Secret Buyer-Chapter 314 - 241: The Residual Soul of Ziwei? Witnessing the Ultimate Limit (1/3)
Amidst the rain.
Yang Shexing’s spiritual will descended—a cautious man by nature, he had just captured a ’high-ranking’ member of the High Heaven Association,
although he was ninety percent sure he wouldn’t be traced, what if he was?
He was absolutely unwilling to step out of the Jingpeng Ship.
His spiritual will cast a phantom, imposing human figure on the ground, the officials of Chongyang bowing their heads in the rain,
Hu Zhongli and Li Guoquan exchanged glances, stepped forward together, bowing their hands:
"Special Envoy Yang?"
Yang Shexing’s gaze swept over the two Golden Legislators, expressionless:
"Legislator Hu, what are you doing here in Chongyang, instead of staying put in the waiting area?"
He was accusatory, very assertive, and this strand of spiritual will was now shining brilliantly, illuminating the rainy night.
Hu Zhongli remained unchanged, still beaming:
"Special Envoy Yang, you might have forgotten, but I have already stepped down. The Golden Legislator at the waiting area is now Zhou Muniu, who returned a couple of days ago."
Yang Shexing narrowed his eyes dangerously, suddenly changing the subject:
"Where’s Zhang Fusheng?"
He quietly observed everyone’s expressions present, but these old foxes showed no sign of abnormality,
Li Guoquan directly answered:
"He has also stepped down, and has taken his family on vacation."
"Is that so?"
Yang Shexing spoke lightly, pacing in the rain, his brilliance shining brighter, piercing the deep rain curtain.
He stopped before Lin Changle, who looked nervous.
"It seems rather absurd in Chongyang."
Yang Shexing’s voice rose:
"An assistant of the Martial Artist level at the Public Security Headquarters, with no achievements, directly becomes Director General?"
"Special Envoy Yang."
The one speaking was Chen Daoling, who coughed twice:
"Currently, Chongyang is in a special situation, and special matters require special measures. Cultivation is no longer a strict requirement; capability is prioritized..."
Before he could finish his words,
Yang Shexing interrupted lightly:
"Excuses, should be punished."
This strand of spiritual will waved its hand nonchalantly, and the vast Power of Heaven and Earth suddenly formed a massive palm seal, striking fiercely!
Chen Daoling’s color changed, four flames suddenly appeared behind his head, trying to resist,
but the gap between them was too big, and he was sent flying, his body cracking like fragile porcelain, even the four flames nearly extinguished!
"Special Envoy Yang!"
Li Guoquan was furious, shouting loudly, ready to step forward, but his feet came to a sudden halt.
Above the celestial vault, that Divine Spirit-class Jingpeng Ship had unknowingly lowered its enormous head,
countless arcane runes lighting up on its wings hanging like clouds.
An intense sense of crisis enveloped every one of them.
Yang Shexing slowly spoke:
"Why call for me?"
Li Guoquan opened his mouth, his hair standing on end, wanting to speak, yet unable to, only breathing heavily.
Even among them, Hu Zhongli, who had stepped into the Innate Realm, had an extremely grim expression.
Yang Shexing faintly smiled:
"Your idea for Chongyang isn’t bad, to become directly governed by the Federation, to be like a thorn overseeing Su Qiansuan, the Federation approves of your proposals and concepts."
"However..."
He glanced around, his smile gradually fading:
"This doesn’t mean you can, based on this, wantonly demand things from the Federation."
"Recognize your status, the direct governance of Chongyang has been settled, but I am the one to make this decision—if you can do the job well, then do it well, if not, you’ll be replaced."
"Now, let your Chongyang three-member team make the decision and proposal, within three days, all administrative power will be held solely by me—
I’m done speaking, who agrees, who opposes?"
Silence, silence.
Still silence.
Only the sound of rain continued incessantly.
"Very good."
Yang Shexing nodded in satisfaction, this strand of spiritual will slowly dissipating, vanishing from sight.
With only a lingering echo, resonating in the rain.
"The former Director General of the Public Security Headquarters, I am very interested in someone who has made a triple jump in personal stature in a mere month or two."
"Have him come for an audience."
The numerous officials looked at each other.
Hu Zhongli exhaled a murky breath, sighing:
"A starving wolf has come..."
They had miscalculated.
......
Above the High Heaven.
The Great Celestial Venerate quietly sat amid the Chaos Fog, his mind racing.
Within the Bridge of Helplessness, a hidden soul.
He remained silent, appearing as if still in deep slumber, the fog quietly flowing, an expanse of layered darkness dense to the extreme, with no end in sight.
Whose soul?
Zhang Fusheng first thought of the Celestial Khan.
This was the greatest possibility.
In mythological stories, Li Shimin indeed traveled once to the Underworld—right after Wei Zheng had slain the dragon in his dream,
Li Shimin was pursued by the vengeful spirit of the Jing River Dragon King, resulting in his journey to the Underworld,
welcomed by the Ten Halls of Yama, and he toured half of the Underworld—passing by the Bridge of Helplessness.
Thinking of this.
Under the gaze of everyone in the Eight Sceneries Palace.
Within the Chaos Fog,
The Great Celestial Venerate seemed to lift his head, eyes opening, the dark Taoist Palace lighting up, and then the sound of a deep voice came through.
"The Nine Netherworld has emerged, and indeed, there is the Bridge of Helplessness."
A gentle voice spread, Yuan Tiandao’s breath suddenly became rapid, inquiring:
"Might I ask the Celestial Venerate, where has the emerged Nine Netherworld appeared? How can one reach the Bridge of Helplessness?"
Having asked, he slapped his forehead:
"I have forgotten!"
Thus,
Yuan Tiandao prostrated, loudly saying:
"I am willing to offer a thousand years of arduous cultivation, could it be a worthy price?"
The True Man gently spoke:
"But I ask, is your heart sincere?"
Yuan Tiandao’s expression turned solemn, bowing again:
"I am willing to offer two thousand years of arduous cultivation, willing to offer the remainder of my life—only to retain ten more years of life for myself, to offer all other remaining years!"
The True Man nodded:
"Since your heart is sincere, your lifespan shall remain yours, I will only take your two thousand years of cultivation."
He sketched out light and shadow, asking:
"Willingly?"
Yuan Tiandao bowed:
"Willingly!"
Thus, two thousand years of cultivation past silently peeled away.
The old man’s vitality plummeted rapidly, but he still remained nearly perfect Celestial Human—just how many years has this guy lived??
Zhang Fusheng was inwardly astonished, yet soon delighted.
Two thousand years of cultivation time!
It will definitely allow the remaining nine Grotto Heavens within him to all be completely refined!
Thus.
The Heaven and Earth Chessboard seemed to be capable of being picked up.
"Mercy."
Amidst the astonishment of the attendees who could offer two thousand years of cultivation, they heard the Celestial Venerate sigh.
Thereafter.
The Celestial Venerate spoke gently:
"The Nine Netherworlds have been placed ten thousand years in the future."
The attendees were bewildered.
What does it mean? Placed ten thousand years in the future?
Yuan Tiandao’s face changed abruptly, and he murmured bitterly:
"Do you mean to say that it will take ten thousand years for the Nine Netherworlds to emerge?"
"Not so," the Celestial Venerate seemed to shake his head, as chaotic qi flowed and rolled.
Yuan Tiandao just started to feel relieved,
but then heard the Celestial Venerate say leisurely:
"To be precise, the Nine Netherworlds are placed in the future that is always ten thousand years ahead, when you look at the Nine Netherworlds today, it is ten thousand years later."
"And when you look at them again ten thousand years from now, they are still ten thousand years in the future."
"If left undisturbed, the Nine Netherworlds will remain forever in the future, inaccessible to those who cannot traverse time."
The light words echoed within the Eight Sceneries Palace, and everyone was stunned.
Then came a chill down their spines.
The Nine Netherworlds have been placed in the future.
Who could have done this?
Is there truly such an unimaginable power in this world?
The attendees were in a daze, the great secret casually revealed by the Celestial Venerate had left them all shocked,
Only Miss Mingyue was the quickest to recover, and then she shrank her neck.
Though she was a person from a painting, her memory was incomplete, remembering only the old affairs in the Five Mansions Temple,
but she naturally understood some things about those supremely high beings.
At this moment,
Miss Mingyue murmured:
"There are only a few who could extract the Nine Netherworlds from the [present] and place them in the [future], right?"
Yuan Tiandao shivered—what does she mean by only ’a few’?
Isn’t it enough that one person possesses such incredible power?
He swallowed hard, holding on to the last thread of hope, cautiously speaking:
"But you said, Celestial Venerate, that the Nine Netherworlds are coming into being..."
The mist cycled silently, and the Celestial Venerate seemed to smile as he spoke peacefully:
"The Central Pole Sect Leader is already returning to his position."
As he spoke, the Celestial Venerate pointed a finger beyond the Taoist Palace.
The attendees instinctively turned to look, seeing beyond the gate made of chaotic mist,
an imposing Imperial Palace had already appeared outside the Taoist Palace at an unknown time.
Yuan Tiandao struggled to look, only to see within the magnificent Imperial Palace, an extraordinarily solemn Emperor’s Shadow sitting there,
the Emperor’s Shadow sitting quietly as if it had been there for thousands upon thousands of years.
Miss Mingyue bowed in salute, speaking aloud:
"Greetings to the Central Supreme Leader, the Emperor of the Underworld, the Master of the Six Paths of Reincarnation!"
The attendees hurriedly followed in salute,
only to see the Emperor’s Shadow leisurely rise and make a bow towards the Taoist Palace:
"Summoned by the Tao Ancestor, thus I come."
The Celestial Venerate smiled gently and spoke:
"Fellow Daoist, a young friend in my Eight Sceneries Palace asks you, at the Bridge of Helplessness, is there a soul from bygone years?"
The Emperor’s Shadow smiled, ceremoniously responded:
"How could you, Tao Ancestor, not know?"
The Celestial Venerate replied warmly:
"Ziwei’s relations with you are very close, he once briefly oversaw the Underworld with you as his assistant, maintaining peace in the Nine Netherworlds, the souls orderly."
As they spoke,
Zhang Fusheng had been observing Yuan Tiandao’s expression, his gaze profoundly deep.
From all the clues available, if Li Shimin was merely Li Shimin, what ability enabled him to leave behind such tremendous precautions?
The twenty-four of Lingyan Pavilion, Chang’an Town, the thousand-mile Imperial Mausoleum, Yin Chang’an, and the Ziwei Emperor’s Robe mentioned by Li Yiyi and others...
All these.
Point to [Li Shimin] as the Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole—though it is no harm to be wrong.
He could immediately knock on the Gate of the Past lightly and change his account.
But seeing Yuan Tiandao’s uncontrollable excitement upon hearing ’Ziwei’, he wasn’t mistaken after all. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
At this moment.
In the Eight Sceneries Palace, most were bewildered, the sixth seat Yuan Feidao staring intensely at the newly arrived ninth seat,
Miss Mingyue had her head buried very low, trembling slightly.
She knew she had just overheard another tremendous secret.
Emperor Ziwei...
Outside Eight Sceneries Palace, in the grand Imperial Palace.
The Emperor’s Shadow nodded ceremoniously:
"In response to the Tao Ancestor’s inquiry, a trace of Ziwei’s residual soul probably resides within the Bridge of Helplessness, his precaution then was indeed ingenious."
"In the body of an earthly emperor, when traversing the Underworld, he quietly left behind a trace of his soul, which was indeed—excellent."
"Mercy, mercy," the Celestial Venerate sighed softly.
As the sigh echoed, in the view of the attendees, the grand Imperial Palace slowly descended, along with the majestic Emperor’s Shadow, disappearing altogether.
Eight Sceneries Palace was silent in deathly stillness.
Everyone was digesting a massive amount of information.
The Central Supreme Leader, the master of the Nine Netherworlds, yet bowed to the Celestial Venerate, not speaking of deference, but was the one to rise and bow.
Everyone’s gaze was cast on the still calmly seated hazy figure amidst the chaotic mist.
They lowered their heads.
Yuan Tiandao made a deep bow, chanting:
"I have received enlightenment, Celestial Venerate’s mercy!"
The Celestial Venerate smiled silently, while the True Man spoke:
"Let us exchange between heaven and alternate, share what we have!"
After a while,
with a few brief exchanges, the group discussed and tentatively decided on joining hands to rescue the seventh seat,
accompanied by the True Man’s solemn chant—"Depart now!"
The attendees then all fell out of the Taoist Palace, returning to the bustling mortal world.
Once again, the Taoist Palace fell silent.
The Celestial Venerate sat alone, and the mist dispersed.
Zhang Fusheng settled on the meditation mat, gently gesturing, and the Bridge of Helplessness appeared before him, yet no matter how he looked, he couldn’t see the so-called soul buried within it.
"Is it within the bridge itself?"
He mused to himself, his gaze profoundly deep.
His palm gently caressed the ancient bridge, his fingertips lightly tapping, attempting to perform deduction and divination using the newly acquired Celestial Calculation Technique.
Though there was no longer the Heaven to consult, such divining still worked —though greatly inferior to the methods of the old world, falling short compared to other divination techniques now.
The fingertips lightly touched the Bridge of Helplessness nineteen times.
Vaguely, he could glimpse the celestial secret, yet the celestial secret yielded no answer.
He couldn’t calculate it.
"So it is."
Zhang Fusheng sighed slightly, if it were truly so easy to calculate, the contingency left by the suspected Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the suspected Emperor Ziwei, would indeed be too crude.
If he was not mistaken,
Yuan Tiandao probably learned of this through information left by that figure.
"Let it be."
Zhang Fusheng’s eyes brightened once more, muttering to himself:
"Let’s open the remaining nine Grotto Heavens together first!"
"The Innate Extreme Realm shall be today."
Two thousand years of cultivation years, suddenly merged with oneself.
The Heavenly Cave emerged, illuminating all directions.
