Chapter 380

Chapter 380: A Glimmer of Hope

The Taixu Emperor, Jin Shengtian, held immense authority within the Taixu Dynasty, and no one dared to underestimate him simply because he was still young.

His status had been forged through raw power.

He ascended the throne by stepping over the corpses of his rivals—royal kin, no less. The current generation of the Taixu royal family was full of extraordinary talents, and none were mediocre.

Even setting aside Jin Shengtian himself, Jin Zhihong, Jin Zhihu, and Jin Liuli were already regarded as top-tier geniuses. Jin Zhihong had even achieved the Holy Body and awakened the Holy Eyes.

Now, facing the hostage in Zhang Yang’s grasp, Jin Shengtian said indifferently, “Give it to him.”

Jin Liuli’s heart trembled, that was a national treasure of the Cold Moon Dynasty.

If the Cold Moon Dynasty managed to reclaim it, defeating them in the future would become even more difficult.

Though she projected arrogance, dominance, and superiority in front of others, Jin Liuli dared not show any of that before Jin Shengtian. Gritting her teeth, she activated the ancient teleportation array and returned to the Hunters’ Guild headquarters within the Taixu Dynasty.

In just a moment, space twisted, and she reappeared through the teleportation array.

In her hand was a silver, heart-shaped jade stone.

At first glance, it looked plain and unremarkable.

But upon closer inspection, it resembled a true silver full moon, holding profound mysteries within its luminous glow.

Zhang Yang casually tossed Ye Wolf to the ground.

The throw was forceful, and Ye Wolf immediately fainted, lying helplessly at Zhang Yang’s feet.

Gasps rang out among the onlookers, their pupils contracting in shock.

The greatest assassination genius of the Western Desert, discarded like a dead dog. It was truly a shocking sight.

Yet, when they saw the Black Cloaked Strategist still half-alive in Zhang Yang’s grip, it all felt strangely expected. This fierce and unpredictable Lord of the Sacred Forest was indeed a terrifying figure.

Zhang Yang extended his hand, and the Mother Bead flew into his palm.

Jin Liuli had initially considered tossing it as a distraction to attempt a rescue, but when she noticed Jin Shengtian made no move, she dared not act recklessly. More importantly, she understood Zhang Yang’s message, throwing Ye Wolf like that was a warning. Any rash action would lead to death.

The Mother Bead disappeared into his storage bag.

“Let him go,” Jin Liuli demanded.

Jin Shengtian stood with his hands behind his back, watching coldly.

Yan Chihuo, Lu Hengkong, and the other princes and noble sons grew tense. Releasing the hostage could change the entire situation.

But Zhang Yang rolled his eyes and replied, “Let who go?”

“You’re being unreasonable!” Jin Liuli snapped.

Zhang Yang spat to the side. “Pah! Do you think I’m like you? I always conduct my business fairly, openly, and honestly I never deceive. That Mother Bead was just compensation for your people killing the Moon-Returning Dragon. There are still two others involved. You think this can be resolved with just one sacred treasure?”

Jin Liuli nearly exploded with rage. What do you mean ‘sacred treasure’? That’s a national artifact! A national artifact!

Those expecting a fierce battle; Yan Chihuo, Lu Hengkong, and the rest were dumbfounded. This was allowed?

Then again, considering that this shameless Lord of the Sacred Forest could justify demanding compensation for people still alive, it made a strange sort of sense.

“Bing Yuyan,” Zhang Yang continued, “you follow the Ice Path. I hear you possess the Ice Spirit Scroll. Hand it over as compensation for her.”

Jin Liuli’s eyes widened in shock.

The Ice Spirit Scroll was an incredibly rare treasure. It belonged to the Taixu Sacred Gate on the Northern Plains, passed down through generations. They had only obtained it after a brutal battle that destroyed a Super Holy Land which had dominated the region for nearly ten thousand years. The scroll contained that sacred land’s most profound cultivation methods.

During the Battle at Heavenly Reaching Mountain, Jin Liuli had personally witnessed Bing Yuyan’s terrifying strength, her prowess had forced Li Xingkuang, a powerhouse of the Great Boundless Perfect Stage, to retreat in disgrace. If she obtained the Ice Spirit Scroll, she would be like a tiger with wings.

Could she then aim to become the strongest in the world?

“Give it to him,” Jin Shengtian ordered coldly.

Clearly, he was also seething with fury.

Jin Liuli clenched her teeth and turned to retrieve it.

Such a valuable item was not carried casually, it was stored securely in the Taixu Palace, protected by saints in a heavily guarded area.

After a brief moment, Jin Liuli returned.

Grinding her teeth, choking back fury and humiliation, she tossed the Ice Spirit Scroll to Zhang Yang.

Another precious treasure entered his storage bag.

Zhang Yang nodded in satisfaction. “Good attitude. Let’s keep that energy going.”

Jin Liuli snapped, “What else do you want?”

She knew there was still one person left; Gu Qianmu. The ancient expert once hailed as the greatest informant in the Western Desert. Though he had returned after years of disappearance, he was no longer the brilliant figure he used to be.

"Let me think," Zhang Yang muttered. "I’m not even sure what he wants. Just a moment."

He activated the Spirit Communication Stone once again.

Light flickered across its surface, revealing the figures of Bing Yuyan, the Moon-Returning Dragon, Gu Qianmu, and a few others.

Zhang Yang said, “Ah, Gu, you’re looking a bit revived—that’s good! Since you’re feeling better, go ahead and tell Jin Shengtian and Jin Liuli what kind of compensation you want. Even though you’ll be dead soon, it can still be used for your burial.”

Gu Qianmu’s facial muscles twitched; for the first time in his life, hearing someone speak of his death didn’t feel offensive.

However, upon seeing Jin Shengtian, his expression unexpectedly turned serious.

Someone from the Zi Tian Pavilion could hardly contain their fury—this was outright manipulation, both shameless and infuriating. A textbook case of provoking others without facing any consequences.

Jin Shengtian’s face, meanwhile, had visibly paled.

Gu Qianmu spoke, “I want to know who set me up, who collaborated with the imperial family of the Great Xia Empire, leading to my disappearance in Mo City of the Southern Region. Who was the intermediary?”

This question had haunted him ever since his capture and eventual escape.

His journey to the Southern Region had been highly confidential, no one should have known.

He even suspected that the constant stream of problems and intelligence failures upon his return were all linked to the same culprit who had betrayed him.

"Alright, your revival moment is over. You’re dead again," Zhang Yang said flatly, ending the communication and storing the Spirit Communication Stone away.

This time, no one laughed. Gu Qianmu had raised a critical issue, one that gave even Jin Shengtian a serious headache.

The reason was simple.

Previously, Jin Liuli had lost the Hunters’ Guild personnel list during a bet atop Star Tiger Mountain in the Falling Star Mountain Range. Zhang Yang had published it directly to Gu Qianmu, who had immediately used the opportunity to strike, wiping out everyone listed.

While it had seemed like a minor incident, the damage dealt was profound, a deep wound for the Taixu Dynasty, one not easily healed.

Was the Taixu Dynasty deeply embedded within the sacred sects of the Western Desert? Everyone knew the answer wasn’t some, but many—an overwhelming number.

Some of these agents had even ascended to high-ranking positions.

The fact that such a catastrophic loss stemmed from a mere gambling match was devastating. It had cost them the lives of countless infiltrators, delivering a heavy psychological blow to all the remaining ones. They now lived in fear, wondering whether their years, or even centuries of work could be undone by another whim, another foolish bet by someone within the Taixu Dynasty.

The implications were far-reaching.

And now, it was happening again.

Moreover, the individual who could betray someone as experienced and cautious as Gu Qianmu had to be a figure of extremely high status—someone who had earned his absolute trust. That was a rarity, even within the Cold Moon Dynasty.

If such a person had indeed turned traitor, then all Taixu Dynasty operatives embedded in the Western Desert would likely be paralyzed with fear. They would dread exposure, and if the sacred sects seized this moment to strike, turning those insiders against the Taixu Dynasty, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Gu Qianmu had, with just a few words, placed Taixu Emperor Jin Shengtian in an impossible situation.