After Ba led her one hundred thousand hanba zombie soldiers into the nether realm, the surrounding cultivators remained silent for a while.
The land for five thousand kilometers around was now scorched. Fire burned everywhere, cracks splitting the ground as if there had been a great drought.
Now that Ba left, the rivers from far away finally flowed back in, extinguishing the fire and nourishing the arid ground.
“Gu Hai!” A loud shout suddenly rang out in the distance.
A blood-covered Qin Zibai looked at Gu Hai. When the blood dragon swallowed him earlier, it had severely injured him. Even so, he still was a powerful Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator.
Gu Hai turned his head and looked over coldly.
When Qin Zibai shouted, all the surrounding cultivators immediately looked over.
“Hah! Qin Zibai, what do you want?” the Bi-An King demanded coldly.
The Bi-An King suffered a similar degree of injuries as Qin Zibai. Now that Ba had left with her hanba zombie army, his strength stood at the peak of this group.
Qin Zibai had been wanting to kill Gu Hai. Had it been before, the Bi-An King would not have said anything.
However, Gu Hai had saved the Bi-An King thrice. The first time, Gu Hai requited evil with good, imparting his knowledge on cesarean sections. The second time, Gu Hai lured the blood dragon to the volcano and exploded it, killing it after it had swallowed the Bi-An King and allowing the Bi-An King to escape. The third time, Gu Hai killed Mister Dongfang, breaking the Blood Dragon Lifespan Ritual Array and letting everyone escape.
The Bi-An King was someone who took graces and grudges seriously. He did not like owing people anything. If he could repay Gu Hai now, naturally, he would want to repay the favor immediately.
It was not just the Bi-An King. Nearly everyone in the surroundings looked at Qin Zibai coldly.
There were more than one hundred thousand people. Be it the cultivators who got pregnant earlier, Xi Yan’s former subjects, or Qin Zibai’s subordinates, they had all received Gu Hai’s mercy. Naturally, they wished to repay the favor if their strength permitted them, so they all opposed Qin Zibai.
The Bi-An King looked at Qin Zibai coldly, but Qin Zibai ignored him.
“Supreme Commander Qin?” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly.
At the side, Fairy Waner’s face sank. She extended her hand and immediately took out a guqin, as though keeping her guard up in case Qin Zibai attacked.
Qin Zibai looked at Gu Hai in silence for a while before saying, “Gu Hai, the nation’s interest takes priority. I should be trying to kill you with all my might. However, you saved me today. I owe you a favor and will repay it in the future.”
Qin Zibai did not attack. The surrounding cultivators let out bated breaths.
The Bi-An King narrowed his eyes slightly, not questioning this.
Whoosh!
Then, Qin Zibai instantly shot into the distance, disappearing from everyone’s sight in the blink of an eye.
Upon seeing Qin Zibai leave, Gu Hai frowned slightly.
Three figures stood at a dry valley entrance in the distance. They were Li Shenji and his two subordinates.
Li Shenji’s face sank as he watched Qin Zibai leave.
“Trash! Even though he is a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator, he still failed to kill Gu Hai!” A cold look flashed in Li Shenji’s eyes.
“Milord, should we report Ba’s return to His Holy Eminence?”
“His Holy Eminence already knows. There’s no need to report it. It is unfortunate. That Gu Hai is really capable. Before he entered the city, everyone was his enemy. After he left the city, everyone owed him a debt of gratitude,” Li Shenji said with a sullen expression.
“Then, what should we do now?” one of the subordinates asked with a frown.
“Gu Hai managed to escape this calamity. Never mind. We’ll find another opportunity,” Li Shenji sighed.
Far in the distance, Gu Hai turned to look at the Bi-An King and the others after he watched Qin Zibai leave.
“Mister Gu, goodbye!” the Bi-An King said.
The Bi-An King did not speak any pleasantries, merely flying into the distance in a rush.
Like Qin Zibai, the Bi-An King was severely injured. Right now, the most important thing was to find somewhere to recuperate. Otherwise, he would be in for it if his enemies found him.
“Mister Gu, goodbye!”
“Emperor Gu, we will meet again in the future!”
“Emperor Gu, we will be returning first!”
The surrounding cultivators bowed to Gu Hai. Clearly, this place would become the focus of attention soon. They could not linger here and needed to leave immediately.
Gu Hai bowed to everyone, not saying anything.
“Ba left already. I should be leaving as well,” Lin Waner suddenly said.
“You are leaving?” Gu Hai frowned slightly.
Lin Waner looked at Gu Hai somewhat reluctantly. Eventually, she squeezed out a faint, bitter smile, and determination flashed in her eyes. “Sorry. I still have things to do.”
“Do you need help? Where are you going?” Gu Hai asked gently.
Lin Waner shook her head and replied, “It’s something my master instructed me to do. I’m going to Major Metropolitan. It is not a convenient place for you. You don’t need to accompany me.”
“Major Metropolitan City? The Yuan Imperial Dynasty’s capital, Major Metropolitan City?” Gu Hai said with a slight frown.
[TL Note: Major Metropolitan City, or Dadu City, was the capital of China during the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368). A more literal translation of the name is Big Capital City. It is actually modern-day Beijing.]
“I’m leaving.” Fairy Waner took a deep breath, not daring to look at Gu Hai.
Then, she took out a flying ship and jumped onto it.
“Waner, when can we meet again?” Gu Hai called out.
Whoosh!
Lin Waner flew off into the distance on her flying ship. She did not turn to look back at Gu Hai or answer, merely showing a sorrowful expression.
“Meet again? Ha! It’s better not to meet again. I am of the Supreme Ascendant’s line of inheritance. The Supreme Ascendant is the most heartless; this line can only make a breakthrough by cutting off the emotions. If I am together with you, they will not let you off.” Sorrow flashed in Lin Waner’s eyes.
Gu Hai watched Lin Waner leave with a frown. He felt that Lin Waner did not tell the complete truth. However, he did not want to force her.
“Hah,” Gu Hai sighed.
“Brother-in-Law, everyone left already. Should we go as well? This place is suffering a great drought now, looking very barren,” Long Wanyu said.
Gu Hai shook his head and said, “Wait for a while.”
Gu Hai started looking around, searching the surroundings.
Soon, Gu Hai saw two figures in the distance. These two figures had already walked to the periphery of the arid area and were resting in a forest.
“Let’s go. Over there!” Gu Hai said with a smile.
Whoosh!
Someone piloted the flying ship in the direction Gu Hai indicated.
The two figures in that forest were Purple Subtlety and Longevity.
The two had changed their attire. They now wore hats and held swords, looking like two traveling swordsmen.
However, their body shapes were too unique. How could such a disguise deceive others? What more a master disguiser like Gu Hai?
“Purple Subtlety, why are we wearing this? It looks extremely ugly?” the dissatisfied Longevity asked gloomily, tugging the cord on top of his hat.
“What are you doing? Are you tired of living? Do you know how much those people you got pregnant want to kill you now? There’s me as well. Why am I so unlucky? It was not even my painting. It’s all your fault. Anyhow, we need to wear disguises so that others won’t recognize us. Right now, our strength is limited to the Golden Core Realm. How are we going to fight?” Purple Subtlety glared.
“These clothes are very uncomfortable. Perhaps they might thank me. What are you worried about?” Longevity grumbled.
“Thank, my ass! Shut up and move quickly. After being starved for three thousand years, I want to find a place and have a good meal. I hope they do not chase us,” Purple Subtlety said anxiously.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a strong wind blew. It was Gu Hai’s flying ship rushing over at an incredible speed, instantly arriving before the two.
“It’s over. They found us. They want to kill us!” Purple Subtlety immediately showed a horrified expression.
“Ah? It’s Mister Gu?” Longevity’s eyes lit up.
After all, Gu Hai had been the only person to appreciate Longevity’s painting so far. It was hard to find a kindred spirit. When he saw Gu Hai, he felt exceptionally happy.
“Mister Gu?” Purple Subtlety’s fear immediately vanished, and he let out his bated breath.
“Where are you two going? How about coming aboard my flying ship to visit and have some food? I’ll send you there!” Gu Hai smiled.
“Alright!”
“I’m starving to death!”
The two immediately nodded, their eyes lighting up.
“Ju Lu, set up a banquet!” Gu Hai instructed.
“Alright!” Ju Lu answered.
Gu Hai’s group quickly prepared a banquet on the flying ship.
“Please, come aboard!” Gu Hai invited with a smile.
“This…Mister Gu, are you giving us a treat?” Purple Subtlety asked in pleasant surprise.
“The food we have was stored away in the past, so they might not be at their best. However, do help yourself!” Gu Hai replied with a smile.
“Damn! I have not eaten in three thousand years. I miss eating!” Purple Subtlety excitedly picked up a pig’s leg and bit it.
Glug! Longevity picked up a wine vat and started drinking.
The two completely ignored Gu Hai and the others.
Gu Hai’s expression turned stiff as he watched the two eat with inhuman voracity. He wanted to say something several times but eventually did not, as Longevity and Purple Subtlety were too engrossed in eating.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
That boisterous manner of eating shocked Gu Hai and the others.
“Brother-in-Law, did those two incarnations of hungry ghosts?” Long Wanyu said in shock.
[TL Note: The Chinese lore on hungry ghosts is that these ghosts are punished with never-ending hunger. Even if they find something to eat, it just turns to ashes in their mouth.]
This banquet was set up with enough food for twenty people. However, these two managed to finish eating everything in a while.
[TL Note: When the Chinese play host or treat others to food, they would normally prepare more food than necessary, ensuring that there would be leftovers. If the guest could finish everything, it meant that the host did not prepare enough, which would be embarrassing. Having leftovers also means that the host is capable of providing in excess.]
“Your Majesty?” Ju Lu looked at Gu Hai in shock.
“Continue bringing food out. Let them eat as much as they want.” Gu Hai shook his head, indicating for others to let the two eat and not to comment on this.
The Han Royal Dynasty officials immediately set up another banquet.
“There’s more? Haha! This is great!”
“Mister Gu, you are very generous!”
“I like this pig’s leg, and this deer leg, and this pork, and this…” Purple Subtlety spoke with a full mouth, his words muffled as he identified the food he liked.
Longevity was in a similar state, drinking vat after vat.
Long Wanyu’s expression turned dark. “They are indeed gluttons. This is food for fifty people, and they are still continuing? How big are their stomachs?”
Gu Hai waited at the side for quite a while. Before the two finished, he showed a bitter smile.
Hungry for three thousand years? This is how one would be after starving for three thousand years? Are they making up for everything they missed out on for three thousand years?
“Two great good-for-nothing gluttons.” Long Wanyu turned away, pouting.
“Your Majesty!” The Han Royal Dynasty officials looked at Gu Hai.
Clearly, the officials had been scared by Purple Subtlety and Longevity’s appetite.
“Let them eat however much they want. Our Han Nation does not lack this food,” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes!” The officials continued bringing more food out.
Gu Hai looked at the two and left them alone for now.
The flying ship flew quickly and soon arrived at another forest.
Ten foundation rock golems stood there, waiting respectfully.
“Greetings, Prime. Greetings, Your Majesty!” the ten foundation rock golems said respectfully.
“Your Majesty, they have been waiting for very long already. Unfortunately, we did not end up using the tunnels they made,” Ju Lu said with a bitter smile.
“It’s fine as long as everyone is alright. Oh, by the way, here is Xi Yan’s head.” Gu Hai took out Xi Yan’s head and held it out.
All the foundation rock golems suddenly looked up at Gu Hai’s right hand.
Xi Yan’s head?
