"With Blood Robe's strength, Xiaolu's intel, and my wisdom, in this great battle I'm definitely bagging a thousand battle merits," Horned Sis said happily.
It was as if victory were already well in hand.
"Blood Robe, with your high talent, you'll be our squad leader. Ziyuan Xiaolu is meticulous, so she'll be the squad leader's assistant. You two discuss things first; I'm going back to sleep. Call me if anything comes up." Having said that, Ziyuan Daxue yawned and took her leave.
Having her fight was no problem, but making her discuss things and formulate battle plans gave her a headache.
Seeing this, Qi Yuan was entirely unfazed.
If this were a college group assignment, squad leader Qi Yuan would be responsible for high-level concepts and guiding principles.
Ziyuan Xiaolu was the one making the PowerPoint.
And Ziyuan Daxue was the one presenting it.
The surrounding prodigies began forming their teams.
Watching the happy Ziyuan Xiaolu, An Xunlu felt an inexplicable irritation bubbling up inside.
Seeing Ziyuan Xiaolu happy just rubbed her the wrong way.
"Sigh, Big Brother Hei Jian is truly too incredible. At the Ultimate Principle Dao Discussion Conference, he comprehended a Supreme Ultimate Principle, peerless in his brilliance, while the rest of us could only look up from below. He's simply too dashing!"
As An Xunlu spoke, she deliberately glanced at Ziyuan Xiaolu and Qi Yuan.
Her meaning was abundantly clear.
The Big Brother Hei Jian she admired was the true number one of the Black Demon Abyss's younger generation.
Everyone else could only look up to him.
"Who even gets it? That's a Supreme Ultimate Principle! Big Brother Hei Jian simply lives in a completely different world from us. Back then, there were actually people comparing others to Big Brother Hei Jian. Truly laughable."
"Ahhh, who even gets it?! Well, I sure don't get it!" Ziyuan Xiaolu shouted in exaggerated mockery.
Her words choked An Xunlu mid-breath.
An Xunlu glared furiously at Ziyuan Xiaolu. "What Big Brother Hei Jian is after is major merit, unlike a certain someone... who can only earn basic merits."
"When the master shoots and kills a wolf, does the slave proudly puff out their chest?" Ziyuan Xiaolu retorted without hesitation.
Though she usually seemed shy and gentle, once she entered a bickering match with An Xunlu, her offensive power maxed out.
"Let's go, Xiaolu. We need to find a secluded spot to craft a great plan. Otherwise, if they copy our work, we'll lose out big time."
Qi Yuan tugged Ziyuan Xiaolu by the sleeve and led her away.
Seeing this, An Xunlu and the other prodigies were left utterly speechless.
Only Bing Jian breathed a sigh of relief. With those two jinxes gone, he finally dared to speak and strike a pose.
Inside his cave abode, Qi Yuan laid down a hundred formations.
"All right. Now, even if a Supreme Venerable tries to eavesdrop on us, they won't have a clue what we're doing inside!" Qi Yuan dusted his hands off.
As the saying went: *Those who plot great deeds hide them in the heart and carry them out through action; affairs succeed through secrecy and fail through disclosure.*
Therefore, regarding his intention to hunt Yang Gods this time to obtain major merit, he hadn't leaked a word.
Although he had dropped a hint to that Yang God earlier, he hadn't divulged the core details of the plan, so it didn't count as a leak.
Looking at Qi Yuan standing right before her, Ziyuan Xiaolu's face flushed slightly, and she clutched the corner of her dress.
"Don't be afraid. Even if you scream at the top of your lungs, not even a Great Ultimate Principle could hear you," Qi Yuan comforted her, noticing her tension.
If he hadn't offered reassurance, it might have been fine, but his words only made Ziyuan Xiaolu blush harder, her head spinning slightly.
It was truly... this cave abode was too cramped... No, that wasn't right—the bed was just too small.
To prevent Supreme Venerables from eavesdropping, Qi Yuan had laid down numerous formations inside the cave abode.
To ensure both safety and efficiency, the smaller the space, the better.
Consequently, the only safe spot was a single bed.
She could feel Senior Brother Blood Robe's breath, and combined with those somewhat suggestive words, her heart genuinely raced as heat rushed to her cheeks.
"Come, let's begin formulating the plan. This plan ought to have a grand name as well. We shall call it... the Human Sovereign Banner Revival Plan!" Qi Yuan declared proudly.
He had noticed that ever since he comprehended a Supreme Ultimate Principle, his brain had become increasingly nimble.
His naming skills had improved as well.
"Huh?" Ziyuan Xiaolu was utterly bewildered.
Weren't they supposed to be slaying enemies?
How did it turn into the Human Sovereign Banner Revival Plan?
What in the world was a Human Sovereign Banner?
"I know your mind isn't as brilliant as mine, so you don't grasp the grandeur of this plan. But that's fine—you only need to help me provide intel, or make the PowerPoint."
With only a vague understanding, Ziyuan Xiaolu nodded.
"The first step of the plan: list the number of Yang Gods from Guiyu Heaven currently taking part in the war, their names, and their general locations." Qi Yuan looked at Ziyuan Xiaolu.
Ziyuan Xiaolu's intel had always been top-notch.
As for the enemy Yang Gods participating in the war, their public information could readily be gathered by anyone who took the trouble to search.
Of course, that was limited strictly to public information; anything clandestine was beyond Ziyuan Xiaolu's reach.
Hearing this, Ziyuan Xiaolu's lips parted slightly.
Senior Brother Blood Robe really wanted to take action against Yang Gods?
Then again, considering his personality, he might just be talking.
Even so, since it was Senior Brother Blood Robe's request, no matter what, she had to do a thorough job.
"In this great battle, Guiyu Heaven has five Ultimate Principle Realm experts overseeing the front, and twenty-eight Heavenly Position Yang Gods stationed in command. They are deployed on Dragon Battle Star, among other locations..."
Ziyuan Xiaolu stated the locations of these Yang Gods and their known information.
"Good. The second step of the plan: hunting time!" Killing intent surged in Qi Yuan's eyes, mixed with a sliver of greed.
Those Ten Thousand Soul Banners, left in the hands of Guiyu Heaven, were like Sadakos terrorizing the common folk. Only by coming into Qi Yuan's hands could they become Sadakos of the people.
Hearing this, Ziyuan Xiaolu said hurriedly, "Senior Brother Blood Robe, you must be careful. Never take unnecessary risks, and do not reveal your whereabouts. Within our Black Demon Abyss... there is a mole!"
"A mole?" Qi Yuan paused.
Ziyuan Xiaolu continued with deep concern, "Senior Brother Blood Robe, when you and Senior Brother Hei Jian were ambushed last time, a mole definitely aided them. Otherwise... it would have been impossible for your whereabouts to be leaked so easily. So, in this clash with Guiyu Heaven, that mole might still be lurking!"
What Ziyuan Xiaolu spoke of was no great secret among the prodigies.
Even the higher-ups knew there was a mole.
They just didn't know who it was.
Or perhaps, they might even be intentionally indulging the traitor to keep more avenues of retreat open for themselves.
"Who is the mole?"
"I don't know, but the mole will definitely be keeping an eye on you, intentionally or otherwise. Senior Brother Blood Robe, you just need to wait and watch, and you might discover who it is."
"Looks like the second step of the plan needs an adjustment. Change it to: Root Out the Mole!" Qi Yuan pondered for a moment and decided it was better to drag the traitor into the light first.
That way, he could even use the mole as bait for fishing.
"Ah, you have a way to find the mole, Senior Brother?" Ziyuan Xiaolu blinked.
"Isn't that simple? When the time comes, I'll find Ziyuan Daxue, cook up a random excuse to meet the Yang Gods of our Black Demon Abyss, and just ask them. Then we'll know." Qi Yuan was full of confidence.
Seeing Senior Brother Blood Robe like this, Ziyuan Xiaolu was even more bewildered.
Could it be that Senior Brother Blood Robe possessed some special knack, or perhaps wielded some secret method?
"Senior Brother Blood Robe, should I come along too? I'm quite curious." Ziyuan Xiaolu wanted to see how Qi Yuan planned to root out the traitor.
After all, even the Old Ancestors hadn't been able to identify the mole.
"Sure, no problem." Qi Yuan thumped his chest. "All right, the second step is set. On to the third step. The third step will be called 'Hunting Time.' And the fourth step will be called 'The Revival of the Human Sovereign Banner.'"
Ziyuan Xiaolu nodded. "Then should we... write down the plan in more detail now?"
"What detail? Isn't it already precise and detailed?" Qi Yuan was baffled.
"... That's the entire plan?" Ziyuan Xiaolu blinked, completely stunned.
Just uttering a few sentences counted as a plan?
In that case, couldn't she formulate a plan to become a Supreme Venerable too?
Step one: break through to Yang God.
Step two: comprehend a Supreme Ultimate Principle and become a Supreme Venerable.
Step three: have Senior Brother Blood Robe marry into her household.
"Oh, I see. You think the plan isn't detailed enough because it lacks times and dates? A grand undertaking like this is subject to rapid shifts. We can't control the timing, so it's better not to write it down." Qi Yuan explained earnestly.
Ziyuan Xiaolu understood—this really was the entire plan.
She poked out the tip of her fragrant tongue. "Xiaolu understands."
She felt rather foolish.
A plan to hunt Yang Gods was just messing around to begin with.
If it was crude, so what? Why had she taken it seriously?
"Xiaolu, I know you can keep a secret. Today's grand plan must never be leaked, understand?" Qi Yuan said solemnly. "Oh, right, Ziyuan Daxue is our squad member, so you can leak it to her."
"Okay!" Ziyuan Xiaolu nodded very seriously, covering her mouth with her little hand.
"Go see Ziyuan Daxue, and we'll begin carrying out the second step. Have her find an excuse so the three of us can go pay our respects to the various Yang God Heavenly Venerables together," Qi Yuan instructed.
As for the mole who had leaked his whereabouts, Qi Yuan had already recorded them in his little grudge notebook.
When the time was right, he would send that mole to meet the real ghosts.
"All right, I'll go find Senior Sister Daxue right away!" Ziyuan Xiaolu hurried off.
Roughly a day later, Qi Yuan's figure appeared on the streets of Demon Pass.
Looking at Ziyuan Daxue and Ziyuan Xiaolu—one tall, one petite—holding a steamer basket in their hands, he was rendered utterly speechless.
"Are you sure you want to visit the Yang God Heavenly Venerables using this method?"
"What's wrong with this method? I don't believe a single Yang God Heavenly Venerable would turn it down!" Ziyuan Daxue proclaimed proudly.
She pulled open the steamer basket, releasing a billow of hot steam and a rich aroma.
Qi Yuan took a closer look, only to see that inside the steamer lay... bizarre-looking eggs.
"Bing Jian, the prodigy of the Black Demon Abyss, laid ice eggs, which I, Ziyuan Daxue, happened to obtain by chance! So, I boiled such a rare delicacy to dutifully honor these Yang God Heavenly Venerables with filial respect. How could they possibly refuse?" Ziyuan Daxue stated with utter seriousness.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan pondered for a moment. "That truly is quite intriguing. If someone told me Bing Jian laid eggs, I'd step outside to take a look too, just to see what they look like. However, this plan isn't perfect. Yours are just ordinary chicken eggs. Bing Jian has 'Ice' in his name, so you should put actual ice eggs in there!"
With a wave of his hand, the eggs inside the steamer basket instantly transformed into translucent ice eggs.
"Not bad, utterly flawless," Qi Yuan remarked smugly.
Crystal-clear and gleaming, they looked high-end and classy at first glance.
"Add a bit of packaging, and it'll make for an exquisite gift."
As Qi Yuan spoke, he waved his hand again, and the steamer basket transformed into an elegant gift box.
Ziyuan Daxue blinked at Qi Yuan. "Your emotional intelligence is actually this high?"
"That is the gap between you and me," Qi Yuan boasted smugly. "When Daxue looks upon me, it is like a mayfly looking upon the azure heavens!"
Standing to the side, Ziyuan Xiaolu covered her mouth and silently pitied Senior Brother Bing Jian for a single breath.
Chapter 454