Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 460 - 109: The Strategy of Driving Off the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf

Chapter 460: Chapter 109: The Strategy of Driving Off the Tiger to Swallow the Wolf

"Yes, if there hasn’t been any mistake in the derivation, this is the outcome."

The Netherworld Queen frowned, pondering before speaking somberly.

"Is there a way to break through?"

Zhou Yan asked with a grave look.

"If you can slay a peak Nine Origin Sword Saint, then there’s no need to worry. Absolute power can overlook any arrangement," said the Netherworld Queen, earnest in her manner.

"If it were possible, I wouldn’t be asking," Zhou Yan replied with a wry smile.

"You really can’t kill the Nine Origin Sword Saint? Are we truly at an impasse?" the Netherworld Queen inquired, sounding puzzled.

"Perhaps it can be done... with a special kind of Space Power. I could slay him, but I’d certainly die myself."

Zhou Yan hesitated as he thought about the Space Power within the Purple Flame Lotus Flame.

"Then that means you can’t... I hadn’t expected you to be so weak now. Unfortunately, I cannot assist you either. I have sworn an oath never to become anyone else’s Sword Spirit again, nor will I recognize another master... Moreover, my current situation is precarious; I can only... disappoint you."

The Netherworld Queen’s gaze dimmed with her words.

"It’s alright. You’ve helped me identify the crisis of death, and for that I’m already grateful. On the contrary, I’ve wronged you, never realizing the depth of the hurt I caused."

Zhou Yan’s tone was sincere.

The Netherworld Queen sighed and said, "All of this might lean more towards conjecture. It may not be true, and things might be better than we imagine. Yet, with your disposition now, you’ll certainly try to rescue Gu Yan. That means confronting the Netherworld Nine Soul Envoys, which is inevitable..."

"If I can’t avoid it, and the Holy Daughter is in danger because of it, then I must find a way to battle the Netherworld Nine Soul Envoys... If I manage to kill the Netherworld Nine Soul Envoys, the Holy Daughter won’t have to be in danger anymore. However, slaying such powerhouses is likely very difficult. Hmm... perhaps it’s not entirely without hope."

Zhou Yan contemplated, his mind rapidly strategizing how to face this situation.

Suddenly, an idea for a ’drive the tiger to swallow the wolf’ strategy flashed into his mind, and his eyebrows raised, his eyes brightening noticeably.

This instinctive movement caused the watching Netherworld Queen to jolt, her body retreating a few steps involuntarily as if the gesture filled her with a fear akin to palpitations.

Zhou Yan, preoccupied and unaware of the Netherworld Queen’s reaction, saw her flinch and asked in surprise, "What’s wrong?"

"No, nothing, it’s just that seeing your subconscious gesture reminded me of some past events, it’s nothing serious," she quickly masked a trace of panic and explained.

Zhou Yan could sense her inexplicable panic, but he could not deduce its cause because all his thoughts were fixed on his tiger-devouring-wolf strategy.

If he could successfully execute all of this, there might well be a genuine, game-changing reversal in this situation.

Of course, setting a trap for a Saint Level strong being, if it fails, the outcome could be horrendously tragic.

But Zhou Yan understood he had no choice; without this course of action, the end would be no less grim. Thus, this plan was actually a glim of hope.

With this decision made, Zhou Yan felt a strange shift in his Qi Fortune, although he could not discern its nature. While he could employ and understand Qi Observation Skill, he couldn’t see his own Qi Fortune.

Even someone with the Body of Destiny like Jia Yongheng couldn’t penetrate it, nor could Zhou Yan himself ascertain anything.

All he could say was that this decision, this plot against a Saint, made him feel a change in his Qi Fortune.

Whether it was a change for the better or worse, was now beyond his grasp.

Everything seemed to be becoming increasingly elusive and enigmatic.

"Zhou Yan, have you thought of a plan?"

The Netherworld Queen suddenly asked.

"Yes, suddenly, I see a path to survival."

Zhou Yan replied, not attempting to conceal.

"It seems you have, indeed. Actually, the reason for my momentary panic was because I recognized the familiar ’strategizing from behind the curtain’ look in your eye and expression.

I have always remembered, whenever your eyebrows raise and your eyes light up, you’re about to execute a ruthlessly vicious strategy. In those moments, you were feared by all, not the Lei Yan King, but the true ’King Yan’."

The Netherworld Queen suddenly stopped hiding her thoughts and spoke frankly.

Zhou Yan was somewhat taken aback.

"Really, I know you and the past are unrelated, so I spoke without hiding anything. Of course, I said this also to reassure you to follow your heart’s intentions. Do you have any decisions that require my assistance?"

The Netherworld Queen inquired.

She had not been very inclined to assist Zhou Yan before, or perhaps she didn’t possess the ability to help him, but now it seemed that one of his characteristic motions had precipitated a slight change in her.

Zhou Yan couldn’t articulate what change had occurred in the Netherworld Queen, but she had decidedly become gentler and more approachable.

One must remember, the initial impression of the Netherworld Queen was one of full resentment, cold, and proud – a queen through and through.

"Indeed, I need your help. But as for what we do, I must manage it. Before that, we only need to..."

Zhou Yan and the Netherworld Queen whispered to each other for a while. After listening, the Netherworld Queen said with some suspicion, "Are you sure you can employ Netherworld Techniques? You are a human, how can you do such a thing?"

"Rest assured, I am confident in these techniques. Since I dare to do this, I must be able to accomplish it," Zhou Yan said very confidently.

"If that’s the case, then... I can provide you with the Netherworld Beast, and I can even act as your captive. Hmm, even becoming your female slave is not a problem, as long as it helps you. But if I cooperate with you in everything, I hope you won’t humiliate me too much. For example, don’t make me bow like a dog in front of the Netherworld Nine Soul Envoys and let you ravage me. Is that alright?"

The words uttered by the Netherworld Queen were bold and carried a hint of pleading. This ignited a wicked fire within Zhou Yan, but he remained rational and suppressed such urges.

Did the Netherworld Queen’s tone imply that he, Zhou Yan, could do such vile and disgusting deeds? To have a woman present herself like that in front of others? That was beastly; how could it be possible?

Zhou Yan held back his retort, sighed, and said, "Rest assured, I will not make you a female slave, nor will I let you be slighted in the least. While my method does have some disadvantages for you, it will not truly wrong you. If successful, it can resolve your conflict once and for all. There might even be a rather perfect outcome, and you won’t have to worry about the powerful Netherworld Nine Soul Envoys anymore."

"Alright, I trust you, trust that you have really changed," the Netherworld Queen said softly.

Her gaze at that moment was incredibly tender, like water, almost able to melt one’s heart.

Zhou Yan felt somewhat guilty under that gaze. He realized that Xiao Shuang, the Netherworld Queen, was in fact a truly passionate, intelligent, and adorable young lady who had become so sensitive only because she had been deeply hurt or, rather, tormented by pain.

Now, in this lifetime, having met her again, Zhou Yan had decided in his heart that he would never hurt her in the slightest.

Zhou Yan was somewhat moved and had a thousand words to say, yet he didn’t know what to say, because it seemed that no language could soothe the wounds deep in those beautiful eyes.

...

"Zhou Yan, the Netherworld Beast is also here. This place is Bishui Cold Pond, constructed in imitation of the Sacrificial Blood Pool in the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City. I control the Netherworld Power and built this lake of cold ponds with that in mind," said the Netherworld Queen standing beside Zhou Yan. Her silhouette was elongated by the dim light.

She was very close to Zhou Yan, so much so that he could even sense the sweet fragrance emanating from her.

She was still pure and pristine, with an unspeakable air of sanctity and charm that was very compelling.

Her somewhat slender frame also appeared lonely and isolated at the moment, revealing a kind of vulnerability.

Zhou Yan wanted to hold her in his arms and offer protection, but he did not want to be so brash again, even though he knew that the Netherworld Queen would no longer resist what he did to her.

Zhou Yan focused on the Netherworld Queen’s words, which reminded him of the cold pond in the back mountain of the Zhou Family where he used to practice his swordsmanship.

Cold Pond, Crane Shadow.

Cold Moon, Qing Qiu.

And the silver surface of the lake, Zhou Lingyi in her purple dress sweeping the ground, who had been so cold towards him.

Scenes from the past seemed to present themselves before his eyes.

Zhou Yan suddenly realized that the cold pond from his past was surprisingly similar to this one in many ways.

"You said, this place is built in imitation of the Sacrificial Blood Pool in the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City? You know about the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City too?"

Zhou Yan was slightly taken aback. He knew that his computing power was incredible, almost on par with a computer brain; thus, these comparative images in his mind indicated a connection between the two.

"Perhaps, it’s because I cannot forget the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City, or maybe it’s a subconscious longing for the once Lei Yan King. I have formed this Netherworld Lake myself, and it serves as a place to visit when I feel lonely. It’s also a sanctuary for my Netherworld Beasts. It is because of this Netherworld Lake that the Netherworld Nine Soul Envoys are wary of me, otherwise, I would not be a match for him."

The Netherworld Queen explained softly.

Zhou Yan nodded, his gaze briefly unfocused.

His pupils dilated, his eyes on the horizon, but without actually looking at anything—like he had slipped into a speechless contemplation.

After a while, Zhou Yan sighed deeply without saying a word.

"Zhou Yan, what’s wrong? If there’s something puzzling you, or if you need me to do something, just say it."

The Netherworld Queen looked at Zhou Yan with concern. From initially being dismissive to being moved, and now to caring and worrying, her heart was also gradually changing.

"This life, it seems someone has deliberately made me grow up in this way. But I really dislike this feeling of being manipulated, as if everything about me is starkly exposed to others, with no shred of autonomy," Zhou Yan sighed.

Apart from his sighs, he did not know anything else, because everything appeared to him as a thick fog.