Chapter 2499: Keen Observation

This position, in the depths of Tian Anping's being, was once deeply embedded within the divine soul of Jiang Nanpeng, the Captain of the Mirror Guards on the Jing Country's Jing Shi Jing Yuan Tai, and it led to someone within the Jing Country's Ji Cong Si, a person named Huang Shijie.

The Commander of the Zhan Yu Army of the Great Qi Empire, killing a mere petty official of Jing Country like Jiang Nanpeng, could have many superficial reasons.

For example, discovering a lot of fresh blood of the Tian Clan people on Jiang Nanpeng's body, and he angrily seeking revenge for his clan.

For example, discovering this person was a member of the Yi Zhen Dao, and conveniently eliminating a harm to the world.

He could even give no reasons, just as he ignored Xu San's inquiry.

Jiang Nanpeng's identity as a Yi Zhen Dao disciple would be exposed sooner or later, and anyone in the world could execute him; even Jing Country would have nothing to say.

Of course, to many people, a murderer like Tian Anping, who would casually kill people without reason, might be a more convincing explanation.

But Shen Xia knew the true reason.

Tian Anping specifically wanted to kill Jiang Nanpeng in front of Chu people to bury this clue!

Zhao Wang had already made arrangements with Tian Anping long ago.

They wanted to utilize the connection through Jiang Nanpeng to open the Wang Zhen Gate in the depths of Jiang Nanpeng's divine soul.

The person who laid the groundwork for this connection, who truly took over and pushed all of this forward, and who dared to be witnessed by the Xing Wu, even dared to let the Xing Wu witness, must possess a level of calculation that surpassed the Xing Wu, and even the confidence to use the Xing Wu as material for their calculations!

With Jiang Nanpeng dead, this connection could be said to no longer exist.

At least in the short term, no one could determine whom this connection led to.

Just as Tian Anping reached his absolute peak, this door in the depths of his divine soul suddenly opened—Shen Xia's will stepped into it, tracing the path backward!

And during this crucial and dangerous process, Tian Anping just quietly stared blankly at the sky.

As if none of this had anything to do with him.

Not only Shen Xia's actions, but even his own ascent to the peak.

In the bottomless depths of the subconscious sea, which even Jiang Wang felt heavy and closed, lay a hidden abyss of a prison.

The Yuan Shen of Huang Shijie, the Dao Tai Si Chief of the Ji Cong Si in the Great Jing Empire, was spreadeagled, held by several bone-piercing iron hooks, fixed to a torture rack. There weren't many obvious wounds on his body, and his Yuan Shen state could even be described as full, but his eyes were already filled with confusion, staring spiritlessly at the dome.

His whole body twitched intermittently without warning, and then white foam would froth from his mouth.

He kept muttering: "Yi Zhen. Not true. Yi Zhen. Not true…"

Tian Anping's Yuan Shen stood in front of him, quietly observing him. A trace of boredom gradually appeared in his eyes, then turned into disgust.

All things that were not beneficial to the truth of the world, and existence that wasted time in vain, were pests of this world!

He raised his hand, grasping Huang Shijie's neck, but did not immediately pinch him to death—partly to preserve the so-called life of Huang Shijie, lest Tianjing City become suspicious and create an opportunity for Shen Xia's actions, and also to observe Shen Xia's will's actions by grasping Huang Shijie's Yuan Shen.

Shen Xia's will would not resist this observation; this was also a condition of the transaction.

Jiang Wang could walk into his subconscious ocean and gaze at him with malice.

It was normal for a Zhen Jun to crush a Zhen Ren.

Soon it wouldn't be possible.

Jiang Wang almost killed him.

Not the first time either.

After all, he didn't die.

The Nine Palaces Tian Ming triggering Bao Yi's investigation was even less worth mentioning. Compared to Jiang Wang, that old thing Bao Yi was very boring.

Most things in this world didn't need to be bothered with.

All.

The storm receded, the thunder receded.

Tian Anping just gazed silently. Silently… thought.

The extraordinary absolute peak was already a height unattainable by countless cultivators throughout history, and he had silently taken this step.

While ascending the peak, he was still thinking. While ascending the peak, he was still executing. While ascending the peak, he was still covering Shen Xia's action of opening the door!

Stepping onto the absolute peak was not his pursuit, but merely a necessary process.

There were many reasons for taking this step.

For example, he needed to further demonstrate his value to cope with the sudden investigation and malice of Bao Yi, the Bo of Shuofang, and even the past events with Liu Shentong from that year.

For example, he needed to certainly elevate his power to increase his possibility of self-protection in the process of plotting against a tiger.

For example, he needed to welcome the day when the Ba Fu Xian Gong would be completely exposed.

For example, he needed to use the process of ascending the absolute peak to cover the ripples of Shen Xia's action.

For example, only by truly ascending the peak could he have observation and harvest in this game…

But all these reasons were reasons that others would think of.

Not his, Tian Anping's, reasons.

Or perhaps, they held very little weight in his thinking.

He chose to ascend the peak at this time for too many reasons! It wasn't just killing three or four birds with one stone; this step had so many benefits that his ascent to the peak became a "must-do" thing.

And this was the problem he truly wanted to understand.

He wanted to know why he "must"!

He believed that every decision he had made since birth was out of his free will.

But he also profoundly understood that sometimes your free will is not necessarily truly free.

Understanding this point was just the beginning of insight into truth.

The four words "Ming Cha Qiu Hao" hung in the headquarters of the Ji Cong Si in Tianjing City.

In the inner room of a certain official's office, Huang Shijie, who had been sleeping on the table at some unknown time, suddenly lifted his body. A divine light flashed in his eyes, then immediately subsided.

Duk duk duk, duk duk duk.

The knocking sound from the outer room seemed to have been ringing for a while and was still continuing at this moment.

A subordinate who wanted to report a message was eager to come in but dared not intrude.

"Come in." Huang Shijie tilted his head, rubbed his sore neck, and said casually.

The last time he came to Tianjing City…

When was that?

It seemed the sky had blood rain.

Truly excellent scenery.

Just as Huang Shijie had passed through the Wang Zhen Gate and descended into Jiang Nanpeng's body, acting as he pleased in the East Sea.

Now that Tian Anping had pinched Jiang Nanpeng to death and imprisoned Huang Shijie's will, Shen Xia also passed through this door and instantly took control of Huang Shijie's body.

Perhaps this was the most terrifying news today—

The highest leader of the Ping Deng Country had openly appeared in Tianjing City, and in the core area of the Imperial City's Three Si!

And no one knew.

It was the core secret technique of the orthodox Dao transmission, Yi Zhen Dao. Huang Shijie was the genuine Dao Tai Si Chief of the Ji Cong Si in the Central Empire, and even Jiang Nanpeng was a proper Jing Country official. Standing on Jiang Nanpeng's corpse and walking to Huang Shijie through this door of orthodox Dao transmission, who could say that all of this did not conform to the ways of the Dao Country? Who could say that the person sitting here at this moment was not someone from within the Dao Country?

"Sir, this humble officer has an important matter to report." A Zhi Si wearing official clothes with a hanging knife and a sharp glint in his eyes walked in quickly and carefully closed the door.

"No need to close the door." Huang Shijie picked up a teacup and said leisurely, "This official has always been upright; there is nothing that cannot be spoken against others, nothing that cannot be known to others. If you close the door to speak, it makes others feel that this official is guilty and has secrets!"

This Zhi Si was one of those reprimanded by Huang Shijie earlier when discussing the Great Si Chief, namely one of Huang Shijie's staunch confidantes.

He stood there for a while, not knowing whether he should go out. His expression was very awkward, and the awkwardness was very obvious—

What we want to report is a private matter!

"Stupid!" Huang Shijie glared with his eyes. "Come forward and speak!"

Then he said lightly, "Rest assured, you blockhead. Whatever you say casually here, the outer room cannot hear. Locking the door and closing the household is just deceiving oneself; this official has his own means."

This Zhi Si then breathed a sigh of relief, approached, and bowed.

"Sir, I just got news." He eagerly reported, "The Imperial Edict Army has dispatched a small team, leaving the camp and heading towards Suo Dong Cheng. It seems they received direct instructions from Commander Chunyu and have secret clues about a member of the Yi Zhen Dao!"

Although Huang Shijie did not have the memory of his original body, he was very familiar with the situation in Jing Country. He knew that Chunyu Gui, who was once paralleled with Zhao Xuan Yang as the "Empire's Twin Walls," was now the Vice Commander of the Imperial Edict Army, replacing Lou Yue's position. It could be said that he had exchanged potential for future power, becoming the first master among the younger generation in Jing Country to wield top power.

Li Yi was beyond; he had no heart for power. The next person capable of catching up to him, currently, seemed to be only Chen Suan.

And Lou Yue ascending to the absolute peak, unloading his military position, was clearly traveling lightly, taking big strides towards the position of the Great Palm Master of Yu Jing Mountain…

"Clues about a Yi Zhen Dao member?" An indignant expression appeared on Huang Shijie's face.

He hated the Yi Zhen Dao the most!

He angrily drank a mouthful of tea: "Where in Dong Cheng?"

This Zhi Si reported: "Around the home of a Mirror Guard Captain below the Jing Shi Jing Yuan Tai, named Jiang Nanpeng."

Huang Shijie spat out a mouthful of tea!

He still knew the name Jiang Nanpeng.

He had opened this door, originally in the depths of Jiang Nanpeng's divine soul.

He specifically let Tian Anping kill Jiang Nanpeng, imprison Huang Shijie's Yuan Shen, and cut off the clue of Jiang Nanpeng, and then he took big strides to Tianjing City.

He was just about to use the identity of this Dao Tai Si Chief to properly prepare a bit and seek the perfection of his plan—

How did he just arrive in Tianjing City and is already about to be exposed?

He absolutely did not doubt the ability of those hounds in Jing Country.

The many sacrificed protectors of the Ping Deng Country were sufficient proof.

The investigation into Jiang Nanpeng had already begun; it was only a matter of time before it reached Huang Shijie.

Although he did not understand why this matter was not the responsibility of the Imperial City's Three Si, but Chunyu Gui was coming to preside over it…

But one thing was clear—the time left for himself was already not much!

"Dao Tai…" The Zhi Si said softly, "Capturing Yi Zhen Dao members is our Ji Cong Si's duty. Shouldn't we take over using this name? Or at least share some of the credit? We can assist the Imperial Edict Army a bit, and even a small portion is fine…"

"Blockhead!" Huang Shijie placed the teacup on the table, making a sound like a warning drum: "What kind of person is Chunyu Gui? He has been vetted by the Emperor and is capable of holding an imperial edict. How could he handle affairs without secrecy, investigating a Yi Zhen Dao disciple, and still let you get the news?"

The Zhi Si looked blank.

Huang Shijie laughed coldly: "He is clearly fishing!"

He sat there, talking eloquently: "Because Jiang Nanpeng is already dead, and among the team that disappeared in the East Sea, only Xu San was released back. Chunyu Gui temporarily cannot get real intelligence on the Jiang Nanpeng line, so he released the news—people who are truly connected to Jiang Nanpeng will inevitably be startled."

"Yes!" The Zhi Si suddenly realized!

Then he assumed a thoughtful posture again: "But no matter what, that Yi Zhen Dao high-level contact of his will also definitely take action, right? Does he dare to gamble that Jiang Nanpeng has no clue at all?"

Huang Shijie sighed: "Yes, who dares to gamble?"

Just as he was saying these words, he suddenly reached out, casually and lightly grabbed, then twisted the neck of this Zhi Si!

He casually threw him backward, pressing him onto the desk, and when he let go, it was already a corpse without a breath.

Although he did not understand this Zhi Si, only guessing that he was Huang Shijie's confidante subordinate, it did not prevent him from making a judgment—

How much courage could a mere Zhi Si have to dare to divide Chunyu Gui's merit?

He was clearly suspicious of Huang Shijie and was probing!

Every sentence pretended to be stupid, every sentence was leading!

Moreover, when he heard the name Jiang Nanpeng, he deliberately acted shocked and spat tea, but this fellow had no reaction at all. What was this if not a disguise?

His intentions were hypocritical, his evil heart must be hidden!

As soon as something happened to Jiang Nanpeng, involving the Yi Zhen Dao, this Huang Shijie would naturally be suspected by his confidantes.

How could the past interactions with Jiang Nanpeng not be hidden?

He really didn't know how he became a high-level member of the Yi Zhen Dao.

With this kind of virtue, if Zong Dezhen could drag on until this year without dying, that would be too capable!

Or was Huang Shijie probing to recruit this Zhi Si into the Yi Zhen Dao, so he exposed himself slightly?

Or did Huang Shijie have other means to control this person?

None of that was important.

After all, he was not the real Huang Shijie, and he had no plan to live his entire life with Huang Shijie's identity.

"I shouldn't have killed you."

"Everyone has their own complete life. Even if you look like you just sit in the yamen and drink tea all day, you certainly have your own wonderful story—for example, today, if you successfully reported it, our many people's scheme for so long would also be broken by an accident like you."

"If I die because of you, you would also be a legend in the Ji Cong Si yamen."

"Life is full of surprises!"

"You are so smart and so bold. If you hadn't met me today, you should have had a promising future."

"But I don't even know your name, let alone whether you are good or evil, and I just killed you here—"

"Today I want to walk on this path and cannot tolerate half a point of risk."

"Ideals do not excuse, this is my fault."

"I will bear it eventually."

Huang Shijie reached out and stroked the eyes of this Zhi Si: "May you rest in peace, and find peace in your next life."

Then he stood up and walked outside.

"For my equality."

"For my beloved human world."

"For my committed sins."

He couldn't wait any longer.

He walked out the door with big strides.

Towards the vague guidance.

A Zhi Si had just died in his room, and the room door was left open like that, but for a long time, no one would come in to look.

Because not many people dared to intrude into the Dao Tai Si Chief's room.

In the entire Ji Cong Si, only two people were on the same level as him, and one person was above him.

That unique person above him was named "Ouyang Jie".

He was within his sight.

The main hall of the Ji Cong Si, the door wide open.

Ouyang Jie was just in the hall.

That branch of the Ji Cong iron whip, which "does not restrain vulgarity and does not discuss royal relatives," was enshrined behind him.

And he was just sitting alone, frowning, thinking about something.

At some moment, he suddenly looked up and saw Huang Shijie coming with big strides.

It was already night at this moment, and the lights inside the Ji Cong Si yamen illuminated it like daytime. Subordinates came and went like a shuttle, just as busy as during the day.

The so-called "not night" was only the enjoyment of a small part of the people from the beginning; it was the fatigue of the majority.

The two people almost laughed at the same time, just looking at each other amidst the bustling crowd, and greeted each other at the same time—

"Huang Dao Tai…"

"Ouyang Zong Zhang!"

And their gazes were like swords, killing together at the same time!

Ever since the day of the list washing last month, I started coding at midnight.

Throughout August, I updated four times with eight thousand words, seven times with six thousand words, a total of fifteen chapters, almost adding one chapter every other day.

And with such a complex plotline.

For my writing speed, this really is the limit of limits. It's the result of me writing from eight or nine in the morning to eleven or twelve at night every day.

Next, I will also go all out to complete the concluding volume.

Starting in September, please give your support.