Stranger Danger

"Oh right, I almost forgot. Thank you for assisting me in settling Chief Fang and the others in," Ye Qing offered Feng Qingyou his thanks.

By now, Ye Qing had figured out why Feng Qingyou had specifically asked him to bring his friends to this place.

Feng Qingyou was very close to Lady Canglang, and Canglang City was Lady Canglang's domain. With her protection, his Pacification Bureau friends did not need to worry about their safety too much. They would remain safe even after they screwed over Emperor Jing Run and pissed him off massively. When the guy tried to vent on his friends, he would see Lady Canglang standing in his way and be forced to think twice.

"It is only right. After all, they will most likely become part of the consequences of our future actions. It is only right that we shield them from the harm as much as possible, " answered Feng Qingyou while lying lazily on the table and playing with her wine cup.

"So, when are we departing for Chu?"

He didn't ask if Feng Qingyou had successfully leaked the news to Clear Sky Palace, Earthly Sovereign Hall and Human Sovereign Mountain. He had at least that much confidence in her abilities. Besides, she would not have invited him to a leisurely drink if she did fail.

"The day after tomorrow. It is not yet the right time."

Feng Qingyou replied lazily, "Emperor Jing Run has just obtained the Earthly Sovereign Bell. Even if the devouring and refining process has already begun, it is not yet at a point where he couldn't forcefully stop it. This means he still has an out."

"If the Clear Sky Palace, Earthly Sovereign Hall, and Human Sovereign Mountain were to challenge Emperor Jing Run now, it is very possible he would choose to surrender the Earthly Sovereign Bell to them to save himself. So long as there is still a lush mountain, there will be wood to burn, amirite?"

"On the other hand, if the devouring and refining process has reached a critical point, if the connection between the Earthly Sovereign Bell and Heavens' Eye has become too strong to sever, then Emperor Jing Run no longer has the option of surrender. He would definitely fight the three sects to the death to ensure the completion of his plans. This is the best way to ensure that neither side wins in the end."

Ye Qing frowned. "But if the Earthly Sovereign Bell and Heavens' Eye becomes inseparable, then how can we reclaim the Earthly Sovereign Bell?"

"Easy. We take the Heavens' Eye too!" Feng Qingyou answered matter-of-factly.

"What?" Ye Qing exclaimed with unbridled shock.Did I hear wrong, or did you say wrong, sister?

"What? Like I said, we just rob everything! What's the problem?" Feng Qingyou asked.

Ye Qing: "..."

Are you even listening to yourself? This is the Heavens' Eye, the national relic of Chu we're talking about! You make it sound like we're stealing cabbages or something!

As if she could guess his thoughts, Feng Qingyou continued casually, "I should remind you that the Earthly Sovereign Bell is much more famous and prestigious than the Heavens' Eye, and we are scheming to rob it. So why are you balking at the idea of robbing the Heavens' Eye?"

"It's a robbery either way. In that case, why not aim to get both?"

"Oh, I get it. The reason you're getting involved isn't just to help me, but also to get the Heavens' Eye, isn't it?" Ye Qing suddenly realized something and eyed Feng Qingyou suspiciously.

Feng Qingyou didn't deny it. Smirking, she said, "It's a freebie. What's not to like?"

"Well, it makes sense. Very well." Ye Qing shrugged. It sounded like a difficult endeavor. In fact, it was a difficult endeavor. But if Feng Qingyou wanted the Heavens' Eye, then what could he do besides seeing it through with her until the end?

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. "Assuming that everything goes smoothly, you know that Emperor Jing Run will come after us like a mad hound, right?"

"It was us or him to begin with," Feng Qingyou said indifferently. "So what's the point of worrying about retribution now? Don't you agree?"

"What else can I say? I will accompany you until the end!" Ye Qing shrugged again.

Feng Qingyou beamed. "Now that is a statement that should be celebrated with a drink!"

"Unfortunately, we've already drained every last drop of the 'Eternal Blue Sky'."

"Follow me. I know a place where there is more!"

"Are you going to steal the Lady's wine again? Really?"

"Stealing? That word doesn't exist between sisters, does it? At worst, I'm borrowing her wine!"

"Haha... what a good sister you are!"

"Of course. So? Are you coming?"

"Sure. Why not?"

......

Chu, the imperial capital, the Heavens' Eye Tower.

Emperor Jing Run was standing on the Heavens' Eye Tower with his hands clasped behind his back and his gaze set on the gigantic Strange Artifact floating amidst the clouds: the Heavens' Eye. It was impossible to decipher the thoughts and emotions behind those eyes.

Although the Heavens' Eye remained as grand and potent as ever, multiple cracks were marring its normally smooth, unblemished surface. What was a perfect mirror now looked broken, and the fact was its aura was a lot more imperfect than before.

In fact, for the past few months, the citizens living in the capital could often see dark, jagged scars on what was supposed to be an unblemished sky during daytime. When it was nighttime, the sky was also dark and downcast instead of starry.

Besides that, the weather had gone mad as well. The imperial capital normally enjoyed four seasons of spring, but now it had become very unpredictable. Sometimes, a terrible snowstorm would fall. Sometimes, the wind would blow like a hurricane. There was even a terrible drought not long ago, not to mention the Stranger sightings and attacks... All of this had never happened until the sky was broken.

Naturally, the citizens of the capital were quite worried. They had no idea what was going on either.

The wealthy and influential though, they knew exactly what was going on.

All these happenings were tied to the Heavens' Eye above their heads.

And all these anomalies were occurring because the Heavens' Eye was severely damaged.

The ignorant did not even know what the problem was, but those who knew the truth were silent about the matter as well.

The reason was very simple. It was because they were at the imperial capital, and the culprit who broke the Heavens' Eye was none other than the lord and master of this city, the emperor of Chu himself.

For obvious reasons, it was always a grave crime to criticize the emperor. To do so right under his nose? It was a crime punishable by death!

This statement was proven after Emperor Jingrun beat three imperial censors who tried to advise and appeal to his better senses to death in the courtroom. No one inside or outside the courtroom dared to breathe a word about it either.

Chu styled itself as the state of etiquette and the nation of books and poems. They did not just treat scholars with respect, it was a fact that literary officials enjoyed a higher status than others in the imperial court. For example, imperial censors, court admonishers, and officials who dared to speak frankly before the emperor were viewed as the voices of the people, the fish bone of the minister, and the mirror of the emperor. They were deeply respected in Chu.

Up until this point, all emperors of Chu were kind and tolerant toward imperial censors, court admonishers, and officials who dared to speak frankly before them. There was even a law where such people should be rewarded instead of punished for speaking up, and even a Son of Heaven was not allowed to kill them without good reason.

However, Emperor Jing Run completely disregarded both tradition and law. Not only did he kill the three imperial censors, he did not even bother making an excuse or labeling them as criminals. He simply said,

"Take them away and beat them to death!"

That was Emperor Jing Run's attitude. That was also his warning to everyone both inside and outside the imperial court.

That was why the foolish were foolish, and the wise were also pretending to be foolish.

Of course, Emperor Jing Run's action had incurred a not insignificant amount of displeasure and worry among his officials. Some of them were even meeting in private and plotting a rebuttal against his tyranny.

Truly, Chu was embroiled in internal and external threats right now.

Emperor Jing Run knew all this. He knew everything.

He didn't care though.

He knew that all of this was happening because the Heavens' Eye had sustained serious damage.

He also believed that all of his problems would be solved, and everything would return to normal once the Heavens' Eye was repaired.

Luckily, that day wasn't far away.

In fact, it was very close at hand.