Chapter 1363 A Time of Great Opportunity (III)
Chapter 1363 A Time of Great Opportunity (III)
Chapter 1363 A Time of Great Opportunity (III)
[No need to read the second paragraph.]
[There is a problem with this chapter. It should have been released before the one called [Grand Dao's Grand Move, but I wrote the chapter but never published it. I'm also having a problem with fixing this issue with Webnovel's rules that you cannot delete more than 1000 words of a published chapter --- especially privileged ones. Hopefully, this long introduction fixes the issue.]
[I just tried, and it did not meet the requirements, so I must add more. I'm sorry for this introduction; you don't have to read it. It's one of the requirements for me to fix the issue. Maybe I should have deleted the entire entire thing and republished it. However, that probably would cause more trouble, and there is the fact it's not fair for the people who already bought the chapter. Alright, this should meet the word counts.]
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Qin Longwei, the Supervisor of the Great Chu Divine Dynasty's Prison, received a strange request today. A middle-level minister of the Agricultural Department wished to meet him secretly. At first, he wanted to refuse, but the latter provided him with some information about one of his enemies. Qin Longwei thought this might be an opportunity to take down the latter and maybe even get promoted.
When he arrived at his destination, he checked the surroundings to ensure he was not falling into a trap. He felt relieved that the only person present was that small minister. "Tell me your news, and don't waste my time," Qin Longwei said directly. Although his department was on the lower end of the dynasty, his rank was still above this little clerk. As such, he did not give the latter much face.
"Sir, sir, I only want some guarantees," said the clerk with a trembling voice.
"Tell me your information before we can even negotiate."
"Sir—"
"If you're not talking, I won't stay here for long," Qin Longwei sneered before walking away. He had already captured the clerk's mindset as soon as he laid eyes on them. As someone who deals with all kinds of criminals and the low lives of the dynasty, he can tell when someone is desperate. So, knowing he had all the advantages, Qin Longwei acted accordingly to ensure maximum benefit. He knew that any time now, this clerk would call him back with more desperation in his voice. Sadly, he overestimated his abilities this time.
The small clerk suddenly released a shadow that swallowed Qin Longwei before he could react. He did not scream, nor did his intuition activate — he was swallowed completely. A new Qin Longwei appeared where he previously stood, but his eyes were different: he had lost the cruelty and brutality raised by torturing and killing criminals for countless yuan epochs. Instead, his eyes were sharp, cunning, and powerful. This transformation lasted only seconds before Qin Longwei returned to his previous self. This new version perfectly captured the former Qin Longwei's aura, personality, facial expression, memories, etc.
"You can leave, and don't let anyone see you," Qin Longwei, no, Paragon Jimin said to the clerk. The two left separately, and Jimin took this opportunity to review Qin Longwei's memories in detail.
"The prisoners from the Hidden Layers were taken out?" he murmured. "I was right. Something is wrong with Shu Ren." When he was the Prime Minister, Paragon Jimin knew that the hidden layers of the prison contained powerful body refiners or cultivators that could be absorbed to help Shu Ren heal in case of an emergency. Only a few people knew about it, and only the Emperor could order people to remove these prisoners.
'Now that I have confirmed the news, what should my next step be?' Paragon Jimin thought. As soon as the Earth Emperor returned, he liquidated the Prime Minister and many other identities Jimin had, forcing him to start over. Luckily, he knew enough about the dynasty to slowly return to the top by stealing the lives of important ministers. If he is given some time and without interference, Jimin is confident he will once again be the prime minister, and this time, with his Paragon Realm cultivation, his hiding ability will drastically increase.
Jimin looked at the sky when he returned home. His eyes saw the Qi Luck Dragon of Great Chu. The normal eyes cannot see anything different about it, but he can see the instability of the dragon, especially after Wang Wei injured Shu Ren.
'It has become easier to plunder the luck and destiny of these people, and this might be the fastest way for me to recuperate,' Emperor Jimin analyzed. 'But what should I do once I return to my peak?'
Take revenge on Wang Wei? No, that's pointless. Although the latter did scheme against him, he indeed saved him. Additionally, Paragon Jimin knew how difficult it would be to kill a master of Karma after owing the latter a debt of saving their lives. Not to mention, he has speculated that Wang Wei has Paragon Tier strength, hence why Shu Ren was injured.
'My ambition has always been to use the current chaos to build a powerful faction to prepare for the upcoming era,' Paragon Jimin analyzed. 'By now, the rebellion should only be bones and skin, leaving only a few of my die-hard supporters. In that case, I'll need to use my status as the first Paragon to condense my luck and destiny and to rally people into my lineage.'
"Lao Qin, where have you been?" yelled a gruff voice as soon as Qin Longwei entered his house. He recognized it as his voice and yelled, "I went to get some fresh air."
"You didn't go drinking again, did you? I've told you many times not to associate with these scoundrels." The prisons are full of people whose minds have been twisted; some came to the prison to satisfy their hidden urges, while others became like this after years in that terrible environment. It did not help that the prison had a unique cultivation technique that absorbed baleful auras and negative emotions. Qin Longwei's wife never liked how her husband associated with these people by taking them drinking.
"No, I haven't," Qin Longwei responded.
"Let me check." A divine sense descended on the room that scanned his body, especially his mouth and aura, making Paragon Jimin's lips twitch.
"Good, it seems you've started to listen to me more."
Jimin ignored his "wife" and entered his cultivating room. From Qin Longwei's memories and his experience as a prime minister, he knew the Prison Supervisor position was not simple. The emperor has absolute power; with one word, he can imprison or kill nobles, high-ranking ministers, or their families. These people cannot do anything to the Emperor, but can't they kill a lowly Prison Supervisor?
Before Qin Longwei took office, the Great Chu Dynasty often switched supervisors. Qin Longwei successfully stayed in his position for so long because he formed a bond or connection with his officers, forming a tight group that bound their interests and protected each other. His wife is from a middle-tier noble clan, so she looks down on these people, but Qin Longwei knows this is his method of survival.
'Since I've decided to kill that bastard, I need to make a plan,' Paragon Jimin continued once he was alone. 'But where to start?' He reviewed all the information he knew about the dynasty, and his mind finally locked into one person:
"The Third Prince," he muttered. Shu Ren seems lucky in this department, so he has given birth to a few children. However, all the princes or princesses in the current dynasty can be said to be mediocre. Only a few have reached the Empyrean, and most are in the early stages of the Great Emperor Realm. Of course, everyone knows it's not because of these heirs' talent, but they just stop cultivating out of fear. They all knew that the few of their brothers and sisters who cultivated to the peak of the Empyrean Realm disappeared — except for the Third Prince.
He reached that realm long ago, but nothing has happened to him. The discerning eyes could tell that it was not for the lack of trying on the Emperor's part. Yet, the Third Prince is alive and well. Although it seems he has little power on the surface, as the prime minister, Jimin once discovered the latter had a terrifying intelligence agency under his control.
'This man has always been an enigma, and if there is someone who might be willing to work with me to kill Shu Ren, it's him,' Jimin analyzed. 'Alright, it's decided. However, I should be careful when dealing with him.'
He had long suspected that the Third Prince intentionally revealed his intelligence agency to test him, and the fact that he did not report this to the Emperor showed the former prime minister's character.
Jimin exhaled to calm down. Although he had a preliminary plan, he did not want to act immediately. The current situation was dangerous, and Shu Ren was sensitive during this time of weakness. It may reveal his actions if he acts now.
"Hmm?" Jimin uttered as his vision penetrated this house and glazed at the dynasty's Qi Luck Dragon. 'It became weaker. What happened?' Someone was desperately hiding the effects on the dragon, but this could not stop the former Paragon.
'His luck has dissipated immensely, similar to when the Emperor experienced death. Could it be?' The only explanation was Shu Ren used one of his longevity resources to heal whatever damage he experienced in the previous battle.
'He's quite resolute,' Jimin praised. The situation was ever-changing, so it was wise for Shu Ren to maintain his top fighting shape. As for the loss of his luck? He could still recuperate it with the correct method.
'Unfortunately for you, this is a chaotic time, and destiny is against you,' he sneered. Under standard times, Shu Ren could indeed recuperate his luck and destiny. But now, he was nothing but a fat pig that had caught the entire world's attention.