The Sect Leader's Bizarre Recruitment Chapter 193: The Two Princes, Qin Yu's Scheme Against Xu Fenglai (Part 1) - Novel Cool

Chapter 193: The Two Princes, Qin Yu's Scheme Against Xu Fenglai (Part 1)

Chapter 193: The Two Princes, Qin Yu's Scheme Against Xu Fenglai (Part 1)

"If both princes were to die, and each at the hands of the other..."

"Even if one is a neglected wastrel and the other a pampered prodigal son, causing their fathers to despair..."

"But given their blood ties, it's unlikely they'd join forces. In fact, it's more probable that they'd come to blows before this."

"The Empress Dowager's wisdom is unparalleled..." Those around her hurriedly praised.

"No flattery, remember to be swift and clean in your actions."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The hidden figure disappeared.

Empress Zhou gently toyed with an item she carried, a faint smile playing on her lips. In an instant, she bloomed like a hundred flowers, her beauty unmatched, a true enchantress.

She gazed at the setting sun in the distance and muttered, "I thought this would be a protracted battle, but who would've thought such a twist would occur."

"If this succeeds, perhaps everything can be resolved swiftly."

"Qin Wang has been extremely discreet, leaving barely any traces about the young prince. As for Xu Wang's side, Xu Fenglai... Hehe, I've gathered numerous clues."

"It can be confirmed that the claims of him being a spoiled heir and an uneducated fool are all smokescreens, merely to mislead others. Even his recent expulsion from Xu Palace was part of this act."

"If not for the risk of antagonizing both Qin Wang and Xu Wang, Xu Fenglai would've already met his end at my blade."

"But now, the situation is entirely different."

"Qin Wangfu's Qin Yu and Xu Wangfu's Xu Fenglai."

"One is a neglected wastrel prince, the other a pampered heir, Xu Fenglai. They meet in the North Liang Region, clash, and both rise up, only to meet their end together."

"What a delightful drama."

She shivered at the thought.

Just imagining the scene seemed to thrill her to the core.

"After that, given Old Xu Wang's temperament, Qin Wangfu..."

"Will be on the brink of annihilation."

"Like a grasshopper after autumn, they won't last long."

"Hence, this plan must succeed, failure is not an option."

"But one group isn't enough..."

"..."

...

"Young Master, where are we going?"

Wang Teng had gradually adjusted to his 'servant' role, calling himself 'Old Huang'.

Old Huang was best described in two words—seedy and unreliable.

In contrast, Qin Yu exuded elegance, but his cultivation was only at the first stage, which was somewhat underwhelming.

However, in the North Liang Region, with Xu Wangfu's strict governance, bandits and robbers were rare.

Thus, their journey was relatively safe.

"Of course, we'll wander around, explore, and relax."

Qin Yu smiled, "Old Huang, have you been to the North Liang Region before?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then let's take our time and explore."

"Indeed!"

The 'master and servant' shared a smile and strode forward.

Unfortunately, they hadn't gone far when someone rode by on a spiritual beast, splashing mud on them.

Both were caught off guard, one at the first stage and the other with no cultivation, they couldn't dodge in time, and were instantly covered in mud.

Old Huang was already unkempt.

When Qin Yu left Qin Wangfu, he still resembled a spoiled young master, but now, he was also covered in mud, looking disheveled as if he had rolled in a mud pit.

They exchanged a glance, unable to hold back their laughter.

"Haha!"

They burst into laughter, one revealing a mouth of yellowed teeth, while the other had pearly whites, creating a stark contrast.

After a quick wash, they continued on their way.

No one would mistake Qin Yu for a prince now; he looked more like a beggar.

In the following days, they slept under the sky and on the ground, wherever they happened to be.

When hungry, they hunted wild game and gathered wild fruits.

In small towns, they bought food.

But soon, their funds ran out, leaving them unable to buy anything.

They even started stealing from others, including unripe sweet potatoes.

Chased by dogs, they fled for their lives...

Despite the hardships, they found joy in their situation.

For them, this was a novel experience, a game of life, filled with excitement and happiness. As for enduring hardship...

In reality, they were both sixth-stage cultivators, so these minor pains were insignificant.

In other words...

Their journey, though seemingly impoverished and miserable, was filled only with joy.

As they stole chickens and dodged dogs, even performing on the streets, they always had a destination in mind—

The Imperial Guards sent them the latest clues about Xu Fenglai's whereabouts.

So, while they wandered, they were actually searching for Xu Fenglai.

They took a roundabout route to avoid detection.

After all, they could both be in disguise. Xu Fenglai, as the eldest son of Xu Wangfu, might also be pretending. Qin Yu was just a young prince of Qin Wangfu.

A clear target might draw too much attention.

If their opponent became suspicious, it would complicate their mission. Qin Yu was willing to take more time and cover more ground to avoid this.

But gradually, both noticed something amiss.

One day, they passed through a mortal town with a population of tens of thousands, yet not a single cultivator.

Their presence was a unique 'exception'.

As they struggled to earn money through street performances, Qin Yu even crushed a boulder with his chest, and when they went to a local tavern, they overheard someone boasting.

"Do you know what Xu Wang's heir went through recently?"

"What happened?"

"Hey, want to hear? Drinks on me!"

"Drinks are on me, tell us!"

They maintained their composure and followed the voice.

In a bustling tavern, a peasant man was holding court, boasting to a group of ordinary folks, "At Songshan Lake, Xu Fenglai was suddenly ambushed and killed!"

"Have you heard of the Ink Blade Assassins?"

"Ahhh! You mean the Ink Blade Assassins of the Nurhaci Clan? Each of them is at the Fourth Realm or higher, fearless and formidable. When they strike together, they can even slay those at the Fifth Realm!"

"That's right! The Ink Blade Assassins of the Nurhaci Clan!"

"For some reason, they bypassed the blockade of the Northern Capital and infiltrated our North Liang region. They ambushed Xu Fenglai, the heir to the Xu Royal Manor, at Songshan Lake!"

"Why would they do that? Xu Fenglai has already been expelled from the Xu Royal Manor. Why would they still want to kill him?"

"You're asking me, but who should I ask?"

"In any case, he was ambushed."

"Everyone thought Xu Fenglai was done for. After all, he only had an unreliable old servant with him. But then, out of nowhere, a woman appeared and..."

"She single-handedly slew over three hundred Ink Blade Assassins with her dagger, without a scratch on herself, and saved Xu Fenglai..."

The man continued his grand tale.

Qin Yu and his companion exchanged a glance, having already paid the bill and left the tavern.

Once they confirmed they weren't being followed, Qin Yu spoke softly, "Old Huang, what do you make of this?"

"Young Master, what do you mean, what do I make of it?" Old Huang asked, his mismatched eyes narrowing. "I like looking at beautiful women."

Qin Yu couldn't help but smile at Old Huang's response.

This guy is really getting into character.

"When coincidences become too frequent, they cease to be coincidences."

"Since we arrived in North Liang, whenever someone talks about Xu Fenglai, they always mention a specific location, and it's always where he was recently."

"Maybe it's just people boasting."

"Or perhaps it's written on the notices."

"Or it could be that when two people are discreetly discussing secrets, we, the master and servant, just happen to overhear them."

"What's more, these people are all ordinary folks! Ordinary people are at the bottom of the entire Immortal Martial Continent. While they may not live in constant fear of losing their heads, staying safe and alive is no easy task."

"Why would the commoners of North Liang pay so much attention to a wastrel who's been expelled from his royal manor?"

"When you add it all up, don't you find it too much of a coincidence?"

"Oh~!" Old Huang slapped his forehead. "Is that what you're saying, Young Master?"

"It does seem like too much of a coincidence. What do you think, Young Master?"

"I suspect someone is trying to lure us there."

"Oh?"

"Now, this is getting interesting."

Old Huang narrowed his eyes.

He naturally understood what Qin Yu was implying, but at this moment, he had to play the part.

After all, he was just an ordinary servant and coachman; how could he possibly understand such matters?

But Qin Yu was different.

He was a 'wastrel', not an 'idiot'.

As the young master of a royal manor, even if he couldn't cultivate, he had undoubtedly been well-educated in poetry and literature since childhood, making him perceptive and thoughtful, which was entirely normal.

"So, Young Master, what do you think we should do?"

Qin Yu closed his folding fan and smiled.

"To be honest, I'm quite interested in this Xu Fenglai as well."

"I don't know who's behind this or why they want me to meet Xu Fenglai, but this aligns perfectly with my intentions. Since that's the case, why not go and meet him?"

"Let's go, we'll change our route!"

"Where to?"

"Songshan Lake~!"

"Alright."

...

Not long after the two left, a figure emerged from a nearby haystack.

"Master."

"The first step of the plan has been accomplished."

"It can be confirmed that the servant, Old Huang, is indeed brainless and lacks insight. However, the young master, Qin Yu, is rather clever and astute. He has already guessed some of our intentions and is aware that we are deliberately leading him there."

"But he's confident and has always been interested in Xu Fenglai. Even if he senses someone guiding him in the dark, he still decides to go to Songshan Lake."

...

"Hahaha, isn't this hilarious?"

"The young master of the Qin Royal Manor, with his status and position, should be beneath only a few dozen people and above millions in the entire Four Directions Immortal Kingdom."

"But this Qin Yu, the young master of the Qin Royal Manor, is living a miserable life."

"On this trip to North Liang, not only does he lack the protection of numerous experts, but he doesn't even have a single maid with him. His only companion is an ordinary old man."

"I heard that old man is quite the scoundrel."

"Isn't that right?"

"I heard that they've been swindling, cheating, and stealing along the way. They even performed tricks for money."

"When they stole a chicken, that old man only left the chicken buttocks for the young master."

"And when they performed the chest-breaking stone technique, that old man was the one swinging the hammer at his own young master!"

"Haha, is that true?"

"It seems this young master from the Qin Royal Manor is not well-treated at all."

"Who's to say otherwise? Qin Yu, the third son of the Qin Royal Manor, is a wastrel who can't cultivate. From the age of six, he was sent to the cold palace and neglected..."

"It seems the rumors are true!"

...

Outside the crowd, Xu Fenglai and his old servant exchanged a glance, feeling a bit dazed.

"The young master of the Qin Royal Manor, Qin Yu?"

"He's been swindling and cheating, and that old servant only gave him a chicken buttock?"

"No," Xu Fenglai muttered, "For the chest-breaking stone technique, he had his own master smash the stone... Old Huang, I feel like they're talking about us."

"Quick, pinch me. Am I drunk? Am I dreaming?"

"In my dream, even my name has changed?"

"How can that be? It's different!"

Old Huang shook his head, "That's not us!"

Xu Fenglai blinked, "That's us!"

"That's not us!"

"That's us!"

"I'm telling you, that's not us. Young Master, have you forgotten?"

When we went to steal the chicken, the dog chased us, and I ran faster than you!"

"When we encountered bandits, how fast did I run? I left you alone, calling to the heavens and the earth, but no one answered. They said that the old servant had such a valiant record?"

Xu Fenglai's mouth twitched uncontrollably, "Are you proud of yourself?"

"I should thank you?"

"It's not me saying this, Old Huang, you're really too much!"

Just at this moment, a few more voices came from the crowd: "Haha, what's this? I heard that the old servant stole things and ran faster than the young master. He made Qin Xiaowangye run, and his clothes were torn to shreds."

"When he encountered the bandits, he ran away, but Xiaowangye was a step behind. They stripped him of his clothes, and he left with his bare buttocks, hahaha..."

"Is this true?"

"That's too funny!"

"..."

Outside the crowd.

Xu Fenglai's mouth twitched again, looking at Old Huang, his gaze deep, "You say, are they talking about us?"

Old Huang scratched his head, feeling confused himself, "I think... they're talking about us!"

"Yes, it's us!"

"Let's go!" Xu Fenglai waved his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"To see another... us!"

Old Huang clapped his hands, "Good, good!"

But...

His eyes became slightly solemn.

However, it was only for a moment, and then he relaxed.

It was night.

They spent the night in a dilapidated temple.

Suddenly, Xu Fenglai felt a bit of regret, "What if we encounter them, and if we don't like each other, what if we get into a fight?"

"I heard that Qin Yu, that good-for-nothing, in your body? At least he has opened the Physical Body Mystical Gate and reached the Ninth Level of the First Stage. You and I are just ordinary people. If we fight, we won't be able to beat them!"

Old Huang grinned.

Xu Fenglai turned over, "Old Huang, honestly tell me, do you really know any martial arts?"

"Actually, I do."

Old Huang nodded, rarely being serious for a moment, and said with a straight face, "I know a little."

"Hmm?"

"How high is your martial arts skill?" Xu Fenglai's eyes lit up.

Old Huang raised his hand and gestured at his waist, "Probably... this high?"

Xu Fenglai, "..."

His mother, it's this high.

You thought he was talking about height?

It's this high.

He realized what he meant and cursed, "Damn, I actually believed you knew martial arts."

"You don't know any martial arts."

"If you knew martial arts, would you run faster than a rabbit when chased by a dog? If you knew martial arts, would you sell out your master when encountering bandits? If you knew martial arts, would you let me take the lead when performing on the streets?"

"Damn!"

"Damn!"

Old Huang's act was exposed in an instant, and he chuckled embarrassedly, "Oh, the young master has seen through me."

"Actually, I don't know any martial arts. I don't know a thing. I wanted to brag and act cool, but I didn't expect... I have to say, as expected of the young master, nothing can escape your eyes."

Xu Fenglai hooked his mouth, "Back then at the Hundred Flowers Tower, when we played hide-and-seek, no matter where those girls hid, I could find them without any effort."

"Later, it became boring, so we played with hiding small objects."

"Hiding Essence Stones~"

"If I couldn't find them, the Essence Stones would belong to the girls."

"Guess what happened?"

"Hey, those girls tried everything, even hiding them inside their bodies, but they couldn't escape the young master's divine eyes~!"

"I heard that you don't let them wear clothes. If they don't wear clothes, of course, they can't escape your divine eyes~"

Old Huang grumbled.

Xu Fenglai glared, "Hey, you dare to argue?"

"What's wrong with not wearing clothes? There are so many girls; do you think it's not a test of eyesight?"

"Moreover, not wearing clothes adds to the challenge."

"If it were you, Old Huang, you wouldn't be able to do it. Your eyes would be glued to the girls, and you wouldn't be able to find the Essence Stones."

"Hey, what are you saying?!"

Old Huang protested, "You didn't give me a chance. How do you know I can't do it?"

"Besides, as long as it makes the girls smile, what does it matter?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"

Xu Fenglai chuckled.

The master and servant bantered back and forth, and after a few rounds, they both relaxed.

Until the early hours of the morning, they fell into a hazy sleep.

The next morning, they casually washed their faces and continued on their journey...

On the other side, Qin Yu and his servant were doing the same.

At this moment, they were heading towards each other.

Soon...

The Empress Dowager received news.

"Oh? They're already getting closer?"

"It's smoother than expected."

"They've taken an interest in each other? Perfect, perfect~!"

"Are the relevant people ready?"

"Remember, there must not be any traces left behind!"

"Otherwise..."

"This palace will exterminate your entire clan!"

"Yes!"

The servant's scalp went numb, and he immediately turned into a puff of smoke and disappeared.

Empress Zhou walked to the window, gazing at the beautiful hibiscus flowers outside, her red lips curling slightly.

"So far, everything has gone smoother than expected."

"I just hope it continues this way."

...

"Getting closer."

Qin Yu muttered, "Old Huang, we've been hearing that Xu Fenglai and his retinue are coming in our direction. Do you think we'll run into them?"

"Or will we just miss each other and drift further apart?

(End of Chapter)

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