Chapter 702: Romanov

Romanov stopped in his tracks, standing outside the palace gate, his gaze attempting to pierce through that layer of mist, yet it was all in vain.

Suppressing a trace of displeasure in his heart, he said in a loud, clear voice: "Your Excellency the Witch Ancestor is truly cautious. I have no other intentions in coming here this time; I merely wish to thank you in person for your tremendous assistance to our Great Luo Dynasty, especially for your painstaking guidance of His Majesty."

He might as well have said it directly: You fellow, what have you done to my puppet emperor?

Moreover, the fact that the Witch Ancestor had set up this special barrier made Romanov subconsciously feel that the Witch Ancestor might fear him, which was why he dared not show his face.

After all, the Witch Ancestor also knew that the imperial family of the Great Luo Dynasty wanted to get rid of him.

Thinking of this, Romanov's inner arrogance rose a few notches.

The voice from within the mist was devoid of ripples: "It is a matter of duty; there is no need for thanks. Since His Majesty is my disciple, I shall naturally protect his safety and assist in his growth."

Romanov changed the subject, his tone becoming slightly profound: "It is just that, both inside and outside the Holy Capital, it is rumored that Your Excellency the Witch Ancestor has been in close contact with the harem of our dynasty. Hehe, I am not a pedantic person, but one must know that public opinion is to be feared. You are a person who transcends worldly matters; why must you get involved in these secular disputes and needlessly damage your reputation?"

This was a probe, and also a veiled warning.

It meant that few people knew about this matter, and it was I who suppressed it. If you, the Witch Ancestor, still want your reputation, it would be best to restrain yourself.

Li Chen naturally heard the probing and warning in Romanov's words. His voice passed through the barrier, carrying a trace of unquestionable majesty and retort:

"Reputation? Why should I explain my actions to the secular world? Heaven and Earth are natural, all things have spirits, and the fusion of yin and yang is also the Dao. On the contrary, it is you and Ivan who keep insisting that he issue a decree of self-reproach and abdicate to a new emperor to show repentance and rebirth.

Yet why do you still firmly hold the power of the imperial court in your hands to this day, treating the new emperor as if he were nothing? Do you truly take me for blind and ignorant, unable to see through your tricks of swapping the beams for pillars and crossing the sea under a false banner?"

Li Chen had long wanted to question these two old foxes, but one was "recuperating" and the other was "in seclusion," hiding away so that he had nowhere to exert his strength.

Now that Romanov had delivered himself to his doorstep, how could Li Chen let go of this opportunity to strike a blow?

Romanov was choked by this retort that struck at the core. A trace of gloom flashed in his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal, laughing it off:

"Your Excellency the Witch Ancestor is mistaken. The new emperor has just ascended the throne, his foundation is not yet stable, and he is not yet familiar with the operation of the court and major state affairs. My actions and those of Ivan are also out of helplessness.

The aim is to assist from the sidelines and avoid turmoil in the court. It is absolutely not to hold onto power. Once His Majesty is able to stand on his own, we will naturally let go."

He did not mention at all that he had met with Ivan, and continued to question him as an ancestor of the Great Luo: "It is you, Your Excellency, who are causing chaos in the harem and tarnishing the reputation of the royal family. Is this move not too much? Is this what one who transcends the world should do?"

The two old foxes were inside and outside the mist barrier, trading words. Hidden barbs were concealed within their speech, both probing the other's bottom line and level of tolerance.

Li Chen knew clearly that as long as the Tian Ce army did not retreat for a single day, Romanov and Ivan would never dare to truly make a move against him. They could not bear the triple pressure of facing Tian Ce, the Witch Ancestor, and the Xie Ergai rebel army that might erupt again.

And Romanov's warning at this moment was also clearly drawing a line: I will tolerate the harem matter for now, but do not go too far; this is already reaching my bottom line.

However, what Romanov did not know was why the response from within the barrier was always delayed for a moment after he spoke? Could this be the normal delay of sound passing through a barrier?

Actually, it was not! Behind that dense mist, the so-called cultivation chamber was in fact a luxuriously and comfortably furnished warm pavilion.

Li Chen leaned lazily against the soft couch, while a petite yet curvaceous beauty with a full figure lay before him like a docile kitten, serving him with great effort.

Li Chen enjoyed the beauty's service while carelessly listening to Romanov's words outside the barrier. Only at critical moments or when his interest waned did he take the time to circulate his power and change his voice to respond a few times.

That brief delay was merely proof of him stealing a moment of leisure amidst his busy schedule.

Seeing that he could not gain any advantage in the verbal exchange and was instead caught by the other party and countered, Romanov knew that it was impossible to probe any more truth today. ===== CHAPTER 703 =====