Chapter 793: Gou Wuyue, So How Did You Take His Sword Again?

The hall erupted in an uproar.

The fact that Chu Lisheng dared to reveal this information in the main hall meant it had been verified repeatedly and was unequivocally accurate.

This, in turn, implied that the First Building in the Heavens was a fake demi-saint power!

Chu Lisheng stood proudly in the hall, absolutely convinced.

He was about to make an example of the First Building in the Heavens.

This fraudulent organization had deceived everyone and was even suspected of having ties with the Holy Slaves.

With Sword Immortal Rao currently lacking achievements...

If it didn't go to hell, who would?

At this point, Rao Yaoyao remained silent.

After a long pause, when Chu Lisheng cast a bewildered glance her way, she finally pressed her hand on the wooden table, leaned forward, and asked, "Is what Elder Chu said truly accurate?"

"Absolutely true!"

Chu Lisheng lifted his head. "My informant placed near the First Building in the Heavens reported that Young Master Xu traveled a few days ago without even a Path Severing guard, at most a Sovereign. A demi-saint power? It's simply preposterous!"

The moment he finished speaking,

*Bang*!

Rao Yaoyao's slender hand slammed down, and the council hall's table exploded with a crash, sending wood and paper fragments flying. Amidst the dust, Sword Immortal Rao's beautiful face was contorted with fury.

Everyone was startled, unsure why Sword Immortal Rao was so enraged.

Cheng Ji even pulled his knees in, shrinking to the other side, like a timid bird clinging to the armrest of his chair, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The First Building in the Heavens might have deceived the people of Wangcheng, but it hadn't deceived Rao Yaoyao herself!

Why such an outburst of anger?

Only Chu Lisheng, observing Rao Yaoyao's furious gaze, clearly perceived:

The female Sword Immortal's anger wasn't directed at the First Building in the Heavens, but at him!

What was going on?

Was he at fault?

Was he a Holy Slave?

Before he could ponder further, Rao Yaoyao stood up, her eyes blazing. "You claim the First Building in the Heavens isn't a demi-saint power, yet my people report that Young Master Xu has not only Void Realm guards but even Mei Siren, one of the Seven Sword Immortals, is deeply connected to him... How do you explain that?"

The hall fell into complete silence.

Everyone looked shocked, staring with wide eyes in disbelief.

Shou Ye sighed, shaking his head helplessly.

He had let it go.

The time from tracing it from Tiansang City to East Heaven King City hadn't been long, but he had truly given up.

Whether Young Master Xu was Xu Xiaoshou or not, this matter was no longer something he could pursue.

Because it was too late.

Because the Xu Xiaoshou he knew had become the infamous "Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou."

There was nothing he could do but hand over all the evidence and let Senior Rao investigate it herself.

He had already entered a divergent path.

The next time they met, they would be enemies.

Along this journey, Shou Ye, alone, had already endured too much.

He still had more urgent matters to attend to.

He... could no longer bear the blows.

On the other side,

Chu Lisheng: ???

He was still utterly bewildered.

The moment Rao Yaoyao's words fell, he felt his knees weaken, almost collapsing on the spot.

Void Realm?

Void Realm guards?

Even a descendant of a demi-saint power wouldn't travel with Void Realm guards, would they?

What the hell? Which demi-saint power could be so extravagant as to equip their family scions with Void Realm experts for travel?

What a waste of heavenly resources!

The entire Saint Divine Temple Branch in East Heaven King City only had a few Void Realm experts.

Those old geezers couldn't even move freely on a daily basis; they were kept to oversee the branch!

Chu Lisheng's mind instantly turned to mush; it took him a long time to regain his senses, and he asked dazedly, "Senior Rao, is that truly what you mean?"

Rao Yaoyao raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

Chu Lisheng's scalp tingled as he realized he had asked a foolish question.

How could Sword Immortal Rao lie?

He immediately replied, "Beyond that information, Young Master Xu once confronted the demi-saint Jiang family directly at the Duojin Merchant Guild, mentioning a demi-saint's birthday. Afterward, I sent people to investigate, and in the past hundred years in the Northern Region, there has been absolutely no such event. His words were simply fabricated..."

At this point, even without Rao Yaoyao saying anything, Chu Lisheng was speechless.

Indeed!

If even his identity was fake, how could Young Master Xu's words be trusted?

Perhaps that was just a tactic he used to intimidate the Jiang family and their group!

Chu Lisheng's heart sank.

He had been ineffective in his duties.

Even if he wanted to argue, "They have Void Realm guards; never mind my informants, even if I went myself, I might not have detected their presence."

But what good would saying it do?

In a place like the Saint Divine Temple, a dereliction of duty was simply that.

Shifting blame wouldn't gain him any advantage; it might even infuriate Sword Immortal Rao.

"Hall Master Cheng will handle the disciplinary action afterward!"

Rao Yaoyao, her anger subsiding, returned to her side seat, waving her hand nonchalantly. She clearly understood what Chu Lisheng had wanted to say at the end.

It was normal that the guards of the First Building in the Heavens were too powerful to be uncovered.

However, Chu Lisheng's operational capability was simply too poor. Following bureaucratic inertia, he only did the minimum necessary, never proactively considering the potential harm of the situation or extrapolating from it.

This was the truly infuriating part.

"Mobilize the Saint Divine Temple personnel. Go door-to-door, knocking on the doors of all demi-saint powers in the Northern Region, including the reclusive ones. Ask them one by one."

"Report any connections you find. If you find none, extend the search to all five regions; question every demi-saint aristocratic family without showing deference."

Rao Yaoyao issued the orders.

But the crowd in the hall burst into exclamations of shock.

Going door-to-door for such an investigation would require an immense amount of time and resources.

The doors of demi-saint families were not so easily opened.

Cheng Ji looked troubled, clearly finding the matter quite absurd.

Rao Yaoyao, however, with a stern look, said in a deep voice, "If the First Building in the Heavens is indeed connected to the Holy Slaves, and you fail to uncover anything, you can continue to sit in your current positions."

"But if you do uncover something..."

She turned to Cheng Ji. "Even if your merits are heaven-reaching, your position as Hall Master of this branch will likely come to an end."

Cheng Ji's mind buzzed.

Only then did he understand the implications and the extensive scope of the matter.

Holy Slaves...

After the Battle of White Cave, they were at the top of the "White-Clad" blacklist!

In that light, investigating the First Building in the Heavens was no longer a question of how many resources it would consume; even if it cost more, he could get reimbursed by the White-Clads afterward.

But once their identity was confirmed, it would be a matter that could shake all five regions!

After all, the Holy Slave Chief, Ba Zun'an, decades ago, was someone who could contend with the Dao Hall Master...

Even Dao Qiongcang, in front of Ba Zun'an at his peak, would be considered inferior!

Rao Yaoyao pinched her brow, then waved her hand. "Dismissed."

"Yes."

The White-Clads and Red-Clads in the hall instantly disappeared.

Cheng Ji hastily bade farewell, practically dragging Chu Lisheng as he retreated, hurrying off to attend to business.

Only Rao Yaoyao remained in the side seat, staring at the shattered table, lost in thought.

She hadn't initially given much importance to the First Building in the Heavens.

Only after Shou Ye revealed Xu Xiaoshou's entire growth trajectory as a Holy Slave did she begin to take it seriously.

This was also the fundamental reason she hadn't held Cheng Ji and Chu Lisheng accountable.

Indeed.

They weren't responsible for this area.

When it involved a dark force like the Holy Slaves, it became a matter for the White-Clads.

However, the First Building in the Heavens was clearly rooted in East Heaven King City. If it truly was a facade created by Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou,

then any subsequent investigation would expose Xu Xiaoshou openly challenging the Saint Divine Temple on a public stage, making them lose face.

And yet, the Saint Divine Temple had found nothing!

Rao Yaoyao was absolutely right about one thing.

Cheng Ji was in charge of East Heaven King City. If such an absurd situation truly arose within the city, the White-Clads would be responsible, and Cheng Ji's position would indeed become precarious.

"Mei Siren..."

She gazed out the window.

Looking at the ancient Pilgrimage Tower in the distance.

Rao Yaoyao furrowed her brows in deep thought.

During the night battle in Wangcheng, there was one person she was particularly concerned about.

Mei Siren!

Mei Siren had clearly entered the fray but had never made a move.

What was he thinking?

What was he planning?

The situation that day was urgent, with major events unfolding one after another. Rao Yaoyao was too preoccupied to inquire further.

Now that she had time, she could calmly sort things out.

Mei Siren was a senior, a figure from several centuries ago.

If the Seven Sword Immortals were to be ranked, not by strength but by seniority,

then Yu Tu and Mei Siren would be in a class of their own.

The tier of old predecessors.

Southern Region's Feng Tingchen would be in another tier, the middle-aged and elderly one.

These three were all figures from the era before last.

Below them came the tier of Hua Changdeng, Gou Wuyue, Rao Yaoyao, and Wen Ting.

If one were to consider whether there was an eighth person...

Even if he were directly included, Ba Zun'an would also belong to this last tier.

They were all the younger generation among the Sword Immortals, not even considered middle-aged.

Their seniority was too shallow!

And precisely because of seniority, Rao Yaoyao understood the stance of these old predecessors.

For hundreds of years, Mei Siren had maintained a neutral stance, never acting for any force or individual.

He was solely devoted to imparting knowledge and teaching, with disciples scattered across the world.

This was completely different from Elder Yu Tu, who consistently opposed the Saint Divine Temple.

It was precisely because of this.

Even though Mei Siren entered the fray during the Wangcheng battle and appeared to have a connection or interaction with Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou, Rao Yaoyao didn't find it particularly significant.

Which swordsman in the world hadn't received guidance from Mei Siren?

Among the Seven Sword Immortals, arguably the only one who hadn't been mentored by Mei Siren was Yu Tu, his contemporary.

Even Feng Tingchen from the Southern Region, on his path to becoming a Sword Immortal, must have heard various legends about Mei Siren and might have indirectly received some of Master Siren's legacies.

For instance, a certain revered teacher on his path of sword cultivation might not even know that their own teacher's teacher's teacher had once received guidance from Mei Siren.

This was also why Mei Siren was respectfully called "Master Siren" by people across the world.

He had always promoted the path of ancient sword cultivation.

Therefore, it was highly probable that Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou achieved something on the path of ancient sword cultivation because he had encountered Mei Siren, or even that he was directly taught by him.

It was normal for the two to have a connection.

However, the key issue was that Mei Siren had previously maintained no stance.

He taught and imparted knowledge, focusing solely on the Way of the Sword and proper cultivation, never excessively interfering with his disciples' positions. This itself was a manifestation of his neutrality.

Yet, that night, Mei Siren specifically showed exceptional concern for Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou.

"Was it simply because Xu Xiaoshou was Ba Zun'an's successor, a new practitioner on Yu Tu's path, and exceptionally gifted?"

Rao Yaoyao hesitated.

She had seen Xu Xiaoshou's aptitude, which would make any teacher proud, so Mei Siren's additional attention wasn't excessive.

However, since he knew Xu Xiaoshou's stance, he should not have overstepped.

Mei Siren, she believed, would be clearer about the consequences than she was.

As for possibilities like "I, Mei Siren, wanted to enter the fray, but Xu Xiaoshou was too strong and I was suddenly not needed, so I could only watch," Rao Yaoyao never considered it for a moment.

That was too absurd!

The only peculiar point she noticed was that Mei Siren seemed to pay exceptional attention to Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou that night, and now he was also an honored guest of Young Master Xu at the First Building in the Heavens.

This information came from Shou Ye.

Rao Yaoyao trusted her subordinates.

Even though Shou Ye was certain that Young Master Xu was not Holy Slave Xu Xiaoshou and that his previous judgment was mistaken, leading him to let it go.

But Rao Yaoyao knew and considered more.

The secrets of the Seven Sword Immortals, the intricacies of various factions, could even be traced back hundreds of years.

These were all things that lower-ranking Red-Clads wouldn't know.

So Shou Ye could let it go.

Rao Yaoyao, however, had to be vigilant.

Therefore, given the premise that the First Building in the Heavens was possibly a Holy Slave contingency, speculating from this angle made Mei Siren's motives seem somewhat peculiar.

Even if one looked at his history over the past century, it was impossible for Mei Siren to take a stance.

But regardless, it was a possibility.

If the investigation found no connection, Rao Yaoyao could be relieved, believing she had worried needlessly and caused unnecessary effort and expense.

But if there truly was a connection between the two, and she failed to discover it immediately,

then the situation would be dire.

A matter concerning Mei Siren, one of the Seven Sword Immortals, was already a terrifying event capable of shaking the Heavenly Ladder and prompting grand figures to intervene personally!

Rao Yaoyao pursed her lips, then suddenly let out a long sigh.

She thought of the alchemy and spirit array trials scheduled for tomorrow, which would require allocating more personnel for protective measures.

In the midst of all this, who knew what other complications would arise?

And after that, the Wangcheng Trials, along with the Holy Secret Void Island, might descend simultaneously.

"A troubled autumn indeed..."

The evening breeze blew gently, and the moonlight was absent from the window.

The streets and alleys were brightly lit, bustling with noisy pedestrians, a stark contrast to the quiet council hall.

Leaning by the window, Rao Yaoyao gently stroked the divine sword Xuan Cang, as the breeze ruffled her hair, wiping away half her worried expression.

Rao Yaoyao suddenly recalled the pervasive sword intent remaining in the Yunlun Mountains, her thoughts adrift.

How could that person, who was under a martial arts prohibition and whose cultivation had clearly plummeted, still manage to summon the Void Island?

Even a Saint Emperor couldn't do that...

Was it simply because his name was Ba Zun'an?

"Gou Wuyue, how did you manage to withstand his sword attack?"

A reminiscent look entered Rao Yaoyao's eyes, as if she saw Gou Wuyue, the Moonless Sword Immortal, after the battle in the Eight Palaces, carrying Holy Slave Sang Qiye back to Guizhe Sacred Mountain for punishment.

"The Saint Divine Temple's thirty years of planning and strategizing drove the sheep into a corner. You came from the Central Region to the East, accompanied by seven hundred White-Clads and countless transcended experts."

"The result was that you didn't even touch the storyteller you were supposed to apprehend. All you got was Holy Slave Sang Qiye, a former Saint Palace member, and seven hundred White-Clads were lost."

"Lose an arm, enter the Saint Prison, reflect for three months, and resume duties after the New Year!"

Rao Yaoyao was present at the Saint Temple's judgment back then.

She even felt...

Everyone present at the time thought Gou Wuyue would use "insufficient assistance" as an excuse.

Rao Yaoyao had even anticipated the judges' retort: "Assistance? Is the Head of the Spirit Department, Yu Lingdi, along with the Heavenly Mechanism Puppet, not enough to be called assistance?"

Unexpectedly,

Gou Wuyue said nothing, accepted his punishment, and went to prison without a single complaint.

Everyone was surprised.

Rao Yaoyao was surprised too.

Now, having been ordered to the East and witnessing the lingering sword intent in the Yunlun Mountains, Rao Yaoyao fell silent.

"If those outside the hall are like this, and I've brought the heads of five departments, plus the divine sword Xuan Cang, to this place, yet I can't even hand over a single decent person..."

Rao Yaoyao touched the divine sword in her hand, a wry smile on her face.

If it weren't for her surname Rao, perhaps she would also be finished by now?

She looked up at the ancient colossal city in the sky. A significant portion of the city wall had been pulled out, and faint, shadowy Heavenly Dao Void Chains could be vaguely seen extending from the fractured spatial currents, restraining the Void Island's movement.

But the Void Island's movement was like the long river of fate; perhaps some could temporarily delay its advance, but it could not be stopped.

Rao Yaoyao stopped thinking further.

With a whoosh, she drew her sword and leaped out from the window.

Some matters, though she didn't want to confront them, always required someone to step forward.

This time, her target was the First Building in the Heavens!