From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 359 Yao Girl Breaks the Scheme of Divide and Conquer, Achieving a Perilous Victory Through P

The dark figure... disappeared.

With a whoosh, it vanished like smoke in a gust of wind.

I was left standing there, my heart pounding wildly between my ribs like a trapped bird.

Is it just another hallucination?

Is it an illusion caused by the flickering torchlight?

No.

Those cold whispers, those malicious promises that foreshadowed impending trouble, were all absolutely true.

It followed me everywhere, making me feel uneasy.

Before long, this unease turned into real trouble.

This is such a damn hassle.

I had just resolved the resource crisis and hadn't even had a chance to catch my breath and savor this brief moment of victory when a carrier pigeon flapped its wings and flew frantically toward my window in the twilight.

The letter it clutched tightly in its little paws sent shivers down my spine.

It's General Wu, my General Wu.

I spent several months winning him over, persuading him, assuring him of my loyalty, and explaining the benefits of allying with me.

But now he's wavering.

The letter hinted that he was about to meet with... Princess Mingyue.

That wicked woman.

My blood ran cold.

General Wu is the cornerstone of my strategic plan.

He is a powerful military leader, and his support is crucial to the delicate balance of power I have carefully maintained.

If he turns against me, everything I've painstakingly built will be in jeopardy.

I felt nauseous, like I had swallowed a mouthful of sand.

How could such a thing happen?

It's not possible now, and it's even less possible after all that's happened.

Of course I'm going to see him.

I have to go. To hell with saving face.

But the General Wu I met was no longer the cheerful and straightforward person I knew.

He became stiff and reserved, his eyes filled with wariness.

The once warm and inviting hall in his mansion now felt like an interrogation room to me.

He greeted me politely, but his cold and distant attitude sent chills down my spine.

"General Wu," I began, forcing myself to remain calm, "I've heard..."

He interrupted me, his voice sharp and carrying an accusation I couldn't comprehend.

"What have you heard? Immortal Venerable Xiao Yao? Rumors? Gossip?"

Rumors, gossip.

Yes, those damned things buzzed around like flies around rotting flesh.

I was so busy dealing with the immediate crisis that I didn't pay much attention to it.

Now, they've turned around and bitten me hard.

Those rumors portrayed me as a treacherous, untrustworthy person, a burden to any alliance.

Of course, this is absurd, but it is very damaging.

Like poison, it seeped into the very foundation of the influence I had painstakingly built.

I tried to reason with General Wu, but all I got in return was his subtle hostility.

He said I broke my promises, wavered in my stance, and even said... things I never did.

He even implied that I had some kind of secret agreement with the forces I had been fighting against.

I gritted my teeth.

This is utterly absurd; it's clearly a meticulously planned smear campaign.

But who is the mastermind behind it all?

Why do this?

As I left General Wu's residence, the setting sun had painted the sky a bluish-purple and orange-red hue.

A heavy pressure pressed down on my chest.

My carefully crafted plan is falling apart.

The rumors grew louder and louder, turning into a chorus of condemnation.

I gradually lost control.

Anxiety, like a wild beast, relentlessly gnaws at my reason.

Even sleeping became a luxury for me; instead, I paced endlessly, plotted frantically, and felt an ever-growing fear.

This...this is not just a setback, but a full-scale attack.

But I was completely unprepared, exposed to the enemy, utterly vulnerable.

I saw my reflection in a polished bronze mirror—a pale, terrified face staring at me, eyes filled with uncontrollable fear.

I slammed my fist into the cold mirror, the sound echoing in the silent room.

“Damn them,” I muttered, my voice filled with an anger I didn’t even know I was experiencing, “let them all go to hell.”

Just then, the curtain behind me rustled.

The air was filled with the familiar scent of sandalwood and jasmine.

A hand rested gently but firmly on my shoulder.

“Xiao Yao,” a gentle voice full of concern asked softly, “What’s wrong?” It was Wen Chen.

His presence usually soothes my tense nerves, but now it makes me feel... very complicated.

My chest tightened.

I wanted to lean on him, to let his familiar strength support me, but something stopped me.

Perhaps it was a trace of resentment?

He doesn't understand this world, nor does he understand the cruel power game I've been forced to participate in.

He saw the cracks beneath my calm exterior, the fear in my eyes, but he couldn't comprehend how deep the abyss that was about to engulf me was.

I turned around and forced a trembling smile.

"It's nothing, Wen Chen. It's just... court politics." These words tasted as bitter as ashes in my mouth.

He took a step closer and cupped my cheeks in his hands.

His touch, which was usually so reassuring, now felt strangely unfamiliar to me.

“You’re trembling,” he murmured, his brow furrowed with worry.

Tell me what happened.

I want to scream, I want to roar, I want to release the frustration and fear churning inside me.

But what's the use?

He wouldn't understand.

He lived in a world where things were black and white, good and evil were clearly distinguished, and right and wrong were clearly defined.

And this world... this world is all gray areas.

"This is a complete mess." I sighed and pushed his hand away, a move that even surprised myself.

"You'd better not get involved." The hurt look that flashed across his face felt like a punch to the stomach, but I couldn't bring myself to soften my words.

Was he looking at me with disappointment?

Is it frustration?

Perhaps there's still a trace of... resentment?

The knot in my chest tightened even more.

This is not how we should be.

This is not the kind of unwavering support and tacit understanding we've always had.

“Okay,” he said softly, his voice losing its usual warmth.

“But if you need me…” His words trailed off as he turned and left.

As I watched him leave, a cold emptiness spread through my heart.

I need him.

Oh my god, I need him so much.

But that's not the kind of need.

It's not about letting him be a helpless bystander, watching me drown in a sea of ​​rumors and lies.

I am all alone. Truly all alone.

But then, a spark of resistance ignited in my heart.

Alone?

Maybe.

Be defeated?

It is absolutely impossible.

I will not let them succeed.

I will not let their malicious rumors drown out my own voice.

I will fight back.

And I will win.

Those rumors, accusations, and veiled threats—they are all pieces of the puzzle.

Damn, I'm good at jigsaw puzzles.

The next few days, I was extremely busy.

I met with informants, sifted through rumors, and analyzed every interaction and every subtle shift in the political landscape.

The fragments began to be pieced together.

Princess Mingyue.

Of course it's her.

Her ambition was as boundless as the sky, and her ruthlessness was as sharp as a razor-sharp blade.

She meticulously orchestrated this whole farce, using Wu as a pawn to undermine my position and pull me down from the unstable place I had painstakingly secured.

I laughed.

It was a cold, resolute smile.

She wants to play games?

Ok.

I'll play along.

And I will win.

I let the rumors spread.

I cautiously threw out hints, feigned uncertainty, and deliberately acted vulnerable to fuel the rumors.

I made them believe their plan had worked, and that they had cornered me.

Then... I set a trap.

I presented irrefutable evidence of Princess Mingyue's conspiracy, exposing her lies, manipulation, and betrayal to those she was trying to win over.

Shock, anger, and...fear permeated the Heavenly Court.

Princess Mingyue's carefully constructed facade collapsed, revealing the venomous snake within her heart.

Wu knelt before me, his face filled with disbelief and shame.

"Forgive me, Immortal Lord Xiao Yao," he said, his voice filled with remorse.

“I’m a fool.” I looked at him, a hint of pity softening the edge of my victory.

He was indeed a pawn, but a willing one.

His ambition blinded him to the truth.

I reached out my hand to him and helped him up.

“Rise, General Wu,” I said, my voice steady and full of newly acquired authority.

“We all make mistakes.” The relief in his eyes was obvious.

He swore unwavering loyalty to me, and his support was more solid than ever before.

I stand amidst the undercurrents of the Heavenly Court. Now the rumors have subsided, replaced by astonishment, respect, and... whispers of fear.

I won.

At least for now.

But in the shadows, I could sense—that suppressed resentment, a storm brewing a new conspiracy.

Then... I had a better idea than to sit and wait to die.

"You're back?"