The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 253 - 222, Ambush the Thousand Faces God

"Can’t I look for you if there’s nothing wrong?"

Zhao Douan revealed a charming smile, as though their relationship was really good.

Jin Jian silently stepped back two paces, her hands subconsciously covering the purse at her waist.

"..." Zhao Douan sighed, thinking to himself, where’s the basic trust between people?

He helplessly assured, "I’m not here to collect a debt, I have something I need your help with."

The young priestess silently breathed a sigh of relief, her face showing a look of release, and the corners of her mouth even slightly turned up:

"Speak."

She didn’t resist helping Zhao Douan with tasks because he was willing to pay.

"Here’s the thing, about that Thousand Faces God of late…" Zhao Douan explained the rough situation.

Jin Jian frowned, "You want me to find him? I can’t do that."

The girl was very honest about such matters.

Zhao Douan asked, "Is there someone in the Heavenly Master Mansion who can?"

Jin Jian nodded naturally, proudly stating:

"The person is from the Divine Chapter Realm, and a Worldly Realm priest who practices appropriate techniques can manage it."

Then she shook her head and added:

"However, that would break the rules. The Heavenly Master Mansion can only assist the government within certain limits, but not in this matter. Somebody from the court had asked before, but rules are rules."

Both major cultivation powers always abided by the rules to avoid being entangled in royal conflicts... this was no secret.

Zhao Douan understood this too.

As expected, it’s not possible… He silently sighed, not surprised, but then suddenly asked,

"Could Wang do it? Don’t worry about the rules for now, just tell me if he has the capability."

Wang… the master?

Jin Jian took a moment to realize who Zhao Douan was referring to, and nodded naturally:

"Of course, he can do it!"

Zhao Douan revealed a satisfied smile, his right fist striking his left palm, showing reassurance:

"That’s settled then. Last time, Wang owed me a debt and still hasn’t repaid it. Tell him he doesn’t have to personally take action, just help me find the hiding place of the Thousand Faces God, and we’ll call it even, how about that?"

Jin Jian was stunned, unaware of when her master had also owed this fellow a debt...

So, this guy was a creditor to both her and her master?

The girl felt a bit intimidated, then quickly came to her senses, earnestly stating:

"Like I said, there are rules in the Heavenly Master Mansion..."

"I know," Zhao Douan interrupted her with a smile,

"The Heavenly Master Mansion has rules against taking on government tasks excessively. But... this time I’m asking for personal help, not on behalf of the court.

The Thousand Faces God wants to kill me; I need to seek personal revenge, so I’m asking Wang for help… That’s mutual aid among friends... The Heavenly Master Mansion surely doesn’t have any rules that forbid priests from helping friends, right?"

Jin Jian’s face showed confusion.

She thought carefully and responded:

"That doesn’t seem to be the case…"

She always felt that this guy was making sophist arguments, yet she couldn’t refute them, feeling like she’d hit a bug.

Helping a friend doesn’t violate the rules?

"Then it’s settled," Zhao Douan declared, like it was agreed upon:

"Hurry back, and tell Wang. After all, Wang wouldn’t want it to be widely known that an official of the Heavenly Master Mansion is hiding to dodge a debt, right?"

"... I’ll ask and come back to tell you."

Jin Jian thought that this was not something for her to worry about; it was up to her master to decide.

"Go quickly, I await good news," Zhao Douan urged with a smile.

...

In the deeper part of the Heavenly Master Mansion’s small courtyard.

"Master, that’s what he said."

Jin Jian stood under the great banyan tree, conveying the entire message word for word.

After she finished, she cautiously looked at her master.

Adorned in a dark priest robe, tall and with narrow features, Zhang Yan Yi sat in a reclining chair under the tree.

Initially carving a doll with a knife, he fell silent after hearing everything.

"Master? You really owe him a debt? And you’re hiding and not paying it?" Jin Jian asked timidly yet boldly.

Zhang Yan Yi: "…"

"Master, he said if you don’t agree, he’ll go around saying you are dodging your debts," Jin Jian whispered indignantly. "He even dared to threaten you."

Zhang Yan Yi: "…"

"Master..." Jin Jian wanted to continue speaking.

Suddenly, Zhang Yan Yi raised his hand to interrupt her.

This figure, whose cultivation had suppressed the heavens for several decades and who was among the longest-serving celestial beings in the Heavenly Human Realm, cleared his throat and stated:

"This child makes some sense; personal help is indeed not breaking rules. Well, since you want to help him, go tell him that that damned Divine Monarch will be hiding on Mud and Tile Street by tonight before dark and won’t leave."

Jin Jian tilted her head, puzzled:

"I don’t want to help him though; he’s looking for you..."

"Go quickly."

Old Heavenly Master waved his sleeve, an invisible force forcibly making the girl vanish into thin air, whisking her away several miles.

"Rustle rustle rustle..."

Above, the mysterious large banyan tree swayed.

Inside the vast canopy, it seemed as though several faces were making light joyful laughter.

...

"The priest returned so quickly? What’s the result?"

Lihua Hall.

Zhao Douan had been waiting for a while when he suddenly saw Jin Jian appear from nowhere, stumbling out of her invisible state.

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Jin Jian kept silent for a moment, pretending not to have been thrown over, expressionless, and relayed Old Heavenly Master’s words.

Then, she left with feigned nonchalance.

"Mud and Tile Street?"

Zhao Douan silently mulled over the name, his eyes gleaming:

"Old Wang is capable indeed, deserving of someone who majors in the Heavenly Dao, so calculating..."

Two hours had passed since their noon confrontation, and evening was not far off.

"We must capture him before dark... and bring enough people..."

Zhao Douan dared not delay, immediately rose from his seat, and hurried towards the Governor Hall.

Governor Hall.

"Thousand Faces God is hiding on Mud and Tile Street? Are you sure?"

Lord Ma stood up abruptly from behind his "desk," his thin and austere face staring at Zhao Douan in astonishment.

Zhao Douan’s expression was serious:

"It’s absolutely true! At least before dark, he should still be there."

Ma Yan asked, "How do you know?"

Zhao Douan hesitated, then explained, "I have a very good private relationship with Priest Jin Jian..."

"It’s impossible, she simply hasn’t..."

Ma Yan shook his head subconsciously, wanting to say Jin Jian couldn’t do it, but he immediately stopped himself, considering the girl’s identity.

If Jin Jian was willing to make an effort and find someone to help locate, it would be easy… Was it because of the "private relationship"?

So she secretly broke the rules?

Ma Yan, being extremely shrewd, knew that such matters should be understood without being discussed openly.

There are no rules that cannot be broken, but know that breaking rules is something you must never speak of.

He immediately looked at him with appreciative eyes, his spirits lifted:

"Good! Very good! Someone... summon the Masters from all the halls!"

He prepared to take action himself, to capture the rebel.

But to prevent any mishaps, he also planned to bring the elite of the Imperial Court, to seal off the area and avoid affecting the civilians.

"Brother, this thief is extremely cunning and skilled. Although your martial arts are powerful, at noon, even Eunuch Hai was deceived by him..." Zhao Douan reminded in a low voice.

Ma Yan nodded slowly, feeling it made sense.

To be able to escape from Eunuch Hai’s grasp, although just a Divine Chapter Realm, was not to be underestimated.

Most crucially, now that they had the location, if they failed again due to insufficient preparation, the entire court would be humiliated.

With that in mind, he summoned his attendant and said:

"Take my waist card, go to the palace and ask Mr. Hai to come again."

He then drafted a letter and called for a second person:

"Go to the Heavenly Master Mansion, using my authority, request the help of at least five Divine Chapter Realm priests."

The monks of the Divine Dragon Temple were somewhat "biased," mostly being Martial Monks who were not skilled in dealing with Magic.

While those skilled in Magic, the "Mages," often held higher statuses and the Buddhist Magic was singular.

It was not as specialized in suppression as the priests of the Heavenly Master Mansion.

Thus, he still chose to summon the priests to assist in battle.

What a lineup... With such an unfathomably powerful person like Eunuch Hai, alongside Lord Ma from the Worldly Realm Martial Artists, the Masters of the nine halls, and ten priests from the Heavenly Master Mansion...

This lineup was surely enough to easily crush the Kuangfu Society’s headquarters... Zhao Douan gasped.

Suddenly, it felt like using a cannon to kill a mosquito...

From this, one could see how much the assassination by the rebel troubled the officials on the court.

"Thousand Faces, if you don’t die this time, Ma Yan will take your surname..."

Zhao Douan silently lamented.

...

Mud and Tile Street was in East City.

This area was full of continuous buildings, in one of the houses, inside a side room.

On a bed, a man of average height and ordinary looks, with a contorted expression, was bare-chested with both arms propping himself up on the bed, rising and falling repeatedly.

Along with the shaking of the wooden bed and the sobbing wails of the female hostess.

Eventually, he collapsed heavily.

The room quieted down.

Shortly after, the man got off the bed, casually threw on a coat.

On the bed behind him lay the already unconscious hostess with pale face, seemingly drained of her spirit.

"Wu—wu wu—"

In a corner of the room, the male host was tied up with ropes.

He had a piece of undergarment stuffed in his mouth, his eyes were staring deadly at him, mingling with tears rolling down.

Surprisingly, the man who just regained some energy through the replenishing method, in terms of body and face, looked extremely similar to the tied-up male host.

The only difference was the cold and vicious expression between his brows.

"Ha ha, enjoyed the show? Want to kill this Divine Monarch?"

Thousand Faces God laughed as he stepped forward, pressing his hand on the male host’s head.

Then, without waiting for a reaction, he twisted sharply, a "crack" sound, and the male host’s neck broke, dead on the spot!

"Boring."

Thousand Faces God spat, walked to the window.

Through the slit of the window, he watched the slowly setting sun’s afterglow, fear lingering in his eyes.

Though several hours had passed and only a "substitute" controlled by Secret Technique had died, the scene of being casually suppressed to death by Mr. Hai was still deeply etched in his mind.

The mere thought made him shudder with fear.

And then... that... Zhao Douan!

Hatred filled the eyes of Thousand Faces God.

Losing his fake god and female slaves this time didn’t matter much; the key was that his Suppressing Object, the black umbrella, was broken, and his lifeforce was severely damaged.

However, he was so angry that he promptly fled, hiding in this courtyard.

"Now the city gates must be sealed. Even if I change my appearance, it will be hard to leave the city, I can only hide for a while and recover from my injuries."

"Fortunately, the Capital is large. The two major cultivation forces adhere to their rules and will not act, so I won’t be caught."

"Ha ha, once I have recovered from my injuries..."

Thinking about Zhao Douan’s female relatives from the information, the face of the Thousand Faces God twisted, showing viciousness.

However, he still suppressed the flames of revenge.

Quickly dressed, he also dug out some food to fill his stomach, preparing to leave.

To change locations.

He could not linger long in any one place, even if it seemed safe—this was a lesson from his years of experience wandering in Jianghu.

Night was about to fall.

Thousand Faces God stepped out of the courtyard, strolling confidently towards the end of Mud and Tile Street, contemplating where to hide next.

His shadow stretched long on the ground.

Suddenly, he stopped abruptly.

Narrowing his eyes, he looked towards the end of the street.

In the residual sunlight of the setting sun, the figure walking directly towards him.

Due to the backlighting, the figure’s face was blurred, unclear.

Yet it gave him a strong sense of familiarity.

Finally...

As the other approached, the pupils of Thousand Faces God suddenly constricted, his body tensed, as if plummeting into an ice pit!

Zhao Douan was walking toward him from the blood-red twilight, watching the obviously disturbed man opposite him, and said:

"You have already chosen the path to death."