PDLP Chapter 22 Secret Schemes
Chapter 22 Secret Schemes
Shen Li felt a surge of anger and a strong killing intent welled up within him: This guy just happens to have a Golden Core stage ancestor as his backer.
Killing him is easier said than done.
The slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.
Forget it, I'll endure it for now. When I'm strong enough, I'll get my money back with interest.
The most urgent task is to deal with the current deadly situation.
Shen Li frowned, pacing back and forth, pondering a solution: If Pang Sicheng wanted to kill me, why was it Liu Jincai who made the move?
Yes!
The sect leader and Elder Pang's factions are at odds, and Liu Jincai is likely an undercover agent for Elder Pang's faction.
If Pang Sicheng were to personally attack me, a menial disciple, he would be too conspicuous and could easily give others a handle against him.
Therefore, the best solution is to have my boss, Liu Jincai, deal with me.
Whether it's using a sect mission as an excuse to make me die unexpectedly, or expelling me from the sect before killing me, it's far more convenient and discreet than him doing it himself.
Clearly, after the incident with Hu Wenbiao, Pang Sicheng has become more cautious and intelligent.
Having figured this out, Shen Li did not feel relieved; instead, her mood became even heavier.
It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Schemes that come from within the rules are often more dangerous.
Liu Jincai is far superior to Hu Wenbiao. He holds power in the Miscellaneous Service Hall and has the cultivation level of the late stage of Qi Refining. Whether by relying on the rules or his own strength, he can easily crush me.
He shook his head and sighed, a sense of powerlessness washing over him again: My strength and status are still too low. They could crush me with ease.
Should we seek help from the Tai Xuan Sect?
I'm an undercover agent, after all. If I die, they'll also suffer a loss.
He then shook his head and thought to himself: Forget it, I almost died during the last rendezvous, it's better to keep this identity hidden.
Under the pressure of a life-or-death crisis, a sudden thought flashed through his mind: Wait... who said I don't have any backing?
The sect leader is my protector!
Last time, I inadvertently escalated the conflict between the sect leader and Elder Pang, which had a remarkable effect and made Pang Sicheng suffer a lot.
If it worked last time, why can't it work this time?
I can let the previous rumors continue, and I can still exploit Hu Wenbiao, who is dead and has no way to prove anything.
Moreover, this time they want to drag Liu Jincai into it as well, killing two birds with one stone, making sure Liu Jincai and Pang Sicheng suffer the consequences.
A meticulous plan gradually took shape in his mind.
......
In Zhao Ping'an's small courtyard, in the living quarters of the servant disciples.
Zhao Ping'an was pouring himself a drink and humming a tune. His life seemed comfortable, but there was a hint of boredom and laziness in his eyes.
He put down his wine glass and muttered to himself listlessly, "Sigh, things have been so peaceful in the sect lately, there's not even a decent secret to be found."
Then, a look of reminiscence appeared on his face: "The last time was so much more enjoyable! It was I, Zhao Ping'an, who exposed Pang Sicheng's shocking secret of practicing evil arts. Just thinking about it is exciting and unforgettable! Hehe..."
Just as he was basking in his past glory, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard wall.
Zhao Ping'an pricked up his ears, his eyes flashing with professional shrewdness: "Huh? These footsteps sound so familiar, so sneaky, there must be something fishy going on!"
Could another big secret have been delivered to our doorstep?!
Unable to contain his curiosity, he immediately slipped out of the courtyard silently and followed the dark figure ahead.
The two walked one after the other into the dense forest behind the servants' quarters.
Sure enough, not long after he entered the forest, he heard low voices coming from ahead.
Zhao Ping'an was overjoyed and so excited he almost jumped up, thinking to himself: There really is something going on! Hehe, this trip was worthwhile again!
He quickly hid behind an ancient tree, held his breath, and listened carefully.
A gruff voice exclaimed in surprise, "Hu...Hu Wenbiao, Senior Brother Hu? You...you're not dead?!"
Immediately, a hoarse and weak voice responded, "Cough...cough cough...of course I'm not dead. I barely escaped with my life, but Pang Sicheng beat me to a pulp."
The gruff voice was filled with disbelief: "Pang Sicheng injured you?! Is it true that the rumors about him practicing evil arts are true?"
Hu Wenbiao said angrily, "It's absolutely true! He's practicing the 'Luanfeng Yin Yang Technique'!"
However, I stole the second half of the cultivation technique—the "Dual Energy Harvest" chapter. That's why he went to great lengths to kill me and reclaim the technique!
The gruff voice suddenly realized, "Oh, I see! So what are you planning to do next? You can't just keep hiding, can you?"
Hu Wenbiao snorted coldly and continued, "It's alright for now. Fortunately, Liu Jincai secretly took me in."
He also promised me that if I just endured a few more days, when the time was right, he would take me to see the sect leader and make the matter public!
The gruff voice pressed on curiously, "Deacon Liu? Since he's willing to help you, why doesn't he take you to see the sect leader immediately, instead of dragging it out for several days?"
Hu Wenbiao's tone was laced with sarcasm: "Hmph, don't you understand? Of course, it's about waiting for the right price."
Deacon Liu is a clever man with grand ambitions. As long as he holds onto my trump card, he will have Pang Sicheng's Achilles' heel.
He wants to sell me for a good price. He'll side with whoever offers the highest price, Elder Pang or the sect leader.
"I don't have much time. Liu Jincai is incredibly stingy; he won't even give me any healing medicine. Did you bring the pills I asked you to find?"
"I brought it, I brought it..."
Then, a rustling sound and the sound of footsteps fading away came, and the dense forest returned to silence.
Upon hearing everything, Zhao Ping'an was already so shocked that his mouth dropped open: My goodness! I knew it, there's no smoke without fire!
It turns out that Hu Wenbiao wasn't dead; he was hidden away by that old fox Liu Jincai!
He was filled with the excitement of "knowing the truth" and couldn't wait to share the secret.
Zhao Ping'an excitedly danced around: You, Liu Jincai!
It's one thing for them to withhold our spirit stones on ordinary days, but now they've become so audacious as to set their sights on the sect leader and Elder Pang, trying to be opportunistic and wait for the right price.
If I don't leak this information this time, you old bastard, you'll regret it. I, Zhao Ping'an, will change my surname to yours!
He suppressed his excitement and quietly slipped out of the dense forest.
At this moment, he was already thinking about how to share this huge secret with his "trustworthy" friends.
After Zhao Ping'an left, Shen Li's figure slowly appeared.
The secret conversation between "Hu Wenbiao" and his accomplices just now was naturally a good show he directed and acted himself, using his magical ability to change his voice.
Shen Li stared in the direction Zhao Ping'an had left, and sneered, "Hu Wenbiao, you're going to have to take the blame again this time. Pang Sicheng, Liu Jincai, let's see how you get out of this mess, hmph!"
If Hu Wenbiao knew that he would not find peace even after death, he would probably haunt Shen Li even as a ghost.
......
The next morning, in the servants' dining hall.
Several disciples sat around a table, and one of them, Zhao Ping'an, spoke eloquently.
And those who gathered around him were all like-minded friends.