by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
The matter of the Jade Lake Sacred Land was too huge. The responsibility would have to be borne by someone. Otherwise, if things were simply left like this, it would make her, the alliance head, appear useless.
“This matter was caused by Long Chen, so the responsibility should be borne by the Martial Heaven Alliance. It has nothing to do with my ancient family alliance. We are only victims,” sneered Di Long.
Qu Jianying’s meaning was clear. The two of them should go find the Illusive Music Immortal Palace for an explanation. It was their disciple that had caused this, so they had to accept the responsibility. Whether it was compensation or just an apology, they had to follow through.
However, the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s foundation was frightening, and they were also one of the protectors of the Martial Heaven Continent. Even Qu Jianying didn’t want to offend them, so she wanted to pull Di Long in.
However, Di Long actually refused, pushing the responsibility onto Qu Jianying, even saying that she was at fault. How could she possibly accept that while he acted like the victim?
“Bullshit, we’re the victims. Don’t tell me that if Long Chen and Di Xin’s positions were reversed, you would say Di Xin was at fault for striking back at Long Chen! How did it become our responsibility?” raged Qu Jianying.
Di Long indifferently said, “As far as I’m concerned, this whole disaster originated from Long Chen. Shen Bijun’s love for him turned into hatred. As for what Long Chen did to Shen Bijun, who knows? How he played with her emotions is impossible to know. Shen Bijun is one of the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s top two disciples, so she’s definitely no fool. For her to do something so crazy, can you say for sure it’s unrelated to Long Chen? Who would believe that? Long Chen didn’t properly handle his own relationships, implicating everyone else. Even if he had to act out of self-defense to kill those people, he also has unavoidable responsibility for their deaths. As for my ancient family alliance and the other sects, they’re the real victims. You and the Illusive Music Immortal Palace are the ones who have to take responsibility for this matter. I have no time to waste talking to you. If my son is healed, then I’ll leave this be, but if anything happens to him, you should just wait to endure my rage.”
Di Long became covered in divine runes. Space twisted around him as he vanished from everyone’s sight.
“Why don’t you go fuck yourself?!”
Di Long left, leaving all the responsibility on Qu Jianying, making her break out cursing.
The Southern Xuan Region’s experts didn’t dare to make a sound. They were all old foxes and saw that this was a competition of power between two huge hegemons. They knew that with Qu Jianying present, killing Long Chen as vengeance for their disciples was an impossibility.
The ones to blame were clear. The majority of the blame fell to the Illusive Music Immortal Palace. As for Long Chen, he had a bit of the blame, but it was very small. Just that little bit wasn’t enough for them to demand his death.
These experts were infuriated. Their disciples were all killed, but they didn’t know who they were supposed to find for vengeance. Di Long had left. Even without Qu Jianying present, they wouldn’t dare to try and kill Long Chen. That was purely courting death.
They all looked at each other. In the end, they silently left. Staying here was meaningless, as it would only make them lose more face.
“Alliance head…” The southern branch master of the Martial Heaven Alliance came forward respectfully.
“You can go. I’ll handle this.” Qu Jianying flapped her hand.
“Yes.”
In the end, all those experts left, leaving behind only Qu Jianying, the Skywood Divine Palace’s master, as well as Long Chen and the others.
Qu Jianying’s expression was frighteningly dark. She slowly turned to look at Long Chen, who immediately felt a chill and put on a hasty smile. “Alliance head, hello! After several months, you’ve grown even more beautiful- aiya!”
Long Chen was in the midst of carefully sucking up when Qu Jianying’s hand reached out like lightning, grabbing his ear and twisting.
“Ow! It hurts! Alliance head, it hurts! Alliance head, I was wrong!” Long Chen didn’t know what Qu Jianying was doing, but it felt like a needle was stabbing his ear.
“Little brat, you don’t feel shame crying it hurts?! I’m the one with the headache!” Qu Jianying ignored Long Chen’s pleas for mercy.
Meng Qi, Chu Yao, Tang Wan-er, and the others couldn’t help but find it funny upon seeing Long Chen in such a miserable plight for the first time.
“Alliance head, my wives are right there! They’ll get jealous of your unsuitable actions!” cried Long Chen.
“Bullshit, I’m old enough to be your great-grandaunt. Furthermore, just based on my relationship with your old man, you’d have to call me aunty. What would they get jealous of?!” raged Qu Jianying.
“Aunt, do your best. We definitely won't get jealous. It just so happens we want to learn your great techniques. Please, go ahead and show them all so we can learn.” Tang Wan-er immediately walked forward with an excited smile.
“Wan-er, I have always loved you so much, but you…” Long Chen didn’t even know how he was supposed to express his indignation and grief.
“Hmph, who asked you to be so fickle-hearted?” Tang Wan-er sniffed and turned her nose up at him.
Seeing the usually threatening Long Chen like a little cat in Qu Jianying’s hand, Meng Qi and the others heartlessly laughed.
“Senior Qu, why don’t you come and have a seat in the Skywood Divine Palace?” said the palace master.
“No, I have a crapload of things to handle, and this little brat just gave me even more things to do. Fuck, I’m pissed!” Qu Jianying twisted her hand harder, making Long Chen shout louder.
Qu Jianying was truly powerful, but it actually wasn’t enough to make Long Chen so miserable. However, Long Chen knew that since Qu Jianying was helping him handle this matter, it would be best to let her vent. If he didn’t act pitiable, who knew whether she would switch to an even worse punishment?
Qu Jianying had the same temper as the old man. If he acted too manly now, he didn’t know whether his butt would be turning a bright shade of red in a bit or not. A man who knew how to bend flexibly was a proper man.
The palace master nodded and walked over to Chu Yao. She tidied Chu Yao’s hair a bit and gently said, “You’re a kind child. To tell the truth, I am really unwilling to let you enter a world filled with blood.”
“Master…”
“Good child, the baby bird grows each day in the nest so that it can one day soar through the sky. This day will come sooner or later. It was my fault for saying these things that shouldn’t be said. Take care of yourself. Although you aren’t a disciple of the Skywood Divine Palace anymore, I will forever be your master. If you are tired one day, come and find me.” Although the palace master did her best to control herself, her eyes reddened.
After saying that, she turned and left. Looking at her back, Chu Yao’s tears streamed down her face. Meng Qi and Tang Wan-er could only comfort her.
“Let’s find somewhere quiet so I can properly put you in your place.”
Qu Jianying finally released Long Chen, but her expression was still very fierce.
Chapter 1666 The Eastern Xuan Region’s Crisis
They left the Skywood Divine Palace and flew on a flying boat for an hour before stopping in a secluded mountain range.
“Brat, where did you get that black water?” Qu Jianying looked at Long Chen. She had been really shocked. She almost didn’t believe it.
Tang Wan-er and the others were also curious. They had seen how terrifying that black water was, and Chu Yao especially had felt great fear for it. That was an instinctive repulsion.
They all looked at Long Chen intently, wanting to know.
“In truth, you know what it is. Your guess is correct,” said Long Chen.
“Then you mean… don’t tell me that…�
�� Qu Jianying immediately thought of a possibility. However, that was even harder to believe.
“Hehe, the old man brought me in for a stroll. You know that hard-working men like us have to help each other.”
Qu Jianying cursed, “That old bastard, he brought a little bastard like you in?! Do you both want to lose your lives?!”
Although Long Chen was alive and well, she still felt it was crazy that Long Chen had entered the Netherworld with the old man.
What pissed her off the most was that, disregarding Long Chen who was still young, the old man had actually agreed to do something so foolish.
“Long Chen, what are you talking about?” asked Meng Qi.
“Can I tell the truth?” Long Chen looked at Qu Jianying.
“They are the people closest to you. Whether you say it or not, they are affected by your karma. Why would your guts only shrink now?” snorted Qu Jianying irritably.
Long Chen laughed mischievously and explained how he had gone into the Netherworld with the old man. However, he didn’t dare to mention anything about Purgatory. Of course, he also didn’t mention Xie Qianqian to avoid Tang Wan-er beating him out of jealousy.
Long Chen didn’t say how much death spirit water he had. He only said that he had used it against Di Xin. In any case, Long Chen didn’t care about Di Xin. With the death spirit water, Long Chen could easily play him to death, so Long Chen had already removed Di Xin from the list of people he had to kill.
“You are both crazy.” Qu Jianying shook her head. She could only give this appropriate evaluation.
“Alliance head, do you really not remember anything about things past the Gates of Hell?” asked Meng Qi.
Qu Jianying shook her head. “No, not even a trace. Although I properly segmented my memories and sealed them using a secret art, the majority of them were still fully erased. I have shown you what I managed to retain, which is what happened before the Gates of Hell. Perhaps this is just a kind of law that cannot be stopped. However, even when it comes to things outside the Gates of Hell, if there’s no need to, it would be best if you didn’t spread it. Even that has karmic implications.”
They all nodded. This was a kind of law above the Heavenly Daos, a law related to the riddles of life and death. They had to be respectful of it.
“Alliance head, did you come specifically to save me?” probed Long Chen.
“Tch, I’m not a god. How could I know you would provoke such a calamity?” As soon as this was mentioned, Qu Jianying’s fire was stoked.
“Alliance head, calm down! You don’t want to get an ulcer.” Meng Qi and Chu Yao hastily tried to calm her down. Seeing them hold Qu Jianying back, Long Chen felt grateful. This was what a family should do.
“You little brat, you really piss me off this time! The matter of the Eastern Xuan Region isn’t even fully settled yet, but you already caused such a thing in the Southern Xuan Region! Will you die if you don’t cause any trouble?!” Qu Jianying glared at Long Chen.
“But this wasn’t my fault! If it was the old man or even you in my place, you would have annihilated those sect leaders who came at the end, right? So I’ve already done well.” Long Chen shrugged helplessly.
Although he wasn’t sure about Qu Jianying, he knew that if it was the old man, he would have immediately exploded when the explanation didn’t work and killed all those people.
“Brat, do you think I’m so unreasonable?!” raged Qu Jianying.
Long Chen looked at Qu Jianying without saying anything. Meng Qi, Chu Yao, and the others also looked at her oddly. Clearly, when Qu Jianying’s fury was provoked, she wasn’t that reasonable.
Only when she saw those odd expressions did Qu Jianying’s expression soften. “I received notice from the Devil Abyss that the barrier between worlds is continuing to weaken. The channel in the Devil Abyss is slowly opening. When the time comes, all five regions in the Central Plains will face an attack at the same time. As long as there are defenders, this isn’t particularly difficult to deal with. However… however, the Eastern Xuan Region’s experts have practically been annihilated by you! Just what is the Eastern Xuan Region supposed to bring out to defend with?! Furthermore, all the Eastern Xuan Region’s sects are heavily injured, and when I went to alert them that they were to gather their forces to face the devil race, they said they had no one available and capable of fighting a battle on that level. They even said since the Dragonblood Legion thought itself unrivaled, I should just send the Dragonblood Legion and that would be enough. Fuck, not only are the Martial Heaven Alliance’s direct subordinates acting like this, but even the ancient family alliance is making excuses. I went to the Xuantian Dao Sect to find you, but Li Tianxuan said you came to the Jade Lake Pageant. I had a bad feeling as soon as I heard that and rushed over just in time. But now you’ve really done it. Not only does this problem exist in the Eastern Xuan Region, but even the Southern Xuan Region is gravely wounded. Little brat, even conners don’t con people like this.”
Qu Jianying had a belly full of fire but was helpless about it. She could only blame her own unfortunate fate. How did she end up with such a troublesome subordinate?
Not only were the Southern Xuan Region’s elites annihilated, but Long Chen had also slapped Di Long in the face. Right now, Di Long had no time to bother with Long Chen as he was in a rush to save his son, but once he had time, he would definitely come back. After all, he was a Netherpassage expert and the leader of the ancient family alliance. Having been slapped, if he didn’t kill Long Chen, he would never be able to leave his room with his head raised again.
Thinking of that, Qu Jianying had an urge to die. One hole had yet to be filled before Long Chen gave her a new one.
“I won’t accept responsibility for what happened in the Southern Xuan Region. That’s Shen Bijun’s problem, so you should leave it to the Illusive Music Immortal Palace. As for the Eastern Xuan Region, can I ask one question? If I can handle the invading devil race on my own, all the rewards for doing so will be mine, correct?” As soon as Long Chen mentioned rewards, his eyes began to shine. He currently needed a great deal of money to reconstruct the Xuantian Dao Sect.
Seeing that unscrupulous expression, with his eyes practically shining like spirit crystals, Qu Jianying snorted, “If you could handle the devil race on your own, then all the Eastern Xuan Region’s rewards would go to you. But you don’t have that ability.”
“Really? Even if I’m not enough, I still have my Dragonblood Legion. We can definitely overcome any adversaries.” Long Chen patted his chest confidently.
“You’re thinking too simply. The Martial Heaven Continent might have entered a great era, but this is a chain reaction. The devil race’s side is also entering their great era. While our side gains experts in droves, their side is also growing in power. The devil race must be giving rise to powerful geniuses. Furthermore, this eruption of the Devil Abyss will be unprecedented. You know about your Xuantian Dao Sect’s Devil Abyss, correct? That’s just one channel given to your Xuantian Dao Sect to defend. All the large sects have their own branch that they are protecting. Tens of thousands of sects are working together, spreading out the devil race and blocking them. However, there will be no way to control the upcoming eruption. You’ll have to go down the main channel to fight. If the devil race’s army manages to charge out of the channel, Life Star experts will be able to kill them, and there are also formations present to stop them. However, only Soul Transformation experts and below can enter the channel. Ten thousand of your Dragonblood warriors is just a drop in the bucket compared to the endless devil race army. You have no idea how terrifying they are. The reason these sects are refusing to help definitely has the shadow of Pill Valley behind it. They are choosing to watch by the sidelines so they can laugh while the devil army charges past you in the main channel, and now you actually say such a thing? Tell me, are you asking for a beating?”
“Alliance head, I don’t know what that devil race army is, but the main point is money.
As long as there’s money, you can rest assured that I can handle the Eastern Xuan Region’s side. I guarantee to handle it perfectly,” said Long Chen confidently.
“Really?” Qu Jianying was a bit surprised to see him so confident. She was no longer so sullen.
“How could I dare to lie to you? Hehe, however, as family, you should know how to repay me for handling the entire Eastern Xuan Region.”
“Little brat, who’s your family? However, if you really can handle it alone, then I guarantee to give you a reward based on how many devil creatures you kill,” promised Qu Jianying.
“Good, then just watch. I’ll handle this so perfectly that… uh, about that, I am a bit tight on cash recently… Can you give me a tiny advance on that reward…” Long Chen bashfully smiled and extended a hand.
“Scram! You haven’t even done anything, and you want a reward? As if!”
Qu Jianying slapped Long Chen’s hand away, causing Meng Qi and the others to laugh.
“Alright, you should return to the Eastern Xuan Region and prepare yourselves for the eruption of the Devil Abyss. I’m going to take a trip to the Illusive Music Immortal Palace. I’ll have to ask what exactly they were doing.” When she mentioned the Illusive Music Immortal Palace, Qu Jianying’s expression sank again.
Chapter 1667 Sudden Danger
Qu Jianying left. Matters like defending against the invasion of the devil race were the responsibility of the Martial Heaven Alliance. This was the convention followed for countless years.
However, now there were problems. That was due to the fracturing between the Martial Heaven Alliance and the ancient family alliance.
The main cause of this fracture was Long Chen. Last time, the two sides had started becoming unhappy after the Dragon Slaughtering Convention. Back then, due to Pill Valley pulling the strings behind the scenes, although the two didn’t start a fight, the crack between them had been formed.