“As for that invader, God Baizhantian also attempted to cast a karmic thread on him, but it did not succeed. We suspect this may be related to the Generous Pot.”
The moment the words “Generous Pot” came out, the hall immediately fell silent.
The Chief Cloud Envoy felt a tight blockage in his chest. He had to cough hard twice before he could continue, “In addition, while Qing Yang and Venerable Baizhantian were pursuing the invader, they discovered that he used origin energy.”
Everyone was shocked. “What?”
“Although it was for only a brief instant, State Preceptor Qing Yang sensed the presence of origin energy, and it was quite dense.” The Chief Cloud Envoy added, “Venerable Baizhantian also confirmed this account.”
State Preceptor Qing Yang had dealt with origin energy all her life. If she said that the other party used origin energy, then it was almost certain that they did.
“You are saying the invader is hidden somewhere within the imperial court or an army, and may even have an official post protecting him?” The Monster Emperor’s fury burned hot. “Mm, indeed, that’s very much possible!”
Thinking about it now, information regarding the array eye and the Generous Pot was all top secret. How could it possibly have been stolen casually by an outsider?
The existence of a mole was the most reasonable explanation.
Bai Ziqi also said, “These past few days have been overcast, yet the invader could still calculate the array eye’s position with precision!”
The Monster Emperor said in a deep voice, “Being able to calculate the array eye’s position means he clearly understands the connection between the Tianluo Star and the Grand Spirit-Gathering Array, and also understands how the Grand Spirit-Gathering Array’s angle is derived. Originally, even our own officials did not calculate it every day. They relied on the star map on the spider molt to operate on its own! In all of Lingxu City, how many people both know this secret and possess this level of ability?”
Several confidential ministers immediately listed four or five names. Even Nie Xiaolou, the head of Tongshan Academy, was named.
The Monster Emperor closed his eyes, a wave of heaviness pressing against his chest.
Even at a time like this, they still can’t let go of their little private motives... They’re still intent on having those whom Qing Yang recommended investigated. However, the Monster Emperor did not have the heart to say anything more and could only say, “Investigate them. Investigate them all!” He pointed at the Mountains and Rivers Diagram. “Since the karmic thread has already taken form, send Yuan Shou to pursue them!” First, capture them. If they could not be captured, then we investigate thoroughly!
Court Commandant Huo Ji’an coughed lightly and said, “General Yuan was badly wounded six hours ago while resisting the Giant Thunderclap Beast.”
“Then send Fan Long and Golden Horn! Surely the two of them are still alive?”
“Commander Fan was ambushed by an immortal. His body has been destroyed, and only his soul remains for now.”
Right, this was already reported earlier. The Monster Emperor fell silent for a moment before saying, “Do everything possible to preserve him. Have Golden Horn and Shuang Ye pursue the invader.”
“Yes!”
“Although the spider monster seized the immortal molt, she may not be able to unleash its full power, and she certainly cannot control it for long. Saying she possesses half-immortal strength is already giving her face. God Baizhantian and State Preceptor Qing Yang have both experienced this firsthand,” the Monster Emperor said coldly. “Capture her. Capture the one who destroyed Mount Xu and took the divine object! I want his flesh and blood to turn to ash bit by bit!”
Blood-red words also appeared on the Heavenly Tome: “Capture them immediately. Failure will not be tolerated!”
The heavenly gods and the Lord Emperor were in a towering rage, and everyone knelt across the floor.
Bai Ziqi, standing to the side, also lowered his head and secretly let out a long sigh.
He understood the pressure weighing on the Lord Emperor and the Heavenly Palace. Mount Xu and Lingxu City had nearly been turned upside down. Countless eyes inside and outside the city were fixed on the imperial court and the Heavenly Palace, waiting to see when they would bring the invader to justice.
An invader had caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace and was still at large. This was the humiliation of having spit wiped onto one’s face. The heavenly gods and the Monster Emperor absolutely could not endure it!
Not for a single moment.
The invader had to be captured and brought back to the Heavenly Palace at once. The humiliation suffered by the heavenly gods and the surging fury of the Lord Emperor had to be washed away with the invader’s blood!
Bai Ziqi could imagine what sort of quarrel the heavenly gods must have fallen into on the other end, in the divine realm.
But regarding this capture, he had a premonition that there would not be any good result.
The invader was too strange. Whether his face, identity, background, or the method by which he had escaped Mount Xu, the Heavenly Palace knew nothing.
Up to now, they knew nothing about their enemy.
This was truly not a good sign.
But he could not say it, nor did he dare.
Where exactly had things gone wrong? Why had the peace maintained by the imperial capital for six hundred years been broken in a single morning?
How could one man, alone and unaided, overturn the Heavenly Palace so thoroughly?
At this moment, an imperial court official hurried over to report Lingxu City’s losses to the Monster Emperor.
This was only the preliminary tally.
The Heavenly Palace’s divine attendants could not help but retreat several steps, sensing that the Lord Emperor’s fury would soon blaze to the heavens again.
His anger would ultimately turn into a storm of blood over Lingxu City.
But the Lord Emperor, enraged to the extreme, instead laughed. He gave two low chuckles. “Spirit Mountain! Good, good. After lying low for so long, it finally could not endure any longer?”
During the chaos in Lingxu City, the enormous scenery of mountains and rivers that appeared in midair was the arrogant signal sent by their opponent:
That’s right. We did this!
* * *
The spider monster suddenly woke the two of them. “Get up, quickly. Someone’s coming!”
She had planted quite a few eyes within five kilometers of the cave, and now she had received information that outsiders were approaching.
He Lingchuan’s eyes snapped open, and Dong Rui had already jumped up. “Let’s go!”
This place clearly had no village in front and no inn behind. There had not been half a human shadow around. Why would someone suddenly appear while they were sleeping?
Nine times out of ten, it was pursuers.
The two men and one spider had no intention of scouting first. They jumped into the mud palace, rode the snail toad, and left Mount Pei without looking back.
Only then did Zhu Daniang say, “My eyes saw two groups of people heading up Mount Pei from the east and south just now. In total, there are two to three thousand of them. The greater monsters leading them are very sharp. If my eyes looked at them a few more times, they sensed it. Also, birds are circling nonstop in the sky. They were probably sent by the other side too.”
Fortunately, the campfire had already been extinguished last night.
“I also saw them placing a large combat array near Mount Pei. It was probably meant to prohibit escape spells and techniques and prevent us from fleeing.”
Luckily, they had already run before the array properly began operating.
Dong Rui could not help but ask, “Fang Canran doesn’t know our whereabouts, right?”
He Lingchuan shook his head. “You chose this place. How could Fang Canran know?”
“Uh...” The three of them were all in a heavy mood.
The overnight resting place had been chosen randomly by the snail toad, yet Lingxu City had still found them.
What did that mean?
Their opponent could track them. If there were no distance limit, then they would not be safe even if they fled to the ends of the earth.
After all, how could anyone guard against thieves for a thousand days?
Dong Rui coughed and stole a glance at his two companions. “Who are they tracking?” It can’t be me, right? I didn’t even enter Mount Xu! If Lingxu City’s chasing these two fellows, then I’d best part ways with them.
He Lingchuan saw straight through the petty calculations in Dong Rui’s mind and was about to speak when the snail toad climbed up to the surface.
Zhu Daniang was displeased. She moved two steps closer to Dong Rui. “What are you doing?” Is this fellow planning to dump us and run off on his own?
“What do you mean, what am I doing?” Dong Rui snapped irritably. “We’ve left the rain belt up ahead. The earth is dry. The snail toad can’t move anymore!”
The condition for the snail toad’s ability to travel across several hundred kilometers freely was that the ground underground had to be very damp. If it were dry and parched beneath the earth, it could move at most a few kilometers.
Zhu Daniang looked up. Sure enough, they had temporarily run out of the rain belt. There was no rain falling on the ground, and the sky was cloudless.
The warm winter sun shone on them, driving away the darkness of the underground. However, this was not a good thing for them.
With pursuers behind them, this should have been the moment to flee as far away as they could, yet the snail toad could no longer move.
The enemy could lay inescapable nets and set up checkpoints along the road. If they fled on foot alone, could they outrun Lingxu City’s pursuers?
Moreover, after the great battle on Mount Xu, Zhu Daniang had exhausted her essence, muscles, and strength. The immortal molt had already become a heavy burden for her. Could she still control the immortal husk and sprint for great distances?
He Lingchuan’s brow furrowed. When he looked at Zhu Daniang in the next second, his gaze suddenly froze.
Zhu Daniang had not cared at first, but this boy stared at her for so long that even she grew curious. “What are you looking at?”
Even in the morning light and mist, burrow spiders were still burrow spiders. They would not suddenly turn into some delicate beauty.
Why is he looking at me with such a researching and astonished gaze?
“There’s a thread behind your head, a golden thread.” He Lingchuan reached out to brush it away, but his fingertips passed straight through the golden thread without any sensation.
Is this thread illusory? “Can’t you see it yourself?”
Zhu Daniang had an eye growing on the back of her head. In theory, her field of vision covered 270 degrees, with almost no blind spots. But in the end, she said, “I can’t see it.”
“Uh...” He Lingchuan pointed under a tree. “Come over here.”
There was no sunlight beneath the tree shade.
Zhu Daniang walked over, and the golden thread behind her head vanished.
“This golden thread seems to be visible only in sunlight.”
Zhu Daniang walked back into the sun. He Lingchuan examined the golden thread closely and saw that it extended infinitely backward, as though it had no end.
Judging from the direction it came from, it seemed to lead toward Mount Xu, but also toward the sky.
“Any discomfort?” He Lingchuan stroked his chin. “You’re experienced and well-informed. Don’t you know what this is?”
Zhu Daniang also sank into thought. Only after a long while did she say, “Perhaps it is a tracking spell Baizhantian secretly placed on me? The gods do have certain divine abilities, and they are not easy to remove.”
Dong Rui walked over and looked for a long while too. “I don’t see anything. You’re saying the god placed a divine technique on Zhu Daniang, and that exposes our whereabouts? Can it be removed?”
If it could not be removed, he would have to break away from Zhu Daniang.
It was only light, formless and insubstantial. To put it plainly, the god had placed a marker on Zhu Daniang. How could it be removed? He Lingchuan was about to shake his head when he suddenly remembered something.
When Shao Jian first arrived in Panlong City, the Red General—or rather, Mitian—had also made him stand beneath the sun and cast a deific technique that illuminated a black thread on his shoulder.
Although that one had been black and the one on Zhu Daniang was golden, their essence should be more or less the same, right?
What did Mitian say at the time?
Was it called a thread of fate, or a karmic thread?
She had easily pinched that black thread apart and said that some wild god had targeted Shao Jian. With that pinch, she severed the passive connection between Shao Jian and the wild god, making it impossible for the latter to track him again.
Is Zhu Daniang under the same thing?
As expected of a god, they really do have such sinister methods. We pretty much did everything just to flee Mount Xu, yet we still failed to escape their sight fully. So long as this thread remains, even if we flee to the ends of the earth, the Heavenly Palace will be able to send people to find us.
What now? Do we part ways with Zhu Daniang and leave her to shoulder this trouble alone?
Their side did not have a god who could sever the thread.
Are we really out of options?
After piling earth until he formed a mountain nine ren[1] high, he did not want to fail at the final basket of earth—he had come too far to fail at the final step.[2]
1. This isn’t to be taken literally, but anyway, 1 ren = 7 chi = 2.331 meters. ☜
2. The original text here is “为山九仞，他可不希望功亏一篑。” Madame Author was almost definitely referencing a passage from the Book of Documents—also known as Shangshu, and is one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature—here, specifically “为山九仞，功亏一篑。” The original passage from the Book of Documents is officially translated as “in rearing a mound of nine fathoms, it is only for want of one basketful of earth that the work is not completed,” or the more modern rendition of “when building a mountain nine ren high, failure comes from lacking one final basket of earth.” ☜
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