Embroidered Uniform Guard’s prison:
Ao Sheng’s eyes turned bloodshot in a fierce expression. He had not expected Gu Hai to be so ruthless, not caring about Ao Shun’s life or death.
Should I persist?
“It’s impossible. Gu Hai will not ignore Ao Shun. Kill me! Just kill me! That will destroy Ao Shun!” Ao Sheng roared ferociously. However, he did not sound confident.
Now that his cultivation was sealed, he was like meat on a chopping block, helpless to do anything.
“Gu Hai, that cheat! Had I…had I only endured a little longer!” Ao Sheng said with grief and rage.
After Gu Hai interrogated Ao Sheng, the other Embroidered Uniform Guards did not dare to interfere.
Before dawn:
Boom!
A loud sound shook the prison.
“There’s an a.s.sas—” A prison guard stopped shouting midway.
Ao Sheng startled awake.
“Did Sima Changkong send someone to rescue me?” Ao Sheng’s eyes lit up.
Soon, an Embroidered Uniform Guard walked into the prison.
“Prime Ao Shun, how could they do this to you?!” that Embroidered Uniform Guard exclaimed.
“Little Lin?” Ao Sheng raised his eyebrows.
This is one of the dragons who betrayed me and defected to Ao Shun back then. He…he does not know who I am?
“Prime Ao Shun, when I saw you being brought here, I just knew that Gu Hai was up to no good. Hurry! I’ll take you away.” Little Lin freed Ao Sheng anxiously.
“You are here to rescue me?” Ao Sheng stared at Little Lin.
Does Little Lin think I am Ao Shun? Or did Gu Hai send him?
“Quickly, leave! No, I’ll bring you out!” Little Lin carried Ao Sheng and fled.
Regardless of Little Lin’s motives, Ao Sheng did not struggle, as he would no longer need to care about any schemes once he escaped.
------
Sima Changkong’s residence:
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An official reported to Sima Changkong.
“What did you say? Ao Sheng escaped?” Sima Changkong scowled.
“Yes. A dragon loyal to Ao Shun called Little Lin impersonated an Embroidered Uniform Guard, infiltrated the prison, and rescued Ao Sheng. The Embroidered Uniform Guards discovered them after they came out, and that Little Lin died in the battle. However, our men saw Ao Sheng and helped Ao Sheng hide. Now, Borderless Heavenly Capital’s Embroidered Uniform Guards are frantically searching the place,” that official said respectfully.
“Impossible! That’s impossible! No one knows where the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s secret prison is located. How would anyone mount a rescue? Furthermore, they had already captured Ao Sheng. How could they let him flee? This must be Gu Hai’s scheme!” Sima Changkong’s face sank; he did not believe this at all.
“About that, no matter what Gu Hai’s scheme is, Prime Ao Sheng is indeed out. Milord, what should we do now?” that official asked, finding this strange.
Sima Changkong paced, feeling extremely frustrated.
If it were someone else, Sima Changkong would not need to worry. Getting rescued was luck. However, the opponent was Gu Hai. What is Gu Hai thinking? What is his motive?
This is definitely not a mistake. It definitely is not!
Sima Changkong showed a sullen expression. While he believed it was not a mistake, he could not think of a reason.
“Perhaps Gu Hai convinced Ao Sheng to defect, then sent Ao Sheng back to spy on us?” Sima Changkong’s eyelids twitched wildly.
“Milord, what should we do? Ao Sheng said he would return immediately!” that official said.
Sima Changkong’s eyelids kept twitching wildly. “Let him return first, regardless of whether it is a scheme or not.”
“Ah?!”
“Send out a notice. Protect Prime Ao Sheng; a.s.sist him with everything you have. Do your best to bring him out of the city and back here,” Sima Changkong said seriously.
“Yes!”
“Go ask Daoist Duobao, Sect Master Heavenly Access’s disciple, for help. He is in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm. Ask him to help me quickly bring Ao Sheng back. The faster, the better,” Sima Changkong said.
“Ah? Sect Master Heavenly Access’s disciple? Will he help?”
“He will. Sect Master Heavenly Access and the others are feeling frustrated. They won’t fear having something to do. Rather, they fear having nothing to do. As long as it is against Gu Hai, they will be willing. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” Sima Changkong instructed.
“Yes!” that official said respectfully.
Sima Changkong had already figured out how everyone thought. He could even easily manipulate the Myriad Age Daoist Sect disciples.
------
The next morning, the emperor’s study:
Mo Yike, Shangguan Hen, Gao Xianzhi, Kong Xuan, Gu Qin, and Chen Tianshan all appeared anxious, gazing extremely worriedly towards the emperor’s study. The six knew that Meng Tai immediately came to receive his punishment early in the morning.
“How could it be like this? To think Ao Sheng got taken away! Meng Tai has failed badly!” Chen Tianshan said with an unsightly expression.
“Humph! Tras.h.!.+” Kong Xuan snorted coldly.
Shangguan Hen showed a sullen expression. The Embroidered Uniform Guards had now spread throughout the city, searching. Who could have thought the spy would escape shortly after they captured him?
“Lord Mo, could Imperial Father have done this on purpose?” Gu Qin frowned at Mo Yike.
Mo Yike looked at Gu Qin in surprise, then recovered his calm. “This official does not dare to speculate on His Reverence’s matters.”
“Alright!” Gu Qin nodded.
“Come in!” Gu Hai’s voice came from the study.
The six immediately entered in a single file.
The scene inside was different from what everyone expected.
Gu Hai sat behind the desk while Meng Tai stood to the side, appearing scarcely chastised. Meng Tai gave everyone a slight bow.
“Your Reverence, Ao Sheng escaped?” Gao Xianzhi asked with a frown.
Everyone looked at Gu Hai.
“That’s right. The Embroidered Uniform Guard lost him. We have already given Meng Tai full authority to deal with this. You don’t have to bother yourselves about it,” Gu Hai said indifferently.
“Oh! Yes!” Gao Xianzhi answered.
Everyone looked at Gu Hai, unable to fathom his thoughts.
Meng Tai is actually fine? Full authority to deal with this? Doesn’t that mean Ao Sheng’s escape might be intentional? After all, this is too great a failure. Meng Tai has had many failures recently, sufficient to strip him of his Embroidered Uniform Guard’s envoy commander position. Now, he is fine? Full authority?
Did His Reverence deliberately let Ao Sheng go? Did he manage to recruit Ao Sheng and send him back as a spy?
That can’t be right. That would be too obvious. Anyone would be able to tell that Ao Sheng’s escape was intentional. If His Reverence let Ao Sheng go on purpose, His Reverence would go all the way, appearing furious and stripping Meng Tai of his position.
Did Meng Tai truly fail badly, letting Ao Sheng escape? Then His Reverence simply went with the flow to minimize the impact, using this to drive a wedge between his enemies?
Everyone wished they could clarify the situation. Gu Hai’s handling of this confused them.
When Gu Hai handled matters, it was hard to guess his motive.
Gu Hai remained tight-lipped, not discussing this; they could only discuss other matters.
------
At the border of the Han Nation and the Wu Nation, the Wu Nation had erected a ma.s.sive military barracks and a city nearby called Han Destruction City.
A hall in Han Destruction City:
Sima Changkong seemed to be waiting for someone.
There was a group of people in the hall.
A sullen Sect Master Heavenly Access sat on the left side, drinking tea, while his disciples stood behind him respectfully.
A group of monks was on the right side, the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s envoys. The two leading the group were the White Emperor and Bodhisattva Nan Longnu.
The White Emperor’s subordinates stood behind her, including one of Gu Hai’s adopted sons, Gu Tang, who now went by Tang Gu.
“Daoist Duobao went to rescue Ao Sheng? Haha! Would Ao Sheng be that easy to rescue?” Bodhisattva Nan Longnu sneered.
Sect Master Heavenly Access looked at Sima Changkong coldly.
Sima Changkong stood upright, clasping his hands behind his back. “I do not know what Gu Hai is planning this time.”
“Oh? You don’t know? Aren’t you good at predicting the opponent’s actions and s.n.a.t.c.hing the initiative? You sent waves of measures against Gu Hai. Even this sect master became a tool for you?” Sect Master Heavenly Access said coldly.
Sima Changkong shook his head. “I could a.n.a.lyze the situation if it were someone else. However, this Gu Hai… Hah! Sect Master still does not take him seriously? The Myriad Age Daoist Sect suffered at his hands; the Spirit Mountain Holy Land also suffered at his hands. Unless I meet Ao Sheng, I have no way of judging.”
“If you have no way of judging, are we just going to keep waiting? You aren’t going to say that you have no way now that Gu Hai has returned, right?” Sect Master Heavenly Access said coldly.
Sima Changkong frowned, then said, “I have thought of a method to lure Gu Hai out of Borderless Heavenly Capital. However, I need everyone’s cooperation.”
“Oh?” Everyone felt startled.
Lure Gu Hai out of Borderless Heavenly Capital? How? Would Gu Hai be that foolish, running out to his death without using the Han Nation’s power?
“What is the method?” Some antic.i.p.ation flashed in Sect Master Heavenly Access’s eyes.
Once Gu Hai leaves Borderless Heavenly Capital, I can do whatever I want to him.
“I will need the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s help.” Sima Changkong looked at the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s people.
“Oh? Us? How can we help?” Bodhisattva Nan Longnu asked seriously.
Sima Changkong looked at the White Emperor.
“White Emperor, you have joined the Spirit Mountain Holy Land, right?” Sima Changkong smiled.
Everyone looked at the White Emperor.
The White Emperor’s face sank. “How do you want me to help?”
“If I recall right, your earthly soul used to be the earthly soul of Gu Hai’s wife, Chen Xianer?” Sima Changkong smiled.
“Huh?”
Nan Longnu and Sect Master Heavenly Access appeared slightly shocked. Clearly, not everyone knew of the ties between the White Emperor and Gu Hai.
“Hah! Sima Changkong, you truly investigated thoroughly.” The White Emperor smiled coldly.
“Might I ask if White Emperor still has feelings for Gu Hai?” Sima Changkong stared at the White Emperor.
“Feelings? We are the one who wants to kill him the most. Does that count as feelings?” the White Emperor sneered.
“Why?” Nan Longnu asked, feeling confused.
However, Sima Changkong smiled. “I can guess why. Gu Hai wants the White Emperor’s earthly soul to revive Chen Xianer, so he wants to kill the White Emperor and extract her earthly soul—rather, he wants to refine the White Emperor’s heavenly soul and mortal soul into nourishment for Chen Xianer’s three spiritual souls. That means destroying the White Emperor’s consciousness and reviving Chen Xianer’s consciousness.”
“Good that you know,” the White Emperor said coldly.
“The White Emperor holds a deep hatred for Gu Hai, while Gu Hai cares deeply for you—no, your earthly soul. I recall he dared to kill the Azure Emperor when he just reached the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm to take revenge for Chen Xianer and even fought Old Mister Guan Qi for her heavenly soul, right?” Sima Changkong smiled.
“What do you want?” the White Emperor asked coldly.
“I just want to ask White Emperor to put on a show with me. We will use you as a hostage to force Gu Hai out,” Sima Changkong replied.
“Will Gu Hai fall for it?” Nan Longnu frowned.
“He will. Gu Hai is as driven by pa.s.sion as Old Mister Guan Qi was. As long as the White Emperor cooperates, he will come out. Then Sect Master Heavenly Access will ambush him. He will die for sure!” Sima Changkong’s eyes turned cold.