“Respectfully welcoming back Your Reverence!” the officials in the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s headquarters saluted excitedly.
Everyone in the surroundings who saw Gu Hai also bowed and saluted respectfully.
Chen Tianshan, Meng Tai, Gu Qin, Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, Ao Shun, and Gao Xianzhi showed expressions of joy. Although they could make out an unhappy expression on Gu Hai’s face, this was nothing to the loyal officials. Since he had returned, he could resolve all the chaos.
“Chen Tianshan, we are asking you how things reached such a state!” Gu Hai said seriously.
The surroundings fell silent.
“Your Reverence, when the officials heard that there was a spy in the imperial court, everyone became agitated. Then this assassination attempt happened, nearly killing the crown prince and Lord Meng. The two saw that the assassin was Lord Mo, so the officials wanted to punish him severely, believing he was the spy,” Chen Tianshan explained.
“How audacious!” Gu Hai’s eyes turned cold.
The officials trembled with fear.
“Based on rumors? Since when did my Han Imperial Dynasty judge people on rumors?” Gu Hai asked coldly.
“This official is guilty!” The officials’ expressions changed.
“Since I’m here and everyone is here, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be responsible for recording all the officials’ purposes in coming here. Also, who started today’s commotion? Who was the first one to shout and cause trouble? Also, where did you obtain information about a spy? Note down all the people and locations in detail; then they may return to their residences!” Gu Hai said coldly.
“Yes!” the officials answered.
Many Embroidered Uniform Guards immediately surrounded the area, preventing people from leaving. Even those who instigated this could not get out, having to undergo a detailed interrogation.
Gu Hai slowly landed by Gu Qin and Meng Tai.
“Your Reverence, this official has failed!” Meng Tai said with an unsightly expression.
“So, you do know that you have failed? How has your Embroidered Uniform Guard been checking for spies? Just the spies in Borderless Heavenly Capital could provoke a rebellion. Humph! A single cry could agitate people into creating a disturbance? Or did they shout that out of indignation for you—Meng Tai?” Gu Hai demanded coldly.
“This official does not dare!” Meng Tai immediately prostrated himself on the ground with horror on his face.
Meng Tai understood that Gu Hai was blaming him. He should not have started an argument when there was chaos earlier. All the more, he should not have accused Mo Yike in front of everyone. Even if Mo Yike were the spy, he should not have allowed any internal conflict during such a time.
Gu Hai looked at Meng Tai coldly, then turned to Gu Qin.
“Imperial Father, this son is fine,” Gu Qin said bitterly.
Gu Hai placed his hand on Gu Qin’s chest.
Buzz!
Mending Heaven Energy poured into Gu Qin’s body, quickly healing his wounds.
“Your Reverence!” Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, Ao Shun, and the others greeted respectfully.
“Everyone has worked hard. We are here now.” Gu Hai nodded.
“Your Reverence, about Lord Mo…?” Ao Shun looked at Mo Yike.
“We will investigate it. Before we figure out who the spy is, no one is to speculate about anything,” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Yes!” everyone answered.
“Your Reverence, this official has failed,” Chen Tianshan said bitterly.
Gu Hai’s gaze turned significantly gentler as he looked at Chen Tianshan. “You have already done pretty well. The enemy came with strong momentum this time. You cannot be blamed for this.”
“Thank you, Your Reverence!” Chen Tianshan responded.
“Alright. Withdraw and write reports on everything that happened over the past year, organize them into books, and send them to my study,” Gu Hai instructed them.
“Yes!” the others answered.
Chen Tianshan also went to organize the report after answering.
The commotion calmed down quickly. However, Gu Hai understood that the enemy remained hidden.
The next morning, the emperor’s study:
Chen Tianshan sent over a large amount of information.
Gu Hai sat behind the desk while Mo Yike stood before it.
“Your Reverence, here is all the information you wanted covering the period you were gone, including all the manpower movements in Borderless Heavenly Capital!” Chen Tianshan reported.
“Good,” Gu Hai answered indifferently.
Chen Tianshan withdrew after that.
Before he left, he glanced at Mo Yike in surprise.
Gu Hai placed the information on one side. However, there was another stack of letters on Gu Hai’s table.
“These are?” Gu Hai looked at Mo Yike.
“Last night, this official found these treasonous letters in my residence and the residences of officials close to me.” Mo Yike smiled.
“Letters of you selling out the nation?” Gu Hai asked gravely.
“Indeed. We went to eight hundred thousand years in the past together. However, when this official returned, I noticed something off. Haha! They had been waiting to do all this. Had Your Reverence not returned yesterday, the next event would have been the discovery of these treasonous letters as the second round of evidence against me to put this official to death. What with the meeting about the spy being one of us eight as the final stone, this official might have died without a burial. What an insidious scheme!” Mo Yike said coldly.
“The scheme is not considered brilliant. They just had time to plan and play things out.” Gu Hai frowned.
“Yes! Previously, this official had underestimated the Wu Imperial Dynasty. Humph! To think their scheme had already reached my Borderless Heavenly Capital. This official feels very surprised. That Long Shenwu went to eight hundred thousand years in the past with us. Who was running the Wu Imperial Dynasty in that year? Haha! It looks like we do not understand the Wu Imperial Dynasty sufficiently. There is indeed a spy among us,” Mo Yike said with narrowed eyes.
“Are you sure?”
“This official did not expect this at first. However, the facts are as such. That plan leaked, resulting in Lord Gao and Prime Ao being severely injured. It has to be one of us eight—Chen Tianshan, Gu Qin, Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, Ao Shun, Meng Tai, Gao Xianzhi, and myself. There is definitely a spy among us!” Mo Yike said coldly.
Gu Hai gently tapped the table with his finger, slowly turning grave.
“The Wu Imperial Dynasty has capable people.” Gu Hai frowned.
“That’s right. It should be an expert. Haha! He is impressive to be able to bribe one of us eight. However, this official has disrupted their plan. Otherwise, the commotion from last night would have been even worse. This official might not have been able to deal with it,” Mo Yike said seriously.
“We told only you the precise time of our return. What did you tell the rest?” Gu Hai asked.
“Your Reverence said you would return in two days. Had I said Your Reverence would return in two days, the spies would not have done anything and would have waited for other opportunities. However, this official did not want them to wait. We wanted them to expose themselves earlier, so this official told them ten days,” Mo Yike replied seriously.
“Ten days? That is a bit of a rush, but it barely is enough for an opportunity,” Gu Hai said.
“Indeed. Opportunities are hard to come by. The expert in the Wu Imperial Dynasty should understand that it would be a hundredfold—a thousandfold—harder to cause trouble in Borderless Heavenly Capital once Your Reverence returned; that was why they took the risk and acted in haste. This official made use of this, telling them ten days and getting them to expose themselves. So what if they have waves of evidence? As long as Your Reverence returns, all schemes will be exposed!” Mo Yike said seriously.
Gu Hai suddenly narrowed his eyes. “Hah! The Wu Imperial Dynasty? It looks like Long Shenwu is not in charge?”
“Indeed. Who could have guessed this previously? Even after Long Shenwu traveled to eight hundred thousand years in the past, the Wu Imperial Dynasty continued running as normal,” Mo Yike marveled.
A small courtyard on the border between the Han Imperial Dynasty and the Wu Imperial Dynasty:
A Wu Nation official bowed respectfully to a group of Myriad Age Daoist Sect disciples. The leader was Sect Master Heavenly Access.
“Is what you said true?” Sect Master Heavenly Access’s expression turned cold.
“Yes! Sect Master, Gu Hai returned to Borderless Heavenly Capital last night. Milord sent me to inform you,” that official said respectfully.
“If he returned the previous night, why did you report only now?” Sect Master Heavenly Access asked coldly.
“Milord said he wanted the people in the city to check how many people returned with Gu Hai, hence the delay,” that official said respectfully.
“Oh? How many?” Sect Master Heavenly Access asked coldly.
“None. He returned alone and even spoiled Milord’s plan,” that official replied carefully.
“Alone? Hah! He is finally willing to return?” Sect Master Heavenly Access sneered.
That official kept his head lowered, not saying anything.
Sect Master Heavenly Access looked coldly at that official. “Hah! That lord of yours wants to use me to kill Gu Hai?”
That official immediately shook his head. “We don’t dare. We just wanted to inform Sect Master.”
“Humph! There’s no need to feign ignorance. Just tell your lord not to use tricks on this sect master. With his cultivation, if he dares to scheme against this sect master, I can find him and kill him no matter where he goes!” Sect Master Heavenly Access said coldly.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Then this humble one shall take his leave!” That official backed off with some fear.
“Master, Gu Hai returned to his capital. What should we do now?” a middle-aged man asked respectfully.
“Returned to his capital? That is good. Come, follow Master to take Gu Hai down. Humph!” Sect Master Heavenly Access snorted coldly.
Since Gu Hai’s escape from the Myriad Age Daoist Sect, he had embarrassed Sect Master Heavenly Access three times. The first time was when he killed Xuan Du and caused Sect Master Heavenly Access to cross swords with Sha. Unexpectedly, Sect Master Heavenly Access’s sword conception was slightly weaker, causing Sect Master Heavenly Access great humiliation. The second time, he diverted some trouble to Sect Master Heavenly Access in Divine Farmer City, causing Jiang Gautama and Ji Dihong to pursue him. In the end, he even got into trouble on top of failing to obtain the Divine Dao Shaman Canon. The third time was when Chiyou sent him packing in the Eastern Sea.
Not to mention the passageway to another immortal firmament, just these alone were sufficient for him to form an unresolvable grudge against Gu Hai.
“Yes!” the disciples answered.
“Come with me!” Sect Master Heavenly Access snorted coldly.
Sect Master Heavenly Access swept out his sleeves and soared into the sky with ten disciples, flying towards Borderless Heavenly Capital.
In a nearby small pavilion building, after Sect Master Heavenly Access’s departure:
The official who had gone to inform Sect Master Heavenly Access earlier quickly returned to report.
“Sect Master Heavenly Access left, Milord!” that official said respectfully.
The pavilion building was very dark, concealing the appearance of the people inside.
“How excellent of Mo Yike! To think he countered my plan? Hah! Indeed, one should not rush things. Those spies in Borderless Heavenly Capital will suffer. Humph!” the lord in the pavilion building said coldly.
“What should we do?”
“Gu Hai has returned. These spies cannot do much anymore. Time does not favor me. If only Gu Hai had returned a few days later. Five days, just five more days. How unfortunate! How unfortunate! Never mind. Never mind…,” the lord in the pavilion building sighed softly.
“Sect Master Heavenly Access is already heading there. Perhaps…”
The pavilion building was silent for a while. Then that lord sighed, “Now that Sect Master Heavenly Access has intervened, it is unfortunate for Gu Hai. If only His Reverence could use such a talent. It is good that Sect Master Heavenly Access went over. Before absolute strength, Gu Hai can only surrender himself to capture, even with his brilliant plans. He has no helpers this time and no external force to ask for help from.”
“Yes!”
