Chapter 124: Chapter 121: Mission
"If we were to cooperate..."
Gu Jinlai thought of Star King Jiang Chongshan.
He was the link between himself and the Daqian Royal Family.
Furthermore, he was a Heavenly Monarch.
With this title, he could barely manage to keep a large Demon Realm Rift in check.
As for the task of attacking the Demon Realm Rift...
It fell to the Daqian Royal Family.
If he truly could achieve this goal...
His Co-spirit Spiritual Artifacts would never lack spirituality in the future.
Not to mention Short Range Defense Cannons, even if it was the Fighting Machine Xuan Nu, he could pile up spirituality and forcibly co-spirit it.
After all, could the Fighting Machine Xuan Nu be more fantastical than Star Gates or Floating Islands?
"Still, I should wait. Right now, I am too small, and if I truly cooperate with the Daqian Royal Family, if anything goes wrong and they forcefully take control, making me stationed by the Demon Realm Rift, I would have no way out... Although the chance of this happening is very low, what if the Daqian Royal Family were on the brink of extinction? What kind of crazy things wouldn’t they do then?"
Gu Jinlai forced himself to calm down again.
On Blue Star, he hadn’t found a suitable way to solve the problem...
That’s not to say he hadn’t found one at all.
...
Gu Jinlai returned to his study and looked at the two rays of Qingguang stored in his Spirit World.
He directly utilized one of them, injecting it into the consciousness of a little man.
Suddenly, information about grenades, cannons, mortars, rocket launchers, surface-to-air missiles, and air-to-air missiles flooded in.
Most of these details were only related to pictures and videos, with very little professional data involved.
However, by analyzing the pictures and videos, he had some insights.
Especially regarding weapons like grenade launchers and cannons, which were not particularly high in technological content.
At this moment, Gu Jinlai spread out a sheet of paper and quickly sketched a design for a grenade launcher and its projectiles.
This process took three days.
After finishing the designs, he went to the Military Workshop in Lingxiao City, looking for Gu Junlei, and handed over the designs to him.
"This is what you will need to produce next. For some details and finishing touches, you can seek assistance from Heavenly Master Zong Heng."
"Yes."
Gu Junlei looked at the paper, which showed a cannon barrel as long as three meters. He was taken aback, but soon agreed: "Yes."
"Produce fifty cannons and three thousand projectiles as fast as possible. Also, I will set up a rhino horn beast-drawn vehicle specifically for carrying these cannons."
"Yes."
Gu Junlei agreed, and quickly left to carry out his orders.
To this day, the Military Workshop had expanded again, employing over twenty thousand people.
The task of creating fifty cannons and three thousand projectiles was difficult but achievable with enough time.
...
Baihe City.
Xue Wuqing had occupied this city for half a year. During this time, he continually operated, and the entire city was now under their control.
Moreover...
Using this city as a hub, several other cities nearby fell under their control, and their influence was growing greater and greater.
However, at this time, the person in charge of the city’s affairs was not Xue Wuqing, the Red Robed Elder, but Tan Qingquan, a Divinity Transformation Cultivator and Sect Elder who could control a sword to decapitate someone from ten miles away and had condensed a Yin God.
Even so, to ensure the situation in Baihe City was foolproof, a month ago, the Purgatory Sect sent another Elder, Sha Wujin, to assist Tan Qingquan in overseeing the Star State situation.
Yet now...
In the courtyard where Tan Qingquan resided, an uninvited guest appeared.
...
"Sect Master Lin, you said that you have important matters to discuss with me, even matters that could determine our Purgatory Sect’s deployment in Star State, and even accelerate our conquest of the territory south of Tianhe?"
Tan Qingquan looked at the Deputy Sect Master, who was almost squeezed out of the power center due to the defeat at Yuanhua City, and spoke indifferently, "You better not be exaggerating. Otherwise, with the Elder Council convening in three years, it will be questionable whether you can keep your position as Deputy Sect Master."
The man standing before him was none other than Lin Xiao.
He said solemnly, "Please rest assured, Elder. What I am about to say is entirely true, without a single falsehood."
"Speak, what is it?"
"It concerns why Gu Jinlai was able to achieve Heavenly Monarch so quickly."
Lin Xiao said.
"Hmm?"
Tan Qingquan’s interest was piqued.
His first thought was Lin Xiao’s relentless targeting of Gu Jinlai—a bit too deliberate.
And considering Gu Jinlai’s unreasonably rapid growth in the Heavenly Master Path...
Many speculated that Gu Jinlai had obtained an extraordinary Heavenly Master inheritance.
Of course, if not for it being a Heavenly Master inheritance, and the fact that Gu Jinlai had become a significant figure, others would have already made their moves.
"Go ahead."
Tan Qingquan said, "If your information is valuable, not only will your position as Deputy Sect Master be secure, but the Lin Family will also receive sufficient support and Sect resources to recover its vigor."
"Yes."
Lin Xiao felt somewhat unwilling.
But under the oppression of Qin Li lately, his situation had indeed been very challenging.
Watching Gu Jinlai’s growing momentum, even the combined forces of two Divinity Transformation Cultivators from the Cold Moon Sect could not trouble him, while he himself...
Was about to lose even the seat of Deputy Sect Master.
Therefore, he made a decisive decision to sacrifice the chariot to save his knight.
"After my investigations over these years, Gu Jinlai’s inheritance is related to the Overseas Tianyuan Dao."
"Tianyuan Dao."
As an Elder of the Purgatory Sect, Tan Qingquan naturally knew of this power.
This is a colossal entity that occupies an island of three million square kilometers overseas.
Its jurisdiction boasts hundreds of millions of citizens, and it is not inferior to Daqian.
In past years, it had trade dealings with Daqian.
However, their continent seemingly had a massive Demon Realm Rift appear, from which countless Demon Spirits surged forth, devouring the entire island.
Decades ago, Tianyuan Dao could not withstand the devils and intended to invade Daqian, relocating their legacy to Daqian Territory, only to be repelled by the Dao Artifact of Light wielded by Imperial Advisor Tai Yuan.
As for now...
It is said to have completely fallen.
"When Su Nanxing, a disciple of Gu Jinlai, was guarding the Dragon Mountain Mine, he discovered a corpse that had been dead for many years and had not decomposed. He quickly hid this discovery and obtained a Jade Scroll from the body, which he offered to his Master Gu Jinlai."
"A Jade Scroll!?"
Tan Qingquan instantly realized the key point, "A Jade Scroll that can only be forged by a Primordial Spirit True Monarch!?"
"Exactly."
Lin Xiao firmly nodded, "Given that the body remained uncorrupted for many years, one can infer the level of Cultivation of the deceased. After close investigation, I confirmed that the attire of the corpse was that of a Tianyuan Dao elder."
Having said that, he promptly added, "The value of a Jade Scroll goes without saying. After Gu Jinlai obtained it, he immediately requested a transfer from the Purgatory Sect and gave up the Refining God Realm to convert to the Heavenly Master Path, which shows the value of that Jade Scroll... I even suspect..."
The Deputy Sect Master took a deep breath, laden with malice, "I suspect that the elder was the Inheritance Elder from Tianyuan Dao, who fled to our Daqian Territory with all of Tianyuan Dao’s legacies in hopes of passing them on. For some unknown reason... Whether due to Deviation or severe injuries, he eventually... died in the Dragon Mountain Mine."
The information from Lin Xiao caused Tan Qingquan’s expression to fluctuate.
He was well aware of what it meant for Lin Xiao to tell him this news.
To kill with a borrowed knife.
Using him, an elder, to kill Gu Jinlai and seize the Inheritance Jade Scroll, and the purpose of this...?
Aside from venting some spite, it also served to prevent future repercussions from a powerful Gu Jinlai.
After all, the Demon Refining Hall and Heavenly Grass Pavilion had already paid with their lives for their actions against him; how could Lin Xiao not be afraid?
"I understand."
Tan Qingquan’s expression gradually became frosty, "You haven’t told anyone else about this news, have you?"
"No."
Lin Xiao immediately swore, "I swear to the heavens, besides informing the elder, I have not mentioned this matter to anyone else."
"Good."
Tan Qingquan nodded, "I will personally investigate this matter. If what you say is true... Rest assured, neither Qin Li nor Dongfang Xue can shake your position, and the Lin Family will soon receive a considerable compensation."
"I would never dare to deceive an elder."
Lin Xiao bowed.
"You may leave now."
Tan Qingquan waved his hand dismissively.
Once Lin Xiao left, he immediately summoned one of his disciples to send a message to his eldest disciple at the Sect, ordering a detailed investigation into the veracity of this news.
...
Elsewhere, stepping out of the courtyard, Lin Xiao’s eyes once again filled with resentment.
However, he swiftly hid this emotion away.
"It’s not entirely hopeless. I did not inform the Sect Master but rather Elder Tan because their forces are subtly balanced against each other."
A glint of cold light flashed in his eyes.
If the power is balanced...
If Tan Qingquan fails to defeat Gu Jinlai, he stands to lose nothing.
If he happens to vanquish Gu Jinlai by chance, at the very least his status as the Deputy Sect Master will be secure, a guaranteed bumper crop.
And if the best scenario arises, where Tan Qingquan and Gu Jinlai both suffer in a fiercely contested battle...
...
In the courtyard.
Gu Jinlai was cultivating a set of swordsmanship.
While not of the highest tier, the sword techniques were bold and expansive, filled with the ferociousness inherent to military swordsmanship.
After practicing for a moment, his swordsmanship suddenly transformed, seemingly becoming even more adept and profound, the movements possessing an air of penetrating smoothness.
"Breaking Army Swordsmanship has reached Perfection."
Gu Jinlai glanced at the orb of light surrounding the consciousness figure of his miniature self.
This marked the third Green Level swordsmanship that he had perfected in this period of time.
The reason he was cultivating such Hugging Pill Level and Refining God Level swordsmanship was to have all varieties of sword technique changes clearly understood, and by this cumbersome method, penetrate the mysteries of the Transformation Realm.
And the results...
Were significant.
He felt increasingly adept at controlling power.
The Transformation Realm was within reach.
Once the Transformation Realm was achieved, given the commonality in certain aspects with his Heavenly Monarch Realm and Mental Realm, he might very quickly comprehend this Mental Realm.
Then, he would no longer need to worry about being defenseless against flying sword attacks without a Short Range Defense Cannon.
"Hmm!?"
At this moment, he seemed to sense something.
"Since the Silver Sword Master has arrived, why not show yourself?"
"Truly, one cannot hide from Heavenly Monarch Gu."
A figure stepped forward from in front.
It was Chi Ying, the Silver Sword Master from Xuzhen Tower, unseen for about a year.
"Heavenly Monarch Gu has been very busy lately... your status and identity has changed thrice a day, but... you surely haven’t forgotten your identity as part of Xuzhen Tower, have you?"
Chi Ying smiled slightly.
"Of course not."
Gu Jinlai replied, his mind drifting to something else, "Has the annual mandatory mission arrived?"
"Indeed."
As Chi Ying spoke, he produced a scroll, "The seek out a Divinity Transformation named Venerable Xuan Tian. Although the target is somewhat dangerous, you are responsible only for the search. I wonder if Heavenly Monarch Gu is still willing to accept the task."