"In that position, you handle that position's affairs." Wei Qing leaned back in his chair. "But you—sneaking into this place while risking being detected by the Hunt's blades—don't tell me you came just to sightsee?"
"Of course not." Phantylia's smile tightened slightly. "I came to remind you about our previous agreement…"
She deliberately dragged out the last word, watching for Wei Qing's reaction.
"How are things progressing on Shuhu's side?" Wei Qing asked bluntly.
"That old fossil is even more cautious than we expected." Phantylia pursed her lips, clearly displeased. "Maybe he was hurt too badly last time—nearly scared out of his wits."
"Even with the help we provided, he's still like a frightened cub—hiding in his den, licking his wounds, refusing to show his face."
"But…" Her tone shifted, and her eyes glittered.
"His craving for the Ambrosial Arbor will eventually outweigh his fear—especially after learning that the power which can sever immortality may be linked to the Arbor…" She licked her lips with relish. "The fire of greed in his heart is only burning hotter."
"Still," Phantylia leaned forward and lowered her voice, "he also seems to be contacting other Abundance-aligned forces in secret."
"Looks like he wants extra bodies to throw on the pile—insurance, so he won't be singled out and played by us… or by you."
"Other Abundance forces? Which ones?" Wei Qing frowned.
"Who else would it be?" Phantylia's voice dripped with disdain. "The stubborn Borisin, the noisy Wingweavers, the feeble Vidyadhara's offshoots—"
"All rabble. Even if they gather, they're nothing more than additional cannon fodder." She clearly didn't rate them at all.
"The key is Shuhu himself," Wei Qing said. "If he turtles up, it becomes troublesome."
This time, he was determined to take Shuhu's life.
"Exactly." Phantylia chuckled. "So Starhowl and I… gave things a little push."
"We told him that, with the Luofu on the verge of a general transition, factional struggles have begun inside—creating exploitable gaps in the Arbor's security."
"Especially since a newly risen Hunt Emanator—desperate to solidify his position—seems to be run ragged by internal affairs…"
Wei Qing raised a brow. "So he believed it?"
He didn't know Shuhu's temperament well, but a monster that old shouldn't be stupid.
"He half-believes, half-doubts." Phantylia toyed with a lock of hair. "But he has no other choice. The lure of the Arbor—plus fear of your power and desire to possess it—is enough to make him gamble."
"What he needs now is a proof of opportunity—something to confirm the Luofu truly has a seam he can pry open."
"So you need me to cooperate and put on a show." Wei Qing immediately understood.
"Talking with smart people is so effortless." Approval flashed in Phantylia's eyes.
"Shuhu is arrogant in the extreme. He has never truly placed anyone in the Xianzhou Alliance in his eyes."
"Perhaps to him, even if he can't win, escaping with his life wouldn't be difficult."
"But the moment you—the one person capable of truly threatening his life—leave the Luofu…" Her smile sharpened. "He will choose to take the risk."
"And Starhowl and I can provide you with a reason to 'reasonably' leave the Luofu."
"Sounds like you've arranged things quite thoroughly," Wei Qing said flatly, betraying no emotion.
"Sharing a colleague's burdens is only my duty." Phantylia beamed, as if she meant every word.
"After all, The Hunt is one of my targets. If I can help forge an 'Imperial Bow Seven-Arbiter General' who belongs to Destruction…" She sighed in delight. "Naturally, I welcome it."
"Just remember—Shuhu has plotted for thousands of years. He hasn't played all his cards. His final counterattack could be terrifying. You must prepare early, and ensure… you succeed in one decisive strike."
The plan sounded feasible, but Wei Qing didn't answer immediately.
"The pretext?" he asked.
"How do you plan to make me leave the Luofu believably?"
"We convinced Nihility." Phantylia's red lips curved into a meaningful arc, and calculating light flowed through her amber-gold eyes.
"That colleague—whose nature mirrors Elation—was quite happy to join us after hearing your feats and your scheme."
"When the time comes, the three of us—three Destruction Lords—will personally lead our forces to the vicinity of the Yaoqing Xianzhou, putting on the appearance of a massive offensive."
"Yaoqing is strong," she continued, "but facing the threat of three Emanator-class beings… they'll have no choice but to request reinforcements from the other Xianzhou."
Wei Qing understood immediately.
Three Destruction Lords appearing near a Xianzhou would be an event that shook the entire Alliance.
Yaoqing might be powerful, but the pressure of handling that level of threat alone would be overwhelming; calling for aid would be inevitable.
And by distance, the nearest support would be Zhuming and Luofu.
When that happened, to help Yaoqing withstand the threat of three Destruction Lords, Luofu and Zhuming might not mobilize everything—but they would certainly have to dispatch their main forces.
"Three Destruction Lords pressing Yaoqing… isn't that too loud?" Wei Qing said calmly. "The Alliance response will likely exceed expectations. The reinforcements sent may not be limited to Luofu and Zhuming—perhaps even the Marshal of the Xianzhou could act."
Phantylia laughed softly, eyes full of sly delight. "That's exactly the point, isn't it? The bigger the commotion, the more it proves the situation is urgent—giving you, Luofu's pillar, every reason to personally lead elite troops to provide aid."
"Only then will Shuhu truly believe the Luofu has been emptied out—only then will he dare to bite the hook."
"As for the safety of the three of us…" Her smile was lazy, arrogant. "So long as the Hunt Aeon doesn't personally move, the Xianzhou Alliance has no one who can stop us."
"A very meticulous plan," Wei Qing finally said, accepting it.
They'd arranged everything this far—he had no objections.
"May the wounded creator god's might guide us toward successful Destruction."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 120)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 95)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 85)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter85)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter81)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter60)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter66)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 40
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 50
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