“I’d been waiting for a long time already. I was starting to think you wouldn’t show up,” Guan Ninth said with a smile.
“How can that be? Gu Hai remembers our promise with Ninth Young Master back then. Gu Hai will do our best as long as we are capable of it,” Gu Hai retorted gravely.
Guan Ninth inwardly released his bated breath. “Many thanks, Imperial Emperor Gu. Rest assured as well. I will do my best to obtain Chen Xianer’s heavenly soul for you.”
“Many thanks,” Gu Hai said.
“Aside from Imperial Emperor Gu, I have also made promises to some other people in exchange for their help. I hope Imperial Emperor Gu will not mind. The requests that I agreed to do not conflict with yours,” Ninth Young Master said gravely.
“Oh?” Gu Hai’s expression changed.
“The two sect masters there and the three imperial emperors there have reached an understanding with me. When the pavilion master returns to life, he will bring back all the heavenly souls from the past eight hundred years,” Ninth Young Master added gravely.
“Ninth Young Master, there’s no need to worry. Having more people to help you is a good thing. I naturally do not mind.” Gu Hai smiled.
Ninth Young Master nodded. Although he had found other helpers, he valued Gu Hai the most, what with Gu Hai’s accomplishments.
“Aside from me, the others also found helpers. Clearly, this matter affects our lives or deaths, so all of Guan Qi’s nine inheritors have made preparations,” Ninth Young Master said gravely.
“What about Gu Qin?” Gu Hai looked at the distant Gu Qin.
While Gu Qin did not acknowledge Gu Hai, he was still Gu Qin’s son.
“Him? I’m not sure.” Ninth Young Master shook his head.
When the rest of Guan Qi’s nine inheritors saw experts they were familiar with, they went over to greet those experts and asked those experts to help them when the time came.
“When will Old Mister Guan Qi come back to life?” Mo Yike asked with some misgivings.
Ninth Young Master glanced at the nearby Guan Qi Hall.
“There is still some time. Imperial Emperor Gu, do you see that Guan Qi Hall?” Ninth Young Master asked.
Gu Hai nodded.
“There is a coffin in Guan Qi Hall. A Go board hovers above the coffin. That Go board used to be covered in black Go stones. Back then, the pavilion master shattered the Heavenly Go Stone and forged its shards into treasures, scattering them all over the world to collect Go skills. As the Go skills accumulated, the black Go stones became white Go stones. When all the Go stones turn white, the pavilion master will revive,” Ninth Young Master explained.
“Oh? Collect Go skills?” Gu Hai frowned slightly.
“Indeed. Everything was already in order. However, there was an accident. What did Imperial Emperor Gu encounter when you reached the Innate Realm and entered the Innate Puzzle World? Once, the Go skills accumulated too quickly, and the Go stone in the nine-five position exploded,” Ninth Young Master asked, frowning.
“One Go stone exploded?” Gu Hai’s expression changed.
Back then, I met one of Old Mister Guan Qi’s pre-programmed puppets while studying the Go Dao. That puppet wanted to replicate my one hundred thousand Go puzzles. However, the Go puzzles overloaded it. Could that have been it?
“Since the white Go stone at the nine-five position exploded, it might become a weakness of the pavilion master. However, we do not know whether this will affect the process. Imperial Emperor Gu, do take care,” Ninth Young Master said gravely.
Gu Hai nodded.
Boom!
Another flying ship sped over from a distance and stopped above the sea.
Whoosh!
Someone at Guan Qi Hall’s entrance immediately soared into the sky. It was Wu Yazi, whom Old Master Guan Qi possessed during the Ten Thousand Sages Convention.
Wu Yazi immediately boarded the flying ship and bowed to the flying ship’s master. However, he had gone to fawn over that person rather than simply greeting that person like the others.
“Huang Heavenly Emperor, Ji Dihong?” Shangguan Hen frowned.
Ji Dihong looked around. When he saw Jiang Lianshan, he bowed politely. “Greetings, Yan Heavenly Emperor! Scarlet Emperor, White Emperor, Flame Monarch, it has been a long time!”
When Ji Dihong bowed, the White Emperor, the Scarlet Emperor, and the Flame Monarch frowned slightly and did not bow back. Instead, they turned to Jiang Lianshan.
“Huang Heavenly Emperor? Greetings to you as well!” Jiang Lianshan smiled.
Jiang Lianshan sounded polite. Only then did the White Emperor, the Scarlet Emperor, and the Flame Monarch bow back.
Ji Dihong smiled and turned to Gu Hai’s flying ship. His main purpose was to check out the Severed Sect’s Heavenly Access standing next to Gu Hai. Clearly, he had also heard the news. As he scrutinized the Severed Sect’s Heavenly Access, some shock flashed in his eyes. Then, he looked at Gu Hai. “Han Imperial Dynasty’s Gu Hai? I have long heard of your great name!”
“I have embarrassed myself before Huang Heavenly Emperor with my poor performance,” Gu Hai said with a smile while bowing slightly.
Ji Dihong nodded and turned his head back to chat with Wu Yazi.
Wu Yazi had worked for the Huang Heavenly Dynasty before. Naturally, he gained Ji Dihong’s full support now.
“The Huang Emperor? The Yan Emperor? Haha! The lines of Huang and Yan? How similar! Also, is Chiyou truly dead?” the Severed Sect’s Heavenly Access said with narrowed eyes.
[TL Note: Chiyou is a descendant of the Flame (Yan) Emperor in Chinese mythology. He is said to have been the leader of the Nine Li tribe and a ferocious warrior. He had fought and defeated the Flame Emperor and the Yellow (Huang) Emperor but later lost when the two combined forces. Today, he is worshipped as a god of war and one of the three legendary founding fathers of China. Here is the Wikipedia entry on him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiyou.]
“Oh? Is Chiyou not dead?” Gu Hai frowned slightly.
Naturally, Gu Hai was asking about Earth’s Chiyou.
The Severed Sect’s Heavenly Access nodded. “He is still alive, suppressed at the bottom of the Eastern Sea.”
Naturally, the Severed Sect’s Heavenly Access referred to Earth’s Chiyou. However, the pupils of Jiang Lianshan and Ji Dihong suddenly constricted, and they turned their heads to look over.
Although the two seemed to be ignoring Gu Hai, they paid attention to Gu Hai’s side at all times. While the Severed Sect’s Heavenly Access had spoken softly, the two heard him clearly, as they were paying attention.
Chiyou is not dead?
The expressions of the two instantly turned sullen, both greatly shocked.
Gu Hai noticed the gazes of the distant two. He showed a faint, bitter smile. We are talking about a different Chiyou. Why are you getting nervous?
“The time has arrived. The nine inheritors, please return!” A loud shout came from Guan Qi Hall’s plaza.
It was the Heavenly Go Pavilion’s first elder summoning all the Heavenly Go Pavilion disciples to Guan Qi Hall.
“Imperial Emperor Gu, I’ll be going first,” Ninth Young Master said.
Gu Hai nodded.
Whoosh!
Ninth Young Master flew off and landed at Guan Qi Hall’s entrance. The other inheritors also quickly returned and landed at the very front.
The black-robed first elder raised his head to the sky. Then, he looked at the countless flying ships in the surroundings and took a deep breath.
“Yan Heavenly Emperor, Huang Heavenly Emperor, Sect Master Heavenly Access, the Three Lives Buddhas, and everyone else present, thank you for coming to participate in the pavilion master’s Revival Convention!” The first elder bowed respectfully to everyone.
The surroundings fell quiet; no one spoke. The time has arrived? Is Old Mister Guan Qi coming back to life now?
“Next, I would like to ask everyone to keep the noise low. When the pavilion master revives, he will bring back the heavenly souls of all the people who died in the past eight hundred years. Too much noise might startle those weak souls. Please do understand!” the first elder said gravely.
Everyone in the surroundings nodded.
The first elder turned his head and looked at Guan Qi Hall.
“As the pavilion master is not here, this disciple will temporarily host this Revival Convention today. Activate the Go Dao ritual array!” The first elder bowed respectfully towards Guan Qi Hall.
The Heavenly Go Pavilion disciples felt incredibly excited as they likewise bowed respectfully towards Guan Qi Hall.
They had waited eight centuries for this day. Would the pavilion master lead everyone back to their glory days when he came back to life today?
“Like the thirty-three layers of heaven above the sky, myriads of demons gather above the Thousand Islands Sea! The blazing sun shines over the four seas; ten thousand suns enter the Heavenly Go Platform!” the first elder shouted.
The four lines did not make sense. However, these words seemed magical.
Whoosh!
As the first elder shouted, black winds appeared out of nowhere above the Thousand Islands Sea. The black winds covered a vast area, enveloping the entire Thousand Islands Sea.
“Those are?” Kong Xuan narrowed his eyes.
Black winds? Those are not black winds. Those are heavenly demons? Back then, the Present Buddha placed heavenly demons in my body. However, there are much more here! There seem to be millions of them. Endless!
Countless heavenly demons flew frantically around the Thousand Islands Sea, apparently hiding from something and scampering about in fear. However, they were like headless chickens when they arrived here, fleeing in all directions, not knowing where to run.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The instant the heavenly demons appeared, the sunlight seemed to coalesce into a thousand laser beams shooting at the one thousand islands of the Thousand Islands Sea. This made the islands look incredibly dazzling.
The one thousand islands presented a glaring sight like one thousand suns floating on the sea.
The one thousand islands remained dazzling for only a little while before they fired their light at Tengen Island—rather at Guan Qi Hall. However, the angle of reflection was extremely strange.
This made Guan Qi Hall look incredibly piercing.
Rumble…!
The large Guan Qi Hall seemed to be crumbling quickly—No, not crumbling but changing form. A force seemed to be pulling the bricks of the hall to the ground and forming a large sacrificial altar.
Guan Qi Hall vanished, transformed into a large Heavenly Go Platform.
Countless beams of sunlight shone on the Heavenly Go Platform, making it appear incredibly eye-catching.
There was a coffin on the Heavenly Go Platform, with a Go board hovering over the coffin. Aside from the vacant nine-five position, white Go stones filled the board.
The first elder and the Heavenly Go Pavilion disciples immediately knelt, extremely respectful and excited.
“That was the Go board and coffin that Ninth Young Master mentioned earlier? Is Old Mister Guan Qi’s corpse in the coffin?” Mo Yike asked with a frown.
“It shouldn’t be. Wasn’t Old Mister Guan Qi annihilated by the Six Paths Immortal? If there was a corpse, why the need to possess one of the nine inheritors?” Gu Hai commented with a frown.
Mo Yike nodded and continued looking into the distance.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, a powerful suction came from the Go board. Like a whale sucking in water, it drew in the millions of heavenly demons in the sky.
Rumble…!
After sucking in the heavenly demons, the Go board trembled slightly. The white Go stones on it jumped about, changing places. This stopped only after two hours.
Everyone waited quietly. Suddenly, a translucent, pale-blue soul body emerged from the Go board.
When the soul body came out of the Go board, confusion flashed in its eyes.
“Murong Yan? It’s Murong Yan’s heavenly soul!” The Flame Monarch goggled, showing wild joy on his face.
That soul body trembled at the Flame Monarch’s loud shout, flickering like a candle flame in a strong wind, appearing extremely fragile.
“Shut up! Flame Monarch, are you trying to scatter her soul? Don’t shout and scare the souls!” the White Emperor hissed.
“Oh! Oh!” The Flame Monarch immediately covered his mouth.
He did not show any dissatisfaction at the White Emperor’s scolding. Instead, he felt grateful. He turned his head and looked at the heavenly soul above the Go Board. Tears of gratitude appeared in his eyes.
Mo Yike’s expression changed. “I understand now. Heavenly soul? Heavenly demon? After one dies, the heavenly soul returns to heaven, taken away by heaven, and their location is unknown. It turns out that heaven turns the heavenly souls into heavenly demons? The millions of heavenly demons earlier were the heavenly souls returning?”
“They returned? In that Go board?” Excitement flashed in Gu Hai’s eyes.
Murong Yan’s heavenly soul returned. What about Chen Xianer’s heavenly soul? Is it in the Go board?
An extra chapter today to adjust for the end of month.
