The More Useless You Are, The Safer You'll Be, Just Stay That Way!

Xue Beng stared intently at the wisp of blood-red Soul Power, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

Modifying a Martial Soul? That's pure fantasy. But Chen Chu's gaze was so certain, so confident, it made him almost believe it.

He hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "How can I trust you? Anyone can just talk."

"I can give you a little something first," Chen Chu said, raising his hand. A wisp of pale purple Soul Power slowly floated towards Xue Beng. "This is my sincerity, and proof. It can nourish your Martial Soul, making your future cultivation and breakthroughs twice as effective. It can even strengthen your Swan Martial Soul. You can try it first before deciding."

Xue Beng looked at the Soul Power drifting before him but didn't immediately accept it. He knew that once he took it, there would be no turning back.

Moreover, this person suddenly showing up and offering support for his claim to the throne felt rather suspicious.

But the temptation of "modifying, even recreating, a Martial Soul" drew him in like a magnet. In the end, he gritted his teeth, extended his hand, and accepted the Soul Power, allowing it to merge into his body.

The moment the purple Soul Power entered him, Xue Beng felt a warm, gentle current spread through the meridians in his arm, heading straight for his Dantian, where his Martial Soul resided.

He subconsciously activated his Soul Power to investigate. His Swan Martial Soul, which had been docile and dormant, actually trembled slightly. A phantom image of its wings flashed across his body, and even the bottleneck in his Soul Power, which had been stagnant for days, showed signs of change.

"This..." Xue Beng's pupils contracted sharply, his voice filled with disbelief. He had tried to cultivate diligently, but his progress over the years had been agonizingly slow. His Martial Soul had long grown accustomed to dormancy and had never shown such signs of activity.

Chen Chu stood in place, his expression unchanged. "This is just preliminary nourishment, not true modification. To completely reshape the foundation of your Martial Soul, further cooperation will be needed."

"Your Highness, can you believe my abilities now? Can we discuss our cooperation?"

Xue Beng was a crucial piece in his plan. After the Heaven Dou Palace coup concluded, the throne would inevitably fall to him. Contacting him in advance, even controlling him, would be equivalent to controlling the entire empire's resources, with official backing, leaving no room for questioning.

"Cooperation?" Xue Beng gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm just a fallen prince now. With my Crown Prince brother around, what can I possibly do for you?"

Xue Qinghe had an overwhelmingly advantageous position, especially after his other two brothers died. Almost all the court ministers were allied with the Crown Prince, and besides his uncle, Prince Xue Xing, no one cared about him.

"I said, I don't need your repayment now. You should continue doing what you're doing, just maintain your current facade," Chen Chu said, stepping forward and patting his shoulder earnestly.

If Qian Renxue doesn't reveal herself, it's difficult to control her. Unless I have Ao Tian force her hand, but that's too risky.

Besides, keeping her is useful. Xue Ye still needs her to kill him. When Xue Ye is on his deathbed during the palace coup, he will pass the throne to Xue Beng. The empire will be in turmoil, and I will be entrusted with great responsibility. At that time, I will hold Xue Beng, appearing as a subject, but in reality, I will be the emperor.

Most importantly, framing the Martial Soul Hall for the royal family's massacre will enrage the populace in this feudal empire. Then, when the Martial Soul Hall openly rebels, I can raise an army to quell the rebellion. This way, my reputation in the empire will reach unprecedented heights. I can then accept the faith power lost by the Martial Soul Hall. This is the most secure path.

If the Asura God successfully bestows the divine position, I can also use this faith power to quickly familiarize myself with its strength. If not, creating my own divine position might not be impossible. Having multiple safeguards is the wisest course.

Xue Beng blinked in surprise. "Continue like this?"

"Yes, continue being the dissolute prince," Chen Chu retracted his hand, his fingertips tapping lightly at his side. "Xue Qinghe currently sees you as nothing, and that's the safest state. If you show any sharpness, with his methods, you wouldn't live for three days."

Xue Beng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He knew very well how ruthless Xue Qinghe was. The deaths of his two brothers were still shrouded in suspicion, yet no one dared to investigate. Now that Chen Chu had pointed it out, a chill deepened in his heart.

"But I have to keep pretending like this?" Xue Beng's voice was very low. "When Xue Qinghe fully controls the court, I might not even have the chance to feign madness."

"It won't take that long," Chen Chu said, raising his eyes and glancing at the parasol trees outside the courtyard. "Within these few years, there will be a major upheaval in Heaven Dou City. Before that, you only need to do two things: First, practice the Soul Power cultivation method I taught you daily to stabilize the nourishment of your Martial Soul. Second, keep our conversation today a secret. Not even a single word to Prince Xue Xing."

"Not even Uncle Xue Xing?" Xue Beng frowned. Prince Xue Xing was his only support in court. If he couldn't even trust him, he would truly be alone.

"No," Chen Chu's tone left no room for negotiation. "The fewer people who know, the more advantageous it is for us. The more who know, the easier it will be for Xue Qinghe to find leverage. Not only will you not be saved, but he will also be implicated."

Xue Beng was silent for a moment. He knew Chen Chu wasn't entirely wrong. Although Uncle Xue Xing protected him, he was no match for Xue Qinghe in terms of schemes and calculations. Previously, when he had tried to warn Uncle Xue Xing to be wary of Xue Qinghe, his uncle had dismissed it with the excuse that "royal brothers should be harmonious."

"So, all you want me to do is this?" Xue Beng looked up, a hint of unwillingness in his eyes. "I can't just hide behind you forever, doing nothing."

"What you need to do now is 'do nothing'," Chen Chu emphasized. "Your existence itself is like a piece on the chessboard. The more Xue Qinghe thinks you are useless, the greater your value as a piece. When the time comes, I will naturally let you act."

Saying this, Chen Chu took out a palm-sized black box from his embrace and handed it to Xue Beng. "Inside are three medicinal pills. Take one each month. Not only will it accelerate the nourishment of your Martial Soul, but it will also mask the aura of your Soul Power growth, preventing Xue Qinghe's people from detecting it."

Xue Beng took the box; it felt cool to the touch. He opened the lid, and three pure white pills lay inside, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. The quality of these pills seemed even more refined than the best tonics in the imperial palace.

"These pills..." Xue Beng stopped himself before he could ask. He knew that asking too many questions would be detrimental. Chen Chu's willingness to offer such precious items at least proved he had no immediate intention of harming him.

"I wouldn't give these pills to just anyone. The herbs inside are priceless, so be happy with what you've got," Chen Chu snorted. He wasn't lying. While these weren't Immortal Herb-level ingredients, anything from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye was bound to be extraordinary. He had just added a few other things.

Every medicine has some toxicity; I just added a bit more.

As always, please keep reading. The number of collections hasn't increased much these past few days; it's the old readers who are supporting me, which deeply touches me. As long as you keep reading, I will diligently write this book. If you have suggestions or ideas, please comment more.

National Day bonus chapters, with increased word count per chapter. Thank you all for your continued support!!