfiend,” he began, his voice calm, “before you kill me, may I ask you one question?”
Moonfiend’s expression didn’t change, but she gestured for him to continue. “Speak.”
“Why did you kill Tang Chongye first, and not me?”
Her eyes narrowed, as if puzzled by the question. “You’re my subordinate. He wasn’t. That was my final act of mercy.”
Lu Ming nodded, understanding now that his life had been spared only by the thinnest of margins. But mercy was a fleeting thing, and Moonfiend’s patience had already worn thin.
“I’ll grant you three more sentences,” she said, her voice as cold as the look in her eyes. “Choose them wisely.”
Lu Ming seized the moment. “Lord Moonfiend, killing me in a fit of anger would be a waste. My true identity is that of a spy, placed by the Aeonians. From the very beginning, Blackmond’s invitation was a trap designed for you.”
Moonfiend’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes sharpened, her interest piqued.
“But if you use this—if you use Tang Chongye’s death, combined with the insult from the Four Ancient Beast Clans, you could justify a full-scale war. A war where your honor will be restored in blood.”
For a brief moment, Moonfiend Yue seemed to consider his words. Her gaze softened slightly, her murderous aura retracting just a fraction.
But then her eyes narrowed again. “You make a compelling case, but what’s to stop me from killing you anyway? Your status as a spy only confirms my mistake in trusting you.”
Lu Ming didn’t hesitate. “Because I can help you. I can infiltrate the Eternal Clan. Given time, I can get close to Shufang’s bloodline. I can eliminate his entire lineage. You’ll have your revenge in full.”
Moonfiend studied him, intrigued. “Go on.”
“You focus on killing Shufang himself. I’ll ensure that no one bearing his blood survives. His descendants will pay for the humiliation he inflicted upon you. Their blood will be the price for your lost dignity.”
For the first time, Moonfiend smiled. It was a cold, predatory smile, but a smile nonetheless. “Very well, Lu Ming. You’ve earned your life. For now.”
Lu Ming bowed slightly, relieved but cautious. “I won’t disappoint you, Lord Moonfiend.”
Her gaze darkened. “You better not.”
End of Chapter 293