Chapter 687 - 212: Linked Stratagems, Shen Bai Closes the Net

In the study.

The oil lamp’s flame flickered, casting dappled shadows across the room. The wavering light made the Marquis of Ren De’s face seem indistinct and uncertain.

"The National Preceptor has foreseen your death, and the cause will be Shen Bai," Zhao Feng said slowly. "The National Preceptor’s divinations have never been mistaken. You should understand what this means."

As he finished speaking, the Marquis of Ren De’s expression grew increasingly grim, so dark it seemed water could drip from it.

The National Preceptor was one of the most powerful figures in the Great Yue Country, on par with the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou Country. His power was profound and inscrutable.tac

The National Preceptor was not a Scholar, but a member of the Daoist Sect, and his mastery of Daoist Skills was nothing short of bewildering.

The Marquis of Ren De was inclined to believe a genuine prophecy from the National Preceptor, but he couldn’t be sure of one thing: whether the man standing before him, Zhao Feng, was lying.

If Zhao Feng was lying, and he followed his instructions, it would lead to disaster.

Seeing the Marquis of Ren De’s silence, Zhao Feng said, "I know what you’re thinking. It’s perfectly normal to be so cautious. But I am not deceiving you. Whether you choose to believe me is entirely up to you."

"Think about it. What would I gain from deceiving you? The Great Yue Country desperately needs this army, but that’s no reason to lie to you, is it?"

Hearing Zhao Feng’s words, the Marquis of Ren De’s mind spun with calculations.tac

It was just as Zhao Feng said. The Great Yue Country desperately needed his army—not just for its formidable strength, but more importantly, because when the Marquis of Ren De defected from the Great Zhou Country, Great Yue could leverage it to seize an advantage in morale and prestige over Great Zhou.

In fact, this blow to their rival’s prestige was perhaps even more valuable than the army itself.

’If the National Preceptor’s prophecy is real, I could afford to delay my defection indefinitely. But if it’s a lie, I’ll move ahead of schedule.’

However, if he discovered the National Preceptor was deceiving him, he would likely feign compliance at times.

The Heart-locking Jade could indeed control him, but only through forceful measures.

If he truly decided to only feign allegiance, no one would be the wiser.

Zhao Feng continued, "Before I came here, the National Preceptor predicted that you might be unwilling to go through with this, unwilling to absorb the Heart-locking Jade. He made it clear that if that is your choice, we will not intervene to help you when you find yourself in a truly desperate situation."

This was a threat.

First came exploitation, followed by a threat. Faced with this two-pronged strategy, the Marquis of Ren De had already come to a decision.

Gazing at the Heart-locking Jade, the Marquis of Ren De hesitated for a moment before finally picking it up.

"Since I’ve decided to pledge allegiance to the Great Yue Country, I must show my sincerity. If you want proof of my good faith, then I shall give it to you."

’He had figured it out. Nothing was more important than his own life. As long as he could save his skin, he could ensure a better future.’

’It’s all the same, no matter where I’m a Marquis.’

’He didn’t care. As long as his status remained unchanged, it made no difference to him.’

’Besides, the current instability in the Great Zhou Country made him feel deeply unsettled.’

’By going to the Great Yue Country, he could at least find some stability.’

With this thought, the Marquis of Ren De connected with the Heart-locking Jade.

As soon as he connected with the Heart-locking Jade, he felt as if a shackle had been clamped around his heart.

This was the Heart-locking Jade’s unique property. Normally, its presence was unfelt. But whenever its master wished to control him, the Heart-locking Jade would unleash its Suppression, inflicting a pain akin to ten thousand arrows piercing his heart.

After witnessing the Marquis of Ren De connect with the Heart-locking Jade, a smile touched Zhao Feng’s lips. "Not bad. Your decisiveness proves there’s hope for you yet. After all, discretion is the better part of valor."

The Marquis of Ren De looked at the Jade, which had now lost its color. "What’s the next step? How will you get me to the Great Yue Country? I have a very large army, you know."

If it were just him, it would be simple. But Great Yue didn’t want just him.

Without his army, the Great Yue Country would never place such importance on him.

Zhao Feng clapped his hands and said, "Before we get to that, I have a question. Does the entire army answer only to you?"

The Marquis of Ren De nodded. "I have operated in Lingyun Dao for many years. Though I’ve never personally thought much of these soldiers and generals, that is merely my private opinion. My public facade is flawless, and they trust me implicitly. If I were to invent some reason—say, that the Great Zhou Country has been unjust and unkind to me—I could take them all with me."

"But what method do you plan to use to get us to the Great Yue Country? There are too many people. Moving them without arousing suspicion will be as difficult as ascending to the heavens."

"Simple. We’ll take the Life and Death Road," Zhao Feng said plainly.

’The Life and Death Road?’

Upon hearing the name, the Marquis of Ren De weighed the idea for a moment before replying, "That could work. Taking the Life and Death Road would indeed be much safer."

When Marquis Fengjiang rebelled, the Great Zhou Country used the Life and Death Road to crush him.

A path that exists between life and death, it cannot be detected by ordinary people.

Zhao Feng took a small cloth pouch from within his robes, and from it, he produced an oil lamp.

This was a Space Type treasure, capable of holding a great many things. The oil lamp itself was the coordinate needed to open the Life and Death Road.

"I’m no expert at opening the Life and Death Road, but this lamp has stored enough energy for the task. You only need to assemble your army in a secure, trusted location, and you can open a path straight to the Great Yue Country."

"It’s risky, but it’s far better than trying to leave brazenly in broad daylight," Zhao Feng said.

The Marquis of Ren De considered this, then said, "I’ll find a pretext. Give me about three days, and I will have the army fully prepared. In the meantime, you are to stay within the Marquis’s Mansion. Do not wander about, and whatever you do, do not provoke Shen Bai."