Chapter 1570: Iron-blooded Methods
Translator: Lordbluefire Editor: Lordbluefire
The moment after Qin Wentian spoke, Lu Tong’s expression instantly changed, becoming extremely ugly to behold.
In this case, Qin Wentian was just trying to lead him to say the words ‘begging for forgiveness.’ He all along already planned this out.
The people in the training grounds all felt their hearts trembling. With just a sentence, the atmosphere of this place changed completely. Earlier, Qin Wentian was smiling and his casual way of speaking caused Lu Tong himself to admit that he had received the summons three months ago and he didn’t respond to it. Right now, it was already too late if he wanted to deny this.
The butler who had been standing behind Qin Wentian, felt his heart trembling madly as he lowered his head even more.
“I’m asking you a question.” Qin Wentian’s voice suddenly turned a few degrees colder. The butler replied in a low voice, “According to the Lifire Palace’s laws, the governor can sever an arm from the guilty vice governor and expel him from the governor’s manor before making a report to the Lifire Palace.”
“Vice Governor Lu, do you understand your crime?” Qin Wentian then glanced towards Lu Tong.
“Governor Qin, this subordinate truly has an ongoing mission which led to delays. Lord Governor, please show mercy.” Lu Tong lowered his head, his heart trembling with anger. Was Qin Wentian planning to use him to establish dominance? Earlier, he still thought that Qin Wentian wanted to use soft methods to pull him closer but who would have thought that things changed completely in the blink of an eye?
“Sever one of your arms and get lost from the governor’s manor.” Qin Wentian stood in the air with his hands behind his back. The calmness in his voice was so calm that it was terrifying. The entire training grounds were completely quiet, nobody dared to say anything. This new governor shut himself inside for three months, was he making back-up plans for this?
Lu Tong’s expression was unsightly to the extreme. His long robes fluttered without wind as an aura belonging to a mid-stage immortal emperor gushed forth violently. He stared at Qin Wentian as he coldly spoke, “Governor Qin, are you planning to use me to establish your dominance?”
Qin Wentian’s calm gaze suddenly gleamed with sharpness. Bolts of lightning shot out as he stared at Lu Tong, “Knowing your crime but refusing to admit it? You even dare to slander this seat. Seems like this seat has to act personally.”
As he spoke, he stepped forward and blasted out a gentle-looking palm strike. Lu Tong’s aura gushed forth as he roared in anger, “I, Lu, want to complain about this to the Grand Governor!”
As he spoke, he punched out, easily dispersing the gentle palm attack of Qin Wentian. A cold smile flashed in his eyes. An initial-stage emperor? Qin Wentian’s attacking prowess was merely so-so. Seems like the rumors were false.
Qin Wentian took another step out, directly appearing before Lu Tong, exuding killing intent. Lu Tong punched out once more, with force sufficient to subdue dragons and tame tigers, his strength was even more domineering compared to demons, capable of blasting anything apart. His punch slammed into Qin Wentian’s body. With a low groan of agony, Qin Wentian was forced back. Lu Tong coldly sneered, “Since Governor Qin wants to act this way, don’t blame Lu Tong for being impolite.”
“Butler, what crime is he guilty of for insubordination and daring to harm his superior officer, the governor?” Qin Wentian asked again. The butler was shaking from terror. He didn’t dare to say anything but an instant later, when he felt a killing intent boring down on him, he immediately prostrated himself onto the ground and replied, “Death penalty.”
Lu Tong trembled, after that, he saw a terrifying gaze fixed on him. In an instant, Lu Tong only felt himself sinking into the eye-technique dimension where the heavens and earth were both sealed. He had no way to resonate with his constellation. His heart pounded violently as he felt chills all over his body.
He was fooled!
Right now, he actually felt terror. Even if the rumors were not false, even if Qin Wentian’s attacks weren’t that weak, how could he possibly be this powerful? Also when they exchanged blows, Qin Wentian clearly couldn’t even withstand a single strike. This meant that it was possible Qin Wentian allowed himself to be hit on purpose to pin him to the death penalty.
In the dimension, Qin Wentian stabbed out with his fingers, instantly materializing several swords of light which pierced forth. Lu Tong was simply helpless against them, his body was penetrated by the swords of light as his eyes flared with anger, glaring at Qin Wentian.
“Vile creature wanting to harm me…” Lu Tong had a look of despair. His heart was filled with reluctance, and as a mid-stage immortal emperor vice governor, he was actually killed by the new governor by such iron-blooded methods, all in the name of the law – his death became justifiable because he injured Qin Wentian.
With a bang, Lu Tong’s body slammed onto the ground. His eyes were still wide open in death, filled with reluctance to accept this.
Staring at the cold corpse of Lu Tong, the people in the training grounds felt their hearts pounding violently. A mid-stage immortal emperor vice governor was actually killed just like that. This was too ruthless.
Only now did they understand that this new governor wasn’t someone who could be bullied.
For a period of time, everyone only wanted to protect themselves, they didn’t have any inclinations about the safety of others. The three attendants who came late earlier, were now all pale with fright.
“Lu Tong’s crime is out in the open for all to see, he blatantly disobeyed this seat’s order and even dared to injure this seat. I killed him because he deserved the death penalty for his crimes. Anyone has any objections?” Qin Wentian’s eyes swept through the crowd as he asked calmly. How would there be anyone who dared to say anything? All of them shut their mouths and lowered their heads, not daring to reply.
“Since there are no objections, I will report this up to the Empyrean and remove Lu Tong’s name from our system.” Qin Wentian spoke. After that, he glanced at the three immortal kings in the air. The lead attendant had gone completely pale. He clasped his hands, “Your subordinates will leave right now.”
Qin Wentian flicked his sleeves as a powerful palm strike blasted all three of them away. They coughed out blood, their inner organs trembled from the impact but they didn’t even dare to look back. All three of them fled in a pathetic manner.
“All thirty attendants, including the newly conferred ones, better control your men well. Without my command, everyone better do your jobs and do them well. In the future, if there are any who dares to play around, I will immediately pronounce him guilty and mete out the punishments. For those who are not present today, take down their names and give it to the butler. If they show their faces here in the future, directly expel them. From now onwards, they are no longer subordinates of the governor’s manor.”
Qin Wentian gave the command. Everyone listened quietly, not daring to voice any objections.
“As for Lu Yichuan and Zhong Zihua, both of the vice governors have failed to comply with my orders, ignoring it for three months. They both have to sever an arm and will be expelled from the governor’s manor. Relay my command, immediately order the arrest of Zhao Yichuan and Zhong Zihua. If they take the initiative to come to the governor’s manor to plead guilty to their crimes, the punishment will be given as their original crime. But if they don’t show up within three months, they will be deemed as traitors. I will report this to the empyrean and capture them myself before killing them with no mercy.”
Qin Wentian’s voice brimmed with killing intent, causing the countless people here to tremble. This time, he didn’t merely use Lu Tong to establish his dominance. He wanted to finish all three vice governors in one go, expelling all three of them out from the governor’s manor. Also, he wanted the two other vice governors to sever one of their arms and come here to plead guilty to their crimes. If not, they would be captured and killed with no mercy.
Too ruthless, this was simply not giving them any grounds to retreat. Now, even if Zhao Yichuan and Jiang Zihua wanted to come back, they wouldn’t be able to do so now.
Everyone stealthily glanced at Qin Wentian’s handsome face, but they all felt chills in their hearts. Closing himself in for three months, but coming out with such a huge bang, directly making a move towards the three vice governors. Before this, who was the one who said that the new governor was weak and only came here to waste his time, waiting for the empyrean to shift him away? Now, it was clear that the skies of the northern city regions were going to change.
The subordinates of the three vice governors that were present here, all felt their hearts trembling. They were worried Qin Wentian would find them for revenge in the future. This was especially so for some who had obtained benefits from the Jialan Clan. They were all panicking and were worried that their relationship with the Jialan Clan would be exposed.
Qin Wentian took another few steps forward, his imposing aura permeated the area, boring down on everyone’s heart.
“On the order of the Lifire Empyrean, I took up the position as the northern governor. I’m unsure of what is going on before I came, and I don’t care about anything you guys did in the past. Even if you committed a great crime, I can close one eye about it. But from today onwards, starting from now, if there’s anyone who disobeys my orders or they dare to collude with outsiders, Lu Tong’s ending will be the same as theirs.” Qin Wentian coldly spoke, causing a heavy pressure to press down on everyone.
Qin Wentian didn’t pursue the past, this was considered giving them a chance, telling them to be loyal to him now. Many of the attendants here were close subordinates to Zhao Yichuan and Zhong Zihua, they had an unbreakable relationship initially but now, as the situations changed, they immediately felt how hard it would be to handle things.
“You guys can return.” Qin Wentian then waved his hands.
“Yes, governor.” Everyone was taken aback. He actually didn’t appoint new vice governors? But now, all of them felt like they had been granted a great amnesty. All of them then left one after another.
After they returned, everyone in the external manor area felt fear in their hearts, they no longer lazed about. Many of them had to make a decision but no matter which side they were on, there would be danger.
Things were different here compared to the other city regions. It was said that this new governor had a grudge with the Jialan Clan and it was unknown how long he would be able to sit securely in his position. If they really chose to submit to him, they would definitely be in extremely miserable states in the future if the situation changed.
After several days, the vice governor Zhong Zihua actually came back to plead guilty. This caused a great commotion that shocked the entire governor’s manor. After that, Zhong Zihua was brought before Qin Wentian.
“Zhong Zihua pays my respects to Lord Governor.” Upon seeing Qin Wentian, Zhong Zihua bowed.
“Zhong Zihua, do you know your crime?” A faint coldness radiated from Qin Wentian. The Evil Emperor followed behind him, his jade-green eyes staring at Zhong Zihua as well.
“Your subordinate knows. I’m willing to accept Lord Governor’s punishment.” Zhong Zihua bowed. “May your subordinate be so bold as to ask Lord Governor to give me a chance again? I don’t wish to be expelled from the governor’s manor.”
“Hmph.” Qin Wentian coldly snorted. In an instant, countless vines shot towards one of his arms, twining around it. The vines were as sharp as swords, piercing deep into his arm.
Zhong Zihua gritted his teeth, bearing the pain and agony as he silently endured.
“Why have you returned? Why are you willing to stay on?” Qin Wentian asked.
“Governor Qin, I know you have a grudge with the Jialan Clan and I have also learned what happened in the past between you and the Jialan Monarch. Truthfully speaking, following you is really not an intelligent choice. After all, even if you can contend against the Jialan Clan, your future would still be filled with danger.” Zhong Zihua calmly spoke, his words causing an expression of interest to appear in Qin Wentian’s eyes. He naturally understood this. Even if he could contend against the Jialan Clan now, who knows how long the Lifire Empyrean would have a use for him for?
“But, the command given by Governor Qin had simply severed any paths for me to retreat to. If I took on the name of a traitor, there would be no place for me in the vast territory controlled by the Lifire Palace. Even if I sought out the grand governor, he would surely support you at that time. After all, everyone understands that it was the Lifire Empyrean who gave this position to you directly. I don’t have a choice.” Zhong Zihua replied. “Also, the Jialan Clan definitely wouldn’t dare to accept me in their ranks. If they did so, that would be tantamount to giving Lord Governor an excuse to move openly against them.”
“You still had another choice.” Qin Wentian coldly laughed.
“Naturally. Within the three months, I could assassinate Governor Qin, or I could also borrow the forces from the Jialan Clan to deal with you. But I feel this isn’t an intelligent choice, hence I decided to voluntarily admit to my crime.” Zhong Zihua shook his head.
This was true as after all, as long as Qin Wentian was killed within the timeframe he had given of three months, all his previous orders would be void, turning meaningless.