Chapter 602: Multiple Attacks, Fishing Law Enforcement

“Senior!”“Senior Wuyue!”

At the entrance of the White Robes’ main tent within the Eight Palaces, Chang Yi called out loudly.

“Enter.”A voice echoed from inside the tent.

Chang Yi immediately lifted the tent flap and entered. Inside the large tent, the pure white tables, chairs, and wooden decorations exuded a calming aura, as if they could smooth away all inner turmoil. On the high chair in the center, the middle-aged swordsman in a light blue robe was polishing his famous sword, Slave’s Lament, with a wiping cloth.

Gou Wuyue raised his head and asked, “What is it?”

“It’s like this.” Chang Yi felt his heart calm down, and he breathed a sigh of relief, saying, “Our reconnaissance unit previously detected the power of Cinderlight. It’s likely that Wuxiu, the Holy Slave’s second-in-command, is nearby to provide support. Later, they detected pure water-element energy, which theoretically means Yu Lingdi, the Chief of the Spirit Division, might have also arrived. But he’s missing!”

“Missing?” Gou Wuyue paused his sword-wiping hand. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure.” Chang Yi shook his head, saying, “The reconnaissance unit couldn’t detect another person’s presence, but the water-element energy vanished without a trace, which can only mean Yu Lingdi, the Chief of the Spirit Division, has been trapped.”

“Is there a possibility…”

“No.” Before Chang Yi could finish, Gou Wuyue interrupted with certainty, “Wuxiu isn’t skilled in stealth. If you sensed him, then you truly sensed him. Just continue tracking him. If he’s providing support to the Holy Slave, he won’t be able to get far. As for that kid Yu Lingdi, who’s disappeared…” Gou Wuyue lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment, then tapped his finger. “There must be someone else.”

“Someone else?” Chang Yi didn’t dare voice the question, but the expression of shock and uncertainty on his face revealed everything.

Gou Wuyue smiled. “What, are you scared?”

“No, no…” Chang Yi immediately denied it. “I just didn’t expect a mere White Cave to attract so many people. No one could have predicted this at first, right?”

Gou Wuyue nodded in agreement. “Indeed, we didn’t. The whole fuse was simply that the Storyteller happened to come here, and the Holy Slave’s Chief happened to enter the White Cave. How things evolved afterward was all part of successive calculations. I’m blocking the entrance, so they can’t get out. Naturally, they’ll try every means to escape, and calling for support is the most direct way. However, using the White Cave as a focal point to draw out the snakes, ideally to capture all the Holy Slaves… I estimate the Holy Slave’s Chief has long anticipated this idea. Unfortunately…” Gou Wuyue smiled as he sheathed his famous sword, now gleaming brightly from the polish, and said, “Even if he guessed it, I still intend to do it.”

Chang Yi felt a thrill of alarm. This wave of targeted strikes combined with a “fishing expedition” could very well transform a minor White Cave anomaly into a continent-shaking event! The question was, could they handle it? If the Holy Slave truly called everyone here, could Senior Wuyue alone bear all of this? Impossible! If he could handle it, then a mere Wuxiu wouldn’t have been able to severely damage the White Robe forces rushing in from the Central Domain.

“Don’t overthink it.” Gou Wuyue could see that little Yi was very worried. He waved his hand, placing Slave’s Lament behind his waist, and stood up, saying, “Trapping that kid, Yu Lingdi, isn’t that simple. Although he’s only at the Throne level and hasn’t broken through to the Dao Severance stage, even the strongest Dao Severance expert, if they truly fought him, would eventually be worn down and killed by his strange water-element abilities. That kid, who holds the unique position of Chief of the Spirit Division among the Six Divisions, reserved for Spirit Refiners, and is known as the continent’s greatest master of Spirit Refiner mysteries, is far from simple.”

“Then…” Gou Wuyue slowly descended the steps, his brow slightly furrowed. “Who could have trapped him the moment he appeared?”

“Someone from the Holy Slave?” Chang Yi asked suggestively.

“Potentially, but among the Holy Slave, who possesses such ability?” Gou Wuyue asked again.

“It seems… no one, right?” Chang Yi was somewhat uncertain. After all, among the Holy Slave’s Ten Seats, only a few have genuinely made significant movements on the continent. If all of them were exposed, they likely wouldn’t have been able to preserve all Ten Seats so perfectly for so many years, without losing even one.

“There is!” Gou Wuyue walked to Chang Yi’s side, then seemed to remember something, stopping and saying with a solemn voice, “There truly is such a person! Immediately! Send word to the Northern Domain, notify the people of the Seven Severance Ban’s 'Floral Homeland' to push forward with full force! If the resistance to the Seven Severance Ban’s exploration diminishes, it means Begonia herself is no longer there. But if the resistance increases…” Gou Wuyue’s lips curved into a smile. “Then she’s truly gone!”

“Begonia?” Chang Yi had no information about this person in his mind and was utterly confused.

“Matters of the Northern Domain are not within your scope of responsibility. Just follow the order,” Gou Wuyue said, his tone stern.

“Yes, sir!” Chang Yi immediately nodded and was about to withdraw.

“Wait.” Gou Wuyue immediately called him back. “And… yes, there’s more. Have someone put pressure on all suspected Grey Palace of the Dog Month strongholds in the Southern Domain. At the very least, ensure they can’t spare any resources to come here.” Gou Wuyue paused. “Also, send people to closely monitor 'Half-Moon Residence' in the Southern Domain, 'Great Desert Ridge' in the Western Domain, and 'City of the Dead Pagoda' in the Central Domain! These places are currently suspected to be some of the Holy Slave’s largest strongholds. Especially the City of the Dead Pagoda!” Gou Wuyue’s tone grew heavier, his voice becoming colder. “Absolutely, under no circumstances, let those fellows inside come out!”

“Yes, sir!” Chang Yi shouted, his heart filled with dread. Although among these place names, he had only heard of the City of the Dead Pagoda in the Central Domain, and knew nothing about the other two as they weren’t in his operational scope. However, this didn’t stop him from mentally adjusting the danger level of this operation to ‘High.’ That was the City of the Dead Pagoda! The City of the Living Pagoda was known as a sacred place for alchemists, artificers, spirit array masters, and the like. The City of the Dead Pagoda… that was a true corner of death and slaughter, where even ‘tens of thousands of miles of withered bones’ and ‘millions of floating corpses’ couldn’t adequately describe it! He heard that half of the White Robes guarding that place either died or went mad within a year. It was a place of fear where only the true elites among the White Robes could withstand the pressure. A city of sin that Lord Cangsheng himself had to personally oversee, so busy that he couldn’t even spare half a cup of tea for leisure!

“Crossroads.” Gou Wuyue seemed to remember something, saying gravely, “Especially the Crossroads. It would be best to have someone create a large disturbance there, but not too obvious. For specifics, you can consult with Ai Cangsheng. In short, do not let that person come out.”

Chang Yi’s legs felt weak upon hearing this. Crossroads? The ‘Crossroads’ in the City of the Dead Pagoda, said to display the ‘Bloody Pope’s Cross’? “Are we preventing the one known as 'Ghost Gate Pass, God-like in name'... Sha Po Hongchen, War Ghost Pass... from coming out?” Chang Yi swallowed hard.

Gou Wuyue nodded silently. Then, he chuckled and slapped little Yi on the back. “What are you scared of? I’m not asking you to go guard it yourself. Besides, Ai Cangsheng is watching over that place. You just need to relay my words. They won’t be able to stir up any trouble, let alone get out,” Gou Wuyue reassured him.

“Yes, sir!” Chang Yi’s voice rose a few octaves, almost cracking, as if trying to bolster his courage.

“Don’t go, there’s more.” Gou Wuyue grabbed the flustered man and immediately asked, “How did that matter I asked you to handle last time turn out?”

“What…” Chang Yi was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized. “Senior, are you referring to the incident at Moonfall Immortal City?”

“Hm.” Gou Wuyue nodded. Last time, during the battle with Wuxiu of the Holy Slave in Azure Dragon Prefecture, an Eighth Sword Immortal appeared midway, but he later asserted that it wasn’t the real one. Thus, Gou Wuyue gave orders to investigate and confiscate assets from two peak ancient sword-cultivator powers in the Eastern Domain. Chang Yi naturally couldn’t forget this matter.

“No results.” He first shook his head to summarize the conclusion, then elaborated: “According to intelligence feedback from both branch divisions, the Sword Burial Mound is still the same. Forget entering, you can’t even get close. The Semi-Saint sword intent inside is still brewing. Sword Immortal Wen Ting is likely at the final critical stage and wouldn’t have time to wander around the continent. Therefore, we can rule out the possibility of someone from the Sword Burial Mound impersonating him.”

Gou Wuyue’s breathing became heavy. “Wen Ting… has he actually reached this stage already?” He murmured, a hint of longing in his voice. Slave’s Lament, on his back, shimmered with a golden-pink glow, as if unwilling to be outdone. “My apologies.” Gou Wuyue patted the famous sword, his voice tinged with melancholy. “It’s not your fault, it’s mine. I’ve indeed neglected much over the years.” Chang Yi felt sweat break out on his forehead, not daring to interject. He understood that ever since joining the Holy Temple, Sword Immortal Wuyue had been constantly campaigning across the east and west. His path of killing had indeed improved. But true swordsmanship isn’t cultivated solely through killing. Look, Sword Immortal Wen Ting, who once could only hide behind the Eighth Sword Immortal and couldn’t even make it into the Ten Venerables, has now, surprisingly, already touched upon that realm ahead of him… Of course, Chang Yi only dared to think these thoughts to himself. For him to voice them, whether from the perspective of the Holy Temple or Senior Wuyue, was impossible.

He swiftly wiped sweat from his brow and continued, “Additionally, we also investigated Moonfall Immortal City. At first, no one was willing to come forward. It’s possible there truly was no one. But it’s more likely… those guys, after all, were brought up by the Eighth Sword Immortal’s nominal disciple. They’re very stubborn, so it’s normal for them not to show themselves. It wasn’t until we were about to confiscate their assets that Senior Brother Kongtong finally appeared. But the moment he stepped forward, our conclusion was shattered again. After all, apart from this nominal disciple of the Eighth Sword Immortal, no one else has the ability to impersonate the original,” Chang Yi shrugged helplessly.

Gou Wuyue’s thoughts were pulled back. “Kongtong…”

“He still considers himself the Senior Brother?”

“Yes,” Chang Yi said, a hint of reverence in his expression. “After all, in this world, the one who least believes in the demise of the Eighth Sword Immortal is his senior disciple, Smiling Kongtong, who single-handedly established a new generation of ancient sword-cultivator forces!”

“Heh, little Kongtong…” Gou Wuyue scoffed, not taking it seriously. “Nine times out of ten, it’s him. He’s probably dawdling, estimated to be on his way back.”

“Uh.” Chang Yi’s expression froze. Why were those words so subjective?

“Don’t believe it?” Gou Wuyue asked with interest. “Shall we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“As long as you keep people blocking the gates of Moonfall Immortal City, I can guarantee that your so-called ‘Eighth Sword Immortal’ won’t appear in this battle in the White Cave. Care to bet?”

Chang Yi was startled. This method actually seemed feasible! If Senior Brother Kongtong truly was the one who saved Wuxiu of the Holy Slave in Azure Dragon Prefecture, then by simply blocking Moonfall Immortal City, he would surely be unable to escape. Considering this…

“I won’t bet.” Chang Yi shook his head resolutely. “I can’t afford to lose.” Chang Yi subtly rolled his eyes, touched his waist, and adjusted his underwear.

“Heh heh, fine if you don’t want to bet.” Gou Wuyue’s rare good mood was dispelled, and he seemed somewhat dispirited. “Go!” He waved his hand. “Don’t forget everything I instructed you earlier.”

“Yes, sir!” Chang Yi finally responded with a firm shout and strode away.

“Whoosh.” Just as he reached the tent flap, a soft sound ripped through the void. Chang Yi’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he spun around sharply. “Who’s there!” He turned back angrily, only to see a small spatial rift opening in the empty space at the center of the tent. “Stowaway?!” In that instant, Chang Yi’s heart leaped into his throat. The White Cave, breached? Someone from the Holy Slave, walked out from inside? “What are you doing?!” he immediately roared.

Outside the tent, there was a sudden clatter as people immediately stirred. “With so many layers of encirclement, how could someone directly teleport into the main tent?” Chang Yi’s heart burned with rage; he felt like striking each of those good-for-nothings outside with a sword. Were they truly useless? Was the defensive formation just for show?

“Senior!”“Senior, don’t panic, we are ready at any moment!”“Senior Wuyue, I’m here to assist! Who dares to cross illegally?!”Outside the door, cries of alarm, tinged with fear, but also excitement. They seemed to have been itching for action and ready for too long, finally able to release their emotions. But no matter how chaotic it was outside, not a single person dared to unilaterally lift the main tent’s flap, even though the unprotected flap, even with a gust of wind, would allow outsiders to glimpse inside.

“Silence!” Chang Yi shouted loudly. Outside, it immediately fell silent, as if everyone had vanished into thin air.

Gou Wuyue looked up at the spatial rift, a little taken aback. Others couldn’t tell, but he felt it clearly. The aura emanating from inside was the same one that had been secretly observing him ever since he stepped into the territory of the Eight Palaces recently. Slowly extending his hand, Gou Wuyue stopped Chang Yi’s impulse to open a domain.

“Not a White Cave breach, but someone else?” Chang Yi instantly understood, his heart chilled, then filled with even greater shock. If not the Holy Slave, who else could break through the White Cave’s spiritual array defenses and directly reach the main command tent?

“Ahem?” A tentative cough came from within the rift. Then, a very low voice followed from behind: “Elder Qiao, why don’t you go out first? Why push me! That’s Sword Immortal Wuyue! A Sword Immortal! Do you understand?! What if I go out first and he just cuts me down as an enemy without a word? My new girlfriend is still waiting in bed…”

“You little rascal!” An exasperated voice interrupted the rambling. Immediately after, “Smack!”

“Ouch!”

From the spatial rift tumbled a young man rubbing his backside, staggering into the main command tent, almost losing his balance and falling.

“Damn old Qiao…”

“Ahem!”

The moment Zhao Xidong appeared, he felt two gazes, capable of instantly killing him, fall upon him. The hair on his body bristled. “Greetings, Senior.” Bowing to Gou Wuyue, he immediately turned to Chang Yi and bowed deeply, over ninety degrees, exclaiming, “Greetings, Senior Wuyue! Your reputation precedes you, Senior Wuyue, I greatly respect…”

“Huh?” He seemed to realize his mistake just then. Oh, right! The one he bowed to first, was *that* the one with the sword on his back? Stuck in place, cold sweat dripped from Zhao Xidong. He didn’t dare to stand up, only shifting his feet slightly while still bent at the waist, redirecting his bow towards the middle-aged man carrying the sword behind him. “Senior Wuyue, hello, uh, hello…”

Chang Yi was dumbfounded. He stared at this strange being who had appeared from nowhere, truly shocked. This young man! What kind of joke was this? Emerging from a spatial rift completely unharmed? Treating the White Robes’ defensive spiritual arrays as nothing? Most terrifyingly, how could you still be merely a…

“A Grandmaster expert?!”“You’re a Grandmaster?!”