Chapter 594: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (139)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 594: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (139)
“How boring.”
I wielded power freely in the palace, but I got tired of it faster than I expected. It couldn’t be helped, as I’d already experienced immense power in other creations.
‘Should I look for the Celestial Sphere assembly?’
It was suspicious how they suddenly vanished, and I could see the officials trying to check my current actions, backed as they were by the emperor's authority. Moreover, after the emperor continued to favor me and I ignored Joo Cheong-un’s words a few times, he too was making moves to keep me in check.
‘I need to fuck the Four Beauties of Murim too…’
The faces of those four women flashed through my mind. Bang Na-yun of the Illusionary Heart Flying Sword, Cheon Dan-so the Plain Hand Bewitching Woman, Hwa Yeon-seol, and Dang So-soo. Each one a beauty whose name alone could shake the world of Murim. Excluding Hwa Yeon-seol, who had already fallen into my hands, there were still three I hadn’t touched. And I had to fuck the other beauties of Murim as well.
But there were priorities.
‘I'll set aside the Four Beauties for now and deal with matters of the imperial family.’
The emperor listens to almost anything I say right now. He sometimes loses his mind and does something absurd, but I can manage that much. The problem is the ministers and the royal relatives. The fact that those bastards could try to eliminate me at any moment was still a headache.
‘I want to kill them all… but there are too many masters here.’
Since there was little mention of it in the original work, I only learned how many masters were in the imperial palace after living here.
The great general who was currently away subjugating the northern tribes was a master at the very peak of the Transformation Realm. So I couldn't just recklessly do something crazy.
But there were many ways to use the situation.
I smiled, looking down at the sprawling palace roofs beyond the window.
‘I should start preparing to bring down the princes, and I need to deal with Jin Myeong-woo too.’
Watching Jin Myeong-woo’s insides burn with anxiety was quite amusing. But it was only a momentary spectacle. Having a male bastard brazenly included in my harem was absolutely unacceptable. It was also dangerous to keep a guy by my side who would surely point a sword at me someday.
I slowly organized my plan. When I eliminate the princes, my name must never be mentioned. Seize power, but leave no trace. It would be simple if I did it myself, but dealing with the aftermath if I got caught would be a pain. So, I needed a tool.
‘The fact that the First Prince, Joo Hyeon-cheong, fed the emperor Innate Fragrance… I'll have to use that.’
I didn't need to act myself. I just had to toss it to the Second Prince, who had lost all his connections and didn't know when Joo Hyeon-cheong might eliminate him.
What if I gave the Second Prince—who was pushed out of the succession race and is living a life no different from exile—something he could use to pressure Joo Hyeon-cheong? The bastard would seize the opportunity like a madman.
‘All I need now is a single letter.’
I immediately sat at the desk and picked up a brush. I lightly dipped it in ink and wrote with a deliberately rough, yet legible, hand.
[I hold a weakness of Prince Joo Hyeon-cheong. If you need this weakness, come to the location written in this letter in two days, at the Hour of the Ox.]
It was a short message, but it was enough.
“Bi-yeon, wake up.”
Bi-yeon, sprawled on the bed, was curled up like a lazy cat.
“Ugh… I wanna sleep more…”
“Hey, I said wake up.”
“Just five more minutes…”
Bi-yeon pulled the blanket up higher. But at that moment, what caught my eye was her firm, raised ass.
I brought my hands together as if in prayer and grinned. Then, I extended only my index fingers and aimed for her pussy.
"Pussy Poke!”
-Squelch!
“Hiiik—!”
For a moment, Bi-yeon's hips twitched and shot up, the blanket flying down to her feet.
“You awake?”
I asked nonchalantly, slowly moving my index finger. Bi-yeon glared at me with a flushed red face, then shivered.
“Ugh…! Wh-what are you doing so early in the morning…”
“It's not morning, it's night.”
I answered slyly, grabbing her body to restrain her.
“Eek, is that all you have to say after forcing a sleeping person awake!”
“Well, who told you to stay up reading comics? And why is a spirit sleeping anyway?”
“Spirits get tired too! More importantly, get your hand off my pussy…”
“Hehe, for someone who says that, you're dripping wet. Wanna go for a round?”
“We just did it! Just tell me why you woke me up!”
I gripped Bi-yeon's waist and forced her to lean against me.
“Ahem, you shouldn't shout at your husband. You need to be punished.”
I pulled Bi-yeon's pants halfway down and shoved my cock straight into her pussy.
“Hngh…♡”
Bi-yeon's body trembled violently as her back arched. Her eyes were half-lidded and glazed over, but she still tried to force out a protest.
“J-Just tell me the reason…!”
“I need you to go leave a letter at the Second Prince's residence.”
“You could've… asked me to do that after I woke up, ahn♡”
“Honestly, I did it because you looked hot while you were sleeping.”
“Ugh… You bastard…! Ahhn…♡”
I gripped Bi-yeon's waist tighter and pressed down on her from above, as if pinning down prey.
*
Two days later, I hid myself at the meeting spot and waited.
‘It's about time for them to arrive.’
The moonlit forest was silent, but from a distance, two sets of footsteps approached. One was the presence of an ordinary human, with a languid gait. But the other one next to him was different. Judging by his presence alone, he was a master of at least the supreme level. It seemed the Second Prince had brought a guard warrior with him.
As the moonlight shone down, the two figures were finally revealed. There was a prince whose eyes looked hollow and lifeless, and next to him followed a tall man in black silk clothes. The man's gaze was sharp. He looked ready to slice off a neck at the slightest suspicious movement.
“Is this… the right place?”
“Yes, Your Highness. There's no presence, but there could be a trap, so you must be careful.”
As I muffled my footsteps and slid out like a shadow, both of their gazes turned to me.
“Who are you!”
The guard warrior reflexively drew his sword.
I slowly raised both my hands.
“Calm down. I didn't call you here to fight.”
“So you're the one who sent the letter.”
I slowly nodded.
“That's right.”
“Is what was written in the letter true?”
I slowly waved the paper in my hand.
“Of course. If Your Highness wishes, you can put a leash on Joo Hyeon-cheong with this evidence.”
“And the proof that it's true…?”
I smiled, twisting the corner of my mouth slightly.
“That is for Your Highness to judge for yourself. I am merely giving you this. Whether you believe it or discard it is up to you.”
“Maso, bring it here.”
The guard snatched the evidence from my hand and took it to the prince.
The prince grasped it with a trembling hand. After immediately checking its contents, he looked up.
“If… this is true, that bastard will no longer be able to aim for the throne.”
I shrugged lightly.
“That's why I told you. It's a small gift. All Your Highness has to do now is choose. Whether you will step on Joo Hyeon-cheong to rise, or crawl on the floor again, is entirely up to you.”
“How insolent, speaking to His Highness like that!”
“Enough. Since he's given me this, a little insolence doesn't matter.”
The prince fell silent, looking at the paper again. After a long moment, he raised his eyes and glared at me.
“Who… in the world are you?”
I smiled and bowed my head slightly.
“A name is not important. But let me be clear. I am not your enemy, Your Highness. Rather, I am just an old man who can serve as your stepping stone.”
“A stepping stone… However, I cannot trust the words of someone whose face I don't even know. Reveal your identity first.”
It was one of the responses I had expected.
I hid my smile and muttered in a low voice, “Are you sure? My face is so hideous that I've been deliberately covering it.”
“Maso, you check.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The prince took a step back, and the guard stepped forward.
I slowly removed my hood. In that moment, what was revealed under the moonlight was an old, hideous face. The wrinkles were deeply carved, and the skin was matted from burns.
“Ugh…”
The guard instinctively took a step back.
“I covered my face because I was afraid you'd react like this.”
The prince's expression soured as he spoke.
“Cover that hideous face at once.”
I bowed my head and put the hood back on. The old, hideous face was hidden once more.
“What is your name?”
“I abandoned my name long ago. If you wish to call me something, call me Hyung-in.”
“Hyung-in… I'm still suspicious of you. I can't rule out the possibility that you're a spy for Joo Hyeon-cheong, or that this is a trick by that bastard Joo Cheong-un. Why do you want to help me? Give me a clear reason.”
I took a moment to catch my breath before answering calmly.
“As you've seen, my face is hideous, and people have shunned me. That is why I desire a wife of beautiful features.”
The prince's lips twisted.
“A wife of beautiful features? You'd side with me for a reason like that?”
“Of course, that's not all. I wish to take a woman of the imperial family as my wife.”
“Hah… So in the end, this is just a roundabout way of saying you want power.”
I let out a small laugh.
“It would be difficult to say it so directly in front of Your Highness, wouldn't it?”
The prince's gaze changed.
“Fine. If you help me, I will ensure you get what you desire.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. This humble servant will pledge his loyalty until you ascend the throne.”
I could see the prince's lips twitch at the word 'throne'.
“I'll be expecting great things. You may leave now.”
I bowed my head and held out a small orb. The guard took it cautiously, his face full of suspicion.
“What is this?”
"It's a means of communication.”
“How do I use it?”
“It's simple. Infuse it with your qi, and a signal will be sent. When I receive that signal, I will respond within a few days.”
The prince took the orb and felt it, then slowly nodded.
“It looks like an ordinary orb… Interesting. I understand for now.”
“Then, this humble servant will take his leave.”
With only those words, I disappeared into the darkness.
*
Only the prince and his guard remained.
“Maso, what did you think of him?”
Maso hesitated for a moment, his eyes tracing the spot where the old man had just stood. His dark eyes turned back to his master.
“He was a considerable master. He seemed to be at least at the peak level.”
“He would have to be that strong to survive this long with such a hideous face.”
“But, Your Highness, are you truly planning to grant his request?”
“Once he's served his purpose, we can just eliminate him. For now, Maso, look at this.”
Maso took the paper the prince held out and read it slowly. His expression hardened.
“What do you think?”
“At the very least… we need to first confirm the authenticity of this letter.”
“Confirm it…”
The prince's lips trembled. The years of being trampled and forgotten by his brother flashed through his mind. If this was true, it was a chance to pay back all those years. But if it was false, he would only fall into a deeper abyss.
“If this is true, that bastard won't be able to aim for the throne anymore.”
“That's right, Your Highness. If the contents are true… that alone is high treason.”
“In that case…”
The prince's eyes flashed.
“With this chance… I can finally drag him down.”
“But do not act rashly. We must first confirm the collaborator and the handwriting. If you don't have solid proof, you could be counterattacked, Your Highness.”
“Right… it's not time yet. But one thing is certain: I will no longer just sit back and let him walk all over me.”
“Your Highness.”
Under the moonlight, a faint madness spread across the prince's face.
“I will make them all cry at my feet. Cough…!”
“Your Highness! Are you alright!”
“I'm fine…”