This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 147 Do me a favor, go and humiliate them.

"The Poetry Immortal Gathering, the Houtu Sacrifice..." Xiao Xingchen murmured to himself after hearing what Ruoxue said.

At this moment, he understood that the Poetry Immortal Gathering was just a pretext, and its real purpose was to attract the talents of various countries.

After all, those who come to participate in the Poetry Immortal Gathering are not only of extremely high status, but also outstanding talents from all over the world. If these people are to be used as sacrifices, perhaps this is the true intention of this Poetry Immortal Gathering.

I just don’t know if the Second Saint is involved. I am still his disciple in name, but so far, he has never asked about this matter, as if that encounter outside the city was just a fleeting meeting.

The attitude of the Second Saint is truly perplexing.

"What you should be thinking about right now is how to clear your own name, not worrying about others."

Ruoxue was very dissatisfied with his careless attitude.

“I know, that’s what I’m thinking about. Since everyone in Daqian wants me to be the murderer, it means that the conventional methods are no longer feasible.”

However, what puzzles me is whether they intentionally lured me into a trap, or if it was all just a coincidence.

“I’ve carefully reviewed all my experiences at the Chen residence, and I feel like something’s not quite right. The most crucial thing is that Chen Miao has vanished into thin air, and what about Madam Chen? Were they imprisoned or did they escape? There are still many mysteries surrounding this, and we must not give up on their whereabouts and must continue to investigate.”

"And what about you? Have you ever considered the problem of not being able to extricate yourself?"

"Don't rush. This death is just the beginning. We have plenty of time. We can wait patiently for the second, the third... I am imprisoned here now. Once people die one after another outside, wouldn't that prove that I have nothing to do with it? Although they are trying to frame me, they need to have a legitimate reason. Emperor Wu still has his pride. He certainly won't risk the world's condemnation for something so humiliating. Besides, in their eyes, I am nothing but an ant. If this ant can't take the blame, other ants will naturally take its place."

"People will die?" Ruoxue asked in surprise, while Xiaoxingchen nodded slightly.

Neither the black-robed figures nor the people from the Immortal Pavilion had any intention of ceasing their sacrifices; they simply differed in their choice of offerings.

The man in black robes saw himself as a sacrifice, while Emperor Wu probably saw the upcoming heroes of the world as his target.

But on whom will this second sacrifice befall?

Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat.

"Ruoxue, have the Prime Minister's residence send people to keep a close watch. If there is any disturbance, come and inform me immediately."

"You mean..." Ruoxue snapped out of her daze, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"I'm not sure yet. The Prime Minister's residence is the head of all officials. If it's about making an example of someone, no one would be more intimidating than the two Prime Minister's residences. In the matter of the Immortal Pavilion, it was also the Prime Minister's residence that stepped forward and challenged the Emperor's authority. The Emperor clearly didn't swallow this insult. If Chen Haoran's death was meant to deter and warn the Chen family, then the next person to get into trouble will definitely be of a status no lower than his."

"Understood. I'll arrange for someone to keep a close watch on you. And what about your side..."

"I'm enjoying the good food and drink here, which is quite a pleasure, but you must pass on a message to Consort Xian for me."

"What are you saying?"

"The intelligence system of Huayu Tower is like a net that covers the sky and the earth. I need to use it. I want to have a clear view of the entire Yong'an City, especially those outstanding people who are about to enter the city to participate in the Poetry Immortal Gathering. Their every move must be recorded truthfully. Is that possible?"

Ruoxue looked troubled.

"You've really put me in a difficult position. You're not the owner's biological son, yet you dare to speak so boldly."

"How do you know Consort Xian won't give it if you haven't asked? If she won't give it, I'll keep raising the price until she gives it to me."

"Just you?"

“That’s right. When you go to deliver the message, remember to include two more words: ‘Your Excellency’. I believe Consort Xian will understand the weight of those two words.”

Ruoxue kept this matter to herself and did not pursue it further. She knew that Xingchen knew many secrets that were unknown to others, secrets that a legitimate son of the Xiao family who had been imprisoned for many years could not possibly know.

Moreover, the fact that the eldest son of the Xiao family concealed his identity and entered the capital is itself a mystery.

However, they had only known each other for a short time and hadn't had time to investigate further.

This matter had already been registered with Consort Xian, and no one knew it better than her. The eldest son of the Xiao family would receive a title second only to the emperor upon entering the capital, and even the imperial edict had been prepared.

However, Xiao Jianren mysteriously disappeared, and this matter weighed heavily on Consort Xian's mind like a boulder.

She also wanted to see what kind of trouble this eldest son of the Xiao family could stir up in Yong'an City.

If even the Virtuous Consort was like this, how could Ruoxue be any different? She had already secretly sent people to investigate Xiao Jianren's life, but unfortunately, Nanling was far away, and the people she sent out had not been heard from since.

She had never heard of the term "Supreme One" before, but for the Virtuous Consort to obey, there must be some hidden meaning in this matter. Xiao Xingchen paced anxiously back and forth in the prison. This time, Ruoxue's news came like a tidal wave. After arranging the matters concerning the sacrifice, his thoughts drifted back to the Poetry Immortal Gathering.

Xiao Jianren's memories are like a broken mirror, incomplete and fragmented. This guy had no interest in the literary gathering, and all his memories were nothing more than hearsay.

This undoubtedly caused him great distress. If he could not piece together the fragmented memories into a complete picture, he would find it difficult to deduce the whole process.

According to Xiao Jianren's memory, in the time leading up to the Poet Immortal Gathering, the Talented Person Platform shone like a bright star in everyone's sight.

In the near future, geniuses from various countries will take to the stage like stars in the night sky, creating a dazzling spectacle that will engulf the entire Yong'an in a literary frenzy.

However, unexpectedly, the talent competition in Yong'an that caused such a great uproar ended with other countries taking the top three spots, while no one from the Great Qian Dynasty managed to squeeze into the top three. This was undoubtedly a slap in the face to the Great Qian Dynasty.

These things will happen in the near future. In Xiao Jianren's memory, there was even an astonishingly high bounty. Anyone who could defeat the prodigy of another country and enter the top three could choose any wealth and honor they wanted.

Emperor Wu even personally intervened and made enticing promises.

After much deliberation, Xiao Jianren realized that this might be a rare opportunity. If he could help Daqian secure a top-three finish, he might be able to return to the Emperor Wu's sights.

He couldn't help but wonder if his current predicament was related to his last meeting with Emperor Wu at the ancestral temple.

Clearly, he seemed to know some secrets that were not known to others.

Although Emperor Wu did not reveal much at the time, after returning home, he probably still felt that the safest course of action was to silence the dead.

Perhaps, my going to Chen Haoran was part of Emperor Wu's scheme.

In this way, Chen Haoran became the scapegoat, and I kept quiet.

Therefore, his own death might be the most favorable outcome for Emperor Wu.

He carefully considered all the possible scenarios and finally realized that in order to get out of the predicament, he had to re-enter Emperor Wu's sight and let Emperor Wu see his value.

As long as he possessed value, Emperor Wu would not easily give up an opportunity to shine on the Talent Platform, even if it was just to save face.

The upcoming competition for the title of "Talented Person Platform" is his chance to defy fate, and he is confident that he can use this opportunity to embark on the path of a scholar.

The title "Sword Immortal" is like the most dazzling star in the night sky—too glaring to be true. It's more appropriate for him to be a scholar.

A scholar is useless. Even if he reads books thoroughly, he can hardly attract the attention of the big shots behind the scenes. After all, he is just a bookish person who can't even kill a chicken. What kind of waves can a bookish person stir up?

However, the Sword Immortal is completely different. The title of a young Sword Immortal is like Mount Tai pressing down on an egg, inspiring awe and fear.

Everyone knew the weight of the young sword immortal title. While this title brought unparalleled glory, behind the glory lay endless killing intent.

"Ruoxue, help me spread a message."

Thinking about this, he felt it necessary to create a sensation before his appearance and put some pressure on certain people outside.

"what news?"

“I once wrote a few lines of poetry outside Yong’an City and asked someone to spread them.”

"Is it the time you helped the Princess?"

Ruoxue frowned, thinking to herself, "That's damn anti-poetry! Spreading such things is practically suicide."

"Yes, the purpose of spreading this is to inform the world that there was a young sword immortal with exceptional talent who was praised by a sage and even accepted as a disciple."

"There is only one theme. You can figure out how to spread it and create the image of me as an unparalleled scholar."

"Do you perhaps feel you've lived too long?"

Ruoxue was utterly helpless. Although both poems were excellent, the line "After my flowers bloom, all other flowers wither" was full of sharp killing intent. Despite being copied by many people, it only circulated in a small circle.

These few words, if spoken carelessly, could lead to death, so much so that few people know of them today. The young swordsman's literary talent is also unparalleled in the world.

"What is there to fear? Either way, it's just death. First, spread the news and make sure everyone in the world knows about it."

By the way, the delegations of envoys from various countries are of paramount importance. Their talents must be informed that Yong'an has a young genius whose poetry is unparalleled, surpassing all other nations.

"Drawing hatred?" Ruoxue seemed to suddenly realize.

"That's exactly right. I need to use my words to belittle all those countries, making them hate me to the core, to the point of grinding their teeth. Once I'm in their sights, things will be much easier. They're all hot-blooded young people, easily provoked, and they'll definitely come to challenge me. In that case, my chance to go out will come, won't it?"

Xiao Xingchen looked smug, secretly marveling at his own intelligence, realizing he could even come up with such a method.

Although this move may offend many people, it's better than being beheaded, right?

"You...you are utterly shameless. You will surely be despised by everyone."

"What does face matter compared to living? My life is entirely in your hands. Humiliate them as much as you can, make them want to get rid of me as soon as possible. That way, I reckon I'll be released soon."

Xiao Xingchen let out a wicked laugh, as if he could already see the envoys from various countries flying into a rage. If he could humiliate them thoroughly, the first thing they would do upon entering Yong'an would probably be to cause him trouble.

Emperor Wu might stop others from seeking his help, but if so many envoys came to him at once, he would probably find it difficult to handle.