The prison, Martial Heaven City, Wu Imperial Dynasty:
“His Highness the Crown Prince?” The Mosquito Daoist’s face suddenly sank.
“We need to find the crown prince’s souls first. Hurry! They are in Long Sanqian’s body. I saw Long Sanqian exchanging souls with His Highness,” Ao Shun said softly.
“Long Sanqian? Alright, I’ll go search!” the Mosquito Daoist said gravely.
Buzz!
Suddenly, many mosquitoes flew out from Ao Shun’s cell and exited the prison, flying into the surroundings. Others might find searching this palace difficult, but it was nothing for the Mosquito Daoist, as he could manifest billions of black mosquitoes.
As the Mosquito Daoist sent mosquitoes to search, he reported to Gu Hai using the zither puppet.
Emperor’s study, Borderless Heavenly Capital:
Gu Hai had eight zither puppets before him. Suddenly, one of the zither puppets spoke.
“Your Reverence, Ao Shun has already exchanged souls with Ao Sheng. This official is currently with Ao Shun.” The Mosquito Daoist’s voice rang out.
“He rescued Ao Shun? This is great!” Shangguan Hen’s eyes lit up.
Phew! Gu Hai breathed out gently.
“However, Ao Shun told me not to rescue him for now. Besides Ao Shun, Crown Prince Gu Qin’s souls were exchanged too! Your Reverence, be careful.” The Mosquito Daoist’s voice rang out again.
“Indeed!” Shangguan Hen looked at Gu Hai.
The Mosquito Daoist had found out from Ao Shun, but Gu Hai had reached the same conclusion through analysis. Yet, Gu Hai was right.
“Long Sanqian exchanged souls with His Highness. This official is currently searching Martial Heaven City for His Highness’s souls. Your Reverence, be careful.” The Mosquito Daoist’s voice rang out.
“We are fine here. You take care, too,” Gu Hai said.
“Oh! That’s right!” The Mosquito Daoist’s voice rang out again.
“Yes?”
“There seems to be a rift between Long Shenwu and Long Sanqian. Long Shenwu turned all the civil and military officials of the Wu Imperial Dynasty into zombies, making them his progeny.” The Mosquito Daoist explained what he saw.
Gu Hai suddenly raised his eyebrows. “Oh? There’s a rift between Long Shenwu and Long Sanqian? Perhaps Long Sanqian desired to seize power and gained the officials’ support. Noticing something wrong, Long Shenwu turned these traitorous officials into his zombie progeny while Long Sanqian was not around, guaranteeing their loyalty?”
“This official does not know.” The Mosquito Daoist’s voice rang out.
“We understand. Be careful. If anything feels off, rescue Ao Shun and return first,” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes!” the Mosquito Daoist answered.
The zither puppet stopped speaking.
However, Shangguan Hen looked at Gu Hai. “Your Reverence, it looks like this official no longer has to verify it. The Mosquito Daoist already verified it? The crown prince is a fake? We will go capture him.”
However, Gu Hai shook his head. He sat behind the desk, raising his eyebrows slightly as he tapped the table with his fingers, apparently analyzing the situation.
Silver Moon Mountain Manor, Silver Moon City:
Tang Gu and Nan Longnu rushed to Silver Moon City.
With Nan Longnu accompanying him, Tang Gu could not contact anyone. This continued until they arrived outside the Silver Moon Mountain Manor. Now, they stood there looking at the guards.
“Bodhisattva, I do not know the situation inside the Silver Moon Mountain Manor. I do not know where the technique for soul exchange is or if it even exists. How about we go in and independently try our luck?” Tang Gu proposed seriously.
“What’s wrong? Tang Gu, are you thinking of separating from me?” Nan Longnu said coldly.
“No. I am only worried that we cannot hide for long. We came here in secret, after all. We stand a better chance if we search separately,” Tang Gu said gravely.
“Humph! Fine. Hand me the zombie token,” Nan Longnu said.
Tang Gu showed a faint, bitter smile as he nodded. “Alright.”
Nan Longnu held the zombie token as she entered the Silver Moon Mountain Manor, carrying Tang Gu.
Buzz!
The two seemed to have crossed a barrier. They could no longer hear sounds from outside.
“This is a barrier?” Tang Gu said in shock.
Then, Tang Gu took out a zither puppet and tried to send a message to the White Emperor.
“The zither puppet stopped working?” Tang Gu’s face sank.
“Who is it?” A guard in the distance rushed over.
The guard gave off a faint, black aura.
“Zombies?” Tang Gu said.
Nan Longnu immediately held up the zombie token.
That zombie guard paused and immediately moved aside.
Nan Longnu and Tang Gu quickly entered the Silver Moon Mountain Manor.
The barrier encasing the Silver Moon Mountain Manor hid the interior with dense fog. The two found many zombies stationed there when they entered.
The two’s faces sank.
“Let’s go. We should go to Mister Six Fingers’s residence first,” Tang Gu called out.
Now, Tang Gu no longer talked about separating. With the zombie token, all the zombies would give way to them. However, these zombies would attack with all their might if they did not have the zombie token.
The two rushed to the back of the Silver Moon Mountain Manor, to the Heart Nurturing Hall where Six Fingers had previously stayed.
Although many zombies guarded the place, the zombie token ensured smooth travel.
The two could see everything within the Heart Nurturing Hall with one glance after they arrived; there was nothing special.
“Nothing?” Tang Gu’s expression turned unsightly.
“Continue searching!” Nan Longnu said anxiously.
As the two continued searching the Heart Nurturing Hall, a voice rang out outside.
“Mister Six Fingers, you have returned?”
Tang Gu’s and Nan Longnu’s faces sank.
“Mister Six Fingers, I saw the door open earlier. You must have returned. However, on whose authority do you prevent me from leaving the mountain manor, only permitting me to roam its confines? Hahahaha! This is the Silver Moon Mountain Manor, my home! Zombies? A group of zombies? I don’t care if you are colluding with the Wu Imperial Dynasty, but don’t get me involved!” the voice outside barked.
“It’s the Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s current manor lord, Yun Mo?” Tang Gu’s expression changed.
“Six Fingers, come out and explain it to me. I want to go out. I want my freedom. I don’t want to be imprisoned like this!” Yun Mo roared from outside.
“If you don’t come out, I’ll come in!” Yun Mo roared in a rage.
Tang Gu’s and Nan Longnu’s faces sank further.
“I guess there is a treasure in the Heart Nurturing Hall. We need to search thoroughly. However… Bodhisattva, how about you lure him away? I’ll search the place and meet you later?” Tang Gu looked at Nan Longnu.
“Hah! You go out and lure him away!” Nan Longnu said with a faint sneer.
“Me?” Anger filled Tang Gu’s face.
“I said it already. You lure him away. I’ll search!” Nan Longnu said coldly.
Tang Gu appeared dissatisfied. Since Yun Mo was about to barge in, he could only say helplessly, “Alright. However, if you find the soul exchange technique, the Spirit Mountain Holy Land has to share it with my imperial lord.”
“Go on, then.” Nan Longnu nodded, but her sneer remained.
Tang Gu appeared depressed as he walked to the door.
When his back faced Nan Longnu, he showed a cold, cocky smile. Nan Longnu could never have imagined that Tang Gu’s purpose in coming to the Silver Moon Mountain Manor was to find Yun Mo.
Creak! The door opened slowly.
Yun Mo’s face sank.
After Tang Gu walked out, he closed the door.
Creak!
After the door closed, Yun Mo saw who it was.
“It’s you? The White Emperor’s subordinate? Why are you here?” Yun Mo glared.
“Mister Six Fingers brought me back. I am currently loyal to Mister Six Fingers, Manor Lord Yun Mo.” Tang Gu bowed politely.
“Humph! I don’t care who you are loyal to. Where’s Six Fingers? Tell him to come out and meet me!” Yun Mo glared.
“It is not convenient for Mister Six Fingers to come out now. He sent me out to explain to Manor Lord.”
“You? Hah! There’s no need.”
“If Manor Lord wants your wish fulfilled, you need to listen to me.”
“Huh? Are you threatening me?”
“I don’t dare to, Manor Lord. How about we go elsewhere and chat?” Tang Gu smiled.
Yun Mo looked at Tang Gu coldly. “Humph! Alright. I want to see what you have to say.”
After the two left the Heart Nurturing Hall, Nan Longnu let out her bated breath as she continued searching.
Tang Gu and Yun Mo arrived at the Silver Moon Hall.
“Tell me, what does Six Fingers mean by this?” Yun Mo said coldly.
Tang Gu looked at the attendants in the surroundings and shook his head.
“All of you withdraw!” Yun Mo shouted.
“Yes!”
The subordinates immediately left.
“Manor Lord Yun Mo, this humble one only has one question,” Tang Gu said gravely.
“Oh?”
“Is the Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s alliance with the Han Imperial Dynasty still effective?” Tang Gu asked.
Yun Mo’s pupils suddenly constricted. “You are…?”
“Manor Lord, please answer,” Tang Gu exhorted.
“Hah! Gu Hai finally sent someone!” Yun Mo suddenly started guffawing. A faint, gratified look flashed in his eyes.
“Your zither puppets seemed isolated here, unable to contact the outside. My zither puppet could not contact Imperial Father, so…,” Tang Gu said gravely.
“Imperial Father?” Yun Mo said in confusion.
“My father is Gu Hai. My name is Gu Tang!” Tang Gu said.
“Oh?” Yun Mo’s pupils suddenly constricted.
Tang Gu did not say anything more, waiting patiently. Yun Mo thought about this for a while before nodding. “I choose to believe you.”
“Oh? Many thanks!”
“You are here for Gu Qin, right? Come with me. I know where he is,” Yun Mo said.
“My first brother?” Tang Gu’s pupils constricted.
“Let’s go!”
Yun Mo led Tang Gu into a secret room in a valley. Yun Mo could move around freely at the Silver Moon Mountain Manor. Although there were many zombie guards, none of them stopped him.
Soon, the two arrived at a prison cell.
The two saw Long Sanqian chained to the wall in the prison cell.
“Manor Lord Yun Mo, you are here again? Had it not been for you tricking me when I returned, I would not be trapped today. Just put your hypocrisy away!” Long Sanqian said with a bleak smile.
“Your Highest, this humble one did not intend this that day. My ancestor tricked me, causing me to make this grave mistake. I keep trying to explain, but you refuse to believe me. I want to leave to inform someone, but the entire mountain manor is locked down. I cannot leave. You probably know this person, right?” Yun Mo said with a bitter smile.
Long Sanqian raised his head. Tang Gu immediately arrived by his side.
“Little Tang?” Long Sanqian’s pupils suddenly constricted.
“You are Gu Qin?” Tang Gu said with a frown.
Long Sanqian frowned at Tang Gu. The two did not seem to trust each other.
“He really is Gu Qin,” Yun Mo said bitterly.
Tang Gu approached closer, staring at Long Sanqian.
“Are you still unsure of my identity? Hah! Back then, when you tripped and injured your head, Mother had to hug you and baby you for an entire day. However, you ate all the snacks Mother made for us because of your greed. Have you forgotten it? I found out back then, but you told me not to tell anyone.”
“You!” Tang Gu somewhat believed now, his face sinking.
“When you fell severely ill, Mother kowtowed in all the temples, kneeling and praying to all the deities and buddhas to seek blessings for you. She even ended up overly exhausted and fainted,” Long Sanqian added.
“When you made a mistake and Father wanted to cane you with a tree branch as punishment, Mother could not bear to let that happen, so she shielded you. However, a thorn in the branch scratched her and drew a lot of blood. Father let you off that once only because of Mother. Have you forgotten?
“Little Tang…hah! Mother protected you so much, but you betrayed Mother for power and wealth?” Long Sanqian said coldly.
However, Tang Gu’s eyes turned bloodshot.
“First Brother, Little Tang did not forget. I will never forget. However, the White Emperor has Mother’s earthly soul. I had no ability to find her heavenly soul or mortal soul and could only stay by the side of Mother’s earthly soul. Although I am weak, I will do all I can to protect Mother’s earthly soul. Even if I die, I have to protect it!” Tang Gu said with red, determined eyes.
“You?” Long Sanqian said in shock.
“When I saw Father in the Silver Moon Sea after we parted, Father already knew of my resolution. However, I had made up my mind and did not dare expose myself, so I did not publicly acknowledge him. This is the jade pendant Father gave me. You should recognize it!” Tang Gu took out a jade pendant.
“This is one of the three jade pendants Mother loved the most. I remember Father held on to them?”
“Father worried I could not gain your trust when he was no longer around in the future, so…” Tang Gu smiled bitterly.
“Little Tang, you have not disappointed First Brother!” Long Sanqian’s eyes turned bloodshot.
“First Brother, I’ll bring you away from here!”
“Right. We have to leave immediately. When Old Mister Guan Qi revived me, many of my memories got copied. Long Sanqian obtained a copy. He has most of my memories and my body. Father is in danger!” Gu Qin yelled as his expression changed.
