Despite being outwardly calm, even Zhao Yue, who was privy to a lot of information because of Si Wuya, was shocked when she saw the black Thousand Realms Whirling avatar, let alone Princess Yong Ning who had never left the golden lotus domain and was unaware of the world outside of the golden lotus domain.
At this moment, many thoughts sped through Zhao Yue's mind as she calculated her next move.
Wu Chao was very satisfied with Yong Ning's performance but was slightly surprised by Zhao Yue's calmness. He asked, "Aren't you afraid?"
Zhao Yue did not show any signs of fear. Instead, she stepped forward and looked at Wu Chao as she said, "You didn't kill anyone. Why should I be afraid?"
"Interesting." Wu Chao nodded. "I like to deal with smart people."
With that, he waved his arm.
A chair flew over from the side and landed in front of Zhao Yue.
Zhao Yue did not stand on ceremony and sat down. "I want to know how the Empress Dowager is doing."
"She's fine. She's just a little old," Wu Chao said with a smile, "You're only in the Nascent Divinity Tribulation and have six leaves. Logically, it's impossible for someone like you to control the Imperial family without strong support. Tell me, who's behind you?"
Zhao Yue asked in confusion, "Since you came all the way here, didn't you investigate everything beforehand?"
"Well, I'm investigating it now," Wu Chao replied amiably.
Zhao Yu answered honestly, "The one supporting me is naturally my master."
Wu Chao opened his hand and clenched it. He repeated this action over and over again as he said, "Since your master is able to support you, he has to be someone important. I like to do things the simple way. If I can speak to the strongest person here, it'll make things a lot easier. Where's he?"
Zhao Yue replied with a straight face, "My master likes peace and quiet. I'm afraid he won't meet you."
Wu Chao raised an eyebrow. "There are people who won't meet me?"
He pointed around the Evergreen Palace, indicating he could even meet the Empress Dowager.
"Let me say something that might sound unpleasant to your ears," Zhao Yue said.
"Speak freely… You're very interesting. You're much more interesting than the people I've dealt with in the past," Wu Chao said with a smile.
"I'm afraid you're not qualified to meet my master."
Clank!
The two blackguards behind Wu Chao moved their long halberds immediately. Zhao Yue's words were a great insult to the Black Guards after all.
Wu Chao raised his hand to stop them. He said without the slightest bit of anger, "Why do you say that?"
"My master happens to hate all of you," Zhao Yue said.
"Oh?" Wu Chao's interest was further piqued. "A mere golden lotus cultivator dares to act so arrogantly in front of the Black Tower Council's Black Guards?"
"My master has killed many blackguards." These shocking words left Zhao Yue's mouth.
Wu Chao stopped clenching his hands and stared at Zhao Yue intently.
The Evergreen Palace was frighteningly silent.
The two armored blackguards' auras made the atmosphere even more oppressive.
"Who's your master?" Wu Chao's expression darkened slightly.
Zhao Yue shrugged. "I'm just a mere Six-leaf cultivator, it's pointless for you to kill me. Great Yan can easily find multiple replacements even if I die."
Indeed. What could a Six-leaf cultivator do? Wu Chen needed someone strong. By making the strong submit, Wu Chao and the blackguards would complete the mission the Black Tower Council had given them. However, that was not the question he asked. He repeated his words, "I asked you who's your master?"
"Even if I tell you, you wouldn't have heard of him. You're just a blackguard, captain or not," Zhao Yue replied.
Wu Chen rose to his feet and placed his hands on his back. He looked at Zhao Yue coldly and said, "Girl, you're still too inexperienced to play tricks in front of me…"
Zhaoyue said, "Whether I'm playing tricks or lying, you're free to investigate the matter. Or, you can wait a few days. My master will naturally come."
Wu Chao, who had the Black Tower Council behind him, was naturally unafraid of those in the golden lotus domain. Therefore, he said with a smile, "As you wish, little girl." Then, he turned to the blackguards and said, "Go out and find out about the forces that need our attention and this little girl's master."
"Understood." One of the blackguards whose name was Little Zhang flashed and disappeared from the Evergreen Hall in just a blink of an eye.
…
In the afternoon.
In a relay station in Great Yan's Divine Capital.
A cultivator chuckled and said, "Brother, it's such a hot day, but you're wearing such heavy armor…"
"Mind your own business. How can cultivators be afraid of the heat?" someone said.
An armored and masked man in the relay station said in a low voice, "I'm not from around here. Sorry for making a fool of myself."
"It's okay. The relay station is for people to rest and chat. If you have interesting stories, you can share them. Come, come, let's have a drink," a swordsman sitting across from him said.
"Brother, who's the ruler here?" the armored man asked.
The swordsman looked at the armored man strangely before he chuckled and said, "Do you even have to ask? Of course it's the Great Yan's Imperial family. Currently, Zhao Yue, the princess, is handling the nation's affairs. However, she seems unwilling to ascend the throne."
"I heard that the princess' cultivation base is only at the Six-leaf stage, right? With her strength, how can she rule the country?"
The swordsman put down his cup and laughed, "Brother, you're really not from around here. Who told you she only has six leaves. It's possible that she already has ten leaves."
The armored man noticed the other party had used the words 'It's possible'. The person sitting across from him was just an ordinary cultivator in the Divine Capital, after all. It was not surprising that the other party was not privy to a lot of things. He continued to ask, "In any case, it's impossible for her to rule the country alone, right?"
"Who told you she's alone? She has a group of people behind her! All of them are experts, especially her master. Her master is peerless, he can kill a Ten-leaf cultivator with just a slap!" the swordsman said enthusiastically, "To be honest, her master is my idol!"
"…"
The armored man asked, "Where's her master now?"
"I don't know… I heard that he went on a trip and has yet to return. Moreover, her fellow disciples are all very fierce. It's best not to provoke them. Otherwise, you won't even know how you die."
"How strong is he?"
The swordsman looked to the left and the right before he said in a lowered voice, "To be honest, no one knows. Sometimes I feel that… her master is a visitor from outer space."
"…" The armored man's eyes were full of disbelief. "No one knows anything about his cultivation base?"
"That's right. In any case, he's, at the very least, in the Thousand Realms Whirling."
Upon hearing these words, the armored man grabbed his long halberd and rose to his feet, leaving immediately.
The swordsman called out, "Eh? Brother, you're leaving without having a drink?"
'How can I drink with my mask on?' The armored man left the relay station and made his way to the Imperial palace.
After the armored man left, the swordsman looked to the left and the right before he whistled.
In just an instant, the expressions of everyone in the relay station changed completely.
The swordsman said in a low voice, "Inform all the brothers in the Divine Capital and the relay stations that the target has appeared. Tell them to act according to the plan if they meet anyone dressed in that manner."
"Yes."
"Inform the Sect Master that the target has appeared as well."
..
The armored man walked very quickly. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was amiss. However, he could not pinpoint what it was. At this moment, he suddenly reached out and stopped a swordsman who was passing by. He asked, "Is Princess Zhao Yue's master very powerful?"
The swordsman glared at him. "Let go of me! Why are you randomly grabbing me? What are you trying to do in broad daylight? It goes without saying that the princess' master is invincible under the heavens."
"…"
The armored man loosened his grip. However, he was still not satisfied. He could not shake the feeling that something was not right. Hence, he stopped a few ordinary people to question them.
The answers he obtained from these people were even more ridiculous. They waxed lyrical about Zhao Yue's achievements and her master's divine might!
It was only normal that the rumors circulating among the common folks were even more exaggerated. The Evil Sky Pavilion had long turned into the Sage Sky Pavilion in these people's mouths. Their achievements had long reached the status of legends.
Following that, the armored man flashed and disappeared in the direction of the Imperial palace.
In a corner, someone heaved a sigh of relief before muttering under his breath, "I almost exposed myself. Fortunately, I didn't mention the Evil Sky Pavilion. The Sect Master is right. To be safe, we should replace the common folks in the Divine Capital with cultivators instead." He stroked his chin and continued muttering to himself, "Why's the Sect Master doing this? Who's the armored man? Forget it, it's useless to try and guess the Sect Master's thoughts."
…
The Evergreen Place.
When the blackguard returned, Wu Chao paced back and forth with his hands on his back and asked, "How did the investigation go?"
The blackguard honestly reported everything he had heard to Wu Chao.
After listening to the report, Wu Chao frowned. His expression turned grim when he heard his subordinate mention that Zhao Yue's master was at least in the Thousand Realms Whirling. He turned to look at Zhao Yue. When he saw her calm expression, he sat down and said, "I've underestimated you…"
Zhao Yue said, "I'm a mere Six-leaf cultivator; I don't dare to play tricks or lie to the Black Tower Council."
Wu Chao remained expressionless. Inwardly, he could not help but think that the girl in front of him had known about the existence of the Black Tower Council for a long time now. In the end, he only said, "Unfortunately, I have to complete my mission. Since your master is coming, I'll wait for him."
