Chapter 308: I Shall Speak with Him Alone When the Time Comes
Deep within the imperial palace,
A dossier was closed and placed on the desk, emitting a muffled thud heavier than usual.
"Your Majesty?"
Standing nearby, Wutong looked at the stunningly beautiful young Empress whose expression had darkened slightly, and couldn't help but softly call out.
"…It's nothing, just some concerns regarding the Nether Formation."
Dressed in her imperial robe, the Empress picked up another dossier and flipped it open casually, though a trace of anger flickered in her beautiful phoenix-like eyes.
In her mind, a newly-formed memory played out vividly.
In the vision was a figure wearing a feathered mask, speaking animatedly as if revealing an earth-shattering secret.
"Kirin, I have a colossal secret to tell you—Why are you looking at me like that? Relax, my intel is solid!"
"Remember what I told you before, about the relationship between Her Majesty and that Holy Saint of the Demon Sect?"
"Haha! With this betrothal in place, that lad's chances of becoming the Empress's future consort have increased again! I know you favor that lad too, how about—"
"Huh? Don't walk away! Wait—you're not actually interested in him too, are you?"
Heh, Night Crow, what a character.
Clearly, I've been far too lenient with him.
'It just so happens the possible Nether Formation over the capital has yet to be fully investigated...'
The young Empress's eyes gleamed. Yet, Wutong, standing beside her, spoke with concern:
"Your Majesty's worries are indeed justified. The Netherkin Nation' three years of preparation are truly unexpected—they managed to hide such a high-level special formation so well. If it were to activate in the capital without warning, the consequences would indeed be unimaginable."
"But fortunately, due to our investigation around the Wandering Immortal Inn triggered by the tribulation lightning and the subsequent changes in natural energy flows, we found traces of the first formation node. That allowed us to take precautions against this matter."
The concern in Wutong's masked eyes lessened somewhat:
"Now, with our efforts, three formation nodes have been destroyed. Moreover, with our increased vigilance, even if the Netherkin Nation have more formations in hiding, we are unlikely to be caught off guard and may even turn the situation to our advantage."
"And all this is thanks to Your Majesty's order to investigate every suspicious matter around Wandering Immortal Inn!"
As one of the most senior members of the Six Gate Bureau organization and a true confidante of the Empress, Wutong excelled in the art of diplomacy.
At this moment, she could have pointed out the contribution of the Demon Sect's Holy Saint in this matter. However, doing so would have been too conspicuous.
Wutong, tasked with subtly sparking her Empress's romantic feelings and boosting the Holy Saint's presence in her mind, prided herself on her finesse.
She always felt the old ministers urging the Empress to marry through documents lacked true skill.
See? Her Majesty's expression now—it clearly means she's thinking of the Holy Saint!
"The discovery of the Nether Formation traces was largely due to Lord Luo's triggering of the tribulation lightning at that location, altering the natural energy flows and leaving significant clues. Without that, it's hard to say how long it would have taken us to uncover this plot."
The Empress lightly shook her head.
"When I sought him that day, I didn't expect such an outcome."
She flipped open another dossier.
"The Human Immortal List is imminent. If the Netherkin Nation plan to strike against the Immortal Nation, they likely won't do so during the contest—it would only anger all the participating human sects. The most likely time would be after the contest concludes."
"However, there's always room for unexpected events. Given that we've thwarted much of their three-year preparation, the longer they wait, the worse it will be for them..."
"Unless the Netherqueen regains her peak strength. In that case, time may not matter to them."
If that happens, and the former emperor doesn't return, and the Imperial Temple remains sealed, they will have no choice but to request the aid of the Taoist Sect Master.
The dossiers were closed in unison.
Silence enveloped the hall for a moment.
"Your Majesty…"
Wutong seemed to want to say something, but the Empress spoke instead:
"...Regarding the Nether Formation, perhaps Lord Luo might have some insight. I happen to have other matters to discuss with him. Summon him to the Imperial Pool tomorrow or the day after in secret."
Without looking up from the dossier, the Empress added nonchalantly:
"I shall speak with him alone then."
These words left Wutong momentarily stunned before she quickly bowed her head.
"As you command."
"And remember to summon Night Crow later—I have new tasks for him."
<+>
Dusk.
The crowd outside the Demon Artifact Pavilion finally began to disperse.
It was clear to everyone that they wouldn't get to see what they came for today.
However, no one was particularly disappointed—they had expected as much.
The Demon Artifact Pavilion was also closing for the day.
After a surprisingly uneventful first day, Luo Wusheng conducted a final training session for the new Demon Sect disciples.
The day had been far quieter than he expected—so quiet, in fact, that it felt wrong.
No one dared cause trouble on the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect's turf, and only two groups of visitors came: one from Six Gate Bureau, and the other… also from Six Gate Bureau.
When Wutong informed him that the Empress wished to see him in the palace, Luo Wusheng was briefly stunned.
Hadn't he just sent off Miss Kirin, the Empress's Mortal Alter Ego? Why was her Imperial Alter Ego summoning him already?
After a moment's thought, he understood.
This was the Empress wanting to speak to him in her role as the ruler of the Immortal Nation. After all, some matters could only be discussed in that capacity.
'That's the trouble with maintaining so many identities… But it's also an advantage—I can set aside the marriage issue for now.'
'Since I'm meeting the Empress the day after tomorrow, I should try activating the Holy Saint Token tonight to avoid delays…'
Having made his decision, Luo Wusheng relayed this plan to his junior sister, asking her to inform Lu Yuliu that he wouldn't be returning tonight.
However, when he mentioned meeting the Empress, he noticed a faint emotional ripple in Bai Xiaoyao.
Hmm?
Before he could think further, the demoness put on a sweet smile and promised to pass on the message to Lu Yuliu
And so, Luo Wusheng realized something.
Ordinary Demon Sect disciples wouldn't spread rumors about the marriage contract, and even if they did, no one would believe them. But what about Yuli and Bai Xiaoyao?
Damn. I've been so preoccupied lately that I overlooked this little detail.
Explaining it now would seem like a case of "the more you explain, the worse it sounds."
Better to rely on his reputation as a paragon of discipline.
With this thought, the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect set off for Wandering Immortal Inn for the first time in a week.
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