Chapter 1544 - 641: Scheming and Counter-Scheming

Chapter 1544: Chapter 641: Scheming and Counter-Scheming

"Whatever materials you need, Fellow Daoist Li, just say the word!"

Wang Tianba promised, thumping his chest.

"In that case..."

Li Yunjing turned around, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "I need ten pounds of ’Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Iron Essence’, five dou of ’Heavenly Star Sand’, three pieces of ’Amethyst Jade Marrow’..."

He listed more than a dozen rare materials in succession, and with each one, Wang Tianba’s face turned a shade paler.

These materials were all priceless, some even treasures with no market value.

"This..."

Wang Tianba wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Fellow Daoist Li, some materials are truly..."

"What?"

Li Yunjing’s expression was neither a smile nor a frown, "Didn’t Fellow Daoist Wang just say to say the word?"

"Fellow Daoist Li, our Wang Clan simply cannot gather these materials in a short period."

Wang Tianba gritted his teeth: "Could you perhaps... substitute with other equivalent items?"

"Very well then!"

Li Yunjing pretended to ponder deeply, and after a while, he said, "I can lower my demands somewhat, but three materials are absolutely essential, the ’Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Iron Essence’, ’Amethyst Jade Marrow’, and..."

He paused, a trace of deep meaning flashing through his eyes: "That piece of ’Nine Orifice Exquisite Stone’ passed down in your Wang Clan."

"What?!"

Wang Tianba was struck as if by lightning, his face changing drastically, "This... this..."

The "Nine Orifice Exquisite Stone" was the treasure of the Wang Clan, passed down for thousands of years and never shown to outsiders.

He never expected Li Yunjing to know about this!

"No need for alarm, Fellow Daoist Wang."

Seeing this, Li Yunjing smiled faintly: "I only wish to borrow this stone as the core of the array hub, and once the grand array is repaired, it will naturally be returned."

"But..."

Wang Tianba was torn in an internal battle.

On one hand was the safety of the clan, and on the other was the treasure of the clan, which gave him a splitting headache.

"If Fellow Daoist Wang finds this difficult, let this matter be over and done."

Li Yunjing made as if to leave, "Your Wang Clan’s grand array is only at Tier Three Peak; if I were to act, it could be upgraded to Tier Four, and even you, Fellow Daoist Wang, would find it difficult to breach the Wang Clan’s defenses in ten days or half a month!"

"Wait!"

This final sentence completely overwhelmed Wang Tianba, and he hurriedly stopped him, "Fellow Daoist Li, about this... allow me to discuss with the clan elders..."

Not even the clan’s ancestor dared to easily make this decision.

Wang Tianba proposing to convene a meeting was already a sign of being tempted.

"Give me your answer within three days."

Li Yunjing nodded: "If overdue, I will not wait."

At the last moment, Li Yunjing once again applied pressure on Wang Tianba.

"Husband, what is this ’Nine Orifice Exquisite Stone’?"

Once Wang Tianba hurriedly left, Zhao Qi came out from the inner chamber, puzzled: "Why is Wang Tianba so tense?"

"This is an ancient treasure, containing nine orifices, able to connect with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi."

Li Yunjing’s eyes flashed a profound gleam: "If I could obtain it..."

He laughed meaningfully, "It would greatly aid me in comprehending arrays."

"So, husband had plans all along."

Zhao Qi suddenly realized.

"Fellow Daoist Li, do you truly intend to repair the Wang Clan’s array?"

"Indeed."

Li Yunjing stood with his hands behind his back, "The flaws in the Wang Clan’s protective grand array are more severe than they imagine. If not completely repaired, in less than three years, they are doomed to disaster."

"Then why does husband still want to help them with repairs?"

Zhao Qi’s gaze carried a hint of doubt, knowing her husband wasn’t such an agreeable person!

"Naturally, I must help, but!"

Li Yunjing gave a mysterious smile: "I must certainly leave some tricks up my sleeve."

Meanwhile, Wang Tianba, who rushed back to the main residence, immediately gathered all the elders for a discussion.

"What? You want to use the ’Nine Orifice Exquisite Stone’?"

The Grand Elder slammed the table, "Absolutely impossible!"

"But if the grand array isn’t repaired..."

Wang Tianba smiled bitterly, "That Li Yunjing has already identified three fatal flaws; if outsiders learn of this..."

Hearing this, all the elders fell silent.

"Why not... agree to it for now?"

After a while, the Patriarch of the Wang Clan sighed, "After the grand array is repaired, we will then..."

"What does the Patriarch mean?"

A trace of ruthlessness flickered in Wang Tianba’s eyes.

"Hmph, our Wang Clan has been established in Purple Cloud City for thousands of years; how can we let others manipulate us?"

The Second Elder sneered, "Once the matter is done... heh heh..."

A plot against Li Yunjing was silently brewing in the Wang Clan’s secret chamber.

Meanwhile, Li Yunjing stood by the window, looking in the direction of the Wang Clan’s main residence, a meaningful smile curling at the corner of his mouth...

"Husband, aren’t you afraid they might turn against you?"

Zhao Qi was puzzled.

"In the jade scroll I gave him, not only did I record the method to repair the array, but I also pointed out their protective grand array’s three fatal flaws."

Li Yunjing’s eyes flashed with insight, "If he’s smart, he should know that if I can help him repair it, I can just as easily break the array. If they turn against me later, I’ve left a secret path; perhaps I could even capture the entire Wang Clan in one fell swoop!"

...

On the other side, at the Wang Clan’s ancestral residence.

"Alright! It’s decided then!"

Wang Tianba suddenly shouted, shaking the candle flames in the hall.

He slowly stood up, taking out a jade box from his bosom: "I’ve made my decision."

The moment the jade box opened, a piece of crystalline stone with nine orifices emerged, exuding vast spiritual energy.

All the elders unconsciously held their breath.

This was indeed the Wang Clan’s treasure, the "Nine Orifice Exquisite Stone"!

"Old Ancestor."

The Patriarch of the Wang Clan spoke word by word, "This item can be lent, but a ’Spirit Locking Restriction’ must be placed at the core of the grand array. If Li Yunjing dares to have any malicious intentions..."

He turned over his palm, revealing a blood-colored talisman.

"This is a ’Heart Devouring Talisman’ I acquired at great cost; it can trigger the restriction, making life worse than death for him!"

The Wang Clan Patriarch added viciously.

"Good plan!"

"It’s settled then!"

The elders agreed, each displaying a ruthless expression.

"Good! In another two days, I will meet with Li Yunjing to discuss repairing the grand array!"

Wang Tianba nodded in satisfaction, looking around, giving instructions: "Everyone, keep your vigilance, do not show hostility which might raise Li Yunjing’s suspicion! Continue as usual, as if nothing has changed recently!"