Book 4: Chapter 110: Retreating Safely
Book 4: Chapter 110: Retreating Safely
“Imperial Emperor Xi Yu is generous with his praise. This humble one can tell that you want this Investiture of the Gods. Right now, we are trapped, so I shall not bother with pointless words. I can give the Investiture of the Gods to you fully intact. However, I need to guarantee our safety,” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Oh?” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Gu Hai.
“Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!” Gu Hai coughed, enduring his injuries as he looked at Imperial Emperor Xi Yu.
“I don’t know why you want these five million Divine Blood Army soldiers’ bodies, and I don’t want to know. Based on the expressions of the people behind you, they want to tear me apart. Clearly, they are hostile and have no intention of making peace. Gu Hai is thick-skinned and is willing to offer this Investiture of the Gods in exchange for our safety. Imperial Emperor Xi Yu, what do you think?” Gu Hai said.
Imperial Emperor Xi Yu stared at Gu Hai for a while.
“Your Reverence!” The Bat Ancestor, Archduke Xi Kang, and others felt anxious.
Imperial Emperor Xi Yu ignored them. He met the nearby, weakened Gu Hai’s gaze. After some silence, he nodded and said, “Alright.”
While Archduke Xi Kang and the Bat Ancestor felt anxious, no one dared to interject when Imperial Emperor Xi Yu spoke.
“Many thanks, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu.” Gu Hai nodded.
“However, you won’t be able to survive for long. You cannot endure the ice spirit in your body. Right now, your internal organs are being torn up, right?” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu said seriously.
Gu Hai frowned slightly.
“What? Brother-in-Law, how are you feeling?” Long Wanyu immediately asked anxiously.
“The ice spirit? It should be a treasure. However, Gu Hai, you are just in the Nascent Soul Realm and cannot endure it. Furthermore, it was so big.” Ye Shenzhen looked at Gu Hai with pity in his eyes. Clearly, he believed Gu Hai was doomed.
“Your Majesty, I…I have a way to help you,” Bing Ji said with her head lowered and biting her lips.
“Help? Haha! To merge and refine the ice spirit, you will need the blood of the Ji Clan from the south and their secret technique. She is just a lass from the Solar Divine Palace. How could she possibly have those?” the nearby Bat Ancestor said skeptically.
“Oh? Bat Ancestor, are you that confident?” Gu Hai looked at the Bat Ancestor coldly.
The Bat Ancestor glared at Bing Ji with a hateful expression. “Humph! The Ji Clan and the Solar Divine Palace are mortal enemies. If Bing Ji had any connection with the Ji Clan, how could she remain in the Solar Divine Palace? Humph! You loathsome lass, you are overthinking.”
Gu Hai looked at Bing Ji. She kept her head lowered, not saying anything. However, Gu Hai took a deep breath and turned his head to look at Imperial Emperor Xi Yu. “Imperial Emperor Xi Yu, there’s no need for you to worry about that.”
Before Imperial Emperor Xi Yu could speak, the Bat Ancestor sneered, “Humph! Do you think His Reverence would worry about you? Since the ice spirit entered your body, it will rip apart your various apertures. Even if you have the Ji Clan’s secret technique now, you cannot be saved. The only way is for you to reincarnate and cultivate from scratch.”
Gu Hai ignored the Bat Ancestor. Instead, he looked at Imperial Emperor Xi Yu.
“Imperial Emperor Xi Yu, be it an ice mountain or an ice spirit, I know that the Yuan Nation wants it. However, you just agreed to let us leave safely. A sovereign’s words are to be taken seriously. If I—Gu Hai—fall, you can come and collect the ice spirit at any time. However, if I—Gu Hai—am still alive, I hope that you all will not act rashly and cause your sovereign to break his word,” Gu Hai said seriously.
“You!” The Bat Ancestor glared.
Imperial Emperor Xi Yu narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Gu Hai. “Alright.”
Gu Hai nodded. Then, his expression turned stern as he suddenly shouted, “Li Shenji, Prince Shenwu, please come out and send Princess Wanyu back. Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Gu Hai’s voice rang out. While his voice was not loud, Li Shenji, who was in the city, and Long Shenwu, who was outside, both heard him clearly.
The two remained silent for a while.
“I know that you are here. Right now, there is a chance for Princess Wanyu to leave. If you let it slip, you will find it difficult to explain to the Qian Heavenly Emperor!” Gu Hai said in a cold voice.
Boom!
Prince Shenwu’s figure flashed outside the city as he rushed in.
Inside the city, Li Shenji’s expression turned stiff as he soared into the sky.
Whoosh!
Soon, the two approached.
“Li Shenji, if not for you, the Great Light Sovereign Deity could not have snatched that holy Dao scripture!” The Bat Ancestor glared, wanting to attack.
“Stop!” Imperial Emperor shouted coldly, stopping the Bat Ancestor.
The Bat Ancestor’s expression turned stiff; he did not dare to act rashly.
However, Gu Hai’s eyelids twitched. Why does Imperial Emperor Xi Yu care so much about these bodies? What is the use of these bodies?
“Mister Gu, you are very capable,” Long Shenwu said as he stared at Gu Hai.
“Prince Shenwu, sorry to trouble you. Please escort Wanyu away. Cough! Cough! Cough!” Gu Hai coughed.
“Of course. His Holy Eminence will remember you. However, what are you going to do?” Prince Shenwu nodded.
“Me? I will leave after you leave.” Gu Hai shook his head.
Prince Shenwu nodded. However, Li Shenji’s eyelids twitched as he looked at Gu Hai in shock.
“Brother-in-Law, you aren’t leaving? Why aren’t you leaving?” Long Wanyu exclaimed.
“You can safely leave only if His Majesty holds the Investiture of the Gods hostage,” Bing Ji explained.
“The Investiture of the Gods? This? Just find someone else to hold it hostage. Brother-in-Law, come with us,” Long Wanyu immediately said anxiously.
Gu Hai smiled bitterly. Then, he turned his head to look at Imperial Emperor Xi Yu.
Although Imperial Emperor Xi Yu appeared relaxed, Gu Hai understood that he was very tense right now. Let someone else hold the Investiture of the Gods hostage? No, as long as Gu Hai relaxed a little, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu could instantly kill Gu Hai and wrest the Investiture of the Gods.
So, the Investiture of the Gods could not leave Gu Hai’s hand.
“Listen to me. Quickly go! Ye Shenzhen, protect Wanyu, go!” Gu Hai said seriously.
Ye Shenzhen stood up with much difficulty. Then, he gave Gu Hai a deep look before bowing. “Mister Gu, please accept this bow from Shenzhen.”
“Brother-in-Law. Sob! Sob! Sob! Sob! I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving. I’ll go with you!” Long Wanyu suddenly burst into tears.
“Cough! Cough! Cough!” Gu Hai coughed. The frost on his body thickened, and his body weakened to the point where speaking was somewhat difficult.
Long Wanyu’s anxiety grew. She refused to leave.
“Have you forgotten what I said?” Gu Hai said as he stared into Long Wanyu’s eyes.
“Sob! Sob! Sob! I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving,” Long Wanyu shouted while crying.
“Be happy. Cough! Cough! Cough!” Blargh! Gu Hai vomited another mouthful of blood.
The ice spirit’s cold energy swept through the various deity palaces, trying to tear them. However, Gu Hai could not let the intense fire from the fire deity palace clash with it at full force. Otherwise, the clash would generate an even stronger explosion that would blow his body apart.
The Mending Heaven Energy trickled out, mending his wounds. This was what allowed Gu Hai to last so long.
Be happy?
The faces of the nearby Bat Ancestor, Archduke Xi Kang, Li Shenji, and Prince Shenwu twitched. You are already in such a sorry state, and you are telling her to be happy?
Only Long Wanyu understood. This was the secret signal set between herself and her brother-in-law.
“Brother-in-Law!” Long Wanyu felt incredibly upset.
“Be happy!” Gu Hai yelled as he trembled.
“I…I’ll go. Sob! Sob! Sob! Wah!” Long Wanyu cried sorrowfully.
“Sorry to trouble everyone.” Gu Hai looked at everyone.
Prince Shenwu gave Gu Hai a strange look. Practically no one could deal with Long Wanyu’s character, yet Gu Hai could actually counter her.
“Don’t worry.” Prince Shenwu nodded.
“Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Gu Hai endured the cold energy sweeping through his body. He coughed as he looked at Long Wanyu.
Whoosh!
Li Shenji took out a flying ship. Long Wanyu turned her head back to look at Gu Hai with every step she took. She appeared sorrowful, hating that she could not help her brother-in-law.
Li Shenji, Long Shenwu, Ye Shenzhen, and Long Wanyu boarded the flying ship, and Li Shenji immediately piloted the flying ship far away.
“You…you all…” Archduke Xi Kang and the Bat Ancestor appeared anxious.
Nevertheless, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu had issued the order, so they could not stop Long Wanyu from leaving.
However, Long Wanyu was the person they could use as a hostage against the Qian Heavenly Emperor. Were they going to just let her go?
On the other hand, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu seemed to care about the Investiture of the Gods more than about Long Wanyu.
Gu Hai could make out Imperial Emperor Xi Yu’s persistence. His eyelids twitched wildly. What exactly is the use of this Investiture of the Gods? To think that Imperial Emperor Xi Yu cares so much about it?
“Your Majesty!” Bing Ji revealed a bitter expression. What should they do now?
“Brother-in-Law!”
Long Wanyu’s upset cry came from the distant flying ship.
The flying ship flew farther away. After picking up Gongyang Sheng’s group at a mountain, it vanished over the horizon.
“Alright. They are gone already. Gu Hai, hand the Investiture of the Gods to me,” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu said.
Gu Hai looked at the Investiture of the Gods that was surrounded by fire in his hand. He revealed a bitter smile and said, “Imperial Emperor Xi Yu, Gu Hai has one final unreasonable request.”
“Oh?” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu looked at Gu Hai coldly.
“Imperial Emperor Xi Yu’s word is gold. Naturally, I believe Imperial Emperor Xi Yu. Not long ago, I helped take care of the Yuan Nation citizens. Earlier, I was the one who laid the ritual array to open the Slaughter Nation’s palace. Be it a favor or repaying gratitude, I only hope that the Yuan Nation will not harass my citizens for the next ten years,” Gu Hai said.
“Huh?” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu frowned slightly.
“As Imperial Emperor Xi Yu said, I might already be dead ten years later. I am not concerned about that time. However, I promised the Han Nation citizens peace for ten years. I hope that Imperial Emperor Xi Yu will not harass them. From your tone, I can tell that the Yuan Nation and the Qian Nation cannot avoid battle. I hope that the Yuan Nation’s flames of war will not reach my Han Nation’s cities. At the very least, I hope that the Yuan Nation will not make a move on my citizens before the Qian Nation does.”
“Alright,” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu agreed.
“Many thanks, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu.” Gu Hai nodded.
“Bing Ji, we are leaving these five million bodies to Imperial Emperor Xi Yu. However, I would like a memento. Take that body. Cough! Cough! Cough!” Gu Hai pointed to a body.
“Oh? That three-eyed body?”
“The horse prime’s, Ma Sanyan’s, body?”
Everyone looked in shock as they watched Bing Ji put Ma Sanyan’s body into a storage item. Imperial Emperor Xi Yu’s face turned sullen, but he did not move.
“Help me over to Dongfang Bubai,” Gu Hai said.
Although Bing Ji was also severely injured, she was in a much better state than Gu Hai, so she supported him as they flew out of the Slaughter Nation’s imperial palace and into the sky above Major Metropolitan City.
“Mister Gu, I wish you a speedy recovery!”
“Mister Gu, I wish peace upon you!”
“I wish Mister Gu an early recovery!”
The many citizens suddenly blessed Gu Hai. These blessings formed providence as they poured towards Gu Hai.
Imperial Emperor Xi Yu followed Gu Hai to the tunnel entrance from before.
“Imperial Emperor Xi Yu, the citizens in the city heard what you said. I believe that you are a man of your word. I’ll give you the Investiture of the Gods now,” Gu Hai shouted.
Whoosh!
Gu Hai tossed out the Investiture of the Gods.
“Dongfang Bubai, block the entrance,” Gu Hai shouted and quickly entered the tunnel with Bing Ji.
“Halt! Where are you running to?!” Archduke Xi Kang, the Bat Ancestor, and the Chang Clan elders immediately rushed forward.
Imperial Emperor Xi Yu grabbed the Investiture of the Gods and opened it, then heaved a sigh of relief.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Dongfang Bubai tossed some needles at the Bat Ancestor and the others.
Imperial Emperor Xi Yu lowered his head and waved.
Bang!
A white light flashed, exploding all the needles.
“Huh?” Dongfang Bubai’s face sank as he looked at Imperial Emperor Xi Yu.
“Don’t give chase!” Imperial Emperor Xi Yu said.
The sovereign had made a promise. Naturally, Imperial Emperor Xi Yu would not go back on his word.