I am a prince in Zhutian Films

Chapter 446 It’s all a plan
After Ying Xun left the World's Number One Restaurant, Xiong Ba let out a long sigh, making him look much older and more tired.

"This is the first time I've seen you so tired, so old..."

A weathered voice rang out, and before it could finish speaking, a figure shrouded in purple robes suddenly appeared.

The man in purple had lost an arm, his temples were gray, and he was quite old. He exuded a domineering aura, and his face was very similar to that of Xiong Ba, as if he were Xiong Ba twenty or thirty years later.

Clearly, the man in purple is the leader of the purple-clad group.

Xiong Ba didn't look at him, but sighed, "Sometimes, I really feel old. Originally, the World Alliance was methodically sweeping across the world, and I was confident that I could unify the world and sit on that supreme position. But since the emergence of the Shocking Ranking, I can no longer understand this world. If there really are gods and demons in this world, living for thousands of years, silently looking down on the world, then everything I have done is just a joke in their eyes. Whether it is me or the World Alliance, we are just pawns in their game. As long as they want, they can destroy the pawns at any time, or even overturn the entire chessboard..."

The leader in purple patted him on the shoulder: "Don't overthink it. You are a born overlord, destined to dominate the world and be revered by all. The so-called Panic List is a mix of truth and falsehood, and nobody knows for sure. I suspect it's just something that kid uses to stir up trouble in the martial world. He has a close relationship with Wushuang City, and with his influence in the capital region, he may well have ambitions to conquer the world."

Xiong Ba was startled and asked, "Are you confident you can take him down?"

"His strength is beyond my expectations. I'm afraid the only way to restrain him now is to use You Ruo."

"I never expected that in just half a year, I wouldn't even be able to withstand a single move from him." Xiong Ba sighed, his gaze sharpening. "Right now, we don't need to worry about him for the time being, but there is one thing that needs to be dealt with."

"What's the matter?"

"Sword Saint".

Xiong Ba's expression grew increasingly solemn. His chiseled face naturally exuded an indescribable air of majesty, inspiring awe in all who beheld him.

"You saw it just now, didn't you? That kid used the Sword Saint's Holy Spirit Sword Technique to exchange a move with me. If the Sword Saint is really as he says, having reached the Heavenly Sword Realm, I'm afraid I'm no match for him. The World Society is currently riding high, and I... cannot lose!"

At this point, Xiong Ba finally turned his gaze to the leader in purple.

"This time, it all depends on you. If you are no match for the Sword Saint, there is no need to force it. Just go to West Lake."

"To West Lake?"

"The list of alarms is a mix of truth and falsehood, and no one knows for sure. But I've recently been reading through ancient texts and found some valuable information. At the very least, the four divine stones are real. Ice Soul is currently in the imperial mausoleum, and apart from preventing the corpses from decaying, it has no other use and is insignificant. White Dew has been forged into the Snow Drinking Blade, and the wounds on my body were caused by the Blood Drinking Blade, the coldness of which is extremely difficult to cure. Black Frost is being forged at the Sword Worship Manor, and it's not advisable to take action for the time being. Only the divine stone is missing, but there are legends about it in the West Lake area. I hope you can find it and bring it back."

Among the four wonders, the Divine Stone is the most magical and the most powerful.

It can not only become the most powerful and unparalleled super weapon in the world, but also a sacred object that can quickly save people from death.

This was also information that Xiong Ba had found out, but he clearly had no intention of telling the purple-robed leader.

The leader in purple remained silent for a long time, then looked up at a 45-degree angle and exhaled a long breath. He said in a deep voice, "Fine, for you, for the World Society to sweep across the world, I will go for you."

"Then... I'll have to trouble you, Father."

After seeing off the purple-clad leader, Xiong Ba's expression suddenly changed, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

Over the years, his father, who was once the leader of the Seven Demon Chasers, has been helping him conquer the world from behind, just like the Twelve Fiends of Tianchi.

However, compared to outsiders like the Twelve Fiends of Tianchi, Xiong Ba was more wary of his biological father, the leader of the Purple Robes.

Because he knew very well that his father had changed long ago, and the current leader in purple robes also had a heart that wanted to dominate the world and reign supreme in the martial arts world.

No one knows whether his father will target him after the Tianxia Society sweeps across the land.

That's why he had the leader in purple robes deal with the Sword Saint. And if the leader in purple robes really chose to attack the Sword Saint, no matter who won or lost, it would be good news for him.

Of course, Xiong Ba also knew that the purple-clad leader was wary of him.

So he gave the purple-clad leader another option.

Searching for the Divine Stone!

Compared to attacking the Sword Saint, Xiong Ba actually believed that the Purple-Clad Boss was more likely to choose the latter.

However, he didn't believe that such a rare and precious object as the Divine Stone wouldn't be protected by a master.

Even if they don't, once the purple-robed leader finds the divine stone, it will inevitably attract countless experts to fight over it.

In short, as long as the purple-robed leader agrees to help, no matter what he chooses, he will fall into the trap that Xiong Ba has set for him.

Thinking about all this, Xiong Ba couldn't help but relax a little, pondering what Ying Xun had told him...

Lakeside Cottage

Ying Xun had just stepped ashore when he heard a shout.

"Brother Ying."

Looking towards the sound, one could see Qin Shuang standing under the shade of a tree not far away, with Wen Chou Chou and You Ruo beside her, who seemed to have been waiting for a while.

Ying Xun walked over and bowed respectfully: "Brother Qin, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

Qin Shuang smiled wryly: "To be honest, Brother Ying, things aren't going well. So I heard from Steward Wen that you and Miss returned to the World Society, and I'm waiting for you here specifically to ask you for some advice."

Upon hearing this, Ying Xun glanced at Wen Chou Chou and laughed, "It seems you and Steward Wen have been secretly contacting each other behind my father-in-law's back. Are you struggling with whether or not to betray the World Society?"

"As expected, nothing can be hidden from Brother Ying."

"As the young lady of the World Society, aren't you going to do anything about this?" Ying Xun asked You Ruo.

You Ruo snorted coldly: "He actually used a weak and kind woman to plot against Senior Brother Qin and the others. He deserves to be betrayed by everyone. Senior Brother Qin, don't hesitate, I support you in betraying the World Society."

It has to be said that Xiong Ba was a complete failure as a person.

Even his only daughter, who was truly devoted to him, has now become estranged from him.

Of course, being estranged from Xiong Ba does not mean that You Ruo has absolutely no feelings for him.

At least if someone else wanted to kill Xiong Ba, she would definitely stop them.

Qin Shuang sighed and remained silent.

"So, you don't know how to choose, right?" Ying Xun asked.

“Yes, Master… I really can’t accept what he did, but he did raise me after all.”

Seeing Qin Shuang now, Ying Xun couldn't help but think of someone.

Tang Lian.

In some ways, the two are quite similar. Both were senior disciples in their respective sects, both were upright and sincere, and both met with unfortunate ends.

However, the difference is that Tang Lian's master, Baili Dongjun, and Tang Lianyue were both good, while Qin Shuang's master, Xiong Ba... let's not even mention him.

Remembering what Baili Dongjun had once said to Tang Lian, Ying Xun uttered four words.

"Act according to your heart."

"I'm just unsure of what to do, that's why I wanted to ask you for advice. You should act according to your heart..."

Qin Shuang was too embarrassed to continue, but You Ruo didn't have as many reservations and gave her evaluation without any politeness.

"It's just a pointless statement."

"Follow your heart, follow your nature, follow fate. You think it's nonsense, but you just don't understand the Zen principles behind it. Fine, let me say something you can understand."

Ying Xun sighed and asked, "Brother Qin, putting your master aside, would you be willing to stay with the World Society?"

"Of course I'm willing, after all, this is where I've lived since I was a child."

"Then stay in the World Society for now, do what a hall master should do, and wait until the conflict between them develops to the final stage before you make a choice."

Ying Xun took a breath: "If you still can't make a choice when the time comes, then we'll stand by and do nothing, and pretend we didn't know or see anything."

Qin Shuang was taken aback for a moment and asked, "What if Master asks me to take action against Junior Brother Yun and Junior Brother Feng now?" "Tell him your true thoughts. Although my father-in-law is ruthless and cunning, he is still tolerant. He may be suspicious of you, but he won't go so far as to harm you."

Qin Shuang was silent for a moment, then asked, "Aren't there any other options?"

"Have."

"What choice?"

"Follow me, or go find the God of Catchers and join the government. I don't need to say much about the God of Catchers. Although he and his father are estranged, they are still father and son. As long as you follow the God of Catchers and don't get involved in Jianghu affairs, your master should turn a blind eye. The second option is to follow me and You Ruo. I am, after all, the son-in-law of the World Society. I believe my father-in-law will still be willing to give me some face."

As he spoke, Ying Xun turned to look at a large tree not far away and said with a faint smile, "Father-in-law, you will give me this face, won't you?"

With a cold snort, Xiong Ba emerged from behind the tree and slowly walked towards them.

"Master!"

"Gang leader!"

Qin Shuang and Wen Chou Chou were both surprised and frightened.

Relatively speaking, Qin Shuang remained calm, while Wen Chou Chou was so frightened that her legs were trembling.

Xiong Ba stared intently at the two of them, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Are you going to betray me too?"

Qin Shuang bowed: "Your disciple wouldn't dare!"

As for Wen Chou Chou, he could no longer withstand the pressure from Xiong Ba and knelt down with a thud.

"Master, I have absolutely no intention of betraying you. Please see this clearly."

"Qin Shuang, Wen Chou Chou, you should know the consequences of betraying me."

Xiong Ba suddenly unleashed his aura, as if he were about to take the lives of the two men at any moment.

Just then, You Ruo stepped forward and said, "They just want to leave the World Society, they didn't say they betrayed you. All these years, you've imprisoned me in this lakeside cottage, and only Wen Chou Chou comes to see me. If you want to kill Wen Chou Chou, kill me first!"

The reason why Qin Shuang wasn't brought along was because You Ruo knew very well that even if her father didn't care about the master-disciple relationship, he would still consider Qin Shuang's usefulness and wouldn't really harm her.

However, Wen Chou Chou is different.

Despite being the Grand Steward of the World Society, Wen Chou Chou was actually nothing more than a servant in her father's eyes, and his life was worthless.

"Miss."

It was just three words, but anyone could hear the emotion in Wen Chou Chou's voice.

Suddenly, Xiong Ba sighed, as if he had thought of something: "Never mind, Wen Chou Chou, you can follow You Ruo from now on."

Wen Chou Chou's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and he kowtowed repeatedly.

"Thank you, Master. Thank you, Miss..."

Xiong Ba didn't give him another glance, and turned his head slightly to look at Qin Shuang.

“Master, I never thought of betraying you, nor did I want to leave the World Society, but... I really can’t bring myself to lay a hand on Junior Brother Feng and Junior Brother Yun.”

Xiong Ba nodded but said nothing, only patted him on the shoulder.

Then, Xiong Ba said to Ying Xun, "Let's talk."

"Father-in-law, please!"

Watching the two disappear from sight, Qin Shuang asked blankly, "What did Master mean just now?"

He seemed to be asking himself, and also seemed to be asking You Ruo and Wen Chou Chou.

You Ruo shook her head: "I don't know, I'm more curious about what he talked about with that stinky Taoist priest."

Wen Chou Chou stood up and pondered for a moment: "Based on my understanding of the gang leader, he probably won't order you to take action against Hall Master Yun and Hall Master Feng in the future. As for what the gang leader wanted to talk to the son-in-law about, I have no idea."

You Ruo blushed: "Wen Chou Chou, who are you calling 'son-in-law'? I, your aunt, have never agreed to marry him."

"Yes, yes, my young lady, we won't marry."

"Hmph, I'm too lazy to talk to you anymore, go back."

Back at the villa in the lakeside pavilion, You Ruo began to inquire whether Xiong Ba and Ying Xun had returned.

Upon learning that the two were in the study, she secretly slipped over, trying to eavesdrop on what they were saying.

However, before she could get close, she was discovered by Xiong Ba.

"If you eavesdrop again, I'll kill Wen Chou Chou."

"Hmph, if you don't want to listen, then don't listen. This old lady doesn't care to listen anyway."

The conversation lasted a long time, from noon until evening.

Aside from Ying Xun and Xiong Ba, no one knew what they talked about, but it was clear that Xiong Ba was in a good mood. They had dinner at the Lakeside Pavilion before leaving with Qin Shuang.

As soon as Xiong Ba and Qin Shuang left, You Ruo asked impatiently, "You stinky Taoist priest, what were you chatting about for so long?"

"Let's talk about our wedding."

"Pah, I haven't agreed to marry you yet."

"The betrothal gifts have been given and the wedding date has been set. If you don't marry me, who do you want to marry?" Ying Xun said with a smile.

"What dowry, what wedding date? How come I know nothing about these things?"

"At noon at the No. 1 Restaurant in the world, I presented the betrothal gifts, and your father accepted them. The wedding date is set for half a month from now."

Upon hearing this, the maidservant and Wen Chou Chou who were serving nearby burst into laughter.

"Congratulations, son-in-law! Congratulations, young lady!"

You Ruo was also delighted, but then she was suddenly startled.

Because she calculated the time, half a month later, it would be exactly the time when the Sword Saint came to the World Society.

"That stinky Taoist priest, he's using you."

Ying Xun replied nonchalantly, "I know, but I don't care."

"How could he be so shameless? He even schemed against our wedding! No, I'm going to find him!" You Ruo stood up angrily, ready to chase after Xiong Ba.

Ying Xun grabbed her, but unexpectedly, You Ruo lost her balance and fell into his arms.

The maidservants and Wen Chou Chou who were serving her were also perceptive; they lowered their eyes in unison and then retreated.

They walked very fast, as if they were being chased by dogs.

You Ruo struggled to get up, but with the beauty in his arms, how could Ying Xun let her go? He said softly, "As long as I can marry you, I don't care about being used by your father, unless you don't want to marry me."

"I didn't." You Ruo felt a surge of emotion and simply hugged Ying Xun's waist. "I just don't want you to suffer because of me. Why should he? Why should he even scheme against our marriage?"

"Your dad, well... I can only say you'll get used to it."

(End of this chapter)