NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 9:
Chapter 9: The Emergence of a Spy and a Gradual Plan:
Even though Shen Yuan had realized the presence of a spy within the Shen family, he hadn’t yet thought of a solid method to expose the Empress’s mole. For now, this knowledge only meant he had to be even more cautious in his actions. Any careless move could easily reach the Empress of Yaochi’s ears.
“You Ruo.”
“Master, I’m here.”
“From now on, even within the Shen family, you must address her as ‘Your Majesty.’”
“I understand.”
The Empress held the supreme position of power, but Shen Yuan never truly respected her. While others referred to her as “Your Majesty,” he often called her by her name. You Ruo, following her master’s example, would naturally address the Empress however Shen Yuan did.
However, with the presence of a spy, Shen Yuan could no longer act so freely. If the Empress learned of his blatant disregard for formalities, it would provide her with the perfect excuse to act against him.
Thankfully, Shen Yuan had been careful in his public interactions, only addressing her casually in private conversations with You Ruo. And You Ruo was someone whose loyalty was beyond doubt.
Shen Yuan knew the Empress would eventually become his enemy.
In the original plot, Shen Yuan rebelled, severely injuring the Empress. However, the Empress later allied with Qin Yang, who healed her injuries. Together, they rallied the officials and destroyed Shen Yuan entirely.
In the process, the Empress became part of Qin Yang’s harem.
Shen Yuan contemplated the original novel.
His failure was inevitable; attempting a rebellion was bound to fail. Would the court officials stand idly by as the Shen family usurped the throne of the Northern Qi Immortal Empire?
Ultimately, Shen Yuan’s rebellion led to him being surrounded by enemies. Even You Ruo, his most loyal ally, perished, leaving him without support. His defeat was only natural.
But the current Shen Yuan was not about to repeat the same mistakes.
In the original plot, Shen Yuan acted too hastily. Even if one coveted the throne, openly rebelling was a doomed strategy. Without legitimacy, who would support him? Neither the officials nor the people would stand by him.
Who would willingly watch the Ji family empire of the Northern Qi Empire be replaced by the Shen family?
Sometimes, controlling power from the shadows could be just as effective.
Didn’t Cao Mengde once hold the emperor hostage to command the lords?
This time, Shen Yuan had no intention of ascending the throne himself. Instead, he planned to install a puppet from the royal Ji family and manipulate events from the shadows.
Of course, this plan was far off and required thorough preparation. It wasn’t the right time yet.
For now, Shen Yuan’s focus was on Qin Yang.
Among Qin Yang’s many allies, the two most concerning were from the White Cloud Sect:
First, Qin Yang’s senior sister, Yun Shuya, who was also the White Cloud Sect’s Holy Maiden.
Second, Qin Yang’s master, Yun Zhan, the Elder of the White Cloud Sect’s Jade Sword Peak.
After suffering a significant loss at Shen Yuan’s hands, Qin Yang was unlikely to let the matter rest.
If Shen Yuan remembered correctly, Qin Yang’s harem consisted of nine women, each providing him with immense support.
However, Shen Xiao’er, one of Qin Yang’s key allies, had been rendered useless. Her Thousand Illusion Spirit Eyes had been gouged out, and she was married off to Pei Duan. This effectively disrupted a major plotline from the original plot.
Still, eight others remained: Ji Yaochi, Yun Shuya, Su Ning, Qian Baimei, Wei Qingqing, Qin Qian, Yu Yuehua, and Chi Xueji.
Shen Yuan’s lips twitched in frustration.
Qin Yang, are you some kind of stallion? Everywhere you go, you leave behind a trail of admirers, forcing me to deal with so many enemies.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Shen Yuan adjusted his state of mind. As a villain, at least he had his style—handsome looks paired with formidable strength.
At his current level, the Half-Step Sovereign Realm, only a few monstrous figures within the royal family could challenge him. In most of Northern Qi, he could act with impunity.
In the lower realms, the progression of cultivation levels was as follows:
Spirit Initiation, Spirit Condensation, Spirit Surge, Spirit Solidification, Spirit Fusion, Half-Step Sub-Sovereign, Sub-Sovereign, Half-Step Sovereign, Sovereign, Saint, and Transcendent.
Qin Yang was currently at the Fifth Stage of Spirit Fusion, three major levels below Shen Yuan.
In the original story, Shen Yuan’s downfall was partly due to his overconfidence in his strength. Underestimating Qin Yang, he accepted a challenge from Qin Yang and Pei Duan. Pei Duan naturally lost, while Qin Yang emerged victorious, winning over the beauty in the process.
After that, Qin Yang continued to grow stronger. He conveniently stumbled upon heavenly treasures, bought ancient artifacts from random old men in markets, and unlocked ancient maps leading to incredible legacies. Along the way, he gathered more women for his harem…
Eventually, Qin Yang obtained the treasures, mastered their legacies, and reached the climax by defeating Shen Yuan, the final boss.
Qin Yang then lived happily ever after with his harem, leaving countless descendants.
When Shen Yuan first read the novel, he couldn’t help but criticize. Shen Yuan, why didn’t you just slap the protagonist to death? Why bother agreeing to a duel? If I were in your shoes, I’d slap him to death on the spot!
Unfortunately, his dream came true only halfway.
While Shen Yuan had become the character, he couldn’t outright kill the protagonist.
The heavens protected him.
Seeing her master deep in thought, You Ruo couldn’t help but ask, “Master, what are you thinking about? You’ve been lost in thought for a while.”
Shen Yuan looked up.
“Do you know Qian Baimei?”
“Apologies, Master. I only know she’s a member of the royal family of the Myriad Demon Nation. Beyond that, I’m not sure. But rest assured, I will investigate once I return to the Shen family.”
“You don’t know…” Shen Yuan muttered.
In the original plot, Qian Baimei was also a demon, like You Ruo. The difference was that You Ruo was part of the villain’s faction, while Qian Baimei belonged to the protagonist’s side.
Shen Yuan thought that since they were both demons, You Ruo might know something about Qian Baimei, allowing him to act first.
Unfortunately, his assumption was wrong. While they were both demons, You Ruo knew little beyond Qian Baimei’s name.
“No need to investigate. I was just asking.”
If he started digging into Qian Baimei now, it might alert the enemy—a reckless move not in line with Shen Yuan’s careful nature.
“As you wish, Master.”
Noticing You Ruo’s hesitation, Shen Yuan smirked.
“What is it? Do you have something to say?”
“N-No… nothing, Master.”
“Do you want those eyes?”
You Ruo swallowed nervously. “I dare not overstep. The eyes are at the master’s disposal.”
“You Ruo, how long have you been with me?”
You Ruo frowned slightly, clearly calculating.
Shen Yuan couldn’t help but smile. Loyal subordinates like her didn’t care about such details. When asked, they had to think carefully to answer. Only spies would remember such things clearly.
“12 years, I think… I can’t recall the exact months…”
“12 years…”
Shen Yuan clicked his tongue. The original novel mentioned that You Ruo had followed Shen Yuan since childhood, but he hadn’t expected it to be 12 years.
“Do you want those eyes?”