Chapter 876

Just thinking about this point, no one dared to be careless.

After a few pleasantries, the major factions identified their directions and departed separately.

Only the two parties of Wu Zhao and Chahetai did not leave.

Chahetai was because he was originally the discarded piece pushed out by Wokuotai; having unexpectedly gained a chance at life now, he was pondering whether to return to the Great Yuan.

After all, no one knew better than he how much Wokuotai wanted him dead.

If he returned to the Great Yuan, Wokuotai would likely have a hundred ways to kill him.

But if he did not return, he still had the Qinglong Society mission on his shoulders.

Not completing it was also a dead end.

Although Chahetai had not looked at what the mission actually was, just by referring to the missions of the Great Qin and the Yin Moon Imperial Dynasty, he knew the Great Yuan's mission was definitely not simple.

Relying solely on his own strength to complete it, he was afraid it was unthinkable.

Looking at it this way, was it not that he had a dead end both before and behind?

While he was wrestling with this, Wu Zhao, seeing him lingering, took the initiative to ask,

"Prince Chahetai, could it be that you do not wish to return to the Great Yuan?"

Just as Chahetai was wrestling with himself, hearing Wu Zhao's question, his eyes suddenly lit up.

The mission he had taken on, although the Qinglong Society said it was assigned to the Great Yuan,

had never required that it must be completed independently by the Great Yuan.

If he used the mission as an opportunity to cling to the Great Tang's Empress, and then offered the mission to her,

with the Great Tang's strength, completing one mission versus two was actually not much different.

As long as the mission was completed, his little life would be preserved, and he would not need to return and suffer Wokuotai's suspicion.

"Your Majesty! This prince truly does not wish to return to the Great Yuan."

Deciding to act on the thought, seeing that the surroundings were a stretch of wilderness, Chahetai spoke outright,

"I presume Your Majesty also knows that, because of the matter of Long Xiang Seng, the Qinglong Society vented its anger on the Great Yuan.

So much so that from the late Khan Tie Muzhen downward, the Great Yuan's central authority had almost been replaced entirely.

My good brother and sworn enemy Wokuotai, because he stayed in the imperial capital, was able to seize the great treasure and became the new Great Khan of the Great Yuan.

Since his ascension, he has been secretly plotting against Juchi, myself, and Prince Tuo Lei, the three brothers.

Now Prince Tuo Lei's life and death are unknown because of him, and Juchi seems to have also bound himself and gone to the imperial court.

If I were to return, I am afraid it would also be a fate worse than death!"

Wu Zhao actually did not know much about the division of forces across the Nine Provinces, nor the deep-seated grudges and interests within them.

Hearing Chahetai pour out his heart at this moment, she nevertheless got a general idea.

It seemed this Chahetai was caught up in a court power struggle, and on the losing side at that.

After some deliberation, Wu Zhao slowly spoke,

"So the Prince is in such a wretched state; it is hateful that Wokuotai would actually strike against his own brothers, truly detestable."

"Who says otherwise."

Chahetai already deeply hated Wokuotai; hearing Wu Zhao curse him, he immediately said excitedly,

"This fellow not only usurped the Khan's seat, but is also extremely ruthless.

Empress, if you do not disdain, this prince is willing to abandon everything in the Great Yuan and place himself under Your Majesty's banner, to be driven by you. How about it?"

Hearing this, Wu Zhao's face remained impassive, but inwardly she was somewhat delighted.

She had gone to such great lengths, traveling from another world to the Nine Provinces, precisely because her ambitions were no small matter.

Originally, at most she would rely on Wu Zetian's identity as the Great Tang's Empress, return to the Great Tang, and slowly gather imperial power.

But she also knew that above in the Great Tang there were absolute masters like the Heavenly Demon Cang Ju.

And below there were pillar-of-state ministers like Seeing Di Renjie and Su Dingfang.

To achieve her goal was actually not simple either.

But if she had Chahetai as cover—since he was originally a discarded piece of the Great Yuan—taking him to the Great Tang, she could instead place him out in the open.

For now, this would divert the attention of Di Renjie and the others.

Then she could wait for an opportunity to gather power and become the true Empress of the Great Tang.

"Very well! Saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda; although I do not believe in Fomen, I am still willing to save the Prince."

Having made up her mind, Wu Zhao nodded and agreed.

"Excellent."

Chahetai, seeing Wu Zhao agree, was overjoyed.

Without a second thought, he immediately pulled out from his bosom the mission jade pendant handed down by the Qinglong Society.

"Your Majesty, this is the Great Yuan's mission jade pendant; today I present it to Your Majesty as a token of my sincerity in surrendering."

Wu Zhao had originally only intended to use Chahetai's identity to draw the attention of Great Tang's civil and military officials like Di Renjie.

So that her own identity would not be seen through.

Who would have thought that upon accepting Chahetai, he would so tactfully offer up this mission jade pendant.

Every mission jade pendant was a hard-won Qinglong Society mission!

Completing a mission earned Qinglong Society mission points.

With points, one could go to the three places on Qinglong Peak—the Pill Pavilion, the Scripture Hall, and the Divine Weapon Hall—to exchange for treasures of the Divine, Immortal, Heaven, and Earth grades.

This was truly a tremendous benefit!

Thinking of what she had seen and heard at the Divine Weapon Hall on Qinglong Peak, Wu Zhao felt this mission jade pendant was truly no less than an Immortal-grade treasure!

"Haha! Very good, very good!"

Wu Zhao also laughed heartily, took the mission jade token,

"Since Prince Zi has shown such sincere intent, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Great Tang Yuan Wang. Once we return to Chang'an, it will be registered in the records, and you shall receive a golden seal and purple ribbon, and I shall proclaim it to the nine provinces under heaven!"

The truth was, her position as the Great Tang's empress had yet to be firmly secured.

Yet with a turn of the hand, she bestowed the identity of Great Tang Yuan Wang upon Chahatai.

This Yuan Wang title was clearly Wu Zhao returning the favor — letting Chahatai use it to disgust Ögedei.

Chahatai heard that he could not sit upon the position of Great Yuan's Great Khan, yet had gained the noble title of Great Tang Yuan Wang.

He was immediately overjoyed, and without hesitation prostrated himself on the ground, shouting "Your Majesty" toward Wu Zhao like a mountain echoing.

Wu Zhao accepted his grand courtesy, then bade him rise, and brought him along together with Zhang Wuxia, heading toward Chang'an.

High above the firmament, the Nine Provinces Combat Power Heaven List suddenly burst forth with ten thousand beams of divine light.

Countless people of the Nine Provinces knew that the long-awaited new edition of the Nine Provinces Combat Power Heaven List was about to appear.

Many secretly speculated — the previous edition had listed three people: Shang Yang, Jiang Chen, and the Three-Dragon Leader Dugu Qiubai.

With this new opening of the Nine Provinces Combat Power Heaven List, who would make the list, and how many?

【Nine Provinces Combat Power Heaven List — 17th Place: Xiong Ba, Cultivation: Peak of Supreme Mythical Realm】

【Identity: Former Gang Leader of Zhoutianxia Society in Yunzhou】

【Xiong Ba is the foremost of the famed Demon-Chasing Seven Heroes of Yunzhou's Wu Lin, and the descendant of Purple-Robe Elder】

【In those years, Purple-Robe Elder, due to annihilating the Heijiaman Sect, was defeated by the Demon Lord Bai Suzhen and lost an arm】

【Purple-Robe Elder used this to fake his death and go into hiding, never daring to walk the world again】

【Xiong Ba, in his lonely hardship, concealed his name and surname, took the name Xiong Ba himself, and entered the Juelaoren Sect as a disciple】

【The Juelaoren Sect's Elder transmitted all three ultimate arts — Heaven Frost Fist, Cloud-Dispersing Palm, and Wind God Leg — to Xiong Ba and his junior brother Xiong Wu】

【The two lived and trained together, studying martial arts for twelve years, and through the Three Ultimates Divine Art, both broke through to the World-Shattering level】

【The Juelaoren Sect's Elder felt the time was ripe, and resolved to determine victory and defeat through a martial contest, transmitting the sect's final ultimate art, "Three Yuan Return to One"】

【Xiong Ba knew that the Three Ultimates Divine Art required Three Yuan Return to One to reach great completion】

【Therefore, during the martial contest, he deliberately used words to provoke Xiong Wu, causing him to perform poorly】

【Unexpectedly, the Juelaoren Sect's Elder thus came to dislike Xiong Ba's character, and instead secretly transmitted Three Yuan Return to One to Xiong Wu】

【Xiong Ba, resentful, poisoned and murdered the Juelaoren Sect's Elder that very night】

【Xiong Wu faked his death and escaped, taking Three Yuan Return to One with him】

【Unexpectedly, Xiong Ba, a heaven-gifted genius, relying on the Three Ultimates Divine Art, reverse-engineered and created a technique called Three-Faction Return to Earth Yuan Qi】

【Afterwards, relying on the Three Ultimates Divine Art and Three-Faction Return to Earth Yuan Qi, he took in the Twelve Fiends of Tianchi as his aid】