Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1402: Chapter 1404: Disrupting the Great Elder’s Spellcasting_1

Sangta’s pupils contracted slightly. ”What do you want to do?”

”Oh, feeling sorry for her already? Don’t worry, since we’re discussing cooperation, naturally, I will deliver her to you safe and sound, and she won’t remember her husband. Even more, her memory will be filled only with images of being with you,” said Honglian, and then she laughed again, her laugh completely unlike the saintly woman she usually appeared to be—it was utterly demonic, devilish.

Sangta was shocked. ”How, how is that possible?”

”How is it not possible? If I didn’t have this ability, you wouldn’t have come to the Western Regions seeking cooperation, would you? After all, everyone wishes for eternal life, right? Compared to immortality, what’s managing one woman?” Honglian continued as she picked at her nails. ”It should have been me becoming your beast bride, but since you’ve taken a fancy to Lin Zhu, I’ll deliver her to you intact, and our cooperation will continue as planned.”

”Hmph, her husband is no decoration. Will he just let this happen?” Sangta was skeptical of Honglian’s words.

Honglian walked to the side, poured herself a cup of tea, and toyed with the cup in her hand, yet she did not drink the tea within.

”By then, he will become my most loyal guard, with no spare thoughts for Lin Zhu’s well-being. It’s all because my sister loved him to the bone, so I might as well make her suffer, right?”

After finishing her words, Honglian chuckled gleefully. ”How about it, what do you think of my proposal?”

Sangta felt a stir in his heart. If Lin Zhu forgot her husband and only remembered her time with him, wouldn’t that mean she would fall in love with him?

He believed he was not inferior to Bai Shu in any way and even much higher in status and identity. His only disadvantage was that he met Lin Zhu much later than Bai Shu. Since women from Zhongyuan were conservative, once they were married and had children, they would stubbornly cling to that person, hence he had not been able to move Lin Zhu.

Thinking this way, he found reasons for himself, and with such a woman to help him, why would he fear instability on the throne in the future? His life would become interesting as well.

Just as he was about to nod in agreement, Bai Ruozhu’s angry accusations in the Yangxin Hall suddenly flashed through his mind.

”Sangta, I don’t know if anyone in your country understands what love is. What you obtain through force and plunder is not love, but enslavement. What you lure and manipulate for is not love either; it’s just satisfying your own frustrated desire to possess,” Bai Ruozhu had reprimanded him.

”I always carry a hint of pride in my temperament; I’d rather be shattered than flawed. If anyone forces me, I will surely fight at all costs.”

”But I have someone I love. You should bless us, not force me, and certainly not use unspeakable means to snatch what you want.”

...

Sangta shook his head, trying to dispel those images, but those words made him hesitate.

”I don’t want to resort to disgraceful means,” he said in a deep voice.

”I never expected a member of the Barbarian Clan to be so pedantic. If you don’t want it, then forget it.” Honglian was forthright and turned to leave.

Inside the room, Sangta’s heart could not calm down at all, as if two little people were quarreling within him. One was saying it was essential to get the person first, and everything else could come slowly; with time, she would develop feelings for him. The other was saying that by doing this, he would never truly win her heart, the very definition of not understanding love according to her.

He felt a headache beginning and decided to put the matter aside for the time being, not thinking about it anymore.

Honglian returned to the great elder and relayed Sangta’s response.

”That fool talked nonsense about not wanting to use unsightly methods,” Honglian said with a sneer, ”as if their Barbarian Clan lacks in such methods.”

”Never mind, since he doesn’t want it, I’ll just eliminate him,” the great elder said with a cold laugh. ”I’m almost healed from my injuries, and that Lin Zhu is injured. Now is the time when his qi is weakest. Let’s perform the ritual tonight. That way, even Sangta won’t realize who did it, and we can avoid his jealousy.”

”Yes, I will protect the great elder during the ritual,” Honglian stated.

The great elder shook his head, ”The Holy Hall has been vigilant lately, I cannot be discovered when performing the ritual. You need not protect me; instead, distract them by organizing a meeting.”

”Yes, I shall comply,” responded Honglian.

Outside the room, Xuan Jizi’s expression subtly changed, realizing that the great elder was planning to act tonight. However, Ruozhu wasn’t truly injured, so there should be no problems - but what if there were?

Xuan Jizi also could not consult with Lin Lian. He started to ponder and suddenly remembered a story his master once told—one about a Daoist vanquishing ghosts. The Daoist, normally powerful in his magic, was ready to capture the ghost using a ritual. But unbeknownst to him, the required chicken blood was swapped with that of a hen, leading to his spells backfiring, severely injuring him, and almost causing his demise at the hands of the ghost. Since then, the Daoist would personally verify all ritual materials and never relied on anyone else again.

What if he were to tamper with the materials the great elder needed for the ritual? With this thought, Xuan Jizi came up with a plan.

The great elder would prepare for the ritual by having his trusted Holy Guards bring him the required items, inspecting each one meticulously and only using those free of issues.

Before the ritual, he needed to take a bath and burn incense. Xuan Jizi saw his opportunity during this time, and while assisting with the bath water, he secretly sprinkled water onto a black paste the great elder intended to use.

Xuan Jizi didn’t know what the black paste was, only detecting a slightly ominous scent, so he interfered with it discreetly.

After the great elder finished his bath and incense burning, he instructed the trusted Holy Guards to guard the door before he entered the room to commence the ritual.

Unsure of the spells being used, Xuan Jizi heard the incantations from outside growing increasingly rapid, and he couldn’t help feeling dizzy. It took a good while for him to recover his senses, and he didn’t dare to listen intently again, lest he get ensnared.

At that moment, Lin Lian arrived outside the elder’s room and spoke softly, ”The Saintess has gone to discuss matters with the elders; she asked me to protect the great elder.”

Xuan Jizi gave her a discreet look and said, ”Keep it down, don’t disturb the great elder during his ritual.”

The great elder’s close confidant scoffed at the two, thinking what would two bumpkins from a foreign clan know? They couldn’t possibly understand the great elder’s valiant nature.

As he reveled in his thoughts, a loud bang suddenly erupted from inside the room, shaking the entire structure. The three people outside felt a ringing in their ears, and unexpectedly, a plume of black smoke billowed from the rooftop. Xuan Jizi wasn’t sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he thought the smoke took the shape of a monstrous beast.

”Great elder, what’s happening?” The confidant rushed in, leaving the door wide open and allowing Xuan Jizi and Lin Lian to see inside.

The inside was a shambles, with the great elder lying in a pool of blood. Despite no visible wounds on his body, his blood kept flowing, as if something was intent on draining all his lifeblood.

”How could this happen? How could this be?” the confidant cried out in distress.