King of Hundred Victories Saber

Chapter 242 - 129: Malicious Schemes Unveiled—Zhong Renwang’s Sinister Calculations, Xie Zhichuan’s Vicious Plot, Liu Tingting’s Urgent Pursuit of the Auspicious Beast

Liu Yanran donned a lavish palace attire, her expression grim, as she stepped out of the grand hall with a steady gait.

Her gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over Zhong Renwang and Xie Zhichuan, pondering secretly: These two have come suddenly, likely with no good intentions.

She understood in her heart that they certainly had a purpose, and she must respond cautiously.

"Master Zhong, Young Master Xie, your esteemed presence today truly graces the Divine Water Palace. I wonder what brings you here from such a distance?" Liu Yanran spoke, her voice clear and cold, echoing in the vast courtyard.

Zhong Renwang’s face was plastered with a deceitful smile, his eyes narrowing to slits, as if striving to conceal the cunning within.

However, his eyeballs swirled within those slits, revealing the calculations in his heart.

As he cupped his hands in salute, he took two quick steps forward, gently placing his left hand on Liu Yanran’s arm, speaking with feigned intimacy: "Oh dear, Lady Liu, every time I visit, the grandeur of your Divine Water Palace never fails to impress! This time we came with utmost sincerity, specially to pay respects to a legendary figure of the Jianghu like you!"

Yet, in his heart, he was scheming how to bring Liu Yanran onto his side, knowing well she was no easy character to deal with.

Xie Zhichuan nodded slightly, a hint of malice flashing across his face, his eyes seeming to pierce through one’s heart, his tone tinged with acidity: "Indeed, this man is Shi Feiyang. Hmph, he’s merely been lucky, quelling the Bo Bai rebellion and thus gaining fame across the land, now trusted deeply by the Imperial Court. In the future, he’ll definitely be a major threat to us, he cannot be allowed to remain!"

He pondered silently: Shi Feiyang, let’s see how you can escape our grasp this time.

Liu Yanran gently raised an eyebrow, her eyes showing a hint of interest, a suspicion rising in her heart: Shi Feiyang? He has indeed been in the spotlight lately; are these two seeking an alliance because they fancy the strength of the Divine Water Palace? "Shi Feiyang? I’ve heard of his deeds; quelling the Bo Bai rebellion does show some skill. However, why do you think I’d join hands with you two?"

She mused inwardly, wanting to understand their true intentions.

Zhong Renwang’s smile grew more obsequious, his mouth almost stretching to his ears, the wrinkles on his face bunching together, resembling a sly old fox. As he gently stroked his chin, he slowly circled around to Liu Yanran’s side, slightly turning his body, casting sidelong glances at her, speaking leisurely: "Lady Liu, think about it, this Shi Feiyang kid is now making all the waves in the Jianghu, disrupting the entire order here. How can we old-timers continue to survive in the Jianghu? Moreover, with the Divine Water Palace being so renowned in the Jianghu, if Shi Feiyang continues his arrogance, who knows when he might pose a threat to the palace’s status. Wouldn’t you agree, it’s something we cannot idly watch happen?"

His mind was anxious, like ants on a hot pan, hoping Liu Yanran would quickly take the bait, becoming their strong ally against Shi Feiyang.

Xie Zhichuan calculated: If he could persuade Liu Yanran, Shi Feiyang would be as good as dead.

Thus he quickly added, his face showing a look of determination, eyes flashing with an icy glint, his tone with a hint of provocation: "Moreover, we’ve heard there’s some grudge between Lady Liu and Shi Feiyang, surely the Palace Master bears some ill will against him too. Speaking of that previous matter, he truly showed no regard for the Divine Water Palace; can the Palace Master stomach this slight?"

Liu Yanran let out a cold laugh, rage instantly igniting within her, anger appearing on her face, speaking resentfully: "Hmph, he indeed foiled my plans once, I have remembered that debt. However, assassinating Shi Feiyang is no trifling matter, do you have a thorough plan?"

Zhong Renwang’s eyes momentarily sparkled with excitement, like a hungry wolf suddenly spotting prey.

A greedy smile appeared on his face as he eagerly pulled out a meticulously drawn map from his bosom.

He spread the map out forcefully on the stone table, pressing tightly on its edges to ensure it lay flat and smooth.

Then he pointed forcefully at the marked routes on the map, speaking to the Palace Master with heightened enthusiasm: "Palace Master, please take a careful look! This is the recent route map of Shi Feiyang that we painstakingly acquired. He is recently escorting Yili to Heng Mountain for Nun Chixia’s birthday celebration and will surely pass through this location. Look here, this valley is simply a tailor-made natural trap for us!"

Zhong Renwang was exceedingly proud of himself, full of confidence in his plan, believing it to be seamless and flawless.

Xie Zhichuan stepped forward, his face glowing with confidence, the corners of his mouth curling into a slight cold smile.

He pointed emphatically at the valley on the map, raising his voice as he said: "This valley offers treacherous terrain, easy to defend, hard to attack, it’s practically a godsend! We just need to station our elite forces there in advance, and once he enters the valley, we’ll cut off both ends of his retreat, trapping him like a turtle in a jar. Then, Shi Feiyang would be like fish on a chopping block, at our mercy!"

Xie Zhichuan was firmly convinced that this valley was undeniably an excellent ambush site, key to their success.

Liu Yanran kept her gaze fixed on the map, frowning slightly as she pondered for a moment. Weighing the pros and cons in her heart, she acknowledged that while the location was indeed advantageous, Shi Feiyang was no ordinary adversary and caution was required. "This place is certainly good. However, Shi Feiyang possesses formidable Martial Arts skills, I fear the forces you brought might not be sufficient."

Zhong Renwang’s face was full of a fawning smile, shaking with laughter as the fat on his face quivered.