Gongyang Ren slightly lifted his eyelids upon hearing the words, emitting a refined voice.
"Shihun, I’ve heard about your situation. Once a discarded disciple of the Tieshan Sect and a rejected general of Commander Lu, now you are a guard of the Imperial Advisor Mansion... I wonder when you will betray me?"
After speaking, he looked at Sikong Jing with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, as if to say: You were born with a rebellious streak!
He wanted to demean Sikong Jing right from the start.
However, Sikong Jing just shrugged his shoulders and continued to smile, "Imperial Advisor, what about the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng?"
If you want to play psychological games with me, I won’t participate; I want the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng.
Beside him, Gongyang Ying’s complexion turned dark.
Shihun really didn’t fall into the trap at all, not even offering a word of loyalty, just embodying the complete image of a contrarian.
And a cold light flashed in Gongyang Ren’s eyes as he spoke again, "Shihun, you are too anxious..."
"My friend desperately needs that medicine to save their life. How could I not be anxious?" Sikong Jing interrupted directly and then pointed to Gongyang Ying, repeating, "Miss Gongyang, you promised."
Still not playing along, unwilling to listen to his nonsense.
Gongyang Ren’s face finally turned a bit dark, as no one had ever dared to speak to him this way.
Even the War Soul Emperor would treat him with the utmost respect and courtesy.
But on the surface, Gongyang Ren still didn’t show any reaction.
Suddenly, a flash of white light appeared in his hand, and a box materialized. He calmly said, "The Thousand-year-old White Ginseng is right here, I’m giving it to you."
Having said that, he directly threw the box to Sikong Jing.
The scene made Gongyang Ying’s eyes widen. Hadn’t her grandfather said he was going to discipline Shihun, the big bad guy?
Sikong Jing casually caught the box, opened it gently, and then verified its authenticity using the method previously taught by Yao Changgeng. After a few breaths, he confirmed that it was indeed the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng.
He finally had the item in hand.
Sikong Jing smiled lightly and said, "Thank you, Imperial Advisor. I will certainly do my duty as a guard."
After speaking, he stood up, preparing to take his leave.
However, just as Sikong Jing turned around, Gongyang Ren coldly shouted, "I have given you the item, and both Ying’er and I have kept our promises. But now, I would like to ask you for something."
Upon hearing this, Sikong Jing feigned ignorance and asked in return, "Oh? What do I possess that the Imperial Advisor would desire?"
Gongyang Ren tugged at the white whiskers at the corner of his mouth and said deliberately, "Yes, of course there is something. It is the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng indeed."
The item was given away as a promise fulfilled, and now he wanted it back.
When Gongyang Ren’s voice fell, the entire small building became chilling and terrifying, and a fearsome pressure bore down on Sikong Jing.
Gongyang Ying stared intently at Sikong Jing, finally seeing his expression change drastically for the first time.
At this moment, she was still unaware of what confidence her grandfather had to demand it back, considering the secret of the Moon Soul Battle Body was still in the opponent’s hands.
At this time, Sikong Jing also looked incredulous and exclaimed, "Imperial Advisor, what do you mean?"
Pleased with Sikong Jing’s current expression, as the young man finally lost his composure, Gongyang Ren chuckled, "It means exactly what it says. I am asking you for the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng. Please, Guard Shihun, make this painful sacrifice."
His tone was gentle but grim, appearing to have Sikong Jing firmly in his grasp.
To this, Sikong Jing viciously retorted, "Imperial Advisor, are you not afraid that the secret of the Moon Soul Battle Body will be made public?"
Sikong Jing went straight for the threat, not going around in circles.
Upon hearing this, Gongyang Ren burst out laughing, "You passed the secret of the Moon Soul Battle Body to some Soul Stealers, so that as soon as you encounter trouble in the Imperial Capital, the Soul Stealers will reveal this secret to the world..."
"This is the confidence with which you dare to confront me directly. But what if there were no Soul Stealers left?"
As his words fell, Gongyang Ying almost jumped to her feet, overjoyed.
Sikong Jing’s expression changed again as he growled, "Gongyang Ren, what have you done to my Soul Stealers?"
He looked both shocked and furious at once, as if trembling with rage throughout his body.
"You split a million Soul Stealers into more than a dozen groups and sent them into the treacherous areas of the Soul Penetration Mountain, a crafty move. But you didn’t realize that the moment you dispersed them, I had already dispatched experts to track and monitor them."
"By the time you and Ying’er departed on the Divine Spaceship, one and a half million War Soul Elite Soldiers had already entered the Soul Penetration Mountain."
"At the same time, all the troops from Wang Hun State and four other states had secured all important passages through the Soul Penetration Mountain, ensuring not a single one of your Soul Stealers would survive inside. Now tell me, can I take back the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng?"
Gongyang Ying’s eyes twinkled as Gongyang Ren’s voice resonated with a piercing clarity. Apparently, Grandpa had already set everything up.
Grandpa is truly formidable.
As for Shihun, he must be scared silly by now, right? He thought his plans were foolproof, but in front of Grandpa, he’s still too green.
Now this awful Shihun finally gets to feel the helplessness he imposed on others, doesn’t he?
But just as Gongyang Ying was secretly delighting in her grandpa’s triumph, she suddenly noticed that Sikong Jing’s face, which had been a picture of alarm, slowly began to regain composure and even revealed a faint smile as he replied, "I’m sorry, but no."
"Hmm?" Gongyang Ren was equally stunned, his face a mask of confusion.
At that moment, Sikong Jing leisurely placed the box containing the Thousand-year-old White Ginseng into the space of the Golden Soul Palace.
Only after he had dealt with that did he look up again, calm and composed, "Imperial Advisor Gongyang, you will soon receive a huge surprise. The one and a half million War Soul Elite Soldiers will be wiped out in... the Soul Penetration Mountain!"
No sooner had he said this than Gongyang Ren’s eyes narrowed dramatically, the smug look vanishing without a trace from his face.
Meanwhile, Gongyang Ying stood up subconsciously, her face filled with disbelief.
"Imperial Advisor, something terrible has happened. There’s an urgent message from Wang Hun State."
Just then, a rushed voice came from outside the tower, and an expert from the Imperial Advisor Mansion flashed inside. Upon noticing Sikong Jing’s presence, the expert hurriedly approached Gongyang Ren and whispered a few words in his ear.
In an instant, Gongyang Ren’s face contorted, his killing intent surging violently towards Sikong Jing across the room.
This informant from the Imperial Advisor Mansion reported that the one and a half million War Soul Elite Soldiers stationed within Wang Hun State had all but perished.
The Soul Stealers were in the midst of the Soul Penetration Mountain, emitting bursts of ghostly laughter...
One after another, they brazenly proclaimed that the regular troops surrounding Soul Penetration Mountain from the four states should come inside and meet their deaths.
Gongyang Ren looked at Sikong Jing, his murderous intent growing denser, nearly causing the small building to explode.
But Sikong Jing just stood there indifferently, totally unfazed by Gongyang Ren’s murderous intent, even managing a light laugh, "Imperial Advisor, may I go now? Oh, by the way, what kind of guard position were you planning to assign to me, Imperial Advisor?"
His tone was exceptionally calm, which, in Gongyang Ying’s eyes, looked like a big, mocking smile.
It took a long while for Gongyang Ren’s killing intent to gradually recede. He then waved his hand at the informant next to him.
Not until the informant had left did Gongyang Ren speak again, "Impressive tactics, I underestimated you."
"I am curious though, how did you do it?" Gongyang Ren forced himself to calm down, maintaining the composure of the Imperial Advisor.
Sikong Jing replied with a smile, "First, I had to assume that no matter what, you would surely aim to exterminate my Soul Stealers... so when I was sweeping Wang Hun State, I had already laid all sorts of traps throughout Soul Penetration Mountain."
Gongyang Ying’s spirits lifted as she finally confirmed that one and a half million elite soldiers were indeed annihilated by the Soul Stealers.