Guarding the Prison for 100 Years, I Emerge to Overwhelm the Demon Venerable
Chapter 116 - 115: The Duke’s Death, Discerning the Great Dao! 8th-Grade Divine Technique, [Ears of Discernment]
Su Bai looked up.
The carriage was magnificent, lavishly decorated, and gleamed a noble gold!
A piece of Purple Jade was embedded in the center of the carriage, shimmering with a splendid, extraordinary light!
The guards and attendants escorting the carriage were not weak in their Cultivation. Nearly half possessed Divine Power, with a few being Extraordinary!
Among them, two men stood closest to the carriage.
One was nearly two meters tall and powerfully built, with a bald head and white eyebrows. His Cultivation was at the Innate Realm!
The other man had an obscure aura and a thin, wiry frame. He cradled a Black Sword, his expression as cold as frost!
His Cultivation was also at the Innate Realm!
’To have two Innate Realm attendants as personal guards, and with such a grand display... just what major figure is sitting inside that carriage?’
Su Bai was curious.
With a flicker of his Divine Thoughts,
he probed the inside of the carriage.
Inside, he saw a middle-aged man in simple robes, with peculiar blue eyebrows and a stern, unsmiling face, sitting upright!
Though his robes were simple, his features exuded the distinct air of someone in a high position.
His Cultivation had also reached the Innate Realm Ninth Layer, just one step away from breaking through to the Spirit Transformation Realm!
’This man’s condition doesn’t seem very good...’
Su Bai frowned slightly, a sense of doubt rising within him.
His Divine Thoughts detected what seemed to be a deep-seated toxic energy hidden within the man’s Divine Spirit!
It was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows—bloodthirsty and cruel!
The only reason this wisp of toxic energy hadn’t erupted yet was because it was being forcefully suppressed by something.
Many commoners, like Su Bai, had stepped aside to make way.
By lingering for just a moment, Su Bai overheard the surrounding commoners and learned the man’s identity.
As it turned out, the man was a Duke!
He was of the Royal Family’s bloodline and had once rendered great and meritorious service to the Great Xia Dynasty!
In recognition of his deeds, Emperor Xia had specially granted him the title of Duke!
He was also granted a fiefdom.
No one knew why he had come to the Imperial City now.
"That’s Duke Xu! He was once third on the Talent Chart!"
"But alas, fate is fickle. He doesn’t have much time left!"
Su Bai followed the voice with his eyes.
A middle-aged scholar in a long gown, holding a teal-colored book, let out a slow sigh.
Su Bai actually recognized this man.
It was the owner of the Daoist Study, whom he had met when he first entered the shop!
Back then, the man had even given him a few good books for free, which was a nice gesture.
Looking up at the sign, Su Bai realized he had unconsciously wandered right to the entrance of the Daoist Study.
He saw the shopkeeper’s faint, ambiguous smile.
Su Bai asked curiously, "The carriage’s curtains were never opened just now. How did you know the man’s identity, Shopkeeper?"
"Ah? The carriage curtains weren’t opened just now?"
The shopkeeper exclaimed in surprise.
"When were they ever opened?"
Su Bai was speechless. ’This shopkeeper’s acting is just terrible!’
"Heh heh... perhaps I was mistaken!"
The shopkeeper just chuckled, unconcerned.
He held up the book in his hand and chuckled. "A fine drizzle on a good day like this is the perfect time to read and contemplate the Great Dao!"
"Young brother, why not come in for some tea, a bit of reading, and a chat?"
"We’ve recently added many new and interesting books!"
"Alright."
At the owner’s repeated invitations, Su Bai could only reluctantly agree and step inside.
It wasn’t because he was interested in any "interesting books."
It was because a startling suspicion had taken root in his mind...
The carriage’s curtains were never opened as it passed.
He could see the Duke inside the carriage because his Divine Thoughts were extremely powerful.
Yet the owner of the Daoist Study before him had not only seen the Duke’s true face, but had also been able to state bluntly that the man’s life was almost over!
How?
The Duke’s Mansion procession that just passed had two Innate Realm experts, and the Duke himself was at the Innate Realm Ninth Layer!
’To be able to use Divine Thoughts to probe them without alerting any of those three... this shopkeeper’s Cultivation...’
’...must be at the Spirit Transformation Realm, at the very least, right?’
Relying on the power of his own Divine Thoughts, Su Bai sent them out to probe the shopkeeper.
And sure enough, the next moment...
...a vast Sea of Consciousness, radiating an immense silvery-white light, materialized before Su Bai’s mind’s eye!
He was inwardly astonished.
’I never expected a simple bookstore owner to have a Martial Arts Cultivation at the Ninth Level of Spirit Transformation Realm!’
Though the Sea of Consciousness this man had condensed was incomparable to Su Bai’s in both size and quality,
the difference between them was like comparing the bright moon in the sky to a shard of jade in a gutter.
But regardless, the Spirit Transformation Realm was still the Spirit Transformation Realm!
Even the most ordinary expert in the Spirit Transformation Realm surpassed the vast majority of the world’s Martial Dao Cultivators.
On the surface, Su Bai remained impassive and began to make small talk with this "Top-level Sixth," the bookstore owner.
「At the same time!」
「Inside the Emperor’s Hall of the Imperial City Palace.」
The carriage of the Duke’s Mansion finally came to a slow stop before the hall’s entrance.
From within the Celestial Dragon Hall, the voice of Emperor Xia, who had already received the news, drifted out.
"Brother, please, come in and sit with me."
"COUGH... COUGH!"
As the solemn-faced Duke Xu stepped out of the carriage, he couldn’t stop himself from coughing up blood!
It was a blackish-red, mixed with startling flecks of green!
"Your Grace!"
The two Innate Realm attendants at his side looked alarmed and immediately rushed forward to support him!
"There’s no need!"
But Duke Xu waved them off.
He lifted his blood-streaked eyes and gazed at the familiar Emperor’s Hall, his expression becoming dazed!
Under the bright sun, he was suddenly flooded with memories of his youth, of playing and laughing in this very place. The past seemed like a dream, the years flowing by like water.
Returning to his senses,
he dragged himself forward, step by agonizing step.
After entering the Emperor’s Hall,
only Emperor Xia was inside; no one else was present.
"Brother, you have suffered!"
Emperor Xia bade him sit, then fell silent for a moment before sighing sorrowfully.
To outsiders, Duke Xu was a man of noble status, a member of the Royal Family’s bloodline!
He had a fiefdom in a rich and fertile territory, far from the power struggles of the Imperial City. He should have been living a comfortable and carefree life!
But that was not the case.
Ostensibly, he was a Duke of Great Xia, noble and extraordinary!
But in reality, he was an Elder of the Black Lotus Sect, holding a position of considerable power.
More than that, he was a crucial hidden pawn planted in the Black Lotus Sect by Emperor Xia himself!
In the past, the capture of the Black Lotus Sect Elder Chen Qing by the high command of Great Xia was only possible because Duke Xu played a critical role!
He had come this time to report a matter of great importance to Emperor Xia.
"Fourth Brother!"
With no one else around, Duke Xu used his old, more intimate term of address.
His expression was extremely grave as he began to speak.
"Seven days ago, the Black Lotus Sect’s Sea Overturning Venerable, together with the Soul-devouring Demon Sect’s Netherworld Ascendant, paid a visit to the master of the Sun and Moon Pavilion!"
"The group then traveled to the Outer Realm together, seemingly to launch some important plan!"
"I spent days making covert inquiries within the Black Lotus Sect. I had just found a few leads when, unexpectedly, I was exposed!"
"If not for the Dragon Spirit you gave me all those years ago, Fourth Brother, which protected my Divine Spirit in time, I’m afraid I would have long since..."
"COUGH... COUGH!"
As he spoke, the light in his eyes dimmed, and he couldn’t help but cough up more blood.
"Brother! Quickly, take this Elixir!"
Emperor Xia frowned, hastily taking out a golden Elixir and handing it to him.
"It’s no use, Fourth Brother..."
After a moment, Duke Xu recovered slightly.
His breathing grew faint, almost nonexistent!
With little life left in him, he held on with his last breath!
Finally, he mumbled,
"The information... I uncovered... isn’t much. I only know... their plan is connected..."
"...to the Demon... Lord..."
With his last words spoken,
Duke Xu seemed to have finally laid down the heavy burden on his heart.
He took one last, deep look at Emperor Xia...
...then slowly closed his eyes and departed from the world!
"Brother! You’ve endured so much..."
Emperor Xia gripped Duke Xu’s right hand, also closing his eyes slowly.
Beneath the flickering candlelight,
two streams of clear tears fell silently!
An emperor’s tears are rare, shed only for a grief too deep to bear.
...
「An hour later.」
Su Bai left the Daoist Study and returned to the prison.
He wandered around for a bit, and time slowly passed...
Late at night, the bright moon hung high in the sky.
’These Hearing and Seeing Divine Techniques are actually quite useful to me!’
’And I happen to have accumulated a good amount of Experience Points!’
’Let’s try a little upgrade spree!’
Su Bai thought to himself as he sat in his rocking chair.
After killing the Young Tower Master of the Sun and Moon Pavilion and numerous other experts, Su Bai had gained fifteen million Experience Points!
With what he had accumulated since then, Su Bai’s total Experience Points had broken past the twenty million mark!
After some thought, Su Bai opened his panel to check the information on his Hearing and Seeing Divine Techniques.
[Divine Technique: Hearing and Seeing Divine Techniques! (Sixth Grade) Realm: 6th Layer (145,370/1,000,000)]
And as Experience Points were continuously poured in...
...the level of his Hearing and Seeing Divine Techniques began to skyrocket!
The 6th Layer was completed, entering the 7th Layer!
The 7th Layer was completed, entering the 8th Layer!
Soon, the Hearing and Seeing Divine Techniques were raised to the 9th Layer!
And when the 9th Layer...
...which required a full eight million Experience Points, was completely filled!
The Hearing and Seeing Divine Techniques underwent an astonishing transformation!
[Divine Technique: Ears of Discernment (Eighth Grade!) Realm: 10th Layer (0/10,000,000)]