"We won't get involved. My Elven race will not take part in this matter. Whatever you plan to do has nothing to do with us. Of course, we won't inform the human race either. We stand neutral."Anerya spoke softly.
Clearly, she had no intention of getting involved in a plan so cruel and venomous.
"Good. I hope you mean what you say."The leader of the werewolves stared straight at the Elven Princess and nodded.
The Elves were not weak. In the jungle and the wilderness, they were the most terrifying archers and natural manipulators. Their ability to wield Nature's Power made the wilderness their true domain. They could effortlessly unleash incredible might.
No one wanted to become mortal enemies with the Elves. That was never pleasant.
"Rest assured, we Elves do not enjoy war. Regarding this matter, we shall not interfere—no matter who wins or loses," the Elven Princess quickly added.
"Very well. I believe in the credibility of the Elven race."The two-headed ogre also nodded.
Right now, the true enemy was the human race, and the last thing he wanted was to provoke a troublesome Elven foe. That would be far from enjoyable.
"Mr. Fan, this operation will be entirely under your command. I trust that with your ability, you will flawlessly execute the plan and achieve the results we desire," the two-headed ogre said again.
No one in the tent objected to this.
Fan Wencheng was no longer human—he was now a vampire, a member of the Blood Clan. His strategies and actions made it clear that he had completely abandoned his human identity and fully embraced his new race. He was now one of them—a comrade among the foreign races. He could be trusted.
No one doubted his resolve to destroy the human race.
"Don't worry. I, Fan Wencheng, will ensure that Great Yi's expansion ends in failure. Humans are merely my blood fodder. We are the true noble bloodline."Fan Wencheng declared coldly.
"Excellent. If you succeed, I shall allow you to establish your own Blood Clan tribe and become the progenitor of a new vampire lineage. From that point forward, you will be one of us—brothers of a new era."The two-headed ogre loudly promised.
This was no light promise. Not only would Fan Wencheng gain full freedom, but he would be allowed to establish his own Blood Clan lineage. Vampires grew their numbers through First Embrace, giving the progenitor immense natural control over their descendants.
Fan Wencheng hadn't been embraced by another vampire—he was transformed by a Blood Crystal. This meant he bore no mark of any existing Blood Clan and could serve as the origin of an entirely new bloodline, building his own tribe from scratch.
The appeal of this offer was enormous.
A trace of excitement even surfaced on his pale face.
"Thank you for your generous gift, my lord. I, Fan Wencheng, will devote myself completely."He knelt respectfully.
…
While the foreign races secretly forged alliances under Fan Wencheng's venomous strategy, in Xuanhuang City, inside the Imperial Palace, and specifically the Heart of the Emperor Hall, Yi Tianxing held a piece of intelligence.
In front of him, Empress Tong stood respectfully.
"Interesting. These tribes began to move as soon as they heard about our army's expedition. As expected, they won't just sit and watch Great Yi expand unchallenged."
"But provoking the resistance of the foreign races was part of my plan. If they didn't act, then sending the Vermilion Bird Legion would just be a field trip. A strong army must be forged in blood. If we slaughter a batch, we can clean up the wilderness while we're at it."Yi Tianxing flipped through the intelligence report.
This intel had been gathered over several days by the Heavenly Calamity Hall, deep in the wilderness. It included detailed records of surrounding foreign tribes, fierce beasts, and perilous forbidden zones.
"These so-called tribes… not a single one is clean. Many still imprison human civilians. How brazen. They clearly have no respect for Great Yi."But then, what Yi Tianxing read made his expression darken, his eyes gradually turning cold.
The report mentioned how not only were large numbers of humans held captive, but they were raised like livestock, bred to produce babies who were then boiled into soup because it was believed to be highly nourishing. In some places, to ensure fresh meat, chunks were sliced off living humans.
Though the intelligence didn't detail everything, the implication was horrifying.
It was a scene of unspeakable bloodshed.
"Foreign races are a great plague to the human race."Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and said grimly.
"The Ogre tribe… Someone from the human race has betrayed us and become their advisor—Fan Wencheng."His gaze fell on one line.
The report described a human who had taken refuge with the ogres and gained considerable status, moving freely within the tribe.
Most disgusting of all, it stated that Fan Wencheng ate human flesh and drank human blood, and even enjoyed it.
Yi Tianxing's heart surged with a killing intent.
Submitting to the foreign races in order to survive—that was understandable. Desperate choices in the face of death could be forgiven. But eating human flesh and drinking human blood—that crossed a moral line.
It was an absolute betrayal of humanity and human dignity.
"Fan Wencheng… that pig-tail braid—could it really be him?"Yi Tianxing muttered to himself.
If his guess was right, this Fan Wencheng was no ordinary man.
Fan Wencheng, courtesy name Xiandou, literary name Huiyue, from Shenyang in Liaodong. He had served four Qing emperors—Taizu, Taizong, Shizu, and Shengzu—as one of their top ministers. Many of the Qing's founding systems were created under his guidance, and he was revered as the head of their civil officials.
It was recorded that he had excelled in his studies early, passing the county-level exam at 18. After the Manchus took Fushun, he and his brother actively sought out Nurhaci, becoming one of the founding fathers of the Qing.
Under Emperor Taizong, he advised campaigns against the Ming, persuaded defectors, led invasions of Korea, calmed Mongolia, and helped build national policies.
In short, the fall of the Ming and the rise of the Qing owed a great deal to Fan Wencheng's ruthless cunning.
He brokered deals with the aristocrats of the Central Plains, promised benefits, opened trade routes, and steadily expanded Qing influence—eventually overwhelming the Ming like a prairie fire.
The methods he used were vicious and brilliant.
"Back then, he was a Han traitor. Now he's not even human anymore—he's a race traitor. Submission and humiliation must be etched into his bones. His integrity and blood have long been eroded. He no longer counts as human."Yi Tianxing said coldly.
"Is there a way to capture him from the ogre tribe?"Yi Tianxing asked Empress Tong.
"Not without alerting the ogres. According to the report, Fan Wencheng is extremely cautious and rarely leaves the main tent. He's well-guarded and constantly on alert. Capturing him would be nearly impossible."Empress Tong shook her head.
Fan Wencheng's actions clearly showed that he feared assassination and had taken strong precautions.
"The King values this Fan Wencheng highly," Empress Tong said curiously.
"Don't underestimate him. Some people are useless within the human race, but when it comes to harming humans, they are experts—more vicious than any foreign race. After all, no one knows humans better than a fellow human."Yi Tianxing shook his head.
Deep down, he had a premonition—this Fan Wencheng could become a major threat.
He might be despicable, but he had talent. Qing's reliance on him was no fluke.
"Shall I go personally and bring that dog back?"A glint of killing intent flickered across Empress Tong's face.
"No need. He's too cautious. There won't be many chances to catch him. Once the Celestial City reaches its destination and suppresses the region, it'll be much easier to take him then."Yi Tianxing shook his head.
"This time, the Heavenly Calamity Hall did a great job gathering intelligence. Send this report to the Vermilion Bird Legion. Wu Yong is also among the troops. Let's see if he can handle things on his own."
Though the army had set out, Yi Tianxing still assigned Wu Yong to accompany the Vermilion Bird Legion, not to interfere but to act as a military advisor. Whether his advice would be accepted was up to Yang Ye, the Legion's commander.
"Understood. I also plan to go myself this time. This will be the first collaboration between the Heavenly Calamity Hall and the expeditionary army. It'll be a valuable experience for future campaigns. And if any issues arise along the way, I can respond immediately."Empress Tong requested again.
"Very well. I have a feeling this campaign will not go smoothly. Go and adapt as needed. Report any developments at once. The army is now at the border of Great Yi. Use the teleportation array to head straight to Gold-Silver City. This war will not end until we achieve our goal."Yi Tianxing nodded after a brief pause.