Chapter 203 : Chapter 203

Chapter 203. Vanity Swelling Out of Control

Watching ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the people before him bow and scrape, lower their heads, and submit to him, Shi Ritian felt indescribably pleased.

After ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all, back in the Ancient Royal Clan, these same people had never shown him much respect.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could not entirely blame them for that. He had always been overbearing within the Ancient Royal Clan, and the way he spoke was harsh and unpleasant, so many people had never truly accepted him. But now he was the leader personally appointed by the True Dragon Clan, so naturally everyone had become far more respectful.

And ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this scene instantly drove Shi Ritian’s vanity, along with the arrogance buried deep in his bones, to its peak.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍greatly enjoyed this feeling.

“Are ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you all certain your preparations are complete?” Shi Ritian asked indifferently, looking at them as though he were looking at a group of dead things.

In Shi Ritian’s eyes, once the Ancient Killing Array was activated, these people would certainly be sent into action, which meant their lives likely would not last much longer.

At this moment, however, Shi Ritian only had eyes for Chu Feng. All he wanted was Chu Feng’s life. Whether these people were truly capable or not meant nothing to him. As long as they could gather information, that was enough.

The cultivators below remained kneeling on the ground with their heads lowered.

“Reporting to my lord, we are fully prepared this time!” The lead scout raised his head, his eyes shining with excitement. “We await only your command!”

Shi Ritian nodded in satisfaction and slowly walked to the window, gazing into the distance, toward the direction of the Great Chu Dynasty.

“Remember this.” He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd like lightning. “I did not summon you here this time merely to observe, nor merely to gather intelligence. This time, what I need you to do is...”

He paused, and a sinister smile curved across his lips. Delight and excitement gleamed in his eyes, as though he were immensely satisfied with his own decision.

The kneeling cultivators could not help but raise their heads at once, their eyes filled with confusion as they looked at Shi Ritian.

They could not make sense of it. Until now, had their task not simply been to gather intelligence and observe the relationship between Chu Feng and Cailin?

Did he have some new mission for them now?

Their hearts began pounding harder and harder. If something really went wrong, what were they supposed to do?

They were all brawn and no brains to begin with, and after hearing Shi Ritian’s words, they only felt more unsettled. They could not help wondering whether they had any other skills at all.

Just as the cultivators were anxiously speculating about what their next task might be, Shi Ritian finally spoke.

“Intensify the conflict. I want you to drive a wedge between the two of them. The bigger the rift, the better. Only then will we have our chance.”

Although the words seemed abrupt and without context, the cultivators still hurriedly nodded.

The leading Giant Spirit Clan cultivator’s eyes flickered, and he said directly, “My lord means...?”

In truth, they still had not fully understood him, nor did they know how they were supposed to intensify the conflict.

Did he mean for them to go personally to the Great Chu Dynasty and stir up trouble there?

Getting into the Great Chu Dynasty would not be easy, but the one thing that did make sense was that the area around it was surely already covered by all sorts of hidden tensions.

If they truly wanted to meddle in this matter, it might not actually be that difficult.

Shi Ritian knew they had not understood, so he began to explain in an unhurried tone. “Chu Feng, that human, what is it that allowed him to establish himself in Great Chu?

It is his status as a prince. It is his overwhelming strength. It is the fear his subjects feel toward him. But what use is fear alone? That only proves those people are not truly convinced.

And fear is something that can change. Or rather, all those people have long been suppressing a mouthful of anger in their hearts.

So I want you to spread a rumor. Let them discover that their prince has been bewitched by a Foreign Woman. Say that Chu Feng has fallen for a honey trap, that he neglects court every day, and so on. Tell me, what do you think they will think then?”

The scouts looked at one another, then revealed expressions of sudden understanding.

Shi Ritian continued, “What you need to do is turn that ‘discovery’ into ‘fact.’ And the moment there is any progress at all, you must report back to the Ancient Royal Clan immediately. We will activate the Ancient Killing Array at any time and seize that human.”

“When you spread these stories, choose your words carefully. Make every citizen of Great Chu believe that that bitch Cailin used sorcery to bewitch Chu Feng.

“At the same time, you can make the lie even more outrageous. Make every official in Great Chu believe that Cailin is carrying a demonic spawn, one that will overturn the human realm in the future. Tell them that if this matter is not dealt with now, then those monsters will one day rule the new Great Chu Dynasty, and their lives will become even more miserable.”

“And make every last person believe this: if that woman is not eliminated, Great Chu will fall.” Shi Ritian spoke those few words with particular gravity, each one slow and deliberate, yet every syllable rang clearly in the ears of the cultivators.

The leading cultivator finally understood what Shi Ritian meant and nodded heavily at once. “This subordinate understands. Please rest assured, my lord. We will carry this out flawlessly.”

Seeing that they had all grasped his meaning, Shi Ritian finally had nothing left to worry about.

“Go.” Shi Ritian waved a hand. “Remember, do it cleanly and decisively. Do not leave behind a single trace of evidence. Once the matter is accomplished, I will reward you handsomely.”

“Yes!”

More than a dozen dark figures filed out in succession, their movements smooth and practiced. At a glance, it was obvious they had been well trained. In only a few seconds, they vanished completely into the night.

Shi Ritian stood before the window, watching the direction in which the black-clad figures had departed. The smile on his lips deepened further and further.

Chu Feng, are you not fond of that bitch? Then this time, I will let you see exactly how you will be defeated by a woman...

Then I will let you see, when your people and your officials all want her dead...

Will you still be able to protect her?

You may be able to protect her person, but can you protect her heart as well? Between the realm and the beauty, I would like to see what choice you make.

When Cailin is condemned by all and cursed by everyone, will she still be able to remain by your side with a clear conscience? Will you really defy so many of your subjects for the sake of a single woman?

If you truly can, then I might actually look at you in a new light.

Shi Ritian let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with dark, vicious delight. The mere thought of it made him feel incomparably satisfied.

This was what it meant to kill a man by breaking his heart.

Shi Ritian was even looking forward to this matter greatly. He wanted to see exactly what choice Chu Feng would make.

Seven days later.

In the Great Chu Dynasty...

Shi Ritian understood very clearly that rumors were like weeds. Once they took root, they would spread wildly without end. By then, those words alone would be enough to drown a person alive...