Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 863: Chapter 859: Bait

”Hehehe...”

Fu Zheng, extremely angry, instead laughed.

Zhou Yifan quickly apologized repeatedly, wearing a placating smile.

Fu Zheng glanced at him sideways, watching his performance.

After several apologies, Zhou Yifan helplessly said, ”My mind is indeed failing. How about this, I’ll personally apologize to the Prince Consort!”

”And then forget again?” Fu Zheng sneered.

Zhou Yifan hurriedly said, ”Rest assured, rest assured, this time I absolutely won’t forget!”

Fu Zheng coldly said, ”Zhou Yifan, who gave you the courage? Have you defected to someone?”

Zhou Yifan quickly waved his hands, ”Miss Fu, how could you think such a thing!”

Fu Zheng said, ”Do you think the Thousand Mechanism Tower is strong enough to arm wrestle with the Prince Consort?”

”Not at all!” Zhou Yifan waved his hand repeatedly, ”Even if I were arrogant, I would know we are not worth mentioning in the eyes of the Prince Consort. He could crush us with a single step!”

Fu Zheng felt there was something strange in his tone.

It didn’t sound sincere; there was a hint of mockery.

She frowned, glaring at Zhou Yifan, and sneered, ”So, you have backup and are fearless now.”

”Miss Fu, you’re overthinking. I admire the Prince Consort so much, I’d love nothing more than to meet him in person.”

”Ridiculous.”

She found Zhou Yifan’s hypocrisy nauseating and felt an urge to slap his smiling face.

Unfortunately, despite his hypocrisy, a fortuitous encounter had caused his cultivation level to skyrocket, now matching hers.

Moreover, his swordsmanship was not inferior to hers.

They had crossed swords twice already, and she hadn’t been able to overpower him, even feeling faintly suppressed.

Thinking of this, she gradually calmed down and said blandly, ”Zhou Yifan, you’re not pledging allegiance to the Rain Listening Platform, are you?”

”Miss Fu, you misunderstand. How could our Thousand Mechanism Tower pledge allegiance to the Court?” Zhou Yifan chuckled and shook his head, ”Moreover, even if we wanted to, the Court would find us undesirable.”

Fu Zheng snorted, ”The Court doesn’t lack ears and eyes?”

Zhou Yifan nodded, ”The ears and eyes of the Rain Listening Platform are already numerous, covering high and low. Do they need to add more? They have budget constraints and can’t throw silver around uncontrollably.”

”You’ve certainly learned a lot.” Fu Zheng grew even more suspicious.

Zhou Yifan laughed, ”We must understand these ins and outs of the Court to avoid crashing into them and bringing trouble upon ourselves.”

Fu Zheng sneered, ”Bringing trouble upon yourself? It seems you fear the Court but not His Highness.”

Zhou Yifan shook his head helplessly, ”Miss Fu, you’re doing it again.”

Fu Zheng coldly said, ”All right, Zhou Yifan, take care of yourself.”

She turned and walked away.

Zhou Yifan was taken aback and quickly said, ”Miss Fu, please wait.”

Fu Zheng turned her head and glared at him askance.

Zhou Yifan smiled, ”I have offended the Prince Consort, so naturally, I must personally pay my respects and apologize.”

Fu Zheng let out a cold laugh.

Zhou Yifan said, ”Miss Fu, what do you mean by this?”

”Forget it,” Fu Zheng shook her head, ”since you don’t wish to meet, then let’s not meet.”

Zhou Yifan frowned, ”Is the Prince Consort angry?”

”You’re not worth His Highness’s anger. You were given a chance, but you don’t cherish it.”

Fu Zheng shook her head, stepping forward with graceful strides.

No matter how powerful Zhou Yifan might be, he was no match for His Highness. Let’s see how he suffers.

She held a blind admiration for Chu Zhiyuan, with absolute confidence.

She believed Chu Zhiyuan could surpass anyone, the key was whether he decided to act ruthlessly.

If not with force, then with wit, he was always successful.

”Miss Fu...” Zhou Yifan caught up, smiling warmly, ”Why not meet once more?”

Fu Zheng sneered continually.

When she reached the gate, Zhou Yifan stopped, smiling, ”I wonder how the Prince Consort will suppress me?”

Fu Zheng stopped, glanced at him with disdain, shook her head and sneered, ”Arrogant and conceited, utterly laughable.”

With that, she didn’t linger and floated away.

Zhou Yifan stood in place, watching her graceful silhouette gradually fade away.

The smile on his face slowly faded, his expression growing solemn and composed.

He turned back and entered a courtyard.

Inside, two middle-aged men stood with arms folded, their expressions severe, exhibiting an imposing demeanor.

”Mr. Feng, Mr. Zhu.” He cupped his hands and said, ”Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

The slightly shorter, square-faced middle-aged man slowly asked, ”Who was that?”

”Fu Zheng, the guard of the Twelfth Prince Consort, a master from the Yujing Bamboo Sect.”

”Yujing Bamboo Sect...”

The two men mulled over these words, pondering the background of the Bamboo Sect.

Zhou Yifan said, ”It’s Yujing’s Demon Sect, originally unremarkable, but suddenly rose to prominence, likely due to the Prince Consort’s tactics.”

Despite the machinations of the Yujing Thousand Mechanism Tower being secret, it couldn’t hide from this side’s Thousand Mechanism Tower.

After all, the two communicated, both engaged in intelligence.

”Him again!” the taller middle-aged man sneered, ”He’s everywhere!”

Zhou Yifan said, ”In Yujing, he’s a powerless prince, unable to plant agents within the Inspection Department. He couldn’t move around blind and deaf, so he had to choose a Martial Arts Sect. Who’d have thought he’d pick the Bamboo Sect.”

The Phoenix Court was lax on Martial Arts Sects, not suppressing them, while the Demon Sects thrived.

On the other hand, the Jade Dynasty suppressed Demon Sects, which were looked down upon and dwelt at the bottom of Martial Arts society.

The Bamboo Sect is a Demon Sect and, within the Demon Sect, it’s a small faction, yet was raised by Chu Zhiyuan to infiltrate the Thousand Mechanism Tower in an attempt to control it.

At this thought, he shook his head, ”I must say, this Prince Consort is indeed formidable.”

”He’s certainly not to be underestimated,” the shorter middle-aged man slowly said, ”You’ve now thoroughly offended him, and given his methods, he will probably seek revenge on you.”

Zhou Yifan said, ”Gentlemen, I’m afraid I can’t withstand him, right?”

His face, however, showed a look of eager anticipation.

Fortune had elevated him to a Venerable, crossing the First Transition to reach the Second Transition, while gaining profound insights into swordsmanship, as if he had cultivated for a century overnight.

The sudden increase in strength felt like getting rich overnight, causing his state of mind to swell even though he was supposedly clever.

He felt the world’s heroes were nothing extraordinary, aside from those high-rank Venerables, the rest weren’t worth worrying about.

Moreover, this Twelfth Princess’s Prince Consort had just become a Venerable.

Unless he used royal power to have the Imperial family deal with him, there was nothing to fear.

Besides, he was not without backing himself.

”Yes, you should avoid him for now.” the shorter middle-aged man said, ”Avoid direct confrontation, he can’t possibly keep targeting you.”

”I can avoid him for a moment, but I’m afraid...”

”If he leaves the city, we will find a way to ambush him.”

”...Should I draw him out of the city?” Zhou Yifan immediately caught on, smiling, ”It should be easy to lure him out, right?”

As a high-ranking member of the Thousand Mechanism Tower, his information was naturally up-to-date. He was already aware that Chu Zhiyuan had a particular prowess dealing with the Demon and Monster Clans.

He was fearless of them, so he would lower his guard outside the city, making it easy to lure him out.

”Almost,” the shorter middle-aged man said gravely, ”We can try.”

”In my judgment, this Prince Consort is quite vengeful, so retaliation will likely come soon,” the taller middle-aged man said gravely, ”Therefore, it would be best to leave now.”

Zhou Yifan said, ”Mr. Zhu, could he directly come to attack me?”

”Why not?” the taller middle-aged man shook his head, ”He’s a Prince Consort; there are not many taboos against attacking a commoner. Saying you collude with the Monster or Demon Clans, he could break in directly. Who would object?”

Zhou Yifan’s expression grew somber.

”He was born a prince, so he’s undeterred by constraints.”

”...Very well, I’ll arrange it, and leave the city to avoid the spotlight by tomorrow.”

”It would be best if you set out today.”

”...Alright!”

Zhou Yifan looked at the two, finally gritting his teeth in agreement.

Chu Zhiyuan saw this and smiled.