الشطرنج الخالد - Book 04 Chapter 151

Chaoge City:

Chang Ming sent out countless bats, attracting attention from the entire city. As a result, he got to meet Shangguan Hen as he wanted.

Huangfu Palace Hall:

The officials looked at Chang Ming as though facing a powerful enemy. Only Shangguan Hen was bold enough, letting Chang Ming stand before him.

“Why should I trust you?” Shangguan Hen asked coldly with narrowed eyes.

“That is your business. It is not my business if anyone dies. This is a letter from my father. Read it for yourself. I’m going now,” Chang Ming said, feeling depressed.

I traveled such a great distance to deliver this letter and save you, yet you don’t believe me?

Shangguan Hen accepted the letter and opened it right in front of Chang Ming. Then, he carefully read it.

Shangguan Hen’s expression suddenly changed. After some silence, he bowed deeply to Chang Ming.

Nearby, Long Wanyu and others, who had just rushed over, appeared confused.

“Shangguan Hen is bowing to Chang Ming?” Li Shenji narrowed his eyes, appearing a bit shocked.

After all, Shangguan Hen had previously severely poisoned Chang Ming. Why was he bowing to Chang Ming now?

“Did something happen?” Long Wanyu felt startled.

However, Ye Shenzhen narrowed his eyes, his expression slightly gloomy.

“Young Master Chang, many thanks for delivering this letter. Shangguan Hen greatly thanks Grand Duke Chang Sheng for his righteousness on behalf of the many Chaoge City citizens. Young Master Chang, many thanks for your effort,” Shangguan Hen said gravely.

Chang Ming gaped, feeling even more depressed. After I spoke so much earlier, you—Shangguan Hen—refused to believe me. Yet, you completely believed it after reading my father’s letter? How snobbish of you!

“Alright. I’m leaving. Do as you please!” Chang Ming flew into the sky, feeling depressed.

Then, he took out a flying ship with a flip of his hand.

Whoosh!

Chang Ming shot into the distance on his flying ship, disappearing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Shangguan Hen watched Chang Ming leave. However, he showed an uncertain expression. Chang Sheng? Why did he choose to tell us? However, this is not the time to think about this. As he held the letter, it felt very heavy in his hand.

“Shangguan Hen? What happened?” Long Wanyu immediately rushed over, feeling curious.

Shangguan Hen looked at Long Wanyu. Then, he took a deep breath and said, “Princess, perhaps you should leave immediately.”

“Ah?” Long Wanyu felt slightly startled.

“The Bat Ancestor is leading two imperial emperors and two Dao lords to Chaoge City to capture you. They should arrive in a few days,” Shangguan Hen said gravely.

“Is that the information Chang Ming brought? You believe him?” Li Shenji raised his eyebrows as he looked at Shangguan Hen.

Shangguan Hen ignored Li Shenji. Instead, he looked at Long Wanyu and said, “Princess, please relocate. They are targeting you. Nothing must happen to you before His Majesty returns.”

“Ah?” Long Wanyu felt slightly startled.

“Princess, there’s no need to worry. Chang Ming’s words might not be trustworthy. Furthermore, are you not waiting for Mister Gu to return? If you leave, you won’t be able to wait for Mister Gu.” Ye Shenzhen smiled.

Shangguan Hen frowned slightly at Ye Shenzhen. Does he not believe me?

“I’ll leave!” Long Wanyu immediately cried out.

“Huh?” Everyone looked at Long Wanyu in surprise.

“The blessings are present, so Brother-in-Law is safe. Since he is safe, it is fine. Brother-in-Law trusts in Shangguan Hen, so I trust in him as well. Leave with me immediately. Let’s not cause my brother-in-law further trouble,” Long Wanyu called out.

“But…but…” Ye Shenzhen showed a bitter expression.

His Holy Eminence already knows about this. You cannot leave.

“But what? I said leave, so let’s leave!” Long Wanyu said with a glare.

“Princess, do you sense any danger?” Ye Shenzhen made a final attempt.

“None.” Long Wanyu shook her head.

“Since you do not sense any danger, there’s no need to…,” Ye Shenzhen said with a bitter smile.

“I can read the flow of auspicious and ominous signs, but is it accurate? Cut the crap. Hurry up!” Long Wanyu glared, then ignored Ye Shenzhen after that.

“Alright.”

“That’s right. Bring Purple Subtlety and Longevity with you,” Shangguan Hen said.

“I will. Brother-in-Law asked them to protect me. They will go wherever I go.” Long Wanyu nodded.

Shangguan Hen nodded back.

Long Wanyu left obediently.

However, Shangguan Hen looked at the letter in his hand again.

After some silence, he turned to the officials behind him and said gravely, “Inform the citizens to leave Chaoge City immediately; the faster, the better. A great enemy approaches, and a calamity is about to befall us.”

“Ah?” The officials opened their eyes wide.

“Hurry, go!” Shangguan Hen said while glaring.

“Mister Shangguan, do you mean all the citizens?” one of the officials asked, bewildered.

“That’s right—all the citizens. Everyone is to leave Chaoge City and seek refuge in other cities while we wait for His Majesty to return,” Shangguan Hen said seriously.

“But this is my Han Nation’s capital. The citizens will not be willing to leave. Furthermore, this news came too abruptly. Could it be false?” an official asked worriedly.

Shangguan Hen’s eyes narrowed. Then, he looked at that official coldly and said, “If it is false, I will bear all responsibility. You only need to advise—no, chase—all the citizens away.”

“Chase? What if they are unwilling and object? We can’t kill them to scare them away, right?”

“Then, just do your best to chase them away. Do it in the name of the nation. Ask them to leave Chaoge City. All soldiers are to cooperate,” Shangguan Hen said.

Some officials remained skeptical. However, they eventually nodded after some silence.

The emperor had once said that Shangguan Hen had the authority to decide all matters, so the officials could not do anything about it.

Indeed, a commotion broke out in the city when the news spread.

“I’m not leaving. I have already experienced all sorts of storms, yet I survived. I want to remain in Chaoge City!”

“Five powerful experts are coming? What a joke? Can that vampire be trusted? I’m not leaving!”

“Since the royal court declared this, it must be true. We should leave as soon as we can!”

The city split into two camps: those who believed and those who did not and did not want to leave Chaoge City.

With more than one hundred million citizens in the city, there was no time to organize a mass migration; the city was too large. Immortal crane carriages and flying ships quickly carried all the willing citizens away.

The entire city bustled.

Long Wanyu also packed up her things and boarded a flying ship with Purple Subtlety, Longevity, Venerable Liu Nian, Ye Shenzhen, and Li Shenji. Then, they flew out of the city.

——

In a small courtyard within the city:

A group of azure-robed men with extremely stern expressions sat there.

The leader was none other than Crown Prince Ao Shun’s younger brother, the current dragon crown prince, Ao Sheng.

Ao Sheng led this group to a room to stand respectfully outside a tightly shut door.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The sound of fingers tapping on a desk rang out.

“Shangguan Hen? Hah! Pretty good! He shows some of the previous Black Tortoise Prime’s boldness!” A middle-aged man’s voice came from the study.

“Royal Father, His Holy Eminence plotted for the five factions to come to Chaoge City. Everything is within our control. Unexpectedly, Chang Ming appeared and disrupted the plan!” Crown Prince Ao Sheng frowned.

“Never mind. This is fine as well. If Princess Wanyu does not leave, Chaoge City will be leveled. The citizens would die or suffer severe injuries. I have already informed Ye Shenzhen to leave a trail when he leaves. That would make it easier for the five factions to find the princess,” the middle-aged man said from the study.

“Yes!”

The middle-aged man’s voice rang out again. “The others will come with me. Crown Prince, you remain behind.”

“I remain behind?” Ao Sheng parroted, bewildered.

“Gu Hai saved Gongyang Sheng and made a major contribution to the Qian Nation, after all. You remain behind and help with whatever you can,” the middle-aged man said seriously.

“Yes!” A complicated look flashed in Ao Sheng’s eyes as he nodded.

——

A white cloud moved very quickly over the vast sea, gliding high in the sky. It was Nine-Five Island flying within this white cloud.

Nine-Five Island moved exceptionally quickly. Unlike when Gu Hai caught up with it, it had already reached the speed of an ordinary flying ship.

At the Soaring Palace Hall’s entrance, Gu Qin looked at the vast land in the distance as he operated the Life Trapper Saber.

“Crown Prince, we are about to enter the Divine Continent. Should we speed up? At this speed, we should arrive in about four days,” one of the officials said excitedly.

“No. Reduce our speed as much as we can!” Gu Qin said.

“Ah!?”

“It is not safe for Nine-Five Island to come to a sudden stop. We have to decelerate slowly. By the time we reach Chaoge City, we will come to a complete stop,” Gu Qin said.

“Then, won’t that delay us by a lot?”

“I know. Start the deceleration. Inform the various people operating the ritual array,” Gu Qin said.

“Yes!”

——

Half an hour later:

Boom!

Nine-Five Island shook slightly as it slowed down.

At a small courtyard near the Soaring Palace Hall:

The previous dragon crown prince, Ao Shun, played Go with Gu Hai.

A figure tightly clad in black robes walked around, pouring tea for Gu Hai and Ao Shun.

As Ao Shun looked at this black-clad man walking around, he appeared slightly confused. “Is that a zombie? Even zombies are nimbler than it.”

Gu Hai smiled faintly. “Him? This is already much better than before.”

The black-robed man was the Slaughter Heavenly Emperor’s corpse. Now, Gu Hai could already control it to walk. However, it was still quite stiff.

“Crown Prince Ao Shun, how has living on Nine-Five Island been?” Gu Hai smiled.

“How has it been? What do you think? What is there to mention about being imprisoned?” Ao Shun said coldly.

“Sometimes, stopping to be quiet for a while might not be a bad thing, right?” Gu Hai smiled.

Ao Shun frowned at Gu Hai, a complicated look in his eyes.

“Up until now, no one from the dragon race has come to me to talk about you. Not Ao Sheng, the Qian Nation, or the dragon race’s prime.” Gu Hai shook his head.

Ao Shun’s eyelids twitched wildly. “What are you trying to say?”

“I came here to tell you that you are free,” Gu Hai said after a deep breath.

“Ah?” Ao Shun felt slightly startled.

Gu Hai extended a finger towards Ao Shun’s chest. There was a seal there. That seal did not need much power to break it; Gu Hai could already do so.

Boom!

An explosion came from Ao Shun’s body, and he cried out in pain.

When Ao Shun’s seal broke, the vast aura of a Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator burst out from his body.