The conflict between the General Faction and Champion Marquis Chu Heng had long been known to everyone in the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
However, many did not expect that on the very day Champion Marquis Chu Heng left, the General Faction would commit such a despicable and shameful act.
Even the ruler, Chu Gucheng, had intervened to prevent the situation from escalating, covering up for the General Faction and even sending his trusted aides to ambush Han Feng, a close confidant of Champion Marquis Chu Heng.
This matter caused an uproar in the imperial capital, leaving countless cultivators and beings shocked and in disbelief.
On that very day, the Martial General, who was still in the imperial capital, appeared to solemnly clarify that this matter had nothing to do with the General Faction.
Although they were at odds with Champion Marquis Chu Heng, they would never stoop to such despicable and shameless levels, taking advantage of his absence to target his family.
However, despite the Martial General's clarification and his oath that they were not involved, many remained skeptical.
If it wasn't them, why would the ruler, Chu Gucheng, send his trusted aides to ambush Champion Marquis Chu Heng's confidant?
The former Grand Tutor made no statement but continued to lead the officials in a joint petition, along with Han Feng and Chu Bai, demanding an explanation from Chu Gucheng.
As the situation escalated, it seemed to be spiraling out of control. Chu Gucheng had no choice but to make an appearance.
He received the ministers in the palace, claiming that he was unaware of the matter and did not know why his trusted aides had targeted Champion Marquis Chu Heng's confidant.
Chu Gucheng suspected that his trusted aides had long since colluded with outsiders and betrayed him.
After all, Gu Changge's strength was evident to all. If he had taken control of his trusted aides, it was not impossible.
At this point, Chu Gucheng directly shifted the blame onto Gu Changge, claiming that this was a strategy Gu Changge had used to deal with the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
However, his explanation and speculation were not convincing, as many believed that with the terrifying strength Gu Changge had displayed that day, if he truly wanted to deal with the Immortal Chu Dynasty, why would he resort to such methods?
Han Feng, Chu Bai, and others were even more furious, as it was Gu Changge who had saved them that night.
Now, the ruler, Chu Gucheng, was turning the tables, claiming that Gu Changge had controlled his trusted aides, causing them to betray him.
However, their actions were not truly aimed at getting an explanation from Chu Gucheng but rather at forcing him to hand over the remains of Champion Marquis Chu Heng's wife.
The former Grand Tutor understood the urgency of the situation and did not publicly expose Chu Gucheng's lies. He merely stated that he wanted to give his daughter a proper burial and requested to take her remains from the imperial mausoleum.
Chu Gucheng, to this day, still did not know who had killed the trusted aide he had sent to ambush Han Feng or who had saved Han Feng and the others. This was his greatest concern.
Regarding the former Grand Tutor's request to take his daughter's remains from the imperial mausoleum, Chu Gucheng did not refuse. He had anticipated this move long ago.
Thus, he had already ordered the removal of all traces and clues from the remains of Champion Marquis Chu Heng's wife.
The Immortal Chu Dynasty had suffered heavy losses, and many developments had spiraled out of his control.
Now, he only hoped that the situation would not worsen further. As long as he obtained the Mirror of Reincarnation, he could stabilize the situation once more.
"Father…"
Deep within the imperial capital, the eldest prince, Chu Wushang, looked at Chu Gucheng with concern, hesitating to speak.
Chu Gucheng rubbed his temples, feeling a headache, before turning to him and saying, "I have already handled this matter. But what about that jade pendant you mentioned? Where is it now?"
"I don't know. At the time, I didn't think much of it and didn't pay close attention. Later, when I had someone sort through Qinglan's belongings, the pendant wasn't found. I suspect it might have been lost. If the pendant were in the hands of the former Grand Tutor and the others, they wouldn't be in such a hurry to retrieve Qinglan's remains."
Chu Wushang spoke with a heavy expression.
Chu Gucheng nodded and said, "If it's lost, that's fine. But I'm worried that the pendant might have been stolen and ended up in the hands of Champion Marquis Chu Heng. Investigate further and see who has had contact with Qinglan's remains during this time. Once my cultivation recovers a bit, I'll use divination to trace it. For now, Champion Marquis Chu Heng hasn't returned, so the situation is still under control. I'm just worried…"
He didn't finish the sentence, but Chu Wushang understood. The Immortal Chu Dynasty had suffered heavy losses, and the internal situation was unstable. Externally, there were two enemies watching closely.
Moreover, there was also the unfathomable enemy, Gu Changge, lurking in the shadows, ready to descend upon the Immortal Chu Dynasty at any moment.
The Immortal Chu Dynasty had truly reached a critical moment of survival.
"Father, don't worry. If the matter of the pendant is exposed, I know what to do. I won't let it implicate the Immortal Chu Dynasty." Chu Wushang spoke solemnly, a flash of determination in his eyes.
Chu Gucheng sighed and patted his shoulder.
"I don't wish to see that day come either. It's still too early to speak of such things. I must find a way to quickly secure the help of the Xiyuan Sacred Hall and restore my master. The Yinxu Cave is unreliable. The fact that Elder Xingying stood by and refused to take risks this time is proof enough. Our Immortal Chu Dynasty may have already become a pawn on someone else's chessboard…"
At the same time, as Chu Gucheng and Chu Wushang were conversing.
Far away, at the border of the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
On an ancient floating warship, Champion Marquis Chu Heng, draped in a golden cloak, was staring intently at a figure shrouded in a black robe.
His trusted subordinates were also on high alert, ready to act at any moment.
"Who are you, and why have you trespassed into the heavily guarded territory of my Immortal Chu Dynasty's army?" Champion Marquis Chu Heng asked in a deep voice.
Despite his cultivation, he had barely sensed this person's arrival. The figure had appeared before the ancient warship before he noticed.
This was undoubtedly a being whose cultivation was close to the Ancestral Dao Realm.
During this time, he had been leading the army at the border, battling the Demon Court and Purple Mist Mountain. He had also heard rumors of what had happened in the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
Chu Heng wanted to go and assist, but the forces of the Demon Court and Purple Mist Mountain were growing increasingly aggressive. Although the master of Purple Mist Mountain had not taken further action, he had not returned to Purple Mist Mountain either, instead maintaining a distant intimidation over Chu Heng.
Moreover, the Demon Ancestor of the Demon Court seemed to be stirring due to the heavy losses suffered by the Immortal Chu Dynasty, preparing to personally come to the front lines.
The Demon Ancestor, Di Huang, was a being who had overcome the Eighth Heavenly Decline Tribulation, his strength not inferior to the master of Purple Mist Mountain.
The pressure Chu Heng faced here was no less than what the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty was enduring. He dared not act rashly.
"I have come here on the orders of my master to deliver something to Champion Marquis Chu Heng. I bear no ill will." The figure in the black robe spoke in a hoarse, indifferent voice, his face obscured, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
"May I ask who your master is and what you have come to deliver?"
Chu Heng did not relax at these words. His eyes flashed as he asked.
"You will know once you see it."
The black-robed figure did not answer Chu Heng's question. As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his wide sleeve, and a faint light landed before Chu Heng.
Chu Heng was momentarily stunned. When he saw what the light was, his pupils contracted sharply.
"This… this is Qinglan's pendant. How could it be here?" His voice trembled slightly, filled with disbelief. His outstretched arm, reaching for the pendant, also shook.
He had clearly sent his trusted confidant, Han Feng, back to the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty with the pendant to investigate the truth behind his wife Qinglan's death.
Why was the pendant here?
Had something happened in the imperial capital that he was unaware of?
"I have delivered the item. It is time for me to leave. If Champion Marquis wishes to understand the truth within the Immortal Chu Dynasty, it would be best for you to return personally. Otherwise, you may end up being used as a pawn, your value exhausted and discarded without even realizing it."
The black-robed figure's tone remained cold, showing no emotion at Chu Heng's trembling.
After saying this, he turned and walked away from the ancient warship, preparing to leave.
Chu Heng's trusted subordinates, seeing this, all changed expressions and wanted to stop him. However, Chu Heng waved his hand, stopping them and allowing the black-robed figure to leave.
"My lord, the sudden appearance of your wife's pendant… could this be some kind of trap?"
"Or perhaps the enemy's plan to lure us away from the front lines, deliberately sowing discord to make us withdraw?"
Seeing Chu Heng's pained and conflicted expression, several of his trusted subordinates couldn't help but voice their concerns.
"I have a feeling that something has indeed happened in the imperial capital. Many of the informants I left there have not sent any news during this time."
Chu Heng waved his hand, carefully storing the pendant, then took a deep breath and spoke.
He looked in the direction of the imperial capital, his eyes filled with heaviness.
As for the identity of the master the black-robed figure had mentioned, Chu Heng had his suspicions, but he was not certain. He also couldn't understand why the situation had taken such a drastic turn.
Something must have happened in the imperial capital. Otherwise, the informants he had left there would not have simply vanished.
Moreover, if Han Feng had not encountered any mishaps, he should have already returned to the imperial capital by now. Why had there been no news from him?
Chu Heng, after all, was an Ancestral Dao Realm being, capable of glimpsing the past and peering into the future.
The future had not yet happened and was filled with infinite possibilities.
Generally, when he peered into the future, what he saw would change, becoming the future of the present moment.
However, when he peered into the future fortunes of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, he saw many possibilities, all of which ultimately converged into one.
This suggested that this one possibility was likely the future the Immortal Chu Dynasty was about to face.
"Leave some people to guard the front lines. The rest will follow me back to the imperial capital."
"I want to see which enemy is targeting me like this. If someone is trying to stop me from uncovering the truth behind Qinglan's death, then I want to see how they plan to stop me."
Chu Heng gazed in the direction of the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty. After a moment of contemplation, he waved his hand and coldly made his decision.
His trusted subordinates, though hesitant, did not dare to disobey Chu Heng's orders.
Soon, orders were issued from the ancient warship, and the Immortal Chu Dynasty's army, which had been confronting the Demon Court's forces, began to retreat like a receding tide.
In the depths of the starry sky, where corpses piled up and rivers of blood flowed, the Demon Court's Seventh Prince, Di Kun, coldly watched this scene and did not order his forces to pursue.
Beside him, ripples spread, and the White Bone Ancestor King, clad in a black robe, appeared, also observing the scene.
"Senior, what should we do next?"
Di Kun turned to the White Bone Ancestor King and asked respectfully.
He knew that the White Bone Ancestor King was one of Gu Changge's people.
During this time, while the Demon Court's forces were battling the Immortal Chu Dynasty's army, the White Bone Ancestor King had met with him and relayed some of Gu Changge's instructions.
"Wait quietly. Once the Immortal Chu Dynasty falls into chaos, it will be the Demon Court's opportunity to launch a full-scale attack," the White Bone Ancestor King said coldly.
"Understood, Senior," Di Kun replied respectfully.
He didn't know what had happened or why the Immortal Chu Dynasty's army had suddenly retreated.
Moreover, it wasn't just a simple withdrawal from the front lines. Many generals and Dao Realm beings were also retreating, clearly heading back to the heart of the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
"The master may meet with the Demon Ancestor soon. The matter of the Demon Court should also be settled," the White Bone Ancestor King glanced at Di Kun, as if seeing through his thoughts.
Hearing this, Di Kun was overjoyed. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.
"Understood. I will discuss this with the Demon Ancestor and inform him. The Demon Court will welcome the master's arrival," he said respectfully.
The White Bone Ancestor King nodded, then disappeared from the spot.
The Demon Court's army did not pursue the retreating forces of the Immortal Chu Dynasty. However, several elders of Purple Mist Mountain, seeing this, grew restless and quickly sent word back to Zi Wanhe, who was meditating in a distant spacetime.
Zi Wanhe, clad in a purple robe and wearing a star crown with tassels hanging down, sat amidst swirling chaotic mist that obscured his features.
He sat in this spacetime, surrounded by the aura of the Great Dao, as if he had been there since ancient times, his imposing presence inspiring awe.
"Are you satisfied with the outcome of this transaction?"
Zi Wanhe did not pay attention to the message from the elders of Purple Mist Mountain. Instead, he opened his eyes and looked at the void before him, speaking calmly.
"Satisfied? Not quite. After all, the transaction is not yet complete. We still need the master of Purple Mist Mountain to do us one more favor."
In the void before Zi Wanhe, clusters of black mist dispersed.
From within came voices, both male and female, carrying hints of laughter, disdain, and arrogance.
"I have already agreed to deliver that black coffin as a gift. Now, the various factions of the Prime-Origin Civilization suspect that I am colluding with the remnants of the Black Calamity. Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
Zi Wanhe's eyes were deep, with strands of primal divine light flickering within. Images of galaxies collapsing and universes shattering played out in his gaze.
He stared intently at the void before him, his tone icy.
"We agreed from the start that you would bear the consequences. Moreover, that black coffin was something we obtained by chance. We didn't know what was inside. You delivering it as a gift to the Immortal Chu Dynasty was also in your interest, wasn't it?"
"This is a win-win situation. What more could the master of Purple Mist Mountain want?"
The voices within the dispersing black mist spoke with casual indifference, their tone light and mocking.
Zi Wanhe snorted, causing the entire spacetime to tremble. "You didn't make it clear beforehand. I had no idea that black coffin was related to the remnants of the Black Calamity."
He didn't believe for a second that these people didn't know what was inside that black coffin.
"So what if we did? This is a transaction you owe us. Do you dare to refuse?"
The voices within the black mist suddenly turned cold, their tone icy and piercing. The entire space-time seemed to freeze, time itself stagnating.
The once-thin black mist now took on an eerie glow, as if eons passed in the blink of an eye, with life and death playing out within.
Zi Wanhe's expression also shifted slightly. Although he was a top-tier existence in the Prime-Origin Civilization, he dared not offend the beings behind these voices.
Especially since this transaction was rooted in a karmic bond he had formed with them long ago.
Now that they had come to collect, even if he had known from the start that the black coffin was connected to the remnants of the Black Calamity, he would not have dared to refuse.
"What do you need me to do now?" Zi Wanhe's expression darkened, but he did not dare to defy their will. He could only ask in a heavy tone.
From the current situation, he had followed Gu Changge's instructions, delivering a dark gift to the Immortal Chu Dynasty and sending Purple Mist Mountain's forces to attack them.
Even if Gu Changge learned the truth, he likely wouldn't blame him.
But the beings behind these voices were also not to be trifled with.
Zi Wanhe strongly suspected that these people were actually remnants of the Black Calamity. If they could form a karmic bond with him, they could likely do the same with others.
How many civilizations in the vast expanse had they already infiltrated?
"It's simple. You just need to help us get close to the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and confirm his identity and origins."