Chapter 471 - 281: The Power of the Curse Seal, Controlling the Late Stage
Chapter 471: Chapter 281: The Power of the Curse Seal, Controlling the Late Stage
Lin Changheng gave a slight nod, saying nothing more as he waited for Ye Qingwu to continue.
’Li’Er doesn’t know about this,’ he thought. ’It must be due to the gap in our Cultivation; she hasn’t reached the Late Stage Foundation Establishment realm yet.’
’But Ye Qingwu is different. The Purple Extreme Sect has already decided to mobilize her, so they notified her in advance. To be mobilizing Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators so frequently... this must truly be a major event!’
"From what I know, this mobilization concerns the border between the Song and Jin Countries."
Ye Qingwu’s answer was brief but packed with information, instantly causing Lin Changheng’s gaze to harden.
At this time, the Jin Country, which bordered the Southern Song Territory, was experiencing some kind of internal turmoil. The scale and impact were considerable, and Jin Country Cultivators were periodically crossing the border to seek refuge.
’So, at a time like this, the Song Territory is bolstering its forces with High Tier Cultivators at the border. What are they planning?’
’Is it purely for defense?’
’Their own house is on fire right now. Is the likelihood of them launching an external attack high? Unlikely.’
Thus, Lin Changheng quickly formed a guess. The Song Territory seemed to have a plan. ’Are they going to take advantage of their weakness to deliver a killing blow?’
’Mobilize an army of Cultivators and invade under the cover of the chaos?’
At this thought, Lin Changheng’s brow furrowed slightly.
Because things were not peaceful within the Song Territory either.
First, the Cyan Mist Temple was facing another Beast Tide and was likely unable to fend for itself, let alone others.
Second, friction had erupted between the Profound Ice Valley and Yellow Maple Cliff. It was severe enough that they might come to blows.
Out of the Five Great Sects and Daoist Schools in the Song Territory, three were already entangled.
The chaos and internal problems might be no less severe than the Jin Country’s. The effectiveness of an attack at this time was highly questionable.
With his limited information, Lin Changheng could only make preliminary deductions, unable to reach a truly reliable conclusion.
But regardless, it was undeniable that both the Song and Jin Countries were in a state of instability.
With dark undercurrents swirling, Lin Changheng knew he needed to be even more careful.
This also indirectly confirmed the necessity of his current endeavor.
The rewards had been substantial, enough to greatly enhance his power. Even if a raging storm were to descend one day, his own strength would serve as a solid ballast.
"What’s your take on this?"
Lin Changheng asked suddenly.
Ye Qingwu spoke directly, holding nothing back. "The Sect doesn’t make unprepared moves, nor does it deploy forces without reason. They’re most likely going to war with the Jin Country, exploiting their current vulnerability."
"Oh?" Lin Changheng’s interest was piqued. "What makes you say that? Do you have any proof?"
"No proof. All I know is that invading the Jin Country now would maximize potential profits. That’s reason enough. Even if we can’t achieve a major victory, a simple raid to plunder their resources would yield a substantial harvest. The enmity between our nations is ancient. Though it has simmered down over the past century, the roots of that hatred remain. Nothing that happens should be a surprise."
Ye Qingwu shook her head, voicing her own assessment.
Lin Changheng gave a slight nod, making no comment. He gestured for her to leave, then instructed, "Go back and act as you normally would. I will contact you when I need you."
Lin Changheng resealed Ye Qingwu’s Storage Bag and tossed it back to her.
Ye Qingwu caught the Storage Bag and quickly nodded in assent.
She then circulated her Magical Power, blasting away the dust and grime from her colorful robes. After a slight bow, she flew straight off.
’Judging by her direction, she’s heading straight for the Quasi-Tier Three Spiritual Land at the core,’ Lin Changheng noted. ’Master Linghu and the Gold Array Master are there. She must be going to report the completion of her task.’
Holding Ye Qingwu’s Lifebound Gu Insect, Lin Changheng could easily read her thoughts.
’This woman really cleared her area quickly. She was the first to finish her task, holding nothing back, all so she could finish early, slip away, and launch a sneak attack on me.’
’But her entire plan has now gone up in smoke. She overplayed her hand and came out much worse for it.’
Lin Changheng watched her depart. Mo Zhaoli chose this moment to step forward and stand beside him. Her red lips parted slightly. "This is the best possible outcome."
In truth, she had been worried about how to handle the aftermath. Master Linghu had come up from the bottom and seen it all; he was not someone who could be easily fooled.
Besides, the death of a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator during the development of a Spiritual Land was no small matter for the Purple Extreme Sect. Without a particularly powerful Muddy Core Demon Beast to serve as a scapegoat, the sect would undoubtedly investigate the matter to the very bottom. In that case, Mo Zhaoli, who had a clear conflict with the woman and had recently clashed with her, would be thrown into the spotlight to face a rigorous interrogation.
And Lin Changheng, as the outsider brought in for aid, would have no chance of escaping scrutiny.
But now, not only had they turned an enemy into an ally, but they had also eliminated that potential risk. It was an excellent outcome.
"Indeed."
Lin Changheng had been thinking about this problem for a while. ’Killing is easy,’ he thought. ’Escaping suspicion is the hard part.’
Killing Ye Qingwu wouldn’t have been a problem for him. Forget the fact that she had only just reached the Late Stage Foundation Establishment and was merely at the Seventh Layer; he had killed plenty of Late Stage Cultivators at the Eighth Layer Foundation Establishment.
The difficult part was how to kill her and get away with it.
’In the end, I set my sights on the Divine Blood Curse Seal Technique. If I couldn’t kill her, then why not control her instead?’
’The more I thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. So, after some careful planning, I just had to wait for the fish to take the bait. And that led to the scene today.’
It was also worth mentioning that when Ye Qingwu had offered up her Storage Bag to save her life...
...Lin Changheng hadn’t been so honest as to return it untouched. He had summoned a wisp of the Red Sky Profound Flame to break her Magical Power Mark and had taken a thorough look inside.
There were several Spiritual Materials and Spirit Grasses inside that were useful for his Body Refining and for refining his Magical Treasure Embryo, so he simply took them.
Lin Changheng was very clear-headed. Business was business, and he wasn’t about to let pride get in the way.
The price she paid to save her life was just that. Her future work for him was a separate matter. The two could not be conflated.