Chapter 349: Chapter 348: Successful Plan (Second Update, Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"The venomous insects magic truly works."
Inside a certain room, Shi Xiaole’s spirits were greatly lifted.
In this past year, besides his progress in martial arts, he had focused on researching various unique methods recorded in the Pity Flower Treasure Identification, including the Venomous Insects Skill from Miaojiang.
The essence of venomous insects magic lies in control.
With Shi Xiaole’s natural talent, learning venomous insects magic was as easy as turning the palm of his hand, even more relaxed than practicing swordsmanship.
Without exaggeration, his grasp of venomous insects magic now surpassed even Ghost Granny of the Ghost Fortress and many other half-baked masters of venomous insects magic in the Martial World!
Shi Xiaole had long understood that the venomous insect he had been afflicted with was called the Heart Intent Venomous Insects.
The terrifying nature of this venomous insect was that the user could ignore distance and cause excruciating pain to the victim with a mere thought.
But since it’s venomous insects magic, there’s a homogeneity to it.
Shi Xiaole believed that if anyone from the Lan or Huang family truly swore allegiance to Sky Edge Pavilion, they would surely also be infected with venomous bugs.
Using his techniques, he traced faint fluctuations in the air, and it didn’t take long before Shi Xiaole confirmed his target.
In the next few days, Shi Xiaole observed the other party in secret and eventually confirmed that the person had no intention of seeking him out.
After pondering a bit, Shi Xiaole understood the reason.
Sky Edge Pavilion must not have disclosed his identity as the false Holy Son to the other party.
Firstly, for fear of creating an unpredictable situation and leaking the secret.
Secondly, the fact that he and the other party both unaware of each other’s identities but both had to report to Sky Edge Pavilion was more conducive to their control over them. It also ensured that they could corroborate reports, avoiding potential betrayals.
Once he figured this out, Shi Xiaole was much more relaxed and began to observe the people from the Lan and Huang families to see if any of them had surgical alterations on their faces.
Unexpectedly, no one had.
On the face of it, the current magic practitioners of Great Cold State were led by the Demon Marquis, but if the other party had such a technique, they would not have missed the opportunity to infiltrate the Lan and Huang families.
...
Inside a brothel.
"He went to Miaojiang?"
Two pieces of paper were spread out on the table in front of a middle-aged woman.
One was transmitted by the traitor inserted into the Lan and Huang families by the Sky Edge Pavilion that mainly stated that the Holy Young Master had returned to his clan.
The other one was in Shi Xiaole’s handwriting.
According to its content, the reason for his disappearance over the past year and a half was that he could not accept being controlled by Sky Edge Pavilion, so he ventured deep into Miaojiang, hoping to remove the venomous insects.
He finally realized that the removal was impossible, and he could not bear the pain in his heart, so he had to obediently return.
"Let someone investigate whether there are venomous insects on Xie Xiaofeng."
The middle-aged woman donned a cold smirk and waved her hand.
A few days later, news was passed once again from the traitor in the Lan and Huang families. It indicated that according to the venomous insects technique taught by Sky Edge Pavilion, venom was indeed found on Xie Xiaofeng.
"Could it be that he didn’t lie?"
The middle-aged woman looked again at the note sent by Shi Xiaole a few days ago.
There were no flaws in his words, but there were many doubts. Who knows if it was true or false just from his one-sided words. Although the venomous bugs on him indeed hadn’t been solved.
Luckily, the middle-aged woman was not in a hurry, and she had already sent people to inquire about Miaojiang a few days ago. News would soon be passed back.
...
"I really don’t know why the temple master asked us to come to this place and pretend to spread some news about Xie Xiaofeng."
At Sky Edge Pavilion’s secret outpost, which was getting ready to investigate Xie Xiaofeng’s activities during the previous month, in the far-off Miaojiang, there were already many women disguised as Miao people who had quietly entered.
All of this was premeditated by Shi Xiaole. Therefore, before he arrived at Great Cold State and met the Lan and Huang families, he secretly informed the people of Red Jade Temple to go to Miaojiang at any cost as soon as possible.
"The temple master always has her profound reasons, and we just have to follow her instructions."
Like drops of water into the sea, several women settled down in the Miao gathering place, changing their location every few days.
They were too beautiful, and a number of Miao men kept expressing their affections to them. Despite repeatedly rejecting their advances, they just helplessly claimed they were already involved with someone else, but refused to disclose who.
There was one woman, straightforward and outspoken, who mentioned a name.
Of course, this information was quite obscure, and only a very few pursuers knew about it, passing it from one to another.
Sky Edge Pavilion, being a top-tier power of the Flying Horse Dynasty, had resources and manpower beyond imagination. Even though Great Cold State and Miaojiang were far apart, it took less than a month to obtain reliable information.
"According to our secret investigation from Sky Edge Pavilion, we discovered that a very small number of people in a certain Red Miao gathering place heard of Xie Xiaofeng. Obviously, he was very careful at the time, afraid of being discovered. And the Red Miao are known as one of the best tribes in removing venoms."
The middle-aged woman sat alone in the room, with a shadow leaning against the wall, reporting the investigation results.
"So, Xie Xiaofeng indeed went to Miaojiang?"
The middle-aged woman mumbled to herself.
After a long time, she smiled sweetly, silently bemoaning her own suspicion.
If Xie Xiaofeng had indeed removed the venom, he wouldn’t have to return.
Revenge? Xie Xiaofeng was no fool, and he surely knew the gap between himself and Sky Edge Pavilion. Even if it was for revenge, he would presumably wait until he was fully prepared, after intensifying his practice for a few years. But now, he would just be rushing to his death if he returned.
"Although I am of low talent and are only assigned here to do odd jobs, I have Elder Xu watching over me in secret. What should I fear? Anyway, everything was planned by the Saintess. Send out my orders and tell Mr. Xie to start the operation immediately."
...
Three days later.
Shi Xiaole secretly summoned Lan Tian and Huang Rong.
"What instructions does the Holy Young Master have for us?"
The two bowed their heads.
"There is something I need to tell you. Over the past year, I have been training in a secret location, obtained the initial approval of the Sky Edge Pavilion, and have gained control of its key stronghold in the Great Cold State."
Said Shi Xiaole.
"What?"
Lan Tian and Huang Rong were shocked at the same time.
Shi Xiaole gave a knowing smile.
The blank spot of over a year in his history was too big to be simply explained away with ’secret training under Sky Edge Pavilion’. Shi Xiaole deduced that the two elders definitely had their doubts.
Even more, he suspected that they had secretly sent someone to Fusang, to investigate whether he really grew up there.
Luckily, Shi Xiaole was not concerned.
When he claimed to have gone to Fusang, it was not mere speculation.
The hint had arisen the day he saw the real Holy Young Master’s body in a Sky Edge Pavilion villa. The late Young Master’s attire had hints of Japanese influences, even the topknot was different from that of the ordinary Central Plain people, thus bolstering his claim.
"Is it really true, Holy Young Master?"
Lan Tian asked.
"Not a word is false. They planned to mold me into the chief of the Sky Edge Pavilion here, with full responsibility for investigating the secrets of the Black Demon Divine Monarch from years ago, and to act against you! Of course, they were also afraid of me harboring ulterior motives, so they placed a venomous insect on me."
The story Shi Xiaole told was half truth, half fabrication.
Huang Rong quickly said, "If the Holy Young Master is in great peril, my family has an expert in venomous insect techniques, perhaps we can..."
"No need for now, I have secretly returned here, and the Sky Edge Pavilion is not aware. Any rash actions with venomous insects would stir the pot unnecessarily. It could potentially expose my true identity, and I cannot even show my face in the upcoming attack on the stronghold."
"But, if the members of the Sky Edge Pavilion suspect that it was the Holy Young Master who leaked information, then wouldn’t that..."
"Rest assured, I have prepared for a contingency. In the event our stronghold falls, the Sky Edge Pavilion will only suspect others."
Shi Xiaole’s words shocked the two elders.
After he left, the two elders exchanged glances, both filled with gravity and hesitation.
"The Holy Young Master is no simple matter, with this move, he not only strikes against the Sky Edge Pavilion but also tests us to see if we trust him."
Sighed Lan Tian.
"Shall we act?"
Huang Rong asked.
"Act! The identity of the Holy Young Master is unquestionable. The only reason we sent people to Fusang was to set our hearts at ease. We’ve waited so many years, we cannot let the Holy Young Master feel unwelcome."
"Indeed, as per the Holy Young Master’s words, the strength of the warriors at the Sky Edge Pavilion stronghold is not significant, we need not dispatch our elite troops."
About half a month later, the secret stronghold of the Sky Edge Pavilion was attacked, and thirty-eight high-level Spiritual-Passage Realm warriors were killed or captured. Lan and Huang families got to know more secrets of the Sky Edge Pavilion from them.
The morale of the Lan and Huang families was boosted. Especially upon learning that the intelligence had come from the Holy Young Master, many felt a greater sense of allegiance towards him.
Of all the righteous forces, the greatest enemy of the Lan and Huang families was undoubtedly the Sky Edge Pavilion. After all, the Black Demon Divine Monarch had perished at their hands years ago.
The Lan and Huang families’ retaliation was far from over. One day, a group of martial experts brazenly stormed into a crucial base where the Sky Edge Pavilion trained their genius disciples.
Little did people know that the Sky Edge Pavilion’s selection of prodigious boys and girls was conducted in secret, with the public selection merely serving as a front.
This training base, while not teeming with golden boys and jade girls, held significant weight in the eyes of the Lan and Huang families, effectively crippling Sky Edge Pavilion’s reserve talents in the Great Cold State.
"Do not kill them, just detain them for now. They may be of use to us in the future."
Shi Xiaole said nonchalantly.
Those of the Sky Edge Pavilion at the stronghold were expendable. However, he knew these young people here were only temporary selections of outstanding talents from all over by the Sky Edge Pavilion. Shi Xiaole did not want their lives to be jeopardized because of his personal interests.
"The Holy Young Master is wise!"
The high-ranking warriors from both families cheered, taking the captive talents away.
The Demon Path has always had numerous methods up its sleeve, and they were confident that over time, they could make these naive men and women submit to them.
"Holy Young Master, in a year’s time, it will be our Great Cold Demon Path’s annual Mountain Cang gathering. Will you make an appearance this time to officially announce your return?"
Seven days after the devastating attack on the Sky Edge Pavilion’s training base, Lan Tian and Huang Rong came to see Shi Xiaole.
"Holy Young Master, the reason for our visit today is to discuss with you the matters regarding the Mountain Cang meeting."
Lan Tian said with a bow.
"Mountain Cang meeting?"
Shi Xiaole raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed, this meeting was initiated by the Demon Sky Sect. On the surface, it is to unite the Demon Path forces of the Great Cold State. But, everyone knows that it’s a ploy by the Demon Marquis, this boy, to establish his authority and proclaim himself the lord of our Path."
Huang Rong said with a mocking expression.
"You two don’t mean to suggest that I compete with the Demon Marquis, do you?"
Shi Xiaole shook his head: "My power is not yet at that level. If I appear hastily, it might backfire and be used by the Demon Marquis."
The two elders’ eyes were gleaming, as if they had come prepared.
Lan Tian took a step forward and said solemnly, "Holy Young Master, you might not be aware, but the Black Demon Divine Monarch once left behind an enormous secret. If we obtain it, you might be able to make rapid progress and become as powerful as the Demon Marquis!"
