Voluntarily Walking into a Trap

Voluntarily Walking into a Trap...

Qin Wentian dashed through Ginkou at breakneck speed. Within a short while, he reached the city gates.

Upon arrival, he was met with a chilling sight. Several Chen Clan experts were gathered at the city gates, and a cold, lifeless body hung suspended above, exposed to the scorching sun.

An ancient path led to the corpse, which stood unattended. It seemed as if the Chen Clan was anticipating someone to willingly walk into their trap.

Rage burned within Qin Wentian as he gazed upon the corpse.

The Chen Clan's actions were beyond ruthless. Regardless of their grievances, there was no justification for such a humiliating act. While deaths among cultivators were commonplace in Grand Xia, they were usually considered the final resolution. The Chen Clan's actions had not only stirred up dissent but had also ignited the fury of many.

Was all of this for that ancient medallion, the Sacred Royal Medallion?

As Qin Wentian observed the lifeless body, overwhelming guilt washed over him. Amid the sea of about 10,000 people, he clenched his fists tightly and bowed slightly toward the corpse.

"Elder, my actions have brought trouble to the Mystic Moon Sect. But for this, I will make the Chen Clan pay with their blood." Qin Wentian's heart had turned as cold as ice. He turned away, his eyes flickering with seething anger, which sent shivers down the spines of those who saw it.

His immediate task was to prevent Bai Qing from arriving here.

The Chen Clan's actions had created a storm that reverberated throughout Ginkou, alerting other transcendent powers. However, upon learning about the Sacred Royal Medallion, they began to grasp the reasoning behind the Chen Clan's actions. It wasn't solely because of Chen Wang's demise; the ancient medallion had been given to Chen Wang and was lost upon his death. Now, the Chen Clan spared no effort, even engaging in all-out warfare with the Mystic Moon Sect, in their quest to find clues leading to its recovery.

News of the turmoil in Ginkou reached the Mystic Moon Sect's main headquarters in the Spirit Continent. Their hearts burned with fury as numerous formidable experts set out for Ginkou.

The Chen Clan had crossed a line with their cruelty. This was no longer a mere sect conflict; it had escalated into an unending battle, a war that would only conclude when one side was utterly vanquished.

The Great Solar Chen Clan had shown no mercy.

Even if the entire Mystic Moon Sect were to fall, they would not tolerate such humiliation.

Qin Wentian desperately sought to locate Bai Qing, but he was already too late. Given her temperament, how could she endure such a grievous insult to her beloved Master, who had shown her immense kindness?

Bai Qing, often dubbed the Slaughter Goddess from the Netherworld, earned that reputation by being merciless to her enemies. But now, her demeanor was cold and emotionless, her heart encased in ice. When rumors circulated that Qin Wentian had perished in the Pill Emperor Hall, her heart had turned to ash, consumed by a singular focus on revenge. She was willing to become an enemy of all of Grand Xia for him, but she had never wished for those close to her to meet such a fate. Her heart was tormented by ceaseless pain and sorrow.

On the ancient path leading to Ginkou's city gates, Bai Qing stood with her companions. She hadn't come alone; Ouyang Kuangsheng and others had joined her.

The Ouyang Aristocrat Clan hadn't wanted Ouyang Kuangsheng to become entangled in this matter. They understood that when the Sacred Royal Medallion was involved, the Chen Clan would spare no effort to retrieve it. The only reason they hadn't taken action against the Ouyang Aristocrat Clan was because dealing with the Mystic Moon Sect was easier. Otherwise, with the main base of the Great Solar Chen Clan in Ginkou, they could have easily acted against the Ouyang Aristocrat Clan.

However, the stubborn Ouyang Kuangsheng could not be dissuaded. He stood resolutely by Bai Qing's side, and once he made up his mind, no one could sway him. Members of the Ouyang Aristocrat Clan and Jiang Clan could only accompany him to Ginkou.

An oppressive atmosphere hung in the air along the ancient path outside Ginkou. Bai Qing continued to advance until she stood face to face with her master's suspended corpse. Upon seeing it, she dropped to her knees, repeatedly kowtowing, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Master, I am unfilial and have failed to meet your expectations. My actions led to your sacrifice, but now the Chen Clan treats you like this. How can I stay away?" Bai Qing's eyes were fixed on the hanging corpse, her tears falling unceasingly. She knew that her master would never have wanted her to return, to willingly walk into their trap after she had fought so hard to escape it. But how could she bear this debt of humiliation? If she stayed away, how could she consider herself her master's disciple?

She had to return, even though she knew it was a trap.

As she stood up and moved to bring her master down, a figure descended from the sky and stamped down forcefully. The terrifying force pressed onto Bai Qing, sending her stumbling backward. The figure above was none other than Chen Fan, a blazing sun radiating from above his head, raising the temperature in the vicinity and augmenting his strength.

"Who killed Chen Wang?" Chen Fan's voice was icy as he looked down at Bai Qing.

Bai Qing met his gaze, her aura suddenly turning devilish. She continued her ascent with a devilish sabre in hand. In a flash, she vanished and reappeared, slashing directly at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan snorted coldly and stomped once more, causing brilliant, blinding light to erupt from the blazing sun above him. As Bai Qing drew near, she felt as though her body was about to be incinerated. Chen Fan thrust his finger forward, concentrating the intense sunlight's might into it.

"Swoosh!"

The devilish sabre shattered upon impact, and Chen Fan's strike landed on Bai Qing, making her cough up blood. He repeated his cold inquiry, "Who killed Chen Wang?"

Ouyang Kuangsheng and the others appeared beside Bai Qing, Jiang Ting embracing her. They all glared at Chen Fan.

"In the battle outside Ginkou, both sides suffered heavy casualties. Your Chen Clan sent several people to pursue the cultivator named Di, but they all perished by his hand. Afterward, that man turned the tables and chased after Chen Wang. Although Chen Wang was weak, it's unlikely that he was defeated by someone with just a second-level Heavenly Dipper cultivation base. Even if Chen Wang was defeated, it's improbable that he was killed by him," Fan Le explained with a frosty expression. "It appears that the Great Solar Chen Clan isn't as impressive as we thought. Not only are their disciples worthless, but when they are defeated, the Chen Clan resorts to such despicable methods for vengeance. Quite impressive."

"The young man named Di is only at the second level of Heavenly Dipper. How could he have defeated Chen Wang? Even if Chen Wang were defeated, there's no way he could have been killed by him," Chen Fan remarked with clear disbelief.

"That's the truth. If you don't believe it, why ask in the first place?" Ouyang Kuangsheng retorted.

"Hmph. In that case, I will detain Bai Qing. She will replace her master on the city gates until someone reveals the truth or the Sacred Royal Medallion resurfaces," Chen Fan declared coldly. With a wave of his hand, flames erupted, reducing Bai Qing's master's corpse to ashes.

Coughing up blood, Bai Qing's face turned even paler.

"Master..." Tears flowed freely as Bai Qing reminisced about the time she spent with her master, who had been like family to her, apart from Autumn Snow and Bai Qingsong.

Once upon a time, when Bai Qing left Chu and arrived in Grand Xia, she faced countless dangers before finally acquiring the Chaotic Art of the Heavenly Devil. As she cultivated this art, she nearly lost herself to the devil's influence. However, her master appeared and saved her, bringing her into the Mystic Moon Sect to nurture her.

Within the Mystic Moon Sect, her master patiently guided her through the increasingly challenging levels of the Chaotic Art of the Heavenly Devil. Whenever her body couldn't bear the strain, her master infused her vital energy, smoothed her meridians and arteries, and gathered precious herbs for medicinal solutions. It was a grueling process, but eventually, she mastered the devil arts.

Bai Qing's heart had turned icy when she learned of her father's actions against Qin Wentian. Yet her master never held it against her; instead, she treated Bai Qing as her own daughter. To Bai Qing, her master's affection filled the void of motherly love she had never experienced.

Now, her master had died for her, and her corpse hung in public view, reduced to ashes. Bai Qing's knees hit the ground with crushing force as she bowed her head, tears flowing endlessly.

"Your disciple has been unfilial," she sobbed, her heart breaking into pieces.

When she finally looked up, her hair was disheveled, fluttering in the wind. Darkness descended as devilish power filled the skies, turning day into night.

Standing up, Bai Qing faced Chen Fan in mid-air. Terrifying devil intent and an intense coldness emanated from her eyes, sending shivers down the spines of the onlookers.

Qin Wentian rushed over but couldn't reach her in time. He saw her back as she stood there, her posture full of desolation and despair. This must be how she felt when she heard he had fallen in the Pill Emperor Hall.

"Bai Qing, this is my fault," Qin Wentian sighed, guilt weighing heavily on his heart. Although this situation was beyond his control, it all originated from his killing of Chen Wang.

The crowd began to murmur, but Ouyang Kuangsheng stepped forward, his voice filled with icy resolve. "For the battle that occurred in the ancient kingdom and later among the younger generations outside Ginkou, if the Chen Clan believes we were responsible for Chen Wang's death, we won't deny it. But why resort to such ruthless methods to humiliate the Mystic Moon Sect? I, Ouyang Kuangsheng, vow that as long as I'm alive, my Ouyang Aristocrat Clan will always consider the Chen Clan our enemy."

Chen Fan's gaze turned sharp as he responded, "Then you can forget about Ginkou for good."

"No one can block my Chen Clan. If the Sacred Royal Medallion doesn't appear, this matter will never end," Chen Wang declared coldly.

Another figure stepped forward, fixing their gaze on Bai Qing. It was Xiao Han from the Nine Mystical Palace. "This female must be handed over to us today."

Ouyang Kuangsheng didn't hold back. "Even the Nine Mystical Palace dares to interfere? Do you even have the authority to speak here? It seems you've thrown in your lot with the Great Solar Chen Clan. Nine Mystical Palace? You will surely regret this decision."

Chen Fan intervened, declaring that the matter was not yet concluded. Their alliance of experts moved toward Bai Qing, tension filling the air.