Chapter 628: Counteract
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After seeing Fa Zhi leave, King An sat on his armchair with a gloomy face, held up his teacup and took a big gulp.
Xu Ning saw through King An’s thoughts and secretly shook his head as he sighed.
King An asked in a deep voice, “Revered sir, what does the Tempest Temple mean by this?”
Xu Ning replied, “The Tempest Temple does not want to partic.i.p.ate in this matter, they may also have noticed something.”
“Is it possible that they are a.s.sisting Chu Li?” King An scoffed.
Xu Ning replied, “The Head Chief and Fa Yuan have a deep friends.h.i.+p, and it is possible that the Tempest Temple and the Head Chief have deeper ties.
King An glanced at him and slowly nodded. “I was too simple-minded.”
Xu Ning said, “The Tempest Temple dispatched a person here, which showed their goodwill, and even provided the Golden Lohan’s Power. However, it might not be easy to let the Tempest Temple go further and borrow their Martial Arts. The Royal Highness should know where they would draw the line.”
“I finally understand, that I could not count on them!” King An scoffed and said lightly, “Forget it, since I cannot count on them, I shall seek help from Green Hill!”
He shook his head again. “Who knows whether the negotiation at Green Hill would be successful.”
Xu Ning remained silent.
He declined to comment on these sinister tricks but he would also not interfere rashly.
He brought along his eyes and mouth but Xu Ning’s purpose was not to give advice and suggestions to King An. He was only to observe his rise and fall, experience the mortal affairs of the world, feel everything the world had to offer and see through power and influence.
King An asked, “Has Zhang Lide left?”
“Yes, he departed yesterday.”
“That’s good.”
“The Royal Highness has to be careful of the Head Chief,” Xu Ning said calmly, “The Head Chief is more intelligent than the average human. Such methods used by the Royal Highness could be seen through by the Head Chief.”
“So what if he sees through it!” King An said faintly, “This is an open stratagem, a dignified method, to overwhelm him with my power, and seize his position as the Head Chief. The residents should know their place, presumably they would no longer provide information to him, he also has no right in interfering with the transfer of people, with the main purpose to pressure him, but then what could he even do, he cannot possibly pressure me with his position as centurion, right?”
“During crucial moments, that might not be the case,” Xu Ning said.
“It’s no big deal.” King An suddenly cracked a smile. “He would be dropping a stone on his own foot. Now the power of the Secret Guardians Hall had been weakened, and they dare not cause trouble in the Imperial Residence; it is all thanks to him, haha!”
Xu Ning slowly nodded his head.
The world is just too strange. At first, he was an enemy, the next moment he might be a peer. Inconsistent would be the best word to describe the changes in the world.
“As long as the Princess is present, we would be able to seize Chu Li tightly, rendering him unable to escape!” King An said slowly, “When the time comes, the hidden friar and I shall take action together, I doubt that he will be able to escape!”
“The Royal Highness has to be careful of the Head Chief’s skill,” Xu Ning said, “The Head Chief’s cultivation is much more profound than what the Royal Highness thinks.
“Hmph, as long as we take advantage of the Princess as his weakness, he would be disturbed by his concerns, and not exert eighty percent of his martial arts.”
But Xu Ning was not that optimistic.
…
As Chu Li heard those words, he laughed. “Miss, how about we leave tonight?”
“Leave tonight?” Xiao s.h.i.+ was surprised. “What malicious tactic is King An about to use?”
Chu Li said, “The Protectors now are too carefree, it is not safe enough.”
“…Alright.” Xiao s.h.i.+ nodded slowly. “Just go and let Yang Xu and the others go together.
Chu Li nodded.
“What about Meng Lan?” Xiao s.h.i.+ asked as he frowned.
“Let her come with us,” Chu Li replied, “To prevent myself from being distracted.”
“Very well.” Xiao s.h.i.+ nodded and scoffed. “Why don’t you return too, once you leave, all of his tricks would be rendered useless, surely he would not dare cause a ruckus in the High Duke’s Public House?”
“There’s no hurry.” Chu Li laughed as he shook his head. “I can escape from them anytime.”
“Fine, it is your choice.” Xiao s.h.i.+ rolled her eyes at him.
Xiao s.h.i.+ instructed Yang Xu to pack her belongings and then Chu Li escorted them back to Symphony Island.
…
On the morning of the second day, King An was cultivating in the Cultivation Courtyard, Xu Ning was absent, and Fa Zhi was standing aside with pressed palms and closed eyes. His face was solemn, but his mouth moved slightly while he chanted in a deep voice.
As the Tempest Temple and t.i.tanium Temple do not get along, King An did not force Xu Ning to constantly face Fa Zhi. It would be really difficult for him, so he let Fa Zhi stay with him while cultivating and let Xu Ning follow him during usual times.
“Your Royal Highness.” Song Sansi’s voice was heard from the outside.
“What is it?” King An was currently practicing his fist technique. His fist momentum surged, and the flowers around him swayed violently along with his fist force as if being blown by turbulent wind.
“The Princess seems to have left the Imperial Residence last night,” Song Sansi said.
“Which Princess?” King An asked, “Princess Xiao?”
“Yes,” Song Sansi replied.
King An frowned and put down his fists. “Come in!”
Song Sansi lowered his head as he stepped into the cultivation courtyard, walked to the front of King An, and closed fist saluted.
King An waved his hand impatiently. “When did they leave?”
“I do not know,” Song Sansi answered, “When the morning came, there was no one left in the Tianshu Courtyard.”
King An glared at him. “You are such tras.h.!.+”
Song Sansi lowered his head and kept quiet.
“Order Chief Chu to come here this instant!” King An said in a deep voice.
“Yes,” Song Sansi hurriedly answered as he turned around and left.
King An turned his head to look at Fa Zhi and laughed. “I’ve embarra.s.sed myself in front of Great Master.”
Fa Zhi smiled in a straightforward way and continued to chant in a low voice.
Chu Li pushed open the door and entered with his white robe fluttering. He closed fist saluted and smiled. “What are the Royal Highness’s orders?”
King An’s face darkened, and asked coldly, “Where is the Princess?”
“The Princess had returned to the High Duke’s Public House yesterday to visit her relatives.” Chu Li smiled apologetically. “It was very late when I escorted the Princess back, so I did not wish to disturb the Royal Highness. I was just about to report this matter to you this morning…The Princess felt discomfort in her body, and the climate was not suitable for her, so she returned to the High Duke’s Public House to nurse herself back to health.”
“For how long?” King An scoffed.
He was extremely angry, but he suppressed his fury; concealing his resentment.
Chu Li answered, “It depends on her rehabilitation, the least would be a month, at most it would be one and a half years, if the Royal Highness is worried, you can go visit her at the High Duke’s Public House. Her condition is nothing serious, her whole body is just weak, not in the mood for anything.”
“Good, very good, what a perfect time for her to be sick!” King An suddenly laughed and glared at Chu Li sarcastically.
Chu Li nodded his head. “Actually, the Princess is angry, the Royal Highness had transferred her Protectors away without even informing the Princess beforehand, letting the Princess be in dangerous situations without her even knowing it. The Princess said, since there are no Protectors in the Imperial Residence, there are plenty of Protectors in the High Duke’s Public House instead!”
King An felt that it was inappropriate, he muttered to himself and frowned. “What does the Princess mean of this?”
Chu Li replied, “The Princess said, since that the Imperial Residence is short of Protectors, she will split the Royal Highness’s burden, and bring a few Protectors from the High Duke’s Public House so that the Royal Highness does not need to transfer the Protectors away.”
King An’s face darkened, and said coldly, “The Princess worries too much, I had an urgent matter, so I had to transfer the Protectors from the Tianshu Courtyard. They will return in a few days, there is no need for the Princess to bring Protectors from the High Duke’s Public House!”
If Protectors from the High Duke’s Public House arrive, it would undoubtedly be another problem in the Imperial Residence, he felt uncomfortable just from the thought of it.
The Protectors from the High Duke’s Public House would only follow orders from the Princess and Chu Li, then all of his efforts would fail, and Chu Li would no longer have any weaknesses.
However, the Princess had already grasped control of this situation. Even if he were to seek his father the Emperor and his mother the Empress, he would still be in the wrong.