World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 686 - 340: Zhi Li mourns! Air raid on Turing Tuo!

Chapter 686: 340: Zhi Li mourns! Air raid on Turing Tuo!

After awakening, Zhi Li still felt some dizziness, and the injury on his privates, which had already healed, now throbbed with pain again.

His martial arts skills were high, but he still fell ill.

Because the martial arts of this world originated from the energy deep within one’s bloodline, and the bones and meridians were somewhat strengthened as a result.

But the internal organs were still prone to sickness and weakness.

"Gui Xingfu, damn old thief, old thief..."

Upon waking, Zhi Li screamed hoarsely, smashing everything around him to pieces.

His wife, Fang Qingzhuo, hurriedly embraced him, weeping as she consoled him, "Don’t be like this, don’t be like this!"

And Li Chenglian, who had always been standing, now knelt on the ground.

"Go, kill Ling Ao for me, tear him to pieces!" Zhi Li roared.

"Yes," Li Chenglian rose and walked out.

But as he had just stepped out, he heard Zhi Li’s voice behind him, saying, "Ling Ao is in Turing Tuo’s camp, forget it!"

"Yes!" Li Chenglian walked back in.

Zhi Li seemed to quiet down, lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ornate ceiling.

Zhi Wei’s army of 150,000 was completely annihilated, and Zhi Wei himself was beheaded.

Gui Xingfu had surrendered to Suo Lun, viciously stabbing Zhi Li in the back, the blade penetrating three inches deep.

Zhi Li had wanted to use the assassination of Shaojun to frame Suo Lun for treason, then dispatch a large force to wipe out the Su Family of Tian Shui City.

Instead, Gui Xingfu took the initiative to reveal the so-called truth behind the stabbing of Shaojun, which was that Zhi Li, after failing to force himself on Gui Qinshao, got stabbed in return.

A scandal, a huge scandal!

Of course, Zhi Li, who had always loved to sleep with other men’s wives, didn’t lose much face over that. The key issue was that he failed his assault and got stabbed in return, which was a humongous scandal.

Such a stigma would bring immense damage to Zhi Li’s image.

Each of these three incidents was extremely lethal, yet they all happened at the same time.

Zhi Wei was one of his most reliable lieutenants, and now he was gone.

Gui Xingfu was his prime line of succession among the nobles; now he had turned traitor and stabbed him viciously in the back.

Most fatally, Zhi Wei’s entire army was wiped out, and he himself was beheaded publicly by Suo Lun.

Suo Lun was cruel, too cruel!

This was the biggest blow Zhi Li had ever received!

How severe would the aftermath of this blow be? Zhi Li could guess even with his eyes closed.

"Old Master Li, how can Suo Lun be so bold? Uncle Wang Zhi Li is one of the last two royal dukes, even Zhi Bian wouldn’t dare to kill him, yet he just did it," Zhi Li said. "Does he not fear the jealousy of Zhi Ting and Zhi Yan, does he not fear inciting public outrage?"

Li Chenglian said, "First, Suo Lun’s execution of Zhi Wei will indeed cause a shock across the realm. However, this incident is currently overshadowed by another one, so it is hard for the people to single out this issue and criticize Suo Lun for it."

Li Chenglian spoke politely, saying that the aftermath of Zhi Wei’s death was overshadowed by another issue—truth be told, it wasn’t just another issue, but a scandal that shook the heavens.

Zhi Li, after failing to take liberties with the newly-wed Gui Qinshao, got stabbed instead. This matter was already disgraceful to the extreme. To make matters worse, he shamelessly tried to pin the assassination charge on Suo Lun.

Such despicable and vile acts, happening to someone who would be king, indeed could eclipse the attention drawn by Zhi Wei’s death.

If people wanted to scrutinize Suo Lun for killing Zhi Wei? Well, if Shaojun Zhi Li could be so despicably shameless, why aren’t you pursuing that case?

Besides, it was not Suo Lun who killed Duke Zhi Wei, but the King himself who decreed it. It was entirely justified, a deserved punishment.

Li Chenglian said, "Secondly, Suo Lun’s execution of Zhi Wei is like presenting a great gift to Turing Tuo. With Zhi Wei gone, Turing Tuo is now your only pillar of support, with no one left to check him. Now that master is being outplayed by a servant, if Turing Tuo withdraws his troops and does not attack Tian Shui City, You really have no strategy left."

Zhi Li closed his eyes in agony. He was intelligent, and even amidst rage, he could see through Suo Lun’s intention behind killing Zhi Wei.

But, seeing through it achieved nothing, he had no strategy to counter it.

Li Chenglian continued, "Suo Lun is playing a dangerous game, but if he succeeds, he will turn the tables instantly. His ruthlessness, decisiveness, and unparalleled wits... I really have never seen anything like it."

Zhi Li shook his head, "Zhi Wei was indeed a waste, with an army of 150,000—three times the size of Suo Lun’s—yet he let it be completely destroyed. Moreover, he was stubborn and inflexible. If he was going to be defeated, he should have fled earlier. What’s the use of losing 150,000 troops? Now that he has foolishly died, where can I find someone capable of standing against Turing Tuo?"

Li Chenglian said, "Your Highness, the current situation is difficult if you say it’s difficult, but easy if you say it’s easy!"

Zhi Li nodded, "Yes, bet everything on one cast, kill Suo Lun, and there would be no trouble at all."

Li Chenglian said, "Before, when we dealt with Suo Lun, we had to consider our reputation and act with proper justification. But now the arrow is on the string and we have no choice but to release it. Although attacking Tian Shui City now would be unjustified, in the end, the victor is the king, the loser the outlaw. We can only pretend to know nothing and charge ahead, obliterate Tian Shui City, eradicate the Suo clan!"

"Right!" Zhi Li said.

As he spoke these words, he actually felt pain in his heart.

Previously, to destroy the Suo clan, they had to use the name of pirates. This time, to obliterate the Suo clan, it first required Gui Xingfu to pave the way under the guise of retaking Chaos Stone Island, followed by framing Suo Lun for treason with the case of an assassination attempt on Shaojun.

In short, to destroy the Suo clan of Tian Shui City, a ducal family in the kingdom, it had to be justified. That way, it wouldn’t violate the kingdom’s system, and Zhi Li’s dignity would not be harmed.