Chapter 11: A Plan Unravels

Within the dark, enclosed tunnel.

Three formidable Imperial Realm cultivators sped through.

“As expected of Lord Fan, your judgment today was truly brilliant.”

“Indeed, we would never have guessed that beggar was sent by Lord Haibo.”

“Heh, you still have much to learn.”

Fan Sha, the seventh seat among the Ten Prodigies and leader of the daytime Black-Clad Guards, allowed a smug smile to grace his lips, relishing in his shrewdness today.

Without any prior communication, he had discerned a shift in their plans and immediately taken the most optimal and appropriate action.

This, he mused, was precisely the ancient art of adapting to changing circumstances, and after this incident, Fan Sha believed he had grasped its profound intricacies.

****

The original plan had been to assassinate Princess Mingyue of the Changbai Kingdom and seize her heart.

However, this particular operation carried a significant flaw: it was far too easily traceable.

Only a select few knew of Princess Mingyue’s whereabouts; to obscure her trail, she had disguised herself as a wealthy young lady and even changed her name.

Apart from a handful of specific individuals within the Changbai Kingdom, everyone else believed Princess Mingyue remained safe within the royal palace, guarded by her personal retinue.

To ensure her safe arrival in the Tenedy Empire, the Changbai Kingdom had spared no expense, carving out a new, discreet path.

A dense forest teeming with magical beasts separated the main thoroughfare from this new route, making it highly unlikely for any ordinary person to stray from the main road and stumble upon it.

Should she be assassinated along this secluded path, Lord Haibo would undoubtedly become the prime suspect.

He possessed both motive and capability, and furthermore, the entire exchange student program had been his brainchild.

Haibo, the Chief of the Ten Prodigies, was a peak Imperial Realm cultivator.

Princess Mingyue possessed a unique constitution; her heart held the power to summon demons, and by forging a pact with one, Haibo could transcend mortality and ascend to the Saint Realm.

Already advanced in age, Haibo’s only path to prolonging his life was to break through to the Saint Realm.

Though forging a pact with a demon was considered a deviant path, for Haibo, it was his sole, desperate gamble.

If Princess Mingyue were assassinated, and Haibo subsequently broke through to the Saint Realm, anyone with a modicum of sense would immediately deduce his involvement.

At that point, a conflict between the Tenedy Empire and the Changbai Kingdom would become all but inevitable.

Lord Haibo, having detected this glaring flaw, had thus altered the plan.

The beggar had appeared utterly frail, seemingly capable of being swatted dead with a single blow; yet, the fact that he hadn’t killed him, and had instead instantly grasped the hidden message, was further proof of his brilliance.

‘I truly am a genius! Why did I never realize this before?’

****

Within the dimly lit study.

A soundproofing barrier had been erected here, preventing any external eavesdropping on the conversations within.

“How fares the plan?” Haibo inquired, gazing out the window, unable to suppress the surging joy within him.

He had awaited this day for a very long time.

Five long years he had dedicated: five years to earn His Majesty’s trust, and five years to establish the exchange program with the Changbai Kingdom.

His ambition stretched far beyond mere transcendence to the Saint Realm; he coveted the imperial throne itself.

Though his power had reached the peak of the Imperial Realm, he remained perpetually overshadowed by that old man, Bai Huo—yearning to rebel, yet daring not to.

Constantly treated like a mere dog, Haibo had finally reached his limit!

Thus, he had devised two schemes: first, to infiltrate the Ten Prodigies with his own loyalists, and at the opportune moment, execute a decisive strike; second, to forge a pact with a demon and transcend to the Saint Realm.

And today, he believed, was the day of his transcendence.

He simply couldn’t conceive of his plan failing: three Imperial Realm powerhouses, seventeen Spirit Realm experts, pitted against four nascent high-level Spirit Realm students.

How could they possibly lose?

Not only would this secure the heart, but it would also provide an opportune moment to undermine Bai Huo’s standing in His Majesty’s estimation.

Killing two birds with one stone—truly brilliant.

Fan Sha bowed respectfully. “Reporting, my lord, Princess Mingyue has been released as per the plan.”

“Excellent, the heart… What!?” Haibo’s upturned lips instantly drooped, and he spun around, his face etched with disbelief. “Who in the hell told you to let her go!?”

The oppressive aura emanating from Haibo caused Fan Sha and his companions to tremble.

Unsure of what had gone wrong, they recounted the entire incident to Haibo.

“Are you utterly brain-dead!? Why would I openly declare my breakthrough to the Saint Realm!?”

Upon hearing Haibo’s words, a cold sweat broke out on Fan Sha’s forehead, and he instantly grasped the truth.

Under normal circumstances, a breakthrough to the Saint Realm would be heralded with great fanfare and widely publicized.

If one kept silent about it and vehemently denied it, who would ever know they had reached the Saint Realm?

“Then… that beggar wasn’t one of us?”

“He’s your father!”

Haibo clutched his forehead, a throbbing headache setting in.

He never could have imagined such an unexpected obstacle appearing out of nowhere, especially one capable of communicating through secret codes.

Five years! Do you have any idea what it took to endure these five years!?

A plan so meticulously crafted, yet such a glaring oversight could still occur.

This was even more ludicrous than a Blackrock Dragon being hollowed out!

Haibo was so enraged he nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

He closed his eyes, striving to temper his volatile emotions.

What was done was done; further dwelling on it served no purpose.

After a moment of contemplation, Haibo quickly devised an alternative plan.

“The Mosi Cipher is no longer viable. Take this; you will use it for communication from now on.”

“What is this?” Fan Sha asked, taking the book Haibo handed him. “A Chinese dictionary?”

“Precisely. This is a language from another world, complex in structure and difficult to master. You must learn it as quickly as possible.”

“Understood,” Fan Sha and the others replied, bowing in acceptance.

Fan Sha could distinctly sense Haibo’s fury; to have such a lucrative prize slip through their fingers would provoke outrage in anyone.

Should Lord Haibo be disappointed, his own son’s plan to join the Ten Prodigies would also be ruined.

They absolutely could not afford another failure this time.

Haibo’s gaze shifted to the crystal ball on his desk.

Following His Majesty’s directives, Haibo had indeed been monitoring Lin Na.

However, every time he pinpointed her location, all he ever observed was her cultivating—never once did he see her sleeping or eating.

In essence, she displayed no suspicious behavior whatsoever.

‘No wonder this young woman became one of the Ten Prodigies,’ he thought. ‘Cultivating without eating, drinking, or sleeping daily—she’s practically a cultivation fanatic!’

However, at that very moment, another figure appeared in her room.

This figure was none other than Princess Mingyue.

Curiously, why was she in Lin Na’s room?

Moreover, their relationship appeared to be exceedingly close.

Witnessing this scene, Haibo conceived a new scheme.

“Fan Sha, during the entrance examination the day after tomorrow, you are to orchestrate an accident and eliminate Mingyue.”

Fan Sha was a teacher in Special Class A and also the chief examiner for this test, meaning he had full authority over its content.

It was common knowledge that deaths occurred during the entrance examinations, making it an opportune moment to dispose of Princess Mingyue.

Furthermore, given her good relationship with Lin Na, eliminating Lin Na at the same time would be an added bonus.

That young woman, Lin Na, was utterly intractable; despite repeated attempts to persuade her to pledge allegiance, she had always remained indifferent.

Since that was the case, she would simply have to be eliminated.

With Lin Na removed and Fan Sha’s son promoted, half of the Ten Prodigies would then be loyal to him.

Seizing the imperial throne would then be within his grasp.

“Lord Haibo,” Fan Sha interjected, “Princess Mingyue possesses a letter of recommendation; she does not need to participate in the entrance examination.”

According to the intelligence Haibo possessed, Lin Na was slated to become the teacher for Special Class C.

Given their close relationship, the probability of Mingyue choosing to enter Class C was exceedingly high.

If she desired it, coupled with Lin Na’s authority, Mingyue would very likely be assigned to Class C.

If she were to remain constantly with Lin Na, opportunities to act would become scarce.

“Tomorrow, send someone to steal her letter of recommendation.”

Princess Mingyue had arrived incognito; she would certainly not expose her true identity.

Without a letter of recommendation, she would be forced to undergo the standard admissions process.

As for that beggar, Haibo intended to locate him and tear him to shreds.