Chapter 336: External Guest Advisor

Chapter 336: Outer-Appointed Guest Minister

"To rise as a Dao Six Water and Land Commissioner, to wield partial Baiyu Jing permissions, to command the power of 'Heaven and Earth'—such a person is no ordinary soul."

Xie Bi'an smiled faintly, "But so long as he is not one of those insatiable immortals of Baiyu Jing, he must have weaknesses and flaws."

"Though Yu Canghai inherited ancestral shares and holds some standing within the Qingcheng Group as a minor shareholder, he clearly is not content with his current position, ever seeking to ascend another level upon Qingcheng Mountain."

"Alas, his wolfish ambitions were long since perceived by the true masters of the Qingcheng Group, who deliberately laid a trap to lure him into it. Hence the coincidence that upon Ding Huan's death, he was immediately purged."

Xie Bi'an adjusted his sitting posture, his abdominal wound still throbbing with faint pain.

"Yet Yu Canghai proved decisive—upon sensing the household's move against him, he surrendered all his shares at once, thus reclaiming his life, not slain outright but cast out from the imperial homeland."

"What are you two whispering about? Who was cast out from the imperial homeland?"

Ma Wang Ye's body and voice floated over together.

Behind him, Fan Wujiu lay on the ground for some unknown reason.

"Is Xiao Hei alright?" Li Jun asked.

Ma Wang Ye replied with disdain, "Perhaps when these sisters logged off, the medicinal properties in his mind had nowhere to vent, so he simply fainted. It's nothing; he'll be fine after lying down awhile."

"Then why are you unharmed?"

Li Jun eyed the single eye in Ma Wang Ye's helmet, its red glow steady and bright, showing no sign of disturbance.

Even the voice that emerged had returned to normal.

"What kind of man am I? I've tried every 'crueler' method, and a mere 'Zhou Youwang' couldn't overcome me."

Ma Wang Ye continued curiously, "You still haven't answered me—who was that person you were speaking of?"

Li Jun laughed, "An old friend, one you know as well."

"Old friend? Who?"

"The former Baihu of Chengdu Fu, now Baihu of Osaka Castle."

Li Jun narrowed his eyes, enunciating each word with force, "Yu... Cang... Hai."

"What?!"

The tone from the red eye suddenly rose, brimming with murderous intent, "That bastard Yu Canghai is actually in the Wokou region? Where is he now? Tell me, Xiao Bai, and I'll go slaughter him this very moment!"

Ma Wang Ye's hatred for Yu Canghai was no less than Li Jun's.

After all, this was the man who had first cast him into slumber.

Were it not for Zou Sijiu's unique 'Huangliang Desire Sea Therapy,' he feared he would never have awakened.

"It's too late; he's already fled back to Osaka Castle."

Xie Bi'an spoke gravely, "Since the day the Council adjourned, I've been monitoring his movements. Alas, Edo Castle is the domain of the Ming King, and our intelligence capabilities here are limited—we cannot track him."

Ma Wang Ye didn't hesitate, blurting out, "Then let's go to Osaka Castle and kill him!"

"Old Ma, calm yourself."

Xie Bi'an furrowed his brow, "Setting aside that Yu Canghai now consorts with the Ming King and others, purely by rank, he is now a member of the Wokou region's Imperial Guards alongside us. To act rashly would only give them leverage. Even if Su Qianhu favors us, the trouble would be immense."

"So we just watch him continue to thrive?"

Ma Wang Ye raged, "A man's revenge waits not for nightfall—how long has this vendetta lasted already?"

Xie Bi'an's lips parted to continue his persuasion, but Li Jun cut him off directly.

"Old Ma, rest assured—as long as Yu Canghai remains in the Wokou region, he cannot escape."

Li Jun drained his cup, his eyes flashing with cold light.

"To kill is but a matter of duty, but this time, I won't let him die so peacefully!"

Bang!

The wine cup exploded into pieces, shards scattering from Li Jun's palm.

"Actually, I can lend a hand in this matter."

Li Jun turned to see Chen Qisheng smiling warmly, his clothes disheveled, his chest revealing the faint characters 'Longhu Mountain.'

"To kill a Dao Six? My experience is more than sufficient."

"Old Chen, it's not that I'm targeting you,"

Ma Wang Ye said nonchalantly, "To deal with a Dao Six Water and Land Commissioner—do I really need your help?"

"The Water and Land Commissioner is not to be feared, but the Baiyu Jing permissions he wields are not to be trifled with."

Chen Qisheng pointed to his head, "With the Dao Ancestor above, the thunderclap that descends is not something ordinary folk can withstand. Moreover, from what you said earlier, he has quite a few allies."

At these words, Ma Wang Ye fell silent at once.

He still remembered vividly how Chen Qisheng had once invoked Baiyu Jing permissions, summoning lightning to strike Huang Shixia.

One might even say that without Chen Qisheng's aid, they would not be alive to sit here today.

Li Jun was equally impressed by the power of that celestial thunder, and immediately asked, "Can you freely wield such thunder as a Dao Six?"

"Of course not—if even Dao Six could summon it at will, the Empire's internal balance would not be three teachings in harmony, but our supremacy alone."

Chen Qisheng explained, "To invoke the Dao Ancestor requires expending permissions, and it is a permanent expenditure, so it is only used in life-or-death moments. At Yu Canghai's level, he can manage at most two or three uses before dropping back to Golden Dan guest status."

Two or three times.

"Do you have a way to interrupt his spellcasting?" Li Jun asked.

"I am, after all, a legitimate immortal of Baiyu Jing, and my rank among the immortals is higher than his. Though I cannot strip his permissions outright, I can delay him somewhat."

Chen Qisheng grinned slyly, "But if I aid you in this, Old Li, shouldn't you grant me a small favor?"

"If you wish for me to investigate the missing Daoist personnel, you need not speak."

To abduct so many Daoist personnel from the imperial homeland, the mastermind's influence must be considerable—and audacious.

This was clearly a murky situation with no bottom in sight, and Li Jun had no desire to involve himself.

"Of course not—a single Yu Canghai is not worth that much. I still have some self-awareness."

Chen Qisheng sighed, "Finding the missing personnel will not be accomplished in a day or half. Though I have my suspicions, I lack concrete evidence. The New Donglin Party will not permit high-ranking Daoists to enter the Wokou region—they'd love nothing more than to see us fail. So I thought to find a foothold first and plan accordingly. Inuyama Castle seems suitable."

"You wish to join the Imperial Guards?"

"No, I seek immortality, not office."

Having stated his purpose, Chen Qisheng said, "I've heard the Imperial Guards have a rule allowing them to externally appoint a Guest Minister?"

Li Jun turned to Xie Bi'an.

"There is such a rule, akin to recruiting informants—it's an external position. However, costs and safety are borne by the appointing household."

Ma Wang Ye asked in surprise, "Why wasn't I?"

"Because at the time, our household had no funds."

Xie Bi'an replied matter-of-factly.

"I want neither money nor safety from you. I only require shared intelligence—is that too much to ask?"

Chen Qishang smiled and asked, "How about it, Li Baihu?"

"Deal!"

There are two more chapters, better still upon waking.