Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 151 The Current Situation, Planning

"Prince Jin...the imperial court..."

Liu Sheng muttered a few words to himself, his eyes darting around.

He looked up, his gaze piercing through the gaps in the leaves and landing on the full moon deep in the night, instantly feeling a sense of emptiness and desolation.

It turns out I was just an innocent bystander in this disaster!

He was passively drawn into the struggle between the Prince of Jin and the imperial court, and was implicated.

This was the first time he had realized that the Prince of Jin's power was so formidable that the court had to keep a low profile and use various excuses to conceal its true intentions.

Logically speaking, after the celestial upheaval more than 20 years ago, the immortal path revived, and the imperial court, possessing the four seas and abundant resources, was more than capable of overwhelming the local vassal kings in terms of manpower and material resources.

However, the politics of Dayu were corrupt and the central government was powerless, and there were already rebellious thoughts in various places.

Feudal princes, powerful clans, aristocratic families, magnates, and sects all harbored different ambitions and had long desired to establish their own territories and dominate the land.

The vast imperial court could only control a few prefectures near the capital.

Or rather, as long as the interests of local vassal kings, powerful clans, and large families are not touched, they are still willing to obey imperial edicts and appear submissive.

But what if their interests are affected...

Over the years, there have been more than just one or two imperial envoys, governors-general, and censors who died under mysterious circumstances.

Now, the imperial court and Prince Jin are engaged in open and covert struggles, each employing ingenious schemes to seize the benefits of Qingyuan Cave.

The martial arts sects of Jinzhou were all drawn into the conflict and had to choose between the two options.

The same applies to the Hehuan Sect, which is a major sect.

However, the sect was divided into two factions. One faction, led by Lady Caiyu and others, advocated surrendering to the imperial court.

After all, no matter how incompetent the imperial court may be, its power and strength still make it the strongest in the Great Yu Dynasty.

Moreover, in recent years, with the implementation of a series of new policies by Grand Commandant Song, the effects have gradually become apparent, and his strength has recovered considerably, making him quite powerful.

On the other side, Qin Shuang and Xiao Yan led a group of true disciples and attached themselves to Prince Jin.

The Prince of Jin is the uncle of the current emperor and is known as the "wise prince". He once participated in the struggle for the throne, but after failing, he withdrew unscathed and took up his fief in Jinzhou.

For the past twenty years, he has worked diligently in Jinzhou, strengthening the military and emphasizing martial arts, and supporting many martial arts sects, making it one of the most powerful vassal states in the land.

He acted domineeringly and forcefully, turning Jinzhou into an impenetrable fortress.

In recent years, the imperial court has only extended its reach through the Exorcism Bureau and the Suspended Mirror Bureau, but it has struggled to operate, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is "extremely difficult to move forward".

The price paid for this was enormous. Rioters, bandits, and criminals would frequently storm government offices, kill officials and slaughter bureaucrats, and then leave triumphantly.

Even though the imperial court issued numerous arrest warrants, less than one in ten were actually apprehended and brought to justice.

In order to plot against Qingyuan Cave, the imperial court used the pretext of capturing the "villain Wu Song" to mobilize 300,000 troops to seal off the mountain, and also dispatched eight demon-subduing generals to lead troops to search the mountain, and mobilized various sects to send their elites down the mountain to serve...

In reality, it was equivalent to a general mobilization of the imperial court's power in Jinzhou.

As a local tyrant, the Prince of Jin had the advantage of a strategic location. He could be aware of any disturbances within his territory and would naturally take appropriate measures.

The actions of mobilizing troops, dispatching generals, and ordering elites from affiliated sects to assist were exactly the same as those of the imperial court.

As the saying goes, "two tigers cannot share one mountain," and the "Qingyuan Cave Ruins" is the focus of the competition and clash between the two sides.

No wonder Master mentioned Qingyuan Cave twice and instructed us not to get involved.

He must have seen through the situation long ago and knew the dangers involved.

“Even my master… is just a pawn. I, a mere Karami, probably can’t even get onto the chessboard.”

Liu Sheng sighed and came back to his senses.

If you can't get onto the chessboard, you can't get on. But small karami also has its advantages: it doesn't attract attention and has a high chance of survival.

But when he thought of his grandmother and master, his brows furrowed again.

His scheme to secure a spot in Qingyuan Cave was solely for the purpose of seizing the rare treasures within the ruins—

They extended the old woman's life, healed the master's old injuries, and allowed his severed limbs to regenerate.

This is equivalent to fighting for food between two giants!
The slightest misstep could lead to utter destruction, so we must be fully prepared.

and so……

He looked at Xiao Yan, the ghost kneeling on the ground, his eyes flickering, gradually becoming resolute.

Since two tigers are fighting, then I'll sit back and watch them fight.

Let you both fight until you're both badly injured, then I'll come out and take advantage of the situation.

To incite conflict between the two sides, it is necessary to plant spies on both sides to ignite the fuse and detonate the conflict at a crucial moment.

Therefore, Qin Shuang must die!
Kill him, transform him into a vengeful spirit, and send him and Xiao Yan, both vengeful spirits, to infiltrate the Prince of Jin's forces... Liu Sheng's eyes flashed with six-colored light, various schemes emerged, and he quickly devised a plan, instructing:

"Go find Qin Shuang and see if you can trick him into going to Black Wind Mountain..."

"I understand."

Xiao Yan raised her head, gave him a charming look, and then vanished in a cloud of gray mist.

This woman is truly incorrigible; even as a ghost, she's still so slutty!
Just thinking about how he had crushed her head and left her a bloody mess instantly dispelled all his distracting thoughts.

"Starting tomorrow, the various factions will hold a martial arts competition for three consecutive days to determine the final spots. Gu Shaoshang of the Changgui faction has already registered..."

Liu Sheng stroked his chin; everything was arranged, and he felt a sense of relief.

Perfect timing! I haven't seen Grandma and the others for several days, let's go back and visit them!
Before today, he would not have dared to go back because of the Spirit Rhinoceros Incense.

However, after the spider avatar was upgraded, its "concealing breath" talent was greatly enhanced, and it was able to completely eliminate the scent of the Spirit Rhinoceros Incense, so it was not afraid of Lady Caiyu discovering it.

He immediately set off, transforming into a shimmering bird and flying into the night sky, leaving a dazzling trail of light under the moon. He quickly arrived near the cave where the old woman and the others were hiding.

First, he checked the area around the cave to make sure there was nothing unusual, then he transformed into the Six Desires Spider and frantically spit out silk to cover the cave entrance.

Finally, he transformed back into his original form and, as agreed beforehand, knocked on the sealing stone at the entrance of the cave.

"Who?"

Soon, from behind the boulder blocking the door, Old He's wary question rang out.

Liu Sheng licked his lips and replied in a low voice:
"Palace Jade Wine."

"One hundred and eighty per cup. Odd changes, even remains the same?"

"Symbols look at the quadrants!"

"It's Brother Liu!"

After exchanging the secret signal, a cheer immediately came from behind the boulder.

Soon, the massive boulder weighing tens of thousands of kilograms was moved aside. Old He, holding the Green Serpent Sword, remained wary.

Even after confirming Liu Sheng's identity, he still did not relax.

Not bad!

Liu Sheng nodded to himself, went up to exchange a few pleasantries with him, and then greeted He Yue'e. His gaze wandered and landed on the staggering figure a dozen steps away.

Grandma!

After a few days apart, the old woman looked even older.

Although he had recovered from the previous cold, his energy and spirit were greatly depleted, his eyes were cloudy, and his whole body exuded an aura of decay.

She doesn't have many days left to live.

We must seize the rare treasures in Qingyuan Cave to prolong Grandma's life!
Liu Sheng took a deep breath, stepped forward and carefully put his arm around the old lady, and whispered a complaint about why she wasn't sitting properly.

"My dear grandson..."

The old woman's wrinkled face broke into a wide smile as she gripped Liu Sheng's hand tightly, refusing to let go.

"I keep dreaming about your grandfather and your parents lately. I'm afraid they don't have many days left to live."

I thought I wouldn't see you before I died, and I was worried that you weren't eating or sleeping well out there..."

"Pah, pah, pah, what are you talking about dying for? You haven't even held your great-grandchild yet, why are you making such a fuss about dying?"

Liu Sheng repeatedly comforted her, encouraged her, set goals for her, and tried to cheer her up.
"The higher-ups said that I have recently made meritorious contributions in killing bandits, and the merits I have accumulated can be exchanged for a longevity-extending spiritual item, which I will receive in a few days."

You can just wait to live to be a hundred years old!

"A longevity-extending spiritual item? That must be incredibly expensive... My dear grandson is amazing!"

"That's not the case!"

"Everyone has to die eventually, there's no need for that. Sell that treasure and buy a big house so you can get married and have kids in the future. Your current yard is too small."

……

The old woman was frail and her energy waned. After the initial excitement wore off, she became noticeably lethargic and soon fell asleep sitting up.

After settling her in, Liu Sheng chatted with Old He and his grandson for a while, then played with the five little snakes, scratched A Biao's belly, patted Er Ya's head, and finally hugged Yu Niang and had a private talk with her.

Before I knew it, a night had passed.

Liu Sheng felt incredibly satisfied, as if he had been elevated, all his previous anxiety and unease vanished, and he was in excellent condition.

Today, the martial arts competition among the various factions begins!
(End of this chapter)