Nine Kites had been observing the exchange between the two all along. When she heard the Young Imperial Sovereign say he intended to slowly nibble away at Li Tianming, a strange gleam flashed through her eyes.
After the two had finished speaking, she looped her arm through the Young Imperial Sovereign's and softly asked, "Imperial Sovereign, I don't quite understand. Why go to such great lengths for him? Wouldn't it be better to simply send experts to assassinate him? As long as Li Tianming dies, his so-called Imperial Dao will vanish like smoke and clouds. You would still have won against him, wouldn't you?"
The Young Imperial Sovereign shook his head indifferently. "At a critical moment like this, if he were to suddenly die without explanation, suspicion would naturally fall on me, leaving me covered in filth."
Nine Kites blinked. "Without solid evidence, who would dare suspect you, Imperial Sovereign? Besides, Li Tianming has made plenty of enemies. There are many who want him dead. Who could possibly tell who made the move?"
"You still don't understand." The Young Imperial Sovereign spoke calmly. "To make this stepping stone serve its greatest purpose, I must hold the upper hand in reputation, prestige, public opinion, justice, and morality. Not even the tiniest stain can be allowed. At present, I do indeed hold the advantage in these respects. All the more reason I cannot let previous efforts go to waste—I must trample him into the mud."
"So that's how it is..." Nine Kites parted her red lips, seeming to understand yet not quite.
"Of course, the most important thing is still the overall current within the Heavenly Emperor Sect. I absolutely cannot lose control of it. This is the key to my struggle for supremacy within the clan. Whether the assault on the