Chapter 0584: Gong Shenjun's Plan
Jiang Qing'e and Gong Shenjun's attacks landed on the already heavily injured Bloodtailed Other, pushing it to the brink of death.
A scream rang out shrilly as the attacks plumed like fireworks of energy.
"How DARE YOU!?"
The crimson knight-general was in an absolute rage now. He was outraged that they had pulled a fast one over him. The Bloodtailed Other was the crux of his plan. If Jiang Qing'e really killed it off, then all of this would have been wasted.
In a flash, he was beside the Bloodtailed Other, smothering out the remnants of the attack.
All the students prayed that it would just die, as then they would have succeeded. Unfortunately, it continued to stubbornly cling on to life.
The combined attack from Jiang Qing'e and Gong Shenjun still had not managed to finish it off!
The students' hearts sank again.
"So close!" Lu Ming said in a distressed voice.
If that sneak attack had succeeded, all of them could just break their spirit mirrors and leave the field. But the Bloodtailed Other just refused to die.
"Seems like we're screwed now," Sun Dasheng said, shaking his head.
Even Jing Taixu had given up hope.
Li Luo found it uncanny. Jiang Qing'e's attack had been well-placed. Given how brilliant her calculations usually were, it seemed impossible that she had succeeded in her attack and yet not succeeded in her objective.
There had to be some sort of problem.
But what problem?
She even had the assistance of Gong Shenjun.
"Gong Shenjun?" A cold jolt of fear ran through Li Luo. But surely not... there was no reason for Gong Shenjun to do such a thing.
High in the air, Jiang Qing'e frowned. Her attack had clearly landed on the Bloodtailed Other, and with the light resonant energy countering it, the attack should have been able to wipe it out.
Had she miscalculated?
Her eyes widened, then they went flat with cold fury as she looked at Gong Shenjun.
But in the end, she remained silent.
She had come to the same conclusion as Li Luo, but no one was going to believe them without proof.
Gong Shenjun was all too aware of Jiang Qing'e's suspicion, but he maintained an innocent face, keeping his own eyes firmly on the Bloodtailed Other.
His thoughts drifted back to the eve of the Holy Grail Meet.
……
In his father's study.
"Father King, am I hearing this right?" The unshakable Gong Shenjun could not believe the words coming out of the Regent's mouth.
The Regent sat at his study, idly leafing through the pages of his book. He did not even look up. "You heard me right. I'm telling you not to go for the win at the Holy Grail Meet... In fact, if the other Astral Sage College squad seems like they are going to win, run interruption."
Gong Shenjun frowned. "Why is that? I wanted to win this. I think I have the power to win."
"And what is the point of winning it?"
Gong Shenjun frowned. "Well, fame across the East Divine Continent, and the favor of the Astral Sage College."
"And the favor of Astral Sage College. How valuable do you think that is?"
Gong Shenjun was about to speak, but the Regent waved impatiently to cut him off. "If the Astral Sage College wins the Holy Grail Meet, then they will also gain the Dragon Bone Holy Grail, which means that Principal Pang can return from the Umbra Cave. The whole Xia Kingdom will be under his control and power. A King, someone that has power over any king that we put on the throne. Do you know how badly that would spoil the plans that I've painstakingly constructed for years?
"Even if Principal Pang has no inclination to rule, are we really the rulers with him around? His Majesty is too young to be a threat, but with Principal Pang around, he'll have a powerful backer.
"For our royal rule to continue, the only good Principal Pang is one who forever guards the Umbra Cave, one who never shows his face to the light of day. We never want to see Principal Pang.
"Shenjun," the Regent said slowly, finally looking up at him over his book. "You are a clever child. You understand this, yes?"
Gong Shenjun was silent for a moment. "Have you spoken to Luanyu about this?" he finally asked.
The Regent laughed. "That wench is too naive. She still distrusts me. She has been gathering power against me for all these years, even courting the favor of the school. She is one of our strongest opponents who will do anything to protect her brother. There’s no chance I would tell her this. She would not only not support us, she would even turn around and sell us out to the Astral Sage College."
"Hmph, she should think about who has been ruling the Xia Kingdom for all these years. We are the true power here! Not the worthless Astral Sage College. She is blinded by the light of the talent that goes to the Astral Sage College. If that keeps up, the school will become the power of the Xia Kingdom, not us! That is why the Astral Sage College must not get the Dragon Bone Holy Grail," the Regent said with utter seriousness.
Gong Shenjun was quiet for a moment, then he slowly nodded.
The Regent's sternness eased up at seeing Gong Shenjun's willingness to cooperate. "But remember, you have to run interference in the most delicate and clever of ways. They must have nothing to pin on you. I don't intend to fall out with the school just yet. You must do this perfectly, and with your talent, I think it can be done."
Gong Shenjun bowed.
"I understand, Father King."
Indeed, Gong Shenjun truly had nullified the attack from Jiang Qing'e and allowed the Bloodtailed Other to live.
Still, he had pulled it off so subtly that no one could detect it, surely.
His mission was accomplished. The Bloodtailed Other lived, and there were no winners for the mixed-level competition.