Everlasting Immortal Firmament

The Ninth Cycle.

With Gu Hai’s current strength, executing the Ninth Cycle was still unbearable despite his driving the power of the Han Nation. If not for his physical body reaching the peak, executing the Ninth Cycle would have exploded him.

Although his strong physical body withstood the Ninth Cycle’s rebound, his internal organs still suffered severe injuries. His nascent souls all appeared listless and dispirited.

After vomiting blood, Gu Hai felt much more comfortable.

This move severely damaged both the opponent and himself, but slightly less to himself. Because he rushed back to the Soaring Palace Hall, many people must have guessed something was wrong, perhaps a severe injury. So what? Gu Hai had defeated Sect Master Heavenly Access. News of that would definitely spread all over the world.

If one wanted to barge into Borderless Heavenly Capital, one needed Sect Master Heavenly Access’s level of strength. Even the Immortal Executioner Sword Ritual Array was no match for Gu Hai’s saber strike. Gu Hai had even shattered the most powerful sword in the world, the Immortal Executioner Sword. Sect Master Heavenly Access came with high spirits but returned in defeat, forced to flee in a sorry state and severely injured.

This was Gu Hai. This was the Han Nation.

From this moment on, ordinary troublemakers would no longer dare to challenge the Han Imperial Dynasty.

Outside, the officials and citizens cheered joyfully. Gu Hai rested and recuperated in the Soaring Palace Hall for a while, and his pale complexion recovered some color. After all, he had Mending Heaven Energy to help him recover from ordinary injuries quickly.

Creak!

The doors opened once more, and Gu Hai stepped out of the Soaring Palace Hall.

At this moment, the civil and military officials stood respectfully in the plaza. When they saw Gu Hai come out, they immediately saluted, “Long live Your Reverence! Many Your Reverence live for ten thousand years!”

As Gu Hai looked at the officials, he could hear the cheers from the Borderless Heavenly Capital citizens and smile in satisfaction.

At the same time, news of Sect Master Heavenly Access’s defeat quickly spread.

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When the sects and royal dynasties around the Han Imperial Dynasty heard this news, nearly everyone revealed an incredulous expression.

“This is impossible! It has not even been twenty years since Gu Hai established the Han Imperial Dynasty. How did he do it?”

“It’s fake! It has to be fake! That is Sect Master Heavenly Access! How could Gu Hai possibly deal with him?!”

“Who spread this news? Who spread it? Stop speaking nonsense!”

The experts in the nearby factions were shocked and horrified.

If Gu Hai were indeed that strong, they were in danger as his neighbors.

Sect Master Heavenly Access was a name they could only look up to in awe. No one could accept Gu Hai defeating Sect Master Heavenly Access.

Everyone recalled that when the Han Nation first became a royal dynasty, nearly anyone could bully it. Now…

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A small pavilion building, Han Imperial Dynasty’s border:

“Milord, it is definitely true. Different spies sent back word separately that Sect Master Heavenly Access lost,” an official said with an unsightly expression while saluting towards the pavilion building.

Inside the pavilion building, the lord who plotted for Borderless Heavenly Capital’s internal conflict felt silent for a long time.

“It’s too fast! Gu Hai is growing too fast!” That lord finally let out a shocked exclamation.

“Milord, what should we do? Even Sect Master Heavenly Access lost. Who… Who would be the Han Imperial Dynasty’s match?” the official at the door asked anxiously.

“Ignorant!” the lord in the pavilion building shouted coldly.

“Ah?”

“Gu Hai defeated Sect Master Heavenly Access by borrowing the power of the Han Nation. He accomplished that because the Han Nation citizens lent him their energy. My Wu Imperial Dynasty can do the same. If His Reverence drives the power of the Wu Nation, he also can defeat Sect Master Heavenly Access,” the lord within said coldly.

“Uh…yes!”

“When the two nations fight, and we capture most of the Han Nation’s cities, how will Gu Hai borrow energy without most of his citizens? Furthermore, he can only borrow energy in Borderless Heavenly Capital. Can he do the same elsewhere? He is already trapped within Borderless Heavenly Capital!” the lord within said coldly.

“Yes!”

“Sect Master Heavenly Access will not accept this defeat. Just wait. He will return soon. You will handle receiving him then. Remember to do your best to pacify him and get him to deal with Gu Hai again,” the lord within commanded coldly.

“Yes!”

When that official left, the lord within showed an unsightly expression.

The first wave—causing internal chaos in Borderless Heavenly Capital—had failed.

The second wave—luring Sect Master Heavenly Access to Borderless Heavenly Capital—had also failed.

“Humph! It is just two waves. There is more to come!” the lord within said coldly.

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Emperor’s study, Borderless Heavenly Capital:

Gu Hai sat at the desk, looking at the mound of reports before him.

However, Gu Hai could remember them by quickly flipping through the pages thanks to his excellent memory and analytical ability.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a black fog appeared in the study.

Gu Hai put down the report in his hand and looked at the black fog coldly.

There seemed to be many bats within the black fog. Then, the bats gathered and formed a human figure. This person respectfully saluted Gu Hai. “Blood Uniform Guard’s envoy commander, Chang Ming, salutes Your Reverence!”

Gu Hai nodded at Chang Ming.

“Your Reverence, here is the information the Blood Uniform Guard gathered.” Chang Ming respectfully handed over a stack of reports, placing them on Gu Hai’s desk.

Gu Hai tapped this stack with his finger. Instead of reading the reports, he looked at Chang Ming and asked, “Is there any of the blood race in the Wu Imperial Dynasty?”

“Yes! According to Your Reverence’s command, this official began making arrangements more than a year ago. I have paid special attention to the Wu Imperial Dynasty,” Chang Ming replied respectfully.

“Oh? I heard from Mo Yike that the Wu Imperial Dynasty had never stopped operating normally over the past year?” Gu Hai looked at Chang Ming.

“Yes. They continued as normal. While they attacked their neighbors less, they tidied up their nation with exquisite means.” Chang Ming nodded.

“Who concocted the scheme from two days ago?” Gu Hai asked.

“Your Reverence knows him too,” Chang Ming said with a bitter smile.

“Oh?”

“Sima Changkong!” Chang Ming said gravely.

“Sima Changkong?” Gu Hai appeared shocked.

“Indeed. Although he is in the Wu Imperial Dynasty, they provided him with comprehensive protection, even hiding him. However, Your Reverence once instructed me to pay attention to Sima Changkong, so this official sent someone to infiltrate Sima Changkong’s residence more than a year ago. When Your Reverence and the others vanished, Sima Changkong demonstrated extraordinary means. He calmed the internal conflicts and defended against the enemies. He cooked up several complicated schemes and formally gained the trust of the Wu Imperial Dynasty’s imperial court. This is everything he did over the past year.” Chang Ming handed over another set of reports.

Gu Hai gently opened the first report and scrutinized it. As he read on, startled admiration flashed in his eyes.

“Previously, he was just Long Zhanguo’s messenger, an unremarkable person with no contributions. Unexpectedly, he is this incredible!” Chang Ming marveled, shaking his head.

However, Gu Hai shook his head. “No. No contributions? Hah! You are wrong!”

“Oh?”

“He was previously the top scholar of the Qian Heavenly Dynasty. However, he lost only that title despite contradicting Long Zhanguo. Later on, Long Shenwu took him in. How could he be untalented? Although he did little in the past, he is Long Shenwu’s top aide. Could he only be a messenger? When Sima Zongheng betrayed Long Zhanguo, the Sima Clan nearly faced clan execution. However, Sima Changkong protected his entire clan. How could he be mediocre?” Gu Hai explained seriously.

“But…”

“This only proves one point. Sima Zongheng had been hiding his inadequacy!” Gu Hai said, his voice sinking.

“Oh?”

“Sima Zongheng did not give Sima Changkong a chance to make contributions. Rather, Sima Zongheng did not want him to appear too capable. Hah! It’s him? It’s Sima Changkong? Then everything makes sense! Haha! It all makes sense now!” A gleam flashed in Gu Hai’s eyes.

“So…Sima Changkong is very capable?” Chang Ming said with uncertainty.

“Very capable. He nearly pulled the wool over our eyes. This suffices to prove that!” Gu Hai said gravely.

“Yes!” Chang Ming nodded.

“What is your subordinate’s position in Sima Changkong’s residence?” Gu Hai asked.

“He is just a cook. All along, I wanted to turn others into the blood race, to become one of us. However, there was never an opportunity. He kept telling me there were no opportunities. I did not believe him at first. Now, I’m starting to believe.” Chang Ming frowned.

“If Sima Changkong were that wise, he would be wary of the people by his side. Hah! Cook? That might only be an oversight of the people from his original residence,” Gu Hai said seriously.

“Your Reverence, the Embroidered Uniform Guard found some spies in the imperial court. We have found some, too. They are all detailed in this information. However, this official still cannot find the one among the eight with the most authority,” Chang Ming said with a complicated expression.

“Chen Tianshan, Mo Yike, Gao Xianzhi, Kong Xuan, Shangguan Hen, Ao Shun, Meng Tai, and Gu Qin?” Gu Hai frowned.

“Yes. There are no clues. This official has nowhere to start from.” Chang Ming frowned.

“Them? Indeed. We truly did not expect a spy among those eight,” Gu Hai said with a frown.

“Could we be mistaken? They are all people Your Reverence trusts the most.”

“No. It is among them. You don’t have to worry about this. We will find that spy,” Gu Hai said seriously.

“Yes!” Chang Ming nodded.

“Is there anything else of special note?” Gu Hai asked.

“Yes. Even if Your Reverence does not ask, this official wanted to raise the issue,” Chang Ming said solemnly.

“Oh?”

“Does Your Reverence recall Guan Qi’s nine inheritors?” Chang Ming asked.

Gu Hai nodded. “Naturally, we do. Aside from Gu Qin, whom we brought back from eight hundred thousand years in the past, the rest died there.”

“What this official wants to talk about is one of them, Long Sanqian. Does Your Reverence recall him?” Chang Ming asked.

“Long Sanqian? Long Shenwu’s son? The Wu Imperial Dynasty’s crown prince? One of Guan Qi’s nine inheritors? He died eight hundred thousand years in the past. Did he not die? Did he return too?” Gu Hai exclaimed in shock.

“No. It is not that he returned. Instead… Haha! This official does not know how to explain it. When Your Reverence disappeared with the others one year ago, one of this official’s subordinates saw Long Sanqian,” Chang Ming said with a bitter smile.

“Oh?” Gu Hai’s pupils constricted.

Long Sanqian should have gone to eight hundred thousand years in the past. How could Chang Ming’s subordinate have seen him? Could there be two Long Sanqians: one went to the past, and one did not? That’s impossible. How could there be two Wu Nation crown princes?

“Only that subordinate saw him; however, he was certain of it. This official also felt extremely curious. The Wu Imperial Dynasty continued operating normally over the past year or so. Perhaps it was Long Sanqian who took charge of the Wu Imperial Dynasty, the Wu Nation’s crown prince,” Chang Ming said gravely.

Gu Hai frowned heavily.

Long Sanqian was managing the Wu Imperial Dynasty? The situation has turned opaque.

“Where did your subordinate see him?” Gu Hai asked.

“Silver Moon Mountain Manor!” Chang Ming said with a strange expression.

“Silver Moon Mountain Manor? Yun Mo’s place? How can that be? Why would Long Sanqian appear there?” Gu Hai frowned heavily.

This Silver Moon Mountain Manor was the Silver Moon Mountain Manor in Silver Moon City that Gu Hai went to when he first entered the Divine Continent. Yun Mo was the person making the zither puppets.

The Wu Imperial Dynasty and the Silver Moon Mountain Manor should not have a connection. Nevertheless, Long Sanqian appeared in the Silver Moon Mountain Manor?