Chapter 1049: Return to the Mortal Realm

Sea Spirit Sect paid a significant price this time, utilizing the special passage of the Dali Dynasty. Their main objective was to reach Yin Capital and then enter the Ghost Weep Mountains.

Meng Zhang had a good relationship with Lu Tianshu True Monarch, and neither of them had inquired about their purpose. As for the others, they were even less likely to have asked.

Regardless, although the actions of the Sea Spirit Sect cultivators were secretive and mysterious, the fact that they managed to return to Yin Capital in time was a positive outcome.

And from their behavior, it seemed that while their journey might have been challenging, the final result should be favorable.

As the day of the spatial passage's opening arrived, there were no major incidents.

On the day the spatial passage opened, everyone gathered at the same square they had left from. Yin Capital's Ghost Deity activated the passage, sending everyone back to the mortal realm.

When they returned, they found themselves in the same square where they had previously gathered.

Ouyang Jian and Mo Qing True Monarch were escorted by two members of the royal family and arrived alongside the rest of the group.

Powerful individuals from the Forbidden Army surrounded the square.

After a brief inspection, no issues were found with anyone, and they began leaving the square one by one.

Ouyang Jian and Mo Qing True Monarch were escorted in front of Ba Wudi to undergo questioning.

Neither of them displayed any signs of guilt and remained composed.

Ba Wudi personally questioned them, and they stuck to the same explanation they had given in Yin Capital.

Ba Wudi knew there were discrepancies in their accounts, but he had no better course of action to take against them.

Running such a vast nation, it was a minimum requirement to have a clear system of rewards and punishments.

He couldn't just arbitrarily perform a soul-search on them without evidence. They hadn't committed any overt wrongdoings.

Zhang Xingda's loss in the Ghost Weep Mountains was entirely due to his voluntary involvement in Ouyang Jian's activities.

As for the Ghost Deity Duan Ci and others who had trailed Ouyang Jian, it was even more delicate for Ba Wudi to address.

It was normal for a monarch to have suspicions, but displaying distrust towards respected ministers wasn't acceptable. Secretly tracking Ouyang Jian and his group couldn't be exposed to the public eye.

Truth be told, Ba Wudi still trusted Ouyang Jian.

However, due to Ouyang Jian's close association with Mo Qing True Monarch, the fact that they had entered the Netherworld together this time aroused his suspicions.

What Ba Wudi truly doubted was Mo Qing True Monarch, the Demonic Cultivators.

Despite Mo Qing True Monarch's years of loyalty and countless contributions to the Dali Dynasty, Ba Wudi's attitude towards these Demonic Cultivations had remained constant. He aimed to utilize them while remaining cautious.

Originally, Ba Wudi had intended to take certain actions against Mo Qing True Monarch.

However, the Dali Dynasty was in the midst of a long-planned external operation, and this was the time when figures like Mo Qing True Monarch were needed.

With external threats present, Ba Wudi wasn't willing to provoke discontent among the internal Demonic Cultivations and avoided stirring up internal conflicts.

The immediate priority was to complete the external operation.

For the Dali Dynasty, expanding its territory through external campaigns not only extended the empire's borders but also contributed to Ba Wudi's cultivation of the Grand Dao.

After weighing the pros and cons, Ba Wudi gave Ouyang Jian and Mo Qing True Monarch a stern warning before releasing them.

However, they were not allowed to leave the capital city without Ba Wudi's permission.

Ouyang Jian and Mo Qing True Monarch were unconcerned about this restriction; they had no intention of fleeing.

They believed they had kept themselves clean and left no traces. As long as there were no issues on Meng Zhang's end, Ba Wudi wouldn't be able to catch them off guard.

Even if Ba Wudi acted arbitrarily, he wouldn't dispose of an old minister like Ouyang Jian without concrete evidence.

Of course, due to the failure of this operation and their inability to seize the innate Ghost Deity's divine body, Ouyang Jian had to abandon his previous plans.

Had this operation succeeded, Ouyang Jian wouldn't have returned to the mortal realm; he would have developed in the Netherworld, creating a foundation similar to that in Yin Capital.

Ouyang Jian was over two thousand years old and had at most three hundred more years to live. His current top priority was finding another way to extend his lifespan.

As for other matters, he had no time for them at all.

After returning to the capital city, Meng Zhang immediately headed back to the headquarters of the Five Punishments Guard.

Feng Baoshan had been waiting for a while and couldn't help but inquire when Meng Zhang returned.

Although Meng Zhang and Ouyang Jian were enemies, they had reached an unspoken understanding.

After all, neither of them wanted to incur the wrath of the Dali Dynasty and become enemies of Yin Capital.

Meng Zhang fabricated the story of his journey to Netherworld. He claimed that he had lost track of Ouyang Jian and the others after leaving Yin Capital to follow them. Upon entering the treacherous Ghost Weep Mountains, he was entangled by Ghost entities. With no other choice, he abandoned his original plan and returned to Yin Capital. As for what Ouyang Jian and his group did in the Ghost Weep Mountains, Meng Zhang claimed he had no knowledge of their actions.

Upon hearing Meng Zhang's account, Feng Baoshan felt regret but was left with no choice.

Even if Ouyang Jian and his group had sinister intentions in Netherworld, Meng Zhang failed to keep up with them and prevent their actions in time.

Given the changing circumstances, there was nothing anyone could do.

This time, Meng Zhang didn't have to wait long before Han Yao, the Chief Minister of the Great Law Court, returned to the capital city and found time to meet with him.

When facing Han Yao, Meng Zhang used the same explanation.

For the sake of his own safety and Taiyi Sect's security, Meng Zhang was determined to keep the secret.

Han Yao had thought he had Ouyang Jian and his group cornered based on Meng Zhang's initial report. But now, Meng Zhang had lost track of them during his pursuit in Netherworld.

Han Yao couldn't blame Meng Zhang; he had done his best.

Han Yao had been to the Ghost Weep Mountains before and knew that it was an exceedingly perilous place. Even a late-stage Primordial Spirit cultivator would hesitate to venture too deep. One misstep could lead to a life-threatening situation.

As a high-ranking member of the Dali Dynasty, Han Yao was aware of the upcoming large-scale external military campaign.

Being someone who considered the bigger picture, Han Yao was reluctant to stir up internal conflicts, even though he had disagreements with Ouyang Jian.

Moreover, Meng Zhang's public slaying of Ouyang Huajin had given Ouyang Jian a semblance of righteousness. Even if Meng Zhang claimed that Ouyang Huajin had willingly sought his own death, outsiders wouldn't believe it.

If a conflict were to arise with Ouyang Jian at this time, others would perceive Han Yao as the aggressor.

In his position as the Chief Minister of the Great Law Court, Han Yao cared about his public image.

Hence, he advised Meng Zhang that since the tracking mission had failed, he should not casually divulge the details to prevent Ouyang Jian from finding out. Han Yao also suggested that, until new evidence emerged, Meng Zhang should refrain from targeting Ouyang Jian and his group.

After all, Ouyang Jian was, to some extent, a prince from the Dali Dynasty. He held a significant position within the court and had many loyal followers. If he decided to confront Meng Zhang head-on, it could lead to various complications.

Meng Zhang readily accepted Han Yao's instructions.