Volume One: The Emperor’s Sword Chapter 67: The Devil’s Helper

The impostor disguised as Lan Yusheng never imagined that the corpse-eating insects, which he regarded as his weapon for silencing witnesses, would be so terrified they curled up in the corner, trembling. Nor did he expect that the supposedly impregnable mechanical chair would be escaped from with such ease.

The iron clamps on the chair were forged from refined steel—ordinary people could never break free, and even cultivators at the Qi Refinement stage would be trapped, waiting for death. Yet the boy before him showed no signs of cultivation; how could he possibly shatter refined iron?

It would have been impossible for anyone else, but Yun Que was far from ordinary.

The aura of the Sword Vein was like a nemesis to the corpse-eating insects, which couldn’t even qualify as true demon beasts. They dared not bite Yun Que; they longed only to burrow underground to avoid danger. If the room hadn’t been reinforced, the insects would have tunneled their way out long ago.

As for the mechanical chair—Yun Que might appear unarmed, but he had his Sword Soul at his disposal. The Sword Soul was as formidable as a flying sword: invisible and intangible, capable of killing without a trace, let alone destroying mere shackles or restraints.

Despite seeming passive, Yun Que was completely fearless; his previous actions were nothing but an act. Now, the drama had reached its climax.

When Lan Yusheng realized what was happening, he knew disaster was imminent. He spun around, desperate to flee.

Just as he tried to open the door, Lan Yusheng slammed into an invisible wall. He caught a glimpse of a tall, otherworldly figure standing like a guardian deity at the entrance, blocking his escape.

With a swift motion, Lan Yusheng drew a mid-grade flying sword from his sleeve, his eyes glinting with ferocity, his aura surging with the power of a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator. At this point, there was no need for pretense.

“So you did it on purpose—let me capture you and bring you here! When did you realize I wasn’t Lan Yusheng?” The impostor’s face twisted in rage, his voice low and menacing.

“That was quite some time ago,” Yun Que replied, counting on his fingers:

“First, Lan Yusheng always calls me by my full name; he has never called me ‘Little Que.’

Second, Lan Yusheng has never killed a mother wolf with cubs, nor has he ever sworn a poisonous oath.

Third, Lan Yusheng revered Grandfather Lan deeply and was steadfast in his integrity. He might have swallowed his pride to accept an imperial edict for his grandfather’s sake, but he would never utter words about assisting the emperor in forging swords, which would clearly defy Grandfather Lan.

Yun Que shook his head with a gentle smile, sighing, ‘When the ruler commands a subject to die, the subject cannot refuse. To think you could say such words! You know nothing of the Lan family’s loyalty. The Duke of Yu serves the people of the realm, not the waste sitting on the throne. Would his own grandson be ignorant of this?’

‘So, this play was doomed from the start. Your performance is clumsy and laughable; you know nothing of acting.’

Lan Yusheng burst into wild laughter. ‘So what if I botched the act! Only you noticed my flaws. Once I kill you, the play can go on!’

“You’re not wrong, but the key question is—can you kill me?” Yun Que replied with a cold smile growing at the corners of his mouth.

“Only at the third layer of Qi Refinement—what makes you think you can defy me? Prepare to die!” Lan Yusheng shouted, sending his flying sword forward.

“Don’t be hasty.” Yun Que raised a hand to halt him. “I’ve explained how I saw through your disguise. For fairness, it’s your turn to reveal your origins. With your level of cultivation and intelligence, it’s unlikely you masterminded this plot alone. Who’s behind you?”

“Think you’re so clever? Guess for yourself!” Lan Yusheng roared in fury, launching his sword.

The fight in the room lasted only moments before it ended.

Though Lan Yusheng had the fourth layer of Qi Refinement, enough to suppress ordinary third-layer cultivators, Yun Que was no ordinary Qi Refinement cultivator.

Defeating Lan Yusheng was effortless.

After locking Lan Yusheng, battered and bruised, into the mechanical chair, Yun Que withdrew his Sword Vein aura.

“I’m no immortal; I can’t guess who’s really plotting against the Duke of Yu. But I have ways to make you talk.”

Yun Que did nothing but stand at the doorway, smiling.

“You’ll never get a word out of me!” Lan Yusheng struggled wildly, shouting, “Even in death, I won’t tell you anything! No one can save the Duke of Yu—soon the Lan family will be wiped out! Ha ha ha ha! Ignorant fools, your Yan Kingdom is finished! Ha ha ha ha!”

Once Lan Yusheng finished his tirade, Yun Que said quietly, “You’re a barbarian.”

“So what if I am? So what if I’m not? If you’re so clever, guess it yourself! If you get it right, Grandfather will reward you handsomely! Ha ha ha!”

As Lan Yusheng laughed madly, a soft rustling filled the room, as if countless tiny legs were crawling in unison.

The corpse-eating insects gathered from the corners, swarming toward the chair, crawling onto Lan Yusheng’s body. When he realized something was crawling on him, his laughter died.

As he himself had said, these insects had been starved for days, and now their meal was before them—they were eager to feast.

To the insects, there was no distinction between master and prey.

“Get off! Get off, you damned bugs! I’m alive, not a corpse!” Lan Yusheng screamed in terror, his earlier arrogance utterly vanished.

Yun Que watched with an amused smile, echoing the impostor’s earlier introduction:

“Corpse-eating insects don’t just devour corpses—they eat the living, too. They’ll consume you entirely, leaving not even bones behind.”

“They’ll eat your flesh first, then your organs, and finally gnaw your bones. Ah, what a delightful experience that must be.”

“You’ve used corpse-eating insects to silence many before. You must have enjoyed watching them being devoured. Now, it’s your turn.”

Yun Que folded his arms, calmly remarking,

“Wail, so you can hear for yourself how exquisite those screams are—just how tragic they can be.”

As the first insect began to gnaw, Lan Yusheng let out a wretched howl, his features contorted in agony, gasping for breath.

He was terrified now, trembling as he looked at Yun Que.

“You’re a demon—a murdering demon!” Lan Yusheng’s voice quivered.

Yun Que laughed, replying,

“You set the insects loose, yet you call me a demon? What a slander! I’m but a demon’s helper, clearing the filth from the world.”

Lan Yusheng’s flesh was stripped away rapidly.

A hundred corpse-eating insects chewing at once was more dreadful than dismemberment.

At last, he could bear it no longer. He screamed,

“Get them off! I’ll talk! I’ll tell everything!”

Yun Que had been waiting for these words. He flicked his wrist, sending out sword energy, and the insects immediately fled from Lan Yusheng’s body.

Lan Yusheng sat bloodied and barely alive in the chair.

Yun Que turned and opened the heavy door.

The Duke of Yu strode in, his face stern, followed by Zhou Yuanliang and Luo Xiaoyu.

Lan Yu might not know what Yun Que had done, but Zhou Yuanliang was well aware. Since Yun Que and Lan Yusheng had left the hall, he had secretly followed them.

Since the Marquis Yun had promised to put on a good show, Zhou naturally had to follow the lead actor.

Thus, he found the place and brought the Duke of Yu.

Lan Yu was furious, hair bristling with anger, eager to strike down the impostor who dared impersonate his grandson. But the Duke of Yu understood that the most important task was to uncover the true mastermind.

“Speak! Who ordered you to impersonate my grandson?” Lan Yu demanded.

The dying impostor, now utterly broken, panted for a while before opening his mouth: “It was…it was…”

Just as he was about to reveal the mastermind, several slender insect claws extended from his mouth, his eyes rolled back, and his belly swelled like a balloon.

“Not good! Get out!” Lan Yu sensed danger, ushered everyone out, then kicked the door shut.

As the door closed, a muffled explosion echoed from within.

When they opened the door again, all that remained of the impostor in the chair was a pile of shattered flesh.