The emperor’s study, Borderless Heavenly Capital:
“Reporting to Your Reverence, Kong Xuan swallowed the one million bronze soldiers in Lagging Zither City, gaining a significant victory!” Mo Yike said excitedly.
“What about the other two groups?” Gu Hai asked.
“This official did not move on the Southern Sea Dragon King’s group. After all, I am still unfamiliar with him, so I have avoided him for now. This official sent Shangguan Hen and Ao Shun to deal with Ao Sheng at Three Mountains City and recruit Ao Sheng’s Northern Sea dragons. Once we recruit the dragons, the Wu Imperial Dynasty will have its wings clipped.” A brilliant gleam flashed in Mo Yike’s eyes.
“Three Mountains City?” Gu Hai raised his eyebrows.
“That’s right, Three Mountains City. That is…” Mo Yike’s smile suddenly congealed.
“Bring a map over!” Gu Hai said.
Mo Yike had noticed something off too. He immediately brought out a map.
Whoosh!
Mo Yike laid out the map. Due to a mystical technique, the map looked like a three-dimensional hologram.
“Three Mountains City? Oh, no! Your Reverence, this official has failed in his duties!” Mo Yike’s expression suddenly changed.
“Three Mountains City? Hah! The location where the Han Imperial Dynasty, the Wu Imperial Dynasty, and the Ying Imperial Dynasty meet?” Gu Hai said sullenly.
“Yes! The Ying Imperial Dynasty has never interfered in this war. Although we heavily defend the borders along the Ying Imperial Dynasty, there have been no signs of military movement there. This official also sent envoys to the Ying Imperial Dynasty to communicate peace. I initially thought Long Shenying would not interfere. Unexpectedly…this might be a trap,” Mo Yike said with an unsightly expression.
“The junction of the three nations? Ao Sheng was deployed to Three Mountains City?” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes slightly.
“This official should have thought of it earlier. The common denominator of the cities that the Han Destruction Army attacked the past few days is that they are all along the way to where the three nations meet. This official…,” Mo Yike said, grimacing.
“You are not to blame. Furthermore, things are not critical yet,” Gu Hai said.
“Yes!” Mo Yike nodded.
“Inform Shangguan Hen and Ao Shun to retreat!” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes! I just don’t know if there’s still time!” Mo Yike said with a complicated expression.
“Long Shenying interfered? He did not mobilize his military, perhaps waiting for this moment. The Southern Sea Dragon King? The Southern Sea Dragon King did not ally with Long Shenwu but with Long Shenying. The Southern Sea Dragon King was just using Long Shenwu!” Gu Hai said.
“Reporting to Your Reverence!” A voice came from outside the study.
“Huh?” Gu Hai answered.
“The Lifespan Court’s minister-in-charge, the Unborn Man, has returned and seeks an audience with Your Reverence!” The voice from outside came again.
“The Unborn Man returned?” Gu Hai suddenly stood up, anticipation flashing in his eyes.
“Mo Yike, quickly deal with the Three Mountains City’s matters!” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes!” Mo Yike immediately left the study.
Then Gu Hai headed out of the study somewhat urgently.
The Unborn Man, Long Wanqing, and Long Wanyu have already been gone for many years. The Unborn Man is back? Are Wanqing and the others back too?
Gu Hai stepped out of the study and saw a man wearing white-and-black robes, standing in the plaza in front and looking into the distant northwest.
The white-and-black robes were the Unborn Man’s signature attire. However, the two women were not around.
“Unborn Man?” Gu Hai walked over, some worry showing in his eyes.
Only now did the Unborn Man shift his gaze from the northwest.
“Lifespan Court’s minister-in-charge salutes Your Reverence!” The Unborn Man bowed.
Although the Unborn Man was hidden within his long robes, Gu Hai quickly verified his identity through his aura and voices.
“Unborn Man? You finally returned. Where’s Wanqing? Also, have Wanyu’s injuries healed yet?” Gu Hai asked somewhat anxiously.
“Your Reverence, rest assured. They are fine. Wanyu won’t get hurt anymore with Wanqing protecting her. However, it will take some more time before they can return,” the Unborn Man replied with a frown.
“What’s wrong? Have Wanyu’s injuries not healed yet?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“They are almost healed. However, the situation is somewhat complicated. Wanqing sent this official back to ask Your Reverence to come to the nether realm with me,” the Unborn Man said gravely.
“What do you mean? Did something happen?” Gu Hai asked worriedly.
“I cannot say,” the Unborn Man replied seriously.
“Why?”
“Your Reverence, please stop asking. Your Reverence will know when you get there. This official is not speaking for Wanyu’s good. I cannot speak of her matter, or her life will be in danger,” the Unborn Man said seriously.
“Are you worried about the walls having ears? We can set up a sound isolation barrier!” Gu Hai said.
“No, Your Reverence. If Your Reverence trusts this official, please don’t ask. I really cannot speak of Wanyu’s matter. A sound isolation barrier won’t work. If this official speaks, she will die for sure,” the Unborn Man said gravely.
“How can it be? Who would want to kill her?” Gu Hai asked with an unsightly expression.
The Unborn Man said nothing. Instead, he extended a withered right hand and pointed up.
Buzz!
Gu Hai’s pupils constricted in shock.
Gu Hai understood what the Unborn Man meant. Heaven wants to destroy Wanyu? The Unborn Man is referring to the Six Paths Immortal?
Gu Hai took a deep breath and suppressed all his curiosity.
“When are we going?” Gu Hai asked seriously.
“There’s no rush. There is no need to go immediately. Your Reverence, this official observes that Borderless Heavenly Capital is on the move. You are…,” the Unborn Man said with some confusion.
“Borderless Heavenly Capital is heading for the cardinal north position of the Divine Continent. We are currently at war with the Wu Imperial Dynasty. The Ying Imperial Dynasty might get involved too,” Gu Hai explained.
“Oh?” The Unborn Man looked at Gu Hai in shock.
In the few years I was gone, the Han Nation has not only advanced to an imperial dynasty, but it is even going to declare dominance over the world? That fast?
“Finish up what you have on hand first. After all, I don’t know how long this trip to the nether realm will take,” the Unborn Man said gravely.
“Are Wanqing and Wanyu really fine?” Gu Hai asked again.
“Your Reverence, rest assured. They are this official’s daughters. This official will never joke about their lives!” The Unborn Man nodded.
“That’s good.” Gu Hai inhaled deeply.
“Your Reverence, is there a battle in that direction?” The Unborn Man suddenly pointed to the northwest.
Gu Hai’s expression changed slightly. The direction the Unborn Man indicated was towards Three Mountains City.
“That’s right. Three Mountains City is in that direction. It is the junction of the Han Nation, the Wu Nation, and the Ying Nation. It should be the center of the next battle.” Gu Hai frowned as he nodded.
“Three Mountains City? What intense Corpse Energy!” The Unborn Man frowned.
“Corpse Energy?” Gu Hai echoed in confusion.
“Lifespan cultivators can open their heavenly eye. When opening my heavenly eye, I saw intense Corpse Energy soaring into the sky there. It is as though someone laid a powerful lifespan ritual array there, gathering Corpse Energy, preventing it from scattering. That is a dangerous place,” the Unborn Man said gravely.
“Heavenly eye?” Gu Hai startled.
At the mention of the heavenly eye, Gu Hai suddenly recalled he also had the heavenly eye on his heavenly soul’s forehead. However, it used a lot of energy.
Gu Hai took a step forward and controlled his heavenly soul. Suddenly, a faint crack appeared on his forehead.
Buzz!
The crack opened, revealing a third eye on his forehead. The heavenly eye opened.
The Unborn Man noticed nothing strange, as Gu Hai’s back faced him.
When Gu Hai’s heavenly eye opened, he immediately saw Three Mountains City.
Whoosh!
A black gale blew there. When he looked carefully, he saw boundless, surging black energy.
The black energy howled, forming a huge tornado enveloping the entire Three Mountains City. The black energy continuously manifested massive heads of evil demons, lingering there as they wailed in despair.
The black energy tornado was like a scene of hell, inspiring fear.
“Corpse Energy? Lifespan ritual array?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
Buzz!
The heavenly eye drained too much energy. It soon withdrew, vanishing from Gu Hai’s forehead and returning to the heavenly soul’s forehead.
The Unborn Man seemed to have noticed something, as he glanced at Gu Hai in confusion.
However, Gu Hai had already put the heavenly eye away. He did not ask the Unborn Man for details about the heavenly eye, and he did not want to expose his own heavenly eye.
However, Gu Hai had seen the hellish scene at Three Mountains City and now felt worried.
“You mentioned Corpse Energy and a lifespan ritual array earlier? What’s going on?” Gu Hai looked at the Unborn Man.
“I cannot see clearly. I can only sense overwhelming Corpse Energy in the distance, lingering without scattering. A lifespan cultivator must have laid a ritual array in Three Mountains City. Furthermore, such lifespan ritual arrays are complicated. He must have prepared for very long—at least four months.” The Unborn Man frowned.
“Four months? That means not long after the Han Vengeance Army formed. That means Long Shenying sent someone to lay it. He was preparing for that long?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“The Corpse Energy is truly intense. All the citizens in that city might have died,” the Unborn Man said sullenly.
“All the citizens in the city?”
“Yes! All the citizens have turned into zombies. How ruthless and what scale! Now, one can only enter but not leave that place. It will be inordinately difficult to get out of that place,” the Unborn Man said.
Gu Hai’s face sank.
Just then, Mo Yike rushed over with an extremely unsightly expression. “Your Reverence, I cannot contact Ao Shun and Shangguan Hen. Furthermore, they had already departed for Three Mountains City. They have probably entered the city by now.”
“You cannot contact them?” Gu Hai frowned.
“The lifespan ritual array’s interior already formed an independent world. The zither puppets should be useless,” the Unborn Man explained.
Just as Mo Yike felt worried, a guard rushed over. “Reporting to Your Reverence! The Wu Imperial Dynasty’s Long Shenwu used his blessings to borrow energy from his citizens!”
“Oh?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“According to the report from the spy in Martial Heaven City, Long Shenwu headed southwest after driving the power of his nation instead of heading for Borderless Heavenly Capital!” that guard reported respectfully.
“Southwest? Three Mountains City?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“Assassinating Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, and Ao Shun?” Mo Yike’s expression suddenly changed.
“Even if Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, and Ao Shun cannot win, they should be able to flee without major injuries. Inform the Mosquito Daoist to prepare to reinforce them!” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“I have a report!”
“Reporting to Your Reverence! The Ying Imperial Dynasty’s Long Shenying used his blessings to borrow energy from his citizens!” another guard reported.
“Long Shenying is going too? Is he going to kill Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, and Ao Shun?” Mo Yike’s expression changed.
With the earlier situation, Kong Xuan and the others might have been able to flee with the Mosquito Daoist’s support. Now, this was a death trap.
Long Shenying was slightly stronger than Long Shenwu. Furthermore, with the power of a great nation, he was now stronger than Sect Master Heavenly Access. They were determined to chop down Gu Hai’s key aides at Three Mountains City, the junction of the three nations.
