CHAPTER 341: CHAPTER 38: A SINISTER VISITOR

Gao Sheng?

After hearing the name of the visitor, Lin Jing pondered slightly.

How did this guy end up coming to the Western Desert?

He had heard that the Demon Extermination Temple and Demon Extermination Bureau are closely connected, and many cultivators from the Demon Extermination Bureau have come to the Western Desert to eradicate demons, including Fairy Leng Yue. However, at least they are direct disciples of the Dao, renowned in the Golden List, with a certain ability to protect themselves. What’s Gao Sheng doing here creating a stir...

"Take me to meet him." Lin Jing shook his head. This is indeed an old friend; regardless of the other’s intentions, it’s necessary to meet him.

Moments later, outside the Bodhi Temple.

Lin Jing met the old friend he hadn’t seen for many years.

He was holding a dragon horse, waiting under the shade outside the temple. From his cultivation level, he’d reached the late stage of Golden Core.

"Brother Gao."

"Brother Lin!"

Seeing Lin Jing walk out, Gao Sheng’s eyes lit up, eagerly coming forward: "Long time no see. After hearing about you nearby, I came immediately, and truly, you’re here!"

"Brother Gao, why did you come to the Western Desert as well?" Lin Jing was puzzled.

Gao Sheng shushed with a smile, saying, "I sneaked over here for a major case!"

Lin Jing felt a wave of darkness in front of his eyes, realizing the visitor meant trouble.

This fellow is already in his fifties, yet still causing worry at home.

"A major case, my foot! Next, I will commission a strong Buddhist escort to take you back to the Ancient Country from wherever you came, and make sure you return without trouble."

The situation in the Western Desert is unlike the Ancient Country; Gao Sheng is, after all, an old friend with good rapport. Lin Jing didn’t want him dying in the Western Desert.

"Come on." Gao Sheng said, "It really is a major case."

"This isn’t the place to talk; let’s find somewhere better, and I’ll tell you everything in detail!"

Lin Jing looked at Gao Sheng suspiciously, but adhered to the principle that listening wouldn’t hurt and took Gao Sheng to his courtyard.

Once Gao Sheng arrived, he mysteriously asked Lin Jing, "Brother Lin, do you know about the three major Void Profound Ghosts of the Western Desert? The Ghost Bride, the Artifact Ghost, and the Ghost Shadow."

Lin Jing nodded, "Of course, you mean the major case, does it have something to do with them?"

Gao Sheng quickly nodded, "Then, Brother Lin, do you know why one of the three major demon sects, the Nether Hall, has mainly been active in the Western Desert these years?"

Lin Jing didn’t know, but he could guess from Gao Sheng’s expression.

"The Nether Hall used to be active in Qingzhou, but now they have come to the Western Desert. Could it be related to the three major Void Profound Ghosts?"

"Correct, during my investigation on the Ancient Country border, I accidentally stumbled upon an Immortal Palace relic, and from that relic, I gained an important piece of intelligence."

"What intelligence?"

"Among the three major Void Profound Ghosts, the Artifact Ghost is suspected to be a war weapon created by the Ancient Immortal Palace, an ultimate artifact spirit that can be used as a key to activate the existence of Immortal Artifacts!

And according to the records in the Demon Extermination Bureau, the Nether Hall possesses an Immortal Artifact that has been passed down to this day. Thus, I reasonably suspect that the reason why the Nether Hall has come to the Western Desert is precisely for this Void Profound Artifact Ghost!"

"If the Nether Hall succeeded, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Lin Jing was speechless.

"Such intelligence, yet you don’t inform your maternal grandfather, or report it to the Demon Extermination Bureau, but sneak over here yourself. What’s your point, do you reckon you can solve the Artifact Ghost or the Nether Hall by yourself?"

Gao Sheng shook his head and said, "My maternal grandfather went on a mission to the Cloud Sea Mountain Range, completely unreachable, and within the Demon Extermination Bureau... There’s simply no one who can handle this matter."

"If my guess is correct, only a Dao-reaching strong cultivator in the Ancient Country can solve this case. Brother Lin, what do you think? But there aren’t any Dao-reaching strong cultivators within the Demon Extermination Bureau."

"Then, you came to the Western Desert alone..." Lin Jing suddenly realized something and asked, "Ling Yue Sword Immortal?"

"Yes, I came following Ling Yue Sword Immortal, Sister Feng Ning; she also came to the Western Desert for demon extermination..." Gao Sheng said in a small voice, "Brother Lin, don’t forget, Sister Feng Ning’s master is also a Dao-reaching strong cultivator now."

"Moreover, the Celestial Sword Sect has an Immortal Sword handed down that couldn’t be used."

"If I provide this intelligence through Sister Feng Ning to the Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor, allowing her to obtain the Artifact Ghost, then the Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor’s strength, even if not comparable to the Martial Emperor, is definitely not just a newly promoted Dao-reaching cultivator."

Lin Jing understood, and said, "But why don’t you report directly to the Second Ancient Emperor..."

Gao Sheng paused, then sneered and said in a low voice, "I don’t quite like the various policies of the Second Ancient Emperor. Rather than valuing the Ancient Country, he prefers the Ancient Clan, his own direct bloodline, frankly using the Ancient Country as his ’national heirloom’ through True Dragon Secret Techniques."

"Comparatively, I have more respect for the Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor. In her youth, she spent time training at the Demon Extermination Bureau, with superb swordsmanship, acting chivalrously in the cultivation realm for hundreds of years. The reputation of the sword cultivators of the Celestial Sword Sect in the Ancient Country is top-notch. I think, if there’s a chance to activate the Immortal Artifact, rather than leaving it to the Ancient Clan, it would be better to offer it to the Celestial Sword Sect! After all, the Celestial Sword Sect is still a sect of the Ancient Country."

"Unfortunately, Elder Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor doesn’t seem to be in the Celestial Sword Sect as I lack the standing to contact her directly, so I had to seek Sister Feng Ning as an alternative."

"However, the problem now is, previously I could hear news of Sister Feng Ning, but recently she seems to have vanished from the Western Desert, and I can’t find her at all!"

Lin Jing understood and looked at Gao Sheng, saying seriously, "Brother Gao, do you not know my current status? I am now no longer an Ancient Country cultivator, but a Demon Court Saint Heir. Possessing such an important piece of intelligence might not just interest the Ancient Country, Celestial Sword Sect, or Nether Hall; the Demon Court has them too."

"Aren’t you worried that after providing such important intelligence to me, I’ll report it to the Demon Court and seize that opportunity?"

Gao Sheng laughed heartily, saying, "I believe you wouldn’t, because in the battle at Heaven-Reaching City, Elder Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor was the only one from the Ancient Country to help you. Although she might not have been of much help, I believe with Brother Lin’s character, you wouldn’t aid the Demon Court in competing for this opportunity against Elder Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor."

"If Elder Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor can control the Immortal Sword, it would actually be beneficial for the entire human race."

Lin Jing chuckled and shook his head, "Alright, since you believe in me so much, and it’s your information, I’ll just pretend I don’t know about it."

"So now you’re hoping I can help you find Ling Yue Sword Immortal in the Western Desert and then connect with Heaven-Sundering Sword Ancestor, and together confront the Nether Hall and Artifact Ghost, is that it?"

Gao Sheng punched his palm, saying, "Yes, that’s exactly right. Sorry to trouble you, Brother Lin."

Lin Jing sighed; this guy might just have the luck, seeing as the Ancient Country and Buddhist Sect actually don’t know the true intentions of Nether Hall and the situation with the Artifact Ghost, yet Gao Sheng already knew.

Sigh, the war artifact spirit of the Immortal Palace... What a major identity of the thing he previously thought to seal.

Sometimes, Lin Jing truly wonders whether Gao Sheng is a genius detective or just a fool... However, talking behind the back of the Ancient Emperor—that’s really going against the tide!