With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter

The clash between sword and arrow produced a dazzling spark. Despite his strength, Bai Yifei was forced to retreat several steps after receiving Shen Fei's attack. If one looked closely, they would notice that Bai Yifei's wrist holding the red sword was slightly trembling.

Yan Lingji wasn't about to waste the opportunity. She immediately used her movement technique to leap away into the distance. Halfway through, she glanced back at Shen Fei's silhouette before disappearing into the dense forest.

"Should I take this chance to finish him off?" Shen Fei didn't mind Yan Lingji's escape—after all, that was his intention. But now, he was hesitant about killing Bai Yifei. It wasn't that he didn't want to eliminate Bai Yifei, but doing so here might negatively impact Han Fei, someone Shen Fei admired.

Even though Ji Wuye and Bai Yifei were Han Fei's enemies, their existence also played a role in the gradual development of Han Fei's Liusa (Flowing Sand). If these two were eliminated now, Han Fei's direct opponent would become his fourth brother, Han Yu.

If Han Fei had the temperament of Ying Zheng, Han Yu would be no match for him. But unfortunately, Han Fei wasn't like that. To be blunt, Han Fei lacked the temperament of a ruler. His best potential would be realized if he worked alongside someone like Ying Zheng. Unfortunately, due to his lineage, Han Fei could never assist Ying Zheng.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Shen Fei's attacks didn't slow down. Arrow after arrow was released, and soon, Bai Yifei's appearance turned rather pitiful.

Bai Yifei's crimson robe was now truly stained with red—his own blood. The phrase "A deadly form that turns bones to dust, blood-stained white clothes" referred to Bai Yifei's habit of wearing blood-soaked clothes, but now, it was his own blood soaking his garments. Not only was his clothing stained, but even his white hair had been disheveled by Shen Fei's arrows.

"I'm overthinking this," Shen Fei finally decided. Killing Bai Yifei here might not be the best move for now. If this were another world like the Hunter universe or the One Piece universe, he wouldn't have hesitated. 

Having made up his mind, Shen Fei suddenly moved. Using *Shave*, he instantly appeared beside Bai Yifei. In a moment of shock and fear, Bai Yifei could only watch as Shen Fei struck his right shoulder. A sickening crack echoed as Bai Yifei's shoulder bone was shattered.

Bai Yifei couldn't suppress a grunt of pain.

Shen Fei didn't stop there. He struck Bai Yifei's right arm and both legs, breaking them cleanly. For someone as ruthless as Bai Yifei, who killed innocents, especially women, Shen Fei felt no pity. If he weren't interested in the White Armored Soldiers, he would have finished Bai Yifei right there.

"These swords aren't bad," Shen Fei remarked, catching Bai Yifei's red and white twin swords as they fell. Observing the blades, Shen Fei could tell they were excellent weapons, but now they were his.

He then grabbed Bai Yifei by the right leg and dragged him away like a dead dog. As he left, he glanced up at Han Fei and Wei Zhuang standing on the nearby cliff.

"Who would've thought?" Han Fei and Wei Zhuang naturally noticed Shen Fei dragging Bai Yifei away. However, they didn't interfere. Bai Yifei's defeat was good news for Han Fei—only three of Nightfall's Four Fiends remained.

"I didn't expect the infamous Bai Yifei to fall here," Zhang Liang said after Han Fei and Wei Zhuang recounted the events. Zhang Liang sighed lightly, expressing both surprise and a hint of contemplation.

"However, this could be both good and bad for us." Zhang Liang quickly furrowed his brow.

"What do you mean?" Han Fei asked with interest. Although Zhang Liang was later known as a master strategist, he still had a considerable gap between himself and Han Fei at this point. In fact, much of Zhang Liang's future achievements were influenced by Han Fei.

"With one of Nightfall's Four Fiends gone, Ji Wuye's forces are significantly weakened. However, this increases the danger posed by the Hundred Yue Tribe to Korea."

"Whoever intervened might not be from the Hundred Yue Tribe," Han Fei suddenly stated.

"If not the Hundred Yue Tribe, then a third party must be involved," Zhang Liang quickly deduced. However, Han Fei remained silent, not confirming nor denying it.

The Crown Prince was eventually rescued, with Han Fei playing a significant role. While Bai Yifei's capture caused some unrest within the Korean court, his position didn't carry the same weight as that of the Crown Prince. Apart from Ji Wuye, who was furious and glared at Han Fei with resentment, most others didn't pay much attention.

Ji Wuye wanted to blame Han Fei for Bai Yifei's failure, but Han Yu swiftly defused the situation. Bai Yifei's fall delighted Han Yu, as it meant a vacancy for commanding ten thousand troops—a position Han Yu aimed to fill. If he played his cards right, he could gain significant control over these forces.

Military power was crucial. Han Wang An himself rose to the throne by gaining control over the military, toppling the then-Crown Prince. The loss of one of Nightfall's pillars left Ji Wuye seething with rage. His anger only intensified when he returned to his temporary command post and learned that the Crown Prince's carriage had fallen into the water, resulting in the Crown Prince's death.

This news was far more significant than Bai Yifei's fall. The Crown Prince represented Ji Wuye's faction, and now that he was gone, a new prince had to be chosen. In this case, Han Yu was in the best position to take advantage.

The Crown Prince was Han Wang's eldest son, making him the natural heir, despite his incompetence. With Han Wang An's numerous concubines and beautiful women, it wasn't surprising that he had many children. Han Yu, being the fourth son, now found himself in the most advantageous position. The second and third princes had long passed, and Han Yu's reputation in Korea made him the obvious choice.

Of course, the struggle for the throne wasn't over until the very end.

"They went to such lengths... Why?" Han Fei clenched his fists upon hearing the latest intelligence in Zilan Xuan.

The thought of fratricide was something Han Fei had always dreaded, and now it had come to pass. Han Fei didn't possess Han Yu's ruthlessness. With his wisdom, he could have manipulated the situation to eliminate both the Crown Prince and Han Yu during the kidnapping. Wei Zhuang had seen the opportunity and reminded Han Fei, but Han Fei, though aware, couldn't bring himself to act. He knew the logic but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Is he really going to turn into the Hidden Bat later?" Shen Fei wondered as he manipulated Bai Yifei. He had extracted a lot of secrets from Bai Yifei, including his martial arts. Bai Yifei's technique was more of a ritual than pure martial arts, requiring constant blood consumption to boost his power and maintain his youth.

But the technique came with significant drawbacks. If Bai Yifei didn't consume blood regularly, his power would deteriorate, and his appearance would rapidly age.

Given Bai Yifei's current age and power, the number of women he had slaughtered was horrifying. After learning the extent of Bai Yifei's crimes, Shen Fei decided that killing him quickly would be too merciful.

"No wonder he's called the Blood-Clothed Marquis," Shen Fei muttered. After initially expressing surprise upon seeing Shen Fei's true face, Bai Yifei had remained silent, even enduring Shen Fei's torment without a word.

Shen Fei's torment wasn't physical torture—he didn't resort to cruel punishments from across history, many of which were too gruesome to contemplate. Instead, Shen Fei attacked Bai Yifei's mind.

For example, he destroyed Bai Yifei's internal energy, causing his appearance to rapidly age. This also allowed Shen Fei to learn more about internal energy techniques by experimenting on a skilled practitioner like Bai Yifei.

Bai Yifei's stoicism likely stemmed from seeing his own aged face and realizing all hope was lost.

From Bai Yifei, Shen Fei also learned the true nature of the Hundred Yue Treasure. Contrary to some rumors, it wasn't the property of the Fire Rain Manor but belonged to the royal family of Hundred Yue.

The Fire Rain Manor was famous for its craftsmen, and it was said they had helped build the secret location of the treasure. When the royal family of Hundred Yue fell, most of those who knew the treasure's location died, including the previous King of Hundred Yue.

At the time, Tianze knew nothing of this. As a prince, he was unaware of the treasure's existence until Wuyue resurrected the Vulture and discovered clues about the treasure after painstakingly investigating. This treasure was meant to fund the Hundred Yue's revival, but even now, Tianze remained unaware of the truth.

"They thought the Azure Dragon's Seven Stars was just a treasure." Bai Yifei was aware of the Azure Dragon's Seven Stars, but in his mind, it was simply a large hoard of wealth.

This assumption wasn't entirely incorrect. Wealth,

 at a certain point, did translate to power—it could fund armies and secure resources.

But Shen Fei knew that this understanding was incomplete. The Azure Dragon's Seven Stars had attracted the Yin-Yang Clan's attention for a reason, and it was unlikely that mere treasure was the only reason.

"No wonder this powerful unit disappeared later." Shen Fei had also learned about the training methods for the White Armored Soldiers. While he initially had some interest in this unit, his enthusiasm waned after learning how they were trained.

It wasn't that the White Armored Soldiers weren't powerful—they were—but their training was incredibly resource-intensive. While Shen Fei could afford the costs, he didn't see the necessity. The resources needed to train a White Armored Soldier could be better spent elsewhere, creating more effective units.

In simple terms, training a unit of White Armored Soldiers was less efficient than training a unit of Wei Wu Soldiers. While the White Armored Soldiers were formidable, they were highly specialized. They excelled at long-range combat but were nearly helpless in close quarters.

In contrast, the Wei Wu Soldiers were versatile, almost like modern-day special forces.

Bai Yifei's White Armored Soldiers were specifically tailored to complement his techniques, creating an ideal battleground for him. But Shen Fei didn't need such a specialized unit.

On the other hand, the Wei Wu Soldiers were much more straightforward. The internal energy technique known as the Armor Skill, which Shen Fei had obtained, was central to their success. Back in the day, the Wei Wu Soldiers had been feared across the world. Many sought to recreate their success, but despite acquiring the technique, no nation succeeded in recreating the Wei Wu Soldiers. The cost was simply too high. Leaders had to consider the bigger picture, and no one could afford to neglect other military needs for the sake of one unit.

When Wei was at its peak, it could afford to maintain the Wei Wu Soldiers, but the current Wei was a shadow of its former self.

To this day, the Armor Skill technique was no longer rare, but few practiced it. The cost was simply prohibitive. Those with wealth could acquire better techniques, while those without couldn't afford to train in it.

Martial arts require wealth.

"We'll see how things go from here." Shen Fei had the wealth to establish any military unit he wanted, but in his current state, where he wasn't seeking conquest, such units were of limited use.

"Why even bother with these units? If I'm going to build something, I should create the strongest one possible." Debates about the most powerful military units had been endless, with no clear consensus. But Shen Fei had an idea.

He wanted to build a mechanized beast army. The Gong Sun Clan's Earth-Breaking Lang and the Mohist's Mechanized White Tiger were both top-tier mechanized beasts.

The Earth-Breaking Lang excelled at sieging, while the Mechanized White Tiger was highly mobile. Adding the Mechanized Vermillion Bird to the mix, an army of mechanized beasts would undoubtedly make the Qin Empire even stronger.

"You really know how to enjoy life, don't you?" Han Fei remarked as he strolled into Shen Fei's garden, watching Shen Fei lounge on a chair. Han Fei smiled and lay down on another chair beside Shen Fei.

"I'm surprised the Ninth Prince isn't at Zilan Xuan today but instead came here. You won't find any beauties here to accompany you," Shen Fei said, genuinely surprised by Han Fei's visit.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I've heard there's a beautiful woman skilled in fire techniques here," Han Fei replied.

"Are you talking about Yan Lingji? If you want to talk, then talk straight—I'm not one for beating around the bush." Shen Fei wasn't interested in playing verbal games with Han Fei. He preferred straightforward conversations. He wasn't one to engage in flowery speech or use idioms liberally.

"What's your connection with the Hundred Yue Tribe?" Han Fei asked directly.

"I have no connection with them. I just dislike Bai Yifei. His martial arts are too wicked, so I intervened," Shen Fei answered. Han Fei's words indicated he knew Shen Fei was involved, so Shen Fei saw no point in denying it. He even revealed Bai Yifei's martial arts to Han Fei.

"What's your relationship with Qin?" Han Fei asked again.

"Why assume that coming from the west means I must have come from Qin? I'm from much farther west. Before arriving here, I traveled the world, visiting the Four Extremities. You, of all people, should not limit your vision to the small land of Zhongyuan. I aim for ninety-nine percent of the world. Do you even know how vast the world truly is? Have you visited the Four Extremities?"

The concept of the Four Extremities came from the belief in a flat, square earth with four corners. These were the extreme east, west, south, and north.

Shen Fei's words left Han Fei momentarily stunned. He had never considered the world beyond Zhongyuan.

"Zhongyuan is but a tiny land," Han Fei finally latched onto this phrase. In an era where Zhongyuan was considered the center of the world, Shen Fei's words were difficult to accept, even for someone like Han Fei.

"In your view, Zhongyuan is the center, but to me, it's just a small land. I've traveled to the Four Extremities and seen military formations you wouldn't believe. Are you interested in seeing one?"

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