Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza, Borderless Heavenly Capital:
Vairocana and Gu Hai discussed Ba’s appearance, frowning all the while.
Clearly, Ba’s strength far surpa.s.sed everyone’s expectations. To Vairocana, she rivaled Long Zhanguo. This showed how deeply Jiang Lianshan had hidden his abilities.
“Imperial Emperor Gu is quite incredible too. Despite being in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm’s third layer, you could already see the distant Great Desolation City.” Vairocana looked at Gu Hai contemplatively.
When Gu Hai noticed Vairocana, he had already put away the heavenly eye.
“It is just a minor trick, nothing worth mentioning,” Gu Hai said indifferently.
Vairocana looked at Gu Hai and smiled faintly, not pursuing this topic.
“How did you discover the strange events at Great Desolation City?” Gu Hai looked at Vairocana with some confusion.
The others in Borderless Heavenly Capital understood the situation because of the messages from the zither puppets. Only Gu Hai alone could see Great Desolation City. How did Vairocana know? Wasn’t he in closed-door cultivation in his Hall of Great Strength?
“It was just a coincidence. I happened to come out of seclusion,” Vairocana said seriously.
“Oh?” Gu Hai’s eyes lit up as he looked at Vairocana, guessing what Vairocana wanted to say.
Vairocana nodded as he smiled faintly. “Fortunately, I have not failed you. I found him.”
“Please!” Gu Hai extended his hand, inviting Vairocana to enter the Soaring Palace Hall.
Vairocana nodded. This matter was very important, so he did not speak about it in front of the civil and military officials.
Creak!
The doors closed after the two stepped into the Soaring Palace Hall.
“Have you found the location of my son Gu Han?” Gu Hai asked with antic.i.p.ation.
Vairocana nodded. “I sensed his location by tracing the Six-Syllable Great Light Mantra.”
“In the Spirit Mountain Holy Land?” Gu Hai asked expectantly.
Vairocana shook his head. “In the nether realm.”
“The nether realm?” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Yes. I have not pinpointed his location, but I forged this Mantra Seeking Ball. It will point you towards the Six-Syllable Great Light Mantra it senses,” Vairocana said seriously.
After Vairocana spoke, a small, hollow ball that seemed gilded with gold appeared in his palm. Inside was a small buddha statue with the Six-Syllable Great Light Mantra carved on it, gleaming with golden light. That small buddha statue’s right hand pointed to the ground. As the ball moved, the small buddha statue seemed to change its position.
“This is the Mantra Seeking Ball?” Gu Hai felt concerned over the result.
“That’s right. I infused my energy into it; it will work for a year. It can help you find Gu Han. Should I go with you?” Vairocana asked.
Gu Hai shook his head gently. “There’s no need for now. Thank you for your effort.”
“It’s no problem at all.” Vairocana nodded.
Gu Hai carefully put away the Mantra Seeking Ball.
“Many thanks!” Gu Hai bowed gravely.
“Mister Gu is too polite. This was just a minor effort.” Vairocana smiled.
Gu Hai shook his head. “Your minor effort is extremely important to me.”
“When are you planning to go?” Vairocana asked.
“I will go after I settle a few matters on hand,” Gu Hai said.
Vairocana nodded.
------
A drill ground in Borderless Heavenly Capital:
Many dragons bound with ropes by many Han Nation soldiers lay in the drill ground.
“Roar!” a large dragon roared in pain.
The Unborn Man stood in front of that dragon and seemed to stab his withered right hand into the dragon’s head. Then he grabbed, causing the dragon intense pain.
Whoos.h.!.+
The Unborn Man dragged a purplish-black figure out of that dragon’s head. That image took the shape of a dragon struggling in pain.
Whoos.h.!.+
The Unborn Man squeezed, and that dragon-shaped figure immediately shrank to the size of a small pellet before he put it away.
The earlier dragon collapsed to the ground, covered in sweat.
“How is it, Elder Lin?” Ao Shun asked anxiously from the side.
“Crown Prince—no, Prime—don’t worry. The ancient dragon soul was completely removed. Many thanks, Prime. Many thanks, Senior Unborn Man,” that large dragon said gratefully.
“Many thanks, Unborn Man!” Ao Shun looked at the Unborn Man in grat.i.tude.
“After soaking in nether fluid for so long, it is time to remove it. There’s no need to thank me. There are also the other dragons. It won’t be too late to thank me after everything is over,” the Unborn Man said indifferently.
“Alright!” Ao Shun said gratefully.
The Unborn Man quickly removed the ancient dragon souls from the dragons. Dragon roars and painful howls rang out continuously on the drill ground. However, the dragons felt grateful to the Unborn Man and Ao Shun after the pain.
The ancient dragon souls in their bodies could help them grow quickly. However, they could not control the ancient dragon souls. Furthermore, as the ancient dragon souls sank into their bones and marrow, they felt their spiritual souls being a.s.similated, turning them into someone else.
Things were fine now; they had finally gotten rid of the ancient dragon souls.
“Many thanks, Senior Unborn Man!” All the dragons who had ancient dragon souls removed bowed gratefully to the Unborn Man.
“There’s no need to thank me. Thank His Reverence if you have to.” The Unborn Man shook his head before leaving, ignoring them.
However, Ao Shun bowed three times to the Unborn Man.
“Everyone, since the Unborn Man has already removed the ancient dragon souls, recuperate and recover from your injuries and regain your cultivations,” Ao Shun instructed.
“Yes, Prime!” one thousand dragons answered while saluting.
Ao Shun nodded.
As he nodded, Ao Shun’s expression suddenly changed.
“Prime, what happened?” Elder Lin asked with misgiving.
Ao Shun frowned as he replied, “I share a drop of ancestor dragon blood with Ao Sheng. Sometimes, we can sense each other through it. Something might have happened to Ao Sheng.”
“Ah?” The dragons felt slightly startled.
Ao Shun closed his eyes and focused on the drop of blood.
Argh! Argh! Argh! I’m in the Purple Bamboo Forest. Save me! Save me!
Ao Shun could vaguely hear Ao Sheng’s voice through the drop of blood.
“Ao Sheng is screaming miserably. He is about to die?” Ao Shun’s face sank.
“Prime, his dying would be great. He colluded with outsiders to harm you several times and nearly succeeded!”
“Indeed. Prime, there’s no need to care about his survival!”
“Prime, just ignore him!”
The dragons clamored in a righteous pique.
However, Elder Lin merely frowned slightly, saying nothing.
“Alright, shut up!” Elder Gen shouted.
The dragons fell silent only after that.
“Elder Lin?” Ao Shun looked at Elder Lin.
Elder Lin showed a faint, bitter smile as he shook his head. “Although Ao Sheng harmed us, we watched the two of you grow up. Ao Sheng did indeed go overboard with the things he did, digging up the ancestral graves, taking control of our souls, harming Prime, attacking Borderless Heavenly Capital, and committing all sorts of evils. However, this is Prime’s family matter in the end. We should not interfere.”
Ao Shun looked at Elder Lin and eventually nodded.
After instructing the dragons to recuperate, Ao Shun rushed impatiently to Gu Hai’s study.
------
In the emperor’s study:
Gu Hai stopped reading the memorials to the throne and looked at Ao Shun standing before him.
“You say that the Southern Sea Dragon King tricked Ao Sheng into going to the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest, and he is about to die?” Gu Hai frowned.
“Yes. I want to save him!” Ao Shun said.
“Save him? Ao Sheng?” Gu Hai looked at Ao Shun gravely.
Ao Shun showed a faint, wry smile as he said, “Your Reverence, I know Ao Sheng made many mistakes over the years. He harmed the Han Imperial Dynasty and even wanted me dead. However, he is still my younger brother in the end.”
Gu Hai’s expression turned solemn.
“Before Father died, he told me to do my best to take care of Ao Sheng. My younger brother made all those mistakes because I failed to lead him to the right path. I share responsibility in that.” Ao Shun smiled bitterly.
“You don’t blame him? He tried to kill you,” Gu Hai said seriously.
“When the father is absent, the eldest brother is like the father. He has indeed committed many mistakes, but he is my younger brother in the end. My mother died early, so I have only one family member left in the world. I watched him grow up. Hah! Others might think me stupid for wanting to save him, but he is my younger brother in the end,” Ao Shun pleaded.
Gu Hai looked at Ao Shun. After some silence, he nodded. “Alright. We permit you to save Ao Sheng.”
“Really?” Ao Shun said as his eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.
“Ao Sheng has indeed done many things to harm the Han Nation. However, he was just serving his master. We could accept Sima Changkong; how can we not tolerate Ao Sheng? Go. If you can bring him back, you may do so. Just keep him in check in the future,” Gu Hai said.
“Yes. Your Reverence, don’t worry. I will teach him well!” Ao Shun said gratefully.
“But!” Gu Hai said with a frown.
“Your Reverence, what is it?”
“That Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest is very mysterious. Even Jiang Gautama treated them so well. They are not as simple as they appeared,” Gu Hai said.
“I’ll be careful!” Ao Shun promised.
However, Gu Hai still felt worried. “Men!”
“Present!” A guard respectfully entered the emperor’s study.
“Summon Shangguan Hen to meet us!” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes!”
Not long after the guard left, Shangguan Hen entered the study.
“Your Reverence, you called for me?” Shangguan Hen said in bewilderment.
“How goes the gathering of the black tortoise race?” Gu Hai asked with a smile.
“Your Reverence, rest a.s.sured. Everything is on track. The elders of the black tortoise race are helping to gather the black tortoises, and two thousand have already joined us. There will be more coming.” Shangguan Hen smiled.
“Since it is on track, we have something for you to do,” Gu Hai said gravely.
“Your Reverence, please command me,” Shangguan Hen said with a solemn expression.
“Accompany Ao Shun and head to the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest to save Ao Sheng,” Gu Hai said.
“Oh?” Shangguan Hen felt slightly startled.
Ao Shun had not expected Gu Hai to let him go, much less send Shangguan Hen to help him.
“Yes!” Shangguan Hen answered.
Shangguan Hen and Ao Shun got along well. No matter the purpose, he immediately agreed.
“Many thanks, Your Reverence!” Ao Shun said gratefully.
“Be careful on this trip. Also, Sha is investigating the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest, but there has been no word from him. This shows how mysterious the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest is. You might fail to find Ao Sheng. We need you to minimize the risk and prioritize protecting yourselves,” Gu Hai said.
“Yes!” the two said, feeling touched.
“When suitable, you can ask Sha to help if you meet him. We will write you a letter.” Gu Hai quickly started writing.
Grat.i.tude filled Ao Shun’s eyes at the sight.
Sending Shangguan Hen was already sufficient. Now, he even wrote to Sha. This meant Gu Hai would owe Sha another favor because of him.
Ao Shun clenched his fist, feeling absolute loyalty to Gu Hai.
After folding the letter, Gu Hai handed it to Shangguan Hen. “Remember to be careful!”
“Yes!” the two answered solemnly.
Then the two left the study and shot towards the Southern Sea.
Just as Gu Hai was going to continue perusing the memorials, a guard entered. “Reporting to Your Reverence, the Yan Heavenly Dynasty sent an envoy!”
“Yan Heavenly Dynasty? Did the envoy give his name?” Gu Hai suddenly narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s War G.o.d Marquis, Xingtian!” the guard reported respectfully.