Chapter 164 - 164 162 I'll Take the Blame for This
Chapter 164: Chapter 162: I’ll Take the Blame for This Chapter 164: Chapter 162: I’ll Take the Blame for This “Wait a bit longer.”
Yin Bieli’s tone was indifferent, his gaze icy as he glanced in the direction of the Beast Taming Sect’s tower ship before turning to Zhuo Feifan, “You, recount the events in detail.”
“Yes.”
Zhuo Feifan nodded respectfully in agreement.
He had spent most of his time in the Heavenly Pool Secret Realm contemplating how to explain things upon his return, having rehearsed his story numerous times already.
When Yin Bieli inquired, he hastily recited the rehearsed script.
His narrative contained nine truths and one lie.
Except for concealing the agreement made between himself, Qin Feng, and Li Miao Zhen, the rest, though somewhat incomplete, was true.
After hearing his report, the elders of Taiyi Mountain confirmed that their last opening of the secret realm had been indiscreet, arousing the suspicions of the Beast Taming Sect, which led them to send Li Miao Zhen to investigate.
“Damn the Beast Taming Sect, ruining our plans like this.”
“The Beast Taming Sect acts vilely, even having their true disciple conceal her presence and change her appearance to enter the secret realm; their intentions are condemnable.”
“Indeed, there must have been a high-ranking sect member who personally helped Li Miao Zhen with a spell to alter her appearance.
…
Otherwise, with her cultivation, she couldn’t have escaped our detection.
If we had discovered her earlier, we could have completely withdrawn and waited for the next opening of the secret realm.”
The elders were seething with anger and vented through words.A cold-faced male sword cultivator added, “I’ve always said that we should have sent only those at the peak of Foundation Establishment into the secret realm this time, so we wouldn’t have faced this issue.
But you all opposed my proposal to avoid drawing the attention of other sects.
Well, look what’s happened now!”
“Hmph, if we really did as you suggested, it certainly would have drawn the attention of other sects.
Before entering, they might have instructed their disciples to watch us closely.
By that time, we would definitely be discovered by disciples from various sects.
Do you think any sect would want to see the secret realm taken by us?
Who knows, it might even lead to an all-out attack on our Taiyi Mountain’s disciples by other sect disciples, and rumors spread afterward in the cultivation world might push many neutral sects to side with the Beast Taming Sect.”
“Enough, what’s the use of arguing about these things now!”
Yin Bieli snorted coldly, silencing the argument, then looked back at Zhuo Feifan, “What about the Guiding Array in the end, was it destroyed or did it end up in the hands of the Beast Taming Sect’s disciples?”
“I… I do not know.”
Zhuo Feifan, not daring to show any sign of emotion, displayed a troubled expression, “At the time when my Sword Talisman was activated, I saw two martial brothers swinging their swords at the incomplete Guiding Array, but as to whether it was destroyed or not, I did not see.”
A female sword cultivator elder commented, “There’s no need to worry.
The Beast Taming Sect wasn’t aware of our plans beforehand; otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent only Li Miao Zhen to investigate.
The White Tiger Lineage of the Beast Taming Sect, aside from combat and killing, isn’t well-versed in any other arts and certainly doesn’t delve into arrays.
It’s doubtful she even recognized what the array was for.
Besides, even if she did recognize it, what good would that do her?
Could she understand the Array Map?
Hmph, with her brain full of muscles, even if you gave her the array map, she likely wouldn’t know how to set it up!”
This remark immediately received the agreement of other elders.
“Indeed, anyone from Luo Zhancheng’s lineage is a battle maniac, only focusing on how to destroy and kill, and would never spend their spirit on studying complex arrays like these.”
Yin Bieli nodded slightly, “Regardless, our action this time has failed.
I am afraid when the secret realm opens again in sixty years, the disciples from Taiyi Mountain and those from the Beast Taming Sect will have a deadly fight.
Then, ownership of the secret realm will depend on who loses and who wins, whose methods are more ingenious.”
An elder chimed in, “I’m just afraid that if the Beast Taming Sect isn’t confident in achieving a complete victory, they might even invite the Five Poisons Sect to bolster their chances, which would complicate matters.”
“They… would they be willing to?
That’s an entire Cave Heaven World; would the Beast Taming Sect really be willing to share it with the Five Poisons Sect?”
“Well, it’s not their own property to begin with; even if they only get half of the rights after taking it over, that would still be enough for them to reap countless benefits.”
“Should we perhaps also involve the Giant Spirit Sect?”
“This matter requires thorough deliberation.
Upon returning, we must report to the Supreme Elders and let them decide.”
“Ah…”
Amidst sighs, the elders looked troubled.
An almost acquired Cave Heaven had unexpectedly gone awry, truly proving that man’s calculations are no match for heaven’s.
Another almost quarter hour passed, and the space channel grew increasingly unstable, a sign that the Heavenly Pool Secret Realm was about to sink into the depths of the void.
The elders watched eagerly, and although a few cultivators made a ragged escape from the inside, they were not their Taiyi Mountain disciples; Chen Buqi and the others did not return.
“You may go now.”
An elder, disheartened, waved Zhuo Feifan away.
The reason this scheme had stumbled was mainly because they hadn’t anticipated being discovered by the Beast Taming Sect, who then sent Li Miao Zhen to investigate.
These high-ranking sect members weren’t about to put the blame on their subordinate disciples; besides, Zhuo Feifan was just one of the disciples involved in this mission, and since Chen Buqi had led it, any failures couldn’t truly be ascribed to Zhuo Feifan.
“Yes, I shall take my leave.”
Zhuo Feifan bowed respectfully and withdrew.
Outside, a disciple who was on good terms with him saw him come out and hurriedly waved, calling out, “Brother Zhuo, come quickly.
I’ve found your enemy.”
“Enemy?”
Zhuo Feifan, upon hearing this, was stunned.
“What enemy?”
“Look over there.”
The disciple pointed in the direction of the Beast Taming Sect’s tower ship.
Not far from the tower ship, a group of cultivators was engaging in conversation.
An elder from the Five Poisons Sect had arrived, and they were catching up with a few elders from the Beast Taming Sect while also bringing their respective disciples together to get acquainted.
An Ruhui, accompanied by the girls Qin Xi and Wen Qing’er, was chatting with several female disciples from the Five Poisons Sect and also pulled Qin Feng, who had always stayed with them, over to meet these Daoist fellows of the Five Poisons Sect.
In the future, when traveling outside, they would inevitably have dealings with the Five Poisons Sect.
On the sword boat, the disciple pointed at Qin Feng and told Zhuo Feifan, “Brother, isn’t that the kid who ambushed and killed Junior Sister Jiang, a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, outside Chaotic Sky Valley?”
“Hmm?”
Upon hearing this, Zhuo Feifan suddenly realized.
This disciple had followed him to Liang City, planning to enter the Ancient Battlefield to help him find the Spirit Sword.
Later, when they were chasing Qin Feng and Ma Jiu, this disciple was one of the two who pursued Ma Jiu.
Because he had not entered the Ancient Battlefield, he had survived.
Zhuo Feifan greatly regretted that he had previously focused all his energy in the secret realm on how to deal with the elders’ questions upon his return, forgetting about this matter entirely.
If he had known earlier, he should have found this disciple in the secret realm and taken the opportunity to kill him.
But now it was too late for regrets.
Fortunately, he reacted swiftly, instantly catching on.
His face twisted and changed color as if his mind had been clouded by hatred, and he pointed at Qin Feng and shouted loudly, “You little thief from the Beast Taming Sect, I didn’t expect you to enter the secret realm too.
Had I known you were in there, I should have found you first and killed you to avenge my junior sister!”
On the opposite mountain, Qin Feng, hearing the cursing, quickly turned to look and saw Zhuo Feifan pointing and yelling at him.
He furrowed his brows, not understanding what this guy was up to.
But then, seeing the cultivator beside him, he immediately understood what was going on.
He sighed inwardly; unless he exposed Zhuo Feifan’s deeds, he was destined to carry this blame.
“What’s going on?” Qin Xi asked beside him.
“Nothing.”
Qin Feng shrugged casually and said, “Just that I accidentally killed a disciple from Taiyi Mountain during my first mission.
It was Zhuo Feifan’s junior sister.”
“Oh.”
Hearing this, Qin Xi didn’t ask further.
She thought Qin Feng had merely killed an ordinary disciple of Taiyi Mountain.
The sects were hostile towards each other, and private fights resulting in deaths were common.
Not until a Golden Core cultivator stood up from the opposite sword boat did she realize something was amiss.
It was a female cultivator, her expression cold as she looked at Zhuo Feifan and asked, “Is that the kid who killed Qian’er?
Didn’t you say he was already dead?
How is he still alive now?”
She was Jiang Yinghong, sister of Elder Jiang Dongliu of the Punishment Sword Hall and the maternal aunt of Zhuo Feifan’s junior sister.
She had no Daoist companion and had always treated her brother’s only daughter as her own child.
When she heard of her niece’s death, she was almost driven mad.
Only when Zhuo Feifan told her he had avenged her niece did she barely suppress her rage.
This time, as one of the Golden Core cultivators escorting the disciples, she originally thought it was just a routine task.
However, now upon hearing that the murderer of her niece was present, she could not hold back and hurriedly stepped forward to inquire.
“Indeed, Martial Uncle Jiang, it’s him.”
Zhuo Feifan’s face was filled with sorrow and anger: “It was he who took advantage of my junior sister’s unpreparedness and struck with a sneak attack, killing her.
In order to avenge my junior sister, I personally led a few senior brothers into the Ancient Battlefield and forced him into a dead end.
I thought he had died there and had thus avenged my sister, but unexpectedly, he is still alive.
Boo-hoo, I’m useless, I am incompetent.
Not only did I fail to avenge my junior sister, I didn’t even realize he had entered the secret realm…
I’m truly useless…”
As he spoke, he began to cry, and even slapped himself hard.
His sad, self-reproachful demeanor easily elicited sympathy.
“Ah, you shouldn’t be too heartbroken.”
It had to be said, Zhuo Feifan’s performance was indeed good, earning the admiration of many disciples who inwardly labeled him a lovesick man.
Even Jiang Yinghong personally offered him a few comforting words.
However, afterwards, this Golden Core sword cultivator couldn’t help but unleash all her Sword Intent, her chilling killing intent directly targeting Qin Feng.
“Boy, you dared to kill my niece, you deserve to die.”
Sometimes a woman’s rage can easily burn out of control and erupt regardless of the situation.
And this Elder Jiang obviously had such a temperament.
At this moment, remembering her niece’s obedient and lovely demeanor from childhood, waves of heartache surged through her.
Thus, she released her fury, her killing intent aimed straight at Qin Feng.