الشطرنج الخالد - Book 05 Chapter 024

City lord’s official residence, Heavenly Chen City:

At this moment, a man in official robes looked at his subordinates coldly.

“City Lord, we have already done our best. The zither music in the western sector the day before was due to an overly excited master zitherist, resulting in such an effect,” a subordinate said with an unsightly expression.

“Humph! How many times have I told you? The Ten Thousand Sages Convention is at hand; nothing can go wrong. At the very least, nothing must go wrong in Heavenly Chen City. Do you know how many nobles are in the thirty-three layers of heaven? A careless master zitherist? Did you not give any prior warning? Right now, various nations and sects are in Heavenly Court City. How am I to give an account to His Holy Eminence if we make a laughing stock of ourselves?” the city lord demanded with a glare.

“Yes!” responded that subordinate with his head lowered.

“I am the lord of a city. However, where do I, a city lord, stand in the thirty-three layers of heaven? There are nobles and high-ranking officials everywhere here. If anything happens at this time, I cannot save any of you,” the city lord said coldly.

“Yes!”

“Inform all the guards to keep an eye out. Stop any problem before it happens. If anything happens, minimize the impact as much as possible. At best, only the people within five kilometers of the event can know about it; do you understand?” the city lord said coldly.

“Only five kilometers?” a subordinate parroted in shock.

“That’s right. I only permit five kilometers!” the city lord said coldly.

Right after the city lord spoke, an anxious cry rang out in the entire city.

“Save me! Second Young Master, save me!”

Boom!

An earth-shattering noise resounded throughout Heavenly Chen City.

Whoosh!

Gales and shock waves immediately swept through the city.

The city lord’s expression changed dramatically. “Who?! Who is it?!”

Whoosh!

The city lord rushed out with a group of shocked people.

——

When the Heaven Blasting Cannon roared, all the citizens in the city turned their heads to look.

Dragon Star Palace was in Heavenly Chen City.

Many humongous dragons flew around Dragon Star Palace. Suddenly, an earth-shattering sound came from the other side of the city. Crown Prince Ao Sheng frowned slightly in Dragon Star Palace as he said, “What’s going on? Is someone causing trouble in Heavenly Chen City?”

Many dragons looked curiously in that direction.

It was not just the dragons. The city guards immediately reacted, rushing towards the explosion.

Since the Ten Thousand Sages Convention was at hand, the thirty-three layers of heaven were all tightly guarded. How could there be such a large commotion?

“It’s in Elite Hall’s direction! Milord, it’s coming from Elite Hall’s direction!”

“All soldiers, quickly gather at Elite Hall!”

The army converged at Elite Hall.

——

At a restaurant not far from Elite Hall’s headquarters:

Li Shenji goggled as his expression changed. “The Heaven Blasting Cannon? How can it be? Is it not broken?”

“The Heaven Blasting Cannon?” Li Shenji’s subordinates looked at Li Shenji in shock.

“That’s right. The only thing that can blast a six-winged angel to death in one shot is the Heaven Blasting Cannon. Gu Hai has never used it, so it is likely the one in Elite Hall’s headquarters, but that’s impossible. After Long Xiaoyue’s death, many people sneaked into Elite Hall’s treasury and verified it was broken. I checked it myself. How? How could it be fixed right after Gu Hai returned?” Li Shenji said with a sullen expression.

“Ah? What should we do now?” the subordinates asked worriedly.

“Humph! Just wait first. This has nothing to do with us. Don’t interfere!” Li Shenji said coldly.

“Yes!” the subordinates said while nodding.

——

Far away, the fog scattered slowly after the angels deactivated their ritual array. Many angels flew towards Yehua at the foot of the mountain.

Yehua showed a sullen expression as he looked at the pieces of the six-winged angel who had been blown up in the sky.

“Exploded? This is… This is the Heaven Blasting Cannon?” Yehua’s expression changed.

“Second Young Master, Angel Jia Da exploded. What should we do?”

“Second Young Master, we should leave first.”

“You bastard, what do you mean ‘leave’? The others are still there!” Yehua’s expression turned cold.

Many nosy citizens soon appeared in the vicinity.

“Look! It’s there. I saw it myself. A black ball shot out and instantly blew up that six-winged angel!”

“A six-winged angel! That is a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. Yet, he got blasted to pieces in one shot?”

“He died without a complete body? The black ball shot out from Elite Hall. Isn’t Elite Hall just an empty shell of its past self now?”

“It’s the Heaven Blasting Cannon. I have heard about it before. Hall Master Long Xiaoyue used it. I heard that it was an especially incredible treasure that His Holy Eminence forged.”

More nosy citizens came over.

Many city guards who arrived earlier prevented the citizens from getting closer.

“Move aside! Move aside! It is dangerous here! Move back!”

Many soldiers stepped forward to block the citizens. At the same time, they surveilled Elite Hall, holding their weapons at ready.

Most of the citizens did not want to leave. They just watched from afar.

Many of the angels responsible for maintaining the ritual array flew to Yehua. The city guards also kept a wary eye on Yehua.

Now, Yehua showed an extremely sullen expression. To think that Angel Jia Da got blasted to pieces? What happened in there? Isn’t it just Gu Hai inside? What about the others?

Whoosh!

A strong wind blew, and the fog outside Elite Hall scattered.

——

At the plaza of Elite Hall’s main palace hall:

Rows of bound Solar Divine Palace experts knelt in the plaza. Aside from Angel Jia Da, who had fled and gotten blasted to pieces, the Elite Hall disciples had captured the other angels, Ci Wang, and the other Solar Divine Palace lackeys. All of them were gagged, showing pained expressions and slightly swollen abdomens.

“Ah? There’s another six-winged angel? Someone captured him, and he is kneeling there!”

“That is Ci Wang! The king of the hedgehog spirits! I heard that he is also a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator.”

[TL Note: The name Ci Wang can be translated literally as Spike King.]

“There are more than a thousand two-winged angels? Those four-winged angels are Lower Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators, right?”

“This…there are dozens of Lower Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators and two thousand Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, right? There are also two bound Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators. Earlier, a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator got blasted to pieces. This… what is going on?”

Countless citizens and city guards appeared shocked.

Was this still the same Elite Hall, which was just an empty shell of its past self?

Those were powerful experts. To think that Elite Hall captured all of them?

The soldiers and citizens looked at the back of the plaza.

Each Solar Divine Palace cultivator had an extremely excited Elite Hall disciple standing behind him. There was also a group of restless Elite Hall disciples standing around a man in embroidered black robes who was sitting on a chair.

A cold gleam flashed in this man’s eyes as he surveyed the world outside after the fog scattered.

Beside that man, a thrilled Mu Chenfeng stood next to a huge cannon as he wiped the blood from his lips.

Some smoke drifted out of the mouth of that huge cannon. Clearly, this cannon had fired the Heaven Blasting Lightning earlier.

“Look! That’s the Heaven Blasting Cannon. I have seen it before!”

“That is it! It blasted a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator in one shot.”

The citizens buzzed with excitement.

“How bold of you! No Nascent Soul Realm cultivator or above is allowed to fight in Heavenly Chen City. To think that you dare to…” an armored city guard captain shouted while glaring.

However, the black-robed man showed a cold smile as he pointed gently.

Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak!

Mu Chenfeng and the Elite Hall disciples immediately brought the cannon to bear upon the guard captain who was shouting.

The guard captain saw the cannon aimed at him midway through his words. This immediately scared him into shivering, and his words got stuck in his throat.

The Heaven Blasting Cannon can blast a Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. If it fires at someone weak like me, won’t I…?

“You are standing in Elite Hall’s territory. Move back,” Gu Hai said indifferently.

There were sound amplification ritual arrays that broadcast Gu Hai’s voice.

The cold voice prompted that guard captain to back off.

The cannon stopped aiming at him only after he had withdrawn five hundred meters.

However, that guard captain no longer dared to shout.

“Who is he?” The surrounding citizens looked at Gu Hai in shock.

“That is Division Master Mu Chenfeng. Mu Chenfeng is standing respectfully beside him. Could he be Elite Hall Master Gu Hai?”

“Gu Hai?”

The surrounding citizens appeared shocked. Clearly, word of Gu Hai’s exploits at the frontlines had yet to arrive. Even if there were some news, it would be limited. At the very least, only a few knew the details behind Imperial Emperor Xi Yu’s death.

Gu Hai turned his head to look at the nearby angels.

“Hall Master, your tea!” A subordinate at the side proffered a cup of tea.

Gu Hai received the cup and gently took a sip, appearing very relaxed. He did not look like he was in the middle of a conflict at all.

“Gu Hai!” Yehua shouted coldly from a distance.

After taking a sip, Gu Hai handed the teacup back. Then, he showed a faint smile as he looked at the distant Yehua. “Yehua, you finally are willing to show up. Have you forgotten what I said to you last time?”

“Humph! My subordinates barged into your place without me knowing about it. They are wrong for doing so. However, they are my subordinates. Immediately release them!” Yehua said coldly.

Without you knowing? They barged into Elite Hall?

Many citizens appeared doubtful. However, even more showed disdain. This was clearly just an excuse.

“What does it have to do with me?” Gu Hai asked coldly.

“Huh?” Yehua glared.

“All who barge into Elite Hall without permission die!” Gu Hai shouted coldly.

The citizens and city guards stared at Gu Hai in shock. Is he going to kill the angels?

Yehua said coldly, “Why do I not know about such a rule? Many people have barged in before. How could you—”

“It is a rule that I just established!” Gu Hai said coldly.

The surroundings turned quiet. This new Elite Hall Master is really overbearing. What a newly established rule!

“You dare?!” Yehua flew up as if he would attack.

Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak!

Mu Chenfeng quickly turned the Heaven Blasting Cannon to aim at Yehua.

“What’s wrong? Do you also want to challenge my rule?” Gu Hai said coldly.

Yehua’s expression turned cold as he stopped.

“Alright. There’s no need to drag this out. Execute them!” Gu Hai said indifferently.

“Yes!” the Elite Hall disciples shouted eagerly.

The disciples rubbed their fists or palms gleefully. Then, they picked up their weapons to chop off the heads of the bound Solar Divine Palace experts.

The Elite Hall disciples had waited for such a moment for too long. Since Long Xiaoyue’s death, they had lived cowardly, keeping their heads down. They never imagined that they could be unyielding again.