Chapter 563
Chapter 563
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 563
>Chapter Title: Scheme
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“Daring to run wild in the palace in broad daylight—do you really think Great Liang has no one left? Hm?”
A rough voice sounded from Li Huowang’s left. Turning, he saw an aged military master in heavy armor charging toward them on a tall warhorse.
The moment the man moved, even the surrounding air seemed to move with him.
A Military Strategist—and not some middling one like Peng Longteng. The aura alone suggested he might be the strongest Military Strategist in Great Liang.
And there wasn’t just one.
Six of them rode in from all directions. The enormous disturbance in the palace had clearly drawn others.
As they approached, Li Huowang began hearing phantom battle cries in his ears. He smelled the stench of blood, and even his own temper grew irritable.
When they gathered around Dice, the soaring killing aura nearly solidified. It felt like a wall stood before Li Huowang. The bloody scent clinging to them was far heavier than his own.
“When you reach the King of Hell, remember to say it was Grandpa Zhang who killed you!”
An old general with three deep scars across his face raised his heavy iron mace—its trembling afterimages blurring in the air—and brought it down toward the immobile Dice.
“Wait!”
The mace halted just before striking.
The six old generals and Li Huowang all turned toward the speaker—the State Preceptor.
“Let this old man ask a few questions before killing him.”
Huangfu Tiangang approached with hands behind his back.
At the thought of the State Preceptor speaking with Dice, Li Huowang’s heart tightened even more than before.
No one understood the strengths and weaknesses of the Sitting Oblivion Dao better than he did. Everyone knew they were weak in direct combat—but they excelled at manipulating hearts and minds. The moment words were exchanged, it would be Dice’s domain.
“State Preceptor, it’s best to kill Dice at once—lest complications arise!”
“I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice. Do you need to teach me how to act?” Huangfu Tiangang shot him a glare and continued forward.
The hallucinated Sitting Oblivion Dao sidled up to Li Huowang, waggling his brows.
“Brother, don’t you think this is a bit strange? What if that old geezer really owes our boss a favor and is using this chance to repay it?”
Li Huowang froze for a split second before snapping back, eyes cold.
“At a time like this you still want to help Dice trick me? Fine. For that alone, tonight I’ll strip your tendons and bones!”
“Hey! What’s wrong with you? I’m helping you think it through—good intentions taken as donkey liver and lungs.”
Li Huowang ignored him and turned to Zhuge Yuan.
“Brother Zhuge—if I manifest you from illusion into reality for a short while, could you strike Dice by surprise?”
“Brother Li, we’re one step from the finish. No need to risk exposing your Heart-Su identity. Come—let’s hear what the State Preceptor wants to ask.”
Zhuge Yuan followed Huangfu Tiangang forward. The approaching State Preceptor seemed to sense something, glancing faintly to his left before continuing.
Watching their backs, Li Huowang’s expression shifted rapidly.
“Red Center, that kid’s definitely hiding something from you,” the hallucinated Sitting Oblivion Dao chimed in again.
“Shut up! You think tendon-pulling isn’t enough? Want to be sliced alive instead?”
Gripping the Spine Sword, Li Huowang followed.
By the time he reached them, the questioning had begun.
“Speak. What are you doing hiding inside the palace? I’ve had my eye on you for a long time. Thought I might hook the rest of your kind—but you never made a move.”
“Hehehe.”
Though nailed to the ground with only half a body left, Dice remained calm—he even had the leisure to tilt his chin toward Li Huowang.
“You think you were watching me. But I wanted you to watch me—to cover for someone else. I’m not the one acting this time.”
He winked subtly at Li Huowang.
“Speak quickly. I have matters far more important than you.”
“Hehehe—why don’t you guess how big a scheme I’ve set this time?”
“I don’t guess.”
The State Preceptor drew the Star-Mansion Sword, preparing to strike.
“Hey, don’t be so impatient! Fine, fine—I’ll say it. Years of hard work—all for this one tremor today.”
“You think the Sitting Oblivion Dao can’t tamper with dragon veins? Hah! My brother and I refused to believe that. This scheme—was aimed at your Great Liang emperor.”
“If we can’t move the dragon vein—then we’ll dig out its root!”
“You think you’ve chosen an emperor? That boy Ji Lin?”
“Hm?” The State Preceptor’s brows knit.
“Don’t tell me Ji Lin isn’t of royal blood? Impossible! I personally calculated his Eight Characters with Xuanpin! He is of the Ji lineage!”
Dice burst into laughter, nearly hysterical.
“Of course he is! Hahaha! But the root between Ji Lin’s legs—I secretly installed it! He’s actually a woman! And a stone maiden at that! The dragon vein of Great Liang ends with her generation! Hahahaha!”
Li Huowang’s heart trembled.
So that was Dice’s purpose in having him support Ji Lin.
“Go on, someone tell your emperor the good news. And ask him—after living as a man for over ten years, how does it feel to learn you’re a woman? Hahaha!”
Huangfu Tiangang watched coldly.
“If this is your scheme, then you’ve miscalculated. We prepared long ago—private heirs of the dragon line were raised among the common folk.”
“Hehehe—gone. We cleaned them all out. The white round jade pendants were the token, weren’t they?”
White round jade pendants…
For some reason, the term felt familiar to Li Huowang.
Dice continued:
“They had no guards. Just ordinary people. We didn’t even have to kill them ourselves. A little instigation—and they sought death on their own. Isn’t that right, Red Center?”
(End of Chapter)