Chapter 234 - 196: The Latecomer

Indeed, there were rumors that this mysterious Mr. Mo had been personally brought into the Heavenly Court by the Jade Emperor himself.

But how could such a person possibly be involved with the weapon in the hands of the Demon Emperor? Yin Qi could not solve this puzzle.

However, he quickly buried these deep suspicions in his heart, deciding it was better not to know the things that the Supreme did not wish to be known.

As he pondered, he gradually approached the gates of the Heavenly Forge Bureau, where from afar, he could hear Mr. Mo’s loud voice.

"Everyone better scrutinize carefully, just what is going on here, weren’t you all so arrogant that even your nostrils were pointing to the heavens?"

"The Treasure Ship has had issues time and again, weren’t you the ones who thumped your chests and guaranteed its safety?"

Inside, Mr. Mo was speaking with spit flying everywhere, and the smiths of the Heavenly Forge Bureau, who usually strutted around full of life, were now hanging their heads, letting Mr. Mo’s saliva spray on their faces.

Yin Qi’s lips curved into a slight smile, noticing that Mr. Mo indeed had quite a temper.

Upon entering, he realized that all the personnel of the Heavenly Forge Bureau were gathered for a lecture, and he spoke a bit awkwardly, "It seems I’ve come at a bad time."

"No need, I’m done here, come with me," said Mr. Mo without paying any more attention to the others standing around, and led Yin Qi straight into the interior of the Heavenly Forge Bureau, which was his workplace and also his home in the Heavenly Court.

As a true workaholic, he was practically always here, furiously conducting research at all times.

Yin Qi looked around curiously, feeling as if he had stepped into a new world; he was aware that the Heavenly Forge Bureau was a crucial place within the Heavenly Court.

It wasn’t easy for ordinary people to walk in here unless they had an invitation from Mr. Mo.

Everywhere around were all manner of mechanisms and weapons placed, each one a curious item that Yin Qi had never seen before, stirring a desire within him to perhaps coax some out of Mr. Mo.

"My place is rather simple, please have a seat while I pour you some tea," said Mr. Mo, and without waiting for Yin Qi’s protest, he poured a cup of tea, then inquired with concern, "Think back carefully, what did that Short Dagger look like?"

Yin Qi, upon hearing this, became somewhat nervous and set his tea cup on the table, describing the style of the Short Dagger in detail, though his description was far from its actual appearance.

"So, do you have any recollection?" Yin Qi asked curiously.

Mr. Mo, however, gently shook his head; apart from the color of the blade which he found very familiar, he had no impression of this style.

He then sighed and said, "I have no impression; if only I could have seen this weapon with my own eyes."

"That’s probably impossible now; with the fall of the Demon Emperor, this weapon would naturally have been destroyed as well," Yin Qi shook his head and replied.

"Ah, still, thank you," said Mr. Mo, his spirits dampened. He had thought he might recover a part of the past, but alas, he had found nothing. His mood dropped and he no longer engaged Yin Qi, sitting quietly on a stool and staring into space.

Seeing this, Yin Qi quietly withdrew; he did not dare linger for long nor say anything he shouldn’t, as that would not have been good.

As he left, he looked back one last time at Mr. Mo and saw that he was still sitting upright on the stool, bathed in bright light which allowed Yin Qi to clearly see that his expression was one of deep melancholy.

However, the thought of Mr. Mo having lost his past sent shivers down Yin Qi’s spine. For a person to forget their past and live in a daze was indeed a terrifying thing.

He couldn’t help but look up at the distant Lingxiao Treasured Palace.

Under the sunlight, this most majestic building in the Heavenly Court appeared especially august. Surrounded by occasional fairies and Divine Dragons swooping by and clouds enveloping it, the palace seemed solemn and sacred.

Yet for some reason, Yin Qi felt a chill and couldn’t shake the feeling that this seemingly solemn and sacred hall was like a monstrous beast with a gaping maw, choosing its next victim to devour.

The joy of becoming famous across the Three Realms for defeating the Demon Emperor had also dimmed considerably, so he hurried back to his Marshal’s Residence to enjoy a much-needed respite.

Meanwhile, within the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, that mysterious figure in black appeared once again.

"Has he remembered something?" the Jade Emperor asked softly.

"He probably feels something familiar since that weapon was crafted by his own hands." The eerie voice emanated from beneath the cloak, laced with a hint of sighing.

"You’re sure your methods are foolproof?"

"Rest assured, his past has been thoroughly buried. Unless the Demon Emperor himself comes, there is absolutely no chance of failure," the figure in black confidently asserted.

Upon hearing this, a rare smile appeared on the Jade Emperor’s usually expressionless face as he spoke, "That’s right, I do trust your methods."

"Then let’s not bother with him any longer. After all, there are many weapons that still need his touch in the Heavenly Court. Have you found the Demon Emperor’s contingency?"

"Heh, the Demon Master thinks his actions are concealed, but I have found them and preemptively planted a mole. Once they use that method to resurrect, that’s when the real show begins," said the man in black, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Then, turning his head toward Luzhou in the North, he muttered to himself, "If all goes as expected, they should have already begun."

In the direction of the man in black’s gaze, within a deep valley in Luzhou in the North, the Demon Master strolled leisurely with the Nine-headed Insect.

"Demon Master, what are your intentions for bringing me here?" Nine-headed Insect asked with a smile, although his eyes were filled with tension, and his voice quivered involuntarily.

"Little Jiu, do you remember what I once told you?" The Demon Master stopped walking, sighed, and then slowly asked.

"What did you say?" Nine-headed Insect was puzzled.

"I told you that the blood flowing in your veins is the most noble within the Three Realms, and that you bear the hope of our Demon Clan’s rise," the Demon Master said gently.

"Yes, I was very young then," Nine-headed Insect also sighed.

Back then, he was a naive youth who held endless respect for this elder. So, when he heard these words, he made it his mission to become a powerful Demon King and lead the Demon Clan to glory.

It wasn’t until later that he accidentally learned of the plan and realized that behind the warm facades were devious schemes, and he had been a pawn from the very start.

At that moment, his world collapsed, and he became a rebellious youth, leaving Luzhou in the North in search of his own sanctuary.

"Yes, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and you have grown up," the Demon Master said with a trace of melancholy in his voice.

He gazed at the somewhat defiant-looking monster before him.