Making Sacrifices
Now a rank eight, Wu Shuai has broken the encirclement and found the only chance to defeat Heavenly Court, which is to borrow Red Lotus’ power. Red Lotus has yet to become a venerable, but the Gu Immortal world is inclined to believe, on a guess, that he is predestined to become one. After talking with Gu Liang, Wu Shuai keeps a low profile and gets close to Heavenly Court and the ten great ancient sects, even funding an Immortal Gu House for Heavenly Court. He shows a repentant attitude, wins the favor of the ten sects, and suppresses dragonmen to protect the benefits of the humans. Many dragonmen cannot understand him. After a hundred years he still cannot gain the trust of Heavenly Court. ch. 1843
He asks Gu Liang what to do, and Gu Liang answers that Heavenly Court has always been extremely wary of variant humans, so the only hope is to target Duke Long. The price is a sacrifice, and it is Huang Wei. He is a rank seven dragonman Gu Immortal who has followed Wu Shuai since his youth and would never betray him. Gu Liang says they can create a situation in which defending the humans means sacrificing Huang Wei, and Duke Long will definitely change his opinion. Wu Shuai believes Huang Wei would sacrifice himself if he knew, but Gu Liang insists that only the two of them may know, since even the dead can be investigated. After half a year of hesitation, Wu Shuai decides that the whole dragonman race matters more than one person. ch. 1843
In secret Wu Shuai and Gu Liang stir up conflict and kill human Gu Immortals, then collect evidence that frames Huang Wei. Huang Wei cries out that he is innocent. Wu Shuai defends him at first, but as more evidence surfaces he kills him under the banner of justice. Many dragonmen move out of South Flower Island, while the ten sects praise Wu Shuai greatly, Duke Long is very pleased with him, and he gains Duke Long’s trust. ch. 1843
In prison Huang Wei says he has never regretted following Wu Shuai and warns him that the human Gu Immortals are trying to deceive him and clip his wings. Wu Shuai almost confesses and has an intense urge to beg forgiveness, but he controls himself, coldly upholds the charge, and leaves in tears. He does not attend the execution. That night he dreams of telling Huang Wei the truth, and Huang Wei is willing to sacrifice himself too. ch. 1843
After Huang Wei’s death South Flower Island falls into turmoil, morale hits rock bottom, and the dragonmen are very disappointed in Wu Shuai, but he now goes in and out of Heavenly Court regularly. When Heavenly Court decides to build Central Heaven Gate, he offers his rank seven Dragon Palace. Duke Long is happy but declines, since Central Heaven Gate is an information path Immortal Gu House and Dragon Palace is enslavement path. After Wu Shuai begs for a chance, Duke Long puts him and his father in charge of building it. Gu Liang says Central Heaven Gate can connect to grotto-heavens, so they can leave a backdoor while probing Heavenly Court. The dragonmen call Wu Shuai a traitor. Even his father is very cold to him. ch. 1843
His father returns from Heavenly Court gravely injured and says that he contacted fate Gu and received its revelation that dragonmen will reign supreme. Discovered, he purposely failed in building Central Heaven Gate and used the backlash to escape and return. He wants Wu Shuai to heal him and announce the news, but Wu Shuai settles him and leaves. Wu Shuai, who has learned that Gu Liang is a variant human Gu Immortal, tells him the truth. Gu Liang approves of his not rallying the dragonmen, since Heavenly Court would wipe them out if it learned of this, and warns that investigators will come. Gu Liang proposes sacrificing the father and pretending he died of his injuries. Wu Shuai refuses to kill his father, and Gu Liang answers that Heavenly Court must have known of the revelation all along, and says he now understands why Duke Long treats the race as he does. ch. 1843
