Chapter 1848: The Second Form! Breakthrough!
At the instant the soft voice finished speaking, before the True Origin on Zhao Jin's body even fully surged out of his body, it was instantly extinguished.
Before the True Origin was completely extinguished from his body, one could faintly see a bright moon by his throat.
As that bright moon moved away, the True Origin on Zhao Jin's body was completely extinguished.
"The Guardian of Mystical Sky Mansion is so weak!" The soft voice said again before disappearing.
At the same time, the great doors to the Central Main Hall opened again and the windows in the surrounding were opened as well. The Central Main Hall was bathed in sunlight again.
As sunlight streamed into the Main Hall through the open door and windows, one could see a body lying on the ground.
The body belonged to Guardian Zhao Jin of Mystical Sky Mansion who was a powerhouse at the Early Exemplary Saint Stage.
Currently, he was lying in a puddle of blood as his blood continuously flowed from his slashed throat. Moreover, apart from the vital wound on his throat, one could also see a small red dot between his brows. It was a drop of blood.
If one used Divine Consciousness to probe the place between Zhao Jin's brows, one would discover a hole the size of a pin had been pierced from between his brows to the back of his head.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Three Black Armored Guards entered the Main Hall at lightning speed.
One of them brought Zhao Jin's body away, another took the blood-soaked carpet away while the final person installed a new carpet in the Central Main Hall.
As the bloody scent dissipated, the Central Main Hall regained its tranquility again. It was as though the incident earlier did not happen at all.
"This person seems to be the Guardian of Mystical Sky Mansion!" The Black Armored Guard who took Zhao Jin's body away said to the Black Armored Guard who took the blood-soaked carpet away.
"His name seems to be Zhao Jin." The latter nodded.
"It's said that the two Guardians in the Mystical Sky Mansion are all at the Exemplary Saint Stage. However, it only took a span of a few breaths from when the Central Main Hall was shut until it was opened again for Zhao Jin to die. Based on the injuries on his body, Lord Yue Wu Ying must be the one who made a move!" The former said.
When the three words 'Yue Wu Ying' were mentioned, his eyes widened.
"Rumor has it that in our Azure Cloud Mansion, other than Lord Mansion Master, even Elder Rong, Elder Ku, and Lord Commander have never seen Lord Yue Wu Ying before. As expected from Lord Mansion Master's shadow, Lord Yue Wu Ying really comes and goes like a shadow!" The latter added.
That day itself, the Azure Cloud Mansion released an announcement.
"Guardian Zhao Jin of Mystical Sky Mansion had been executed for offending the Azure Cloud Mansion!"
The moment this news was released, it created a huge uproar.
He was the Guardian of Mystical Sky Mansion after all. He was someone at the Early Exemplary Saint Stage!
The news soon reached the Mystical Sky Mansion!
The group of Mystical Sky Mansions high-ranking officials, led by Mansion Master Meng Qing of Mystical Sky Mansion, gathered again.
Strange enough, the last time these people gathered was due to Vice Mansion Master Zhao Deng's death. However, today, they were gathered for Guardian Zhao Jin's death.
The death of the Zhao Clan's father and son caused a sense of unease in the Mystical Sky Mansion.
"I'm sure all of you have heard about it. Guardian Zhao has been executed by the Azure Cloud Mansion for offending them!" Meng Qing spoke in a deep voice with a grave expression on his face.
How could it not be grave?
Zhao Jin was one of the two great Guardians in the Mystical Sky Mansion and was at the Exemplary Saint Stage. He was one of the pillars of the Mystical Sky Mansion.
However, he had been killed now. This was no different than wrecking one of the pillars supporting the Mystical Sky Mansion.
"Yes." Everybody nodded.
"Does anyone have anything to say regarding this matter?" Meng Qing added again.
A Vice Mansion Master of Mystical Sky Mansion said, "I think Guardian Zhao had never been the reckless type. Some sort of misunderstanding must have arisen."
"I agree." Many people agreed with his statement.
Meng Qing looked at Gu Ci Yun who remained silent and asked, "Guardian Gu, what do you think?"
"I disagree with the others. Moreover, I think the Azure Cloud Mansion wouldn't have executed Guardian Gu for no reason," Gu Ci Yun replied.
"I keep feeling that there's something suspicious about this matter so I plan to personally make a trip to find out what had happened." Meng Qing said as his eyes shone brightly.
"Lord Mansion Master, you can't!"
"Mansion Master, you can't!"
...
Upon hearing his words, many people present on the scene were struck with panic.
What a joke!
It was still acceptable that Guardian Zhao died after he went into the Azure Cloud Mansion. However, if their Mansion Master went to the Azure Cloud Mansion and followed in Guardian Zhao's footsteps, what would happen to the Mystical Sky Mansion? What should they do then?
A Mystical Sky Mansion without Meng Qing was like a tiger with no fangs. If the Mystical Sky Mansion fell, all of them who relied on Meng Qing would be affected as well.
For this reason, they were willing to let this matter go without investigating it. They did not wish for Meng Qing to risk his life.
Meng Qing was not only the Mansion Master of the Mystical Sky Mansion, but he was also the strongest person in the Mystical Sky Mansion!
"Don't tell me we should just let this matter go? If outsiders learn that the Mystical Sky Mansion did not take any actions over this matter, what would they say about us?!" Meng Qing said in a deep voice.
Many people fell silent immediately.
"Mansion Master!" In the end, Gu Ci Yun was the first to break the silence. He said, "Let me go then... If I return safely after going to the Azure Cloud Mansion, it means that the Azure Cloud Mansion is not intentionally picking on the Mystical Sky Mansion. If I don't return, then this means the Azure Cloud Mansion is intentionally picking a fight with our Mystical Sky Mansion."
Gu Ci Yun stood out during this critical moment.
In the end, after being dissuaded by the group of Mystical Sky Mansion's high-ranking officials, Meng Qing could only dismiss the idea of personally making a trip to the Azure Cloud Mansion. He could only let Guardian Gu go!
It only took Gu Ci Yun ten days to go the Azure Cloud Mansion before he returned.
When he returned, the group of high-ranking officials, including the Mystical Sky Mansion's Mansion Master Meng Qing, gathered once again.
"Mansion Master, when I arrived at the Azure Cloud Mansion, I remained courteous and so did the people from the Azure Cloud Mansion. Mansion Master Duan Ru Feng of Azure Cloud Mansion even told me that he'd personally visit our Mystical Sky Mansion as a guest if he has the time. He has also said that if you decide to visit the Azure Cloud Mansion, you'll definitely be welcomed," Gu Ci Yun told Meng Qing in front of everybody.
Meng Qing's icy expression immediately thawed a little.
"I've long heard that even though the Azure Cloud Mansion rose up to the top quickly, the people there are not haughty nor do they use their power to bully others like those people from the Mountainshade Black Market. Come to think about it, it must be because of the Azure Cloud Mansion's Mansion Master's amiable personality."
"From what Guardian Gu described, Mansion Master Duan doesn't seem like an unreasonable person. Although Guardian Zhao had offended the Azure Cloud Mansion, he didn't vent his anger on Guardian Gu and the Mystical Sky Mansion."
"In my opinion, Guardian Zhao must have been rude and offended the Azure Cloud Mansion previously. I guess it must have not been a simple offense either!"
The group of Mystical Sky Mansion's high-ranking officials discussed among themselves. Judging by their words, everyone was siding with the Azure Cloud Mansion, and nobody stood up for Zhao Jin at all.
"Guardian Gu, did you ask about Guardian Zhao's matter?" Meng Qing asked as he looked at Gu Ci Yun.
"Yes." Gu Ci Yun nodded. "I've asked Mansion Master Duan about this. According to him, Guardian Zhao entered the Crouching Dragon Lake, intending to ask the Black Armored Guards on patrol around the Crouching Dragon Lake whether they had seen Zhao Deng. However, the Black Armored Guards replied that they just came on shift and suggested he wait for the Black Armored Guards on duty at that time. Then, Guardian Zhao wanted the Black Armored Guards to help him look for the Black Armored Guards on duty at that time. However, they told him he would have to wait until their shifts were over before they could help him. Unfortunately, Guardian Zhao refused to listen and domineeringly made his move by killing the other party since he felt they were being disrespectful! There are ten Black Armored Guards in the team of Black Armored Guards. Apart from the Decurion who managed to escape, the other nine were killed by Guardian Zhao. Due to this reason, the Azure Cloud Mansion's powerhouses attacked and killed Guardian Zhao!" Gu Ci Yun did not even blink as he lied through his teeth.
Although he was lying, he did not feel guilty at all.
"That's too much!"
"Guardian Zhao had really crossed the line!"
"That's right! Would the Azure Cloud Mansion kill him if he did not act that way?"
Zhao Jin's 'actions' aroused the indignation from the Mystical Sky Mansion's high-ranking officials.
Although Mansion Master Meng Qing remained silent, he had a frown on his face. He felt that Zhao Jin had embarrassed the Mystical Sky Mansion.
From the beginning until the end, nobody suspected Gu Ci Yun's words at all. It would never occur to them, even in their wildest dreams, that Gu Ci Yun had been lying during the latter part of his story.
Naturally, the first half of the story was true.
He had indeed gone to the Azure Cloud Mansion and was warmly welcomed by them. Even Mansion Master Duan Ru Feng of Azure Cloud Mansion personally accompanied him!
However, the reason he was greeted so warmly was not due to his status as the Guardian of the Mystical Sky Mansion but due to him being Gu Li's father. It was also due to the care he had given Duan Ling Tian in the past.
Just like that, Zhao Jin's death had been resolved. The Mystical Sky Mansion no longer bothered with investigating it.
Due to the reason that both Zhao Jin and Zhao Deng, the two pillars of Zhao Clan, had died one after another, the Zhao Clan began to decline. In the end, the members left the clan and returned to being ordinary Mystical Sky Mansion's disciples.
...
In Mansion Master Duan Ru Feng's residence in the Azure Cloud Mansion.
It was empty inside a vast yet quiet room.
A tiny pagoda the size of a speck of dust was hidden in a small corner behind the bed. Nobody would notice it, and nobody would know there was another world in there.
"I've succeeded in transforming the second form!" The sound of laughter reverberated in the third level of the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. Duan Ling Tian had successfully tempered his Golden Crow's Wings to the second form after many days of hard work.
"I can finally make a breakthrough in my cultivation base!" After tempering the Golden Crow's Wings to the second form, Duan Ling Tian no longer needed to suppress his cultivation base. He could directly break through to the Early Eminent Saint Stage.
After another three days and three nights, Duan Ling Tian finally did what he could have done a long time ago!
"The Early Eminent Saint Stage!" When Duan Ling Tian sensed the transformation of the quality of the Sun True Origin in his body, he felt excited.
"From now on, I can use the Golden Crow's Wings and comprehend and cultivate the Elementary Devouring Tactic!"