Imperial Capital, Immortal Suppression Department.
Zhao Guang led his men back, only to find the Department in a state of utter disarray.
In the room where the leaders of the major factions used to gather, Wu Neng sat completely alone.
"Reporting to the Commander: that scoundrel, Holy Monk Yidian, harbored treacherous intentions all along—he is actually a member of Grand Tower! However, Grand Tower is no ordinary organization.
Holy Monk Yidian had long intended to rebel against the Peerless Hall. Violating the Peerless Hall's orders, he took his men and fled. He is no longer a threat to our Imperial Dynasty."
"None of the Four Great White Robe Elders of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems survived, and the True God is nowhere to be found."
"Congratulations, Commander! This is a complete victory!"
Wu Neng remained silent, causing cold sweat to stream down Zhao Guang's face.
What complete victory?
According to Wu Neng's scheme, there should have been no survivors at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
That way, no one would have ever known what truly transpired inside.
Whether it was the Li Clan or the other four major forces, they would have had no choice but to smash their teeth and swallow their anger in silence.
After all, under those circumstances, whatever the Immortal Suppression Department claimed would have become the accepted truth.
In that scenario, the Department would still have been filled with people from the four major forces, while the Li Clan—having lost two Void Refining cultivators—would have been completely squeezed out.
But now...
Qi Wunian had disobeyed orders on the battlefield, and the members of the various major forces had escaped.
The truth was going to be made public. In the future, who would still dare to join the Immortal Suppression Department?
Furthermore, of the four Commanders within the Department, one had effectively been lost due to these indirect causes.
They hadn't even managed to bring back the Three Corpses.
Just as Zhao Guang was bracing himself for the Commander's rage, Wu Neng let out a sudden, boisterous laugh that sent a shiver down Zhao Guang's spine.
"Good, good, good! Well done, Min Tiange! To think you stretched your hand all the way into my Immortal Suppression Department!"
Wu Neng stood up and helped Zhao Guang to his feet. His face was brimming with smiles, yet the sight made Zhao Guang dare not look him in the eye.
Wu Neng said, "Do not be afraid; this is a good thing. If Holy Monk Yidian had continued to lie in wait, he could have delivered a fatal blow when my Immortal Suppression Department was at its weakest.
Now that he has been rooted out, it is no different from destroying another Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems. Moreover, since Holy Monk Yidian has also rebelled against Min Tiange, my Immortal Suppression Department has one less enemy at the Integration Realm to worry about."
"In the past, my Immortal Suppression Department existed without the Five Great Forces. So what if they are no longer at my disposal now? What real damage has been done?"
"Even without them, there will still be others who will fight tooth and nail for this kind of authority. Within a few days, they will come flocking back to my Immortal Suppression Department."
Hearing this, Zhao Guang breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then.
A subordinate approached to report, "Reporting to the Commander: Li Chang has arrived."
"Li Chang?"
Wu Neng raised an eyebrow. "He still has the leisure for this? Zhao Guang, regarding the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems... did those two Void Refining cultivators from the Li Clan..."
Zhao Guang hurriedly interjected, "There were no survivors left in the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, and among those who escaped, there was no news of the Li Clan's two Void Refining experts. However, there were no other Li clansmen involved either; the Li Clan's Corpse Ancestor only brought fifty zombies and evil spirits with him."
Zhao Guang grumbled inwardly.
This Lord Commander was capable in many ways, but he was incredibly petty and exceptionally suspicious.
The Li Clan had been heavily relied upon by Crown Prince Feiheng in recent years.
The Commander was terrified that the Li Clan's authority would grow too heavy, fearing that once the Crown Prince became the new Human Emperor, the Li Clan would bewitch him and bring chaos to the world.
However, this was ultimately the Crown Prince's affair, and perhaps a lesson for the Commander.
"It is a pity." Wu Neng sighed deeply. "A pity that the Li Clan's two Void Refining cultivators lost their lives, yet this has given the Blue Moon Immortal Sect an opportunity to take advantage."
"What?"
Zhao Guang's heart skipped a beat. Others might not be aware, but he had been close to the Li Clan recently.
Numerous accidents had occurred during the campaigns at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and Grand Tower, and the shadow of the Li Clan loomed behind every single one of them!
Zhao Guang even suspected that Holy Monk Yidian's defection was the result of the Li Clan playing tricks behind the scenes!
He had previously thought the Commander had a talent for kicking iron plates, but this... this was something else entirely.
It was bad enough that the Commander had plotted to entrap and kill their two Void Refining experts, but to think he had also arranged for the Blue Moon Immortal Sect to invade the territory under the Li Clan's jurisdiction?
Zhao Guang's back was drenched in cold sweat.
After the expedition to the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and Grand Tower, he had spent the last few days deeply researching the affairs of the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
The more he scrutinized the details, the more terrified he became.
These Li clansmen were not kind-hearted pushovers.
Years ago, when they had only just established themselves, they already dared to make an enemy of the entire Azure Cloud Region.
When the Wu Tribe attacked, not a single member of the Li Clan retreated. Even against the Tian Xing and the Zhao Clan...
What kind of sheer audacity and courage did that take?
If the Azure Cloud Li Clan were truly pushed into a corner, Zhao Guang suspected they might even open the gates to let the Wu Tribe from the Southern Border into the Dynasty. That would be the true calamity!
While he was dripping with sweat, he saw Li Chang'an walk in from outside the door.
Seeing Li Chang'an's usual smile and the way he nodded at him, Zhao Guang finally breathed a sigh of relief, only to be stunned a moment later.
Li Chang'an broke with his usual demeanor; upon entering, he offered none of his customary polite greetings.
Under Wu Neng's displeased gaze, he slowly took a seat in the guest area and proceeded to pour himself a cup of tea.
In the past, Li Chang'an had always maintained a gentle and mild appearance, yet right now, both Wu Neng and Zhao Guang could palpably feel his sense of relaxed ease!