Chapter 370: Scheme
"You cannot be certain that he possesses the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning. Your speculations are founded solely on the information you’ve collected about this Demonic Asura over the past decade." The black-cloaked figure remarked once more. While a hint of doubt tinged their words, their eyes gleamed with evident greed.
"What if it is speculation? Shi Duanmu, don’t you find it odd for a cultivator to collect such a multitude of Lightning Essences? It’s common knowledge that the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning requires nine distinct types of Lightning Essences for its refinement." Liu Hao countered, his tone slightly irritated.
"In the expansive True Martial World, countless Martial Skills and techniques exist. I believe that the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning isn’t the only one requiring multiple Lightning Essences to cultivate." Shi Duanmu insisted, making a valid counterargument.
"The choice is yours. You can pursue Demonic Asura and apprehend him. If he indeed possesses the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning, you’ll acquire a priceless treasure. On the other hand, if he doesn’t possess it, you’ll still gain a corpse and a soul from a Mid-stage Principle Manipulation Realm cultivator."
"In any case, it’s a favourable situation. Naturally, you’re not obligated to take any action. Your presence here is voluntary, and the decision to pursue Demonic Asura is entirely your choice." Liu Hao succinctly summarized the situation. While he addressed Shi Duanmu, his words were meant for the other two black-cloaked cultivators as well.
Shi Duanmu expressed his irritation with a snort but refrained from disputing Liu Hao’s statement. Ultimately, he couldn’t deny that Liu Hao was correct. Regardless of whether Tang Yin possessed the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning, capturing him would be a profitable endeavour.
Furthermore, when faced with three Peak-stage Principle Manipulation Realm cultivators, Demonic Asura, who was at the Mid-stage of the Principle Manipulation would be oblivious to his impending demise.
"Enough of this nonsense. We’ve already discussed this before. We shall pursue Demonic Asura. If he indeed possesses the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning, we’ll create four copies and divide them amongst ourselves. If he doesn’t, then we’ll proceed with refining him into a corpse puppet." The black-cloaked figure in the middle declared firmly.
"What about the Divine Emperor Kingdom? The Nine Heavens Divine Lightning is the rightful property of the Heavenly Emperor and his lineage. If they were to find out about this..." The black-cloaked person on the right expressed concern with a hint of worry in their voice.
After all, the Heavenly Emperor ranked as the most powerful among the 10 Sovereigns, and the Divine Emperor Kingdom held unrivalled influence in the True Martial World. If the Heavenly Emperor were to learn of this situation and chose to investigate, the Neutral Cultivation Alliance wouldn’t be able to shield them from the overwhelming pressure exerted by the Divine Emperor Kingdom.
"Fu Qiuliao, we’ve taken Divine Oaths to guard this information with our lives, ensuring it never reaches the Heavenly Emperor. As long as we all maintain our silence, our secret will remain safe, and we can secretly refine the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning." The central figure in the black cloak stated, offering reassurance to Fu Qiuliao and reaffirming their determination to acquire the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning from Tang Yin.
"Hmph, Demonic Asura isn’t even confirmed to possess the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning, and yet we’re already discussing how to divide the rewards. It’s quite uncivilized." Shi Duanmu snorted and remarked with a touch of disdain in his voice.
"Shi Duanmu! If you continue to speak down to us as if we’re inferior, I’ll have to take matters into my own hands!" Fu Qiuliao exclaimed, clearly angered by Shi Duanmu’s attitude.
Shi Duanmu consistently conveyed an air of superiority, as if he were some transcendent deity looking down upon the world. His arrogance was truly off-putting!
"You old geezer, allow me to silence that incessant mouth of yours!" Shi Duanmu shouted in a fit of anger.
In an instant, two immense energies erupted from the bodies of Shi Duanmu and Fu Qiuliao. The atmosphere above the pagoda underwent a dramatic transformation, with ominous dark clouds gathering and sparks of lightning crackling in all directions. It was as if restless spirits and tormented souls were engaged in a spectral dance across the sky, their mournful cries echoing through the air.
The world took on a more sombre hue, and the wails of innumerable souls and spirits emanated from within the swirling clouds, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
"That’s enough! Don’t forget the Divine Oath! If you two continue, not only will you violate your Divine Oaths, but you’ll also tip off Demonic Asura and drive him into hiding. If we don’t leave immediately, capturing him will become an impossible task." The central figure in the black cloak snapped once more, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
With a cultivation base at the absolute peak of the Peak-stage Principle Manipulation Realm, the black-cloaked figure in the middle swiftly unleashed their power, restraining the auras of both Shi Duanmu and Fu Qiulaio.
In a matter of moments, the dark clouds dissipated above, and the atmosphere returned to its usual state. It was as if nothing had transpired just moments ago.
Liu Hao observed the situation with a sense of schadenfreude. It had little to do with him, and he harboured low expectations regarding Demonic Asura’s possession of the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning.
He recognized that the likelihood of his speculations being accurate was quite slim. However, the mere possibility ignited a strong sense of greed within him. Thus, he was ready to set aside his shallow past with Tang Yin and betray him for even the slightest chance at gaining the Tier 1 Martial Skill.
Nonetheless, Liu Hao possessed some knowledge of Tang Yin’s remarkable achievements and capabilities. Even as a Peak-stage Principle Manipulation Realm cultivator, he had little confidence in the prospect of successfully capturing Tang Yin.
If Tang Yin managed to escape and report this to the Divine Emperor Kingdom, it was safe to say that Liu Hao would be subjected to a fate worse than death.
Hence, he actively searched for three fellow Peak-stage Principle Manipulation Realm cultivators within the ranks of the Neutral Cultivation Alliance.
He understood the alluring power of greed that the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning could instil in a person. Therefore, he insisted that the three of them swear a meticulously detailed Divine Oath concerning the entire situation, ensuring there were no loopholes that could be exploited.
He had painstakingly briefed Shi Duanmu, Fu Qiuliao, and the black-cloaked cultivator in the middle, Su Xian, on all the details, repercussions, and benefits of his information and strategy.
Naturally, the trio couldn’t resist the allure of the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning, even though the odds of Tang Yin actually possessing it were slim.
As a result, they patiently bided their time within the pagoda of the Neutral Cultivation Alliance Branch for three long years, eagerly anticipating Tang Yin’s eventual appearance, which finally occurred today.
Now, they could ascertain whether this Demonic Asura indeed possessed the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning. Even if he did not, they stood to gain some benefits from capturing a Mid-stage Principle Manipulation Realm cultivator.
When it came to capturing Tang Yin, Liu Hao harboured no concerns whatsoever. After all, Su Xian, the most formidable among their quartet, was just one step away from reaching the Law Domain Realm, making him exceptionally powerful.
Even a pseudo-Law Domain Realm cultivator would find it challenging to defeat Su Xian in combat. Such was the extent of his formidable power!
"Let’s go!" Without further delay, Su Xian vanished without any discernible motion. It was as if he had simply evaporated into thin air.
Shi Duanmu and Fu Qiuliao set aside their animosity for the time being and swiftly activated their respective techniques to follow Su Xian’s lead.
As for Liu Hao, he remained stationed within the confines of the Neutral Cultivation Alliance Branch. He held the role of Keeper on the 7th floor and was bound to stay near the pagoda unless granted explicit permission to leave.
Moreover, he had already made significant contributions by sharing details about Demonic Asura and the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning.
....
Tang Yin had already travelled half a Region by now.
He had already detected the presence of Su Xian, Shi Duanmu, and Fu Qiuliao as soon as he entered the 7th floor of the Neutral Cultivation Alliance Branch, thanks to the prowess of the Heaven Piercing Gaze and his exceptional senses.
Naturally, he had to maintain an air of complete cluelessness. Otherwise, the trio and Liu Hao would have likely acted against him simultaneously if he inadvertently revealed even a hint of his awareness.
Even for Tang Yin, the sudden onslaught of such a quadrant would prove difficult to defend against.
Even as he left the Neutral Cultivation Alliance Branch, Tang Yin had to maintain an appearance of ignorance and restrict his power to the Mid-stage of the Principle Manipulation Realm. To Liu Hao and the outside world, his cultivation level was perceived as being at the Mid-stage of the Principle Manipulation Realm.
A ruthless smile hung on Tang Yin’s lips as he thought, ’Want to capture me? Let’s see if you have the ability to do it!’
