With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter

"Is this all Lu Buwei's got? Did I overestimate him, or did I underestimate Ying Zheng?" As Xinghun spoke with the Red-White Couple, Daniel's Observation Haki had already scanned the entire Xianyang Palace. Despite the ongoing battles, the fighting was largely confined to the outer perimeter of the palace.

At the highest point of the palace, Ying Zheng stood in full battle regalia, surveying the entire city of Xianyang from its northernmost and elevated position.

"Is this the esteemed National Advisor? So young yet so accomplished—I'm truly impressed," the Red-White Couple remarked, their voices dripping with mockery. "But what a pity, to die so young."

"Too much talking," Daniel said, and in the blink of an eye, he was behind the Red-White Couple. As he slowly turned, a thin line of blood appeared on their necks.

"Such a fast sword," was their last thought as darkness claimed them. The Red-White Couple, in whom Lu Buwei had placed great hope, were killed before they could even unleash their full potential.

*Bang! Bang!* 

As their bodies hit the ground, they exploded, releasing a cloud of strange, black poison and countless venomous creatures that began spreading rapidly. As the infamous poison masters of Baiyue, their bodies were filled with toxins and venomous creatures, which were unleashed uncontrollably upon their deaths.

Baiyue, with its unique geographical environment, was home to numerous plants and poisons unknown to the rest of the Central Plains. Combined with its unique traditions, poisons and venomous creatures thrived there.

Given Baiyue's resources, it should not have been so easily conquered by the joint forces of Han and Chu. After all, well-used poisons could repel entire armies. Previously, when Tian Ze and his group kidnapped the Crown Prince of Han, the poisonous mist set up by the Hundred Poison King around the prince's residence was impenetrable, even to birds. And that was the work of just one man—Baiyue's royal family had many such poison experts.

Despite this, Baiyue's royal family fell to the allied forces of Han and Chu, partly due to being caught off guard and partly because of internal strife.

Now, all Tian Ze could do was vent his anger on Han, unaware of why Baiyue had fallen so easily. Of course, attacking Chu would be suicidal.

As the toxic mist and venomous creatures—snakes, centipedes, scorpions, and more—began to spread, Daniel let out a cold snort. Instantly, the area around him turned a vivid blue as the mist and creatures were frozen solid, encased in blocks of ice—a manifestation of the Yin-Yang technique *Bailu Qishuang*.

Seeing that the mist continued to spread, Daniel stabbed the black sword into the ground and clenched his left hand. A surge of energy radiated outwards, compressing the toxic mist into a small, apple-sized sphere. He then encased it in ice and dropped it to the ground.

Only then did the surrounding black-clad assassins react, and they, along with the four Burrowing Beasts, prepared to attack Daniel. But they soon found themselves immobilized—thick, green vines had sprouted from the ground, binding their legs.

Even the Burrowing Beasts were not spared, though they were restrained by a greater number of thicker vines—a result of the Yin-Yang technique *Pingdi Sheng Qiulan*.

"Kill them all," Daniel commanded. Having immobilized the enemies, he stepped back, allowing Xinghun to take charge. Xinghun waved his hand, signaling the Shadow Guards to move in. In moments, all the black-clad assassins were lying dead in pools of blood, and even the operators inside the Burrowing Beasts were dragged out and executed.

"Is that all?" Daniel asked, unfazed by the carnage, as he turned to Xinghun.

"The rest of the enemies are being dealt with by the Web," Xinghun replied, a hint of disdain in his tone.

"The Web? So they've betrayed Lu Buwei," Daniel mused. What seemed like a grand assault was actually a façade. The Web, Lu Buwei's most powerful asset, was far more formidable than the Miscellaneous School he controlled. The Web's betrayal meant more than just the loss of power—it neutralized the Miscellaneous School as a threat.

Most likely, the Miscellaneous School's experts had been intercepted by the Web.

The Web's warriors included the Seven Swords of Yue, with the exception of Black and White Swallow, who had been killed by Daniel. The remaining swordsmen were all top-tier assassins. If you counted other notable swords like the Han Jian (Cold Cicada Sword) and the legendary Fish Gut Sword, the Web's ranks swelled even further.

Indeed, the Wu-Yue region was a treasure trove of famous swords, most of which hailed from there.

"So, the threat has passed. Xinghun, would you care to join me in watching the spectacle?" Daniel asked.

"How could I refuse the National Advisor's invitation?" Xinghun replied. He issued a few commands to the Great Commander and then left with Daniel to the area where the most intense fighting was occurring.

"Yin prospers, Yang wanes, hidden in darkness, obscuring the sun," Daniel recited as he and Xinghun arrived at the scene of a battle between the assassin Yanri (Obscuring Sun) and two experts from the Miscellaneous School, one of whom was a Guardian.

"The Six Sword Slaves haven't appeared yet. Zhao Gao truly knows how to play his cards, though it's a bit extravagant," Daniel noted. The Six Sword Slaves, when combined, could overwhelm all but a few individuals—namely the likes of Wu Ming, the Ghost Valley Master, the Northern Darkness Master, and Donghuang Taiyi. Of course, Xiao Li could also handle them.

Zongheng (Vertical and Horizontal) could also put up a fight against the Six Sword Slaves if they were in peak condition, though the outcome would be uncertain.

For any top-tier fighter, the slightest mistake against the Six Sword Slaves could be fatal. Even Wei Zhuang, at the peak of his powers, was nearly crippled in a fight against them, let alone others.

There was one person who could spar with the Six Sword Slaves, though—Dianqing of the Armored Sect. His armor was so impenetrable that fighting six opponents was no different from fighting one. But winning was still unlikely.

However, Dianqing had a chance to win if he employed the right strategy—like carrying enough explosives on him. While Dianqing could survive the blasts unscathed, the Six Sword Slaves wouldn't be so lucky, especially the weaker members, Wang Liang, Zhuan Po, and Mie Hun.

"Given the heavy losses, it's no wonder the Six Sword Slaves emerged later," Daniel thought, observing the carnage. The Web had deployed the Seven Swords of Yue, including Jingni, leaving them vulnerable.

The Web's philosophy was that while people could die, swords must live on. With their influence and resources, the Web had little trouble recruiting new talent, especially with the allure of famous swords.

But the Miscellaneous School's experts were no pushovers, many of them top-tier fighters. Coupled with Lu Buwei's many retainers, this battle, though the Web might win, would come at a great cost. Perhaps this was the "offering" Zhao Gao had to make to Ying Zheng.

Lu Buwei was reputed to have three thousand retainers, rivaling the likes of Xinling Jun in his heyday. Among them were many formidable fighters. As the saying goes, one must be loyal to the one who provides for them. While many of them were merely freeloaders, there were certainly those loyal to Lu Buwei.

"I never expected Dao Zhi to be the descendant of the Chicken Thief and Dog Thief," Daniel reflected, recalling the Mo Family's Dao Zhi and the surprising story behind the world's greatest thief. If not for Ying Ge's intelligence, he would never have known.

"Too bad I didn't get to see Zhao Gao in action." As Daniel surveyed the battlefield, he noted the presence of the Seven Swords of Yue but not Zhao Gao. Despite his distaste for the man, Daniel had to admit that Zhao Gao was genuinely strong, at least as powerful as the Black and White Swallow at their peak.

But no more than that. While Daniel hadn't seen Zhao Gao fight, he didn't believe Zhao Gao had reached the level of Wu Ming or others like him—his skills were limited by his martial cultivation.

Zhao Gao had once snuck up behind Sheng Qi and patted his shoulder, a feat that seemed impressive but didn't necessarily mean he could defeat Sheng Qi in a straight fight.

Actions with murderous intent and those without are completely different. The stronger a fighter, the more sensitive they are to killing intent. Conversely, without killing intent, they might let their guard down.

As the battle between the Miscellaneous School and the Web raged on with casualties on both sides, neither Daniel nor Xinghun seemed too concerned. For Xinghun, the Web had once been an enemy, and even now, though they served the same master, camaraderie was out of the question.

"True Steel and Water Severing. Are these the only two left of the Six Sword Slaves?" Daniel wondered aloud as the tide of battle began to turn against Lu Buwei. After all, this was Xianyang. Unless Ying Zheng was killed at the outset and the city taken swiftly, the army would inevitably get involved.

Faced with the army's powerful crossbows, even the strongest fighters wouldn't want

 to risk it.

"How dare you betray me, Zhao Gao? Why?" In the study of Wenxin Hou's mansion, Lu Buwei glared at Zhao Gao, his body trembling uncontrollably. He had planned everything meticulously, but one factor he hadn't considered was the Web's betrayal.

According to Lu Buwei's plan, his Miscellaneous School, combined with the Web, could swiftly seize control of Xianyang. After that, with Ying Zheng dead, they would install another member of the Ying family as Qin's ruler. With the Empress Dowager's support, even the military might be forced to compromise.

It was a near-perfect plan, assuming the Web had fully supported him. If they had, Ying Zheng would have been in serious danger, despite the Yin-Yang School's protection.

But he had never anticipated that the Web would turn against him. Lu Buwei was deeply confused and frustrated. He believed he had the Web under his complete control and couldn't fathom what they stood to gain by siding with Ying Zheng.

Compared to serving under him, wouldn't the Web gain more power with him in charge? After all, Ying Zheng already had the Shadow Guards and now the Six Gates Division, both of which diluted the Web's authority.

"Minister, can you really not understand? As the saying goes, 'A wise bird chooses the tree it nests in.' Your tree is about to fall, so naturally, the Web seeks a stronger one," Zhao Gao replied, pouring a drink from a glass decanter into a glass goblet. As he poured, a black spider crawled across his left hand.

"Minister, please drink," Zhao Gao said, sliding the goblet toward Lu Buwei.

"You..." Lu Buwei stammered, his whole body trembling as he stared at the goblet. No matter how great a man may be, when faced with the prospect of death, their true nature is often revealed.

"Minister, don't keep me waiting. The King is expecting my report," Zhao Gao said as he stood up. Without any apparent movement, he was suddenly outside the door, which closed behind him without a sound.

In the dark, fiery night of Xianyang, two figures, one black and one white, darted through the air, eventually leaving the city and arriving at a mountain peak to the east.

"It seems your skills haven't improved much," said Mo Ya, sitting comfortably on a tree branch, smiling at Bai Feng, who stood on a nearby branch.

"How did you progress so quickly?" Bai Feng asked, clearly puzzled. He was well aware of Mo Ya's abilities, having sparred with him numerous times. But this time, Mo Ya's display of lightness skills was far beyond what he'd shown in Korea.

"I owe it all to the National Advisor. Here, this is for you," Mo Ya said, tossing a small wooden box to Bai Feng.

"What's this?" Bai Feng asked as he opened the box to reveal two white pills.

"Yin-Yang School's True Man Pills," Mo Ya replied with a smile.

"But why give them to me? Aren't we enemies now?"

"Enemies? You're with Liusha now? Don't worry; to the National Advisor, Liusha isn't even worth his attention. You've seen his abilities—do you really think he'd consider Liusha a threat?" Bai Feng hadn't witnessed Daniel's Horizon's Edge technique, but he had seen the incredible utility of the Bag of Holding.

"How is Sister Ying Ge?" Bai Feng asked after a moment of silence, pocketing the True Man Pills.

For Bai Feng, only two people in Baichao mattered—Mo Ya and Ying Ge. The rest meant nothing to him.

"She's doing well. Since you're here, you should see her. She's been looking forward to it. But I must admit, I never thought you'd join Liusha," Mo Ya said, taking off towards the Moon and Sun Manor, with Bai Feng following closely behind.

"Xiaofeng, you're here! It's been so long!" Ying Ge exclaimed when she saw Bai Feng, playfully pinching his cheeks.

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