Wu Shuai's advancement to the Eighth Transformation allowed him to finally break through the siege, and the pressure dropped sharply. More than that, he had found the only hope of defeating the Heavenly Court — harnessing the power of Red Lotus.
Red Lotus had not yet become a Venerable, but was already destined to become a future Venerable. This was merely speculation, yet many in the Gu Immortal world leaned toward this very conjecture. If not, why would both Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Court go to such lengths to keep him? When Dragon Lord had descended in person and taken him as a disciple, that had been an unmistakable signal.
After communicating with Gu Liang, Wu Shuai decided to change his strategy. He lowered his banner and ceased his former provocations.
Previously, when he had advanced to the Eighth Transformation, the dragonman race had been filled with wild anticipation — they finally had an Eighth Transformation powerhouse to champion their cause.
Yet Wu Shuai began drawing close to the Heavenly Court and the Ten Great Ancient Sects of the Central Continent, leaving countless dragonmen bewildered.
Wu Shuai put in enormous effort, putting on the appearance of someone who had seen the error of his ways, gradually winning the goodwill and trust of the Ten Great Ancient Sects. He deliberately approached the Heavenly Court, using every means to gather intelligence on their operations.
He had even once funded the construction of an Immortal Gu House for the Heavenly Court.
On the matter of tensions between dragonmen and humans, he likewise shifted his stance — suppressing the dragonmen and upholding human interests.
Nearly a century passed. Wu Shuai achieved considerable success, yet the Heavenly Court still had not come to trust him.
"What should I do?" Wu Shuai fretted, conferring with Gu Liang.
Gu Liang said: "You are a dragonman. The Heavenly Court has always maintained absolute vigilance toward alien races — they look down on nonhumans to their very bones. Our only hope still lies with Dragon Lord. It is time to administer a strong dose of medicine."
"But how can I earn Dragon Lord's trust? The old ancestor has always been… toward me…" Wu Shuai shook his head with a bitter smile.
Gu Liang gazed deeply at Wu Shuai. "That depends on whether you, my friend, are willing to make a sacrifice."
Wu Shuai answered without a moment's hesitation. "I scheme for the benefit of the entire dragonman race. What are a few personal sacrifices in comparison?"
"Good." Gu Liang clapped his hands. "Only someone like you can accomplish a great undertaking."
Gu Liang then laid out his plan, and Wu Shuai immediately hesitated. For Gu Liang's scheme called on Wu Shuai to willingly sacrifice Huang Wei.
Huang Wei was already a Seventh Transformation dragonman Gu Immortal who had followed Wu Shuai since his youth. He had remained at Wu Shuai's side all along, painstakingly managing Nanhua Island. His loyalty to Wu Shuai was absolute, his contributions immense — there was not the slightest possibility of betrayal.
Gu Liang pressed his argument: "Everyone knows of the bond between Huang Wei and you, my friend. We can engineer a situation that forces you to make a choice. If you uphold human interests and sacrifice Huang Wei, it will surely change Dragon Lord's long-held views!"
"But… you are asking me to execute a meritorious retainer — the one who trusts me most, who reveres me most…" Wu Shuai gritted his teeth, still wavering.
"I believe that if Huang Wei understood the significance of his sacrifice, he would choose it willingly. Isn't that so?" This single remark from Gu Liang greatly eased Wu Shuai's hesitation.
Wu Shuai let out a long sigh, his eyes reddening. "Huang Wei knows me, and I know Huang Wei. If he understood my painstaking intentions, he would willingly accept the sacrifice."
"Absolutely not!" Gu Liang waved his hand urgently. "This plan is of the utmost importance — the fewer who know, the better. Limiting it to just the two of us is the safest course. My friend, you must understand — even a dead person can have evidence dug up against them. We absolutely cannot let Huang Wei learn the truth."
"This…" Wu Shuai closed his eyes, shaking his head repeatedly. "Let me think… let me think…"
He deliberated for the better part of a year before finally steeling his resolve.
Compared to Huang Wei alone, the interests of the entire dragonman race were far greater.
Wu Shuai and Gu Liang secretly orchestrated their scheme, manufacturing conflicts, killing human Gu Immortals, forging irrefutable evidence, and framing Huang Wei.
Once the matter broke, it immediately drew widespread attention across the Central Continent.
Huang Wei cried out in injustice: "I never did any of this! My brother knows me — I would never do such a thing!"
At first Wu Shuai defended Huang Wei fiercely, but as more and more evidence came to light, he was forced to "sacrifice personal ties for the greater good" and brutally executed Huang Wei.
The affair caused a massive uproar. The dragonmen's resentment toward Wu Shuai ran deep, and some began voluntarily relocating away from Nanhua Island.
The Ten Great Ancient Sects of the Central Continent, on the other hand, universally praised Wu Shuai. Even Dragon Lord, upon learning the truth, nodded in approval: "Little Eight has shown much reflection over the years. It is gratifying."
Through this, Wu Shuai successfully earned Dragon Lord's trust.
Yet in his heart, a piece had been carved away.
Huang Wei's final words before execution were etched deep into his soul — words he would never forget for as long as he lived: "Brother, I, Huang Wei, have never regretted following you! If you wish to execute me, whatever the reason, I accept it! But Brother, I truly never committed such acts. Please be careful — you must be careful. Those human Gu Immortals have lulled you into a false sense of security. These years they have not moved against you because they changed their strategy. Now they frame me because they want to eliminate me, and little by little cut away your wings."
"Brother, the great cause for the dragonman race that you described to me — I have always kept it in my heart. My death is nothing. Please, carry on as before. The dragonman race cannot afford to lose you!"
Huang Wei prostrated on the ground, weeping as he spoke, each word stabbing like a knife into Wu Shuai's heart.
Wu Shuai nearly broke — he wanted desperately to reveal the whole truth to Huang Wei. The one framing him was none other than the brother he most revered and loved!
For one fleeting moment, an overwhelming impulse seized Wu Shuai — he wanted to fall to his knees and beg Huang Wei's forgiveness. But in the end, he did not.
He gave a cold snort. "Huang Wei, you embezzled and broke the law, you committed deliberate murder, and even now facing death you refuse to confess. How wrong I was to have trusted you all these years. You have truly broken my heart — disappointed me beyond measure."
He had spoken only half his words before tears were already falling, his voice choked with emotion.
He dared not look at Huang Wei again and turned to leave.
"Brother!" Huang Wei collapsed on the icy floor of his cell, shouting after Wu Shuai's retreating back. "Let me call you 'Brother' one last time before I die!! Don't forget the great cause of the dragonmen!"
Wu Shuai quickened his pace, as though fleeing in panic.
Huang Wei's execution drew a great many Gu Immortals who came to watch. Wu Shuai did not attend.
That night, he had a dream.