Chapter 386: Old Schemer

Mr. Mi didn't answer him immediately. Instead, he stood still and regulated his breathing for a moment, as the burst of power earlier had clearly taken a significant toll on him.

After a while, a touch of color returned to his pale face. Only then did he open his eyes and gaze teasingly at the dying Wei Dan. "Weren't you just asking why I didn't use the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture? Well, as you wished, I've shown you. How do you like it? Do you regret it now?"

"Was that the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture?" Wei Dan seemed to realize, but more so, he was confused. "Does the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture greatly increase one's cultivation?"

"You only guessed half right." Mr. Mi's perpetually furrowed brow finally relaxed. Clearly, the crisis that had plagued him for years was completely resolved today, even though he knew he shouldn't say too much and should instead end Wei Dan's life as soon as possible.

But human nature is like that; sometimes, knowing something rationally is one thing, and being able to act on it emotionally is another.

As the old saying goes, "To return home rich and not display it is like walking in embroidered clothes at night."

His current situation was similar. He had always been suppressed by Wei Dan, both in official rank and cultivation. Even if Wei Dan's words had been well-concealed before, the contempt was deeply ingrained.

Now that the tables had turned, how could he face the years of grievance if he didn't speak to Wei Dan from a position of victory?

"The Phoenix Nirvana Scripture can indeed greatly enhance a practitioner's cultivation, but it requires one condition: the practitioner must be severely injured. The more severe the injury, the greater the boost," Mr. Mi continued.

Zuan, who was nearby, suddenly understood. He had been so engrossed in the special abilities brought by "Great Wind" and "Blue Duck" lately that he had almost forgotten this fundamental characteristic of the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture.

Wei Dan finally understood. "No wonder you were injured so easily before. You deliberately led me to hurt you, then feigned being on your last breath, guiding me step by step into your trap."

"As cultivators, wisdom and strength are equally important. If I recall correctly, you were the one who taught me that," Mr. Mi said with a hint of triumph. Wei Dan had always been condescending when he said it, but now Mr. Mi was the victor.

Wei Dan's eyes seemed to lose their focus. He knew what it meant to be a king or a loser; everything was over now. He mumbled to himself, "Only after phoenix nirvana can one be reborn. How could I have not thought of that?"

Mr. Mi clearly didn't want to dwell on that, preferring to get something meaningful from him. "Besides you, how many others know I'm here?"

A faint smile finally appeared on Wei Dan's face. "Do you think killing me will solve everything? Don't worry, I've already reported the situation here to the Emperor. As long as the Great Zhou Dynasty stands, there will always be people coming after you. Who told you to be so brazen as to steal something the Emperor values?"

"As expected..." Mr. Mi frowned, but he wasn't overly concerned. He glanced at Zuan in the distance; he already had a solution anyway. "By the way, what level has the Emperor's cultivation reached now?"

"Hahaha," Wei Dan laughed, coughing up blood. "I have to admit, the power you displayed in that instant was shocking, far beyond even me. But do you really think that's enough to contend with the Emperor? That would be far too presumptuous."

"Of course, I wouldn't be so arrogant as to compare myself to the Emperor, sir. It's only natural for cultivators to wish to advance further, so it's normal to aspire to higher realms," Mr. Mi replied.

"What you said is true," Wei Dan didn't refute him this time, but he still added, "However, I advise you not to have too much hope in that regard. People like you and I are inherently flawed; we are destined not to be able to explore the true Dao of Heaven. Forcing it would only bring trouble upon ourselves."

"Not necessarily," Mr. Mi sneered. He had already found a perfect method for limb regeneration, and a cripple like Wei Dan was naturally not fit to be compared with him.

Wei Dan looked at him with some surprise, genuinely not understanding where his confidence came from.

Mr. Mi then asked, "How has the Empress been all these years?"

"If you asked about anything else, I wouldn't answer you at all. But since you asked about the Empress, I suppose you still have some conscience, remembering her past kindness after all these years..." Wei Dan sighed. "When our group first entered the palace, we were constantly bullied until we met the Empress. She truly is a kind-hearted person, but unfortunately, she gave birth to..."

He stopped halfway, realizing he had misspoken, and said no more.

Mr. Mi, however, had fewer qualms and directly asked, "After all these years, has the Crown Prince's... intelligence still not developed?"

Zuan, standing nearby, was bewildered. Intelligence? What on earth was that? Why use such a term? Did they give birth to a monkey?

Wei Dan shook his head. "Over the years, the Emperor and Empress have sought out renowned physicians everywhere and found many rare treasures for the Crown Prince to take. While he can't be called exceptionally brilliant, he's at least comparable to most ordinary people."

Mr. Mi snorted. "Born into an imperial family, being merely ordinary is the greatest misfortune, especially when his father is the strongest in the world, and his uncles and cousins are also extraordinary talents. It's truly peculiar."

Wei Dan gave a wry smile. "Perhaps the previous generations used up all the spiritual energy."

Zuan's expression was odd. He had previously heard Chu Chuyan mention that the Chu clan's current predicament revolved around whether the next emperor would be the Crown Prince or Prince Qi.

The Crown Prince's ordinary aptitude had garnered many supporters for Prince Qi, but listening to these two palace elders converse, it seemed the Crown Prince was not just ordinary; he was practically useless.

At this point, Wei Dan added, "The Empress has worried herself sick over the Crown Prince. In the past two years, she even arranged for him a beautiful and capable Crown Princess. With her assistance, she can make up for some of the Crown Prince's shortcomings."

"Crown Princess?" Mr. Mi was surprised, unable to help but exclaim, "Time truly flies! The Crown Prince was so young back then, and now he's already married."

Wei Dan was also filled with emotion. "Indeed. We used to be able to drink and chat happily in the palace, but now we're fighting to the death."

"Alright, enough reminiscing. It's time to send you on your way," Mr. Mi said. He walked up to Wei Dan and aimed a finger at his glabella.

Just then, Wei Dan suddenly thrust out his uninjured hand, striking Mr. Mi's lower abdomen with a palm.

Clearly, he had deliberately spoken so much earlier to gather strength for this final blow.

Mr. Mi spat out a mouthful of blood with a "pfft," but his finger still landed on Wei Dan's forehead.

The light in Wei Dan's eyes instantly faded, his eyes turned dull gray, and his entire body went completely silent.

Mr. Mi, meanwhile, staggered back several steps, clutching his lower abdomen and continuously spitting up blood.

Zuan felt a chill in his heart. These two old schemers were more cunning than the other; truly worthy of being good friends in the palace.

By this time, he had already broken free of the restrictions within his body, but he made no move, still pretending to be unable to stir an inch. He seized the opportunity to ask, "Senior, are you alright?"

Mr. Mi gave him an annoyed look. "Can't you see I've spat out so much blood? How could I be alright?"

Rage value from Mr. Mi: +233!

Zuan gave an awkward smile. "You get used to spitting up blood, and besides, with Senior's unparalleled martial prowess, you'll surely recover quickly."

Mr. Mi: "..."

After a long moment, he finally caught his breath. "It's not that easy. How powerful was Wei Dan's last strike before death? I never expected my momentary carelessness would lead him to drag me down with him."

Zuan was startled. "Is it... that serious?"

Mr. Mi suddenly turned to look at him. "A'Zu, ask yourself, how have I treated you normally?"