She dropped the third tea cup.
"Bai Zi Hua went to the Demon Realm?" Her voice was as sharp as fingernails scraping glass. "What is he doing there?"
"Replying to Young Lady, according to a message from an insider in Chang Liu, the High Immortal sensed the aura of a Life and Death Tribulation and personally went to the Demon Realm to investigate." The maidservant knelt on the ground, not daring to lift her head.
Ni Mantian's face contorted for a moment.
Life and Death Tribulation.
Of course, she knew who Bai Zi Hua's Life and Death Tribulation was—Hua Qian Gu. In her previous life, it was that bitch who stole everything that should have belonged to her: the identity of Bai Zi Hua's disciple, the favor of Chang Liu, and even the power of the Demon God.
In this life, she was reborn earlier than Hua Qian Gu, making arrangements, cultivating, and winning over Mo Yan in advance. She thought victory was within her grasp.
But Hua Qian Gu still managed to get involved with Sha Qian Mo, and still attracted Bai Zi Hua.
"Did they meet?" Ni Mantian asked, biting her nails.
"They shouldn't have. Sha Qian Mo intercepted the High Immortal and then transferred Hua Qian Gu away."
Ni Mantian breathed a sigh of relief, but quickly became nervous again.
Bai Zi Hua had already sensed the Life and Death Tribulation. This meant that his encounter with Hua Qian Gu was only a matter of time. Once they met, given Bai Zi Hua's personality, he would likely keep Hua Qian Gu by his side to "overcome the tribulation"—just like he took her as a disciple in her previous life.
If that happened, all her plans would be ruined.
"They cannot meet," Ni Mantian stood up and paced back and forth in the room. "Absolutely not."
"Young Lady, what should we do then?"
Ni Mantian stopped pacing, her mind racing.
Sha Qian Mo protected Hua Qian Gu, and Bai Zi Hua wanted to find Hua Qian Gu. Could she use this to make these two men fight?
If Chang Liu and the Demon Realm went to war, Hua Qian Gu, as the "fuse," would definitely be pushed to the forefront. At that time, no matter if she was innocent or not, the Immortal Realm would consider her a scourge. Even if Sha Qian Mo protected her, he wouldn't be able to.
Moreover, once war broke out, Bai Zi Hua and Sha Qian Mo would be enemies. Between enemies, there could be no more "master-disciple fate."
Killing two birds with one stone.
Ni Mantian's lips slowly curved upwards, revealing a sinister smile.
"Someone, prepare a boat. I'm going to Chang Liu."
Chang Liu Mountain, Mo Yan's study room.
This was Ni Mantian's third visit. The first two times, she came to complain—saying Hua Qian Gu was a demoness and a scourge. Mo Yan believed her and sent people to investigate, but the results slapped his own face.
This time, Mo Yan's attitude was noticeably colder.
"What are you doing here again?" Mo Yan sat behind his desk, not even looking up.
Ni Mantian didn't care about his attitude, walked forward with a smile, and placed a document on the table.
"World Honored One, please take a look."
Mo Yan picked it up and flipped through it, his brow furrowing tighter.
"The Demon Realm is reinforcing its troops at the border? Where did you get this news?"
"An informant from Penglai," Ni Mantian said. "Sha Qian Mo has been frequently moving troops recently, gathering at least thirty thousand Demon Soldiers along the border between the Demon Realm and the Immortal Realm. World Honored One, this is not normal border defense deployment; this is preparation for war."
Mo Yan's expression darkened.
The relationship between the Demon Realm and the Immortal Realm was already tense, but over thousands of years, both sides had maintained restraint. If Sha Qian Mo was indeed reinforcing troops at the border, it would be a blatant provocation.
"Why is Sha Qian Mo suddenly reinforcing troops?" Mo Yan asked.
Ni Mantian had been waiting for this question.
"Because of one person," she lowered her voice. "Hua Qian Gu."
Mo Yan's brow furrowed even tighter.
"Hua Qian Gu is currently living in the Demon Emperor Palace, and Sha Qian Mo obeys her every word. Last time you sent people to investigate her, World Honored One, she immediately had Sha Qian Mo reinforce troops at the border as a show of force. What does this tell you? It shows she is using Sha Qian Mo to provoke the relationship between the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm."
Ni Mantian spoke, her tone becoming heartbroken: "World Honored One, I said she was a demoness last time, and you didn't believe me. What about now? A Mortal, can make the Demon King reinforce troops for her, is that normal?"
Mo Yan fell silent.
He remembered Hua Qian Gu's attitude when the disciples went to the Demon Emperor Palace last time—neither servile nor overbearing, even with a hint of toughness. A Mortal speaking like that in front of Chang Liu disciples meant either she was crazy or had a strong backer.
Now it seemed, her backer was Sha Qian Mo.
"What are you implying?" Mo Yan put down the document and looked at Ni Mantian.
"Declare war," Ni Mantian said these two words, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. "Led by Chang Liu, unite the major Immortal Sects of the Immortal Realm to pressure the Demon Realm. Demand that Sha Qian Mo hand over Hua Qian Gu and reduce border troops. If he refuses, then go to war."
Mo Yan did not answer immediately.
Declaring war was no small matter. Although Chang Liu was the foremost sect in the Immortal Realm, the Demon Realm's strength should not be underestimated. If a real war broke out, the outcome would be unpredictable.
"World Honored One, what are you still hesitating about?" Ni Mantian saw his concerns and continued to fan the flames. "Hua Qian Gu is High Immortal Bai Zi Hua's Life and Death Tribulation. She is now in Sha Qian Mo's hands. What if Sha Qian Mo uses her to harm the High Immortal? The High Immortal is the pillar of the Immortal Realm; he cannot be harmed."
The words "Life and Death Tribulation" pierced Mo Yan's heart like a needle.
This was what he feared most. Bai Zi Hua's Life and Death Tribulation was Hua Qian Gu, and Hua Qian Gu was now entangled with Sha Qian Mo. What if Sha Qian Mo used Hua Qian Gu to deal with Bai Zi Hua—
"Let me think about it," Mo Yan stood up, his back to Ni Mantian.
Ni Mantian looked at his retreating figure, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
She knew that Mo Yan had already wavered.
After Ni Mantian left, Mo Yan sat alone in the study for a long time.
He repeatedly reviewed the document about the Demon Realm reinforcing its troops and recalled Bai Zi Hua going to the Demon Realm.
"My Junior Brother sensed the Life and Death Tribulation and immediately went to the Demon Realm," Mo Yan murmured. "This shows he cares a lot about this tribulation. If Hua Qian Gu is truly being used against him..."
He closed his eyes, weighing the pros and cons.
Declaring war carried great risk. But not declaring war carried even greater hidden dangers.
Finally, he made a decision.
"Someone."
"Here."
"Send a message to the Sect Leaders of the various Immortal Sects, inviting them to Chang Liu in three days for a meeting. State that—there is an important matter to discuss, concerning the security of the Immortal Realm."
"Yes."
Mo Yan stood by the window, looking in the direction of the Demon Realm to the north, his gaze sharp.
"Hua Qian Gu, no matter who you are, you should not have become my Junior Brother's Life and Death Tribulation."
Three days later, Ni Mantian received Mo Yan's letter in Penglai.
The letter contained only four words—"Proceed as planned."
Ni Mantian held the letter to the candlelight, watching it burn to ashes, and laughed heartily.
"Hua Qian Gu, you think you're safe with Sha Qian Mo protecting you?" she said to the air. "This time, I will make you the fuse for the War of the Five Realms. At that time, I won't have to lift a finger; someone will naturally deal with you for me."
Outside the window, waves crashed against the rocks, emitting a deafening roar, as if responding to her.
A storm was brewing.
And at the center of the storm was that young girl, far away in a valley in the Demon Realm, holding an egg and waiting for Tang Bao to hatch.
She still didn't know that the storm was coming.
【End of Chapter·Comment Section Guess: How will Hua Qian Gu deal with this crisis?】
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