My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 81 - 66: The Sparrow Stalks The Mantis (Revised the first 2 - s)

Chapter 81: Chapter 66: The Sparrow Stalks The Mantis (Revised the first 2 Chapters)

"Since the extermination of the An Family’s main sect, the An descendants have withered away. Thus, the Empress Dowager has relied on the Grand Councillor to govern the nation. Yet now, nearly ten years have passed, and the An Family has risen to power, forming their own faction. The tale of the cunning rabbit’s demise... surely the Grand Councillor understands."

The Prince of Jing spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Grand Councillor, over the years, those beneath us have been the ones vying for power. You and I, seeing each other day in and day out, have no true enmity between us. I know the Grand Councillor’s devotion to public service, so I ask that you now consider the affairs of the court."

Grand Councillor Lin said nothing, his aged eyelids drooping as though lost in thought.

After a long pause, he finally asked:

"The meaning of the prince’s request is...?"

The Prince of Jing impatiently tapped his knee. The implications had been so clear—how could Grand Councillor Lin not understand?

He simply wanted direct confirmation.

Hints allow others to guess, and if their interpretations falter, the blame rests on them. Direct words, however, are entirely different.

"You and I both serve the nation with loyalty. The Xiangguo case... must not be reopened. As for Chen Qianhu, I hope the Grand Councillor can restrain him. If absolutely necessary, extraordinary measures should be taken."

The Prince of Jing emphasized the last four words heavily, nearly gritting his teeth as he spoke.

Realizing he had lost composure, he grew wary that the Grand Councillor might rebuke him and hesitated before speaking further. freēwēbnovel.com

But then, he heard Grand Councillor Lin speak:

"The Xiangguo case indeed should not be reopened. As for Chen Qianhu, he has indeed grown too arrogant of late. As for extraordinary measures... I suppose we can carefully deliberate on that before making any decisions."

The Prince of Jing was slightly stunned, not expecting the Grand Councillor to agree so readily. Rising to his feet, he cupped his hands in salute.

"With these words from the Grand Councillor, it’s settled. It is getting late, so I shall take my leave."

Leaving the Lin residence, the Prince of Jing approached his sedan chair.

With several attendants helping him into it, the Prince of Jing caught sight of his estranged daughter, Yin Weiyin.

The female crown, dressed entirely in white, sat in the innermost section, her eyes seemingly closed in silent contemplation.

The Prince of Jing noticed how within mere days, his daughter appeared even more detached and ethereal, as if she could ascend the celestial path at any moment and never return.

"Weiyin... do you think this will work?"

Speaking to his daughter, the Prince of Jing softened his tone.

This visit to Grand Councillor Lin had been Yin Weiyin’s suggestion. After deliberating with the two Grand Councillors, the Prince of Jing had concluded there was no other path left to take.

"Do your best and leave the rest to fate."

Yin Weiyin replied quietly,

"Grand Councillor Lin will undoubtedly keep his guard up and won’t fully trust us. He will likely summon Chen Yi for questioning first. But that’s of no consequence—as long as the seeds of doubt have been sown, that is enough."

Still uneasy, the Prince of Jing asked:

"You summoned Min He’s soul. Are you certain the descendants of the Min clan are determined to reopen the Xiangguo case? Are you certain Chen Yi won’t stand idly by?"

"Father, I am of the mountains. I have my confidence."

Yin Weiyin replied with a faint smile:

"Chen Yi holds affection for men and covets my destined Dao partner. Yet he does not grasp that heavenly principles are clear and fate is fixed. The prophecy states Min Ning is my Dao partner, who will ascend the mountain to cultivate with me. Now, all it takes is a small scheme to remove Chen Yi, and everything will fall into place.

Chen Yi, acting on the Empress Dowager’s orders, seeks to reopen the Xiangguo case, which will inevitably implicate Grand Councillor Lin. So, we can simply follow the plan, redirect the trouble, and let them tear each other apart. Didn’t the two Grand Councillors already approve? Father, why worry further?"

Listening to his daughter’s words, the Prince of Jing’s furrowed brow remained tense until her next statement finally calmed him.

"I specially requested my master to consult the Old Lord. We cast the divination cups three times—all resulted in sacred cups, highly auspicious."

Relieved, the Prince of Jing remembered Yin Weiyin’s master—a figure none other than Yu Zhen Yuanjun, the head elder of Taihua Mountain. Legend had it that Yu Zhen Yuanjun had already taken a half-step toward celestial ascension. Thirty-six years ago, thirty-six celestial cranes encircled Taihua Mountain, heralding her rise. She was then granted the title "Miao Yuan Zhenren Dingxuan Yuzhen Yuanjun" by the Heavenly Official. Yet out of devotion to her Dao partner, whose lifespan had yet to end, she remained in the mortal realm, causing the thirty-six cranes to wait for thirty-six years.

With the assurance of such a figure known for her divine expertise, the Prince of Jing had nothing left to say.

"To force Chen Yi and the Lin Party to turn against one another, I tampered with Min He’s soul. Now, he is half-mad and half-delirious. Soon, he will arrive in the capital to stir up chaos, leaving no room for reconciliation."

Yin Weiyin recalled a face that had once frightened her and coldly chuckled:

"Truly a case of the mantis stalking the cicada,"

.........

"...while the oriole watches from behind."

Within the Lin residence, behind a screen, a figure in official robes emerged with steady steps.

Shortly after the Prince of Jing’s departure, Grand Councillor Lin sipped his tea lightly and said:

"It seems you heard it all."

"Thank you, Grand Councillor."

Chen Yi cupped his hands and bowed.

"The Prince of Jing seeks to have me killed alongside you. Clearly... I have truly wounded him deeply."

"You flatter me."

"Once, I recommended you to the Empress Dowager. You have indeed lived up to the expectations of our Lin Family. Despite great personal risk, you’ve been passing along intelligence to us. When I ascend to the heavens and join the ranks of immortals, I will not forget you."

Grand Councillor Lin spoke slowly before asking:

"Did you predict the Prince of Jing would come to me?"

"Having suffered such a severe setback, if he wants to eliminate me, his only choice would be to appeal to the Grand Councillor and use the Xiangguo case as leverage."

At the mention of the Xiangguo case, Grand Councillor Lin’s gaze turned contemplative as he recalled the past and furrowed his brow slightly, saying:

"Though I am on the brink of ascension, those who plant trees must allow their descendants to enjoy the shade..."

Before he could finish, Chen Yi interjected warmly:

"Grand Councillor need not worry. I naturally understand—the Xiangguo case will scrutinize the Prince’s mansion, not the Lin residence."

Hearing this, Grand Councillor Lin closed his eyes. In the past, he would have made more arrangements, planning several contingencies. But as he approached the threshold of immortality, concerns over the Heavenly Family and the Empress Dowager’s faction seemed trivial. After all, they were but mundane matters to him.

"This matter, discuss it with Yan-er. None of the other brothers are as clever. In the future, he will take charge of the family."

The Yan-er he mentioned was none other than Lin Yan, the second young master of the Lin Family.

Chen Yi recalled correctly that Lin Yan had a legitimate wife named Lin Wanxiao, styled as Zhen Lan, who was originally the daughter of a shopkeeper tied to the Lin Family’s covert holdings. After her father’s untimely death, she was given the Lin surname and adopted as a foster daughter. Zhen Lan was one of the female protagonists in *Heavenly Realm*, the only one married to a husband.

Overthrowing the corrupt Lin residence while seizing the wife of its future head... no doubt a delightful plot twist in the mid-stage of *Heavenly Realm*.

Chen Yi mused to himself with a smirk:

Luckily, I didn’t accidentally sever my Lower Corpse.

The Lower Corpse represents carnal desire.

For now, the Prince of Jing’s mansion is bound to make further moves. All that remains is to await the right timing—it’s the mantis stalking the cicada...

......

"What a perfect case of the oriole watching from behind."

In a private room at a teahouse, an ageless female crown, ethereal and otherworldly, spoke softly.

"Yuanjun overpraises."

Zhou Yitang responded calmly.

"Still, gratitude is owed to Daoist Friend Zhou for pointing her toward enlightenment."

"It was merely mutual benefit."

Yu Zhen Yuanjun remained silent for a moment. Months prior, Yin Sword Mountain had sent a Flying Sword with a missive addressed specifically to her. Initially, she thought it was a ploy by the Heavenly Official to summon both her and the thirty-six celestial cranes to ascend. To her surprise, the letter was actually from that Sword Armor who constantly held his blade suspended over Cangwu Mountain.

She calculated it carefully and asked:

"This grand scheme of yours... surely it began ten years ago."

Zhou Yitang shook her head lightly.

Far more than ten years.

If traced back, this scheme would need to start from the previous lifetime.

Seeing Zhou Yitang’s reluctance to elaborate, Yu Zhen Yuanjun did not press further, merely sighing:

"The Daoist scripture states: *’The highest virtue is unseen; next comes intimacy and acclaim; next comes awe and reverence; next comes disrespect and disdain.’*

True detachment is not the absence of emotion but rather the transcendence of emotion to the point of not realizing its presence. The so-called ’absence of emotion’ is merely a shortcut. Tragically... the disciples of Taihua Mountain have erred, and erred repeatedly—confusing absence of emotion for detachment."

After a pause, Yu Zhen Yuanjun continued:

"I can only hope that this time, Weiyin will comprehend the truth of it."

Zhou Yitang remained silent.

Yu Zhen Yuanjun added, "And I trust that Daoist Friend Zhou will... use her to sever his Lower Corpse."

Zhou Yitang smiled faintly, an expression that revealed neither joy nor sorrow.

She couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sympathy for the Prince’s daughter who practiced Taihua’s flawed detachment.

True detachment...

Or perhaps... merely a puppet on strings?