Amidst the chaos, Li Xue had disappeared again, leaving the hall as quickly as possible. She ended up hiding inside a dark alley. Reflecting on what had happened, she was surprised that she had managed to defeat all three of them with such ease.
"The result is as he said," Li Xue muttered in a low voice as she recalled the discussion she had with Hao Yu previously.
…
"Li Xue. This shall be our plan. We won't do anything to them until they enter the crowded area in the North District. If I'm not wrong, there is an exhibition from Master Fu. So, we'll use this place as our execution stage."
"Master Fu, who? An exhibition? Aren't they coming for me? Why would they come here?"
Hao Yu smirked. "As you mentioned earlier, Li Guang likes the painting. What do you think he will do after not finding you for several days? The pent-up stress will gradually cloud his judgment. And the only way to relieve that stress is by doing something he loves, which is admiring the painting."
Li Xue tilted her head in confusion and said, "I'm sorry, I don't think I can understand..."
"It's fine if you don't understand me," Hao Yu responded. "Nonetheless, Li Guang will come to the exhibition; I guarantee it."
"Alright. So, what will happen once he enters?"
"Have you heard about guerrilla tactics?" Hao Yu asked.
Li Xue thought for a moment and shook her head. "No."
"It's a pretty simple tactic. You avoid head-on confrontations when you have inferior strength or numbers. Instead, you engage them in skirmishes you are confident to win. Of course, the application between an army and a single person is different."
Li Xue listened attentively but was still confused. She asked, "If I avoid confrontation, does that mean I will escape from them?"
Hao Yu explained, "Not at all. What I'm about to explain is a way to eliminate all three of them in rapid succession. This shall be the scenario."
At first, Li Xue didn't believe that Hao Yu could allow her to eliminate all of them swiftly. However, that changed the moment Hao Yu started explaining his plan.
"The moment they enter, Li Guang will definitely use the painting to find out information. That's why I will be among the crowd, talking to him. I'll do my best to lower his guard and divert his attention. As soon as everyone thinks that there is nothing wrong with the hall, you'll appear among them and kill Li Guang. Don't forget to cover yourself with a robe."
Li Xue considered for a moment. "Well, if he drops his guard, I can swiftly eliminate him. But Li Guang is still an 8-Star Expert. He won't die without a fight. There is a chance that he manages to avoid my blade."
"That's why positioning is important. We'll be standing close to the painting. With his love for the painting, Li Guang won't move toward it and risk ruining it. With me in front of him and you on the opposite side of the painting, there is only one place for him to escape. And he knows it instinctively."
Li Xue couldn't argue against Hao Yu's plan. It made sense, and there didn't seem to be any problems with the execution. "Even if I can't kill him, I can definitely injure him severely."
"That's good. After that, his two lackeys will come for you. It will be ideal if they come together, but if not, that's acceptable too. As soon as you stab Li Guang, I want you to escape outside, discard your robe, hide your weapon, and disappear into the crowd."
Li Xue had a question. "What if they don't come out and just protect Li Guang?"
Hao Yu responded, "The timing is crucial. If you are too fast, Li Guang will think it's best to stay. At the same time, if you're too slow, both of them will have more time to think. Hence, I will keep shouting about assassinations and such to make everyone panic. In that mental state, they would be forced to make a decision."
Li Xue was astounded. She had witnessed similar situations in the past when pressured individuals made hasty judgments and mistakes.
All she thought about it was to stay calm whenever it happened to her, but Hao Yu was different. He studied and used it to his advantage.
"When you are outside," Hao Yu continued, "I want you to hide behind one of the people and launch a sneak attack. It's fine if you only eliminate one. If you can't finish them outside, just disappear into the crowd and return to the hall, forcing them to realize that you intend to deliver the killing blow to Li Guang. That's when he will drop his guard."
Li Xue grimly agreed, "Then, I will eliminate him and Li Guang."
Hao Yu confirmed, "Exactly. If you execute this plan correctly, there won't be any head-on confrontation. The Qi Gathering Stage is still a stage where strength is not mystical, so this plan will work."
Li Xue couldn't refute it. The plan was impeccable, and she couldn't have devised it on her own.
This showed her how valuable Hao Yu was. Without him, she wouldn't have been able to reach this far. Now that she had eliminated Li Guang, there was a vision of her returning to the sect and turning the situation around.
…
When recounting what had just happened, Li Xue couldn't help but lean against the wall and sigh, "He is amazing. While it's true that my strength played a significant role in this plan, there's no way Li Guang could have seen through this tactic."
It was evident that a normal person wouldn't have had the necessary speed to eliminate all of them. Li Xue's status as a 7-Star cultivator was crucial. However, without Hao Yu's strategic mind, she would have lost against those three.
That's why she wondered why Hao Yu was willing to help her. With his intellect, he could have easily captured her in her injured state and used her for his benefit. In fact, there would have been numerous benefits if he had assisted Zhao Xin and Su Han.
So, why did he give up on all that and help her?
She couldn't help but remember the first time they met. Back then, Hao Yu had said, "If my actions seem excessive to you, please consider it as a result of being charmed by your beauty."
The moment that thought appeared in her mind, Li Xue couldn't help but shiver, not out of disgust but embarrassment.
"Did he truly..." On the one hand, it wasn't much different from what her senior brother had done to her. On the other hand, Hao Yu had helped her and showed his determination through actions rather than force. That's why Hao Yu's actions lingered differently in her heart.
"But I am a cultivator, and he is a mortal... But there are records about unions between mortals and cultivators," Li Xue thought, her face reddening. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Hao Yu's voice.
"Good work. Their deaths have been confirmed, and..." Hao Yu handed three space rings to her. "With these, you should be able to enhance your strength, right?"
Li Xue was reminded of her earlier thoughts. Hao Yu had been so kind to her that she couldn't think of any other explanations. She felt flustered as she said, "Ah, right? I'll take these rings for now. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll definitely buy it for you once everything settles down."
"Thank you," Hao Yu said with a gentle smile. "After this situation is over, I don't think I can meet you anytime soon. They will probably isolate you until the appearance of your next foe."
Li Xue was surprised and felt a bit disappointed that she wouldn't be able to meet Hao Yu again.
Hao Yu noticed her change of expression but remained unchanged himself. He said, "I will arrange everything for you. So, I want you to escape to this location when your next foe appears. Just run straight and stop when you reach the area. It might be challenging for you, but you have to fight him for a while to buy some time. Can you do that?"
Li Xue nodded and replied, "Yes. With these resources, I can advance to 8-Star in three days. Since it will take him at least five days to travel the distance, I should be able to manage."
"That's good," Hao Yu said. "I will discuss the next scenario with you after eliminating him." He nodded and turned around, ready to leave.
Li Xue couldn't explain why, but she had the urge to stop him from leaving. Even if it was just to discuss his plan, she wanted Hao Yu to stay longer. However, there was no way she could express it.
Surprisingly, Hao Yu turned around, waved his hand, and said, "See you soon, Li Xue."
For a split second, Li Xue's body shook, and then she waved her hand, smiling. "Yeah. See you soon, Hao Yu."