They all want to change my future.

Chapter 44 You Don't Want To Either

Is this a setup to kill me?

Qu Hongxiao's mind raced, and her divine sense instantly spread out like a tide, silently sweeping across the entire room, the entire floor, and even every corner of Hongxiao Tower.

There was no ambush, no sign of a master lurking in the shadows.

The cleaner it was, the more Qu Hongxiao felt something was wrong.

She slowly turned her gaze back to Li Zhi, who remained calm before her, and her voice deepened:

Where is he/she?

"Nobody's here." Li Zhi shook his head with a smile. "Master Qu, are you overthinking it?"

"Are you playing me for a fool?"

Qu Hongxiao was getting tired of this calm demeanor. Her fingertips twitched slightly, and a murderous intent was about to arise when she heard Li Zhi's words.

"If I die here today, someone will come looking for me."

Qu Hongxiao paused, a cold glint in her eyes: "Are you threatening me?"

"It's not a threat, just a friendly reminder."

Li Zhi picked up the teapot and slowly poured himself a cup of tea. He took a sip, and facing Qu Hongxiao's murderous gaze, he slowly said:

"Now I'm curious, just how far have Master Qu's speculations about my identity progressed?"

"What?" Qu Hongxiao sneered, "Trying to play dumb even when you're about to die?"

"Tell me your theory," Li Zhi said, putting down his teacup and looking up at her.

This nonchalant attitude aroused Qu Hongxiao's suspicion, and she spoke coldly:

"You're nothing more than a pawn sent by the sect to form an alliance with the Princess, an insignificant little soldier. If you die, you die. Who will really care?"

"So that's what you were thinking." Li Zhi shook his head: "You guessed wrong."

"What, do you have some hidden identity?"

Qu Hongxiao didn't believe it at all.

"Didn't Master Qu investigate the sword technique I used two days ago?"

Qu Hongxiao looked embarrassed and went to investigate, but found nothing.

"It seems that Master Qu is quite willful."

Li Zhi could naturally see that Qu Hongxiao's expression was off, and continued to shake his head, saying, "So, Her Majesty the Empress really loves you. No wonder you are her hidden trump card, a seventh-realm grandmaster that none of us were able to investigate."

Qu Hongxiao's pupils suddenly contracted.

The air in the room seemed to freeze.

The candlelight flickered without wind, casting erratic shadows in her eyes.

She remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, her voice devoid of emotion:

"What are you saying? I don't understand."

"You should have killed me from the beginning," Li Zhi continued, "Then killing me would have been clean and efficient, and no one would have known."

"So what?" Qu Hongxiao sneered. "Even if we're exposed, so what? Her Majesty the Empress has countless capable people under her command. One more or one less won't make a difference."

"Really?" Li Zhi looked at her, his eyes filled with inquiry. "But Master Qu is so young, yet she's already a seventh-realm grandmaster. Are such talents and such a status truly rare?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I wanted to say," Li Zhi tapped the table lightly, "that you probably don't want this matter to be exposed and for Her Majesty the Empress to find out..."

"Shut up!"

Qu Hongxiao suddenly shouted, her fingers tightening abruptly, and the red silk flew up, leaving a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air.

But it floated lightly to a stop in front of Li Zhi and slowly slid down.

She stared at Li Zhi, her chest heaving slightly. She had forcibly suppressed her momentary loss of composure, but the chilling coldness and killing intent surging in her eyes were almost overflowing.

Li Zhi stopped speaking and just watched her quietly.

After a long while, Qu Hongxiao's tense shoulders slowly relaxed, and she forced a smile, revealing a barely perceptible curve to her lips:

"Very good, you've survived another night."

"Yes." Li Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, his tone becoming relaxed again. "It seems I'll have to come to this Red Silk Pavilion less often in the future."

"You think..." Qu Hongxiao's eyes flickered, her voice soft yet dangerous, "that I would just let you go like that?"

"Cripple, imprison, and cripple their cultivation?"

Li Zhi presented the options for her: "If I cannot leave safely, then the message I prepared will be leaked in the agreed-upon manner. Guess who will be the first to receive the news?"

Qu Hongxiao's gaze sharpened: "Ji Baizhi?"

"Maybe it's her, maybe it's someone else," Li Zhi said frankly. "You didn't want this either..."

"Shut up."

Qu Hongxiao interrupted Li Zhi's threat again.

After a long pause, Qu Hongxiao suddenly chuckled softly, a laugh tinged with self-deprecation and amusement:

"Looks like you've got me cornered, so you should have a backup plan, right?"

"Not really," Li Zhi shook his head. "I just tend to overthink things. I do have a way out, though."

"So what method have you come up with that will allow me to leave safely without killing you?"

"It's very simple." Li Zhi met her gaze, his voice clear, "Turn enemies into friends, or rather, I'll become your undercover agent."

Qu Hongxiao raised an eyebrow: "An undercover agent?"

"That's right." Li Zhi nodded. "From today onwards, I will be a spy that you, Qu Hongxiao, have planted in the sect and even beside the Princess. What do you think?"

"Heh." Qu Hongxiao scoffed, "Are you trying to play the double agent, playing both sides?"

"Is that not allowed?"

"Isn't there a better way?" Qu Hongxiao approached him, her fingertips brushing against his clothes. "For example, making you truly work for me."

Looking at her bright smile so close to his face, Li Zhi asked in a strange tone, "Are you planning to use your beauty to seduce me?"

Qu Hongxiao's smile froze.

What's with that look? Are you looking down on me?

Li Zhi sensed something was wrong. "Master Qu, please show some sincerity."

Qu Hongxiao stared at him for a long time, then lowered her hand and asked in a flat tone, "What do you want?"

What can you give me?

Qu Hongxiao didn't want to waste any more words and asked directly, "What is the sect's purpose in having you participate in the Dragon Gate Trial?"

Li Zhi fell silent; he truly didn't know what other purpose it might have.

But Qu Hongxiao interpreted this silence as tacit agreement, and she continued her analysis:

"If you take first place in the Dragon Gate Trial, it will damage the Empress's prestige. You'll definitely have something to do next. I can help you get this first place."

"It sounds like you don't care that Her Majesty's prestige has been damaged."

"In this world, power is far more important than prestige."

Qu Hongxiao sneered: "I really can't imagine how you could possibly defeat Her Majesty."

"You're trying to seduce me," Li Zhi said, somewhat realizing what was happening. "You're trying to persuade me to jump ship sooner rather than later."

Upon hearing this analysis, Qu Hongxiao was taken aback. Clearly, she hadn't thought of that; she was just praising the Empress as usual.

But on second thought, it seems to make some sense.

"I've figured out how useful you are."

Qu Hongxiao revealed a smug smile:

"After you get first place in the Dragon Gate Examination, you must immediately pledge allegiance to the Empress. At that time, I will have the Empress personally grant you an official position."

what?

Li Zhi was also surprised for a moment.

Seeing this, Qu Hongxiao became even more smug. As expected of herself, this was a great idea.

Li Zhi was clearly put forward by the sect to undermine the Empress's prestige, but now that I've subdued him, I can wait for him to take first place and for the sect to start hyping him up.

Then, by undermining his loyalty and making him pledge allegiance to the Empress, and then bestowing upon him a position, it was tantamount to killing him out of his spirit.

That's brilliant! It's truly brilliant!

Qu Hongxiao thought about it more and more and felt it made sense, and she became more and more satisfied with Li Zhi.