Plotting a Murder

The person being bullied was breathless and seemed to struggle to speak, but he chuckled before responding. 

"If I am useless and favoured, what do you think it says about you?" The sardonic laughter caused the young man to choke and cough, but he kept going. "It means you are worse than someone who is bad at cultivation and dumb as a rock." 

The sound of a kick and then a painful groan followed. 

"It will not matter once you are dead." The other person laughed wickedly, and the grating sound was followed by the unsheathing of a sword. 

"Don't push your limits, Prince Hou Zhihao. He is still the emperor's favourite son, and the selection of the Crown Prince is so close. If you are accused of murdering him, your chance of being chosen will disappear. You have to be cautious." A female voice joined. 

There was agreement from three other voices. Yuan Haoran could hear the huffing frustration from Hou Zhizhao as he kicked his apparent brother again. It was clear that he did not want to let things go as the others advised. 

"Fine. What do you suggest?" He asked after taking a breath. 

"Can you give me a private moment with Prince Zhihao?" The female voice asked sweetly. "Do not go too far. We do not want a scandal to arise." 

The other three people laughed, but Yuan Haoran heard them shuffling away. He was not interested in court intrigue or gossip, and this seemed like a childish encounter despite the murderous intent. But just as he decided to leave, he heard something interesting. 

"Do you want to deal with this cleanly? I have a surefire solution." The female voice spoke softly. 

"Of course. Once he is out of the way, the Obsidian Continent will be mine." Hou Zhizhao said. "And you will naturally stand at my side as the empress without my stupid little brother holding you back." 

The female giggled shyly as if she was not plotting murder before whispering again. "Have you heard about Forlorn Water? It is made using Green Sugarplum." 

Yuan Haoran stopped in his steps, regaining interest in the conversation. The information about the Green Sugarplum came to his mind from the Flora Encyclopedia which he earned from completing the first mission. 

When synthesized using a certain technique, Green Sugarplum could create a substance called Forlorn Water. The liquid was not exactly a poison and could even be used in medicinal concoctions. However, its mode of action was slowing and stopping the heart. 

If it was used incorrectly, it could kill without leaving a trace. It was the potassium chloride of the cultivation world. It was not too lethal in most cases, but if a person was injured or otherwise compromised, it would work fast. 

It was a brilliant plan because no poison would be detected. 

"You are very smart, Bai Zhen. No one will be able to find out anything, and we can rule together as powerful cultivators. I am glad you chose to abandon this waste and choose the superior man." Huo Zhizhao declared with another laugh. 

Yuan Haoran's lips stretched into an amused smile as he listened to their quick and careful actions as they acted against the apparent brother and fiancé. Sometimes, he wondered if he was evil or just human. 

He never considered himself evil until people called him a demon. Just human. 

Ping. [You should stop those bad humans. How can you stand and listen while they kill someone?] 

The Hero System was indignant because it knew that with Yuan Haoran's power, it would take only a breath to save the bullied prince. 

'Why didn't you issue a mission?' Yuan Haoran asked instead of answering. 'I agreed to cooperate, so you could have compelled me to be heroic.' 

[...] The Hero System was defeated immediately. 

How could it confess that it was not the one that controlled the missions? It was just a pure system that wanted people to be better. But for some reason, this time, there was no instruction for the Host to act and save the poor young prince. 

Yuan Haoran's smile widened as he confirmed his guess. The Hero System did not control the missions and was only acting as a bridge despite its seemingly advanced nature. 

As soon as the murderers left, Yuan Haoran walked to the broken body of the young prince. He was not interested in saving him, but he wanted to see how Forlorn Water worked. The information could be useful in the future. 

When he reached the young man, his heart was painfully slow and stuttering. He squatted before him and placed a hand on the fragile neck, wanting to feel the rhythm of the heartbeat as life bled out of him. It was one of the most powerful thrills in life. 

However, as soon as Yuan Haoran touched the almost-dead young man, his eyes opened. The eyes showed defiance, even as that heart made the final few beats. Yuan Haoran felt the moment he died, but he did not stand up immediately. 

The blank eyes stared at him, somehow still defiant. 

Yuan Haoran hesitated for a moment before pricking his finger with his spiritual energy and allowing a dark drop of blood to fall into the young prince's mouth. Then, he allowed the limp body to rise from the ground and pushed it into the thunder field. 

Ping. [I thought you wanted to save him. The thunder will kill him] 

'He was already dead.' Yuan Haoran said before he turned from the field. 

[Then, why did you give him your blood?] The Hero System sounded confused. 

Yuan Haoran did not respond. 

He did not know why he decided to save the young prince. 

No, that was a lie. 

He knew why he saved him. It was that stubbornness in his eyes even as he died. The prince refused to surrender his spirit even though he was pitifully weak. That kind of spirit could become formidable if nurtured. 

He had gathered some of the best subordinates in his former life by finding smart, fierce, and even mad individuals who were down on their luck. Those who knew how to grasp the opportunity were able to change their lives. 

Still, Yuan Haoran was not altruistic. 

He was only giving the prince a chance at survival, not guaranteeing a rescue. If things worked out, the electrical charge in the thunder field would defibrillate the heart which had stopped from the Forlorn Water. 

The drop of blood contained a little bit of his cold cultivation to prevent the prince's body from breaking down immediately from the high lightning exposure. Of course, unless the prince was able to channel his energy, the lightning would still destroy him. 

Yuan Haoran resumed his journey, ignoring the eyes watching him from the shadows. He guessed that the other prince was the one watching to ensure his brother was dead, based on the slight killing intent in the air. 

But it was none of his business. 

Yuan Haoran resumed his search for the exit from the domain. His instincts were sharp, so he found the right direction fast. However, it was highly likely that he would not be able to leave immediately because he could not sense an open gateway. 

But he could wait near the gate and leave as soon as the domain was open. Despite his power, he did not know enough about this world to live boldly and without fear of consequences. He needed to understand his new reality and make clear plans. 

As he approached the area, he sensed a difference in the spatial energy, indicating the presence of a portal gate. Before he could follow the spatial path, he felt the ground shake beneath his feet. His senses sharpened as he tried to gauge the threat. 

For a moment, he thought it was an earthquake. 

Then, he saw the monstrosities approaching him at a high speed.