Chapter 71: Everyone's Acting

"This..."

"Did... Eunuch Han really die?"

Everyone stood in stunned silence, their faces filled with disbelief as they processed what had just happened. A chill ran down their spines.

They all realized that something major had just occurred!

"Eunuch" was not a name but a title, a term of respect for the highest-ranking eunuchs in the imperial palace. They held considerable power.

Now that this Eunuch Han had been killed by Qin Chuan, the royal family was bound to be furious, possibly even declaring war on the Seven Martial Sect!

And since this eunuch was killed on Wind Thunder Valley's territory, the sect would likely be implicated in the matter as well.

This incident was going to have serious repercussions.

"You... you really killed Eunuch Han!"

The three hulking men who had been frozen in midair were now trembling with fear and disbelief. If Qin Chuan dared to kill someone as high-ranking as Eunuch Han, what chance did they stand? Their own lives were of far less value.

"He tried to kill my son, so I killed him. It's nothing significant. I have no intention of being an enemy of the royal family, but if the royal family insists on opposing me... I won't mind at all."

Qin Chuan spoke calmly.

After that, he retracted the Divine Soul Furnace into his body, and the three men fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Take him back. This was a battle between young men, and when you're defeated, you're simply defeated. There's nothing more to say. My son Qin Zi wasn't excessive in his actions."

Qin Chuan pointed at the unconscious Yang Qitian.

The three hulking men's faces twitched slightly, but they didn't argue. They had no choice but to silently take Yang Qitian away.

Whoosh~

One of the men blew a whistle, and the magnificent thunder chariot, drawn by three white horses, flew over.

The men, along with the sword-bearing maid, helped Yang Qitian onto the chariot and swiftly drove away.

Boom!

The white horses galloped through the sky, their hooves sparking with crackling thunder, a dazzling sight. But now, that once glorious display seemed oddly ironic.

However, no one noticed the faint smile curling at the lips of the "unconscious" Yang Qitian.

That old rat is finally dead!

Though it looked like he hadn't done anything, Yang Qitian had actually completed two tasks assigned by his father. Killing that treacherous, disloyal old eunuch was one of them.

The only thing he hadn't accounted for was...

It seemed like he truly had fallen for that girl from the Seven Martial Sect. Her quiet grace, her gentle yet determined nature, and even her slightly awkward clumsiness had left a lasting impression on him...

"Never mind. For the sake of the greater plan for the royal family, I'll have to set aside personal feelings for now."

"When my brother's grand scheme succeeds, everything will fall into place..."

As he mulled over these thoughts, the tension on his face gradually relaxed. A soft smile appeared, and soon, he even drifted into sleep.

Back at the Spring Thunder Square, the senior members of Wind Thunder Valley had gathered, looking distressed and unsure of what to say.

Even South King Yang Tu approached with a bitter smile and said, "Uncle, this is going to be a serious problem..."

As a branch of the royal family, he knew all too well how much the royal family valued their reputation. Today's events were more than enough reason for the royal family to declare war on the Seven Martial Sect!

And he was well aware of the royal family's deep-rooted power. What he knew was already terrifying.

"Kill, and you shall be killed. Humiliate others, and you shall be humiliated."

Qin Chuan remained calm. "The crown prince tried to humiliate my son, but my son defeated him fair and square. There's nothing more to say. And as for the eunuch who attempted to kill my son, I killed him—it's only right."

"Uncle, now isn't the time to reason things out."

Yang Tu sighed bitterly. The logic of the weak often holds little sway over the strong. And the royal family was undoubtedly the strong party in this case.

"If I, being this powerful, still reason with others, who would dare act without reason?" Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow, smiling cryptically.

Everyone else was puzzled.

But Qin Zi understood his father well. He instantly grasped the hidden meaning behind the words—If I, with all my strength, still choose to act reasonably, would anyone else be foolish enough to act recklessly?

Of course, this wasn't something he could say out loud. This was his father's secret, and now, it was also his.

"Sigh... Qin Chuan, this incident happened on Wind Thunder Valley's territory, so we cannot absolve ourselves entirely. If the royal family truly intends to declare war on the Seven Martial Sect... we might lend a hand."

Grand Elder Liu Qingshan sighed heavily.

Standing nearby, Qin Zi felt something odd. He remembered that Liu Qingshan was the father of Liu Ruxue, the woman he had almost humiliated in battle earlier.

When the crown prince, Yang Qitian, had intervened to stop Qin Zi from further embarrassing Liu Ruxue, it seemed he had been protecting her.

So, why was Liu Qingshan now standing on their side, seemingly ready to oppose the royal family?

"Could this be what they call sect loyalty?"

Qin Zi couldn't wrap his head around it.

Perhaps the way these great figures handled things was beyond his understanding. Their methods were much more complex compared to his straightforward approach.

It was like those situations where two factions would publicly pretend to get along, exchanging pleasantries and sending gifts for each other's celebrations, despite their obvious mutual disdain.

Before long, Qin Chuan, along with Qin Zi and Shui Qingrou, bid farewell to the leaders of Wind Thunder Valley and departed on their giant roc, heading back to the Seven Martial Sect.

As for the Spring Thunder Tournament, it was now canceled. The talented individuals who had gathered quietly left as well...

Today's incident was monumental, and they all wanted to distance themselves. The collision of such powerful forces would leave devastating aftershocks.

Late that night, in a secret underground chamber, two figures sat cross-legged—Grand Elder Liu Qingshan and his daughter, Liu Ruxue.

"Ruxue, what do you think of Yang Qitian?" Liu Qingshan asked after a long pause.

"All show, no substance. A complete fool."

Liu Ruxue chuckled softly, her demeanor now vastly different from her earlier appearance—calm, even slightly detached.

"And Qin Zi?" Liu Qingshan continued.

"Hmm... he's not bad. I like his character. He's responsible. His strength is still a bit lacking, but he's young." Liu Ruxue smiled faintly.

"Indeed, I didn't expect Qin Zi to defeat Yang Qitian so easily. He's done us quite the favor," Liu Qingshan nodded in approval.

"But let's not forget that Qin Chuan is the real key here. If Qin Chuan hadn't intervened, the royal family wouldn't have enough justification to retaliate. After all, they still have some pride."

"However, with Qin Chuan killing Eunuch Han, the royal family now has a reason to act. They're practically forced to make a move."

Liu Ruxue thought for a moment, then asked, "Father, are you sure you can convince all the supreme elders of Wind Thunder Valley?"

"Haha, for us, this is an opportunity to test the strength of the royal family. For them, it's no different," Liu Qingshan replied confidently. "If only Wind Thunder Valley acts, they might hesitate. But if all six great sects join forces, there's no risk. The royal family wouldn't dare confront all six sects at once. They won't miss such a chance to probe the royal family's true power."

"But... what if the royal family has been preparing all along and deliberately concealing their strength?" Liu Ruxue frowned.

Liu Qingshan chuckled confidently.

"They won't be prepared. For over two thousand years, the main bloodline has ignored them, leaving them to fend for themselves. They would never expect that, in the past two centuries, the main bloodline has secretly dispatched people to monitor them, all because of a madman's ravings. And we've even infiltrated the six great sects!"

"Without considering the main bloodline's involvement, they have no reason to hold back. A weakened tiger will be torn apart by wolves. If they show any sign of weakness, they won't even be able to survive in this desolate land!"

At the end of the day, only Qin Chuan is truly earnest.