Long Zhantian’s expression turned cold when Gu Zun brought up the past. A murderous glint flashed in his eyes that was more than enough to make G.o.dkings tremble.
“Hmph!” He snorted and said coldly: “Our Soaring Immortal Sect is not afraid of anyone! If it wasn’t for Immortal Emperor Qian Li leading the vanguard with the Black Dragon King in the rear, we wouldn’t have backed down like that. One day, we’ll show him who is the real master of the nine worlds!”
“That’s why we take his life when he is at his weakest.” Gu Zun said: “There are no more emperors backing him up right now so it is an amazing opportunity. If we wait till he grooms another emperor, then he’ll rise again and your sect will have no chance to kill him.”
Zhantian stared intensely at Gu Zun with a stern expression and uttered coldly: “Gu Zun, Soaring Immortal shall take action but you mustn’t forget, you have a part in this battle as well. If we help you obtain revenge, what can you offer in the war effort?”
“Brother Zhantian, are you forgetting who I am? You might not like to hear this but you will be requiring my a.s.sistance eventually! Your Immortal Physique might be strong but I’m certainly more powerful than you!” Gu Zun flatly stated with a smile despite Zhantian’s unfriendly question.
Zhantian simply scowled and didn’t refute the claim. Both he and his sect wouldn’t cooperate with the weak. If Gu Zun wasn’t strong enough, they wouldn’t have formed an alliance with Heaven Suppression.
“Regardless of how strong you are, you must show some sincerity in this collaboration.” Zhantian said.
Gu Zun replied with a smile: “No need to worry about this. I am someone who can keep my words. If it is an alliance, all problem will be ours together. As long as you lead that person out, I shall be the s.h.i.+ning beacon and be the first to try and capture him!”
“Looks like you have complete confidence!” Zhantian slowly spoke. There was a subtle hint of mockery or requiring further explanation.
Gu Zun still maintained his friendly demeanor: “I know what you are trying to say. Yes, I was captured back then and thrown into the eye of the sea but there’s no shame in that. Brother Zhantian, to be frank, if I, an eonic genius, wasn’t able to do it, you definitely couldn’t have done anything back then either. Trust me though, my killer move isn’t something you can imagine.”
“Hmph!” Zhantian was very unhappy with Gu Zun’s comment.
“Rest a.s.sured, just lead him out and you will be able to see my hidden card. Don’t forget, we’re on the same boat now and are stronger because of it. We must work together!” Gu Zun stated.
Zhantia ruminated his options before speaking: “Gu Zun, I trust you but there is one condition. When we capture him, dead or alive, we will take him back to Soaring Immortal!”
Gu Zun slowly said: “I know that you want to pry precious information and artifacts out of him so you want him alive.”
“Have you not thought of it too?” Zhantian sneered confidently.
To which Gu Zun leisurely responded: “Brother Zhantian, those are some strong words. You don’t only want to have the same status as me, you even want to seize everything for yourself.”
“Gu Zun, your strength is undeniable.” Zhantian smiled proudly: “But don’t forget, I have a behemoth in Soaring Immortal behind me, I’m not alone. To borrow your words, our power isn’t something you can imagine.”
“I’m aware.” Gu Zun laughed heartily: “I heard that Immortal Emperor Ren Xian’s sons have escaped from the Immortal Confinement. Looks like your branch will be able to maintain hegemony for a long time.”
“It’s good that you’re aware.” Zhantian didn’t hide it at all: “The real imperial princes are back. You should understand the significance behind this.”
“I know.” Gu Zun said: “But lest you forget, a few old men from your sect are friends with that person. I’m afraid it won’t be that easy for your branch to make all the decisions. If they try to stop you, how are you going to be in control?”
“No need for you to concern about that. Our sect is unified, no one will try to stop me in this generation.” Zhantian spoke coldly: “You know that when our five branches are of the same heart, we shall be invincible. With that, are we strong enough to take all the spoils now?”
“Fine, if you are that confident, I have no more objection. I agree with that condition then. If we are successful, that body will be yours.” Gu Zun smiled.
“Good, it’s a deal then.” Zhantian looked at Gu Zun and said: “Let’s talk about how to lead him out then.”
“Not hard.” Gu Zun replied: “Start with Pearl City. Poke the nest and the bees will come out. You just need to do this at that point…”
After coming up with a working plan, Zhantian finally left. Gu Zun watched his departure with a faint smile.
Ye Jiuzhou emerged out of nowhere by his side and asked: “Master, will Soaring Immortal really muster all of their strength?”
“Yes.” Gu Zun said: “They still consider the forceful search back then to be humiliating. Their young faction is ambitious and wants to rule the world. That’s why they are reneging the vow and returning to the world after making sufficient preparation. They simply won’t stop for anyone!”
Ye Jiuzhou was still skeptical: “But their strongest cards are their previous generation, the old generals of the emperors. I’m afraid these ancestors won’t agree to fight against His Excellency.”
Gu Zun smiled in response: “Those generals know who they will be facing but they are old now. The imperial princes have returned, just surviving from the confinement shows that they have reached a terrible level.”
His smile grew wider: “Long Zhantian is only the vanguard. There are characters behind the scene still. When he searched back then, so many people in Soaring Immortal were scared out of their mind and committed suicide with the imperial children running into the prison. The matter this time definitely has something to do with them and yes, they will want revenge.”
“If those ancestors try to stop them, there will be a great internal struggle. Who knows who will win but a disaster will come to Soaring Immortal, ending that sect completely! Wouldn’t that be my chance to take advantage of the situation? Capturing him and destroying Soaring Immortal then the nine worlds will be mine!”
Ye Jiuzhou paused for a moment before speaking softly: “Master, your life goal isn’t hegemony.”
“Is that so?” Gu Zun smiled leisurely.
Jiuzhou responded in a serious manner: “If you wanted to reign, you would have followed His Excellency to become an emperor, no need to oppose him. On the contrary, you chose the course of actions that ended with your imprisonment for three generations. That can’t be just for the nine worlds since it would be a lack of foresight on your part. Emperors don’t care for the nine worlds and your view is definitely not that shallow either.”
“Jiuzhou, you are being disrespectful towards your master.” Gu Zun’s expression became strict.
Jiuzhou calmly bowed and said: “I’m merely speaking the truth. Master, if you think my words were improper, I accept any punishment.”
Gu Zun looked at him and answered: “You have followed me your entire life. You don’t owe me, it is the opposite. I have no regret with regards to pa.s.sing my arts down because I have a disciple like you. My only regret in life is not defeating the Dark Crow! In his eyes, I am but an ant!”
His eyes turned cold at this point: “If I am only an ant, so be it, I’ll show him that an ant can still break a dam. Even an ant can become trouble for him in the future.”
“He was only a mortal yet he could rule the nine heavens and ten earths on top of surpa.s.sing Immortal Emperors and time. Why can’t I do the same?! I am one of the ten greatest geniuses, I just need enough time to accomplish the same things as him!” Gu Zun showed his determination with a sharp gaze. This was a completely different demeanor.
“Master, your talents are peerless.” Jiuzhou said respectfully: “But His Excellency’s achievements have nothing to do with his talents. It is because he possesses an unshakable dao heart, as solid as the most precious metal.”
“Jiuzhou, you sound just like him when talking about the dao heart.” Gu Zun laughed in response: “That dao heart, I just need enough time and I can also do the same!”
Jiuzhou slightly opened his mouth but refrained from speaking. He could only sigh in the end.
“What?” Gu Zun looked at his favorite disciple and said: “I don’t blame you if you want to back out. You have done many things for me already, I won’t force you to do something you don’t want to.”
“You are a father to me, master.” Jiuzhou calmly responded: “It’s just that sometimes, I feel that it is a waste of your life to oppose His Excellency. He didn’t have ill-wills towards you in the beginning.”
“Not from the beginning?” Gu Zun snorted: “If that wasn’t the case, then why did he hide everything? He had the Physique Scripture yet he taught me what kind of physique law? Hmph, if he really wanted to train me, why did he groom Yin Tian to become emperor instead? He knew full well that I am a better candidate than Yin Tian but he chose to ignore that.”
“Hah, it’s because he thought I have a treacherous nature so he was always vigilant towards me, not allowing me to take a single step into his treasury! Fine, he can keep on thinking that, I will show him treachery, to show him that my life will not be decided by his first evaluation! I shall oppose him, true to his initial impression!”