I am Master Maoshan

Chapter 2292 Young Master Long?

"This... um, Young Master Long, let me take you to your bedchamber to rest." Liu Yuan looked at Liu Jun, who was tied up like a dumpling, and felt both helpless and amused. He spoke cautiously, afraid of offending this drunken "old man".

"Rest? What are you talking about? Let go of me! Let's have another drink!" Liu Jun continued to pretend to be drunk, but his voice carried a hint of resentment and stubbornness.

"Another day, another day we'll have another good drink with you!" Peng Sheng also rushed over upon hearing the commotion, coaxing Liu Jun with a fawning smile.

He knew in his heart that if he let this young master Long continue drinking tonight, the entire Heavenly Palace would probably be destroyed.

"Really?" Liu Jun asked, half-believing, half-doubting. He looked at Liu Yuan and Peng Cheng with hazy, drunken eyes, as if trying to find a trace of sincerity in their eyes.

"Really, really!" Liu Yuan and Peng Cheng nodded repeatedly, their smiles looking more like cries.

Their only thought now is to coax this "Emperor Long Ao" to sleep as soon as possible so that this farce can end sooner.

So, the two men, one on each side, supported Liu Jun and practically dragged him towards the palace. Along the way, Liu Jun kept clamoring to drink more and have another round of drinks with his brothers.

Liu Yuan and Peng Cheng could only agree repeatedly, secretly praying that this young master Long would forget the unpleasantness of tonight after waking up and not make things difficult for them.

Inside the palace, a hangover remedy and a soft bed had already been prepared, awaiting the arrival of this distinguished guest. A major incident caused by drunkenness gradually subsided amidst everyone's careful attention.

"What should we do? Should we ask him again?" Peng Cheng stood anxiously at the entrance of Liu Jun's palace, his brows furrowed and his eyes filled with unease.

"Ask? How do I ask?" Liu Yuan looked bitter, his lips downturned, as if he were bearing a heavy burden.

He paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, each step pressing on Peng Cheng's taut nerves.
"Even if he didn't steal the top-tier treasure vault, would you and I dare to tell anyone?"

Originally, Liu Yuan already had a brilliant plan in mind. This so-called 'Dragon Emperor', whether he admitted it or not, he would cleverly pin the blame for the theft of the Heavenly Treasure Vault on him.

He secretly rejoiced in his scheme, imagining the scene when Palace Master Yu Qiushui emerged from seclusion—he, Liu Yuan, would serve as the embodiment of loyalty, respectfully offering up the hot potato that was 'Emperor Long Ao,' and then embellishing the description of 'Emperor Long Ao's' astonishing array formation skills.

At that time, whether the Palace Master showed leniency out of appreciation for his talent or dealt with him directly out of fear of his abilities, it had little to do with Liu Yuan. He could both absolve himself of responsibility and demonstrate his keen insight, so why not?

However, life is unpredictable, and fate always seems to love playing tricks on people. This 'Dragon Emperor' is actually the palace master Yu Qiushui's own son! Just thinking about how he almost pushed the palace master's precious son out and accused him of stealing from the treasure vault, Liu Yuan couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He could almost see his own end—to be the first to be executed by the enraged temple lord as a warning to others. This thought coiled around him like a venomous snake, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"What should I do?" Liu Yuan muttered to himself, his face full of sorrow, his eyes empty and lost.

He knew very well that the 'Dragon Emperor' route was no longer viable, and he had to find another way.

Scapegoat! The word suddenly flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt piercing the darkness. Yes, find a scapegoat! As long as this matter can be quelled and his own life can be saved, what does sacrificing one or two innocent people matter?
Liu Yuan's gaze gradually turned cold and resolute. He began to calculate in his mind who could be used as scapegoats, and how to make sure he could escape unscathed...

Meanwhile, the Palace Master, Yu Qiushui, had already arrived at the underground city with steady steps and stopped beside the blood pool that was glowing with an eerie red light.

Within the pool of blood, an unknown liquid churned, emanating a chilling aura that seemed capable of devouring all life.

Standing beside the blood pool at this moment was Elder Zong, the renowned array master of the Heavenly Lord Temple.

He was dressed in a gray robe, his face aged and solemn, his eyes revealing an endless obsession and awe for formations. Although his injuries had mostly healed under the nourishment of powerful spiritual energy, the remaining scars and the occasional signs of weakness still indicated that he had suffered a severe blow not long ago.

"What's going on with you?" Yu Qiushui asked Elder Zong with sharp eyes and a tone of concern and confusion.

Elder Zong sighed softly, his gaze lowered slightly, as if unwilling to discuss the matter.

"I was accidentally injured by the formation while trying to break it," Elder Zong explained simply, his tone tinged with helplessness and regret.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qiushui frowned slightly, her eyes revealing doubt.

"Your mastery of formations is among the best in the entire God Realm, so how could you be injured by an explosion while trying to break a formation?" Yu Qiushui pressed, clearly surprised by the incident.

Elder Zong shook his head helplessly, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.

"Alas, one can only say that the younger generation is truly formidable. The young people of today have increasingly high talent in formations, and the formations they set up are often unexpected and impossible to defend against," Elder Zong sighed, seemingly unwilling to say more about the matter to avoid stirring up more memories.

Seeing this, Yu Qiushui didn't press further, but simply nodded to show her understanding.

His gaze shifted to the dozen or so blurry figures in the blood pool. These were all future God-King level experts, but at this moment they were like soulless puppets, immersed in the strange blood pool, undergoing some kind of unknown transformation.

"How many more days?" Yu Qiushui asked in a deep voice, her tone filled with both anticipation and urgency.

"In three days at most, these dozen or so Divine King Realm puppets will be ready to enter the Blood Pool," Elder Zong replied, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light, seemingly filled with anticipation for the powerful puppets that were about to be born.

"Oh? It's several days ahead of schedule." A flash of surprise crossed Yu Qiushui's eyes; he hadn't expected the gathering of spiritual energy to be so rapid. "Yes, that Long Aodi's spirit-gathering array did indeed play a significant role," Elder Zong said calmly, without any intention of taking credit.

Although he disliked the young man behind the name "Dragon Emperor," he would not do anything despicable, such as belittling others or stealing credit.

A strange look flashed in Yu Qiushui's eyes. He hadn't expected that this spirit-gathering array would be set up by Emperor Long Ao.

Previously, he had already ordered people to inquire about his son, whom he hadn't seen for many years. The news did indeed say that Emperor Long Ao was exceptionally talented in formations, but Yu Qiushui still had some doubts, since he had never personally witnessed his son's mastery of formations.

"You mean, this Spirit Gathering Array was really set up by 'Emperor Long Ao'?" Yu Qiushui asked again, her voice revealing a hint of disbelief.

Elder Zong nodded, his expression solemn, and said, "He set it up. The complex formation that I couldn't solve before was also set up by him. His skill in formations is indeed superior to mine."

Upon hearing this, Yu Qiushui fell into deep thought. He recalled the scene when he parted ways with Long Aodi, who was then just a boy full of curiosity about formations. He never expected that after so many years, this child would have achieved such amazing accomplishments in formations.

Yu Qiushui felt a surge of pride and joy, but also a pang of guilt. He realized that, as a father, he knew far too little about his son.

He decided that after this matter was over, he must have a good talk with Long Aodi to understand his growth and experiences over the years.

At this moment, the spiritual energy in the Spirit Gathering Array continued to gather, while Yu Qiushui and Elder Zong stood quietly to the side, each with their own thoughts.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, another message arrived, and both Vice Hall Master Liu Yuan and Vice Hall Master Peng Sheng felt as if the sky had fallen.

"What did you say? 'Emperor Long Ao' isn't in the room? He ran away?" Peng Cheng suddenly jumped up from the armchair, grabbed the collar of the servant in front of him, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The servant's feet were almost off the ground, and his face was ashen.

"No, not in the room, they must have run away," the servant's voice was barely audible, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "When I brought breakfast this morning, I found the door ajar, and only a broken rope on the bed."

"Useless! What use are you!" In a fit of rage, Peng Cheng slapped the servant several feet away, sending him crashing into a pillar and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Liu Yuan's face was ashen, his hands clenched into fists inside his sleeves, his nails digging deep into his palms.

The two rushed towards Emperor Long Ao's palace, their footsteps echoing heavily on the bluestone slabs. Everyone along the way lowered their heads and gave way, afraid of incurring his wrath.

Pushing open the carved sandalwood door, the room was indeed empty, with the windows wide open and the morning breeze causing the gauze curtains to flutter. On the table was a note that read: "Thank you for your hospitality, until we meet again."

Peng Sheng grabbed the note and crumpled it to shreds, his voice trembling: "How...how am I supposed to explain this to the Palace Master?"

Last night, when the temple master personally handed his son over to them, bound hand and foot, he specifically instructed them to keep a close watch on him. Damn it, he was gone in one night. What a waste of time.

Just then, a tall and imposing guard clad in black armor appeared silently at the door.

The guard's face was stern and expressionless, like a walking sculpture.

"Vice Hall Master Liu Yuan, Vice Hall Master Peng Cheng, the Hall Master has summoned you both to the Heavenly Lord's Hall immediately to discuss important matters." The guard's tone was devoid of any emotion.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuan and Peng Cheng exchanged a glance, a strange worry flashing in their eyes. An ominous premonition rose in their hearts, as if they were about to embark not on the road to the main hall, but on a long and arduous path to the execution ground.

Seeing this, the black-armored guards did not say anything, but stood quietly at the door, their eyes fixed on the two of them, as if silently urging them on.

Liu Yuan sighed helplessly, breaking the oppressive atmosphere. He took the lead and walked towards the main hall, each step feeling exceptionally heavy.

Peng Sheng followed closely behind, head hanging low, as if carrying a heavy burden, his steps faltering.

The two remained silent throughout the journey, each lost in their own thoughts.

Soon, the group arrived at the entrance of the Catholic Church. The church was brightly lit and the atmosphere was solemn.

At this moment, besides the Hall Master Yu Qiushui sitting on the throne, there was also an old man with white hair and beard in the main hall—Elder Zong, a master of formations.

Liu Yuan and Peng Cheng stepped into the main hall. After paying their respects, Liu Yuan gritted his teeth, finally mustered his courage, and said bluntly, "Lord Hall Master, the Heavenly Treasure Vault has been robbed, and... and 'Emperor Long Ao' is also missing!"

By the end, Liu Yuan's voice was trembling slightly, clearly filled with fear and unease.

"Well, if he's gone, he's gone. Tell me about the theft of the treasure vault." Yu Qiushui's focus was clearly not on 'Emperor Long Ao'.

The disappearance of 'Dragon Emperor' was expected, and for Yu Qiushui, his son's escape did not cause him much of a stir.

After all, since childhood, 'Dragon Emperor' had been at odds with his father, and was independent and stubborn, always unwilling to act according to his wishes.