Chapter 78: Into the Depths

Summer hastened its approach, and the sunlight at Desheng Pass grew ever more scorching. Shu Le’s dislike for Gu Yi was no secret. Yet, after spending the whole morning searching in vain for that irritating fellow, suspicion began to creep into her mind.

Yesterday had already seen her progress slowed; today, she was determined to make her way to the ancient Qing River.

“Mingguang, have you seen Gu Yi?” she asked upon encountering someone in the courtyard.

“Haven’t seen him,” Chen Mingguang replied, speculating, “Maybe he hasn’t gotten up yet? He went to bed late last night, sat on the rooftop for a while.”

He hasn’t gotten up?

“Then go wake him,” she ordered.

Chen Mingguang hesitated, “That’s not really appropriate… What if he’s sleeping soundly?”

He thought to himself, I’m not as reckless as Wu Gang. Who knows which of you two will one day become the head of the sect? Best not to offend either.

Shu Le bit her lip, “You won’t go? Are you expecting me to do it?” Even as she spoke, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Who needs waking?” At that moment, Yin Tianyu emerged from beneath the eaves. Though the obligations of etiquette were largely dispensed with due to her undisclosed identity as a princess, they still lowered their eyes in a show of respect.

Shu Le said, “Gu Yi hasn’t gotten up yet. I was asking Mingguang to wake him. We agreed to go to the Qing River today.”

Yin Tianyu’s expression remained unreadable. “Let’s have breakfast first.”

Shu Le was dumbfounded. Breakfast again? Was eating truly so important?

“Why not wait for Gu Yi and eat together?” Chen Mingguang suggested.

Shu Le: Wait for him, too?

“No need,” Yin Tianyu realized the truth could no longer be concealed. “Gu Yi isn’t here anymore. He left last night to scout ahead at the Qing River.”

“What?! He went alone? Then we must hurry and join him!”

“He told us to wait. Shu Le, I believe his decision was carefully considered. We should wait for his return.”

Gu Yi had truly exhausted all of Shu Le’s patience. She was supposed to be the leader, so why should she simply wait here as told? Yet, as the other was a princess, she dared not protest too much. “When will he be back?”

“Was Lord Shu so eager for my return?” Gu Yi’s voice came unexpectedly from the rooftop beside the courtyard. Propping his chin in his palm, he looked a little travel-worn but otherwise unscathed.

“Gu Yi, you’re back!” The Seventh Princess seemed delighted.

Chen Mingguang and Wu Gang, on the other hand, were still confused. “Now we can have breakfast,” said Wu Gang.

Shu Le shot Wu Gang a glare. Always thinking of food.

So much for teamwork, she thought. He’d gone off on his own.

“Did you discover anything?” she asked.

Jumping down from above, Gu Yi replied, “Plenty, and one particular question. I’ll explain in a moment. First, let me introduce a few friends: they’re from the East Lake Isle Immortal Academy, and two are wounded and need rest.”

East Lake Isle?

No time for lengthy explanations, Gu Yi continued, “From now on, don’t address me as Gu Yi. Our enemies are likely searching for me. Call me Ma Yuan instead.”

Enemies? Everyone tensed at the word.

“They’re just outside. I told them my name is Ma Yuan—don’t get it wrong.”

Yin Tianyu glanced outside. “Since they’re cultivators from my homeland and some are injured, let’s bring them in at once. We can’t have them waiting outside.”

If you don’t have them wait, and you keep calling me Gu Yi—what am I supposed to do?

Shao Dong and Shao Yang each carried an injured companion, with Xin Chi following close behind.

“Third-year students of East Lake Academy, greetings to the honored members of Luyang Academy.”

Names were exchanged, but with the wounded needing rest, there was little time for pleasantries. General He Jiang ordered beds to be prepared for the injured and summoned a physician.

Every cultivator was a great asset; should war break out in the Chen Prefecture Basin, each would be a formidable force. The wounded needed treatment at once.

Once the two were settled, the three from East Lake Academy joined the main hall. Nine people gathered, with General He Jiang among them.

“Speak,” Shu Le commanded, her authority apparent before outsiders, with the Princess and Gu Yi seated to her left and right.

Gu Yi nodded. “Last night, I visited the Qing River. The body of He Yu is not missing—his grave has already been erected. This is odd. I believe He Yu’s death is a ruse: someone murdered him and is using his corpse as bait to provoke conflict between Luyang Academy and the Grand Rain Palace, escalating into a Xu-Li war.”

“My friends from East Lake Academy and I agree; we intended to destroy He Yu’s body—”

“That cannot be allowed!” the Seventh Princess interjected.

Gu Yi’s gaze sharpened; indeed, there was a question on his mind. “Tianyu, I have a question. He Yu was a traitor to the palace, practicing techniques of the Grand Rain Palace. The Grand Rain Palace fears outsiders may study secret arts from his corpse.”

“Then why does our country insist on obtaining his body? He never surrendered to us, and if His Majesty wishes to avoid war, why not simply disregard the corpse?”

Complex as it sounded, it seemed wishful thinking in practice. Neither side would permit events to unfold that way—he was merely trying to lay blame on Xu.

If Li wished for war, they could always find another excuse. But their insistence on He Yu’s body lacked sufficient justification.

Seeing the Princess hesitate, Gu Yi reminded her, “Tianyu, everyone here, from Shu Le down, is willing to die for Xu.”

The Seventh Princess clenched and unclenched her hands on her lap.

Shu Le spoke, “That cannot be allowed. He Yu harbors many secrets. We must ultimately settle the score with the Grand Rain Palace. If we retreat out of cowardice, then how far and for how long will we continue to retreat?”

The Princess nodded. “Yes, Shu Le is right.”

Is she? Gu Yi had his doubts. While, in the long run, Shu Le’s argument made sense, was it worth risking war with Li at this very moment?

“I think…” Shao Dong, whose thoughts aligned with Gu Yi’s, ventured cautiously, “I think maybe He Yu’s body conceals some greater secret. Otherwise, Qingfeng could have simply handed the body to General He Jiang, letting the Grand Rain Palace come and snatch it, which would have made matters simpler.”

Yet, they had not done so.

Could it be…

“Is this an empty fortress strategy?” Gu Yi narrowed his eyes, sensing he was drawing close.

“What do you mean by that?” Shu Le asked, puzzled.

“The grave may not even contain a body,” Gu Yi recalled what he’d seen. “The three from East Lake Academy should have sensed it too—the grave was sealed with powerful spirit-restraining talismans, which is why I didn’t act when I trapped Qingfeng.”

“If He Yu’s body truly hid a greater secret, those people wouldn’t have left him there for us to fight over. So perhaps the whole thing is a sham.”

Shu Le inquired, “Who exactly did you encounter—who are ‘those people’?”

Gu Yi paused.

Shao Dong answered, “We don’t know. A rather odd individual. We came from the east, and upon hearing of He Yu’s death, hadn’t left. Finding it strange, we investigated and discovered the grave this morning—there was someone guarding it.”

“So someone is deliberately inciting conflict between us and the Grand Rain Palace, though the intention is fairly obvious,” Chen Mingguang frowned, sensing deep shadows behind the plot.

“That’s the point,” Gu Yi said. “It’s an open conspiracy. No matter how blatant, both sides can see it, yet both will still fight for it.”

“In that case…” Shu Le said, “let us fight for it, then.”

At that moment, someone requested an audience outside.

“Enter!” commanded General He Jiang.

A soldier presented a report.

“The Grand Rain Palace envoy, Shu Yu, has arrived!”