22: Chapter 22: Trying to discard someone after they've served their purpose?

Tang Liu stared fixedly at the slender figure blocking Chen Shanzhi, his tone questioning: "Xiaowu, answer me!"

He never imagined that the younger sister who had followed him around since childhood...

...would actually possess such terrifying strength.

Her seemingly casual wave just now had easily neutralized his full-strength strike delivered in anger.

This wasn't the sister he was familiar with; although the sister he knew had good talent in the Martial Dao, she wasn't this monstrous.

What chilled his heart even more was that Tang Xiaowu was now standing in front of Chen Shanzhi.

She would actually stand against him for the sake of that Chen Shanzhi?

"Sixth Brother..."

Tang Xiaowu’s face was pale, her eyes darting away, not daring to look directly into Tang Liu’s questioning gaze.

She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but found it felt as if a ball of cotton was stuffed in her throat, and she couldn't say anything.

Explain what?

Explain that she was actually the Saintess of the Witch Clan? Explain that she had hidden her strength for a reason?

Explain that she had no choice but to submit to Chen Shanzhi in order to save him?

Any of these words, if spoken, would only make Tang Liu break down further.

She could only remain silent.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps broke the suffocating atmosphere between the two.

"Heir Apparent, are you alright?"

Coachman Zhao Da arrived with a group of Jiantian Division guards, swarming around them.

He had just been knocked back by the shockwave of that punch; only now did he recover, rushing to Chen Shanzhi's side with a face full of lingering fear, looking his master up and down, terrified that he might have lost a single hair.

Chen Shanzhi shook his head, indicating he was fine.

Coachman Zhao Da finally breathed a sigh of relief, then turned around, glaring fiercely at Tang Liu, and roared:

"Audacious thug! How dare you commit violence at the gates of the Jiantian Division and attempt to assassinate the Heir Apparent of the current dynasty!"

"Men, seize him!"

The guards of the Jiantian Division also glared with wide eyes, drawing their sabers and surrounding Tang Liu.

The scene just now was truly too perilous; if that girl hadn't intervened, the Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Zhenguo might have already met his end here.

If the Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Zhenguo died at the gates of the Jiantian Division prison, every single one of them would have to be buried with him!

"Take him down!"

At the guard captain's command, several figures were about to pounce on Tang Liu.

Tang Liu looked at these guards with cold eyes, True Essence surging within him, his fists clenching with a series of cracks.

He was now feeling some regret in his heart; why had he suddenly lashed out in a fit of rage?

Since he started cultivating the Divine Turtle Art, this was the first time he had failed to control his emotions.

Seeing the guards closing in, his mind raced, calculating whether or not he should resist arrest.

This was the Jiantian Division, a place filled with experts. If he really fought back, it would solidify the crime of "violent resistance to arrest."

At that time, not only would he be wanted by the Jiantian Division, but he would also completely lose the chance to enter the Four Seas Academy Secret Realm.

But he had to enter that Four Seas Academy Secret Realm.

Inside were the things his deceased father had left for him.

Moreover, if he did fight... He glanced at the pale-faced young girl standing in front of Chen Shanzhi.

If he truly went on a killing spree, what would happen to Xiaowu, his younger sister?

However, if he didn't resist, he could only allow himself to be captured.

Entering this time wouldn't be as easy to get out of as the last.

Attacking an Heir Apparent was a serious crime!

Even if the master behind that mysterious person had great influence, they wouldn't offend the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion for a worthless pawn.

The only way out...

Tang Liu's gaze passed over Tang Xiaowu and landed on that indifferent playboy Heir Apparent.

Unless he relented.

But how was that possible?

He had just tried to kill him; how could he possibly let him go?

Unless... a terrifying thought surfaced in Tang Liu's mind: unless Xiaowu begged him again.

Using her dignity, or even her body, to trade for that playboy's forgiveness.

"No!" Tang Liu roared in his heart.

He would rather die than let his sister suffer such humiliation again!

At the critical moment when the True Essence in Tang Liu's body was about to run wild...

A slender hand gently grabbed the corner of Chen Shanzhi's clothes.

Tang Xiaowu turned around, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, looking at Chen Shanzhi imploringly, and gently shook her head.

Although she didn't speak, the meaning in her eyes couldn't be clearer:

Please, let him go.

Chen Shanzhi looked at her pitiful appearance and sighed inwardly.

This girl is truly devoted.

Even though Tang Liu had just questioned her like that, she still thought of pleading for him.

Although he had no good feelings toward Tang Liu, this protagonist, and even wished the kid would be locked up immediately...

Now was not the time.

Tang Xiaowu had already exposed her strength, and if he pushed Tang Liu too far...

If these two teamed up to fight their way out, he, a weakling with only Xuanguan Six Apertures, plus those few guards, might not actually be able to escape unscathed.

More importantly, by doing Tang Xiaowu a favor now, he could not only make her feel more guilty but also make her more determined to help him Cultivate.

This deal was worth it.

"All of you, stand down."

Chen Shanzhi waved his hand and spoke in a flat tone.

"Huh?"

Coachman Zhao Da was stunned, his face full of disbelief:

"Heir Apparent, this kid wanted to kill you! How can we..."

"I said, stand down!"

Chen Shanzhi frowned, his voice rising slightly:

"What? Are This Heir's words no longer effective?

We were just classmates sparring in martial arts; what's all the fuss about?"

"Spa... Sparring?"

The surrounding guards looked at each other, all of them dumbfounded.

That punch just now, that was sparring? That was clearly a lethal blow!

But since the person involved had spoken, what could they, as servants, say?

"Yes."

Although the guard captain was puzzled, he still waved his hand and led his men away.

A tense crisis was thus resolved so casually.

Tang Liu looked at this scene and snorted coldly.

He saw Tang Xiaowu's action of pulling the hem of the clothes, and he saw Chen Shanzhi's concession.

In his eyes, this wasn't magnanimity at all, but a blatant transaction.

Thinking of this, he didn't even look at Tang Xiaowu, his face grim as he walked away alone.

"Heir Apparent... thank you."

Tang Xiaowu released her grip on the corner of Chen Shanzhi's clothes, took a step back, and gave him a deep bow.

This bow was like thanking a stranger, yet also like making a clean break from this inexplicable relationship.

After saying that, she didn't look at Chen Shanzhi again and turned to run toward Tang Liu:

"Sixth Brother, wait for me."

Tang Liu's figure paused for a moment, then he immediately resumed his pace.

A look of joy appeared on Tang Xiaowu's face, and she quickly followed, trailing behind him like a child who had done something wrong.

Watching the two figures receding into the distance, Chen Shanzhi didn't care about Tang Xiaowu's actions just now; a smile appeared on his face.

Coachman Zhao Da approached with a look of displeasure:

"Young Master, this Tang Xiaowu is too ungrateful, isn't she?

We went to such great lengths to save her brother, and she just turns around and treats us like strangers. What do they call that? Killing the donkey after the grinding is done!"

Slap!

Chen Shanzhi slapped the back of Coachman Zhao Da's head:

"Who are you calling a donkey?"

"Ouch!" Coachman Zhao Da clutched his head, saying aggrievedly: "Young Master, I didn't mean it like that..."

"Enough, shut up."

Chen Shanzhi turned and boarded the carriage, his mood unaffected.

He understood people like Tang Liu too well.

Extremely high self-esteem, coupled with that persecution complex unique to protagonists.

This incident had already planted a thorn in Tang Liu's heart.

And this thorn would dig deeper and deeper as time passed until it completely erupted.

As for Tang Xiaowu... Chen Shanzhi really wanted to know, faced with a Tang Liu like this, what choice would Tang Xiaowu make?

Would she choose to face this increasingly painful relationship?

Or would she, in her gradual despair, lean toward his side?

Regardless of what she chose, Chen Shanzhi had already made the choice for her in his heart.

As the Saintess of the Witch Clan, the Wu Clan plotline behind Tang Xiaowu was one of the top large-scale storylines in the entire game.

The rewards from the fortuitous encounters within it were extremely bountiful.

Chen Shanzhi could not let Tang Liu obtain those rewards and become a threat to the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion.

Therefore...

Thinking of this, Chen Shanzhi gave a cold laugh and said to Coachman Zhao Da, "Drive the carriage!"

After getting into the carriage, Chen Shanzhi leaned back against the cushions and stretched:

"To Yihong Pavilion. It's been a while since I've seen Miss Youyou; I wonder if she's missed me."

"You got it!"

Hearing they were going to such a place, Coachman Zhao Da immediately perked up, cracked the whip, and the carriage sped away.

...

In the capital, a secluded small courtyard.

A man in black skillfully navigated through numerous traps and arrived at a hidden underground secret chamber.

He took out a token from his bosom and placed it into a groove on the wall.

Hum—

A low vibration sounded, and the wall slowly cracked open, revealing a jade wall as smooth as a mirror.

After a moment, light flowed across the jade wall, and a blurry figure gradually emerged.

"This subordinate greets Your Excellency."

The man in black knelt on one knee, bowing respectfully.

"Rise."

The figure's voice betrayed no emotion, carrying a dignity unique to those in high positions: "How is the matter proceeding?"

"In response to Your Excellency."

The man in black lowered his head to report: "Yesterday, following your instructions, I went to the Jiantian Division prison to instigate that Tang Liu.

Today, at the gates of the Jiantian Division prison, Tang Liu did indeed lash out in rage, but..."

"But what?" The figure's brow twitched slightly.

"Originally, Tang Liu erupted and was on the verge of killing Chen Shanzhi. Unexpectedly..."

The man in black paused, his tone carrying a hint of shock:

"That younger sister by Tang Liu's side has actually been hiding her strength!

At the moment she struck, the aura she released was at least at the tenth level of the Xuanguan! Perhaps... even at the Xuanguan Peak!"

"Furthermore, this subordinate saw that the characteristics of the True Essence she displayed in her haste carried a strange vitality and fluctuation. It seemed... somewhat like the methods of the Wu Clan from the south."

"Wu Clan?"

Hearing those two words, the figure's originally calm tone finally showed a ripple of emotion:

"Interesting, interesting. I didn't expect this Tang Liu and his sister to actually have so many secrets."

A commoner Genius possessing the "Divine Turtle Art," a divine technique that had disappeared for decades.

A mysterious younger sister hiding her strength and suspected to be of Wu Clan origin.

This pair of siblings seems even more interesting than imagined.

"Excellency, should we attempt to contact that Tang Xiaowu?" the man in black asked tentatively.

"No rush for now."

The figure shook its head: "Put this matter aside for the moment. Our primary goal is still the vacant position of the Minister of Rites."

"Your Excellency means?"

"This position must not be taken by that old fox, the Prime Minister."

The figure's voice turned cold:

"That old fox has students all over the world. If he is allowed to control the Ministry of Rites as well, his influence in the imperial court will grow even larger."

"However, we also can't let the First Prince take it back. After all, as the eldest son, the influence he has gathered behind him is no smaller than that of the old fox."

"As for the Second Prince..."

The figure seemed to let out a light laugh, his tone carrying a hint of disdain: "As a prince, the forces behind him are pitifully few.

He even has to do many things personally. Giving this position to the forces behind him would be the most useful."

"Huh?"

The man in black was somewhat confused: "Excellency, this position is a lucrative post; are we not going to fight for it?"

"We are not."

The figure shook its head: "Fighting for it would easily expose us. After all, the capital is not our battlefield."

"Our current goal is to let the First Prince, the Second Prince, and that old fox in the capital form a tripartite balance.

That way, the time they spend fighting like dogs, struggling for life and death, will be longer."

"As long as they haven't determined a winner, they won't have time to worry about matters outside the court, nor will they have the energy to watch our movements."

Speaking to this point, a cold smile appeared on the figure's face:

"It's best if they fight for a while longer. By the time they finish their struggle, they will discover that in this entire capital...

...except for that dragon throne, they are no longer the ones who have the final say in anything else."

Hearing this, the man in black's eyes showed a look of fanaticism: "This subordinate understands!"

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, the man in black's expression became serious, and he said:

"Excellency, there is one more thing."

"After connecting with the people of the White Lotus Sect's Grand Elder and initially discussing the plan, I haven't received any further replies from them."

The figure's brow furrowed slightly: "Discovered?"

"Most likely."

The man in black nodded: "Two days ago, I went to Yihong Pavilion to investigate and found that their manager has already been replaced.

Presumably, that fellow responsible for passing messages was exposed and dealt with by that White Lotus Saintess."

"What about that old farmer?" the figure suddenly asked. "You didn't send anyone to investigate the vegetable-selling farmer, did you?"

"Not yet."

" well done."

The figure nodded approvingly:

"Investigating at this time would be walking into a trap.

That White Lotus Saintess is no pushover either; she has surely set a dragnet around that old farmer, just waiting for us to dive in."

Hearing this, the man in black also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, when he first discovered there was no reply, he thought the old farmer just hadn't delivered the vegetables containing the letter yet.

He had originally planned to send someone to investigate two days ago, but he unexpectedly heard an excellent poem and spent the whole day at home appreciating it.

Then he encountered the matter of the Minister of Rites killing his wife, which just happened to cause a delay.

He hadn't expected that this delay would actually save him.

The figure also snorted coldly, his tone full of contempt:

"That lineage of the White Lotus Sect's Grand Elder is truly a bunch of useless trash!

They were discovered so soon after connecting. No wonder they are suppressed by the Sect Leader's lineage and can't get ahead.

If it weren't for the need to use them to achieve the goal of controlling the White Lotus Sect, I would have tied them up and fed them to Evil Spirit long ago!"

The figure vented his anger, calmed down, and continued to instruct:

"The line with the vegetable-selling farmer is definitely ruined and can no longer be used."

"Go to the first funeral shroud shop near the west city gate and find the owner who is blind in one eye.

Say you want a red funeral shroud three zhang and three chi long, and one zhang and one chi wide."

"Then give the code: 'On the road to the Yellow Springs, there are no young or old; by the Naihe Bridge, there are old friends'."

After telling the man in black the new contact method in detail, the figure continued:

"Once you've connected, tell their person in charge in the capital that the people from the God-Invoking Sect have arrived.

Let them get ready and act according to the plan when the time comes."

"Yes!"

The man in black's heart trembled, and he quickly lowered his head to take the order.

"Is there anything else? If not, then leave."

"This subordinate takes his leave."

The man in black bowed respectfully, then took out his token and exited the secret chamber.

As the secret door slowly closed, the chamber fell into a dead silence once more.