24: Chapter 24 Aww! Disaster has struck! A plague of demonic rats has struck!

"How do you plan to do it?" Feng Yifan asked after a moment of thought.

This question was transmitted via the Divine Servant Imprint in Zhang Qianlü's Sea of Consciousness.

It was also a way to tell the boy that he didn't need to shout so loudly; he could communicate just by using his thoughts.

He then told the members of the Li Clan to get back to work.

They needed to finish today's tasks quickly so as not to delay their lessons in the evening.

Although the Li Clan didn't understand what 'lessons' meant, they could more or less grasp that it was a hint for them to stop loitering around.

Under the Old Clan Leader's direction, they went back to digging the irrigation ditches.

Li Fusun, who still wanted to linger, was also sent back to comfort the elderly, the weak, and the children at home.

Judging by the Mountain God's intentions, everyone would have access to both literacy and Martial Arts Cultivation Methods and Combat Techniques.

The elderly and children likely understood even less about these things, and he didn't want them to be scared out of their wits.

Thus, after a short while...

...only Zhang Qianlü remained on the spot.

The boy hadn't even noticed the people around him leaving.

He was shocked by the voice appearing in his mind, but then he came to his senses.

"Moun... Mountain God?" he responded tentatively to Feng Yifan through the Divine Servant Imprint.

"Hmm, you're not entirely stupid," Feng Yifan said. "Go ahead, tell me what you're thinking."

He thought to himself that this was the reaction a true Mortal youth should have.

Unlike that guy Li Linfeng, who was like an old cucumber painted green; he immediately knew how to communicate using the Divine Servant Imprint, which was a dead giveaway of his true identity.

But then he reconsidered.

"If I can realize this, that guy should be able to as well. So, he probably knows by now that I know his background, right?"

This didn't really affect Feng Yifan.

It even made him decide on the spot that he would have to increase the intensity of his 'encouragement' for Li Linfeng next time.

Humility leads to progress, while pride leads to regression.

He couldn't let himself slack off just because he used to be a Sword Immortal!

At this moment, Zhang Qianlü began to describe his plan.

This so-called plan was very simple.

In summary, it was to beat them at their own game.

He would have the Li Clan members pretend to have been slaughtered by a swarm of Demon Ratss, and then flee to the city for refuge, just as Old Master Li had intended.

When the time came, the people from the Li Residence would surely take the initiative to seek them out.

After some testing and confirmation, there was an eighty percent chance they would be invited to stay temporarily at the Li Residence.

Then, Old Master Li would step forward to win over their hearts.

It was at this point that Zhang Qianlü hoped Feng Yifan, the Mountain God, could use his means to control Old Master Li and even the managers around him.

Finally, they would use Old Master Li and the managers to take control of the Li Residence.

"If the Mountain God cannot freely use his means within the city, it will be a bit more troublesome," Zhang Qianlü said, his brow furrowing slightly. "Perhaps we could find a way to trick Old Master Li into leaving the city."

Inside the county town, there was the suppression of the Great Yun's National Fortune.

There were also Orthodox Gods officially bestowed by the imperial court guarding it.

He feared that... an Evil God's methods would not work there.

The reason he hadn't dared to return to the county town—besides having no place in the Li Residence or the town itself—was the fear that the Divine Servant Imprint on him would be sensed.

Although the Li Clan, as followers of an Evil God, could come and go freely within Xinan County, it was because they were Mortals; the aura of the Evil God they carried was not enough to attract the attention of the Orthodox Gods.

"What method can you use to trick them out?" Feng Yifan asked.

"The Martial Arts Cultivation Methods and Combat Techniques the Divine Lord just bestowed," Zhang Qianlü said. "Li Youfu has coveted such things for a long time."

With the wealth of the Li Residence, it wasn't actually difficult to send clan descendants to a Martial Temple or a martial arts hall.

Currently, there were several Li youths studying the Martial Dao in martial arts halls.

"But those youths, thinking about it now, were likely forced into the Li Family registry."

Moreover, the Martial Arts Cultivation Methods learned from martial arts halls and Martial Temples could not be considered one's own and could not be lightly given to others.

They could neither be used as Family heirlooms nor to win over other clansmen.

"Therefore, Li Youfu will not pass up an opportunity to obtain a complete set of Martial Arts Cultivation Methods!"

He would definitely risk leaving the city.

"Furthermore, he certainly won't expect this to be a trap."

Since he didn't know someone was out to get him, he wouldn't have many reservations about making a trip out of the city.

The only thing that might make him hesitate would be the fact that this area was on the outer layers of the Demon Immortal Mountain Range, where he might encounter wild beasts.

"You actually thought of all this in such a short time?" Feng Yifan smiled. "It seems you really want to kill this Li Youfu."

Zhang Qianlü's previous act of being deceived hadn't been an act.

Through the Divine Servant Imprint, he could confirm this.

So, the boy had probably only started thinking about how to get revenge since last night.

This meant that after his sudden realization, he not only deduced Li Youfu's goal regarding the Li Clan based on the idle gossip he'd heard from others, but also inferred the other party's methods.

He even thought of beating them at their own game and what bait to use to lure the man out of the city to be killed.

In fact, by that final step, as long as Li Youfu was outside the city, Zhang Qianlü might have had a way to act even without the help of the Mountain God.

Don't forget, this boy could attract a swarm of Demon Ratss.

It was very likely he had other means to lure other wild beasts.

Thinking of this, Feng Yifan simply asked him directly.

Zhang Qianlü didn't answer, which was a silent admission.

"Then what is your purpose in wanting this seat to control Li Youfu?" Feng Yifan smiled. "It couldn't be that you want to compensate the Li Clan, could it?"

By killing Old Master Li of the Li Residence, Zhang Qianlü would have his revenge.

So, for him, it was completely unnecessary to go as far as controlling Li Youfu.

What would be the benefit of this step?

"When the small swallows the large, the greatest taboo is the struggle of the large," Feng Yifan said, acting profoundly. "Therefore, you want this seat to control Li Youfu so he can keep the entire Li Residence in check, allowing the Li Clan to leisurely swallow up this branch."

"And also to clean house so we can smoothly change our Family's standing," Zhang Qianlü added. "As expected, nothing can be hidden from the Divine Lord."

Inside the Li Residence, Li Youfu wasn't the only one committing evil.

Since they were going to do it, they might as well go all the way and do it cleanly.

"This seat couldn't care less about your schemes." Feng Yifan didn't want to establish an omniscient persona for himself; it was too easy for such a facade to crumble.

It was also too exhausting to maintain.

"However, your idea is quite interesting," he smiled. "And I enjoy watching a good show. So, go ahead and do it."

As for the matter of control, it didn't need to be that complicated.

Luring the man out of the city only to send him back would actually be more likely to arouse suspicion.

Especially afterward, when 'Li Youfu' would change his usual behavior.

A clever person would see something was wrong at a glance.

"You said Li Youfu would try to win over people's hearts?"

"Then it shouldn't be hard to find a way to make him kowtow to the 'Mountain God' spirit tablet."

"Never mind, I'll leave this matter to Li Er."

...

The next day.

Xinan County Town.

Over a dozen injured refugees pulled a cart to the city gate.

The cart was covered with straw mats, and it was unclear what was inside.

They didn't enter.

Squatting by the city wall, they began to wail incessantly.

"What happened to you all?"

"Ow! Sir, we've been struck by a Demon Rats plague!"

"Those cursed rats are bigger than cats! They even eat people!"