Volume 5, Chapter 304 – A Despicable Villain

Indeed, even a fool could see that Qi Huang was dead set on not entering the palace. In that case, there was no longer any need to hold back when it came to killing her.

Steward Cai was overjoyed. He truly hated Qi Huang to the bone. If his master could personally deal with this little wench, it would be immensely satisfying.

“Tell your master not to bother coming. With this old eunuch here, no one can lay a finger on her.”

But at that moment, Chief Steward Zhong’s voice resounded across the field.

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings erupted in an uproar.

“Who is Steward Cai’s master?”

“The Left Elder of the Immortal Alliance, didn’t you know?”

“Then why does he want to kill the junior sister’s doppelgänger?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Just now, the junior sister forced Steward Cai to kneel, humiliating the Immortal Alliance.”

“Is there no law anymore? A high-ranking member of the Immortal Alliance dares to kill one of their own cultivators? Aren’t they afraid of turning everyone’s hearts cold if this gets out?”

Several senior sisters spoke indignantly.

“Everyone heard it, this Left Elder wants me dead. From now on, if I so much as twist my ankle or stub my toe, you can all blame the Immortal Alliance.”

Qi Huang seized the opportunity to speak up.

“Don’t you dare slander me! Who said anything about killing her?”

Steward Cai panicked and immediately tried to defend himself.

“What’s going on?”

The Left Elder, hearing the commotion, asked in confusion.

“That old eunuch overheard our conversation. He told you not to come, saying that with him here, no one can touch Qi Huang.”

Steward Cai explained weakly.

“Damn dog ears, so sharp.”

The Left Elder cursed in fury, then snapped, “Couldn’t you have taken precautions to block the sound? Do I have to teach you everything?”

Steward Cai hastily agreed. He took out a talisman and crushed it, instantly forming a translucent barrier around himself. This was a Sound-Blocking Talisman, capable of isolating air and preventing sound transmission. Still uneasy, he layered an additional Divine Sense Barrier inside.

“So cautious, must be a guilty conscience!”

Qi Huang could no longer probe with her divine sense, so she took out the Shadow-Retaining Mirror to spy. But to her surprise, it couldn’t pick up any sound.

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“Master, what do we do now? Do we still kill Qi Huang?”

Steward Cai pressed anxiously, feeling like a complete clown.

“Useless fool. Can’t make a single decision on your own.”

The Left Elder seethed with rage.

‘If I could decide, why would I even ask you?!’

Steward Cai couldn’t help but complain inwardly.

“With that old eunuch protecting her, who can touch her now?”

The Left Elder sighed helplessly.

“Is that old eunuch really that strong? Even you can’t defeat him?”

Steward Cai asked in disbelief.

“I’ve never fought him, but he’s lived for centuries, his body is practically immortal. It’s best not to provoke him if we can avoid it.”

The Left Elder explained.

“It’s fine. She’s already decided not to enter the palace. We’ll find another way to deal with her later.”

Steward Cai said smugly.

“Our intentions are exposed now. If anything happens to her, everyone will blame us. But there are a hundred ways to make her life a living hell, why take the risk of killing her outright?”

The Left Elder reminded him.

“Master is wise. The Evergreen Conference is coming up soon—this time, I’ll make sure she suffers even worse than before.”

Steward Cai gnashed his teeth.

“The real problem now is that she’s refusing to enter the palace. How do we explain this to Lin Tu?”

The Left Elder fell into deep thought.

“At worst, we’ll return the benefits he gave us. The ruler of a small kingdom, does he really have the guts to break ties with us completely?”

Steward Cai suggested.

“You underestimate Lin Tu. He’s not so easily dismissed.”

The Left Elder replied gravely, then ordered, “Stay put for now. Let me test his reaction first.”

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Meanwhile, in the imperial study of the palace, Lin Tu was leisurely reviewing memorials. As the ruler of a nation, he didn’t initiate contact with the Left Elder. He knew the other party would reach out first.

Just then, a faint vibration came from the bookshelf against the southern wall. Among dozens of Thousand-Mile Communication Tubes, one trembled slightly.

A eunuch waiting nearby hurriedly retrieved it and presented it to Lin Tu.

Lin Tu glanced down and saw the words Left Elder inscribed on the tube. He smirked mockingly.

“As expected, he couldn’t hold back.”

“Left Elder, what business do you have with this emperor?”

Lin Tu answered calmly.

“Your Majesty, I’ll cut to the chase. Qi Huang still possesses true qi, you must already know this. Given that, she can no longer enter the palace as an Imperial Consort.”

The Left Elder got straight to the point.

“Hmph, are you joking, Left Elder? You’ve already taken the benefits, and now you want to go back on your word? How can a dignified elder of the Immortal Alliance break his promise?”

Lin Tu snorted coldly.

“I did agree to this, but don’t forget, our agreement was based on Qi Huang being an ordinary person. Now that she’s a cultivator, the deal is void. Otherwise, how would the Immortal Alliance maintain its dignity?”

The Left Elder tried to explain.

“Dignity? You just want more benefits!”

Lin Tu scoffed.

“Lin Tu, I’m not here to bargain. The Immortal Alliance will not compromise on this. I’ll return everything you gave me in full.”

The Left Elder stated firmly.

“Returning the goods settles it? Do you take Us for a pushover? The Immortal Alliance’s face is face, but Ours isn’t? If We can’t even bring in a single chosen Imperial Consort, how can We govern this kingdom?”

Lin Tu demanded loudly.

“Hmph, if you can’t rule well, then don’t rule at all. Cross the Immortal Alliance, and I’ll have you thrown off the throne in an instant.”

The Left Elder lost his patience. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect a mere monarch of a small nation to dare oppose him.

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“We believe the Immortal Alliance has that power—but only if you, Zuo Bo, can truly represent it.”

Lin Tu replied coolly.

“Heh, as an elder of the Immortal Alliance, overseeing all affairs in the Western Radiance Dynasty, how can I not represent the alliance?”

The Left Elder laughed in anger.

“Ah yes, the mighty Left Elder, in charge of all Immortal Alliance matters in the Western Radiance Dynasty. Then you must be fully aware of all the tributes We’ve sent over the years? Did you hand them all over to the higher-ups?”

Lin Tu suddenly questioned.

“Of course I did. What kind of nonsense is this?”

The Left Elder answered without hesitation.

“Is that so? The palace has detailed records of every tribute. One of these days, We’ll send someone to the Immortal Alliance’s headquarters to cross-check the accounts. We trust you have no objections?”

Lin Tu asked nonchalantly.

“Are you threatening me?”

The Left Elder’s breathing grew heavy.

“Not a threat, a reminder. We, too, have the power to strip you of your elder position. Once that happens, will you still represent the Immortal Alliance?”

Lin Tu chuckled darkly.

“You’re determined to have Qi Huang?”

The Left Elder asked after a long silence.

“Indeed. We trust the Left Elder has a way.”

Lin Tu’s tone was mocking, the insult unmistakable. True, he feared the Immortal Alliance, but that didn’t mean he feared the Left Elder.

“Fine. I’ll honor our agreement and make it happen for you.”

The Left Elder ended the conversation impatiently, clearly cornered.

Qi Huang tried eavesdropping but gained nothing. The Shadow-Retaining Mirror was even snatched away by a few curious senior sisters who fiddled with it.

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A short while later, Steward Cai returned, and the senior sisters finally quieted down.

“Qi Huang, the Immortal Alliance can protect you, but I must personally verify whether you truly have True Qi in your body.”

Steward Cai made his demand.

“Didn’t your female disciple already check earlier?”

Qi Huang frowned slightly. Though it seemed the Immortal Alliance had the upper hand now, she had no desire to be taken advantage of by an old man.

“This matter is of grave importance, no room for carelessness. I must verify it again.”

Steward Cai insisted stubbornly.

“Heh, even if I agreed, someone else might not allow it.”

Qi Huang glanced meaningfully at Chief Steward Zhong nearby.

“Relax. As an Incarnation Realm cultivator, I don’t necessarily need to touch you to examine your Qi.”

Steward Cai took out a wooden stick as thin as a chopstick. “This is a ten-thousand-year peach wood branch, it conducts true qi exceptionally well. Just place it on your hand, and I can examine you.”

Hearing this, Chief Steward Zhong didn’t intervene further, as the method was legitimate.

After a brief hesitation, Qi Huang extended her fair right hand.

Steward Cai gently placed the peach wood branch against her wrist and slowly channeled his true qi into her body for inspection.

Qi Huang felt a warm stream of true qi travel along her meridians toward her Qi Sea. Since this was a necessary step, she didn’t resist.

But at that moment—

Steward Cai suddenly flooded her with an overwhelming surge of true qi!

The gentle trickle transformed into a raging torrent in an instant.

Qi Huang’s Qi Sea swelled with unbearable pain. Before she could react, a tearing sensation engulfed her, plunging her vision into darkness. She nearly passed out from the agony.

She yanked her hand back and, gritting her teeth, entered an internal inspection.

Her Qi Sea was shattered, the faint true qi she had painstakingly cultivated had completely vanished.

It was clear—

This was all Steward Cai’s “handiwork”.