Chapter 1159: Slaves Want Rewards

This night caused quite a stir throughout the Immortal Palace.

A disciple from the Punishment Thunder Palace attempted to defect but was killed on the teleportation array by the Fourth True Monarch, leading to questioning from the disciple's master, Gongsun Qingmu. The matter was ultimately resolved when a secret message jade slip, intended for transmission, was indeed found on the disciple.

Nevertheless, to the discerning, the incident was riddled with doubts. However, the Fourth True Monarch's personal statement, given his standing, effectively closed the case. With the Young Master's grand wedding approaching and the Immortal Lord about to take office, the consensus was to downplay major issues and resolve minor ones completely. Nothing else mattered as much as these two imminent events. Any lingering doubts could be addressed after these two events had passed. There was no hurry for the next half a month or so. Thus, within half an hour, even before dawn, peace returned to the Immortal Palace.

However, the incident stirred a long-lasting storm in the minds of the outsiders. Each of them was astute, possessing keen analytical skills and considerable cunning. Their status and understanding allowed them to clearly grasp the underlying cause and effect of the situation.

"While it's possible someone deliberately impersonated the Evil Spirit Child, the Punishment Thunder Palace deacon, there's a strong likelihood he truly is the Evil Spirit Child."

"If he is indeed the Evil Spirit Child, then tonight marked a three-way struggle: between him, Star Ring Child, and the mysterious person spreading rumors!"

"Clearly, Star Ring Child suffered a significant setback!"

"Not only did he fail to kill the Evil Spirit Child, but he was also forced to publicly admit to treason against the palace, thereby confirming the incident!"

"The Evil Spirit Child is cunning! And the mysterious person is equally shrewd!"

"It remains to be seen what Star Ring Child will do next…"

Amidst these undercurrents, the Fourth True Monarch emerged from the void within the True Monarch Hall. With an expressionless face, he walked to the high pavilion, from where he gazed intently at the distant Young Master's Palace as the night wind howled. At this moment, the moon was barely visible, dark clouds permeated the sky, and the light was swallowed by the encroaching darkness, making the world increasingly dim and indistinct. It mirrored the Fourth True Monarch's inner turmoil.

Tonight, he had been defeated. For him, defeat was a rare occurrence, and a loss of this magnitude was both distant and unfamiliar in his memory. Thus, he stood, silently gazing at the Young Master's Palace, a faint, eerie glow slowly flickering in his eyes.

Time passed. Perhaps due to the dark clouds, dawn arrived somewhat late this night. Before dawn, Zhou Zhengli appeared behind the Fourth True Monarch and bowed.

"Zhong Chi remained in the Young Master's Palace for the first half of the night, then returned to his residence and did not leave again."

"And as for the Young Master, he stayed within the Young Master's Palace from start to finish, with the string music from the Hundred Flower Palace playing continuously, never ceasing."

"As for others, unless they possessed special means I couldn't detect, then… no one else should have left the Young Master's Palace before now."

Zhou Zhengli spoke softly. He was naturally aware of Star Ring Child's significant defeat and his old rival's counterattack. He had originally planned to act alongside Star Ring Child. However, Star Ring Child was overly confident, believing he could handle everything alone. He hadn't allowed Zhou Zhengli to accompany him, instead instructing him to monitor the Young Master's Palace from outside.

"I wonder if that was confidence or arrogance, looking down on other Star Holders…" Zhou Zhengli sneered inwardly. No one who becomes a Star Holder is mediocre.

"I did indeed underestimate them." Star Ring Child spoke abruptly.

Zhou Zhengli's pupils contracted the moment he heard those words. He understood Star Ring Child's immense pride better than anyone, and it was incredibly difficult for such an arrogant person to admit fault. This also revealed to him that the hidden adversary was far more formidable than he had imagined.

"However, I have identified this person." As Star Ring Child slowly spoke, dark clouds in the sky collided, creating flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder that momentarily illuminated the world. The flashes also brought a newfound clarity to his gaze.

"There's just one thing: although all signs point to this person being the hidden one, I won't make the mistake of underestimating them again. Therefore… I'm considering if this is merely their initial identity."

"The true mastermind might still be concealed in the shadows." Star Ring Child's voice echoed. The lightning flashes vanished as quickly as they appeared, plunging the world back into darkness.

Zhou Zhengli did not respond; he knew these words were not meant for him but for Star Ring Child himself. So he thought for a moment and continued to reveal what he had discovered that night.

"Furthermore, based on my observations of Zhong Chi tonight, combined with your earlier assessment of his objectives, I've concluded that your speculation is highly likely to be true."

"Zhong Chi's aim is likely to implant the Constitution of Poison he wields within this temporal space."

"However, he doesn't intend to immediately alter history. Instead, he plans to leverage this period to imbue his poison with historical depth and foundation."

"Ultimately, he will most likely act prematurely, poisoning his own physical body at the precise historical moment when his host is fated to die in the impending catastrophe."

"In doing so, his Poison Constitution will gain both karmic depth and inherent foundation!"

"Regardless of whether the final ripples of this historical period impact reality, this will form the foundation for his Constitution, a foundation that… will be established in history even before his master's."

Zhou Zhengli said softly.

"We only need to stop him at the crucial moment." Star Ring Child spoke calmly.

Zhou Zhengli nodded, then fell silent. Having revealed an appropriate amount of information, he stepped back, choosing to once again conceal his full capabilities. Just then, the first rays of the sun finally pierced through the dark clouds, instantly casting light everywhere. Thus... dawn arrived. The sky brightened.

In the nascent light, Star Ring Child's voice murmured. "The orderly side... has too few pieces."

Inside the Young Master's Palace, Xu Qing had already gathered the scattered chess pieces from the floor and replaced them on the board. He meticulously arranged them according to their previous positions, leaving the game unfinished. As he placed the final piece, a soft, charming laugh drifted from behind him.

"How wise of you, Young Master."

Her voice was incredibly alluring and captivating. As it echoed in Xu Qing's ears, the Fox Beauty, clad in sheer gauze that accentuated her graceful figure, stepped forward and settled in front of him. Her fair skin, enhanced by the sheer fabric, looked even more enticing. Sitting down, she raised slender, jade-like fingers, picked up a chess piece, and placed it on the board. She then looked up, her alluring eyes casting a captivating gaze at Xu Qing, before subtly licking her red lips.

"That Fourth True Monarch was indeed deceitful. I was even injured and almost didn't make it back."

"And outside the Young Master's Palace, there were even spies. I had to go to some lengths to slip in and out unnoticed."

"Therefore… I deserve a reward!"

As she spoke, the Fox Beauty placed one hand on the chessboard and leaned forward. With a ripple of movement, she brought her exquisitely beautiful and enchanting face closer to Xu Qing. She exhaled softly. "Young Master, won't you reward me just once?"

Xu Qing remained silent. He lifted his head, shifted his gaze from the chessboard, met the Fox Beauty's eyes, and spoke blandly. "Are you interested in my host body? If you're not afraid of the Immortal Lord scattering your soul tomorrow, I could indeed step aside for a day and give you the opportunity."

The Fox Beauty was momentarily speechless. She had expected Xu Qing to respond as he usually did, but his unusually sharp reply caught her off guard. She was momentarily stunned. She couldn't help but inwardly curse him as a blockhead, then pulled back and idly swept a strand of hair aside.

Seeing her return to normal, Xu Qing spoke calmly. "Your identity was somewhat exposed tonight. Are you prepared to handle the consequences?"

"No!" the Fox Beauty huffed irritably.

Xu Qing raised a hand, picking up the chess pieces from the board one by one, and spoke in a low voice. "I know you've already made your plans; in fact, my sending you there tonight aligned perfectly with them. So regardless of what you intend, I must warn you: Star Ring Child's next target will undoubtedly be you!"

Hearing this, the Fox Beauty blinked her captivating eyes. "Is Young Master worried about me? Perhaps you could offer some guidance?"

Xu Qing put away the chessboard and said nonchalantly. "It's not suitable to seek out the Evil Spirit Child today. Remember to go tomorrow. As for whether you can secure an identity, that's up to you."

The Fox Beauty covered her mouth and chuckled. "Xu Qing, do you know what I truly appreciate most about you? Your intelligence."

Xu Qing closed his eyes and remained silent. The Fox Beauty's smile lingered. She stretched her slender body, showcasing her graceful curves, then turned and departed.

A day passed unnoticed. Xu Qing remained in the Young Master's Palace, studying the Sands of Time he had acquired. This item was incredibly mysterious, yet its quantity was exceedingly limited. This left him with two options. One was to integrate it immediately. The other option…

"Use this sand as a foundation to travel to a more turbulent timeline, thereby acquiring more!"

Xu Qing pondered, and an answer slowly crystallized in his mind.

Outside, it was as if last night's events had never transpired. Peace reigned, people moved about normally, and there was no unusual activity. The incident's sensitivity even surpassed that of previous rumors. Consequently, virtually no one discussed it. Everyone tacitly avoided the topic.

As night fell and then yielded to dawn once more, a knock echoed at the residence of Deacon Gongsun Qingmu in the Punishment Thunder Palace, who was grieving the loss of his beloved disciple. The next moment, the door silently opened, and a black-clad figure with an obscured face stepped inside.

Inside the room, Gongsun Qingmu remained expressionless, his gaze cold as he watched the figure before him, not speaking first. After surveying the surroundings, the black-clad figure smiled and spoke.

"Evil Spirit Child, are you satisfied with the gift from the night before?"

Gongsun Qingmu's expression remained unchanged. He watched the figure before him, and after a moment, a hoarse voice emerged. "What do you want?"

"You've lost a disciple; it's time to take on another." The black-clad figure chuckled.

Hearing this, a ripple stirred in Gongsun Qingmu's heart. He had never anticipated that this was what the other party desired! "An identity?"

Gongsun pondered, glanced at the figure before him, and spoke again. "Who exactly are you?"

The black-clad figure merely smiled, offering no direct answer. Instead, a composed voice emerged. "Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that you'll need an ally during the upcoming period. And we… can continue to assist each other, for instance, by helping you achieve a more significant defection from the palace."

Gongsun fell silent. After a moment, he spoke in a low tone. "I need some time to consider."

The black-clad figure chuckled and said nothing further, then retreated, gradually fading from view.

Simultaneously, similar words echoed in the guest hall located in the southern part of the Immortal Palace.

"Regarding the True Monarch's invitation, please allow me to give it some thought." The Daughter of Nine Shores looked at the Fourth True Monarch before her and spoke softly.

Hearing this, the Fourth True Monarch remained expressionless and spoke slowly. "You paid a considerable price for your current identity, didn't you? Your objective is to use this identity to align with historical progression, marry the Young Master, and thereby forge a karmic link with this Immortal Palace, becoming half its master."

"Naturally, you might have a deeper agenda, but regardless, it doesn't conflict with my interests."

Having spoken, he turned to leave. However, upon reaching the hall's entrance, he paused, his back to the Daughter of Nine Shores, and spoke in a calm voice. "Only with your host's identity can you legitimately disband the Hundred Flower Palace and all its courtesans, including that Fox Beauty."

"Once they are gone, I will safeguard your path to achieve your objective!"