38. I Want To Go Out

Ling Qingzhu noticed her master's intense reaction. She bit her lip, hesitated, and finally repeated, "Master… Deacon Ma Fengbin, whom I sent to find Senior Brother Chen, may have been killed."

Ma Fengbin? Shen Qing still remembered him—a senior with average talent, unlikely to advance further unless by rare fortune encounters.

But he was a strong cultivator in the Five Yuan Nirvana realm. Who could kill him?

Before sending Ling Qingzhu to the Great Yan Dynasty, Shen Qing had investigated it; the dynasty was low-ranking empire, with its strongest cultivators only at the One Yuan Nirvana level.

It seemed impossible for anyone there to defeat Ma Fengbin. Unless… Chen Xuan, who had gone for revenge, was the one who did it!

Just as she considered this, Ling Qingzhu's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Master, I don't think it was necessarily Senior Brother Chen. Other sects could have framed him, as he's made many enemies over the years."

The way she spoke felt subtly suggestive. Shen Qing pondered and then replied, "I understand."

Ling Qingzhu hesitated before proposing, "Master, I would like to go to the Great Yan Dynasty myself. Please allow me to handle this matter."

She kept her head down, nervously toying with her dress, not daring to meet her master's gaze.

But despite her reasoning, Shen Qing refused decisively, "It's an important time. I can't let you go, and I won't permit it."

Shen Qing reasoned that if Chen Xuan had indeed killed the deacon, he might harbor resentment toward Ling Qingzhu, toward the Sect, or even her as his master.

No one would be able to reason with him.

Mishandling this could lead him to harm Ling Qingzhu too.

Losing one talented disciple was enough; they couldn't afford to lose another, especially one with the potential to reach higher realms.

Thinking this way, Shen Qing viewed it as a manageable loss—perhaps it could even appease Chen Xuan and bring him back on their side.

Ling Qingzhu, however, insisted, "Master, since I started this, I believe I should take responsibility."

"It's useless. Stay here and focus on your cultivation," Shen Qing replied firmly.

Seeing her master's indifferent and resolute stance, Ling Qingzhu gave up. "Alright," she replied, trying to suppress her frustration.

She was about to leave when Shen Qing called out, "By the way, did you really kill the one who ruined your purity?"

"Ah? Yes, I did it myself," Ling Qingzhu replied hastily, struggling to keep her expression neutral.

Though she tried to conceal her emotions, Shen Qing noticed a trace of hesitation.

Still, Shen Qing, who held high hopes for her only remaining disciple, let it slide.

She waved her hand, "Fine, go back and cultivate well. Don't let me down."

Ling Qingzhu forced a nod. "I'll enter seclusion immediately, Master."

She turned and left, her movements tense.

Watching her go, Shen Qing sighed deeply, muttering, "You never let me rest easy."

After some thought, she vanished into thin air.

---

In a remote area of the Eastern Xuan Region, hidden deep within a secluded mountain, two shadowed figures faced each other in a dark cave.

"Are you sure she didn't notice anything?" a man asked with a frown.

"Relax. I have a powerful treasure given by our leader. She won't detect anything with her current strength," a woman cloaked in darkness replied impatiently.

The man chuckled, attempting to change the subject. "Any major developments lately?"

"I successfully implanted a hidden demonic energy in someone, but…" the woman hesitated.

"But what?" the man asked.

After a pause, she responded solemnly, "I sense that he harbors deep secrets—ones even I can't decipher."

"Does he have any traces of ancestral power?"

"Seems not."

The man exhaled in relief. "Just in case, arrange for someone to take him out. We can't afford loose ends."

"Understood," the woman agreed, turning to leave, then paused, "How much longer will my mission last? I don't know if I can keep going."

The man reassured her, "Our leader says no more than ten years before the plan activates!"

Ten more years… She couldn't bear it. "This is torture!" she exclaimed bitterly.

"Our leader understands, but this task is vital, and only you can do it."

"Understood," she sighed.

The man reminded her, "Remember, you are a key part of our clan's rise. Don't let yourself get too involved emotionally."

"Got it." She nodded and vanished into the darkness.

-

Checkout 80 advanced chapters at

Patreon.com/rashta

You will also get to read:

- 350+ chapters of Douluo Dalu: Qian Renxue's Younger Brother

- 200+ chapters of Uchiha Madara's Cousin