Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain

Chapter 82: Sheng Yi’s return

The city’s elite was abuzz with the events of the previous night as word swiftly traversed the upper echelons. By the conclusion of the morning court today, the explosive news of the third prince’s audacious act of claiming the throne and incarcerating his own father had swept through the capital like a relentless wildfire.

From the scholarly nobles to the humble beggars on the bustling streets, the news of the unfolding events reached each and every individual in the city.

With the Qing Yi Tower assuming responsibility for the city’s security, a tidal wave of support surged forth as a multitude of people eagerly rallied to join their ranks, making a collective choice to aid in the city’s patrols.

The full extent of all that transpired was laid bare before the public eye, and remarkably, Murong Lin neither impeded the dissemination of the news nor took any personal measures to orchestrate it.

Amidst the whirlwind of events, the origins of Murong Lin’s formidable and influential force seemed inconsequential to the masses. Their singular focus rested solely on the grim reality of his fratricide and the imprisonment of his own father. The overwhelming weight of his newfound authority over the imperial court and his indiscriminate slaughter overshadowed any curiosity about the intricacies of his schemes or the means by which he gained such power.

Discussions ran rampant among the public.

In their obliviousness to Murong Lin’s past personality and the tragedies that had befallen him, the public’s condemnation remained relentless and unwavering.

And with the deliberate guidance of a select few individuals, Murong Lin’s reputation had fallen to its lowest.

In every nook and cranny, from the sprawling streets to the narrow alleyways, the name of Murong Lin echoed incessantly in heated discussions filled with blame and reproach.

Amidst the overwhelming disapproval of Murong Lin, a small yet devoted group of commoners, fiercely loyal to Murong Tong, had come together with a noble purpose. United by a shared determination, they sought to rescue their unjustly imprisoned emperor and mount a courageous counter-attack against Murong Lin.

Within a sealed, dark room in a manor, sat three people.

Amidst the group, there was a figure whose aura appeared feeble, a telltale sign of recent injuries. It was none other than Sheng Yi, who spoke in a soft tone, “I have warned you all before,” he said, “Murong Lin, that despicable thief, will cling stubbornly to his wicked ways!”

On the other side, a worried voice responded, “Then what should we do? Murong Lin is ruthlessly eliminating any dissidents within the imperial court as we speak. Those who remained loyal to Murong Tong are facing merciless deaths one by one. I fear that even my death is imminent!”

The voice belonged to Libu Shi Lang.

Libu Shi Lang, the trump card carefully arranged by Duke Sheng, turned out to be an unfortunate disappointment during the devastating annihilation of the duke’s manor. Despite being rendered ineffective in that dire situation, Libu Shi Lang managed to remain concealed.

Currently, Sheng Yi had taken refuge within his manor, seemingly immersed in deep contemplation and strategizing.

“There’s no need to panic, Murong Lin will not find out your connection with my father as of now, and therefore, he won’t take any drastic actions against you.”

The third silhouette that sat at the other end spoke, “My brother is set to reach the capital by tomorrow. Sheng Yi, what are your plans?”

A cold air exuded from his body, accompanied by the prideful Sword Intent of a swordsman.

His strength seemed to have reached the first layer of the Manifestation realm.

He was the younger brother of the Willow Sword Saint, Liu Wu.

One of the seven great prodigies in Yan.

The ‘Brother’ he had referred to earlier was the Willow Sword Saint of the Sky Reaching realm.

As the cherished sibling of the revered Willow Sword Saint, Liu Wu had spent his life secluded on a distant island, shielded in the utmost security.

Now, at the age of twenty, the time had come for him to venture into the vast world of the Jiang Hu, embarking on his own journey.

Sheng Yi had relied on his past memories to seek out the cultivating Liu Wu, and he used the cultivation method in his memories to trade for Liu Wu’s brother, Liu Sheng’s help once.

As a reincarnator, Sheng Yi knew Liu Wu’s interests and hobbies, and he knew how to gain his trust in the shortest amount of time.

Having acquired a solid foundation of trust, Sheng Yi wasted no time and broached the subject of the trade, asking for his brother’s assistance in return for his cultivation method. As Liu Sheng examined the complete lower Barren grade scripture that Sheng Yi presented, he was immediately tempted.

While Ning Wei Wu had also tried to trade with him, he had only given him half of the cultivation method he possessed.

And what he sought in return, was his arduous efforts in dealing with the imperial dynasty and the Murong clan.

Sheng Yi, on the other hand, directly handed over the complete lower Barren grade cultivation method in exchange for his help once. It wasn’t a surprise that he agreed.

Not only did this transaction represent the epitome of a perfect trade, but it also showed the trust that the other party had in him.

He swiftly left behind the persistent pestering of Murong Tong and set forth for the capital with utmost haste.

Sheng Yi’s gaze fixated on the distant imperial palace as he muttered to himself, “Murong Lin! I have returned, have you prepared yourself for death?”

Merely a few days ago, amidst the chaotic annihilation of the duke’s estate, he plunged into the river and used the powerful currents to carry him outside the capital to safety.

Amidst the unyielding pursuit of the men dispatched by the sixth princess, Sheng Yi was pushed to the brink, compelled to unleash every last one of his trump cards to secure an escape.

Yet, just when he thought he had evaded his pursuers, despair enveloped Sheng Yi as he found himself confronted by an additional eight ambushers that emerged from seemingly nowhere.

These eight men exuded malevolent auras, their cultivation reaching the Manifestation realm.

But Sheng Yi knew that they were Murong Lin’s underlings.

Upon realizing that this world differed from the Yan in his memories, Sheng Yi harboured several points of suspicion.

Murong Lin’s underlings that had suddenly appeared were naturally taken into consideration, but he didn’t take it into mind.

In his past life, there were no such individuals who had made a significant impact, and he had concluded that they must have faded into obscurity in his life due to their unremarkable strength.

But with the complete obliteration of the duke’s residence and the silencing of the Blood Spirits, a surge of anxiety washed over Sheng Yi.

In his memories, the revelation of the Blood Spirits’ existence and their subsequent annihilation was supposed to occur five years later. What transpired was utterly unexpected and should not have taken place at this moment in time!

Even more shocking to him was the realization that the sole influential force under Murong Lin’s command had been entirely sacrificed by the man himself.

He bore no resemblance to the reckless Murong Lin from his past life.

Doubts began to creep into Sheng Yi’s mind, questioning the true identity of Murong Lin.

Perhaps, could he also have transmigrated from the future?

But considering that his death was predestined in five years, and the fact that he didn’t die with remarkable strength, it didn’t seem likely.

Sheng Yi fell into complete despair upon seeing the eight ambushers.

However, at this very moment, unbeknownst to whatever stroke of luck he might have, a Sky Reaching realm expert appeared.

It was ‘Lethal Spectre’, Nie Su.

In Sheng Yi’s memories, this encounter was indeed a fortuitous encounter, one of great significance.

Yet, Sheng Yi distinctly remembered that this Sky Reaching realm expert had appeared in the vicinity of the capital only a year later. After imparting a lifetime’s worth of knowledge and skills to an unknown child, he passed away.

Now, this very same expert had unexpectedly appeared here!

Despite being unable to pinpoint the reason, Sheng Yi couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was somehow intertwined with his destiny.

‘Lethal Spectre’ Nie Su displayed no trace of mercy as he launched a ruthless assault on the eight individuals in front of them, leaving them severely injured and even claiming some of their lives, all while rescuing Sheng Yi.

In his own words, he was simply standing up against injustice.

Naturally, Sheng Yi seized this opportunity and quickly formed a bond with Nie Su.

As Nie Su tended to his injuries over the next few days, Sheng Yi cleverly utilized his past memories to please Nie Su, subtly enhancing the bond and goodwill that Nie Su held towards him.

Upon learning of Sheng Yi’s intense thirst for revenge, Nie Su immediately expressed his firm determination to stand by his side and aid him in seeking retribution with an equal measure of animosity.

Then, Nie Su fell into silence.

Not long after, Nie Su imparted his skills to Sheng Yi while he was asleep, muttering softly to himself as he did, “I have neither father nor mother, no master nor disciple; my life has been that of a wanderer.

Now that the end draws near, meeting you and passing on my skills, I hope that have been of some help to you.”

And as Nie Su imparted his skills, Sheng Yi’s cultivation skyrocketed.

In this critical moment, Sheng Yi retrieved the mortal form, the ‘Yin Yang Aura’ that he had obtained through utilising his past memories.

Sheng Yi instantly broke into the Manifestation realm, harnessing the power of his own extensive accumulation of power and leveraging the unique skills imparted by Nie Su. In one fell swoop, he ascended to the fifth layer of the Manifestation realm.

By the time he had fully absorbed the spiritual powers, Nie Su had already passed away.

With a mixture of gratitude and guilt, Sheng Yi completed the burial rites for Nie Su before swiftly seeking out the nearby cultivating Liu Wu.

After finalising the deal, he snuck into the capital as he collected information and entered the residence of Libu Shi Lang, Duke Sheng’s sole remaining subordinate in the capital.

By this time, he was confronted with the grim reality of the capital’s dire state.

The evidence he gathered only solidified his suspicions about Murong Lin not belonging to this timeline.

Perhaps he was just like himself—an individual sent back in time from the future.

Faced with the merciless Murong Lin, Sheng Yi began meticulously devising his plan to overthrow the tyrant and avenge the deaths of his father and Zi Lin.

Translator’s note

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