Chapter 316: Change Arrives, The Final Development Time

Zuo Shouqing's mind went blank for a moment. He truly hadn't expected such a turn of events as the decisive battle drew near, and he couldn't help but recall their last conversation.

At that time, Wang Yu had said he was Zuo Shouqing's advantage. Seeing him today, it was clear he wasn't boasting. The thought that if Wang Yu could return alive from the Blood Abyss after it opened, his assistance would be invaluable, crossed his mind.

Damn Lu Chenzhou!

Seeing his silence, Wang Yu didn't mind, giving him more time to think. He casually poured Huang Jiu a cup of warm tea as a sign of respect. He also needed time to think. In his haste earlier, he had acted directly. Now, looking back, it felt too coincidental, especially since Su Yulong had failed in his attempt to persuade them just a few days ago.

Zuo Shouqing was ruthless and determined, but poor at judging people. The quality of the subordinates he had gathered varied greatly. The incompetent ones were truly useless, and the capable ones were truly formidable. Yet, even among the capable ones, they had their own agendas and didn't seem fully committed to him, especially his intelligence chief, Zhuo Yuanshen.

He felt like laughing every time he thought about it. It was truly absurd! Zhuo Yuanshen definitely knew about the Stygian Contract, and Zhuo Shouyun's abilities were also top-tier; the fact that he could make Lu Chenzhou willingly work for him proved his extraordinary nature.

Considering this, if Zhuo Shouyun had also known about the Stygian Contract all along, then this incident was a long-planned deception: to sow discord between Zuo Shouqing and Wang Yu! This was one of the goals he had guessed when Su Yulong arrived, but he hadn't thought deeply about it at the time, dismissing it as impossible. Now, on second thought... they really had been alienated.

He couldn't sign a new Stygian Contract. The original one prioritized the lives of Zuo Shouqing and two others, meaning Wang Yu himself was secondary. If they encountered a powerful Nascent Soul enemy, he would have to charge forward to cover their retreat, delaying long enough for them to escape. It was precisely these strict terms that had earned him unwavering support; otherwise, he would have died when he went against Jin Manlou. Having already broken free from one of his three shackles, how could he willingly put it back on?

Now it depended on whether Zuo Shouqing could figure it out. Given his stubborn nature, it was highly unlikely.

"What a malicious scheme to sow discord. I underestimated Zhuo Shouyun."

Just then, Zuo Shouqing suddenly spoke, his words surprising Wang Yu, who then smiled and raised his cup. "It seems you've figured it out. You had to realize this on your own; if I had told you, the rift would only have widened."

Hearing this, Zuo Shouqing gave a wry smile and looked at Huang Jiu. "Uncle Huang, do you think I can win?"

Huang Jiu sighed. "Young Master Zuo, I was just one step away from success back then. If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have condensed a stillborn infant. The collapse of my path was but an instant." He then turned to Wang Yu. "Young Friend Wang Yu, do you have any strong liquor?"

"Yes, I do."

Wang Yu simply set up a banquet table. He was usually someone who indulged in gastronomic pleasures, never lacking fine wine and delicious food, and always satisfying his desires after each seclusion.

As he got up to prepare, Zuo Shouqing understood Huang Jiu's hint and sighed. "You mean I have no way out?"

Huang Jiu nodded. "Naturally. Either defy destiny and alter your fate, or perish. There's no third option. However... I don't think Young Master Zuo needs to worry about that particular matter for now."

"Senior Huang Jiu is right!" Wang Yu gestured to the two, took a seat at the table first, and said with a chuckle, "Next, it's time for your revered ancestor to make a move."

Zuo Shouqing was startled by this, then his face lit up with joy. "Really?"

"Most likely. Come, Senior Huang Jiu, drink up."

"Hahaha, thank you."

The mood of the two contrasted sharply with Zuo Shouqing's. One side was beaming and full of mirth, while the other was grim-faced, as if at a funeral.

"Isn't this massive disturbance precisely the change we've been waiting for?" Wang Yu said. "To speak disrespectfully, even if your revered ancestor were blind, he would have noticed Zhuo Shouyun's actions by now."

His mood had been indifferent earlier, but now it was good. Because Zuo Shouqing had seen through the trick himself, and since the scheme to sow discord wasn't entirely successful, he could now discuss a new contract with Zuo Shouqing.

"A change... Yes! This is the change I've been waiting for!" Zuo Shouqing muttered to himself, growing more excited as he spoke. He smoothly blended into the cheerful mood of Wang Yu and Huang Jiu, his face flushed with enthusiasm. "As long as the revered ancestor drives out those external forces, Zhuo Shouyun will fall into an unprecedented state of weakness. The backlash from those foreign dignitaries alone will be enough to make him suffer greatly, not to mention Lu Chenzhou, who is like a knife; the sharper it is, the more painful it will be when it's turned against him." He clinked his cup. "Drink, drink! If we start the war now, he's sure to die!"

As the three raised their cups, Wang Yu couldn't help but pour cold water on the idea, saying to Zuo Shouqing, "The timing isn't right now; you're still not his match."

"Why not?" Zuo Shouqing didn't understand. Surely his forces would be flattened by the revered ancestor, and those foreign dignitaries wouldn't dare disregard the words of the Zuo clan's elder, so they wouldn't trust Zhuo Shouyun's promises.

"After the scheme to sow discord comes the self-inflicted injury trick." Wang Yu sighed. This person was practically an unhelpable fool.

"What do you mean?"

"You're the same age as him, and he's received far more resources and support than you. You don't honestly think that while you've been accumulating strength all these years, he's just been foolishly burying himself in cultivation, do you?" Zuo Shouqing was stunned.

"But isn't this the power he's accumulated?"

"See? He's fooled you again." Wang Yu picked up a piece of monster skin, put it into his mouth with relish, and chewed, his face full of enjoyment.

It was Huang Jiu who, at the right moment, clarified for Zuo Shouqing. "The external forces, including the Blood Pavilion members, are only temporarily gathered for this period. He deliberately put on a facade of wanting a decisive battle with you. Don't forget his original goal."

Zuo Shouqing scratched his head, muttering, "His original goal was to lure Wang Yu to Elephant Mountain to help Fu Xiao achieve the Post-Heaven Demonic Embryo Physique, then use that opportunity to form his Nascent Soul, and then crush me with absolute power..."

"Exactly," Wang Yu chimed in. "If one scheme fails, he continues to provoke you into using force, to make you abandon the promise of the Zuo clan's revered ancestor. This is a tactic to show weakness and lure the enemy deep. Even if the Zuo clan's revered ancestor clears out the external forces for you, the subordinates he's cultivated over these years are still stronger than yours!"

It seemed... that was indeed the case. Realizing he was far less clever than he'd imagined, Zuo Shouqing quickly asked, "Then what should we do now?"

"The Blood Abyss!" Wang Yu said, deep in thought. "Zhuo Shouyun will likely enter the Blood Abyss himself. He won't abandon his path to advancement because of you. To ensure his safety, he has two choices. First, he can gather a large group, bringing all his qualified Core Formation cultivators into the Blood Abyss to venture forth. Second, an elite strategy, taking only a few top-tier late Core Formation cultivators into the Blood Abyss. Regardless of his choice, this is your opportunity."

With the conversation at this point, Zuo Shouqing couldn't help but understand Wang Yu's meaning. If he could find a way to kill Zhuo Shouyun in the Blood Abyss, everything would be resolved. However, he had to personally devour the opponent to complete his blood spiritual root and reshape his cultivation path; otherwise, all calculations would be meaningless. So, he could only severely injure, not kill.

But it was undeniable that this was a genuine opportunity to weaken the opponent's overall strength. Wang Yu would enter the Blood Abyss and try his best to kill their powerful cultivators. While Zuo Shouqing remained outside, he could boldly launch an attack in Zhuo Shouyun's absence, when his forces would be leaderless, and try to wipe out his power. This was truly the opportune moment to act.

"I understand!"

"Do you *really* understand?"

"—Absolutely!!!"

Seeing Wang Yu's skeptical expression, Zuo Shouqing's cheek twitched. He knew he was indeed far inferior to Wang Yu in every aspect!

"Alright then, let's discuss the terms of a contract for how to proceed in the Blood Abyss."

"It should be so."

Hearing this, Huang Jiu, who was nearby, suddenly spoke. "Young Master Zuo, Young Friend Wang Yu, I, Huang, rarely come to Cold Blood Peak. I'll go out for a stroll first. Call me when you've finished your discussion."

"Very well." Wang Yu readily agreed, directly borrowing a token from Huang Jiu. Zuo Shouqing naturally did not object.

The new contract they were to discuss would be limited to the duration of the Blood Abyss Holy Land's opening, which typically lasted for about thirty years. Even if the time elapsed, it was fine not to come out, as it would reopen in two hundred years. Given the lifespan of Core Formation cultivators, one could emerge then, provided they hadn't perished inside. Therefore, the Blood Abyss actually harbored many powerful cultivators from the last opening. Having cultivated there for two hundred years, if they were still alive, they would mostly have reached the late to peak Core Formation stage. It depended on the individual and their opportunities.

The conflict between Zuo Shouqing and Zhuo Shouyun was less than two hundred years old, meaning neither of them was born when the previous group entered. Thus, there was no need to worry about Zhuo Shouyun having people already inside.

Wang Yu was the first to state his conditions. "After all these years, Brother Zuo, you should know what kind of person I am. During this trip to the Blood Abyss, I will do my utmost to eliminate Zhuo Shouyun's forces. I can't guarantee capturing him alive, but I will go all out, even prioritizing this matter over seeking personal opportunities."

At his words, Zuo Shouqing's heart immediately tensed. He knew Wang Yu was about to make a significant demand.

Wang Yu then said, "My only condition is for the contracts I signed with Yu Xing and Zuo Qiuming to be dissolved."

"This—" Zuo Shouqing was astonished and instinctively wanted to object. However, the Stygian Contract could be canceled if both parties agreed. His own opportunity had already been used up, and Wang Yu mainly dealt with him. The other two, especially Yu Xing, didn't particularly need Wang Yu to save their lives. His condition was actually quite lenient. If the contracts disappeared, the support clauses could naturally be terminated at any time. Their future relationship would then depend solely on their friendship. If they remained close, Gui Ling City would still remain in Wang Yu's hands. The initiative, however, would return to Zuo Shouqing, which was a clear sign of sincerity.

Zuo Shouqing frowned and pondered for a long time. "I need to discuss this with both of them."

"No problem. Anyway, you'll be staying with me for now, and there's still some time before the Blood Abyss opens. We can talk slowly; we'll reach an agreement eventually." Wang Yu was very considerate and showed no haste.