<h4>Chapter 242: A New Objective</h4>


    About half an hourter, that small tavern had two familiar clients.


    Gazing at the masked Asura before her, Mei Gongzi''s eyes shimmered as she suddenly said, "Why not remove your mask? You shouldn''t have any reservations if you wish for me to trust you."


    Asura gently shook his head. "Having no reservations at all would be <i>less</i> safe for you. Who are we dealing with this time?"


    He changed the subject straight away. He could change his stature here and there, but altering his appearance was much more difficult. Given that she was already eyeing his real identity carefully, he feared Mei Gongzi would recognize him if he showed his face, even if he put on some kind of disguise.


    Mei Gongzi no longer dwelled on the mask and directly revealed her target. "sh Leopard King."


    Asura''s gaze flickered. "Are you aiming to stir up hatred between the Wind Wolf n and the sh Leopard n again?"


    He could immediately tell her purpose, given that he had done this himself once before, and it was clear that Mei Gongzi intended to take it further.


    As expected, Mei Gongzi nodded. "After the death of the Wind Wolf King, the city was in turmoil for a long time. The marks they found were left by tiger ws, but ws are ws in the end; unless they know something, how would they tell whether they belong to a tiger or a leopard? Actually, I deliberately made the traces smaller, so they’d be easier to mistake for the ws of a leopard demon. The enmity between the Wind Wolves and the sh Leopards has a long history, it’s a deep-rooted conflict. Although there''s no direct evidence, both sides have shed several times. If it weren''t for the suppression of other ns, which forced them to fight outside the city, I think the entire city would have been turned upside down."


    "In that case, the sh Leopard King will surely have tight defenses. The method we usedst time will definitely not work. Although the sh Leopard King may not necessarily be stronger than the Wind Wolf King, his innate abilities are much better when ites to survival."


    Mei Gongzi said, "That''s why I''ve decided to go for a direct kill this time. You might not know, but my Demonic God Transformation is especially effective against Leopard sh."


    Asura''s heart stirred; indeed, that was the case. Although sh Leopards did not fully harness the power of space the way Peacock Demons did, their innate ability utilized spatial fluctuations to a certain extent for propulsion, allowing for instant eleration. The spatial control of the Peacock Demon perfectly countered this. If sh Leopard King was only a ninth-tier, with Mei Gongzi''s current level of cultivation and bloodline suppression, killing him was not impossible.


    "But we must avoid detection of your using Peacock Transformation. This means either silencing witnesses or striking when sh Leopard King is alone. Given their current hostility with the Wind Wolf n, such an opportunity might be hard toe by."


    Mei Gongzi said, "There is a chance. Tomorrow night, leaders of all ns in Kali City are being summoned to the lord''s mansion for a meeting. After the meeting, they will each go their own way. To attend the meeting at the lord''s mansion, the sh Leopard King can only bring a handful of followers. I estimate at most eight. Though they are not weak, it will be much easier to strike there than at the sh Leopard''s ancestral home. I hope you can help me draw away his followers and give me a chance to strike. I need about five minutes. I''m confident."


    Asura pondered momentarily and said, "Let''s look at the map and n in detail. But I must remind you that we must prepare for failure in advance. If we fail, we must not reveal our identities."


    Mei Gongzi nodded and responded, "That''s also why I called you here. Since it''s an ambush on the road, we must be quick."


    Asura said, "Let me think."


    After pondering for a while, he asked, "If you''re in control, can you make it so that all members of the sh Leopard n, including the sh Leopard King, cannot use Leopard sh?"


    Mei Gongzi answered, "For a short time, yes. But I anticipate that sh Leopard King will bring eighth-order powerhouses. I can prevent them from using Leopard sh for up to thirty seconds. However, that will definitely reveal my Peacock Transformation. So, I n for you to draw away the other sh Leopards while I directly attack sh Leopard King''s carriage, sealing only him. That way, as long as I kill him, exposure won''t be a concern."


    Asura shook his head. "That''s difficult. Since they are guards, protecting sh Leopard King is their one and only responsibility; what could possibly make them go away from him? No, the best method is to eliminate the sh Leopard King and all his subordinates quickly, all in one go."


    "Is that possible? Are you confident?" Mei Gongzi looked at Asura with a piercing gaze. Even now, she still wasn’t sure of Asura''s actual cultivation level.


    Asura nodded and stated, "If we can be sure of the path they will take, I''m confident I can do it."


    "That''s no problem. I''ve already nned the location for our strike."


    Mei Gongzi spread out the map and pointed at a specific location on it.


    Asura examined the location closely and nodded slightly. "This ce is good, secluded enough. Then it''s settled. We''ll meet here at the agreed time tomorrow. I''ll go ahead and make some preparations. If the sh Leopard King''s convoy does indeed pass through here, we''ll eradicate them as quickly as possible. If they don''te this way, we''ll cancel the n and look for another opportunity. How does that sound?"


    "Good," Mei Gongzi replied. "What''s your n?"


    Asura smiled slightly. " I''ll prepare a little gift for them. I need to start the preparations now, or it won''t be done in time. I''ll take my leave." He stood up as he spoke.


    "Do you need my help?" Mei Gongzi also stood up.


    <i>I could use a hug,</i> Asura thought to himself, but shook his head outwardly. "See you tomorrow. We''ll go with the time you mentioned."


    "Mhm."


    Mei Gongzi didn''t see him off. Asura left the inn alone, slipping back into the Kali Mountain Range. After ensuring no one was following, he returned to Academy Town.


    Killing a group of eighth and ninth-tier powerhouses in a short amount of time sounded difficult. However, with sufficiently powerful hidden weapons prepared in advance, it could even be easier than the previous operation in the Wind Wolves’ ancestral home. Moreover, since his cultivation level had just advanced, he now had much more flexibility.


    Of course, it meant another sleepless night for him. Fortunately, with Sky Shatterer, forging anything was far, far more efficient.


    Tang San had his suspicions about the targets Mei Gongzi aimed to assassinate. Hunting these demon n powerhouses and stirring up internal strife within Kali City would weaken the opposition against her. Those she sought to assassinate were surely among those who would stand against her future position as the sessor of the Peacock Demon n.


    <i>Weakening these opposing forces would lessen the pressure on her future ascension to the throne. But I can’t understand why she’s in such a hurry to act. She’s barely fourteen or so. Could the Peacock Demon King be about to select an official sessor soon? Has he aged to such an extent?</i>


    Of course, he wouldn''t ask Mei Gongzi these questions, as they pertained to the highest-level secrets of the Redemption Society. All he needed to do was cooperate, as his feelings and trust towards Mei Gongzi were unconditional.


    <i>Kali City, Lord''s Mansion.</i>


    Kali City was home to hundreds of demon races, dozens of which were quite powerful. However, only twelve major ns had Kali City as their base.


    Among these twelve major ns, the Peacock Demons were undoubtedly the most powerful, and they naturally led the city.


    There were also eleven other major ns: the Aetherhorn Deers, the Golden Deers, the Golden Capricorns, the Golden Porcupines, the Diamond Bears, the Wind Wolves, the sh Leopards, the zing Lions, the Earth Elephants, the Crimson Foxes, and the White-Crested Falcons.


    These eleven major demon ns were subordinate to the Peacock Demon n but also helped govern Kali City alongside them. They were the core strength of Kali City, especially the Aetherhorn Deers and the three golden ns.


    These three golden ns were not particrly powerful among the races of the same tier, but they had golden bloodlines nevertheless. They were ns with god-level powerhouses, forming the core strength of Kali City.