novelraw Chapter 488 - 255, I... have a name called Emperor Tiande.
Chapter 488 - 255, I... have a name called Emperor Tiande.
The son of Song Knife? No wonder he harbors such deep hatred towards me.
After hearing the assassin’s origins, Xu Xing was initially astonished; his feud with Song Knife was apparently not yet over. But soon, he came to terms with it. It was only natural for a son to avenge his father; there was nothing strange about that.
It’s a pity that Song Knife, a formidable figure in his time, had a son who didn’t learn even half of his father’s schemes... Xu Xing sighed.
In the past, Song Knife was a Dao Pill Daoist, while Xu Xing himself was just a minor cultivator newly embarked on the Immortal Journey. Even then, Song Knife had resorted to plotting against him, hiding murderous intent behind a smile rather than attacking directly.
Today, the gap in cultivation between Song Knife’s son and himself was immense. Hai An couldn’t even compare to the Dao Pill Fourth Stage cultivation Xu Xing had displayed when he killed Song Knife over sixty years ago.
Faced with such a powerful enemy, Hai An could have chosen to bide his time, cultivating in secret and avoiding me. But now, merely to vent his personal hatred, he has involved the Xu Imperial Mausoleum, an act that only highlights his foolishness.
Truly unworthy of his father!
In Xu Xing’s eyes, Hai An was leagues behind his father, Song Knife, in terms of cunning.
Talent can be inherited, but wisdom is difficult to pass down. This is also why Aristocratic Families eventually decline, and new generations replace the old... Xu Xing mused, a sudden understanding dawning upon him as he glanced at the pedestrians on the street outside the inn window. The older and more powerful a lineage, the wiser its leaders must be.
In the Cultivation World and the Immortal Dynasties, the rise and fall of Aristocratic Families and Imperial families can be an incredibly lengthy process, so long that they seem almost eternal. Their leaders are seldom foolish; in matters of great consequence, they rarely misstep. However, the waxing and waning of power are not always determined by such foresight.
Take the Hai Family, for instance... If I were to hold a grudge against them because of Hai An’s actions, I fear that this lineage, one of the Nine Mountain Great Halls with a history spanning tens of thousands of years, might not endure, perhaps not even retaining any clansmen.
A sharp glint flickered in Xu Xing’s eyes.
With his current cultivation, dealing with Hai An, the son of his old foe, would be a simple matter, requiring little effort. But this single incident gave him insight into the larger picture; he conceived of a viable strategy to deal with the Chiming Imperial Dynasty in the future.
The Tianci Emperor himself might not make mistakes, but what about his imperial sons and grandsons? As long as I continuously create significant problems for the Chiming Imperial Dynasty, then my "Human Emperor Body" will become a relatively minor concern for them.
***
"Judging by your expression, Fourth Brother," the King of Might began, "it seems you’ve already devised a plan to deal with Hai An, our enemy’s son."
Inside the private room, after sharing the intelligence, the King of Might had waited a moment. He observed Xu Xing first frown, then his features relax into an expression of ease. Knowing Xu Xing must have conceived a strategy, he asked out of curiosity.
Back in the days of the Siming Mountain Stronghold, among the four Heavenly Kings, Xu Xing, also known as King Xing Tian, had been the most resourceful, his intellect and strategies unmatched. The success of the Siming Mountain Stronghold was largely due to Xu Xing; he was the one who deserved the most credit. Furthermore, asking Xu Xing about his plan for Hai An wasn’t a delicate matter, especially since he himself had provided the intelligence on Hai An.
"The Aristocratic Families of Flying Feather Immortal Palace are involved in all the various Immortal Cultivation Arts of the sect. The Hai Family, as one of the Nine Mountain Great Halls, is particularly adept in matters of commerce," Xu Xing said with a slight smile. "Hai An is the son of Song Knife, not a direct descendant of the Hai Family, and he bears a significant grudge against me. I will write a letter explaining the situation. I believe that after reading it, the Patriarch of the Hai Family will carefully weigh the gains and losses..."
"The Hai Family is one of the Nine Mountain Great Halls; they possess their inherent aristocratic pride. Do you truly believe they would bow to you, Fourth Brother, and execute Hai An?" the King of Might asked, puzzled.
The major Aristocratic Families were interconnected through marriage, their spheres of influence overlapping. Offending the Hai Family meant offending not just one of the Nine Mountain Great Halls, but practically the entire Flying Feather Immortal Palace. A Nascent Soul Daoist Lord threatening one of the Higher Teachings? That was utterly absurd.
"If the Hai Family refuses, then any enmity between myself and the Flying Feather Immortal Palace will be their responsibility!" Xu Xing said with a smile. "I will send the letter today. If the Hai Family doesn’t execute Hai An because of it, then tomorrow... they will find another reason to execute him."
"It seems you have another angle to this, Fourth Brother. I can’t quite grasp the intricacies, but I trust you won’t act rashly..." Hearing this, the King of Might paused, wondering at the source of Xu Xing’s confidence. The Hai Family was no minor power, after all. However, not being an impulsive man, he chose his words carefully and offered some tactful remarks. "If you’re concerned about the Hai Family’s defenses making it difficult to claim Hai An’s head, Fourth Brother, just let me know. I can post a mission at the Shadow Assassination Hall and have Demon Way disciples assassinate him. He’s merely a Returning Core Realm Younger Generation; the Shadow Assassination Hall won’t charge an exorbitant fee for it." After a moment’s thought, the King of Might added this.
"Naturally," Xu Xing nodded, a smile on his face. "If I need your help, Second Brother, I certainly won’t hesitate to ask."
"In that case, I shall take my leave," the King of Might said. He glanced at the water clock in the private room and noted that one quarter of an hour had passed. Standing, he clasped his fist in a salute to Xu Xing, then transformed into a black shadow and departed swiftly.
I was able to kill three Demon Cultivator Daojuns; the Hai Family certainly won’t frighten me... Xu Xing silently watched the King of Might’s departing figure, shook his head, and mused.
In the King of Might’s view, a mere letter could not possibly kill Hai An, an Aristocratic Cultivator. For Xu Xing, however, it wasn’t necessarily out of the question. With his Nascent Soul cultivation, hunting down a Returning Core Lord wasn’t difficult. He could afford to wait a few decades for Hai An to eventually step out of the Hai Family’s protection or leave the Flying Feather Immortal Palace.
However, I am pressed for time. Having cultivated for just over two hundred years, how could I waste it on someone as insignificant as Hai An?