Everlasting Immortal Firmament

Book 5: Chapter 159: Conspiracy

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“The Qian Hexagram is the first of the hexagrams. The Qian Hexagram represents what is great and fundamental, prosperous, advantageous, correct and firm…”

In the Yan Nation’s palace, Jiang Lianshan ruminated over what Gu Hai wrote about the leading hexagram.

Although he did not believe in Gu Hai’s Classic of Changes, the more he thought about it, the more interesting it seemed.

He even stopped the many officials from entering the assembly hall for the next day’s morning assembly.

The palace hall’s doors were not closed. Jiang Lianshan could be seen on the throne with a ring of golden hexagram diagrams in the surroundings. These were the Lianshan Classic’s sixty-four hexagrams. However, the positions of these hexagrams were continuously being rearranged.

“While His Holy Eminence is meditating, the morning assembly will be suspended. Milords, please return!” a guard at the entrance reported to the officials.

The officials appeared shocked as they nodded.

Soon, word of this matter spread out among the officials in Divine Farmer City.

——

The White Emperor’s floating island:

“His Holy Eminence is in meditation?” the White Emperor said with a frown.

“Yes! This is the third day already,” a few officials said respectfully.

The White Emperor narrowed her eyes slightly. “The Classic of Changes? Can Gu Hai’s Classic of Changes really overthrow the Lianshan Classic? How preposterous!”

Skepticism flashed in the White Emperor’s eyes.

At the side, Tang Gu frowned and said, “Imperial Lord, we should not be so certain about it.”

“Huh?” The White Emperor looked at Tang Gu.

“No one believed that Gu Hai could write a holy Dao scripture during the Ten Thousand Sages Convention. However, he eventually…,” Tang Gu said.

The White Emperor narrowed her eyes. “The Classic of the Dao and Virtue? That’s right. Gu Hai? Perhaps he really is the reincarnation of a powerhouse from eight hundred thousand years ago.”

“This subordinate thinks so too. Only a few people in the world understand the sixty-four hexagrams. In fact, ordinary people have never even heard of them before. I wonder…,” Tang Gu said with a frown.

“You do not know this about the sixty-four hexagrams. They are something inherited from eight hundred thousand years ago. During ancient times, there was someone called Fuxi. Unfortunately…in any case, these sixty-four hexagrams are special. It is said that the sixty-four hexagrams are connected to the world. Anyone who grasps the sixty-four hexagrams can grasp all phenomena in the world, grasping everything in this world,” the White Emperor said.

“Ah?” Tang Gu said in shock.

“Of course, that is just a saying. If it were true, the ancient Fuxi would not have died. That’s why His Holy Eminence cares so much for this Classic of Changes. Unexpectedly, Gu Hai can also write it. Is he someone from Fuxi’s time? Or was he just writing blindly… Wait, that’s not right!” The White Emperor’s pupils suddenly constricted.

“What’s wrong?” Tang Gu asked, feeling puzzled.

Suddenly, the White Emperor appeared uncertain. “I recall now! I recall now! When Gu Hai was an ordinary person, he failed to comprehend the sixty-four hexagrams. Right! It can’t be wrong. He studied it with Chen Xianer by his side. Gu Hai had written it down! He had written it before! However, Chen Xianer did not take a careful look at it. She did not…”

“When he was an ordinary person?” Tang Gu said in shock.

“My memory can’t be wrong. The Classic of Changes is not something he came up with on impulse. Instead, he has been studying it for a long time already? Gu Hai is very strange. I am finding him increasingly unfathomable,” the White Emperor said.

“Tang Gu, make preparations! We will meet Gu Hai!” the White Emperor said with narrowed eyes.

“Yes!” Tang Gu nodded.

——

The Azure Emperor’s official residence:

“His Holy Eminence entered closed-door cultivation for three days? He is meditating?” The Azure Emperor stared at an official before him.

“Yes!” that official said respectfully.

“The Classic of Changes? It looks like what Gu Hai wrote is not utter nonsense. It is true?” The Azure Emperor’s face sank.

“The Classic of Changes has sixty-four hexagrams. This is just the first one, and His Holy Eminence is already thinking so hard about it. How did Gu Hai get so smart?” Dan Wang said with an unsightly expression.

“Imperial Lord, His Holy Eminence is in closed-door cultivation, and Gu Hai is in the Qian Nation’s residence. Should we…” A murderous look flashed in Seven Kills’s eyes.

“No. We cannot make a move for now. His Holy Eminence is already paying attention to Gu Hai. Furthermore, the White Emperor has her eyes on him,” the Azure Emperor said sullenly.

“Then, we are going to just wait? Seven days later…,” Seven Kills said worriedly.

The Azure Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. “Let us think.”

——

The Qian Nation’s residence in the Qian District:

Gu Hai’s group gathered in a palace hall. Gongyang Sheng’s corpse was placed in the center of the hall.

The atmosphere in the palace hall felt very suppressive.

“Master, sorry. When the foggy ritual array appeared, I could not hear your voice. I did not dare leave Yehua and Yanxuan casually, so I sent Mu Chenfeng. However, it was already too late by the time he got there,” Ensnaring Performance said bitterly.

“Your Majesty, this subject has failed you. This subject did not expect such a thing to happen. Otherwise, I would have blown up the Qian District’s central plaza with the Heaven Blasting Cannons. Perhaps…,” Mu Chenfeng said bitterly.

“It’s fine. No one would know what happens in the Thirty-Two Line-Pair World Ritual Array. You are not to blame.” Gu Hai shook his head.

“Cough! Cough! Cough! However, Lord Gongyang…hah! I fought him in the past. I did not expect him to die. Furthermore, he died shielding me from a blow,” Sima Changkong said bitterly, his complexion pale. His injuries had yet to heal.

The Qian Nation envoys who came with Gongyang Sheng were agitated over the past two days. Some clamored to return to the Qian Nation. Some clamored to seek out Jiang Lianshan to reason things out. The situation seemed crazy. Fortunately, Long Aotian and Long Sanqian suppressed all these. With the grandsons of the Qian Heavenly Emperor taking a stance, the Qian Nation envoys’ emotions calmed down. Then, they turned to Gu Hai.

“Hall Master, there are seven more days before you have to meet Jiang Lianshan. Shouldn’t you meditate on the Classic of Changes?” Ao Shun asked with a frown.

“There’s no need. I have already finished thinking about the Classic of Changes.” Gu Hai shook his head.

“You already finished thinking about it? Then, we can take revenge on the Azure Emperor seven days later? This marquis nearly died to that Azure Emperor!” Long Aotian said with a ferocious expression.

Long Sanqian showed a cold expression. He kept remembering what happened, with lingering fear.

“Revenge? How can it be that easy?” Gu Hai sighed.

“Oh?” Everyone looked at Gu Hai.

Gu Hai understood that even if he managed to broker an alliance between the Yan Nation and the Qian Nation, he would not be able to take revenge for Gongyang Sheng. Since Long Zhanguo needed to use the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s strength, he would not kill the Azure Emperor for Gongyang Sheng at this moment. Jiang Lianshan was covering for the Azure Emperor, so he would not kill the Azure Emperor, either.

Sima Changkong’s face sank.

“However, the Azure Emperor has to die!” Gu Hai said with a gloomy expression.

“If the Azure Emperor does not die, we will never be safe. Furthermore, we cannot just leave Gongyang Sheng’s revenge be. Cough! Cough! Cough!” Sima Changkong said with a cold expression.

“However, we are not a match for the Azure Emperor?” Long Sanqian said with a frown.

“Sometimes, one does not need to be stronger to kill someone.” Gu Hai shook his head.

“Oh?” Everyone felt slightly startled.

“Mister Sima, you are clearer on the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s situation than I am. You also understand the five emperors better than I do. I believe you must have read the intelligence from the imperial tutor’s official residence in more detail than I did, right?” Gu Hai said.

“Hall Master, what do you mean?”

“The Azure Emperor, the White Emperor, and the Scarlet Emperor all want to emulate the Yellow Emperor and separate from the Yan Nation to start their own heavenly dynasties. The Black Emperor failed and died. However, the Azure Emperor has not given up on it. He has been recruiting soldiers and buying horses for his private army,” Gu Hai said.

“Huh? The Azure Emperor wants to rebel? Hah! The Azure Emperor will not rebel for now. Jiang Lianshan should know that too. However, Jiang Lianshan will not do anything to the Azure Emperor unless the Azure Emperor actually rebels,” Sima Changkong said with a frown.

“If he is not rebelling, we can force him to rebel,” Gu Hai said.

“Huh?” Sima Changkong narrowed his eyes.

“We will need to trouble Mister Sima with this matter this time,” Gu Hai said.

“Me?” Sima Changkong said in shock.

“That’s right. Before we came, I received a secret order from the Qian Heavenly Emperor. All of the Qian Nation’s hidden factions in Divine Farmer City are at my disposal. I have the secret codewords,” Gu Hai said.

Initially, the codewords had not been given. However, Gu Hai had communicated with Long Zhanguo using the zither puppets over the past two days, and Long Zhanguo had sent the codewords.

“What should I do?” Sima Changkong asked in confusion. However, he did not doubt Gu Hai.

“Mister Sima’s promise allows us to consider what to do,” Gu Hai said.

“However, why doesn’t Hall Master personally…”

“There are many eyes on us here. Only Mister Sima can,” Gu Hai said.

“Me? My foundations are injured, and I cannot move. My nascent souls have all exploded, and my heavenly palaces are shattered. I am now like a cripple. I would find even leaving the residence difficult. How can I… Huh? Hall Master, you are…” Sima Changkong’s eyes suddenly lit up in mid-sentence.

“Indeed. It is inconvenient for you to move around, so everyone knows that you are resting in the residence. However, I can cure you immediately. Although I cannot restore your cultivation, I can at least bring you back to the Golden Core Realm,” Gu Hai said seriously.

“Oh?” Everyone said in shock.

“I am the only person who can leave the residence without arousing suspicion?” Sima Changkong’s expression changed. He did not doubt Gu Hai at all.

Gu Hai nodded.

“Alright. I’ll listen to Hall Master!” Sima Changkong answered while nodding.

“Hall Master, what should we do, then?” Long Sanqian asked with a frown.

“You have things to do. However, now is not the time. Everyone, I will need you to work together with everything you have when the time comes,” Gu Hai said.

Everyone appeared puzzled as they nodded.

Force the Azure Emperor to rebel? How? That Azure Emperor was not a fool. He had endured until today. How could he possibly rebel immediately? However, since it was Gu Hai speaking, everyone could only listen.

“Reporting to Lord Gu!” A shout suddenly came from outside the palace hall.

Ensnaring Performance immediately opened the door. It was one of the Qian Nation envoys.

“Lord Gu, the White Emperor seeks an audience. She is already waiting in a side hall,” that Qian Nation envoy said respectfully.

“Oh? The White Emperor?” Gu Hai frowned slightly.

“Yes. The White Emperor also brought someone apparently called Tang Gu,” the Qian Nation envoy said respectfully.

Tang Gu?

Gu Hai revealed a faint, cold smile. “Tell them that I am pondering the Classic of Changes. Tell them not to disturb me. I have no time to meet them.”

“Huh? Yes!” That Qian Nation envoy left, feeling puzzled.

——

A side hall of the Qian Nation’s residence:

The White Emperor suddenly smashed the teacup in her hand on the table.

Thud!

“Gu Hai said that?” the White Emperor said coldly.

“Yes. Please return,” that Qian Nation envoy said after a deep breath.

“Humph! Excellent! How excellent of Gu Hai!” A cold glint flashed in the White Emperor’s eyes.

“Imperial Lord, don’t be angry. Perhaps Gu Hai has not yet figured out how to face you. It will not be too late to see him seven days later,” Tang Gu coaxed.

“Humph! Let’s go!” the White Emperor snorted coldly and flung out her sleeves as she left the hall.

Tang Gu quickly followed.