Chapter 57

"Why... why?"

Bai Que's mind went blank, unable to understand why the Poison Venerable and the Medicine Venerable would make such a decision. The Yin Xu Sect had always maintained a peaceful relationship with the two venerables, showing them great respect and never offending them in any way. How could they suddenly decide to destroy the Yin Xu Sect?

"Seniors, I can handle this. There's no need for you to trouble yourselves," Mei Jiangxue said firmly, not backing down even in the presence of the two venerables.

The Medicine Venerable chuckled, "How can we let Master Mei bear the burden alone? Brother Bai and the two of us are not just casual acquaintances. Now that he has been betrayed by the Yin Xu Sect, it is only natural for the two of us to rescue him. As for Master Mei, it seems you don't have much of a relationship with Brother Bai, so there's no need for you to get involved. The two of us haven't taken action in a long time, and this small Yin Xu Sect will be a good opportunity for us to stretch our muscles."

"That's not true. The close relationship you two speak of is just one-sided. My disciples and Mr. Bai have become acquainted through conflict, and I owe Mr. Bai a favor. Repaying this favor is only reasonable."

Bai Que was now trembling with fear. These ruthless women were already enough to deal with, and now the Medicine Venerable and the Poison Venerable were added to the mix. How could the Yin Xu Sect possibly stand a chance?

Not to mention, the Medicine Venerable and the Poison Venerable were not just ordinary figures in the martial world. They were the most renowned for their identities as the two Grand Elders of the Ten Thousand Flower Valley, whose alchemy skills were widely recognized. However, even beyond their identities and alchemy skills, their cultivation levels were among the top in the martial world. Even the two renowned experts of Qingzhou City, Yin Jueqing and Long Xing, were only their grand-disciples in terms of seniority.

Moreover, from their conversation, it seemed that the mature and graceful woman's status was not inferior to the two venerables. The two venerables addressed her as "Master," indicating that her status was far above the common martial world figures.

Bai Que's scalp tingled. What was going on? He was just an unknown young man, how could he involve such high-level figures in the martial world?

"Did you pretend to be an elder of the Xiuzhi Sect and deceive Brother Bai?" the Poison Venerable suddenly fixed his gaze on Bai Que.

Bai Que felt a chill run through his body. The Poison Venerable's eyes were like those of a venomous snake, making him involuntarily step back.

The Poison Venerable flicked his finger, and Bai Que immediately felt something in his mouth, which he instinctively tried to spit out. However, the object had already slipped down his throat.

"Go tell Yin Jueqing to hand over Brother Bai within fifteen minutes, or I will ensure that the Yin Xu Sect is eradicated from Qingzhou City."

Bai Que fled in a panic, leaving the bewildered disciples of the Yin Feng Hall behind.

Mei Jiangxue pursed her lips, "Seniors, my Seven Xi disciples are not suited for large-scale slaughter. These minor figures can be left to the two of you."

The Poison Venerable snorted. Mei Jiangxue herself was a ruthless killer, and the number of lives she had taken was countless. In the previous battle, her Seven Xi disciples had also killed many people. Now that Bai Que had fled, she was acting so reserved.

Gongsun Chenxing's face remained cold, with a hint of murderous intent. She gently shook the blood off her sword.

"Chenxing." Mei Jiangxue lightly patted Gongsun Chenxing's shoulder, sensing that she was immersed in the killing intent. If she continued like this, she might follow the same path as Mei Jiangxue.

Bai Que fled into the Yin Xu Pavilion and found that the elders of the Shaxue Hall and the Yindu Hall were already in front of Yin Jueqing. From their appearance, it was clear that they had suffered even more than he had.

"Master... Master..."

Yin Jueqing didn't need Bai Que to speak; he had already learned the entire story from the two elders. His face revealed his intense anger.

"Seven Xi! Ten Thousand Flower Valley!"

Yin Jueqing was so furious that his teeth were grinding. He had been on the verge of controlling Qingzhou City, but now this unexpected event had occurred. The counterattack from the Longhu Sect was unexpected but understandable. However, whether the Longhu Sect retaliated or not, it was of little concern to Yin Jueqing. He never thought the Longhu Sect could cause much trouble, but this definitely did not include the Ten Thousand Flower Valley and the Seven Xi. Even the Jueyin Valley, which supported him, would have to back off when faced with these two powerful forces. How could a small sect like the Yin Xu Sect possibly stand against these two major sects?

"White Chen!!" Yin Jueqing's hatred for White Chen intensified. If it weren't for this young man, Mei Jiangxue of the Seven Xi and the two old figures from the Ten Thousand Flower Valley wouldn't have taken action against the Yin Xu Sect. The status and cultivation of these people far exceeded Yin Jueqing's. Even with his prominent reputation in Qingzhou City, he was just a nobody in front of these three. To put it bluntly, Yin Jueqing didn't even deserve to carry their shoes.

Yin Jueqing's heart was filled with rage, and his face was contorted with anger.

"Open the Insect Tomb! I want everyone in the Yin Xu Sect to be buried with it!"

"What!?"

Everyone was shocked. Open the Insect Tomb? The Insect Tomb wasn't just a place full of insects; it was the burial ground of the Yin Xu Sect for over a hundred years. Both the bodies of the Yin Xu Sect members and their enemies were buried there. Of course, "burial" was just a polite term; in reality, they were turned into zombies. This was one of the Yin Xu Sect's trump cards, with no less than eight hundred zombies. Among them were the bodies of many experts, and if these zombies were released, the entire Qingzhou City could be reduced to ruins. Even the Yin Xu Sect members only dared to stay at the entrance of the Insect Tomb, never venturing deep inside. Yin Jueqing's decision clearly shocked the three elders.

Creating zombies was already a taboo in the martial world, and even when Yin Jueqing controlled them, he was extremely cautious to prevent any leaks. Now, releasing all the zombies would push the Yin Xu Sect to a point of no return. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, they would be despised by the martial world and have no chance of recovery. Of course, these were future consequences. If the Insect Tomb were really opened, the chaos caused by the zombies would not only affect others but also themselves. Even Yin Jueqing could only control ten zombies at most. If such a large number of zombies were released, the first to suffer would be the people present, and their faces were filled with fear. They knew Yin Jueqing was ruthless, but they never expected him to be so ruthless even to his own people.

Yin Jueqing glanced at their expressions and knew what they were thinking. He closed his eyes and sighed, "It seems I can't count on you."

A chill ran down the spines of the three elders, who were all terrified. They knew what Yin Jueqing meant. For him, anyone who was no longer useful often met the same fate... death!

One of the elders reacted most intensely. The moment Yin Jueqing spoke, he lunged at him. However, Yin Jueqing wouldn't let him succeed. Not only was there a vast gap in cultivation, but his secret technique, the Gold Attraction Technique, was something the elders couldn't resist. With a slight movement of his finger, the elder's actions froze.

"Master... Master, no..." The elder's face was filled with despair and fear.

At that moment, Bai Que and another elder turned and fled through the window without a second thought.

Yin Jueqing saw the two elders fleeing and grabbed one of them, stopping the Shaxue Hall elder in his tracks. In despair, he shouted, "Bai Que, save me..."

But Bai Que wouldn't stop for him. His own life was the most important. Yin Jueqing's face grew even darker, and he killed the two pleading elders with a single strike. However, he didn't chase after Bai Que. The sounds of battle had already reached the courtyard, and Yin Jueqing's eyes were filled with hatred. He turned and opened the mechanism behind the main seat, revealing a deep secret passage...

...

In the originally dark and quiet Insect Tomb, a gust of cold wind suddenly blew in. Qin Kelan felt a chill, but her arm felt warm as Bai Chen had already opened his arms and embraced her. The scent of her hair lingered in his nose, and Bai Chen felt a bit distracted. The exquisite face under her hair, with its tender and affectionate gaze, made his heart flutter.

"You are so beautiful," Bai Chen found himself at a loss for words, or perhaps his mind had suddenly become dull. This was actually his proudest moment, holding such a beautiful woman in his arms, feeling more satisfied than ever before. Even when he was a top student, he never had such a glorious moment, and even if he were given secret manuals of divine skills, he couldn't trade them for this.

Taking another step toward a better life...

Qin Kelan blushed and buried her head in Bai Chen's chest, "How many women have you said this to?"

"If I say just you, you won't believe me. If I say many, I won't believe myself."

"You're not serious," Qin Kelan said with a honey-like tone, "What will you do after we get out of here?"

"Take you to know me more deeply."

"I already know you."

"More deeply." Bai Chen's face showed a mischievous smile.

Qin Kelan, who had been initially confused, suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

"Can't you be serious for once?"

"Alright, seriously speaking, I want to take you to experience all the truths of this world, to see all the beauty and romance, and then to know me more deeply." Bai Chen grinned, his eyes filled with affection.

Qin Kelan's face suddenly showed a serious and solemn expression, "Do you truly like me?"

This question made Bai Chen hesitate. Seeing his hesitation, Qin Kelan's face showed a hint of sadness.

"Are you just pitying me?"

At this moment, telling the truth would be asking for trouble, and Bai Chen would never say such a thing. So he decided to lie, "I love, or do not love, the feelings are here, only increasing, not decreasing. You believe, or do not believe, the heart is here, only beating for you. You embrace, or do not embrace, the arms are here, only waiting to warm you. Come into my arms, or let me live in your heart. Indifferent, dependent, intimate..."

Bai Chen gazed at Qin Kelan, his eyes filled with deep affection, speaking each word with sincerity.

The truth was, no woman could resist such sweet words. Qin Kelan was already in tears, tightly embracing Bai Chen.

At this moment, all words were meaningless. Under Bai Chen's sweet words, even the hardest steel would turn soft.