"Young Master, since you were here, why didn't you show up earlier? It would have saved us a lot of trouble."
Seeing Daniel Davis appear, Wanwan immediately feinted with her Heavenly Demon Twin Blades and easily disengaged from the battle. The Twin Dragons also took the opportunity to retreat, leaning on each other as they gasped for breath. Compared to Wanwan's calm composure, the Twin Dragons were still far behind her.
"The Longevity Scripture is truly remarkable." Watching the Twin Dragons quickly recover their breath, Daniel Davis couldn't help but marvel at the Longevity Scripture's powerful recovery abilities. The Twin Dragons leaned on each other, using their respective yin and yang energies to heal their injuries. Not only did this method allow for rapid healing, but it also enhanced their internal energy.
After Wanwan stopped fighting, Zhu Yuyan, with a single palm strike, forced Lu Miaozi back and then withdrew, gracefully walking over to Wanwan.
Once Zhu Yuyan and Wanwan had both ceased fighting, Bian Bufu, Wen Caiting, Dan Mei, and Shang Xiuxun also stopped and retreated.
"Taoist Heavenly Sect's Daniel Davis greets Sect Leader Zhu."
Seeing the Demon Sect members led by Zhu Yuyan standing opposite him, Daniel Davis stepped forward and greeted Zhu Yuyan, taking the opportunity to observe her. She was tall and slender, with her hair tied up in a high bun and dressed in simple yet elegant attire. Her face was partially obscured by a veil, making it impossible to see her full features.
This was a real veil, not like the ones in TV dramas that allowed people to see through them easily.
"If Zhu Yuyan were to meet Yue Shen, it might be quite interesting." Zhu Yuyan's appearance reminded Daniel Davis of Yue Shen from the Yin-Yang School.
"I heard that you wish to cooperate with the Demon Sect," Zhu Yuyan said after a slight bow, getting straight to the point.
"Not cooperation, but the Demon Sect pledging allegiance to me." Daniel Davis smiled as he looked at Zhu Yuyan, gently shaking his head. He didn't believe Wanwan hadn't informed Zhu Yuyan of his conditions, but it was natural for Zhu Yuyan to phrase it this way. Gaining the Demon Sect's loyalty wouldn't be easy.
"What kind of person are you to dare speak like this?" Before Zhu Yuyan could respond, Bian Bufu, standing to her left, glared coldly at Daniel Davis. However, when his gaze fell on Shi Qingxuan behind Daniel Davis, it turned greedy, just as it had when he looked at Shang Xiuxun earlier.
Bian Bufu was a lustful man who had once dared to make advances on Shan Meixian and now had his sights set on Wanwan. If it weren't for Ba Fenghan eventually killing him, Wanwan would have done so herself.
"I have matters to discuss with Sect Leader Zhu. The battle over there isn't over yet. You should go and take a look." Daniel Davis coldly glanced at Bian Bufu before ignoring him and addressing Lu Miaozi and the Twin Dragons.
"Let's go." Lu Miaozi nodded slightly and immediately led Shang Xiuxun and the others away. Regarding the Demon Sect, Daniel Davis had already discussed it with them beforehand. Fortunately, none of them, including Shi Qingxuan, were the type of righteous people who would rather die than cooperate with the Demon Sect.
Neither the so-called righteous factions led by the Temple of Compassion nor the Demon Sect led by Zhu Yuyan of the Yin Kuai Sect could be easily dismantled by simply eliminating their leaders.
Just look at how much the Demon Sect suffered at the hands of the Twin Dragons in the original story. Many of their experts were killed by the Twin Dragons, yet during Wu Zetian's reign, the Demon Sect still flourished.
Even the seemingly insignificant Xiang family was causing trouble during Wu Zetian's era. For Daniel Davis, choosing the Demon Sect was simple. Wanwan was one reason, but more importantly, they were enemies of the Temple of Compassion. Most importantly, the Demon Sect paid taxes. This was crucial.
On the surface, the Demon Sect was lawless, killing at will and disregarding the law. Daniel Davis didn't deny this. However, if you looked closely at the Temple of Compassion and the Buddhist sects, the casualties they caused were even greater. For example, the vast farmlands owned by the Buddhist sects were mostly acquired through exploitative loans, with each deed stained with the blood of innocent souls.
As for disregarding the law, that was even more laughable. Once someone became a monk, they claimed to be detached from worldly affairs and thus exempt from legal consequences, saying that becoming a monk could atone for sins. This wasn't just Daniel Davis's opinion; he had done some research.
Without investigation, there is no right to speak. Daniel Davis knew this well.
"Now, let's discuss the previous topic. But before that, I have one more thing to do." Daniel Davis's expression turned cold as he appeared beside Bian Bufu, who was standing behind Zhu Yuyan. His fiery red palm struck Bian Bufu's chest—Skeleton Blood Hand Seal.
Scream!
Facing Daniel Davis's sudden attack, Bian Bufu had no time to react. He felt as if his insides were burning and let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"What do you mean by this?" Seeing Bian Bufu writhing in pain on the ground, Zhu Yuyan's gaze turned icy as she looked at Daniel Davis, who had returned to his original position. If it weren't for the information she had received from Wanwan about Daniel Davis, she might have already attacked.
Although Bian Bufu was no good, his grandmaster-level strength was crucial to the Yin Kuai Sect. Otherwise, Wanwan wouldn't have tolerated him for so long and would have killed him long ago.
"It's nothing. I just promised Shan Meixian that I would kill him. Even without that, I would have done it anyway."
"Meixian." Zhu Yuyan's cold expression flickered for a moment upon hearing Shan Meixian's name, but she quickly regained her composure.
Zhu Yuyan wasn't without guilt regarding Shan Meixian, but in her heart, the Yin Kuai Sect came first. For its sake, she could even tolerate Bian Bufu.
In short, Zhu Yuyan was a woman deeply committed to her cause. In the original story, she was willing to perish together with Shi Zhixuan for the sake of the Yin Kuai Sect's status.
Of course, strictly speaking, Zhu Yuyan's actions at that time were driven by revenge and the desire to unify the Demon Sect under the Yin Kuai Sect. For Zhu Yuyan, only the Yin Kuai Sect could unify the Demon Sect. No one else was acceptable.
The Demon Sect's overall strength was not inferior to the righteous factions led by the Temple of Compassion. The reason they were always on the defensive was due to their internal strife. With Zhu Yuyan's willingness to sacrifice her life, even Ning Daoqi, the grandmaster, would have suffered serious injuries.
It seemed that Fan Qinghui was of a similar type. Strictly speaking, Zhu Yuyan's true rival should have been her, not Bi Xiuxin. However, after Bi Xiuxin's death, it seemed to have shifted to her.
"Alright, now that the nuisance is dealt with, it's time for you to make a decision, Sect Leader Zhu. The fate of the Yin Kuai Sect rests in your hands."
As Bian Bufu's screams grew weaker until they finally ceased, Daniel Davis's expression turned serious as he looked at Zhu Yuyan and the others. With his words, a black dragon emerged from his body, growing rapidly until it became a hundred-meter-long dragon floating above his head.
As the black dragon appeared, thick clouds of mist formed around them, obscuring the area. Combined with the darkness of the night, there was no need to worry about others seeing this spectacle.
For the Yin Kuai Sect, Daniel Davis didn't mind showing them some of his true power to ensure they didn't make the wrong choice. Of course, this was only because Wanwan was present. Other Demon Sect factions wouldn't receive such treatment.
The sudden appearance of the dragon left Zhu Yuyan, Wanwan, Wen Caiting, and Dan Mei utterly stunned. This was completely beyond their imagination.
At that moment, the black dragon exhaled a burst of flames, which landed on Bian Bufu's corpse before anyone could react. The intense heat instantly reduced the body to ashes, and the surrounding ground turned into molten lava.
"Room, Shambles." While Zhu Yuyan and the others were still reeling from the dragon's power, Daniel Davis waved his hand, and in the next moment, the five of them, including himself, appeared on the dragon's back. The dragon then soared into the sky.
"The Yin Kuai Sect pays homage to the Young Master."
In the sky, Zhu Yuyan, having regained her composure, immediately knelt down with Wanwan, Wen Caiting, and Dan Mei. Faced with the dragon, Zhu Yuyan had no thoughts of resistance.
"Rise." Daniel Davis nodded slightly.
Even the usually mischievous Wanwan was now behaving herself, though her eyes were still darting around curiously.
"Zhu Yuyan, there are two things I need you to do. First, spread the recent rumors about the Temple of Compassion and Ning Daoqi. Second, investigate all the temples and aristocratic families in Luoyang, with a focus on..."
The Yin Kuai Sect's combat strength wasn't particularly useful to Daniel Davis, but their covert influence made them an excellent intelligence network. The Demon Sect had survived for so long under the constant suppression of the orthodox factions because of their unique way of operating.
As the saying goes, "The greatest hiding is in the court, the middle hiding is in the city, and the smallest hiding is in the wilderness." You never knew which factions or aristocratic families had connections to the Demon Sect.
For example, Wanwan had grown up near Luoyang. Most people assumed the Demon Sect lived in remote mountains and forests, unaware that they lived in cities, with some even holding positions in the imperial court.
"Yes." Zhu Yuyan immediately bowed in acknowledgment.
"Wanwan, you will stay by the Young Master's side and follow his orders." After descending from the sky, Zhu Yuyan instructed Wanwan before leaving with Wen Caiting and Dan Mei, her face filled with excitement.
Pledging allegiance to someone who commanded a dragon was no disgrace. Moreover, from Daniel Davis's earlier words, it was clear he had no fondness for the Temple of Compassion or Ning Daoqi. This was a rare opportunity for the Demon Sect.
Now, even Ning Daoqi, the grandmaster, no longer intimidated Zhu Yuyan. No matter how powerful Ning Daoqi was, he couldn't compare to a dragon. Zhu Yuyan had always harbored resentment toward Ning Daoqi. The Demon Sect had never really opposed the Taoist sects; their enemies had always been the Buddhist factions led by the Temple of Compassion. Yet Ning Daoqi had repeatedly interfered in their conflicts.
"Young Master, did you appear this time because of those fake nuns' 'Choosing the Emperor' plan?" After descending from the sky, Wanwan's boldness seemed to return. After Zhu Yuyan and the others left, she curiously speculated about Daniel Davis's origins.
"No, you'll find out later. Let's go."
When Daniel Davis and Wanwan returned to the Flying Horse Ranch, the battle was nearing its end. Only the Flying Horse Ranch's forces were chasing down the fleeing bandits. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had also joined the pursuit.
Generally, Xu Ziling disliked such slaughter, but considering that letting these bandits escape would only bring disaster to innocent civilians, he didn't hold back. He disliked killing, but that didn't mean he wouldn't do it.
Kou Zhong, on the other hand, had no such reservations. He personally led a cavalry unit from the Flying Horse Ranch in the pursuit. For him, this was a rare experience.
"Alright, things here are mostly settled. We'll meet again in Luoyang."
A few days later, after the situation at the Flying Horse Ranch had stabilized, a small gathering was held in the pavilion of Lu Miaozi's garden. The attendees included Daniel Davis, Wanwan, the Twin Dragons, Lu Miaozi, and other key figures.
With the Flying Horse Ranch at peace, the Twin Dragons naturally had to leave. Although it was unclear whether the Temple of Compassion and the Pure Land Sect would proceed with their plan to use the He Shi Bi to choose the emperor in Luoyang after the recent setbacks, this didn't affect the Twin Dragons' original plans.
Lu Miaozi and a portion of the Flying Horse Ranch's personnel, about a hundred people, also left. These were mostly young individuals selected by Lu Miaozi, half of whom were skilled technicians, such as blacksmiths and horse trainers.
Due to its remote location, the Flying Horse Ranch had to be self-sufficient in many areas, such as weapons and horseshoes. With these people, Lu Miaozi could accelerate the production of mechanical beasts in Luoyang.
The remaining individuals were the elite of the Flying Horse Ranch's youth, tasked with escorting the technicians and five hundred fine warhorses to Luoyang.
Although the Flying Horse Ranch couldn't openly support Daniel Davis at this time, they could still provide assistance behind the scenes. These five hundred warhorses were just the beginning. It wasn't that the Flying Horse Ranch didn't have more horses, but they couldn't spare more personnel for escort duties.
The battle with the Four Great Bandits had also taken a toll on the Flying Horse Ranch. After all, this was war.
Don't underestimate these five hundred warhorses. If sold, they would fetch at least several thousand taels of gold. In these turbulent times, warhorses were exceptionally valuable.
Five hundred warhorses could form a cavalry unit of five hundred, which, if used effectively, could decide the outcome of a battle.
"Miss Qingxuan, have you ever thought about doing something for the women of the world?"
"What can I do?"
Faced with Daniel Davis's sudden question, Shi Qingxuan was visibly surprised. Not only her, but Shang Xiuxun, Wanwan, the Twin Dragons, and Lu Miaozi also turned their attention to him.
Lu Miaozi had been deeply engrossed in a conversation with Xu Ziling. Since the Twin Dragons arrived at the Flying Horse Ranch, not only had Daniel Davis been teaching them, but Lu Miaozi had also shared his knowledge when he had the time, such as architecture and the concept of the "escaping one."
Unfortunately, Kou Zhong had no interest in such topics, while Xu Zilian showed great aptitude.
(End of Chapter)
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