Chapter 1288, At Risk of Destruction; Approach the Heavenslayers Alliance Leader

Translator: Fate

Translation Checker: Silavin

 

It was a well-known fact in the capital of the Land of Celestial Suffering that those who supported the Divine Generals were on bad terms with the Champion General.

 

However, many did not expect that on the same day the Champion General had left for the battlefield, those who worked for the Divine Generals did such a despicable thing.

 

The King, Chu Gucheng, covered the matter up for those who supported the Divine Generals to prevent the news from getting spread. He even sent some men to kill Chu Heng’s trusted aide, Han Feng.

 

This caused an uproar in the capital. Many found the matter inconceivable.

 

On the same day, the Martial Divine General, who stayed in the capital, showed up and clarified that this matter had nothing to do with those working for the Divine Generals. Although they were on bad terms with the Champion General, they would not do such a deplorable thing. They never harmed Chu Heng’s Wife when he was away from home.

 

Even though the Martial Divine General had made a clarification and sworn that this matter had nothing to do with them, many did not believe him. If it was not their doing, why did Chu Gucheng send some men to kill Chu Heng’s trusted aide?

 

The old minister ignored the clarification, bringing with him the signatures of the officials as he, Han Feng, Chu Bai, and the others asked Chu Gucheng to give them an explanation.

 

Things were getting worse. Before they went out of control, Chu Gucheng had no choice but to show up.

 

He held a meeting with the ministers in the palace and said that he knew nothing about this matter, nor did he know why his men had gone to kill Chu Heng’s trusted aide. He suspected that they had collaborated with some outsiders and betrayed him.After all, everyone had seen how powerful Gu Changge was. He might have taken control of Chu Gucheng’s men.

 

Chu Gucheng shifted the blame to Gu Changge, claiming that it was the latter’s plot to go against the Land of Celestial Suffering.

 

Many were not convinced by his statement because they had seen how horrifyingly powerful Gu Changge was. If he wanted to deal with the Land of Celestial Suffering, he did not need to scheme like this.

 

People like Han Feng and Chu Bai were furious. After all, Gu Changge had saved them that night.

 

Now, Chu Gucheng had denied everything, claiming that Gu Changge had taken control of his men and made them betray him.

 

Anyway, they were not doing this to make Chu Gucheng give them an explanation. They wanted to retrieve the corpse of Chu Heng’s Wife.

 

The old minister knew what he should prioritise, so he did not expose Chu Gucheng’s lies right in front of everyone. He only said that he wanted to bury his Daughter, so he intended to take her corpse from the Royal Tomb.

 

Chu Gucheng still did not know who destroyed the men whom he had sent to kill Chu Heng’s trusted aide, nor was he aware of who saved Han Feng and the others. This was what he was most worried about.

 

He did not turn down the old minister’s request to retrieve his Daughter’s corpse from the Royal Tomb, for he had expected him to come up with that. Therefore, he had told some people to take all the items away from the corpse of Chu Heng’s Wife in advance to prevent leaving behind any clues.

 

The Land of Celestial Suffering had suffered immense losses, and things were starting to get out of his control. Now, he just hoped that before things worsened, he could get his hands on the Mirror of Reincarnation to stabilise the situation.

 

“Father…” In the depths of the palace, Chu Wushang looked worriedly at Chu Gucheng who had just returned. He appeared hesitant.

 

Suffering from a headache, Chu Gucheng rubbed the centre of his eyebrows for a moment before glancing at him. “I’ve settled everything, but where’s the jade you talked about?”

 

“I don’t know where the jade is either. I didn’t think deeply about it or take note of it at that time. Later, when I told some people to sort out Qing Lan’s items, I realised the jade was missing. I suspect it has been lost. If the jade were in the old minister’s hands, they wouldn’t have urgently wanted to retrieve Qing Lan’s body.” Chu Wushang said solemnly.

 

Chu Gucheng nodded and said, “It’d be great if the jade is truly lost. I’m worried the jade has been taken away and fallen into Chu Heng’s hands. Probe everyone who has come into contact with Qing Lan’s corpse during this period. When I recover a little of my power, I’ll try to deduce it. Things would still be in control before Chu Heng returns. I’m just worried…”

 

He did not finish his sentence, but Chu Wushang knew what he wanted to say. the Land of Celestial Suffering had suffered tremendous losses, so the situation was unstable in the kingdom. To make things worse, two of their enemies were trying to destroy them.

 

Also, the mysterious Gu Changge was looming in the dark, ready to bring calamity upon the Land of Celestial Suffering at any moment.

 

The Land of Celestial Suffering was at risk of destruction.

 

“Don’t worry, Father. If the matter regarding the jade is exposed, I know what to do. I won’t let this matter affect the Land of Celestial Suffering.” Chu Wushang said solemnly. He seemed ready to sacrifice himself to save the Kingdom.

 

Chu Gucheng sighed and patted his shoulder.

 

“I never want to see that happen. Anyway, it’s too early to talk about it. I have to come up with a way to get help from the Primary Hope Holy Church so that my Master will recover. We can’t rely on the Ardent Ruins Cave. The fact that Old Lady Xing Ying never made a move shows our alliance has some problems. The Land of Celestial Suffering has probably become a chess piece in someone else’s game.”

 

…

 

While Chu Gucheng and Chu Wushang were conversing, on an ancient battleship at the border of the Land of Celestial Suffering, Chu Heng, who was clad in a golden cloak, stared fixedly at the figure wearing a dark robe before his eyes.

 

His men were nervous and vigilant, ready to make a move at any moment.

 

“Who are you? Why have you barged into our camp?” Chu Heng questioned sternly.

 

Given his cultivation, he did not detect this person approaching them. He only realised it when the other party was right in front of the ancient battleship.

 

There was no doubt this person was a being close to the Ancestral Dao Realm.

 

During this period, he had been leading his army to go against the Beast Court and Purple Sky Mountain at the border. As such, he had only heard about what happened in the capital.

 

He wanted to help, but those from the Beast Court and Purple Sky Mountain were too aggressive. Although the Sect Master of Purple Sky Mountain had stopped making a move, he did not return to his Sect. He had stayed here to intimidate them.

 

Other than that, the Beast Ancestor from the Beast Court seemed tempted to head to the front line when he learned that the Land of Celestial Suffering had suffered immense losses.

 

The Beast Ancestor of the Beast Court, Di Huang, was as powerful as the Sect Master of Purple Sky Mountain. He was a being who had gotten through his Eighth Decay Tribulation.

 

Chu Heng was facing pressure as great as that in the capital, so he could not leave.

 

“I’ve come here to send you something following my Master’s order. I have no ill intentions.” The figure clad in the black robe had a vague face. His gaze was deep, and his voice was hoarse and dispassionate.

 

Chu Heng did not let his guard down because of what the other party had said. As a glint flashed across his eyes, he asked, “Who’s your Master? What’s the item?”

 

“You’ll know when you see it.” The person in the black robe did not directly answer Chu Heng’s question. The moment he finished speaking, he shook his sleeve as a ray of light appeared before Chu Heng’s eyes.

 

Chu Heng was startled for a moment. When he made out what the light was, his pupils dilated.

 

“This… is Qing Lan’s jade. Why is it here?” His voice was shaky as disbelief was written all over his face. His arm was trembling as he extended his hand.

 

He had told his trusted aide Han Feng to carry his jade and return to the capital to look into the matter regarding Qing Lan’s death. As such, he wondered why Qing Lan’s jade was here.

 

Did something happen in the capital that he was not aware of?

 

“Since you’ve received the item, I’ll take my leave now. If you want to know the truth of what happened in the capital, you’d better return. Otherwise, you might be used and discarded like a chess piece without knowing the truth.” The person in the black robe sounded as impassive as ever. His emotions were not affected because of how shocked Chu Heng was.

 

He turned around upon finishing his words, ready to leave the ancient battleship.

 

When Chu Heng’s men saw that, their expressions changed. They wanted to make him stay, but Chu Heng waved his hand and stopped them, letting the person in the black robe leave.

 

“Sir, the Mistress’ jade was suddenly sent to us. Do you think there is a plot? Or, perhaps the enemies are trying to sway our morale and make us leave the front line.”

 

When Chu Heng’s trusted aides saw that he was struggling in pain, they were worried.

 

“I have a feeling that something serious has happened in the capital. My spies in the capital have not sent me any news during this period.” Chu Heng waved his hand and kept the jade before taking a deep breath. Then, he looked in the capital’s direction with a solemn expression.

 

He had some speculation of who the Master was that the black-robed man had brought up. However, he was uncertain and could not figure out how things had changed so drastically.

 

Something serious must have happened in the capital. That was why his moles in the capital had disappeared all of a sudden.

 

Moreover, Han Feng was supposed to be in the capital if everything went well. Why did Chu Heng not receive any news from him?

 

He was an Ancestral Dao Realm expert, after all. So, he could look into the past and predict the future as well.

 

However, since future incidents had not yet happened, there were many possibilities.

 

Usually, when he looked into the future, there were already some changes even by the passing second.

 

Nevertheless, when he took a peek at the future of the Land of Celestial Suffering, he realised there were many variations, but they all turned into the same possibility.

 

This showed that this was the most likely future of the Land of Celestial Suffering.

 

Chu Heng looked in the capital’s direction and gave it some thought. Then, he waved his hand and announced his decision. “Some will stay here to guard the front line. The rest will follow me back to the capital. I want to find out who is my enemy. Who is trying to stop me from getting to the truth behind Qing Lan’s death.”

 

Although his subordinates were hesitant, they did not dare to disobey his order.

 

Soon, an order was passed down from the ancient battleship. The soldiers who were confronting the enemies from the Beast Court retreated like an ebbing tide.

 

…

 

In the depths of the Starry Sky where corpses had piled up and blood formed a river, the Seventh Crown Prince of the Beast Court, Di Kun, watched everything coldly without letting his soldiers run after them.

 

A ripple spread beside him. Then, the White Bone Ancestor King, who was clad in a black robe, appeared and looked in that direction.

 

“What should I do next, Senior?” Di Kun looked at the White Bone Ancestor King and respectfully cupped his fists. He knew that the White Bone Ancestor King worked for Gu Changge.

 

When the Beast Court and the Land of Celestial Suffering were at war during this period, the White Bone Ancestor King came into contact with him and informed him of Gu Changge’s orders.

 

“Just wait patiently. When the Land of Celestial Suffering descends into chaos, it’ll be your chance to invade.” The White Bone Ancestor King said icily.

 

“Yes, Senior,” Di Kun replied respectfully.

 

He had no idea why the soldiers of the Land of Celestial Suffering suddenly retreated.

 

Moreover, they were not just leaving the front line. Many generals and Dao Realm experts had also retreated. It was as though they were returning to the capital of the Land of Celestial Suffering.

 

“My Master will meet the Beast Ancestor soon. It’s about time for the affairs in the Beast Court to be settled.” The White Bone Ancestor King swept a glance over him, knowing what was on his mind.

 

Di Kun was pleasantly surprised upon hearing that. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

 

“Yes, I’ll inform the Beast Ancestor of this matter and discuss it with him. All of us will be waiting for the Master’s arrival.” He said respectfully.

 

The White Bone Ancestor King nodded and disappeared.

 

The soldiers of the Beast Court did not run after those from the Land of Celestial Suffering. On the other hand, when the Elders of Purple Sky Mountain realised that, they were tempted to act. They quickly sent a message to their Sect Master, Zi Wanhe, who was seated cross-legged in some Spacetime.

 

Zi Wanhe was clad in a purple robe while wearing a crown. His hair hung loose and covered his face along with the Mist of Chaos.

 

While seated cross-legged in this Spacetime, he was surrounded by Dao Energy. He was unmoving, and his aura was petrifying.

 

When he received the message from the Elders, he did not respond to them. Instead, he opened his eyes and looked at the void before asking calmly, “Are you satisfied with the outcome of this deal?”

 

“It’s still too early to talk about satisfaction when we have yet to achieve our goal. We need another favour from you, Sect Master.” There were wisps of black mists in the void before Zi Wanhe’s eyes. Male and female voices were heard coming from them. Some sounded cheerful, but some sounded disdainful and arrogant.

 

“I’ve agreed to send a black coffin as a gift to the Land of Celestial Suffering, and now all the Forces in the Primary Hope Civilisation suspect that I’ve collaborated with the remnants of the Black Disaster. Don’t you think you should give me an explanation?”

 

Zi Wanhe’s deep gaze radiated some Primal Divine Lights. Horrifying scenes such as galaxies and universes falling apart were shown behind his eyes. He stared fixedly at the void before his eyes while sounding impassive.

 

“We’ve agreed that you’ll be responsible for all the consequences. Moreover, we accidentally acquired the black coffin, so we didn’t know what was inside. It matches your purpose of sending it to the Land of Celestial Suffering as a gift, doesn’t it? Besides, you’ve achieved your goal. What are you not happy about?” The voices in the shifting black mists sounded nonchalant.

 

Zi Wanhe snorted as the entire Spacetime shook. “You did not tell me that the black coffin has something to do with the remnants of the Black Disaster.”

 

He did not believe that these people were not aware of what was inside the black coffin.

 

“So what if you found out about it in advance? It was a deal you owed us. Could you have turned us down?” The voices in the black mists sounded cold all of a sudden. An icy aura spread and froze the entire Spacetime. Even time had become stagnant.

 

The thin black mists radiated a strange glow in an instant. Time seemed to be passing rapidly in the glow.

 

Zi Wanhe’s expression changed. Although he was one of the most powerful cultivators in the Primary Hope Civilisation, he did not dare to affront the owners of these voices.

 

The deal came about after he established a karmic connection with the other party.

 

When they came, even if he knew that the black coffin had something to do with the remnants of the Black Disaster, he would not dare to turn them down.

 

His face fell, but he did not dare to disobey them. He asked solemnly, “What else do you need me to do?”

 

The current situation was that he had followed Gu Changge’s order and sent a gift to the Land of Celestial Suffering. He had even told the people of Purple Sky Mountain to clash with them.

 

Even if Gu Changge found out about it, he would not blame it on him.

 

Nevertheless, Zi Wanhe could not afford to offend the beings behind these voices either.

 

He suspected that these people were the remnants of the Black Disaster. Since they could establish a karmic connection with him, they could do the same to others.

 

They must have infiltrated many Civilisations in the Boundless Expanse.

 

“It’s simple. You just need to help us approach the Heavenslayers Alliance Leader and ascertain his identity and background.”