Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 35 Plan

Before leaving, Gu Jia had informed Li Shiming of some news, Prince Shun would head to Baoen Temple outside the city tomorrow to pray.

Li Shiming naturally understood what it meant for him to share this news; it was another favor being offered to him.

After sending Gu Jia away, Li Shiming considered how to kill a protected person without using the methods of a cultivator and without leaving any trace.

In the vast database of the IBMz15 server, there were indeed too many ways to kill a mortal; his task was to choose.

To select the most effective method that met the requirements.

With the thought process enhanced by 190 CPUs, a plan quickly formed.

He instructed Mo Yan, then returned to his study to look at the map Gu Jia had left behind.

The map marked the location of the market and the methods to enter it.

In fact, the entry methods for almost all markets were similar; the markets limited mortals, not to restrict cultivators from entering.

Knowing that Li Shiming was a newcomer, Gu Jia had thoughtfully provided him with the entry methods to the market as well.

The market was not inside the city of Central Capital but twenty li to the north of the city.

Li Shiming frowned slightly, realizing it was impractical to reach the market by horse or carriage.

Although he was physically robust now, he had never tried running long distances; doing so would be like announcing his weakness to other cultivators.

"It seems I will need to use the 'Basic Light Body Talisman'!" Li Shiming muttered to himself.

He had only eleven 'Basic Light Body Talismans', but considering his journey to the market and the possibility of buying more talismans there, using one or two wasn't unacceptable.

The market's next opening was in five days; the first issues to consider were Prince Shun and Li Wenfeng.

Learning about Li Wenfeng's situation wasn't difficult. Mo Yan had explored Li Wenfeng's residence, which was some distance from the Imperial City and not within Gu Jia's protected perimeter.

Killing Li Wenfeng could be done anytime as long as he didn't use cultivator methods and left no traces of Spiritual Power Pattern, to which Gu Jia might turn a blind eye.

Li Shiming even suspected that if he did use Spiritual Power Pattern, Gu Jia was very likely to protect him.

Of course, if he did so, he would owe Gu Jia even more favors, which he didn't want to accumulate too much of.

At the eastern gate of Central Capital, a troop in fine attire rode out.

It was indeed Prince Shun's convoy, comprising three carriages and fifty cavalry guards.

Prince Shun was in the most luxurious carriage in the center, flanked by four expert riders for protection.

With such security measures, they could handle most situations comfortably, and even if they encountered a large military force, they could hold out until reinforcements arrived.

The journey of Prince Shun was considered absolutely safe, at least that's what everyone in the group believed.

The cavalry, all well-trained, maintained a steady pace in their march.

Four of the riders scouted back and forth in pairs, embodying typical military discipline.

Li Shiming had left the city earlier than Prince Shun, also heading to Baoen Temple to fulfill a vow. When Prince Shun set out, he was returning to the city from Baoen Temple.

He too was not lightly guarded, with four protectors, Si Qin, and Mo Yan.

Outside the city was a straight road, with the carriage traveling in the middle.

"Young Master, there is a royal convoy ahead, should we make way?" one of the guards spotted the convoy's flag and hurriedly reported.

When carriages met on the road, it was generally necessary to yield according to rank.

Li Shiming's party had no rank at all; naturally, they had to yield to the royal convoy.

"Move to the side but keep going forward!" Li Shiming had already observed the convoy through the carriage window, and he commanded in a deep voice.

It wasn't the Emperor traveling, and there was no need to clear the streets; it was enough just to clear the middle lane.

Just as the carriage moved aside, an inconspicuous flat stone fell from the underside of the carriage to the ground.

Amid the sound of the wheels making contact with the ground, no one, including the four guards, noticed the flat stone.

The convoy of Prince Shun didn't pay any attention to the carriage that moved aside and maintained its previous speed, moving forward.

"It's the carriage of the Prefect of Nanling!" Li Wenfeng, sitting next to Prince Shun, saw the familiar mark and couldn't help but express his surprise.

He couldn't possibly forget the mark of the Prefect of Nanling. If it hadn't been for suppressing his elder brother, how could he have been so heavily utilized by Prince Shun, and how could he have become a Third-Rank Historian?

"Don't let your hatred blind you; there will be plenty of opportunities to deal with him later!" Prince Shun waved his hand and said.

He picked up a cup of wine, his face showing no change upon hearing news of Li Shiming.

Li Shiming was too insignificant compared to him. If it hadn't been about the auspicious signs possibly upsetting his father, dealing with Li Shiming would have been a trivial matter.

He didn't want a mere insect to disturb his elegance, as he was a man destined for great things. He aspired to be the Emperor of Great Xia one day.

As the two carriages passed each other, Li Shiming saw Li Wenfeng. He had previously seen this man's portrait from Steward Zhang, and due to their blood relationship, he recognized Li Wenfeng the instant he saw him.

Li Shiming showed a faint smile on his face as he looked towards Li Wenfeng, never expecting Li Wenfeng to also be in Prince Shun's carriage.

It made sense, after all, being the Senior Secretary of Prince Shun Mansion, it was perfectly logical for Li Wenfeng to travel with Prince Shun.

At that moment, Li Wenfeng, too, saw Li Shiming through the carriage window, along with the smile on Li Shiming's face.

Li Wenfeng felt a chill run through his heart, and his body hairs stood on end.

Despite knowing Li Shiming to be a frail scholar, in his eyes, Li Shiming seemed like a beast, a beast watching a weak prey.

Li Wenfeng wanted to voice his feelings, but he thought of the skilled experts beside the carriage and the fifty cavalrymen, a force that reassured him considerably.

The windows crossed paths, and the two carriages parted; Prince Shun's team had walked almost a hundred meters while Li Shiming's carriage was about two hundred meters away from Prince Shun's carriage.

As Prince Shun's team reached the area with the flat stone on the ground, the leading cavalry did not care about the stone.

Unless it was a particularly large stone, it wouldn't affect the progress of the team, so they naturally ignored it.

If even such flat stones had to be cleared, then they might as well not proceed.

When the carriage Prince Shun was riding passed over the flat stone, the stone emitted a 'crack' sound, followed by a small flame.

As soon as the flame appeared, it triggered a larger fire.

The flame was white, with a pungent smell, and enveloped the entire carriage.