Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 1308 - 1308 0748 Riddled Like a Sieve_2

Chapter 1308: Chapter 0748: Riddled Like a Sieve_2 Chapter 1308: Chapter 0748: Riddled Like a Sieve_2 The establishment of the National Master Manor in Great Zhao Nation dates back hundreds of years. Before Emperor Tian Rui, more than one prince had left Great Zhao and entered the Imperial Family Secret Territory. None of these princes, however, took the contemporary National Master with them when they left, let alone take three at once, as Emperor Tian Rui did. This highly unusual act revealed a sense of eeriness everywhere. Qi Tian worried that there might be something he was unaware of. If there wasn’t, at most he’d have worried in vain, but if there were something, he absolutely couldn’t stand idly by. After all, Xiao Xiaowu was the Mansion Master of the Imperial Master Mansion, and it was imperative that he didn’t come to harm.

Emperor Jianwu hastily conveyed Qi Tian’s request to Emperor Tianshun, asking him to look into the complications and, if possible, to directly send a message to Xiao Xiaowu to step out of his cultivation chamber and make contact with Qi Tian.

Qi Tian didn’t ask for Emperor Tianshun’s assistance for free. He told Emperor Jianwu to inform Emperor Tianshun that if the task were accomplished, he would give Emperor Tianshun a pill suitable for cultivators in the late stage of the Gold Core Realm. Even if the task couldn’t be completed, there would still be a top-grade crystal stone as a gift.

In view of the medicinal pill, Emperor Tianshun readily agreed to the task and asked Qi Tian to wait for news.

However, after waiting for several days, there was still no word from Emperor Tianshun. It was unclear whether Emperor Tianshun couldn’t contact Xiao Xiaowu or for some other reason. Moreover, it seemed that Emperor Tianshun had also forgotten his duty to search for Sun Xiang, Liao Biru, and the others. There was absolutely no information about them, as if it was nonexistent.

At this point, Emperor Jianwu was helpless. It wasn’t appropriate for him to rush Emperor Tianshun, as doing so could jeopardize an otherwise achievable task.

While Emperor Jianwu and Emperor Tianshun were communicating, the Huoyang Emperor, Emperor Wenzhi, Emperor Yonghe, and Emperor Bahuang, these four princes, weren’t idle either. They were also using their respective channels to help Qi Tian find the missing persons.

Yet, despite exhausting all means, they simply couldn’t locate Sun Xiang, Liao Bichu, and the others. Consequently, the four princes could only meet again to deliberate on a new round of consultations to figure out how to obtain relevant clues, wondering if they should do like Emperor Jianwu and contact other princes in Xidu and North Capital, those with closer blood ties, to ask for help.

This time, acting on the belief that “three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang,” the princes didn’t just gather casually. They brought along their advisors, allowing them to take part in the meetings and offer strategic advice.

It was during these discussions that someone from the great emperor’s entourage posed an unexpected question: when searching for Sun Xiang and Liao Bichu, did the princes truly comb through every accessible place in the Imperial Family Secret Territory, or had they missed some spots?

At first, the four princes repeatedly shook their heads. The search had always been conducted under their organization and direction, and they were certain that the individuals they had dispatched had scoured the entire Imperial Family Secret Territory. Even the palaces of other princes in Xidu and North Capital had been thoroughly searched by spies embedded within, yet no information was found.

However, the rejection from the princes didn’t deter the advisor who posed the question. He began counting on his fingers, asking about each palace one by one to see if any had been overlooked. And indeed, this questioning revealed an issue.

The Princes had always believed that the people they sent out had thoroughly searched the entire Imperial Family Secret Territory, but now, after taking stock, they realized that some areas had been overlooked by their subordinates. There were not just one or two such places, but as many as seven or eight.

However, these few places within the Imperial Family Secret Territory held quite special status. Most of them were related to their ancestors, either palaces left behind from the old days or places where their ancestors had once stayed. The remaining three, although not directly related to their ancestors, were also of great significance. One of them was the only Prince Mansion in the entire Imperial Family Secret Territory that belonged to Kings of Different Surnames. Another was the largest power that could sit on an equal footing with the Princes, that is, the Refining God Sect, which had once had no small conflict with Qi Tian. The last was no good place either; it was Mount Wangsheng, which was now occupied by Chaoyang Palace.

After the strategist had thoroughly investigated these places, the Princes were stunned. They could hardly believe their ears. They had clearly instructed their subordinates to search every corner of the Imperial Family Secret Territory, yet they had not expected such a huge oversight, that so many places had remained unsearched. No wonder they had been unable to find the whereabouts of Sun Xiang and Liao Bichu.

The strategist suggested to the Princes that they should find a way to send people to search these places, as perhaps Sun Xiang and Liao Bichu were trapped there. If after searching these places, they still couldn’t find Sun Xiang and Liao Bichu, then it would not be too late to conclude that every corner of the Imperial Family Secret Territory had been searched.

The strategist’s words found agreement among the Princes, but when it really came to putting it into action, problems arose. Each of the places identified in the Imperial Family Secret Territory had a somewhat transcendent status.

Take the Refining God Sect, for example. Its Sect Leader was Wang Wenshui, the illegitimate son of Emperor Zhi Wu. Although he didn’t bear the Zhao surname, the blood of the Zhao family still flowed in his veins. Emperor Zhi Wu’s favoritism towards Wang Wenshui was very high, and what’s more, Wang Wenshui was quite powerful, already at the Gold Core Realm Second Level. This level might not be impressive among the Princes, but for Wang Wenshui to have cultivated to this level of cultivation at such a young age was nothing short of genius. Given time, he was truly an unstoppable force.

Then there was the Prince Mansion of the Kings of Different Surnames. This was the only place in the entire Imperial Family Secret Territory where someone not surnamed Zhao dared to call himself king. The master of the Prince Mansion was also a supremely powerful individual, and his cultivation level and strength were among the upper middle ranks of all the Princes in the Imperial Family Secret Territory. Most of the Princes from the Eastern Capital City were not his match, perhaps only Emperor Chaoyang could wrestle with him.

As for the palaces left by the ancestors and the places where the ancestors once stayed, searching those places would provoke widespread anger. All the Princes in the Imperial Family Secret Territory were descendants of the ancestors, and this was their foundation. Disturbing the palace of the ancestors was akin to desecrating their ancestral graves; not only would the Princes from Xidu and North Capital not agree, even Emperor Jianwu and the other Princes would find it difficult to consent.

Counting these up, it seemed that the only one who was relatively easier to target was Mount Wangsheng, now occupied by Chaoyang Palace. The other places were either untouchable or needed careful consideration.

After discussing together for a while, the Princes decided to adopt the strategist’s suggestion. They would first send someone to see if they could blend into Mount Wangsheng. If it were possible, they would thoroughly search Mount Wangsheng. At the very least, they wanted to eliminate any suspicions regarding Emperor Chaoyang.

The Princes figured out a way to assemble an elite team, then let them try, by any means necessary, to see if they could infiltrate Mount Wangsheng.

The team was quickly dispatched, but things did not go smoothly. Emperor Chaoyang left the Eastern Capital City and retired to Mount Wangsheng; he had made up his mind from the beginning to turn Mount Wangsheng into a century-long foundation. If the external environment did not permit, Mount Wangsheng might very well become the permanent palace location for their Chaoyang Palace lineage for generations to come, so how could they be careless?