“Report! Grand Elder! This is a disaster! We walked right into a trap! The White Robe Great Emperor has made his move!”
A Black Robe Great Emperor burst into the vast hall, his voice shaking with panic, collapsing before Gu Lang Great Emperor, who sat upon the high throne.
Gu Lang’s expression shifted instantly. “What exactly happened?”
The Black Robe Great Emperor gritted his teeth. “Grand Elder, we deployed a team led by a Seven-star Great Emperor, along with several other high-star Great Emperors and over a dozen lower-star Great Emperors, to Luozhou to capture Ji Fuyao. The result was catastrophic. Ji Fuyao first unleashed the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame, instantly incinerating a Three-star Great Emperor. Then, the White Robe Great Emperor appeared—or rather, his power did—using the residual force of the flame to instantly obliterate every single Great Emperor present!”
Gu Lang frowned deeply. “A Heaven and Earth Strange Fire! Ji Fuyao actually possesses the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame?”
The Black Robe Great Emperor affirmed, “And it was at its peak state! She endured the backlash of the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame, suffering severe injuries, but she survived! She is not dead!”
Gu Lang’s face grew grim. “The power of that flame, even if wielded by another Saint King, could kill a Three-star Great Emperor, but they would surely perish from the backlash. I never expected Ji Fuyao’s physical body and soul to be so formidable! It seems that supreme Reincarnation Secret Art is providing immense benefits to her cultivation in this life.”
“Right, did you order the other Heavenly Net Hall Great Emperors to retreat?”
The Black Robe Great Emperor replied solemnly, “I have already ordered the remaining Great Emperors to pull back! With the White Robe Great Emperor providing protection, capturing Ji Fuyao is impossible. Not unless you or the Hall Master personally intervene.”
Gu Lang shook his head flatly. “Me? I am no match for the White Robe Great Emperor. If we had already captured Ji Fuyao, I might use the three Hall Master's Decrees to stall him long enough for an escape. But to step into the Blackflame Mountain Range now? I cannot risk my life.”
The Black Robe Great Emperor trembled. “Grand Elder, does this mean the plan has failed?”
Gu Lang’s heart seized up. “Failed? No… let me think.”
If he failed to capture Ji Fuyao, he couldn’t imagine the terrifying wrath of Hall Master Duan Hunsheng he would face! After all, he had sworn to the Hall Master that he would surely capture Ji Fuyao and deliver her to Tianluo State.
Gu Lang felt a surge of internal frustration. He rose from the high seat and began pacing the hall.
“Tianyuan Old Ancestor is absent, so the only real threat is the White Robe Great Emperor.”
“The White Robe Great Emperor can Instant Kill an Eight-star Great Emperor, but I have three Hall Master's Decrees, so I could test him… No, without absolute certainty, I will not enter the Blackflame Mountain Range. That is likely a death sentence!”
“How can I break this deadlock? If I fail this mission, the Hall Master will not spare me!” Gu Lang racked his brain.
The Black Robe Great Emperor hesitated before speaking. “Grand Elder, this incident has caused a huge stir across the states. I fear the Hall Master will punish us severely once he learns of it!”
Gu Lang waved his sleeve, his voice cold. “We have not failed completely. Give me time to think! You continue to gather intelligence on Ji Fuyao, but do not engage.”
The Black Robe Great Emperor bowed respectfully. “Understood!”
Soon, the Black Robe Great Emperor tore through the void and departed.
Deep within the hall, Gu Lang Great Emperor’s face was sinister. He picked up a cup of spirit tea, but just as he was about to drink, his expression turned savage. He crushed the cup in his hand, snarling, “Damn it! Ji Fuyao is protected by the White Robe Great Emperor. Must I really ask the Hall Master to intervene?”
He refused to admit his failure!
But the reality was clear: the White Robe Great Emperor was far beyond his ability to handle.
Gu Lang’s mind conjured a spiritual map before him. On the map, the Blackflame Mountain Range and the Qingzhou Ye Family were magnified.
After staring at the map for a long time, a sharp glint flashed in Gu Lang’s eyes.
“The Qingzhou Ye Family!”
Since the White Robe Great Emperor is focused on the Blackflame Mountain Range, I will strike where he least expects it: the Qingzhou Ye Family. I will seize the loyalists to force the Empress’s hand! To ensure the Qingzhou Ye Family’s safety, Ji Fuyao must come alone to Yinzhou (Fallen State) for the exchange! If anyone other than Ji Fuyao appears, the Ye Family will be annihilated!
He would use the death of the Ye Family to force her compliance. He smirked, quoting an ancient saying, “A Gentleman Can Be Deceived By Principle.” Ji Fuyao is a woman of honor; she will sacrifice herself for her loyal subjects. This is the perfect “Inviting the Enemy into the Trap” scenario, and Ji Fuyao will walk into it without hesitation!
“Hahahahaha!”
Gu Lang burst into maniacal laughter.
He had found the way to break the deadlock!
However, this matter required careful planning; no leaks could be permitted.
A day later.
The Black Robe Great Emperor returned, stepping back into the hall and bowing respectfully to Gu Lang. “Grand Elder, Ji Fuyao has entered the Blackflame Mountain Range.”
Gu Lang was leisurely sipping spirit tea. He smiled faintly. “Excellent.”
The Black Robe Great Emperor was slightly taken aback. The Grand Elder’s current composure was a complete reversal from his frantic state yesterday. Did the Grand Elder truly have a countermeasure?
Gu Lang smiled without speaking, his mood clearly excellent. He even personally poured a cup of tea for the Black Robe Great Emperor. “I have found the strategy to capture Ji Fuyao.”
The Black Robe Great Emperor took a sip of the spirit tea. “Thank you for the tea, Grand Elder. What brilliant plan have you devised?”
Gu Lang smiled faintly, using his fingertip to condense spiritual energy and write the character for “Ye” in the air.
“The Qingzhou Ye Family! As long as we capture the Qingzhou Ye Family, given Ji Fuyao’s personality, she will surely surrender!”
The Black Robe Great Emperor’s eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding with realization.
“Grand Elder, this plan is truly brilliant!”
Gu Lang chuckled. “However, we must plan carefully. First, we must strike with lightning speed to capture the Ye Family members. Second, we must prepare a clear escape route.”
As he spoke, Gu Lang tossed an Ancient Jade Slip to his subordinate.
The Black Robe Great Emperor caught the slip and injected his Divine Sense, immediately seeing Gu Lang’s detailed plan. His expression turned solemn. “Grand Elder, I will execute this immediately!”
Gu Lang instructed, “We will wait a few days, until Ji Fuyao begins preparing for the Re-establishment of the Fuyao Dynasty. Then we strike, catching the White Robe Great Emperor completely off guard! Keep a close watch on the Blackflame Mountain Range, but don’t alert them yet.”
“Understood!” The Black Robe Great Emperor nodded and immediately left to execute Gu Lang’s plan.
Gu Lang smiled coldly. He had chosen the Heavenly Net Hall Branch in Yinzhou (Fallen State) precisely because it possessed a long-distance teleportation array. Once he forced Ji Fuyao to enter Yinzhou alone, he could immediately take her and escape!
With that thought, Gu Lang left the hall to inspect the teleportation array in Yinzhou.
Meanwhile, the news of the Heavenly Net Hall’s Great Emperors being annihilated had already spread across the states, causing an uproar.
Ji Fuyao’s possession of a Six-star Emperor Weapon and the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame shocked countless powerful cultivators. For a mere Saint King to possess such supreme treasures made many Great Emperors envious.
But alas, the White Robe Great Emperor was too terrifying!
Who dared to risk their lives to seize the treasure?
The White Robe Great Emperor’s battle record was clear: he could Instant Kill an Eight-star Great Emperor with a flick of his finger!
Innumerable Heavenly Net Hall Great Emperors had already perished at the hands of the White Robe Great Emperor!
The strong cultivators across the states debated endlessly.
“I knew it! The White Robe Great Emperor must have been secretly protecting Ji Fuyao when she went to the Blackflame Mountain Range! Otherwise, how could the Heavenly Net Hall abandon their revenge against their mortal enemy?”
“It looks like the Re-establishment of the Fuyao Dynasty, with the White Robe Great Emperor’s support, is a foregone conclusion.”
“I hear some mid-tier factions are already preparing to pledge allegiance to the Fuyao Dynasty! The Great Era is descending, and the Fuyao Dynasty is rising from the ashes. There is no greater merit than Serving the Rising Emperor. Those who join now will surely become core subordinates.”
...
The news quickly reached Duan Hunsheng’s ears.
Inside his main hall, Duan Hunsheng’s face was dark with rage. He roared, “The Grand Elder is trash! He can’t even handle this simple task! My Heavenly Net Hall has recruited Great Emperors from across the states, yet they are all nothing but useless idiots and utter failures!”