Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 206 The Allied Yuan Kingdom, A Cunning Mantis Waits for Its Mate
Cooperation with the Yuan Dynasty?
In fact, Cheng Kun had thought about doing this many years ago.

As someone who came from a small sect in the martial arts world, after his master died, only he and his junior sister remained in the sect.

After his junior sister died, he became a complete wanderer in the martial arts world, lacking both talent and reputation.

After Xie Xun went mad, he even abandoned the name Cheng Kun.

Therefore, he had no idea what the Ming Cult was in the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

On the surface, the Ming Dynasty treated the Ming Cult very well, giving them annual rewards, which seemed to indicate that it valued the Ming Cult highly.

Therefore, Cheng Kun thought of asking the Yuan Kingdom to take action and destroy the Ming Cult.

But after spending a few years in the Yuan Dynasty and gaining some status, he discovered that the Ming Cult was actually a thorn in the side of the Ming Dynasty, and they wished to get rid of it immediately.

Meanwhile, the Yuan Dynasty, as an enemy, hoped that the Ming Cult could continue to exist, so as to antagonize the Ming Dynasty and at the same time restrain the Ming Dynasty's power in the southwest.

In other words, the Yuan Dynasty did not want the Ming Cult to be destroyed; it was the Ming Dynasty that truly wanted it to be.

His plans went bankrupt before they even began.

Left with no other option, Cheng Kun returned to the Ming Dynasty, hoping to use the power of the Ming court to destroy the Ming Cult.

Unfortunately, by then it was too late.

The late emperor was seriously ill, and no crown prince had been appointed. The princes vied for power among themselves, and Cao Zhengchun, Zhu Wushi, and Pei Ju had all risen to prominence in the court.

Under such circumstances, even if the Ming Cult were to fall into internal strife and decline due to Yang Dingtian's disappearance, or even if it were to flourish instead of these events, the Ming Dynasty simply wouldn't have the energy to deal with it.

Cheng Kun had no choice but to give up.

This is why he didn't have a corresponding plan when Abbess Miejue tried to persuade Shaolin three times before.

Because at that time, he was first in the Hunyuan Kingdom, then in the Ming Kingdom, and Miejue went to Shaolin three times, but he was not there.

When he finally understood everything and decided not to rely on these two countries, he sought other solutions. Therefore, when he returned to Shaolin to think and plan, Abbess Miejue was extremely disappointed with Shaolin because she had been rejected three times. She never returned and instead went to persuade other sects.

It wasn't until this year, many years later, that I went to Shaolin again.

"The Yuan Dynasty wanted to destroy the Ming Cult? Why did they suddenly change their minds?"

Cheng Kun was not particularly excited by Arslan's appearance.

He even doubted whether this Arslan was actually a Mongol.

So in the following days, Cheng Kun would leave the secret passage from time to time to gather intelligence. He first confirmed the truth of what Arslan had said, and also confirmed that at present, neither the Ming Cult nor the six major sects had thought that he was hiding on Bright Peak.

After some thought, Cheng Kun decided to go and investigate the situation first.

Because his current plans probably require the help of these Mongols.

His plan was to sow discord between Yin Tianzheng and Yang Xiao.

However, with the six major sects still besieging Bright Peak, any major conflict between the two would only be temporarily suppressed and would not erupt directly.

If, at this time, traces of the Mongols appear in the surrounding area, allowing the six major sects to devote a great deal of energy to searching for them, it would alleviate the pressure faced by the Ming Cult.

In this way, the conflicts he instigated would erupt directly, rather than being suppressed during a crisis.

Of course, if those people are not Mongols at all, then that's another story.

At night, Cheng Kun left Bright Summit and came to a hidden cave in the mountains to the west, where more than a dozen figures were sleeping haphazardly.

He kept watch like that for most of the night.

In the morning, he watched as more than a dozen people got up to eat breakfast.

At noon, while everyone was practicing their skills or chatting, he watched.

By evening, Cheng Kun was starting to feel the strain.

After all, he is older.

Fortunately, he has confirmed that these people are indeed Mongolians and not imposters.

The differences between the Central Plains people and the Mongols are not only physical differences caused by bloodline, but also skin differences caused by the terrain of the Central Plains and the grasslands, differences in daily diet, and even more subtle differences.

Even Cheng Kun only noticed these many details after living in the Yuan Kingdom for a considerable period of time.

The dozen or so people in the cave all fit the description.

Of course, there are indeed some masters of disguise who can completely imitate this aspect.

However, one or two such masters of disguise are fine, but when a dozen or so suddenly appear... Cheng Kun preferred to believe that they were all Mongols.

Taking advantage of the moonlight, Cheng Kun used his lightness skill to float into the cave.

His presence was noticed instantly.

"who?"

"Amitabha! This humble monk is Yuanzhen. Of course, you may also call me Chengkun?"

"Cheng Kun?" One of them was puzzled at first, then angrily said, "It was you who exposed our whereabouts, forcing us to hide in this cave and conceal our tracks?!"

Cheng Kun was surprised that the other party would turn the tables on him first, and hurriedly said, "This is a misunderstanding."

"What misunderstanding..."

"Batu!"

A figure who appeared to be the leader stepped forward and shouted, "That was indeed a coincidence."

He then turned to Cheng Kun and said, "Arslan has already told me about your situation. It seems you've chosen to cooperate?"

“That’s right.” Cheng Kun nodded. “Before this, that’s what I thought, but now I feel that cooperating with you is a bit risky.”

"What do you mean? Do you look down on our Great Yuan Empire?" Batu roared in anger.

The leader frowned, his expression immediately darkening: "What exactly do you mean? Please explain?"

"What's there to explain? Do I need to explain your current situation?"

Batu retorted angrily, "Then you, Cheng Kun, aren't you also hiding on Bright Peak, too afraid to come out?"

"Though I remain hidden, I have a plan in mind that can destroy the Ming Cult!"

"Oh?"

The leader's eyes lit up immediately, and he said, "Your wisdom and strategy are extraordinary. May I ask if there is anything in your plan that we can do to assist you?"

Cheng Kun came over to ask for their help, and then he told them part of his plan, half true and half false.

The text focuses on the conflict between Yin Tianzheng and Yang Xiao, even exaggerating it in many places to emphasize the likelihood of his plan succeeding.

But he was not given any information about how he should act.

As he got carried away with his conversation, he didn't notice at all that a strange smell was gradually emanating from the cave.

He only noticed it when the smell became extremely strong.

"What's that smell? No, it's the smell of the Ming Cult's Flood Flag poison water!"

"Cheng Kun! You old scoundrel! You still harbor the ambition to destroy my Ming Cult, and you dare to spout nonsense here!"

At the entrance of the cave, several figures had appeared.

Standing at the forefront were Yin Tianzheng, Yang Xiao, and other high-ranking figures of the Ming Cult.

Those words were spoken by Yang Xiao through gritted teeth.

At this moment, he truly hated Cheng Kun.

It's all because of what Cheng Kun just mentioned, the key point of the plan!
Yang Xiao had previously led the Ming Cult for over a decade, but he was unpopular and suffered repeated defeats as the cult was besieged by the six major sects. Now, with Yin Tianzheng's return, he has helped the Ming Cult turn the tide of battle.

Therefore, it is deeply loved by the people.

If at the beginning he had some thoughts of vying for power afterward, now he has none at all.

If that were really the case, not only would other high-ranking members disagree, but even an ordinary member of the Ming Cult at the bottom, or even a cook, would not approve.

Under such circumstances, Yang Xiao only thought about minimizing his presence and waiting for the reckoning to come afterward.

Inside this cave, several high-ranking members of the Ming Cult and many Ming Cult followers are watching and listening. Cheng Kun, however, is below talking about his feud with Yin Tianzheng and how unwilling he is to accept it.

That was truly a heart-wrenching remark to him!

Just now, every gaze directed at him was as sharp as a blade. However, to wipe out all these people, he still needed the help of poison, so he could only remain silent until the smell of the poison was detected. Only then did he roar and make his stance clear.

Cheng Kun was stunned.

Where did these people from the Ming Cult come from?

He was certain he was not being followed.

Moreover, he had been observing here for a whole night and a whole day.

"Cheng Kun! You old thief, did you bring the Ming Cult here?"

Batu roared.

what?
I?
Cheng Kun looked completely bewildered.

However, in his rage, Batu charged forward and threw a punch at Cheng Kun.

Cheng Kun instinctively dodged, cursing the idiot in his heart, "Can't you even see the current situation clearly?"
The Ming Cult poured poisonous water throughout the caves, clearly intending to eliminate them all!
Suddenly, he understood everything.

Although no one was following him, the location of the cave was still exposed to the Ming Cult.

It is clear that someone else provided the information.

If this person isn't himself, then it can only be this group of Mongols.

Moreover, I was so engrossed in my conversation that I didn't notice the smell of the poisonous water. Did none of these Mongols notice it either?

Not to mention that he was facing away from the cave entrance, while they were facing it directly...

Damn!

Despite all the precautions, we were still outmaneuvered in the end!
These Mongols are actually in league with the Ming Cult.

Damn it! What benefits did the Ming Cult offer you that made you choose to cooperate with them?!

Seeing the two fighting, Yang Xiao sneered and said, "Set it on fire!"

The crowd behind them poured oil and then threw out torches.

The kerosene and poisonous water mixed and burned, turning into a poisonous fog that filled the entire cave.

The Ming Cult members retreated slightly, but still held their ground at the cave exit.

Phantom Finger!
Cheng Kun unleashed his most powerful move, striking Batu with a finger and forcing him to retreat. He roared, "Fool! Why are you still entangled with me? Can't you see that the Ming Cult intends to exterminate you all?!"

Batu was stunned, frozen in place, a look of dazed disbelief on his face.

A moment later, he suddenly clutched his head, his face contorted in a grimace. He looked around and said, "Where... am I? How did I get here?"

Cheng Kun was shocked, and three words suddenly popped into his mind: mind-controlling techniques!
The so-called "bewitching techniques" do not refer to a specific martial art, but rather to a general term for martial arts techniques and methods used to confuse or deceive the minds of others.

Low-level mind control techniques use drugs and verbal traps.

Advanced mind control techniques allow users to manipulate others solely through their own abilities.

but……

The most powerful mind-controlling technique Cheng Kun had ever seen was only able to manipulate others for a period of time.

But now, inside this cave, more than a dozen Mongolians, including six grandmasters, are all being controlled by a mind-controlling technique.

What's frightening is that when they are being controlled, they are completely unaware of it and can still display their normal intelligence, daily habits, and various small actions without any error.

Could anyone in the Ming Cult possess such a terrifying mind-controlling technique?
impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Cheng Kun suddenly rushed up to Batu and demanded, "Among you people, is there a fellow named Arslan?"

"Arslan?"

Cheng Kun understood; that Arslan was clearly someone else in disguise.

There are other people behind this.

He could almost feel a gigantic hand covering the entire Bright Peak.

Mingjiao.

Mongol.

The six major sects.

Even the imperial court.

They're probably just dancing under his thumb.

Thinking about this, Cheng Kun felt relieved.

To be defeated by someone like him is certainly worth it!

Unfortunately, his long-cherished wish to destroy the Ming Cult was ultimately not fulfilled!

Poisonous fog filled the cave.

In such a confined environment, the damage caused by toxic fog is far more terrifying than on a battlefield.

One by one, the dozen or so Mongolian experts regained consciousness, but by the time they realized their situation was dire, a large amount of toxins had accumulated in their bodies, affecting their combat effectiveness.

Even if they rushed out of the cave at this time, with their combat strength damaged, it would be impossible for them to escape from the hands of the many high-ranking members of the Ming Cult.

"Eagle King, should we capture these people alive?"

No, kill them all!

"What?" Yang Xiao was taken aback: "These people are very valuable to be alive."

Yin Tianzheng shook his head, his gaze deep: "These people are all personal guards under the Yuan Emperor. Some are orphans, while others are the offspring of great Mongolian nobles. They possess a great deal of top-secret intelligence."

Do you think it's a good thing that they're alive in the hands of our Ming Cult?

Yang Xiao was taken aback, then he understood.

If these people are alive, they may leak secret information about the Yuan emperor and some of the great Mongol nobles.

This intelligence was of great use to the Ming Dynasty.

But for the Ming Cult, it was the source of trouble.

If the Yuan Dynasty knew that these people were in the hands of the Ming Cult and were still alive, it would probably go to great lengths to eliminate the Ming Cult and prevent those secrets from being leaked.

As for handing it over to the Ming Dynasty... given the relationship between the Ming Cult and the Ming Dynasty, how could they possibly do such a thing?

Moreover, this would also invite retaliation from the Yuan Kingdom.

After all, if they can't defeat the Ming Dynasty, can't they defeat the Ming Cult?

Therefore, killing them directly and decisively is the best option.

The group immediately unleashed their full power. Many Mongolian experts were affected by the poison, their strength greatly reduced, and they were surrounded and attacked. Soon, they fell one after another.

Within fifteen minutes, more than ten people had died at the cave entrance.

"Where's Cheng Kun? That guy's still inside the cave and hasn't come out yet?!"

"Shui Hongqi, give me two poison pills!"

This poisonous water was created by the Ming Cult's Flood Flag, and naturally, there is a corresponding antidote.

Yang Xiao asked for two antidote pills and rushed into the cave first.

Behind the layers of poisonous fog, Cheng Kun sat cross-legged on the ground, his head drooping slightly, already lifeless.

A layer of gray appeared on his body, a sign that poison gas had entered his body.

However, the poison did not penetrate deep; it merely remained on the surface of the body.

Yang Xiao, with his extensive experience in the martial arts world, could immediately tell that Cheng Kun had already died before the poison had penetrated his body.

When the body's Qi and blood cease to flow, toxins naturally cannot penetrate deeper.

"Humph!"

Yang Xiao couldn't help but sneer, "You've gotten off easy!"

(End of this chapter)