Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)

“Impossible.”

Enpuda shook his head.

“Why not?” asked a surprised Jia Luo.

“Bai Letian is a sanctimonious, wily old fox, and he schemes deeply. We’ve already suffered quite a bit at his hands. From my understanding of him, he has tossed out Long Chen as bait. If we kill Long Chen, we’ll fall for his trap. Bai Letian raised a talented piece like Long Chen, so he won’t let us devour him so easily. Actually, ignoring a wily old fox like Bai Letian, if you were in his spot, would you allow others to simply kill Long Chen for nothing?” asked Enpuda.

“Well… no. No wonder my master told me to ask you for guidance. I really am lacking in this regard,” sighed Jia Luo.

“No, brother, your talent is extremely high. The Divine Venerate didn’t want to get you involved with people’s scheming, as that would delay your cultivation. Due to my own limited talent, if it hadn’t been for the Divine Venerate favoring me, how could I have my current accomplishments? Just leave these trifling affairs to me. You should focus on your cultivation. You just advanced to a Heaven tier Immortal King, so you need to calm your heart and comprehend the new discoveries of this realm. Once you solidify your foundation, you can prepare to advance to the World King realm,” advised Enpuda.

Jia Luo said, “When I fought Bai Zhantang, he managed to win by one move through luck. I’ve always felt a bit irritated over it. I want to remove this irritation before I make my breakthrough into the World King realm. Otherwise, my heart won’t be at rest.”

“Bai Zhantang is also extremely talented. But he suddenly vanished from the outside world after fighting against you in the Divine Lord realm, and he hasn’t taken half a step out of the High Firmament Academy ever since. The current him should have also set foot into the Immortal King realm, but he has been concealing his cultivation base all this time. With a wily old fox like Bai Letian protecting him, killing him is very difficult. He won’t give you that chance,” said Enpuda after a moment’s thought.

“Brother, I don’t understand. We are so powerful, but why is master so afraid of the High Firmament Academy?” Jia Luo couldn’t help asking this question.

“Ah, brother. You don’t know about these things because Lord Brahma didn’t tell you about them. He doesn’t want to distract you. All your focus should be on cultivation. The High Firmament Academy is not as simple as you take it. The most ancient academy within the nine heavens and ten lands possesses a very terrifying foundation. There is one particular living fossil within the academy that makes even Divine Venerate Brahma not dare to attack it. We are simply stalling for time against them. With every passing day, they weaken ever so slightly, while we strengthen. The more time that passes, the more favorable it is to us. So you must be patient and not impetuous. Don’t give them any chance to make a comeback,” said Enpuda profoundly.

Jia Luo nodded. “I understand. I will return and solidify my realm. But not killing Bai Zhantang will affect my Dao-heart and will influence my breakthrough into the World King realm. Brother, you are a master strategist. Please try to find a chance for me to fight Bai Zhantang again. I will wait for you.”

Enpuda could only helplessly agree. “Fine, just wait for news from me. I will do my best to arrange this for you. Ah, can you also tell Liao Bencang that if he can’t find any more nine star heirs, just send a few people after Long Chen? Even if they can’t assassinate Long Chen, just causing some trouble for him would be good. Don’t let him grow too quickly. From these probing blows, we might be able to figure out the intentions of that wily old fox Bai Letian.”

The Liao Bencang that Enpuda mentioned was an equally shocking figure. He was the master of the Nine Underworld Hall, a power that also raised assassins. But the Nine Underworld Hall’s assassins were specialized in locating and hunting down nine star heirs.

They were both emperors of assassins and also Lord Brahma’s valuable subordinates. However, the two of them weren’t that friendly with each other. There were often some conflicts that sprung up between them.

The main problem was that Liao Bencang was a proud and aloof figure. He was stubborn. Thus, the Nine Underworld Hunters’ techniques deviated more toward direct assassinations.

But Enpuda’s Bloodkill Hall was more focused on schemes and plotting to kill people. Poison, traps, swindling, and even using children, the Bloodkill Hall was willing to use any means necessary to kill their target. Liao Bencang looked down on this, so every time he saw Enpuda, he would raise his nose and scoff in contempt.

Although Enpuda was an old schemer with a great deal of restraint, being treated like this was still unbearable for him. Thus, the two of them weren’t very friendly with each other. In fact, there were even cases of their disciples killing each other.

If it wasn’t for Lord Brahma holding the reins, a bloody battle might have erupted between the two of them. Thus, despite both being Lord Brahma’s subordinates, the two of them never had any interactions.

Enpuda wanted the Nine Underworld Hall to also participate in the matter of assassinating Long Chen. He knew that once they joined in, the competitive Nine Underworld Hall would go to great lengths to kill Long Chen. They would want to kill him before the Bloodkill Hall did.

After all, the Bloodkill Hall had issued the Bloodkill Order. If the Nine Underworld Hall’s people killed Long Chen instead, that would be a slap in the Bloodkill Hall’s face. That was what the Nine Underworld Hall’s people liked the most.

Jia Luo smiled. How could he not know what Enpuda was thinking? Anyway, he also didn’t like Liao Bencang, so he was willing to help Enpuda out with this.

Enpuda and Jia Luo exchanged a smile. Both those smiles were a bit sinister. But they were unaware that while the two of them were smiling, Long Chen was also smiling.

Their flying boat flew out of the Vile Dragon Domain, and they didn’t face any further attacks from the Devil Eye Water Lily. Once they were out of the Vile Dragon Domain, Long Chen started laughing. He was laughing like he was a fool, making Bai Shishi angry. But she also found it funny.

“What are you laughing for?” asked Bai Shishi.

“I’m laughing at Enpuda. There is at least a ninety percent chance that this old fellow was observing me from behind.” Long Chen laughed with a sinister smile. It was a bit similar to a fox that had stolen a chicken.

“Enpuda?”

“You don’t know, but Zhao Qinglong is actually a follower of the Bloodkill Hall. The first time I saw him, I knew. He can trick others, but he can’t trick me. I’m all too familiar with the Bloodkill Hall. Even if his cultivation technique, his aura, and every other aspect of him are a perfect disguise, the faith fluctuations from the depths of his soul cannot escape me. That fellow definitely reported every single one of our movements to Enpuda. Everything I said on the flying boat was just for them to listen on,” said Long Chen.

Everyone was startled. Zhao Qinglong was one of Enpuda’s followers? They had all been tricked. So the story of him being hunted by the Bloodkill Hall was a fabrication.

“With Enpuda’s suspicious nature, he is doubtful about everyone. He is always suspicious about every possibility, but he doesn’t know that boss San’s methods are something that he will never be able to see through. Just wait. It won’t be long before the name of the dean of the High Firmament Academy’s seventh branch sect, dean Boss Long San, rings throughout the world! Hahaha!” Long Chen laughed as if everything was within his control.

Within the ruins of the abyss that they had just visited, the underground foundation stone was now sparkling. A tiny, tiny rune had lit up within it.

In Zhaoming Ancient City, as people continued to burn the bones, a rune on the altar shattered. As it burned, an imperceptible energy flowed into the air and vanished.

No one knew that these traces of energy were slowly flying toward the ruins of the seventh branch academy, merging into the foundation stone without anyone being the wiser. These traces of energy were absorbed by that stone. All of this was unknown to anyone except Long Chen.

What was true was false, and what was false was true. Sometimes it was the simplest tricks that were more likely to fool wily old foxes. After all, it was often those that were confident in their swimming skills that drowned.