Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!

Chapter 678: Yu Zidi’s Last Bargain

Back to the Imperial Palace!

Yu Zidi’s entire body trembled with uncontrollable rage.

Never in his entire life had he experienced such betrayal at such a critical moment.

His bloodshot eyes slowly shifted toward Li Jianhong and Zhao Wutian.

He stared at the two of them as though he were seeing them for the first time.

His chest rose and fell violently.

He simply couldn’t comprehend it.

Just yesterday...

They had finalized every detail of their plan to destroy the Bai Clan.

They had discussed how to divide the Bai Clan’s resources.

Everything had already been settled.

Yet today...

Those same two people were openly standing beside the Bai Clan.

Not only had they abandoned him, but they had even dispatched the elites of their clans to protect the Bai Clan’s territory.

How could such a thing happen?

His mind desperately searched for an explanation.

(Could it be...)

(Had the conflict between the Three Great Clans been fake from the very beginning?)

The thought had only just appeared before he immediately rejected it.

The Bai Clan, Li Clan, and Zhao Clan had been mortal enemies for thousands of years.

How could all of that have been an act?

(Why?)

Why would the Li Clan and Zhao Clan betray him?

Hadn’t he already promised them enough?

Once the Bai Clan fell...

Half of the Bai Clan’s territory...

Half of its resources...

Everything had already been promised to them.

He had offered terms generous enough to satisfy even the greediest clans.

Yu Zidi simply couldn’t understand nor did he have the luxury of continuing to think.

Only now did he finally realize the situation he had fallen into.

On one side, Yu Feiyan’s forces had already surrounded the Imperial Palace.

On the other hand, the Bai Clan now possessed the support of both the Li Clan and the Zhao Clan.

Now wasn’t the time to think about why.

It was time to think about how to escape this situation.

The foreign delegations were no better.

The representatives from the Vermilion Pill Empire, Tianyu Empire, Azure Cloud Empire, and Jade River Empire all wore expressions of utter disbelief.

Their minds buzzed blankly.

They had heard every word transmitted through the communication jade.

”Our forces... have almost been wiped out.”

The sentence echoed repeatedly inside their minds.

Their faces gradually turned pale.

Although they hadn’t dispatched every cultivator from their empires, those sent to attack the Bai Clan were unquestionably among their elites.

Every one of them had been carefully selected.

Such a force...

Had actually been annihilated?

The representatives found it almost impossible to accept.

Originally, they had agreed to assist Yu Zidi because they saw an opportunity.

By helping him seize the throne, they could eliminate both the Bai Clan and then the Mu Clan in a single move.

Afterward, the Desolate Heaven Empire would become significantly weaker.

Their own empires could then seize countless benefits.

That had been the entire purpose behind today’s cooperation.

But now...

The Bai Clan still stood, which meant eliminating the Mu Clan had become virtually impossible.

Instead, it was their own forces that had suffered devastating losses.

The realization made every representative’s heart bleed.

Those weren’t expendable soldiers.

They were the very elites of their respective empires.

Many of the experts who had fallen had required centuries to nurture.

Some had consumed immeasurable resources before reaching their current cultivation.

Now, they had all been buried outside the Bai Clan.

Several representatives unconsciously clenched their fists.

Their expressions became incomparably ugly.

Originally, this had been nothing more than a profitable transaction.

Now, it has become a disaster.

Even if they managed to leave the Desolate Heaven Empire alive today, they had no idea how they would explain such catastrophic losses upon returning to their respective empires.

Worst of all, they were now trapped inside the Imperial Palace, facing Yu Feiyan’s forces.

Even if they helped Yu Zidi suppress Yu Feiyan’s forces, it would all be for nothing.

They couldn’t deal with the Bai Clan.

There was no benefit even if Yu Zidi somehow became the Emperor of the Desolate Heaven Empire.

Qin Lingxiao shook her head.

A trace of disappointment flashed across her beautiful eyes.

She had already expected this outcome.

Still, a small part of her had hoped Yu Zidi’s words would prove true.

Unfortunately, the result was exactly as she had anticipated.

With Bai Chu’s Golden Immortal Realm cultivation guarding the Bai Clan and Bai Zihan’s meticulous planning, Qin Lingxiao had always believed it would be extraordinarily difficult for anyone to destroy them.

What truly surprised her, however, wasn’t the victory itself.

It was the Li Clan and the Zhao Clan.

Those two clans had been the Bai Clan’s mortal enemies for thousands of years.

Their hatred ran deep, and she learned about it very thoroughly.

Yet somehow, Bai Zihan had managed to make them not only abandon Yu Zidi, but even dispatch their elite cultivators to defend the Bai Clan.

That was far more unbelievable than defeating the coalition itself.

Even overwhelming strength alone shouldn’t have been enough to accomplish such a thing.

There had to be something else...

Perhaps something similar to her own technique.

Qin Lingxiao’s eyes unconsciously drifted toward Bai Zihan.

The curiosity within them deepened once again.

(Just what did you do...?)

However, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

Since the answer she wanted had already been revealed, there was no reason to delay any longer.

A faint killing intent gradually appeared within Qin Lingxiao’s eyes.

It was time to finish everything.

Meanwhile, Yu Zidi’s entire body tensed.

He could clearly feel the killing intent directed toward him.

His mind raced frantically.

His greatest reliance had always been the foreign delegations.

Even now, his own forces still held an advantage over Yu Feiyan’s army.

The only true variable remained Qin Lingxiao.

As long as the foreign delegations continued supporting him, he still believed there was a chance to seize the throne.

But that assumption depended on one crucial condition.

The foreign delegations had to be willing to continue fighting.

Yu Zidi slowly turned toward them.

Every representative wore an incomparably ugly expression.

Not one of them looked interested in continuing this battle.

Their minds were no longer focused on the fight.

Instead, they were all thinking about the exact same thing.

How to escape!

The coalition army they had dispatched to destroy the Bai Clan had almost been completely annihilated.

Their empires had suffered catastrophic losses.

And now, Bai Zihan knew their force has participated in the attack.

Would someone as ruthless as Bai Zihan simply let them leave?

The answer was obvious.

No!

The Bai Clan!

The Li Clan!

The Zhao Clan!

Combined with Yu Feiyan’s forces, none of the foreign delegations believed they possessed the strength to escape safely.

If they remained here any longer, their chances of survival would only decrease.

They had to leave immediately before Bai Zihan had time to deal with them.

Just then—

”Wait!”

Yu Zidi’s desperate roar echoed throughout the Imperial Palace.

Everyone turned toward him.

His eyes swept across every foreign representative. His voice was filled with urgency.

”As long as you help me seize the throne today, I swear upon my imperial bloodline. After becoming Emperor, I will cede all the territories along the borders adjoining your respective empires!”

Those words instantly caused countless people to gasp.

The expressions of the foreign representatives changed slightly.

Even Yu Feiyan frowned.

The border territories of the Desolate Heaven Empire were immensely valuable.

The empire had fought countless wars over those lands throughout history.

If those territories were handed over, the Desolate Heaven Empire would permanently lose a significant portion of its land.

Not to mention, voluntarily giving them away was no different from mocking every soldier who had shed blood to defend the empire.

This was clearly Yu Zidi selling the Desolate Heaven Empire for his own selfish ambitions.

Who would want such an Emperor?

Yu Zidi, however, no longer cared.

As long as he survived today...

As long as he became Emperor...

He was willing to pay any price.

Even if it meant selling away part of the empire itself.

The foreign delegations fell into silence.

Yu Zidi’s offer was undoubtedly tempting.

The border territories of the Desolate Heaven Empire had long been disputed lands.

For years, their empires had fought countless battles over those regions.

If they could obtain them without sacrificing any more soldiers, it would be a tremendous achievement.

Even returning with such territory would earn them immense merit within their respective empires.

Several representatives visibly hesitated.

However, that hesitation lasted only a brief moment.

Soon, reason prevailed.

One after another, they quietly shook their heads.

The reward was indeed extraordinary.

But they also had to be realistic.

Yu Zidi becoming Emperor?

What were the chances?

Even if they somehow defeated Yu Feiyan’s forces here...

Would the Bai Clan simply stand aside?

Impossible!

The communication jade had already confirmed everything.

Their coalition army, which included Yu Zidi’s forces, had attacked the Bai Clan.

They had attempted to wipe out the Bai Clan while Bai Zihan attended the coronation.

The Bai Clan would never overlook such a grudge.

As long as Bai Zihan chose to intervene, Yu Zidi’s chances of ascending the throne would instantly fall to zero.

No amount of promises could change that fact.

Thinking of this, the representatives became even more resolute.

Rather than gambling everything on an impossible outcome, it was far wiser to preserve their remaining strength.

Their highest priority was no longer helping Yu Zidi seize the throne.

It was finding a way to escape the Desolate Heaven Empire alive.