Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1309 - 1305: Hatching a Plan

"Ahem, forget it then." Su Qi let out a small cough.

The three men present turned their gazes toward him.

Su Qi expelled a breath in resignation. "That fellow has cultivated the Ascension Technique, a skill that poses a grave threat to our true forms. It is far too perilous."

"Are we simply going to let this matter pass?" the stout, round-faced man inquired urgently. "Are we to retreat in defeat?"

Su Qi sighed, a heavy burden in his voice. "At this juncture, it appears to be the most prudent course. Confronting him directly… what if he pursues us into You Meng Heaven? Can we possibly withstand such an assault?"

Both the stout man and the lean middle-aged man could only shake their heads in response.

They were already aware of the terrifying capabilities of the Ascension Technique, particularly as wielded by the Undying Evil Venerable.

The lean man lowered his voice, a contemplative tone. "Brother Su, if you were to allow your Third Elder to confront him, who do you believe would emerge victorious?"

"An excellent proposition!" the stout man exclaimed, his hand striking his thigh in approval.

He turned to the lean man with marked admiration. "Old Ding, your mind is truly a wellspring of ingenious stratagems!"

The lean man's eyes glinted as he fixed his gaze upon Su Qi.

Su Qi's brow furrowed in thought.

Zhu Lingyun interjected with a measured voice, "That Third Elder cannot make a descent. His reputation for righteousness is unparalleled, and he harbors the deepest abhorrence for such transgressions."

Su Qi nodded slowly, confirming the statement. "Indeed, the Third Elder holds a profound disdain for this path. Many who have dared to descend have met their end at his hands."

"Ha!" the stout man scoffed derisively. "He detests it, yet his own brother treads this very path."

"The Third Elder is likely unaware," Su Qi offered.

"Unaware? Ha!" the stout man retorted with a sneer. "With his authority, how could he possibly be ignorant? I suspect he is actively shielding Hu Huixiang. After all, with Hu Huixiang's original abilities, becoming a Venerable was an impossibility."

The lean man slowly inclined his head in agreement. "He likely possesses knowledge of the situation."

He then offered a slight smile. "A straightforward solution exists: instigate Hu Huixiang to descend, and then guide Chu Zhiyuan to confront and eliminate him. The Third Elder would be compelled to intervene."

"Precisely!" the stout man lauded, clapping his hands together. "That does not sound overly complicated, does it?"

Su Qi's brow remained knitted, his expression one of evident hesitation.

The lean man reassured him. "We shall remain concealed in the shadows, ensuring not a single trace of our involvement is left behind."

The stout man nodded enthusiastically. "We will maintain a considerable distance."

"You underestimate the Third Elder's might," Su Qi countered, shaking his head. "We may not be able to deceive him."

"We won't betray our presence..."

Su Qi continued his negation, his head still shaking. "The Third Elder is on the precipice of becoming a Divine Venerable; his powers are beyond our comprehension."

"Is he truly that formidable?" the lean man inquired, his brow furrowing slightly.

Su Qi responded gravely, "We cannot truly grasp the terror of a Divine Venerable. All who have known such might are now deceased."

"Then let us employ a layer of influence," the lean man proposed, his tone earnest.

"How so?" the stout man asked with palpable eagerness.

The lean man elaborated, "Subtly leak the location of the Qianye Sect, ensuring the Evil Extermination Department becomes aware of it. Should they find themselves outmatched, they will undoubtedly seek assistance from Chu Zhiyuan. With Chu Zhiyuan's formidable skills, dealing with Hu Huixiang would be a simple matter."

"Brilliant! Utterly brilliant!" the stout man declared, his hands meeting in a fervent clap of admiration. "Magnificent!"

He then turned his attention to Su Qi, observing his continued hesitation with a flicker of displeasure. "Brother Su, is this plan not feasible?"

"It still carries a degree of risk," Su Qi stated. "It would be most prudent to maintain complete detachment and refrain from any involvement whatsoever."

"Then present your alternative suggestion," the stout man demanded, his tone tinged with frustration. "Surely, you do not advocate for a simple, ignominious retreat?"

"That is the wisest course of action," Su Qi maintained.

The stout man let out a dismissive snort. "If we exhibit such timidity now, any hope of attaining Divine Venerable status will be extinguished!"

It was stated that unless one's emotions were in a state of proper alignment, achieving Divine Venerable status was nigh impossible.

The lean man then offered, "Perhaps we should attempt a few more detours."

"More detours?" the stout man questioned. "Have we not already implemented a considerable number of convoluted maneuvers?"

The lean man clarified, "There remains one final avenue: transmitting the information directly through Chu Zhiyuan. This approach might even serve to obstruct the Third Elder's pursuit."

Su Qi's brow furrowed. "Hmm—?"

"Chu Zhiyuan possesses formidable cultivation, augmented by a miraculous technique. He might possess the capacity to withstand the Third Elder. At the very least, it would prevent the Third Elder from easily uncovering our trail," the lean man explained.

Su Qi slowly nodded in assent. "That is a valid point."

The lean man continued, "Therefore, let us directly convey the intelligence regarding the Qianye Sect's whereabouts to Chu Zhiyuan. Given his character, he will undoubtedly investigate the Qianye Sect personally!"

"Indeed, he will not spare the Qianye Sect," the stout, middle-aged man affirmed, nodding. "It is said that his sense of justice is exceptionally strong, and he despises demons and wicked individuals above all else. Once he sets his sights on them, escape is impossible."

"An excellent notion, but how shall we convey the message to him?" Su Qi inquired, his brow furrowed. "We cannot possibly approach too closely, can we?"

"Simply dispatch someone with a message," the slender, middle-aged man interjected calmly. "It would be most advantageous to select an individual with no prior connection to this matter."

"And then we can eliminate them," the stout, middle-aged man suggested.

The slender, middle-aged man gestured dismissively. "No, we shall not eliminate them."

"Hmm—?" The stout, middle-aged man appeared perplexed. "You suggest leaving a trail? What if the Third Elder decides to investigate?"

"Eliminating witnesses is far more likely to expose our involvement," the slender, middle-aged man explained. "Find someone who knows someone else, preferably a disciple of the Qianye Sect. Once Chu Zhiyuan arrives, few within the Qianye Sect will survive; he will undoubtedly perish, which conveniently resolves the issue of eliminating him ourselves."

"Brilliant!" The stout, middle-aged man was awestruck. "How did your mind conceive such a masterful plan to borrow a knife for the kill? You are using Chu Zhiyuan’s power to clean up our mess!"

A faint smile graced the slender, middle-aged man’s lips.

He, too, felt a surge of pride at his own sudden inspiration, deeming it a truly ingenious stratagem.

"This might prove challenging," Su Qi mused, his expression troubled. "These individuals are not exactly known for their integrity. If we simply state they are delivering a message to Chu Zhiyuan, they might open and read it immediately."

The slender, middle-aged man replied, "Then instruct them to declare it a challenge letter for Chu Zhiyuan, a formal battle summons."

"Ah, yes! If they hear it’s a challenge letter, they won’t dare pry further," the stout, middle-aged man agreed with a quick nod.

The slender, middle-aged man’s gaze shifted from Su Qi to Zhu Lingyun.

Zhu Lingyun’s brow furrowed. "Is there no alternative means to directly confront and eliminate Chu Zhiyuan with the aid of powerful experts?"

Fearing the potential loss of an opportunity to deploy the Heaven Sacrifice Method, he felt an immense sense of reluctance.

Truly, it was a case of even the best-laid plans of mortals being subject to the whims of fate.

Who could have foreseen that these demons would prove so cowardly, fleeing at the mere hint of trouble?

Su Qi shook his head. "Brother Zhu, I would advise against pinning your hopes on that."

"Sigh... These individuals are such a disappointment!" Zhu Lingyun lamented, shaking his head.

Su Qi elaborated, "Had they possessed true fortitude, they would have met their demise long ago. It is precisely their swiftness in fleeing that has allowed them to survive this far."

The stout, middle-aged man chuckled. "Since we cannot rely on them, we shall place our trust in the Third Elder. Brother Su, let us proceed!"

Su Qi lapsed into silence once more.

His hesitation was palpable, clearly reluctant to commit to such a drastic course of action.

"Is this Third Elder truly that formidable?" the stout, middle-aged man inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice as he observed Su Qi’s demeanor. "Is he that terrifying?"

"Far more terrifying than you can possibly imagine!"

The stout, middle-aged man considered this. "Then should we simply let Chu Zhiyuan be? It would be ideal if they could eliminate each other!"

"Actually..." Su Qi began, still wavering.

"Let us do it!" the stout, middle-aged man declared with newfound seriousness. "If Chu Zhiyuan remains, I shall not find peace."

The slender, middle-aged man spoke slowly. "I share the same sentiment. If this individual is not removed, he poses a future threat, one that could jeopardize our entire You Meng Heaven."

"...Very well!" After a moment of contemplation, Su Qi finally grit his teeth. "Then let us employ the Third Elder’s might to eliminate Chu Zhiyuan!"

He turned his head to address Zhu Lingyun. "Brother Zhu, what are your thoughts on this?"

"It is certainly worth a try," Zhu Lingyun responded.

At that precise moment, Chu Zhiyuan withdrew his focus and strolled leisurely through the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back.

In any case, if the Qianye Sect could be utterly annihilated, it would constitute an immeasurable contribution.

However, regarding this Third Elder, a thorough investigation was indeed necessary to ascertain his true capabilities.

This Third Elder appeared exceptionally powerful, almost invincible according to Su Qi’s descriptions.

Su Qi’s assessment, it must be said, carried a degree of credibility.