Young Noble Be Monster Slaying-Chapter 780: I Have My Own Plans (I)

On Starhold Island, white mourning garments fluttered in the wind.

With a solemn expression, Hong Jufeng, clad in mourning attire over a suit of armor, sat before his father’s memorial tablet. As he gazed at Hong Zhenyuan’s coffin, his eyes burned with hatred.

A sect elder stepped into the mourning hall.

"Young Master..." he said, hesitating for a moment. Eventually, he still decided to say, "The banquet has begun."

Before Hong Zhenyuan was assassinated, he had been preparing to launch an attack on the quarrying archipelago. Coincidentally, their forces stationed on the outer islands had been recalled. Though they had not been able to help capture the assassin, they came back at the right time to help prepare for the banquet, making the arrangements much more convenient.

The entire Starhold Island had been bustling with preparations throughout the night. By dawn, the funeral arrangements were complete. The white cloth was draped over the body, and the deceased was properly placed in the coffin, sealed and ready for burial. The island fell into a hush. Now, all that remained was to await the banquet.

"I'm not going," Hong Jufeng said, shaking his head and casting his gaze downward in sorrow. "I am not in the mood to eat."

Kneeling on the ground, he sat there like a sorrowful mountain of flesh.

Another close attendant of the island stepped forward and earnestly persuaded, "Young Master! persuading him. You’ve only eaten a suckling pig, a pot of meat porridge, two baskets of dimsum, and four bowls of meat soup since yesterday... That’s not even enough for a single meal by your usual standards! You are already becoming skinny! Even if you’re grieving your father’s passing, you have to eat something...

"Aside from avenging my father, nothing else matters to me. If I don't take revenge for my own father, how can I call myself a man?!" Hong Jufeng declared furiously.

Suddenly, he paused, twitched his nose twice, then whispered, "Did you guys make roasted lamb?"

The attendant replied, "They're all golden lambs from the Western Regions. When roasted, they are richly marbled, fragrant, and irresistibly tender. They were originally meant for the victory feast, but since the funeral banquet is today, we're serving them now. Shall I set aside three to five lamb legs for you? Just enough to tide you over?"

Hong Jufeng maintained a stoic expression but responded quickly, "Add more garlic."

"Understood."

The attendant went to make the preparations.

Two elders of the sect approached Hong Jufeng and advised him, "Young Master, skipping proper meals all the time is not the way to handle this. That assassin is highly skilled and moves like a shadow. We don’t know when he’ll be caught. If you keep this up, your body will give out before the day of revenge even arrives."

Hong Jufeng turned his gaze past the doorframe, his expression ice-cold as he looked into the distance. "Esteemed Elders, I may be young, but I am not a naive child. Since that assassin used the Seven Stealthy Killings Transcendent Form, it means that he cultivates the Heavenly Star Unusual Art. It may be difficult to track who cultivates the legacy of the Seven Killings Star, but only a handful of factions broke away from the Heavenly Star Divine Cult, aren't there?

"The Celestial King Sect, the Celestial Pivot Pavilion, the Sea King Sect..." Hong Jufeng gritted his teeth as he listed his enemies. "The factions that branched off from the Heavenly Star Divine Cult have long regarded us as traitors. And now, with the selection for the Terrestrial Ten, we are the only ones capable of standing against the Great Lunar Dao Sect. To them, we are a thorn in their side and an obstacle that must be removed.

"But of all the things they could have done, they should never... never have laid a hand on my father!"

Several elders hastily warned, "Young Master, you mustn’t speak so recklessly. Those sects hold the status of the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten. How can we make such accusations without proof? Even if we know the truth..."

One of the elders let out a long sigh and muttered, "But what can we do about it?"

All of them sighed, feeling like they wanted to do something but lacked the strength to do so.

Not even their backer, the Penglai Supreme Sect, would recklessly wage war against the factions that branched off from the Heavenly Star Divine Cult, let alone a small island like Starhold Island.

The truth was that the Penglai Supreme Sect could never extend its influence into the land of the nine provinces. Aside from the imperial court being the greatest obstacle, powerful alliances like the Heavenly Star factions also stood in the way.

"For now, we will set those sects aside," Hong Jufeng declared firmly. "But we must act against the quarrying archipelago! If we hadn’t planned to attack it, my father would never have given the assassin a chance. It is hard to strike down our true enemies, but we can start with the quarrying archipelago. This will be the first step in avenging my father!"

The sect elders exchanged glances before nodding. "That sounds doable..."

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

Compared to the factions that branched off from the Heavenly Star Divine Cult, the small number of Fuyao soldiers at the quarrying archipelago were nothing more than easy targets that were ripe for the taking. Even if a few Mount Shu Sect’s disciples were present, what could they possibly do?

The actual powerhouses of the Mount Shu Sect were well-known figures who would never openly interfere in the affairs on the East Sea. As for any nameless disciples who might be lingering there, Starhold Island could sweep in and slaughter them freely.

With Hong Zhenyuan dead and Starhold Island on shaky ground, a war was just what they needed to show the world the authority and strength of the new leader. If they failed to establish their authority now, forces from all sides would soon move in and test their strength.

The quarrying archipelago was the perfect target to achieve this goal.

Hong Jufeng suddenly stood up and declared in a resolute tone, "Gather all our brothers here and let us fulfill my father’s final wish. We will attack the quarrying archipelago and kill everyone there!"

Suddenly, someone called out, "Young Master, the lamb legs are ready—"

A group of attendants arrived at the mourning hall, carrying several large golden-brown roasted lamb legs, their glistening juices dripping onto the trays.

"Heh." Hong Jufeng let out a cold smirk. "The lamb legs are perfectly roasted but still too hot. By the time I return from conquering the Quarrying Archipelago, they’ll be just right for eating!"

...

The quarrying archipelago was shrouded in thick, eerie mist.

At the peak of a mountain, Grand Ancestor Fuyou sat cross-legged, eyes closed as he activated and circulated his cultivation energy.

With each breath, countless red specks of light drifted in and out of his nose and mouth. In no time, the mist around him deepened, swirling into a dense, ominous cloud.

A thin fog covered the island, making the the island feel even more eerie than before. Fortunately, there weren't many people on the island. Aside from the massive Mountain-Drilling Beast and a small group of miners refining spirit stones underground, only Du Wuhen remained on the surface to accompany Grand Ancestor Fuyou.

Within the crimson fog, a tall, shadowy figure stood motionless, making the scene even more unsettling.

This was the eerie sight that greeted the approaching forces of Starhold Island from afar. However, the moment they set foot on the island, everything changed.

Sensing a large group of cultivators approaching, Grand Ancestor Fuyou took a deep breath, drawing all the red mist back into his body. He then said, "I don’t know who’s here, but don’t scare them."

"I’ll go check it out," Du Wuhen said and leaped into the air. Moments later, he swiftly returned to Grand Ancestor Fuyou’s side and reported, "Little Second Brother, they come with ill intent."

"Elder Brother, don’t worry. I’ll see for myself," Grand Ancestor Fuyou reassured.

In the distance, massive beasts surged like tidal waves, while fierce birds filled the sky. The elite forces of Starhold Island swarmed in, their sheer numbers darkening the heavens. Leading the charge, Hong Jufeng was the first to land on the island, only to be met by an unusual sight—an old man and a shadowy figure standing in silence.

Behind him, several powerful cultivators followed closely, striding forward with determined steps.

Hong Jufeng fixed his gaze on Grand Ancestor Fuyou and asked, "Did the island's inhabitants flee before we arrived?"

"They did not," Grand Ancestor Fuyou replied with a smile. "This island is remote, and few people live here to begin with. But such a grand visit with so many people must mean you have important business here. If it’s not too much trouble, would you be willing to share what it is? After all, I was entrusted with watching over this place."

Hong Jufeng stared at him and suddenly scoffed, "Heh."

Grand Ancestor Fuyou was worried of scaring others so he kept the demonic qi within him restrained. At this moment, he was like an old man who was timid and feeble.

A sect elder from Starhold Island said with a sneer, "So, the Fuyao Kingdom and the Mount Shu Sect have finally learned to fear us. They only left behind a feeble old watchman to guard this place."

"Pffft!"

Laughter filled the air. Before it could die down, Hong Jufeng flipped his hand, revealing a golden pestle. Without a moment’s hesitation, he plunged it into Grand Ancestor Fuyou’s chest.

"Little Second Brother!" Du Wuhen cried out in shock.

Hong Jufeng spoke coldly, his tone dripping with malice. "If you seek revenge, take it against the one who left you here."

With a sharp pull, he yanked the golden pestle out.

Just as he was about to step over the corpse and continue forward, something unexpected happened. The old man did not fall. He remained standing exactly as before, his expression unchanged, with only a slight flicker of confusion in his gaze.

Though his chest bore a gaping hole, not a single drop of blood spilled. Instead, tiny specks of red light shimmered around the wound, steadily knitting it back together.

"Young man, I bear you no grudge. Why did you attack me?" Grand Ancestor Fuyou said with a sigh. "That is very improper behavior."

He shook his head. "Moreover, you were the one who attacked me, yet you tell me to seek revenge elsewhere? Also, hatred is not a good thing."

As Hong Jufeng stood frozen in bewilderment, struggling to grasp what he was witnessing,

Grand Ancestor Fuyou said, "If you have some things to discuss, you may speak to me. If it is within my power, I—"

Splurt.

Before Grand Ancestor Fuyou could finish his sentence, Hong Jufeng thrust the pestle into his stomach again.

As he pulled the golden pestle out once more, another gaping hole was left behind, with flickering red light once again gathering at the wound.

As if nothing had happened, Grand Ancestor Fuyou continued, "If it is within my power, I will help you. Why do you keep attacking me? Can’t we resolve this by communicating? Why do we have to fight?

"If I have done something wrong... or even if I haven’t, I can still apologize to you first. Could you please stop—"

Splurt.

This time, Hong Jufeng drove the golden pestle straight through Grand Ancestor Fuyou’s forehead, gouging out half his face and leaving yet another gaping hole.

Behind him, Du Wuhen could no longer stand by and watch. He stepped forward and declared, "This is the territory of the Mount Shu Sect's Red Cotton Peak. We were entrusted to guard this place. If you’re looking for trouble, I suggest you take it elsewhere."

"Hmph!" Hong Jufeng snorted and shouted, "Then you’re exactly who I came to kill! Brothers, come ashore and kill everyone!"

If it had been only Hong Jufeng, Du Wuhen would have felt no fear. But there was an entire army descending upon them, countless powerful cultivators advancing in unison. How could he possibly withstand such an onslaught?

Immediately, he was forced to retreat midair by this wave of qi. While that was happening, he shouted, "Little Second Brother, act now!"

Boom!

Before he could even glance back, Grand Ancestor Fuyou had already been trampled under a massive beast’s hooves, his body crushed into a formless mess, like a lump of mud.

Since the Azure Mysterious Wind Bird had left him, Du Wuhen’s combat strength had been cut in half. Immediately, he fell into great danger. Teetering on the brink of death, he could only call out for his Little Second Brother’s help.

Had he kept silent, perhaps the forces of the Starhold Island would have remained wary of the old man. After all, this old man seemed rather strange.

Nevertheless, the more Du Wuhen cried for help, the more reassured Hong Jufeng and his men became. After all, Du Wuhen was only at the peak of the sixth realm. How powerful could his younger brother possibly be?

Where in the world would a younger brother be stronger than his elder brother?

Yet, as they continued their relentless assault on Du Wuhen, the splattered remains of Grand Ancestor Fuyou suddenly began to emit faint flickers of red light, like scattered fireflies in the dark. One by one, the crimson specks rose into the air, merging into a dense mist of blood-red qi.

It was just like what happened on Misty Island once before.

In the span of a single breath, every Starhold Island disciple who had stepped onto Quarrying Island was completely engulfed by the eerie red glow.

There seemed to be a soft murmuring in the mist. It sounded like the voice of the devil itself. A chilling whisper slithered into their ears, creeping into their very souls.

But if they dared to step deeper into the mist, they would soon realize what was actually being said.

"Why do you insist on attacking me? Isn’t this all so unnecessary? Wouldn’t it be nicer if everyone was just a little more polite?"