Chapter 456: The Great Yu National Teacher Questions the Dao Sect and Must Die

In the Masterless Grotto-Heaven, the wrinkled old man suddenly stood up upon hearing the news from his subordinate, a terrifying aura sweeping through every inch of space.

"What? Dawn has been captured?!"

Seeing the Grand Tutor's fury, the subordinate steeled himself and reported, "Yes, Venerable Dawn has been captured by Great Xia. Several of our brethren hidden in Dingxin City have lost contact and were very likely captured as well."

Venerable Dawn was a crucial force for the restoration of Great Yu, intended to be a knife to carve through Great Xia. Unexpectedly, before he could even slice off a piece of Great Xia, he was captured by them instead.

Damn it!

The Grand Tutor said, "I've seen the rules of Dingxin City; they are impregnable. Outsiders should have no idea what happened there, and Great Xia shouldn't have been able to react so quickly. Provide a detailed account of the information you gathered. How was Dawn discovered?"

The news had come too suddenly, and in such haste, the subordinate found it difficult to gather more information.

"Venerable Dawn was discovered by Daoist Buyu, the sect master of the Dao of Inquiry Sect," the subordinate replied.

"Daoist Buyu?" the Grand Tutor mused.

As one of the Five Immortal Sects' masters, the Grand Tutor had paid attention to Daoist Buyu. This person's movements were erratic, and he could never fathom his intentions. He was a difficult cultivator to deal with.

"Grand Tutor?" the subordinate asked, pausing as he saw the Grand Tutor muttering to himself.

"It's nothing, continue," the Grand Tutor instructed.

The subordinate continued, "Daoist Buyu, by some unknown method, discovered the anomaly in Dingxin City and entered it alone. Since he was only at the Integration stage, Venerable Dawn didn't pay him much heed. For several days, Daoist Buyu simply told stories in the teahouse and made no other moves."

"However, for some unknown reason," the subordinate explained, "a paper crane pierced through the rule-based barrier set up by Venerable Dawn, creating a loophole. This gave Daoist Buyu an opportunity."

"Daoist Buyu performed 'Sword Cleaves Heavenly Gate,' splitting the barrier, and then fought with Venerable Dawn. They fought fiercely, neither gaining a clear advantage. However, Venerable Dawn proved superior and defeated Daoist Buyu. Just as Venerable Dawn was about to kill Daoist Buyu, Jiugong of the Luoshui Guard arrived and stopped his action."

"Originally, Venerable Dawn could have escaped," the subordinate explained, "but it wasn't just one person who arrived. There was another Tribulation stage cultivator, over thirty Integration stage cultivators from the Five Immortal Sects, and more than ten Integration stage cultivators from the imperial court."

The Grand Tutor sighed and raised a hand, signaling him to stop. He could guess what happened next without being told.

With so many cultivators making a move, it was impossible for Dawn to escape. Even suicide would be difficult.

The subordinate indignantly exclaimed that if those people hadn't arrived, Venerable Dawn definitely could have escaped.

The Grand Tutor shook his head. Things were far from as simple as they seemed, and he calmly analyzed the causes and effects of the incident.

"There are three suspicious points about this matter."

"First, why did Daoist Buyu enter Dingxin City? Was it truly a coincidence?"

"Second, how did the paper crane penetrate the barrier and create a loophole? Who folded the paper crane, and what was their cultivation level?"

"Third, was it a coincidence or a pre-arranged plan that the people from the imperial court and the immortal sects happened to appear in Jizhou at just the right time?"

"If you think carefully, these three suspicious points can be connected."

Before the Grand Tutor, the subordinate was submissive and couldn't meet his gaze. Yet, he was actually a formidable Integration stage old monster, a dominant and remarkably astute hero in the early days of Great Yu. He had merely been startled by the sudden news, and now, with the Grand Tutor's prompting, he too realized the implications.

Following the Grand Tutor's line of thought, the subordinate analyzed, "Before entering Dingxin City, Daoist Buyu had already discovered its anomaly. He contacted the imperial court in advance, telling them to lie in ambush nearby. He entered Dingxin City alone to investigate the situation, and they also made an agreement: if there was no news within a few days, those outside the city would use a paper crane to break the barrier."

"A few days later, the paper crane penetrated the barrier, initiating the battle!"

The Grand Tutor nodded. His subordinate was quite clever, his thoughts aligning with his own, and he added a few points.

"The paper crane does not seem like something a Tribulation stage cultivator could use; it should be the work of someone at the Half-Immortal level."

The Grand Tutor tapped his chair, a hint of relief in his expression. "There must have been a Half-Immortal level individual stationed in Dingxin City at that time," he mused. "One Half-Immortal, two Tribulation stage cultivators, and over forty Integration stage cultivators... was this formation meant to capture Dawn? No, this was meant to capture me!"

The Grand Tutor continued, "I once studied Daoist Buyu and found his behavior cunning, bizarre, and unfathomable. As a sect master, why would he neglect the Dao of Inquiry Sect and instead travel around telling stories? Is this something an Integration stage cultivator, a sect master, would do?"

The subordinate nodded, agreeing. As an Integration stage cultivator and a sect master himself, he certainly would not do such a thing.

"Only after this incident did I finally understand his true purpose!" the Grand Tutor declared.

"He pretended to travel around telling stories, but in reality, he was searching for our whereabouts!"

Upon hearing the Grand Tutor's words, the subordinate's mind was suddenly enlightened. The Grand Tutor's wisdom was indeed beyond his own.

"So that's how it is!" the subordinate exclaimed.

"This Daoist Buyu—no, not just Daoist Buyu, but the entire Dao of Inquiry Sect—is an obstacle to the restoration of Great Yu!"

"Venerable Calamity was captured by someone from the Dao of Inquiry Sect at the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony."

"Huang Ming, who was planted in the Corpse-Driving Sect, had his identity exposed by a disciple of the Dao of Inquiry Sect. His Majesty was forced to act prematurely, the plan failed, and the three of them are still out of contact!"

"Now, Daoist Buyu is actively searching for our whereabouts."

"Every step of our plan has been obstructed by the Dao of Inquiry Sect. Once or twice could be a coincidence, but three times like this indicates that the Dao of Inquiry Sect's fortune is blocking the rise of Great Yu!"

"The Dao of Inquiry Sect has a history of 120,000 years, established during our Great Yu Dynasty. Now, they are constantly opposing Great Yu; they truly don't know what's good for them!"

"Do they perhaps think that by aligning with the imperial court and forming the so-called Five Immortal Sects, they can save their lives?"

A murderous intent gleamed in the Grand Tutor's eyes, sending a shiver down the subordinate's spine.

The last time the Grand Tutor showed such a look was 180,000 years ago. At that time, he was in secluded cultivation, and most Tribulation stage cultivators were in slumber, awaiting the arrival of a great era.

Six Tribulation stage cultivators took the opportunity to join forces. They were immensely ambitious, plotting rebellion, and aspiring to overthrow the dynasty.

With six Tribulation stage cultivators allied, heaven and earth changed color. No one could withstand them as city after city fell. The rebel army swept through like a hot knife through butter, advancing triumphantly, and ultimately, even the imperial capital fell.

Just then, the Grand Tutor emerged from his secluded cultivation. He fought one against six, holding the absolute advantage, and ultimately slaughtered all six Tribulation stage cultivators. He also buried alive a million rebel soldiers, and above the Central Continent, blood clouds lingered for three days.

"Is the Grand Tutor going to act against the Dao of Inquiry Sect this time?" the subordinate wondered.

The subordinate excitedly clenched his fists. It was time for the Dao of Inquiry Sect to witness Great Yu's wrath!

Six Tribulation stage cultivators were no match for the Grand Tutor. How could a mere Dao of Inquiry Sect possibly withstand his wrath?

The Grand Tutor slowly rose, like an ancient beast awakening from slumber that, upon rousing, would roar, shattering the void, letting the world witness its terror and grandeur.

His tone was decisive as he instructed his subordinate, "Gather everyone; prepare to act!"

The subordinate excitedly looked at the Grand Tutor and asked, "Are we moving against the Dao of Inquiry Sect?"

The Grand Tutor looked at his subordinate as if he were an idiot. "With Dawn captured, the location of this Grotto-Heaven will surely be known to Great Xia," he stated. "Naturally, we must move to another location."

The subordinate was speechless.