Chapter 1317: Sowing Discord
At this moment, the Black-Robed Man was furious. Just now, for some unknown reason, Bai Xue's smile, combined with her exquisite beauty, had caused him to lose himself for a moment, even his body trembling slightly, as if he had been suddenly jolted by electricity. This was a sensation he had never experienced before.
Bai Xue, seizing this opportunity, launched an attack against him. If he hadn't reacted quickly enough and dodged in time, he would certainly have suffered a great loss just now.
Following that, facing the giant python's fierce assault, he had no choice but to open his Heaven and Earth Souls. Without doing so, he couldn't possibly deal with the python, and would ultimately be swallowed by its maw. Left with no other option, he resorted to this.
As his Heaven and Earth Souls opened, he successfully tore the giant python apart, achieving it with ease. Yet, he couldn't feel happy. This forced opening of his Heaven and Earth Souls made him intensely uncomfortable. Only a brief moment had passed since his arrival, yet he had been compelled to reveal his Heaven and Earth Souls, while Bai Xue remained entirely unfazed. To him, this was nothing short of a humiliation, and naturally, his heart seethed with rage.
This much was evident from the furious roar he had let out the moment he opened his Heaven and Earth Souls.
However, beyond his anger, an unusual emotion stirred within him—an emotion he couldn't quite articulate. He simply felt that Bai Xue, standing before him, wasn't truly hateful. Even though he had nearly suffered a crushing defeat at her hands just moments ago, and despite his immense fury over the incident, he found it difficult to direct that anger towards Bai Xue. Indeed, he couldn't bring himself to hate her.
"I came to see you today not to fight; I merely have some words of warning for you. Don't be so quick to attack. Wait until I've finished speaking, then carefully consider whether you still wish to strike at me. If, even then, you remain intent on attacking, I will certainly see it through to the end."
The Black-Robed Man forcefully suppressed the unusual emotions within him, then spoke in a deep voice.
One reason was that although the power fluctuations emanating from the Black-Robed Man were formidable, they still posed no threat to her. Another reason was that this was within Lecheng territory, Yang Haoran's domain, where her safety was largely assured.
Besides these two reasons, there was one more crucial factor: she did not sense any killing intent from the Black-Robed Man at this moment. This meant he truly harbored no murderous designs against her, and so she decided to simply listen to what he had to say.
"Heheheheh," Bai Xue purred seductively, "your earnest demeanor is truly captivating. I must admit, you've piqued my interest. Tell me, what kind of warning could possibly be worth such a great risk on your part?"
Bai Xue opened her mouth, her smile full of charm. Under the enhancement of her Charm Art, not only was every expression, every movement, every glance filled with allure, but even her very breath seemed to carry an invisible, ultimate temptation, leaving one utterly captivated.
"Yang Haoran is getting married soon," the Black-Robed Man said, his voice hoarse. "Don't you feel even a shred of unresigned resentment in your heart?"
The Black-Robed Man's voice was hoarse. Bai Xue, whose face had been full of seductive smiles, heard his words and her smile instantly stiffened. Her reaction at that moment was identical to when Bai Jiumeng had suddenly brought up Yang Haoran in front of her during the Flock of Demons Society meeting.
Her momentary daze lasted only an instant. Immediately after, she regained her composure, her face once again resuming its alluring smile.
"Heheheheh," Bai Xue giggled, covering her mouth, "Big Brother Emissary is getting married! I'm so happy I can barely contain myself. How could I possibly feel any resentment?"
Bai Xue chuckled behind her hand, as if she truly hadn't taken the matter to heart.
"You don't need to lie to yourself," the Black-Robed Man retorted. "Anyone who knows you is aware of your feelings for Yang Haoran; it's no secret at all. Now, Yang Haoran is getting married, and yet the bride isn't you. To say you can happily accept this outcome—not only do I not believe it, but I'm certain no one who truly knows you would believe it either."
As these words left his mouth, the Black-Robed Man gave Bai Xue no chance to speak, continuing on.
"Your feelings for Yang Haoran—I believe Yang Haoran himself is clearer on this than anyone. Precisely because he is so clear about it, he leverages this point to exploit your value, to command you like a servant, making you willingly toil like an ox or a horse for him, because he knows you won't refuse him."
When the Black-Robed Man reached this point, though Bai Xue's face still held an enticing, seductive smile, it appeared somewhat less natural compared to before. The Black-Robed Man merely paused slightly, then immediately continued speaking.
"Over the years, how much have you done for Yang Haoran? How much effort and sweat have you poured out? His closest confidants have all witnessed it firsthand. But what did you ultimately gain? All you received was heartbreak—the heartbreak of watching the man you love marry a woman you despise. To claim this is the outcome you desired, that you feel no resentment about it, is self-deception. Who do you think would believe such a notion?"
Having spoken his piece, the Black-Robed Man said no more. Instead, he watched Bai Xue, whose expression was now clearly unnatural, seemingly waiting for her reply.
"Heh, so what do you think I should do in this situation?"
Bai Xue asked with a smile, though her current smile grew increasingly unnatural, giving the impression of forced cheerfulness.
"I can help you! " the Black-Robed Man declared in a deep voice.
The Black-Robed Man spoke in a deep voice. Bai Xue, hearing this, raised a delicate eyebrow. She didn't immediately refuse; instead, she asked with a smile,
"How will you help?"
From beneath the black robe came the Black-Robed Man's hoarse laughter, which carried an air of insidious cunning.
"Heheheheheh, it's very simple. Just completely ruin Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing's wedding, ensuring they can't get married. That way, not only will you vent your frustration, but you'll also have a significant chance to take her place in the future. This is far more substantial than you feeling melancholy all by yourself now."
The Black-Robed Man's words elicited a series of delicate giggles from Bai Xue, though these giggles seemed to carry a subtle hint of sarcasm.
The Black-Robed Man did not utter a word to stop her, nor did he make any movement. He stood perfectly still, as if he hadn't detected the sarcasm in Bai Xue's giggles.
After several breaths, Bai Xue's laughter gradually subsided, and she asked, her voice still tinged with amusement,
"Heheheheh, ruin the wedding? Do you think this wedding is child's play, something that can be ruined just by wanting to?"
How much importance Yang Haoran placed on this wedding, and how much manpower and resources he had invested—as his confidant, how could Bai Xue not know? But precisely because she knew this so well, she found the Black-Robed Man's words utterly ridiculous.
"If I didn't have a certain degree of confidence, I naturally wouldn't have brought this up with you. Conversely, since I have brought it up, do you think I haven't made a series of preparations concerning this matter? You don't need to worry about the specifics; you only need to follow my arrangements. As long as you cooperate wholeheartedly, I have absolute confidence that I can thoroughly ruin Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing's wedding, and without exposing either of us."
The Black-Robed Man spoke with absolute confidence, appearing to have genuinely put a great deal of effort into this matter.
"Heheheheh, your words certainly sound beautiful and quite comforting, as if victory is right before our eyes. I can't help but feel a little tempted. But who's to say if your words are sincere, or if you're just trying to trick me? I certainly don't want to be sold off while still being kept in the dark, foolishly helping someone else count their profits."
Bai Xue spoke with a smile. The Black-Robed Man listened, then fell silent for a moment before asking Bai Xue,
"Tell me, what do you want me to do to earn your trust?"
The Black-Robed Man didn't beat around the bush; he went straight to the point.
"It's simple," Bai Xue replied. "Tell me your identity and your detailed plan. Only then can you prove your sincerity in wanting to cooperate with me, and I can also judge whether your plan is feasible and confirm whether you're just boasting."
Bai Xue voiced her thoughts, but she was met with a decisive refusal from the Black-Robed Man.
"No, I cannot agree to either of those conditions."
The Black-Robed Man's refusal was unequivocal, but Bai Xue showed no surprise whatsoever; she seemed to have anticipated such a reply.
"Heh, so there's nothing left to discuss? " Bai Xue asked with a smile.
Bai Xue asked with a smile. The Black-Robed Man remained silent for a few seconds upon hearing her, then began to explain.
"If I tell you my identity, it will definitely affect this plan. For me, there would only be disadvantages and no benefits, and the same goes for you. If you truly wish to cooperate with me, it's best not to inquire about my identity."
His voice paused briefly, then the Black-Robed Man continued to speak in a deep tone.
"As for why I won't tell you the detailed plan, it's because I can't fully trust you yet. If I rashly tell you the complete plan, and you then go fawn over Yang Haoran and inform him of all my meticulous arrangements, wouldn't my carefully laid plans come to naught? If it were you, would you do such a foolish thing?"
Bai Xue smiled and nodded, seemingly agreeing with the Black-Robed Man's reasoning.
"Heheheheh, you're right, I certainly wouldn't do such a foolish thing if it were me. However, asking me to ruin Big Brother Emissary's wedding—that's also a foolish thing I cannot bring myself to do."
The Black-Robed Man did not respond. Bai Xue paused for several seconds before continuing.
"Although I can't stand Xu Meijing, and indeed, I can say I strongly dislike that woman, she is ultimately Big Brother Emissary's own choice. I respect Big Brother Emissary's decision, and I am willing to offer him my blessings. Asking me to ruin Big Brother Emissary's wedding—that is something I, Bai Xue, simply cannot do. Even if your plan is flawless and ensures I wouldn't be exposed, I still wouldn't do it. Heheheheh, if Xu Meijing were marrying some other man, I wouldn't mind causing a bit of a ruckus. But her groom is Big Brother Emissary. Not only will I not cause trouble, I will eliminate anyone who tries to!"
As these words left her lips, Bai Xue immediately formed a strange hand seal with both hands!
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