“It seems to me that Arch-Emperor City has been quiet for too long. The Arch-Emperor is starting to get ideas…. Therefore, the question is, of all the nobility and aristocracy connected to the imperial court, which of them… are loyal to the Arch-Emperor?” A grim look appeared in the Grand Heavenmaster’s eyes as he looked back down at the jade slip.
“This Bai Hao… has offended just about all of the nobles and aristocrats in Arch-Emperor City. Even the events of the Necromancer Kettle alone were enough to earn him public ire. In that case… I think having this Bai Hao alive would be much better for me than having him dead!” The Grand Heavenmaster smiled. The more people this Bai Hao offended, the more it meant that he was actually a free agent in the city, unconnected to anyone.
“Whether he’s Bai Hao or Bai Xiaochun doesn’t matter.” To the Grand Heavenmaster, it would be very valuable to have an unaffiliated government official on his side!
Furthermore, the hints given by the Hell-Emperor had the Grand Heavenmaster more interested in Bai Xiaochun than ever before. And the coincidence that he was backed by the Giant Ghost King made him even more enticing.
“If he actually becomes the Daoist partner of that Zhou Zimo, then that would cast some doubt onto my theory. But there’s no way the two of them will get together!” The Grand Heavenmaster knew that Bai Xiaochun was the perfect tool for him to use now that the Arch-Emperor seemed to be planning something. Furthermore, he had offended all the important people in the city. By giving him a chance, he could make him feel as if his only backer was the Grand Heavenmaster, a relationship which would only grow deeper as time progressed.
Furthermore, what he had heard about Bai Hao’s shakedowns in Giant Ghost City showed what kind of person he was. He would definitely make use of power to gain revenge. And that would help the Grand Heavenmaster seek out and sever any secret relationships that were developing between the aristocracy and the Arch-Emperor!
Having reached this point in his train of thought, the Grand Heavenmaster made his decision.
“Head immediately to Borough 89 with a Dharmic decree…. Bai Hao is to be appointed as inspections commissioner, and given command of 1,000 troops! And bring him to me immediately!”
Even as the Grand Heavenmaster’s words began to echo out, the air in front of him distorted, and a shadowy figure appeared. The figure seemed surprised when the position of inspections commissioner was mentioned, but bowed his head respectfully, voiced his assent, and then vanished.
Back in Borough 89, Bai Xiaochun was frowning as his mind raced with various thoughts regarding what was to come. Although he had a really bad premonition about what was going to happen, there was no way to escape at the moment, so he was forced to wait nervously.
“If I really have no other options, then I’ll find an opportunity to slip away. I still have a few Heavencleaving Good Fortune Pills left, and I can also use my mask to change appearances again if I really have to.”
As time passed and his anxiety mounted, Bai Xiaochun felt the pressure mounting. He was so nervous his heart itched as though it had grown grass, and his mouth and throat were completely dry.
“I can’t rely on the Giant Ghost King either. If he wanted to save me, he could have used the teleportation portal to come here by now….” At this point, he was in no mood to try to do anything brave. Casting a sidelong glance at Mistress Red-Dust and Chen Haosong, he slowly began to edge backward.
However, in the instant that he moved, the faces of Chen Haosong and the other heavenly dukes flickered. Mistress Red-Dust’s eyes glittered, and then all three devas suddenly looked in the same direction.
When Bai Xiaochun realized what was happening, he followed their line of sight to find the air distorting, and a black-robed figure stepping out into the open.
The sight of this newcomer caused Chen Haosong’s eyes to widen, and it was the same with the other heavenly duke and Mistress Red-Dust.
The nine heavenly marquises’ hearts began to tremble with fear.
Bai Xiaochun was almost crazy with nervousness, to the point where his heart was about to burst out of his chest. He was even worried it might just stop beating.
It was at that point that the black, shadowy figure, whose facial features weren’t even distinguishable, looked at Bai Xiaochun with glittering eyes.
“So, you’re Bai Hao!” The coldness of the voice seemed to Bai Xiaochun to be filled with killing intent, making him as nervous as a scared bunny rabbit.
“I’m not Bai Hao….” Previous Chapter Next Chapter
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Chapter
756: I'm... The Inspections Commissioner?
Bai Xiaochun’s voice quavered as he spoke, and even as it rang out, he suddenly darted away as surely as a rabbit whose tail had been stepped on….
The speed with which he moved left everyone stunned. Never could anyone present have imagined that Bai Xiaochun would flee like this in the face of this black-robed, shadowy figure.
Even the black-robed figure seemed stunned. He actually hadn’t intended to frighten Bai Xiaochun, he just naturally had a grim and sinister way of speaking, the type that normally was filled with perilous killing intent. In fact, he wasn’t even aware that it was the killing intent in his voice that had prompted Bai Xiaochun to flee the way he had….
The moment Bai Xiaochun scurried away, Chen Haosong’s eyes flashed, and he took a step forward to give chase. As for Mistress Red-Dust, her expression flickered, and she lunged to block Chen Haosong’s path.
The nine heavenly marquises all flew into the air, shouting loudly.
“How dare you flee, Bai Hao!”
“If the Grand Heavenmaster wants you dead, then there’s nowhere in heaven and earth that you could flee to!!”
Even the chosen whose life force had been drained all got very excited, and even began to laugh uproariously. As far as Zhou Hong was concerned, the heavens did have eyes, and it was with profound satisfaction that he looked at the fleeing Bai Xiaochun. “You will be killed beyond the shadow of a doubt, Bai Hao!!”
As the scene devolved into chaos, the black-robed figure suddenly burst into motion, piercing through the air to pass Chen Haosong, and then appear right in front of Bai Xiaochun.
“What are you doing, Bai Hao?!” he said in an angry voice.
Bai Xiaochun was on the verge of tears. By this point, it was obvious that this black-robed figure was a deva.
“Dammit, how come there are so many devas all of a sudden?!?!” Eyes bloodshot from terror at the deadly crisis, Bai Xiaochun let out a shout and drew upon the speed of his fleshly body to rocket off in a different direction.
At this point, the black-robed figure realized that he had scared Bai Xiaochun out of his wits. Unsure of whether to laugh or cry, he simply stood where he was and spoke in a gravelly voice.
“Hear the decree of the Grand Heavenmaster…. Bai Hao is hereby appointed as the inspections commissioner of Arch-Emperor City, and is given command of 1,000 troops!”
This was the most quickly and efficiently he had ever delivered a Dharmic decree in his entire life. Usually, he took his time, and spoke in a sinister fashion that put pressure on everyone who heard his words. But now, it was with a bitter smile that he spit the words out as quickly as possible.
Immediately, everything went completely quiet. The heavenly marquises who had been chasing Bai Xiaochun turned with wide eyes toward the black-robed figure, unsure if they had misheard.
“Inspections… commissioner?!”
Chen Haosong had been blocked by Mistress Red-Dust, but was just preparing to continue chasing Bai Xiaochun, when he heard the words and instantly stopped in place, turning to look at the black-robed figure with an expression of complete incredulity. The other heavenly duke was equally stunned.
Mistress Red-Dust’s eyes went wide at the sheer outrageousness of it all. Her original guess had been that if the Grand Heavenmaster wanted to give some face to the Giant Ghost King, then he would order Bai Hao to return to Giant Ghost City.