Chapter Seventy-One: The Perceptive Subordinates

Of course, this thought only flashed briefly through Zhang Ning’s mind. He quickly instructed, “Tell me about the current situation.” Tang Dao agreed and began his report. Only then did Zhang Ning realize how complicated things had become.

The Grand Free Sky Demon Sect was teeming with powerful figures; there were nine martial saints alone, divided into five elders and four palace masters. Zhang Ning’s incident had directly alarmed two of them, who came personally. Under the overwhelming force and the efforts of Zhang Ning’s own subordinates, the purge of the Golden Lion Saint’s forces was completed within the day—a vengeance delivered without delay.

Such smooth progress was partly due to the weakness of their opponents. Since the sudden rise of this generation’s revered ones in the demon race, who broke their backbone as a united front, not a single martial lord had emerged from their ranks. They now cowered in various corners, some remaining somewhat active and interacting frequently with the human race, while others had become living fossils, wholly isolated. Those who came to assassinate Zhang Ning—Steel Spike and Yun Ke—were clearly the sort who remained out of touch with current events.

This had been evident already when they fought Han Zun. For a scion of a sacred land, battling across two great realms would not shock anyone from the Sky Azure Realm. Steel Spike and Yun Ke’s reaction proved they had probably only glanced at rankings—comparable to someone who reads the newspaper daily but never ventures online in modern society.

Even so, this decisive and ruthless retaliation caused a great stir in the Sky Azure Realm. For any large power, rapid response is what truly inspires fear.

After this incident, how the realm would judge Zhang Ning was secondary; what he cared most about was the effect and outcome of the two live broadcasts. Simply looking at the “attention value” received would be foolish, but thinking that Tang Dao might not know much about this, Zhang Ning paused and let it go. Unexpectedly, Tang Dao was observant and mentioned the broadcasts, giving a rough report that prevented Zhang Ning from being left in the dark, earning Tang Dao a silent nod of approval.

To Zhang Ning’s surprise, Tang Dao also spoke a few good words on Su Ye’s behalf. Zhang Ning then learned that Yu Zhong had indeed gone to hunt down those who slipped away, but Su Ye had returned to the sect to accept punishment. This made Zhang Ning uncomfortable. He had grown accustomed to his position and now felt the anger of having his subordinate punished without his consent.

However, learning that Su Ye had requested to be punished himself, Zhang Ning suppressed his anger and, after careful thought, had to admire Su Ye’s decision. Zhang Ning knew Su Ye had followed his orders, neglecting to arrange necessary protection for him—a fault that could hardly be avoided this time.

More importantly, Su Ye now handled resources and wielded authority that many coveted. Countless eyes watched for any mistake. Yet knowing the truth is one thing; accepting that a subordinate must bear punishment for his sake was another. In the short term, Zhang Ning could not fully accept this process, so he kept reminding himself to act with caution and to grow stronger as soon as possible.

After all, as long as Zhang Ning became strong enough, he would have little to worry about in a world where martial strength reigned supreme.

Although the Grand Free Sky Demon Sect was now ruled by Chu Hanyu’s word, and none dared to defy his commands, disciples like Zhang Ning still had to struggle through hardships while their cultivation remained low.

This time, a single word from their master would have solved everything, but even Zhang Ning knew that it would be improper to trouble their master with such trivial matters. His subordinates, especially Su Ye, would be left uncertain of their place. So Zhang Ning silently apologized and resolved not to act so recklessly in the future.

Then Zhang Ning wondered whether he should discreetly send word to his senior brother, who was holed up in the sect, to check if the punishment wasn’t too severe. Yet it was clearly inappropriate to have Tang Dao relay such a message, so Zhang Ning dismissed him.

Unexpectedly, before leaving, Tang Dao advised Zhang Ning to remain vigilant. With a martial saint bearing a grudge loose in the world, they had countless ways to ensure Zhang Ning’s safety, but caution was always wise. Accidents in hidden places were not uncommon, with the example of Third Prince Zhuge Yi betrayed by his own subordinates as a stark warning.

Moreover, the reason the Golden Lion Saint dared to strike at Zhang Ning was likely not simple. Even if he lived in isolation, he would know that a martial lord was unbeatable. For him to attack suddenly, he must have gained some new confidence—perhaps even glimpsed the threshold of becoming a martial lord himself. This logic was clear; but in the Sky Azure Realm, where martial prowess was everything, none would believe a martial lord would hide his strength. Tang Dao’s suspicion, though unusual, was a rare insight.

Tang Dao’s reminder enlightened Zhang Ning. He recalled the terrifying aftermath of a battle between powerful beings in the cave within the Ten-Thousand Mountain Range, and the corpse in his storage ring. This suspicion needed verification, so he set it aside for now.

Finally, Tang Dao withdrew.

After Tang Dao left, Zhang Ning spent a long time alone in the room, deep in thought.

Perhaps because Zhang Ning had not summoned any meals, his maids, always unobtrusive and making non-interference their guiding principle, finally appeared. They knocked on the door to seek permission, and after entering to check, the lead maid—apparently named Platycodon—came in and lit a stick of incense.

Zhang Ning did not stop Platycodon’s actions. Upon inhaling the scent, he felt a shock throughout his body, immediately closed his eyes to regulate his breath, and afterwards smiled with delight.

After questioning Platycodon, he learned this was a calming and tranquil incense called Purple Snow Sumatra, which Zhang Ning had indeed heard of—it was listed among rare treasures. Yet for Zhang Ning now, it was merely an incense managed by the maids in the Inner Palace.

Then Zhang Ning stopped Platycodon from apologizing for acting on her own initiative, feeling both amused and helpless. These maids were almost too well-trained, proper in all their behavior, lacking any untimely tempers—there wasn’t even one who tried to climb into his bed. Truly…

Zhang Ning thought of that winged young lady named Xia, and remembered how his third senior brother had unleashed such a furious tirade at him. He shuddered at once, hurriedly dismissed Platycodon, and prepared to compose himself, settling his mind with focused calm.