Chapter 562: 局

"How dare you act so brazenly in the palace in broad daylight? Do you really think there's no one in Great Liang capable of stopping you? Hmm?" A gruff voice boomed from Li Huowang's left. He turned his head and saw an old soldier, a Bingjia, in heavy armor, galloping towards them on a tall horse.

The moment this person moved, Li Huowang felt as if the very air around him stirred. This was a Bingjia, and not just an ordinary one like Peng Longteng! This aura suggested he might be the strongest Bingjia in Great Liang!

And there wasn't just one such person; a total of six individuals charged in on horseback from all directions. Clearly, the commotion in the imperial palace had attracted others.

As they drew closer, Li Huowang even began to experience auditory hallucinations. He heard the shouts of soldiers in battle, smelled the stench of blood, and his mood became somewhat irritable.

As they gathered around the dice, their overwhelming killing intent almost solidified into a tangible presence. Li Huowang felt as if there was an invisible wall before him, and the scent of blood emanating from them was far more intense than anything on himself.

"When you go to the King of Hell's palace, don't forget to tell him that your Grandpa Zhang sent you!"

An old general with three deep scars on his face raised his heavy mace, which vibrated so much it appeared to be double-imaged, preparing to smash it down onto the motionless dice on the ground.

"Wait!" The heavy mace, moments away from striking the dice, halted. The six old Bingjia generals, along with Li Huowang, turned their gaze towards the Imperial Advisor who had spoken.

"It's not too late to kill him after I've asked a few questions," Huangfu Tiangang said, walking over with his hands behind his back.

Hearing that the Imperial Advisor wanted to speak with the dice, Li Huowang's heart became even more anxious than before.

As a fellow Zuo Wang Dao, he knew their strengths and weaknesses all too well. Everyone understood that Zuo Wang Dao were poor at direct combat, but they often overlooked their true mastery: manipulating people's minds. If the advisor started talking to him, it would become the dice's home ground!

"Imperial Advisor, please kill the dice quickly! Before things get complicated!"

"I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Do I need you to teach me how to do my job?" Huangfu Tiangang glared at Li Huowang and walked towards the trapped dice.

As soon as he left, the illusory Zuo Wang Dao approached Li Huowang, winking and saying, "Hey buddy, don't you think this is a bit strange? Do you think this old geezer actually owes our boss a favor? Maybe he's taking this opportunity to repay it."

Li Huowang paused for a moment before instantly reacting, glaring at him coldly. "At a time like this, you still want to help the dice deceive me? Fine, just for that remark, prepare to have your tendons pulled and bones extracted tonight!"

"Hey! What's wrong with you? I was just trying to help you figure things out. You're taking good intentions as ill will."

Li Huowang couldn't be bothered to listen to the other party's explanation. He looked at Zhuge Yuan and said, "Brother Zhuge, if I briefly use my 'Empty-to-True' cultivation on you, could you catch the dice off guard and deal with him?"

"Brother Li, we're almost there. Don't rush. It's not worth risking the exposure of your Xinsu identity. Come on, let's go see what the Imperial Advisor wants to ask the dice."

With that, Zhuge Yuan followed Huangfu Tiangang towards the dice. The Great Liang Imperial Advisor, as he approached, seemed to sense something, glancing to his left, frowning, and then continuing forward.

Watching their retreating backs, Li Huowang's expression rapidly changed as he stood still.

"Boss Hongzhong, this kid is definitely hiding something from you," the illusory Zuo Wang Dao said, approaching Li Huowang again.

"Shut up! Do I need you to tell me that? Do you not enjoy having your tendons pulled and bones extracted enough? Or do you want to be tortured to death by a thousand cuts?" Li Huowang gripped the Spine Sword in his hand and followed them.

By the time Li Huowang struggled to reach them, the Imperial Advisor had already begun his interrogation. "Speak. What were you doing hiding in this palace? I've been watching you for a long time, hoping you'd lure out the remaining Zuo Wang Dao, but you've remained silent."

"Hehehe." Even though he was pinned to the ground with only half his body remaining, the dice remained remarkably calm, even finding time to lift his chin at Li Huowang.

"You thought you were tracking me, but I *wanted* you to track me. It was to provide cover for others. This time, it wasn't me doing the work; it was someone else." At this, the dice secretly winked at Li Huowang.

"You'd best speak quickly! I have far more important matters to attend to than you!" The Great Liang Imperial Advisor's tone became more severe.

"Hehehe~ Why don't you guess how grand a scheme I've pulled off this time?" Surrounded by weapons, the dice showed no fear whatsoever.

"Oh, I won't guess," the Great Liang Imperial Advisor said, showing no intention of humoring him. He pulled out his Star Constellation Sword, preparing to strike the dice.

"Hey, don't be so hasty! Why are you so impatient? I'll tell you, I'll tell you. I've toiled diligently for so many years, all for this one moment today."

"Hehehe, do you really think we Zuo Wang Dao can't manipulate the Dragon Vein? Ha! My brother and I refuse to believe such nonsense! This whole scheme was set up specifically for your Great Liang Emperor."

"Since we couldn't tamper with the Dragon Vein itself, we dug up its roots! Hehehe, do you think the Great Liang Emperor has been chosen? That young man named Ji Lin?"

"Hmm?" Hearing this, the Great Liang Imperial Advisor's brow furrowed, and he suddenly recalled something.

"Ji Lin isn't of royal blood? Impossible! You're playing these clumsy tricks again! Xuanpin and I specifically calculated his birth chart! He *is* of the Ji family bloodline!"

"Hahaha!" Seeing Huangfu Tiangang's reaction, the dice burst into maniacal laughter, almost as if losing his mind from delight.

"That's right~ Hahaha, he *is* of the Ji family bloodline! But I secretly attached Ji Lin's 'root of life'! He's actually a woman! And an infertile one at that! The Dragon Vein of Great Liang will end with her! Hahaha!"

The dice laughed even harder, gasping for breath, his eyes shining with exhilaration, as if this was the day he had long awaited.

Hearing this, Li Huowang's heart trembled. This madman had made him help Ji Lin ascend to power, and this was the scheme he had been planning all along.

"Come on, come on, someone go tell your Emperor this wonderful news! And while you're at it, ask him how he feels about being a man for over a decade, only to suddenly discover he's a woman! Hahaha!"

Huangfu Tiangang watched him laugh with a cold, unconcerned expression, showing no surprise whatsoever. "This is your scheme, dice? If you think the Dragon Vein of Great Liang can be severed so easily, then you're sorely mistaken. We have long prepared for this. We specifically prepared several imperial heirs among the common folk."

"Hehehe~ They're all gone, we've cleaned them all out~ The white jade round pendant was the token, right? Hehehe."

White jade round pendant? Li Huowang didn't know why, but that description of the jade pendant sounded somewhat familiar.

At this point, the dice continued, "These people didn't even have guards; they were just ordinary folk. Once we Zuo Wang Dao found them, we didn't even need to lift a finger. We just needed to subtly provoke them, and they'd seek their own demise. Isn't that right, Hongzhong?"