Chapter 672: Unseen National Master

He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "Has the National Preceptor appeared?"

Bai Ziqi shook his head. "I tried to be polite first, going alone to request an audience with the National Preceptor. But they wouldn't let me in at all; no gates, big or small, were opened."

So, she hadn't been seen. He Lingchuan mused, "Is the back mountain guarded?"

"Yes, we've caught some disciples from the Azure Palace, but they haven't been very useful."

Fu Shanyue scoffed, "Even if they escape the back mountain, how are they going to slip out of Spirit Void City?"

Spirit Void City is vast, and the Azure Palace is located in the heart of the lower city, so their escape radius would be immense. If Spirit Void City issued a warrant, it would truly be an inescapable net.

"A cornered dog will jump over the wall. Besides, National Preceptor Qingyang might not be thinking of escaping." He Lingchuan asked Bai Ziqi, "Commander Bai, do you think National Preceptor Qingyang is no longer inside?"

Fu Shanyue frowned. Bai Ziqi looked deeply at He Lingchuan. "He Xiao is astute."

"Not exactly an escape, but also not inside. So where else could National Preceptor Qingyang go...?" Before he finished speaking, Fu Shanyue let out a long "Oh." "Does she dare to enter the palace to seek help?"

"Why wouldn't she dare? I have irrefutable evidence. Staying here is a dead end for her; seeking a chance in the palace might offer a glimmer of hope." Bai Ziqi's expression was grave, his usual smile long gone. "She has deep affection for two successive Emperors. Appealing to their emotions now might not be without a turning point."

He Lingchuan was also somewhat moved.

When Bai Ziqi suddenly arrived, National Preceptor Qingyang likely didn't know he had captured Kong Jiaxiang, the one who slipped through the net at the Azure Lotus Temple. And Bai Ziqi must have hidden his troops at the base of the mountain first, appearing with a full smile to maximize his approachable demeanor.

However, this National Preceptor's perception of danger was truly remarkable.

She didn't let Bai Ziqi take a single step inside, closing the gates and blocking the Celestial Palace Guards outside.

The Celestial Palace Guards also had places they couldn't enter in Spirit Void City, but this might be the first unprecedented instance in Bega's history.

Hmm, no, National Preceptor Qingyang might have an informant on Mount Xu, knowing that a large number of Celestial Palace Guards were suddenly being mobilized. But Bai Ziqi arrived incredibly quickly, still catching her off guard.

Bai Ziqi dared to come because he had seized sufficient evidence!

"From the looks of it, the main gate of the Azure Palace being tightly shut and their refusal to come out is just a smokescreen?" He Lingchuan asked Bai Ziqi, "Has Commander Bai made other arrangements?"

"No matter where she is now, if she wants to go to Cloud-Piercing Peak, she must pass through Jinghong Crossing." Bai Ziqi said in a deep voice, "I have already dispatched another three hundred Celestial Palace Guards to Jinghong Crossing to screen passengers. I hope it's still in time!"

The royal palace is on Cloud-Piercing Peak, which is on Heavenheart Island. Other than birds, anyone wishing to enter or leave Heavenheart Island can only do so via the teleportation array at Jinghong Crossing.

Bai Ziqi had besieged the Azure Palace for less than an hour, yet he was meticulous and reinforced Jinghong Crossing in time, possibly getting ahead of National Preceptor Qingyang.

National Preceptor Qingyang was a prominent figure in Spirit Void City and a frequent user of Jinghong Crossing; her face would be hard to disguise.

He Lingchuan's eyes subtly flickered.

The security checks at Jinghong Crossing were indeed strict, but they had never completely prevented smuggling. At such a critical, life-or-death moment, with National Preceptor Qingyang's abilities and her possession of rare treasures, would she truly be unable to successfully smuggle herself through?

He vaguely felt that the Celestial Palace's screening at Jinghong Crossing would be of little use. National Preceptor Qingyang shouldn't be so easily captured.

Of course, he couldn't say this in front of Bai Ziqi.

The Vice Commander's brow was furrowed with a vertical line, as he pondered his next move.

"What if..." Fu Shanyue coughed, "I mean, what if National Preceptor Qingyang manages to get past Jinghong Crossing and enters the palace to plead with the Emperor? What would Commander Bai intend to do then?"

This was a crucial question. He and Bai Ziqi had been busy for so long, offending so many people, all to capture the mastermind.

With success in sight, he was absolutely unwilling to see any new complications arise.

"Her search would be in vain; the Emperor isn't on Cloud-Piercing Peak," Bai Ziqi said with a twist of his mouth. "The Celestial Deity has invited him to Mount Xu."

He Lingchuan immediately gave a thumbs-up.

This move, pulling the rug out from under her, was brilliant!

So, National Preceptor Qingyang would go to all that trouble to reach Heavenheart Island, only to find nothing?

Bai Ziqi and National Preceptor Qingyang hadn't even met face to face, yet they had already exchanged several subtle moves.

They were indeed both formidable figures.

He Lingchuan interjected, "The spearhead of this case has been subtly pointing at the Azure Palace for a long time. Has National Preceptor Qingyang not yet destroyed all the human and material evidence she has?"

Even commoners and students from the Imperial Academy were hotly discussing the Azure Palace's connection to the Immortality Case.

"To my knowledge, over the past month, several Azure Palace members have disappeared. Some were favored disciples of the National Preceptor, others important figures within the Palace. The Azure Palace claims they were sent to handle matters elsewhere, but in fact, their whereabouts are completely unknown." Bai Ziqi's conflict with National Preceptor Qingyang didn't just start today. "However, not all evidence can be destroyed."

"You've already secured it?"

"Exactly! It was provided by Kong Jiaxiang." Bai Ziqi gave He Lingchuan a faint smile. "National Preceptor Qingyang is well aware of this, otherwise the Azure Palace wouldn't be reacting this way today."

He Lingchuan frowned. "But Kong Jiaxiang has no direct connection to the Azure Palace. Can the evidence he provided convict National Preceptor Qingyang?"

"National Preceptor Qingyang is cautious. Why would she appoint an outsider to manage the accounts for the immortality elixir? Such important matters require trusted confidants to oversee them tightly." Bai Ziqi's eyes showed mockery. "I only learned after interrogating Kong Jiaxiang that he had been working in the Azure Palace's accounting office fifteen years ago. Because he uncovered several problematic accounts and exposed a few corrupt officials, he gained the National Preceptor's appreciation and was even granted land and property, though not a promotion. Later, he was sent away for three years, seemingly severing ties with the Azure Palace, before being transferred back to the Azure Lotus Temple to manage the immortality elixir and funds. I found an old doorkeeper who guarded a side gate of the Azure Palace ten years ago, and the person, events, and timeline all match up."

He paused. "Do you know who his contact person in the Azure Palace was?"

He Lingchuan naturally shook his head.

"Lu Qingzhou."

Fu Shanyue let out a sound of surprise. "Lu Qingzhou, who died a few days ago?"

Half a month ago, Lu Qingzhou, a highly favored disciple of National Preceptor Qingyang, left the palace to visit his wife and children and suddenly died at home.

So, this person was once Kong Jiaxiang's contact? His death was not unjust.

"She even killed someone so loyal to her?"

He Lingchuan, however, felt something was wrong.

National Preceptor Qingyang killing even a loyal and beloved disciple like Lu Qingzhou meant she was prepared to resist to the very end.

But why did she run now?

This behavior itself was contradictory.

He saw that Bai Ziqi's brows remained furrowed, his expression somber, wondering if he, too, was pondering these oddities.

Kong Jiaxiang's inexplicable survival was itself a point of suspicion, which Bai Ziqi couldn't have been unaware of. But if even he couldn't find an issue, then it could be considered resolved, and the investigation could proceed.

Bai Ziqi then added, "But the Emperor will eventually return to the palace. Your Highness is right; I still need to send someone into the palace to check." With that, he quickly turned and left.

With urgent matters at hand, his usual meticulous courtesy was somewhat lacking.

He Lingchuan watched Fu Shanyue's smile vanish. "Why is Your Highness still here?"

"Huh?" Fu Shanyue was startled. "Is there a problem?"

He Lingchuan looked around.

The meaning was clear. Fu Shanyue immediately pulled him into a tent where roadblocks were stored; there was no one else there. Then he set up a barrier:

"Speak."

"Commander Bai just returned to Spirit Void City, so why is he attacking the Azure Palace so openly?"

"Afraid someone would tip off National Preceptor Qingyang?"

"Commander Bai already said that the evidence he holds cannot be destroyed by National Preceptor Qingyang, meaning he has a sure win." Given Bai Ziqi's way of operating, if he dared to say such a thing, it meant he was absolutely certain. "Since the evidence is irrefutable and not subject to retraction, why did he rush here so frantically? Why didn't he simply submit the evidence to the Celestial Palace, have the Celestial Palace inform the Emperor, and then have the Emperor order National Preceptor Qingyang's arrest?"

"Uh..." Fu Shanyue thought for a moment. "Afraid National Preceptor Qingyang would run away?"

"Do you really think someone of National Preceptor Qingyang's current status and position would just run away?"

"No." Fu Shanyue rubbed his nose, then thought seriously. "Hmm, it's hard to say."

An ordinary person would run in such a situation; even Fu Shanyue himself might slip away, choosing the best possible course of action.

But National Preceptor Qingyang...

Her high virtue and prestige, her immense power, her half-lifetime of renown, her lifetime of achievements—all of this was given to her by Spirit Void City.

Forcing her to flee Spirit Void now would be to completely negate nearly two hundred years of her life.

It was like when Panlong City fell; Zhong Shengguang could have escaped but ultimately chose to commit suicide, fulfilling his oath of "the city lives if I live, the city dies if I die."

He Lingchuan had only met National Preceptor Qingyang once and had never truly understood her in depth.

But that was the feeling she gave him.

A lifetime of tireless work, all flowing away like water, with no chance of a comeback. Such defeat and powerlessness would be more unbearable than death itself for a proud and self-respecting person like her.

She was deeply and inextricably bound to her past.

Fu Shanyue wasn't stupid; he blinked and understood. "Bai Ziqi is afraid the Emperor might be soft-hearted and let National Preceptor Qingyang go?"

Even Bai Ziqi believed that National Preceptor Qingyang was likely rushing to Cloud-Piercing Peak to seek an audience with the Emperor.

He also sent people to intercept her.

So, everything hinged on the Emperor.

He Lingchuan nodded. "I'm an outsider and don't fully understand the relationship between Spirit Void and the Celestial Palace. But Bai Ziqi dared to storm the Azure Palace right under the noses of the nobles and commoners in the main city. Would that be his own idea?"

Fu Shanyue shook his head decisively.

Everyone knew that the actions of the Celestial Commander represented the will of the Celestial Deity.

This operation clearly and unmistakably demonstrated the Celestial Deity's stance:

No leniency whatsoever!

But this was too disrespectful to the Emperor. The Celestial Deity sent emissaries to "invite" someone from the Azure Palace without even a formal notification!

"So, it's very likely that there's a disagreement between the Celestial Deity and the Emperor regarding this matter," He Lingchuan reminded him. "At this moment, Your Highness is mixed in with Commander Bai and the Celestial Palace Guards, on the side of the Celestial Deity's attack on the Azure Palace! What do you think the Emperor's expression will be when he finds out?"

He would probably take his anger out on him, right? The Emperor couldn't do anything to the Celestial Deity, but couldn't he do something to Fu Shanyue?

Thinking this, Fu Shanyue said decisively, "Let's go! We're leaving the mountain now."

No need to crowd the front row when watching a show; it's easy to get hit by rotten eggs.