Chapter 316 - 255 Rebellion_2

The Jade Emperor was acutely aware of these issues, but he did not have many solutions. When the Three Pure Ones were in power, peace reigned throughout the Three Realms, and these conflicts would gradually dissipate with the deaths of the Immortals until the arrival of the next turning point.

However, the sudden departure of the Three Pure Ones gave those unwilling to die a glimmer of hope. They were not willing to wait any longer, and so the war was in fact inevitable from the moment the Three Pure Ones vanished.

Previously, the Jade Emperor had used every means to conceal the anomalies of the Three Pure Ones, thus delaying the arrival of this day.

"Since it has come to this, let’s see the truth in action!" the Jade Emperor’s commanding voice echoed through the Heavenly Court, signaling the beginning of the war.

Meanwhile, countless Immortals rushed into the Heavenly Court, attempting to seize control of the power center of the Three Realms.

Inside Marshal Tianpeng’s Mansion, Yin Qi heard the deafening shouts and cries of battle outside, and his face became extremely conflicted. At this moment, he stood at the crossroads of his life, his next choice would bring a revolutionary change to his destiny.

By his side was a Heavenly General clad in silver armor, but there was not a trace of admiration on this general’s face, rather a barely detectable hint of contempt.

"Marshal, it’s time to make a decision. The decaying dynasty will fall, and upon its ruins we will establish a new era," the Heavenly General said with a fanatic gleam in his eye and an excited tone.

At these words, Yin Qi let out a cold laugh and said, "You’re too arrogant. I know His Majesty very well, and he is not one to be taken lightly."

"Of course, we know he’s not easy to handle, but after all, Great Emperor Gouchen is there to distract him," the Heavenly General said with a smile, pointing at the imposing figure standing in the sky.

Yin Qi’s face turned solemn; he knew the general was not wrong. Great Emperor Gouchen, one of the Four Imperial Lords of Heaven, was universally recognized for his formidable combat prowess, on par with the Northern True Martial Emperor. In comparison, the Jade Emperor had few known achievements in battle.

With such a powerful emperor taking action, the likelihood of success was very high.

Seeming to notice the indecision in Yin Qi’s eyes, the heavenly general continued, "Although everyone in the Heavenly Court says that you are the Jade Emperor’s most valued and beloved general, which is why he entrusted the Celestial River Navy to you, we all know very well that His Majesty trusts that recently joined Monkey even more."

"In his eyes, you are nothing more than an expendable piece, regardless of how humbly you behave or how hard you work, you can’t replace the status of that Monkey."

"And now, he is gradually encroaching on your authority. Perhaps one day, with just a command from the Supreme, you’ll have to hand over your position as Marshal Tianpeng without a fight."

The Heavenly General’s words were laden with temptation, revealing Yin Qi’s raw wounds in a ruthless display.

"Enough!" Yin Qi erupted in anger.

But the opposing Heavenly General was unrelenting, his voice undulating, as if some special technique made his words all the more persuasive.

"You know very well, although he nominally trusts you, you’re actually never part of his innermost circles of management. You don’t even have the right to set foot in the Heavenly Forge Bureau, and given the current circumstances, it’s clear that you’ve lost any chance of advancing higher."

The Heavenly General kept pouring salt on the wound, his words echoing like a curse in Yin Qi’s ears, causing great irritation.

A cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth as he said, "Indeed, if I’m such an insignificant figure, why come to me? Is this not a waste of effort?"

Yin Qi tried to take control of the tempo of the negotiations, but it was evident that the Heavenly General opposite him was adept at this kind of exchange.

He laughed softly and said, "To the Jade Emperor, you may be insignificant, but to us, you are the irreplaceable choice for Marshal Tianpeng. After all, we are not familiar with the Treasure Ship, which is a unique advantage you possess."

"So it’s my Treasure Ship you are after!"

"Of course, after all, we naturally hope to have such a divine weapon in our grasp, or at the very least ensure it doesn’t become an obstacle to us,"

"You can’t even stop the Treasure Ship, so what confidence do you have to spout grand words here, expecting me to join you? Is it just because of your glib tongue?" A glint of murderous intent flashed in Yin Qi’s eyes, as he genuinely felt an urge to strike the other down.

But he didn’t dare, for the figure of Great Emperor Gouchen still lingered in the sky, and with the current situation unclear, he wasn’t willing to place his bet just yet.

"If the Marshal does not believe me, naturally you can kill me and then present my head as a token of merit. Of course, such a small character as myself might not be deemed as much of a merit in that Supreme’s eyes,"

"But Marshal, you must think carefully. You only have one chance, whether you can leap over the dragon gate depends on your own choice. I’ve heard that the Divine Exorcist Great Saint has come across some interesting information in Luzhou in the North," said the Heavenly General, suddenly changing the subject.

Upon hearing these words, Yin Qi was startled but still managed to feign composure as he said, "What does that have to do with me? That Great Saint was born in Luzhou in the North, it’s normal for him to know some secrets."

The Heavenly General’s face, however, revealed a mocking smile as he said, "Is that so? I’ve heard that he has been investigating the remnants of the divine seal of the Demon Court and has found something related to the Marshal in some ruined temples."

"What are you trying to say?" demanded Yin Qi, anger mixed with embarrassment flashing across his face, his killing intent so palpable that the entire grounds of Marshal Tianpeng’s Mansion seemed to turn cold.

To have his deepest secret spoken aloud, Yin Qi didn’t know where the leak had sprung from. He had made sure all those who had acted were dead, so how could anyone else have gotten hold of such information?

"You certainly can kill me, but silencing that Great Saint would be quite difficult. Moreover, there’s a good chance this information has already been reported to His Majesty. Can you guess what his plans for you might be?"

Yin Qi fell silent. Having served the Jade Emperor for so long, he understood quite a bit about the Supreme.

If the Jade Emperor knew about this situation, generally there would be two choices. The first would be to summon him for a severe rebuke, then to heavily punish him.

While this scenario might not seem too good, it was actually the best outcome. It meant the Supreme still considered you one of his own and would let bygones be bygones, allowing you to continue your duties with peace of mind.

The other choice would be to suffer in silence. This meant the Jade Emperor was biding his time to settle accounts with him, which was the most dangerous situation. Many failed to realize the danger creeping up on them.

Zhu Gangliao, the former Marshal Tianpeng, was once in high glory. Who would have thought that upon the Jade Emperor’s sudden displeasure, the famed Marshal Tianpeng would be banished to the Mortal World and even turned into a pig, despite being under the protection of the Ziwei Emperor?

Now, Yin Qi also faced a similar peril. Since His Majesty had chosen to suffer in silence, there would inevitably come a day of reckoning. And without a powerful backer like the Ziwei Emperor, the best he could hope for in the face of adversity was probably to take a walk on the Immortal Slaying Stage.

With this in mind, he made a secret decision in his heart. Since you are heartless, don’t blame me for being unrighteous, he vowed silently.

"What do you want me to do?" By this point, Yin Qi’s expression was fierce, no longer maintaining his previous composure.

The shadow cast by the Jade Emperor was so immense that his defiant instincts surged tumultuously.

Upon hearing this, joy appeared on the Heavenly General’s face, not in vain had he spent so much effort speaking. Finally, he had persuaded him. He quietly rejoiced at the timely arrival of the information; otherwise, how could they have won over such a powerful ally? With the defection of Marshal Tianpeng at the critical moment, the scales of victory were already tipping in their favor.

"Rest assured, we won’t trouble the Marshal. We just need to borrow your Treasure Ship!"