Chapter 734 - 398: What Is Your Intentions? (Part 2)
Chapter 734: Chapter 398: What Is Your Intentions? (Part 2)
"I’ve never heard of this! The Third Prince is renowned in the South Ridge for his acts of chivalry.
"Luochun Manor turned the tide, killing masters of the Celestial Evil Cult.
"At Ghost God Gorge, he single-handedly stopped the battle between Iron Blood Hall and Blazing Hall. Who knows how many lives that saved!
"And when he appeared in Lingbei, his first battle was the Celestial Melody City battle, directly thwarting the Celestial Evil Cult’s conspiracy, consecutively slaying several of their masters. Truly a model of the Heroic Dao in our Martial World!
"Then why does the Mirror of Sin want to kill him?"
"It’s hard to say, isn’t there a saying that goes, ’It’s easy to paint the skin of a tiger but not its bones, to know a person’s face but not their heart’?"
The crowd was buzzing with speculation, and Chu Qing lightly coughed to momentarily quell the noise.
"Actually, the attempt on my life by the Mirror of Sin was not without reason,"
Chu Qing’s tone suddenly changed at this point.
For those who suspected Chu Qing of being two-faced, it seemed they had found ironclad evidence, just as they were ready to speak out.
Chu Qing continued:
"The reason being, I have stopped the Mirror of Sin’s actions more than once.
"However, those were matters occurring in the South Ridge... Some of these things are unknown in Lingbei, as they are separated by the Heaven-Reaching Ridge.
"But even if you’re not clear about the events at Ghost God Gorge, you must have heard some rumors.
"The Mirror of Sin once sent assassins from the Evil Extermination List to assassinate the Hall Master of Iron Blood Hall, Tie Lingyun!
"Regardless of their intentions, once Tie Lingyun died, one could imagine what the outcome of the battle between the two halls would have been at the time.
"Perhaps a massacre!
"Moreover, during my time in the South Ridge, I met White Horse Golden Sword Cao Qiupu. Although our acquaintance was brief, we connected well.
"This person has a sterling reputation in the Martial World, a renowned righteous hero.
"Yet the Mirror of Sin attempted to assassinate him multiple times, using all sorts of sinister schemes...
"I can’t fathom what kind of Dao, supposedly operating under the guise of executing heavenly justice, involves indiscriminate killing, and what kind of people are they killing!?"
When Chu Qing revealed these two incidents, some in the crowd became confused, others astonished, and some turned pale.
Confused were those who hadn’t heard of it, astonished were those who found it unbelievable.
Those who turned pale were contemplating the implications of Chu Qing’s words...
Tie Lingyun, as the Grand Hall Master of Iron Blood Hall, was somewhat renowned in Lingbei, not unknown.
Although White Horse Golden Sword Cao Qiupu had a moderate reputation, some knew him as ’White Horse roaming the Martial World, Golden Sword slaying evil across ten thousand miles’, a true martial hero.
The Mirror of Sin should never have directed its blade towards this person.
As those familiar with these events shared their knowledge with the ignorant around them,
the attitude of the assembled crowd began to shift.
And once again, Chu Qing’s voice rang out:
"With these two encounters, I have thoroughly offended the Mirror of Sin.
"Therefore, during the Celestial Melody City battle, I wasn’t sure if they knew the Celestial Evil Cult would launch a large-scale attack, perhaps they merely saw it as a good opportunity to seek revenge, thus sending assassins after me.
"Of course, regardless, they failed.
"I thought they would settle down for a while, but to my surprise, they pursued me more relentlessly than I expected.
"After the Celestial Melody City battle, I received information that the Yao Tai Sect might encounter a great calamity.
"Thus, on the eve of the Heroes’ Gathering, I took my companions and headed to the Yao Tai Sect early.
"Fearing some accident might occur at Yao Tai Sect.
"While on the road, I happened to meet a girl being pursued.
"And those pursuing her were from the Mirror of Sin.
"I initially thought the girl might have committed some unforgivable act, but after understanding, I was speechless...
"The girl’s entire family was killed by the Mirror of Sin since she was young, leaving her as the sole survivor. She trained diligently for over a decade, and after entering the Martial World, she sought only to avenge her family.
"I just want to know... even if that so-called execution of heavenly justice for the crimes is true, what grave wrong merits murdering a whole family and feeling it’s not enough?
"When the girl entered the Martial World, they still wanted to eliminate her utterly!
"Is the Mirror of Sin truly serving heavenly justice, or is it simply eliminating dissidents?
"Were there no good people in the Mirror of Sin before... or is the Mirror of Sin inherently malicious!?"
"The Third Prince is right! The Mirror of Sin truly is no good!"
"My righteous brother was kindhearted and spoke out against injustice, but he offended someone with greater power and martial arts... Though that person didn’t dare to retaliate openly, he conspired with those from the Mirror of Sin, fabricating charges against him. Even after death, they weren’t satisfied, hanging his body at the door, leaving it for wild birds to peck!
"Heaven have mercy, his kindheartedness and outspokenness resulted from witnessing injustice. When he and his wife died tragically, she was already pregnant, just three months along!
"These celestial killers, may they meet a bad end! Alas, I am but a nobody, powerless to have my voice heard, while people instead choose to believe those executioners!"
Amidst the crowd, someone spoke with tears, loudly calling out the words buried in their heart.
Some turned to see the source, faces emotive.
They recognized the speaker and knew the integrity of his words regarding his righteous brother, who, though not famed in the Martial World, was indeed a straightforward and honest person.
Yet overnight, his whole family was massacred by the Mirror of Sin, an uproar created by listing seven grave crimes, everyone believing in his facade without knowing it was all fabricated.
This person’s expression, however, also touched upon many personal worries.
They too had friends or even relatives killed by the Mirror of Sin... Though they doubted its likelihood, they also couldn’t be sure.
Compared to the first speaker, their tone wasn’t as certain.
However, with one incident it might be explained away, but with so many people dying without clarity, there’s certainly a bigger issue here.
As the Nine Great Forces of Lingbei, listening to the voices within the crowd, their faces also started to darken.
The Mirror of Sin had long existed but had never troubled these Nine Great Forces, hence they maintained a peaceful coexistence.
Yet unexpectedly, these people were acting so recklessly and outrageously.
Taking another look at Chu Qing, then the Sect Leader Dai Zongming of the Thousand Flowers Sect asked gravely:
"Third Prince, you’ve spoken extensively about the Mirror of Sin, but what does it have to do with the current matters?"
Chu Qing sighed lightly:
"At the Yao Tai Sect, the pursued girl stayed by my side, and after I slew the Celestial Evil Cult masters, the Mirror of Sin believed they had a chance, attempting a sneak attack on us.
"As a result, I killed them, and subsequently traced their leads, capturing one more...
"And this person was Jiang Qianliu, Steward of the Deceit Hall from the Profound Mystery Sect!
"Two days ago, upon my initial ascent up the Immortal Cloud Mountain, I clashed with the Profound Mystery Sect’s Young Sect Leader Zuo Zhongtang, which I believe you’ve heard about.
"That incident was instigated by Jiang Qianliu."
At these words, an uproar once again erupted.
Yet questions still arose:
"Even if Jiang Qianliu joined the Mirror of Sin, it doesn’t prove that Zuo Huaifeng also became part of it, does it?
"Prince, your actions seem somewhat rash?"
Chu Qing nodded but then suddenly clapped his hands:
"Bring them all up."
At his command, disciples from Celestial Sound Mansion and Liaoyuan Mansion brought a group of people onto the martial stage.
Seeing this group, yet another uproar spread through the crowd.
"Ren Weifeng from the Bright Hall of the Profound Mystery Sect!"
"And Zhang Zhuo from the Deceit Hall."
"Dong Cheng with the Seven-Star Treasure Pestle! Also from the Profound Mystery Sect... this..."
Chu Qing slowly revealed:
"The matter of Jiang Qianliu is yet unresolved; how he joined the Mirror of Sin, became an assassin, and what role Sect Leader Zuo played in this.
"With all these uncertainties, Sect Leader Zuo nonetheless attended the Heroes’ Gathering, yet secretly sent numerous masters to storm the dungeons of Immortal Cloud Manor, to silence Jiang Qianliu!
"Sect Leader Zuo, can we now have a good conversation?
"What exactly is your purpose in all this?"