Chapter 1040: East Side's Letter

After the Elixir of Immortality case concluded, He Xiao traveled south with Prince Fushanyue of Chiyan. Subsequently, with the upheaval at the Celestial Palace and Lingxu City being trampled by the Thunder Colossus, Grand Master Shuangye was occupied for an extended period.

After the downfall of Grand Master Qingyang, he became the head of the Four Grand Masters, bearing greater responsibilities and heavier tasks.

Once everything settled, he remembered He Xiao, but upon sending envoys to Chiyan to inquire, he learned that He Xiao had not, in fact, returned with Fushanyue.

The world was vast, and He Xiao's departure from Lingxu City was like a drop of water in the ocean; his whereabouts were unknown.

Grand Master Shuangye had not expected to hear news of him again from thousands of miles away, especially not in connection with Beijia's second-ranked fugitive on the Heavenly Scroll!

"What do you think?"

The letter's content was indeed rich; Yu Zecheng had clearly detailed the entire process of pursuing the spider demon on the island. The spider demon's confession was included on a separate sheet of paper.

Even with his sharp intellect, Xi Yunhe pondered for a long while.

"Looking back now," he mused, "He Xiao seems to be hiding many secrets. He undertook so many actions, yet his motives remain unclear."

Why did he take on the messenger case from Fushanyue?

Why did he confront Cen Boqing and Zhongsun Mou?

Why did he dare to cooperate with Xi Yunhe in playing a double act?

Why, after surviving two assassination attempts in Lingxu City, did he still dare to socialize prominently and speak freely?

What exactly was this young man doing so many thankless and dangerous things for?

The motive driving his risks must be both secret and powerful.

Grand Master Shuangye glanced at Xi Yunhe: "Isn't that very much like you?"

Xi Yunhe paused, then nodded.

It truly was.

"He couldn't have also changed his face, could he?"

"His eyes are youthful, and he possesses the vibrancy of a young man; he wouldn't be an old person in disguise." Grand Master Shuangye could tell at a glance that the unique vigor and keenness of youth were something middle-aged or elderly people simply couldn't feign.

He picked up the teacup from the table, took a sip, his fingers noticeably longer and fairer than a woman's.

Xi Yunhe looked at the letter and said, "Yu Zecheng suffered quite a loss at his hands, which indeed seems like He Xiao's style."

"A little loss is good; it helps one remember for next time," Grand Master Shuangye remarked, skimming the foam from his tea. "I hadn't anticipated He Xiao would present me with such a predicament."

Of the three major criminals who wreaked havoc in the Celestial Palace, the Great Fire Spirit Jujue had already reconciled with both the Celestial Palace and Lingxu City. The Deep-Cave Spider Queen's whereabouts were finally revealed, yet she was being harbored by He Xiao.

The dilemma facing Grand Master Shuangye was stark:

What to do next?

Xi Yunhe pondered, "That location is special; a large army cannot be deployed there."

The Yangshan Archipelago lies deep within Mu Nation's territory; if Beijia dared to send troops there, Mu Nation would surely object.

"If we send a small team for capture, Yu Zecheng has already attempted it. He Xiao holds the advantage of being the local host. We possess none of the favorable conditions—neither timing, geographical advantage, nor human harmony. What's more, the Deep-Cave Spider Queen is actually two entities!"

Dealing with two prehistoric great demons simultaneously, the difficulty isn't simply additive.

Furthermore, capture implies taking them alive. Beijia still hopes to extract information from the Deep-Cave Spider Queen regarding her companions' whereabouts. The high-ranking officials of both the Celestial Palace and Lingxu City are well aware that, despite her power, the Deep-Cave Spider Queen is ultimately just an enforcer. The masked individual who destroyed the Xushan array is the true mastermind and saboteur!

That is the person the Celestial Palace's Master Duyun most wants to capture and execute by a thousand cuts!

Given the geographical location of the Yangshan Archipelago, it would be challenging for the people of Beijia even to eradicate the Deep-Cave Spider Queen, let alone capture her alive!

At this point, Xi Yunhe felt a headache coming on. "Grand Master," he said, "the key to resolving this lies with He Xiao. Either he yields the Yangshan Archipelago, or he surrenders the Deep-Cave Spider Queen; otherwise, it will be difficult for anyone else to intervene."

"Yu Zecheng thought the same," Grand Master Shuangye sighed. "He and He Xiao clashed, and he lost. Who do you think I can send there who will win?"

Xi Yunhe shook his head: "Your subordinate does not know."

"You—"

Xi Yunhe rubbed his nose: "You have countless talented people under you, far superior to Yu Zecheng."

He didn't want to go.

Grand Master Shuangye gave a slight smile: "You admit defeat quite readily."

He seemed to be talking to himself: "Who can be completely certain? Even True Monarch Muxiu's clone was defeated."

He certainly had capable individuals under him. But whom could he send to guarantee success?

Moreover, given the current situation...

Xi Yunhe hesitated, having a thought he dared not voice:

If Grand Master Shuangye were to act personally, that would truly be a guaranteed success.

How long had the Yangshan Archipelago been established? Its defensive capabilities would be negligible before the Grand Master.

However, Grand Master Shuangye, now the head of the Four Grand Masters, was responsible for coordinating Beijia's entire vital energy, making it difficult for him to leave Lingxu City. Moreover, for the head of Beijia's Four Grand Masters to personally infiltrate Mu Nation's rear would entail immeasurable consequences and dangers.

For merely a small spider demon? The Grand Master Shuangye he knew would certainly not act in such a manner.

Grand Master Shuangye also fell into deep thought.

During this time, Xi Yunhe replaced his tea with a fresh, hot cup, then said:

"Grand Master, could He Xiao be... the primary culprit behind the Celestial Palace's turmoil?"

Even with a barrier present, he instinctively lowered his voice on the last few words.

Grand Master Shuangye picked up his paintbrush again: "He passed the Touchstone Test of God Miaozhan, proving he has no connection with the Great Fanghu or Mu Nation. Are you suggesting God Miaozhan's divine art was flawed?"

Xi Yunhe immediately replied: "I dare not."

In Beijia, who would dare question a deity?

"During their pursuit of the fugitive, Grand Master Qingyang and God Baizhan both observed vital energy overflowing from the masked individual," Grand Master Shuangye said, sketching leaves. "Otherwise, why would Lingxu City's official circles have been so tumultuous these past few months? He Xiao isn't even a Beijian; where would he get such vital energy?"

The gods' fury led to a bloody turmoil.

Needless to say, during this grand purge, some officials were framed or implicated. However, it more frequently exposed a tangled web of fraud, corruption, and miscarriages of justice. These investigations unearthed increasingly shocking revelations, rivalling last year's Elixir of Immortality case.

Fortunately, this time, ordinary citizens were not spectators, nor was divine blood involved.

The number of corrupt officials grew ceaselessly; they simply couldn't be apprehended. Further arrests threatened to disrupt the Royal Court's normal operations. The Emperor had suffered headaches for over half a year, eventually deciding to temporarily shelve a multitude of cases for future resolution.

The Royal Court needed people to work, didn't it?

After this period of turmoil finally subsided and the gods quieted down, the entire Royal Court breathed a sigh of relief. Anyone who dared to bring up past events at such a time would truly be tactless; both the ruler and his ministers might well conspire to teach them a lesson.

Having hidden in Qiugong for the past six months and observed the widespread commotion, Xi Yunhe was acutely aware of the Lingxu Royal Court's current state of mind.

Just based on these two points, He Xiao's suspicion could basically be ruled out.

"The spies we planted in Lingshan also reported never having heard of this individual. Of course, they couldn't access the highest echelons of Lingshan," Grand Master Shuangye said, sketching leaves. "Therefore, He Xiao is certainly not the true culprit behind the Celestial Palace's turmoil."

His tone was flat, yet Xi Yunhe knew that every word he uttered carried immense weight—

Grand Master Shuangye had already set the tone for this matter.

He Xiao could not be, should not be, and would not be the mastermind behind the havoc in the Celestial Palace.

Otherwise, how would Grand Master Shuangye, who had connections and dealings with He Xiao, explain himself?

In the Elixir of Immortality case, the key evidence that brought down Grand Master Qingyang was entrusted by Grand Master Shuangye to He Lingchuan to deliver to Bai Ziqi.

To repay this favor, Grand Master Shuangye also borrowed the army of Baling Nation for Nian Zanli and acted as a witness for Nian Zanli and Li Qingge.

Intentionally or unintentionally, He Xiao's past was bound to Grand Master Shuangye, becoming a secret that could not be revealed.

If He Xiao was the culprit behind the Celestial Palace's turmoil, would Grand Master Shuangye be considered to have colluded with him?

How could those individuals and forces previously dealt with by Grand Master Shuangye let go of such a huge leverage, such a good opportunity?

If their counterattack was fierce and violent, then what should Beijia do with Grand Master Shuangye?

Would they deal with another Grand Master?

The recent Elixir of Immortality case brought down Grand Master Qingyang, causing a major upheaval throughout the Lingxu Royal Court, the aftershocks of which were still felt.

If the Demon Emperor were to pursue Grand Master Shuangye again, what kind of storm would Lingxu City face?

These two Grand Masters were the most senior, with connections throughout the Royal Court as deep-rooted as ancient trees. If they were both uprooted, Lingxu City would not merely be severely weakened.

To investigate He Xiao's past, one would have to unearth old affairs, revisit the Elixir of Immortality case, uncover the secret struggle between Shuangye and Qingyang, and expose the Emperor's conflicts with the Celestial Palace...

Xi Yunhe shivered at the thought of these secrets buried in a bottomless abyss.

So He Xiao was just He Xiao, the special envoy from Chiyan dispatched by Fushanyue, and the primary handler of the Elixir of Immortality case—nothing more.

Grand Master Shuangye picked up the second letter and opened it.

This time, he read it very quickly, scanning it twice from beginning to end before handing it to Xi Yunhe.

The latter took it and saw that it was actually a personal letter from He Xiao.

In the letter, He Xiao detailed the entire sequence of events of his confrontation with Yu Zecheng, including his earlier mediation of the conflict between Yu Zecheng and Zhu Erniang, and later leading Yu Zecheng into a trap, with all details complete, even more thoroughly than Yu Zecheng's own report.

The contents of the two letters corroborated each other, and the details could be cross-referenced, showing that He Xiao neither exaggerated nor distorted anything.

His words were very sincere and respectful, stating that he was terrified but knew that a person without trust could not stand, and his actions were out of necessity; although he used a scheme to subdue Captain Yu and his team, he treated them as honored guests, ensuring their food, lodging, and provisions were not neglected.

He expressed admiration for Grand Master Shuangye, reverence for Beijia, and repeatedly apologized to Grand Master Shuangye.

The wording was indeed full of sincerity, without a single flaw.

Xi Yunhe couldn't help but click his tongue halfway through reading: "Well, I'll be."

Grand Master Shuangye asked Xi Yunhe: "What do you think?"

"He certainly has grand plans," Xi Yunhe chuckled. "This lad wants to protect the Deep-Cave Spider Queen without offending Lingxu City; he also wants to thoroughly defeat Yu Zecheng without incurring your wrath."

To have it all, of course, presented a significant challenge.

"Do you think he'll get his wish?"

"Your subordinate does not know," Xi Yunhe honestly replied, "It all depends on the Grand Master's single thought."

"It all depends on my single thought?" Grand Master Shuangye's long brows slightly furrowed, a hint of murderous intent emerging.