Xue Feng's 'Plan,' The Livid Li Rou
With his newfound Spiritual Qi that gave him a large speed boost, it didn't take Xue Bai very long to reach his father's office, and thankfully, Xue Feng was already inside his office. So after excusing himself, Xue Bai entered and made his request.
"Father, my cultivation speed is slowing down, and at this rate, I won't be able to reach the goal I set for myself. So I wish to leave home and get a few opportunities to help speed up my cultivation." Xue Bai asked.
After allowing his son to enter the office, Xue Feng took a moment to drink some tea to refresh his parched throat. But after he heard his son's words, he spat out the tea in a very comical spit-take scenario.
Coughing to regain control of his throat, Xue Feng spoke wryly, "Bai'er, you are merely 11 years old and already at the peak of the Blood Exchange realm. If you're cultivating slowly, then are the rest of us even cultivating?"
Even if you forgot the fact that Xue Bai had just turned eleven a day ago, in just a year of cultivating, the boy was already just a step away from the Muscle Nourishing realm. After one year of cultivation, Xue Feng was still meddling in the Vein Transformation realm.
Xue Feng loved his son more than his own life, but sometimes it hurt him too much.
"I know that I'm special, Father, but still, at the speed I'm going, I won't be able to reach the goal I set for myself." Xue Bai said as he slightly admonished himself.
"What in the heavens is the goal you set for yourself? Reach the Xiantian Great Realm at 15. You're speeding through the cultivation realms like a comet right now, Bai'er. If anything, I'm worried that you'll reach the Xianitan Great Realm before me." Xue Feng spoke awkwardly.
Xue Feng had been cultivating extremely fast ever since he had eaten the Yggdrasil fruit, but still, with only a set of peak Yellow-grade Martial Veins, he was worried about his chances of reaching the Xiantian Great Realm.
However, Xue Bai didn't take his father's words too seriously. His dad's vision is too limited currently. But thankfully, it was something that could be fixed. Xue Bai only needed to play the role of teacher.
Xue Bai wanted to take his parents away from this backwater place and toward bigger and better places. He only needed time.
"Father, I still wish to go out and grab some opportunities for myself. Don't worry. I know where the opportunities are and how to grab them safely without putting myself in danger. Nothing will happen as long as the Wang twins are with me." Xue Bai explained himself.
"Bai'er, how detailed are those memories of yours?" Xue Feng couldn't help but ask.
Xue Bai had told them about the memory of a different timeline, but Li Rou and Xue Feng thought it was almost like a slideshow of the future, with only general events and societal trends.
This belief, though, was slightly shaken after Xue Bai told them about the Blood Exchange realm cheat code. It was then that Li Rou and Xue Fend realized that what Xue Bai knew wasn't as simple as they thought.
And now Xue Bai was telling Xue Feng that he even knew where specific treasures were hidden. Xue Feng felt like he once again had to reevaluate his guess on what was in his son's head.
"Never mind that, Father. Can I leave then?" Xue Bai asked as he ignored his father's probing question.
Though Xue Bai was extremely filial and loved his parents, he didn't want to answer every single question they had. By then, what was the point of his secrets?
"Bai'er, instead of going to get them yourself, why don't you write them down and let me pass them along to the soldiers under me? Now that the Wang Clan knows of your 'talent,' they are most likely paying close attention to you. And with the fact that you escaped their claws once, they are going to go for the kill this time." Xue Feng spoke seriously.
Xue Bai suddenly turned pale. He forgot just how merciless the Wang Clan was and how much of a threat he was to them. Wang Yichen would kill his own brother if he even showed a glimpse of superior potential.
How could that demon leave him, someone with a high Black-grade Martial Vein, alive? Moreover, his potential wasn't even the worst part. If Xue Bai were from a neutral faction, Wang Yichen might recruit him, but he wasn't. Xue Bai was the son of his strongest competitor. How could he not be on their kill list with such a resume?
And with the multitude of assassins living in the Wang Clan, killing him, a weak Blood Exchange realm ant, was easier than counting to 10.
Xue Bai had heaven-defying potential, an ability to leapfrog multiple cultivation stages, and was gifted with a high Heaven-grade bloodline, but against a peak-stage Domain Lord realm cultivator like Wang Yin, Xue Bai wasn't even worthy enough to take on a strand of his aura, let alone leapfrog to his level.
Wang Yin could kill him with a simple snort. There was no need for a fight. The gap was far too large.
Even if Xue Bai was protected by the Wang Twins, they were only at the first stage of the Law Manifestation realm. And even though they had a much higher cultivation base than him against Wang Yin, they would still only be reduced to fodder against him.
"However, I still need the resources. What do I do now?" Xue Bai answered with a conflicted expression.
Xue Bai wanted to achieve his goal far more than he feared Wang Yin. So while he did fear the Domain Lord realm assassin, Xue Bai still wanted to pillage.
"Xue Bai, think about this seriously. While Wang Yin is a coward and weirdly looking, the man is good at his job. Unless me and your mother are there to watch you the entire time, I won't let you leave." Xue Feng still refused his son's idea.
The risk-to-reward ratio was far too skewed for him to agree with his son's idea.
However, just before Xue Bai became depressed, Xue Feng spoke up again.
"Unless that is you corporate with me." Xue Feng said, suddenly attracting Xue Bai's attention once more.
"And do what?"
"We can use you as bait and lure in Wang Yin!" Xue Feng spoke deeply. But inwardly, he was against this plan and hoped that Xue Bai wouldn't choose this option. However, as a father and general, Xue Feng knew he needed to teach his son fighting tactics.
'Bait them in! Yes, that's genius! With Mother, Father, and Uncle Huo, killing a lone Wang Yin would be easier than turning a hand!' The more Xue Bai thought of the idea, the more it seemed appropriate for the situation.
"Alright, Father, I'm in! How do we start this plan?" Xue Bai spoke excitedly.
'Huh! He agreed? Aren't 11-year-olds supposed to be scared of a Domain Lord realm cultivator? Why is he so ready to use himself as bait against one? And a peak-stage Domain Lord realm cultivator at that! Shouldn't he cower in such a situation?' Xue Feng thought
Currently, his mind, after hearing Xue Bai's answer, was beginning to cave in on itself. Though he did throw out the suggestion, he was almost 100% sure that Xue Bai would say no. And after that, he planned to let Xue Bai practice at home alongside him.
It was like pretending to kick out your kid only to make them give up and come back home obediently. It was a fear tactic that Xue Feng wanted to use to make sure Xue Bai stayed home safely.
But hearing that Xue Bai wanted to step up to the dangerous job, Xue Fend was at a loss for words.
"Wait, Bai'er! Think about this clearly. Wang Yin is a peak-stage Domain Lord realm cultivator who has even killed other peak-stage Domain Lord realm cultivators. So even if we manage to set up the ambush perfectly, the Wang Yin might still be able to kill you." Xue Fend stood up and tried to dissuade his son.
However, Xue Bai was firm on the idea.
"No, it's okay, Father. I have taken your words to heart, and I wish to be the bait against Wang Yin! Not only would we be able to let me explore outside the estate, but we would also take away one of the Wang Clan's biggest weapons. I find the results to be worth the risk." Xue Bai said seriously.
'I only said it to scare you! I didn't mean it seriously.' Xue Feng, at this point, wanted to cry but had no tears. Sadly, the ship had already sailed, and there was no going back.
So putting on a fake smile, Xue Feng patted his son's shoulder and said, "You're indeed my son, Bai'er, but go back to cultivate. I, your mom, and uncle need to plan this out."
After saying so, he flew off without waiting for Xue Bai's input.
—
A few rooms away, as Xue Bai walked away from Xue Feng's office with extra-wide strides, Xue Feng was in the middle of a rather awkward encounter.
"Dammit, Xue Feng! How dare you plan to use Bai'er as bait! Have you lost your mind?" Li Rou screamed angrily.
Not only had her idiot husband offered such an idiotic idea, but he had also even persuaded Xue Bai to accept it! If he hadn't gone mad, he was close to it.
To be fair, using weak assassination targets as bait was a very common tactic. But usually, the target would at least be a realm or two lower than the assailant to ensure they would die from the shockwaves of the pursuing battle.
But Xue Bai was a mere Blood Exchange realm cultivator, while Wang Yin was a peak-stage Domain Lord realm cultivator! That was a difference of 7 realms, or more than 60 stages!
Even if you forgot about the Spiritual Qi waves that would occur from the ensuing fight, Xue Bai would die from a mere glance from someone that powerful.
The more Li Rou thought about it, the angrier she got and the harder she did what she was doing.
Currently, Li Ruo was beating Xue Feng with as much force as she could. Besides her domain, she had used everything, even the laws she comprehended. But thankful for Xue Feng, as he was a sword cultivator, his physical body was extremely strong, and he was able to take Li Rou's beating. And since he was the one at fault, Xue Feng could only grit his teeth through it.
"Rou'er, calm down. Brother Huo, you and I are all at the peak of the Domain Lord realm now. With our strong foundations, how could a single peak-stage Domain Lord realm last under our barrage?" Xue Feng tried to explain
"Dammit, he is an assassin, not a man fighting for his life. His goal is to kill Bai'er, not to survive against us. A single glance is all he needs to kill Bai'er. Do you seriously think that Wang Yin wouldn't even look at his target?" Li Rou didn't believe her husband's nonsense and instead continued, letting out fireball after fireball.
Naturally, as an alchemist, the law that Li Rou comprehended was the Law of Fire. And as the continent's best alchemist, her comprehension of the Law of Fire was deep.
"That Wang Yin is as much a coward as he is a good assassin. There is no way he is willing to trade his life for Bai'er. Even if Bai'er revealed his true Martial Vein rank, Wang Yin still wouldn't do it. Let alone the high Black-grade one Martial Vein he revealed." Xue Feng argued.
Hearing that, Li Rou stopped her barrage. Xue Feng did have a point. Even though Wang Yin had a prestigious reputation as the continent's strongest assassin, he had an even more well-known reputation as a massive coward.
In order to assassinate a mere early-stage Domain Lord realm cultivator, Wang Yin once spent more than a month waiting until his target was in a weakened state before launching his attack. And when he attacked, he even used the Wang Clan's Space Sealing Formation.
Through his cowardice and extensive plans, Wang Yin didn't leave any traces, but sometimes leaving no traces meant more than leaving a few. And smart cultivators soon linked it to Wang Yin.
But even if it were a coward going after her son, Li Rou didn't feel good, as it was a man who was only slightly weaker than her!
Li Rou knew how strong she was right now and how easily she could kill Xue Bai at any moment. And with someone on her level of strength going after her son, Li Rou wanted to lock Xue Bai away in a safe and melt the key.
But sadly, her idiot husband had already told Xue Bai yes. And if she were to cancel it suddenly, Xue Bai would definitely feel depressed about it.
"Go call my idiot of an older brother then! We are going to plan this down to the exact second! Not a single hair on the head of my Bai'er can be hurt!" Li Rou huffed before going to the main hall.
Finally free of the beating, Xue Fend stood back up and quickly got any dirt off of his robe so as not to ruin his majestic appearance. And after making sure his wife had calmed down, he left the duke's estate and flew in the direction of Snowy Wind City.
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