"Old Gao, judging by your expression, I take it you've figured it out by now!"
Eunuch Gao nodded, his face full of worry. "Old Wei, Manager Li believes Jian Xuzi took the Innate Dao Body. That's why he went to the Sword Sect with the Thirteenth Elder to demand its return."
"Now, another mighty figure has appeared in the Imperial Capital, with Sword Dao attainments far surpassing Jian Xuzi's. It may not have been Jian Xuzi who took the Innate Dao Body, after all."
"Thinking it over carefully, this person is more suspicious. I suspect Manager Li may have identified the wrong culprit. This person could be the real mastermind."
Listening to Eunuch Gao's solemn analysis, Eunuch Wei furrowed his brows. "Old Gao, this matter is of grave importance. You mustn't make wild claims. Are you sure?"
A glint flashed in Eunuch Gao's eyes, and he spoke with confidence. "Old Wei, think about it. Jian Xuzi is a Sword Dao Grandmaster renowned throughout the land. If he wanted to seize the Innate Dao Body, why would he use swordsmanship? He was already in the Imperial Capital. Who wouldn't suspect him?"
"With Jian Xuzi's strength, even without revealing his Sword Dao cultivation, he could still have taken the Innate Dao Body from those two Li Clan Ancient Clan disciples."
"Jian Xuzi isn't a fool. How could he fail to think of something so simple?"
Eunuch Wei nodded. Previously, Jian Xuzi had been the only person in the Imperial Capital with Sword Dao cultivation of that caliber, someone capable of taking the Innate Dao Body from that Li Clan Ancient Clan disciple in the Great Grandmaster realm.
There might have been some doubts, but Jian Xuzi had indeed been far too suspicious. Yet now, another Sword Dao expert, far surpassing Jian Xuzi, had appeared in the Imperial Capital. Eunuch Wei was gradually beginning to accept Eunuch Gao's argument.
"Old Gao, go on."
Eunuch Wei urged him from the side.
Eunuch Gao continued his analysis. "Old Wei, this person is extremely mysterious and possesses profound cultivation, yet has never earned any renown in Dali."
"This person took the Innate Dao Body and revealed his Sword Dao cultivation. He may well have done it to frame Jian Xuzi and make him take the blame."
"Also, I suspect this person may not be from the Sword Sect!"
Eunuch Wei disagreed with Eunuch Gao's claim. "Old Gao, only people from the Sword Sect can cultivate Innate Sword Qi. That's common knowledge. Who else under heaven could wield such pure Innate Sword Qi?"
Eunuch Gao did not directly respond to Old Wei's objection. Instead, he asked, "Old Wei, would you have believed before today that someone could have such profound Sword Dao cultivation and yet remain unknown?"
Eunuch Wei fell silent. In his view, no Peerless Powerhouse could truly be obscure. Even Hidden Powerhouses had been paragons of their era.
This Black Robe Guest had appeared in truly strange circumstances. Could he be the real culprit who had taken the Innate Dao Body? Eunuch Wei didn't dare draw that conclusion.
"Old Gao, this matter is of grave importance. We can't afford to be careless."
"Let's return to the Purple Gold Pavilion at once and report this to the Imperial Lord. Whether your theory is correct or not, the Imperial Lord must decide what to do."
Eunuch Gao nodded in agreement. Once they had finished discussing the matter, the two immediately returned to the Imperial Palace.
After flying swiftly through the air, Ye Jing made sure no powerful enemies were following them before finding a secluded thatched cottage outside the city. He carried Yao Qingyin inside.
"Miss, this place is a hundred miles from the Imperial City, tucked away among the mountains. It's very secluded. The Night Watch Division won't be able to find it anytime soon."
"This cottage has everything you need—firewood, rice, oil, and salt. You'll be able to live here for quite some time."
Yao Qingyin felt as if everything were a dream. Not long ago, she had thought she was destined to spend the rest of her life in Heaven Character Number One Prison, eventually withering into a dry bone in this mortal world. Yet in the blink of an eye, she had escaped her cage.
Her eyes filled with gratitude. The moment Ye Jing set her down, she dropped to her knees and kowtowed. "Thank you, senior, for saving my life. I will never forget this great kindness."
Seeing her offer him such a grand salute, Ye Jing immediately helped her up. "There's no need. I only came to your rescue at Jian Xuzi's request. If you want to thank someone, thank him."
"Senior Jian Xuzi! You came at Senior Jian Xuzi's request?"
"That's right. Senior Jian Xuzi is my friend. If he hadn't pleaded with me again and again, I wouldn't have risked so much to rescue you from the Heavenly Prison."
Ye Jing had no intention of asking Yao Qingyin to repay him or feel indebted. By putting all the credit on Jian Xuzi, he could ease her desire to repay his kindness.
Yao Qingyin knelt and bowed again. "Even so, I'm still grateful to you, senior, for saving my life."
"But, senior, I have a favor to ask. I'd like to trouble you."
"Tell me what it is. If I can do it, I'll gladly help with this small favor. If it's beyond my abilities, I'm afraid I won't be able to help."
Having rescued Yao Qingyin from the Great Li Heavenly Prison, Ye Jing had fulfilled his promise to Jian Xuzi. He was in a good mood, and when he heard she had a favor to ask, he was happy to let her continue.
"It won't trouble you at all. With your abilities, this will be a simple matter."
Hearing no reluctance in the voice of the benefactor before her, Yao Qingyin's eyes brightened. She continued, "Benefactor, would you be willing to go to the Mountain God Ruined Temple west of the Imperial Capital and look for a young master named Ye Jing?"
Ye Jing! So the person Yao Qingyin wanted him to find was himself! Ye Jing was curious to know why she was looking for him.
He didn't reveal his identity then and there. Instead, he continued to ask, "What do you need from this young master named Ye Jing?"
"To be honest, senior, Young Master Ye and I once made an arrangement. Given my current predicament, I can't go into the Imperial Capital myself, so I can only trouble you to find him and tell him where I am."
"While I was in Heaven Character Number One Prison, I heard Lei Wujie say that the Sixth Heaven and Earth Cataclysm would arrive in at most half a month."
"Please rest assured, senior. Young Master Ye is a man of noble character. He once saved my life, too, and is someone I can trust completely."
The Heaven and Earth Cataclysm would arrive in half a month! Ye Jing was taken aback. He knew that strange phenomena had been appearing all over Dali for the past month or so.
At the Hanlin Academy, he often heard the officials on duty discussing what Heaven and Earth Rare Treasures had appeared in the territories of the various Kings of Different Surnames.
According to the ancient texts, these were omens of an approaching Heaven and Earth Cataclysm. Ye Jing hadn't known the exact date, though.
He hadn't expected such an unexpected windfall today!
If his guess was right, Yao Qingyin had been looking for him because of the Secret Realm.
Half a month. Once half a month had passed, he would be able to enter the Secret Realm with Yao Qingyin and gather all the Immortal Herbs.
With his miraculous alchemy skills, these Immortal Herbs would surely boost his strength by leaps and bounds. He would almost certainly reach the Peak of Humanity—and perhaps even take another step or two beyond it!
Before you continue