The assassins of the highest state of the Old Ones might be able to use a certain method to hide themselves in the shadows, but the shadow under the tree was real, so there was only one possibility: it was a projection from the Underworld.
Twenty years ago, in the Mingcui Valley outside Zhaoge City, the assassins of the Bulao Lin failed to assassinate Zhao Layue, and they were killed by the projection of the third disciple of the Underworld Master.
Whose shadow was it that appeared in Zhaoge City tonight? … …
The shadow bulged slightly, as if it were about to break away from the ground. It gradually revealed its shape after being illuminated by the starlight refracted on the wall.
The figure was short and stout, and his face couldn't be seen clearly. It could be vaguely seen that he wore a colorful cloth, indicating that he had a very high status in the Underworld.
"Let me introduce myself."
The short and stout figure had a charming and gloomy voice, but he also had a powerful and awe-inspiring energy.
His voice sounded a bit strange, indicating that he seldom spoke the human language.
"I'm the Grand Priest of the Underworld."
If the Underworld Master was the most powerful swordsman in the Underworld after the death of the King Of The Underworld, there was only one person who had the right to object.
The Grand Priest had the blood of the royal family of the Underworld flowing in his veins, and he had a very high power and Cultivation state. He was a truly important figure no matter how one looked at it.
If it were any other Cultivation practitioners, or even the elders of various sects, they would have two reactions when they saw the Grand Priest of the Underworld suddenly appear in front of them; they would either scream to warn others with a pale face, or they would pass out due to fear.
Yet, Jing Jiu was quite calm, as if he had met an old man asking for directions. "What's the matter?" he asked.
The voice of the Grand Priest drifted in the alley like the wind, as if it would break at any moment. "Aren't you afraid of me?" he asked, sounding a bit surprised.
"Maybe you are very powerful, but this is Zhaoge City. Even if someone is afraid, it should be you," said Jing Jiu.
The Grand Priest said, "I went to Aoyama to have a look back when your Master ascended. Zhaoge City is nothing to me."
"Get to the point," said Jing Jiu.
The High Priest's colorful clothes mixed with the gloomy shadows, looking extremely strange, just like his voice. "I heard that you are a person who is very good at negotiating, so I guess you don't have to stick to your position."
What Bu Qiuxiao said made sense, but Jing Jiu had figured out something else. His conversation with Bu Qiuxiao had just taken place today, but it had already reached the Underworld?
He said, "Be more direct."
The high priest said, "If the Seal of the King Of The Underworld is really in your hands, perhaps we can cooperate?"
Sure enough, there was no such thing as an impenetrable wall, not even the giant wall between the human world and the Netherworld, not even the abyss.
The conversation between Jing Jiu and Bu Qiuxiao was transmitted to the Underworld. Even the conversation between him and the Underworld Master that nobody knew about was learned by the Grand Priest.
Jing Jiu said, "I talked to him first."
The High Priest said, "It doesn't matter. I'm just reporting to you and leaving my name. When you make a decision in the future, just remember that there's still me. At least give us a chance to bid."
"I can't imagine what benefit I can get from cooperating with you," said Jing Jiu.
The Grand Priest said, "Striking the remaining evildoers of Taiping is the greatest benefit."
Jing Jiu suddenly asked, "Are you familiar with Zhongzhou School?"
The Grand Priest said expressionlessly, "If you don't trust me, just pretend that I have never been here. But I hope you can remember this conversation."
Having said that, the starlight grew dimmer, and the shadow under the tree grew lighter.
The wind died down and the leaves fell down. The shadow returned to the ground, and everything returned to normal.
Jing Jiu turned around and left the alley.
He didn't go back to Aoyama, but to the old plum garden.
The nunnery hall in the plum garden was enshrouded by the starlight, as if a layer of clean water was washing the eaves soundlessly.
Jing Jiu walked into the nunnery hall and sat down in front of the dusty table.
It was not the Grand Priest himself who came, but his projected image.
But if the Grand Priest suddenly struck, Jing Jiu would encounter a great deal of trouble, because the Great Formation of Zhaoge City might not be activated.
Since the Grand Priest dared project his projected image in Zhaoge City, he must have received some kind of protection. Since it was not Taiping Zhenren, who could it be?
The King Of The Underworld had been imprisoned in the Fiend Prison for more than six hundred years, and it was normal that the Zhongzhou School had been in contact with the Underworld secretly.
Did the Cloud-Dream Mountain want to confirm his identity again, or did they want to harm him and Aoyama? Jing Jiu had always thought that Zhaoge City was the safest place besides Aoyama and the Guocheng Temple, and nobody would try to assassinate him here. But thinking of what had happened in the Guocheng Temple two years ago, he realized that this opinion was questionable.
The starlight passed through the window and shone on Jing Jiu, casting a shadow on the ground in front of the table.
In the next moment, the shadow drifted up slightly, like a leaf blown up by the wind.
He had seen the same scene not long ago.
"Again?"
Jing Jiu felt a bit tired.
The figure in the shadow this time was much smaller.
It was the projected image of the Underworld Master this time.
"How did you know I was here?" asked Jing Jiu.
The Underworld Master flicked his blue cloth lightly, the figure in the shadow flickering intermittently.
"If he could know our conversation, why can't I find out what he is up to? In fact, it was I who leaked the information about the Seal of the King Of The Underworld on purpose. "
The conspiracies and struggles related to power and influence were always so exciting and boring for Jing Jiu, regardless of whether they were in the human world or the Underworld.
Jing Jiu knocked on the table in front of him and demanded, "Get to the point. How did you know I was in the old plum garden?"
The Underworld Master didn't answer Jing Jiu's question. "Cooperate with me and send the Grand Priest into the Underworld River," he said.
"What's the benefit?" Jing Jiu asked.
The Underworld Master walked to the window with his hands folded behind his back. The shadow outside the window dimmed the starlight.
His projected image was even smaller than his actual body, looking like a peculiar and dreadful puppet.
"I've investigated for a long time, and I've finally ascertained that he has been in contact with the Cloud-Dream Mountain in secret. Killing him will benefit both me and your Aoyama."
The Underworld Master turned to Jing Jiu and continued, "And if he goes to the Underworld River and sleeps forever, the chaotic situation in the Underworld will be pacified as soon as possible, and you and I can choose the new King Of The Underworld with a peace of mind."
"Does this mean that we have reached an agreement?" asked Jing Jiu.
The Underworld Master said, "I'm neither Liu Ci nor Yuan Qijing. It's not enough for you to persuade me to betray the Immortal. I'll only cooperate with the final winner. You are so weak that I can't trust you."
"I won't see you out," said Jing Jiu.
The Underworld Master said, "I'm here to deliver a letter. Are you sure you don't want to know the content of the letter?"
Jing Jiu wanted to take out the bamboo chair and lie on it, but he remembered that the bamboo chair was being squatted on by the Snow Girl. As such, he had no choice but to lie on the floor and look at the stars outside the window.
The Underworld Master flicked his sleeve after shooting a glance at Jing Jiu. The shadow turned blue and vanished without a trace.
He had met two of the most powerful figures of the Underworld in the span of one night. Even Jing Jiu felt surprised and tired.
He had behaved nonchalantly during the two conversations, and he even displayed a condescending attitude; but it was merely a show.
Both the projected figures of the Grand Priest and the Underworld Master posed a great threat to him.
The difference in their Cultivation states was too great. If Jing Jiu didn't have the Seal of the King Of The Underworld, these two conversations wouldn't have taken place.
If he didn't have the life board of the Dark Phoenix and that secret, Bu Qiuxiao wouldn't have negotiated with him here during the day.
A youth traveling in the world with the most precious book in his hand and discussing the Dao with the kings and nobles was, in fact, a dangerous thing to do, even though it seemed to be a carefree and easygoing act.
Jing Jiu knew who wrote the letter mentioned by the Underworld Master.
It was indeed the most convenient and fastest way to communicate in the vast Chaotian through the projected figures of the important figures of the Underworld.
The problem was how the people in Chaotian could transmit the information to the Underworld.
Before he had the mosquitoes of the Fiend Prison, only Taiping Zhenren had the ability to do so, and the Zhongzhou School might have a way to do so.
He knew his Big Brother too well, and he was well aware that he would fall into the trap of the other party if he merely took a look at the letter. As such, he didn't want to read the letter at all.
There was another issue. If the Grand Priest followed him through the information from the Zhongzhou School, how did the Underworld Master know that he was in the old plum garden?
Jing Jiu didn't even know that he would come here before he thought of it.
Jing Jiu felt something was out of place.
He had a similar feeling when he talked with Bu Qiuxiao in this nunnery hall during the day.
Was it possible that someone had left a trace in his body that could be traced?
Jing Jiu recalled his experience in this life carefully and checked the tiniest part of his body. But he didn't find anything suspicious or suspicious.
Back when he fought against Tian Jinren in the air, the spiritual awareness of his opponent had indeed entered his body, but there was no trace of it left in his body.
His body was still as clean and pure as before, except that there were some natural worm silks in his abdomen and spine.
Jing Jiu thought of this in Silence. The night passed quickly.
The morning sunlight shone on the window. Jing Jiu stood up and was about to leave; but he suddenly found a line of words on the ground where the Underworld Master had disappeared.
"A cloud is drifting over from the south."
Seeing this line, Jing Jiu's body grew stiff. He turned slowly to look at the south outside the window.
There were countless clouds in the sky in the south; but which one was the one that had to die?
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