Chapter 1683: One Move to Reverse the Tides
“Haha, good! Long Chen finally couldn’t endure it any longer. Now we can justify the destruction of the Xuantian Dao Sect!”
“Even if Qu Jianying wanted to protect him, it would be useless this time. Long Chen and the Xuantian Dao Sect are doomed.
“Immediately gather all our troops! Everyone is to move out. This time, we’re going to completely eliminate this scourge.”
When news that Long Chen had killed the experts from various forces sent to blockade the Xuantian Dao Sect spread throughout the continent, Pill Valley, the ancient family alliance, the ancient races, the Xuan Beasts, and other top tier powers began to gather their forces. This blockade’s true purpose had been to antagonize Long Chen and provoke him into killing them. It was a shameless move that had no possible counter. Being shameless made it exceptionally effective.
They knew that Long Chen’s temper was explosive and he killed people decisively. He definitely wouldn’t permit others to insult his people, especially his women. If that happened, his anger would be fully provoked.
However, the Dragonblood Legion had been in seclusion during this time. It was only when Long Chen came out that the opportunity came. However, they didn’t even have to antagonize him for him to kill them.
The only thing that surprised them was that the experts that they had sent to fan the flames of the crowd had all been killed.
Only one returned to his sect alive, and as a result, he ended up bringing along a mysterious sphere that exploded, killing him and destroying his sect. A first-rate sect was damaged to its core just like that.
However, five Empyreans weren’t a big deal to them. That was because the Empyreans came from sects that were subordinate to them. All they needed to do was crush the Xuantian Dao Sect as revenge for them and then give them a bit of compensation. That way, their enemies would be eliminated, their reputation would grow, and they would get richer.
This was a shameless move, so shameless that there was no way to neutralize it. If they endured, the Xuantian Dao Sect would become the laughingstock of the continent. If they didn’t endure, they would give their opponents a reason to join together to destroy them.
Unfortunately for them, this shameless move was so shameless that Long Chen had no choice but to be even more shameless. He had directly flipped the board, refusing to play this game with them.
Just as they were gathering their forces and a rising storm brewed over the continent, a piece of news struck the continent like lightning, blowing apart those storm clouds.
This news was transmitted through two photographic jades. The day after Long Chen had exterminated those experts, the news spread like a contagious virus.
“The Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s Shen Bijun was actually so shameless! Heavens, I can barely believe it!”
“Who cares about that?! The head of the ancient family alliance was slapped by Long Chen, and his clone was destroyed! I don’t dare to believe it!”
“Those photographic jades are too clear to be fake. In other words… everything is actually true! Who would have thought that Shen Bijun was trying to kill Long Chen from the start? She was just feigning love to make it so others wouldn’t punish her too hard for her actions. Her acting was so good that even the Illusive Music Immortal Palace blamed Long Chen. For one of the protectors of the continent to do such a thing… how disappointing.”
“The disappointing one isn’t just the Illusive Music Immortal Palace. Di Long abused his position to avenge a personal enmity. He actually made up a sanctimonious reason to target Long Chen and the Xuantian Dao Sect. Furthermore, Pill Valley, the ancient races, the Xuan Beasts, and others all supported them. Could they really not have known the truth? That’s thought-provoking.”
Ever since those two photographic jades spread throughout the Martial Heaven Continent, countless experts were discussing them.
Anywhere there were people, there were also the Huayun Sect’s businessmen. These two photographic jades were quickly spread.
Everyone quickly learned the truth. This was Long Chen’s silent strike back. Originally, all the Central Plains’ forces were denouncing the Xuantian Dao Sect and Qu Jianying, but now their mouths were shut.
People realized that they had been used. They had been used as a public opinion weapon.
The only thing worth celebrating for them was that they hadn’t been like those people who had charged over to the Xuantian Dao Sect to curse them. Otherwise, they also would have been unable to ever return.
These two photographic jades startled everyone awake. Some people even furiously demanded an explanation from the Illusive Music Immortal Palace and the ancient family alliance. They cursed the latter for being shameless, for using other people’s emotions. They were a bunch of cheats.
Those powers that had been gathering forces and filled with excitement immediately turned cold from head to toe once those photographic jades appeared.
The Illusive Music Immortal palace, ancient family alliance, and Pill Valley in particular were struck dumb, not knowing what to do.
Within the Illusive Music Immortal Palace, the palace master’s expression was heavy. In front of her was the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither. There was a thumb-sized black scar on it now.
That was the result of when Long Chen had used divine lightning to send it flying. The Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither had been unable to protect Shen Bijun, so it had returned to the Illusive Music Immortal Palace once Shen Bijun was killed.
However, even after all this time, the black mark on it had yet to fully recover. The power of that thunderforce had harmed its core.
“I never expected Long Chen to have such a strange ability. He recorded everything that happened back then,” sighed the palace master.
Back when the palace master had faced Qu Jianying’s confrontation, she had refused to admit that she had sent Shen Bijun to kill Long Chen. She clung to her story that Long Chen had scorned Shen Bijun’s feelings, resulting in Shen Bijun going crazy.
However, now that lie was useless. In fact, it had even transformed into a kind of insult. Even the words Long Chen and Shen Bijun had exchanged spiritually were recorded. The story of love transforming into hatred was a huge joke.
The reason she had refused to admit to this at first was because there was no proof to be found. Shen Bijun was dead, and by saying that Long Chen’s testimony was completely biased, it was easy to make his story baseless.
Now though, Long Chen had brought out his iron-clad proof. She was no longer able to continue with this lie. Furthermore, the reason all these powers were targeting Long Chen was because the Illusive Music Immortal Palace had taken the lead. Now the palace master had a splitting headache.
“Shen BIjun’s heart was too narrow. She was fierce but lacked any n.o.bility. It was fated that she couldn’t hold an important position. As for Zi Yan, she fulfills all the other requirements, but she doesn’t have a killing heart. Only by killing the person she loves the most can her eyes be opened to her true nature. However, the heavens toy with people. That Long Chen is too powerful and has many factors that make me uneasy. Even I was injured. As for that saber he has, it’s a powerful killing weapon. You have to be careful.” The Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither’s voice was gentle like immortal music. It was like a woman was speaking while playing the zither.
“I can’t think that far into the future at the moment. This matter has implicated the state of the entire continent. If I handle this badly, the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s name will be ruined. Furthermore, those seniors will definitely punish me.” The palace master rubbed her head as she muttered.
“You can’t rush this matter. It would be better to temporarily take a step back. Although you are doing this all for Zi Yan, you should remember that Zi Yan’s devil star cannot be meddled with. When you first sent Shen Bijun to kill Long Chen, I felt like it was a bad idea. Now reality proves me right. If this matter gets any bigger and startles those ancestors, ignoring your position as palace master, even Zi Yan will be implicated. You know those ancestors’ decisive characters. They definitely won’t give Zi Yan any breathing room. Either Long Chen dies, or Zi Yan dies. That will obviously push Zi Yan toward death,” said the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither.
The palace master nodded. “Then I can only do this. For Zi Yan, I’ll bear all the responsibility.”
“You’re planning on…?!”
“No matter what, I have to give an explanation or it’ll be difficult to handle everyone’s criticism.”
Just at this moment, a disciple ran in and bowed toward the palace master. “Reporting to the palace master, Pill Valley, the ancient races, the ancient family alliance, and a dozen other powers have sent emissaries asking to see you.”
The palace master smiled bitterly. “What do they want from me? Could it be they really want me to stubbornly insist that those photographic jades are fake? Am I supposed to thicken my skin and let them drag me down into their depravity and go destroy the Xuantian Dao Sect? Tell them to go back to wherever they came from. I will take responsibility for my own actions.”
…
The second day after the photographic jades appeared, another shocking piece of news spread. The Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s master announced that she had made a grievous mistake and wrongly accused a good person. She could not run from her sins. She went onto the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s punishment stage and punished herself with forty-nine strikes of heavenly lightning as an apology to the world.
When that news spread, the continent was shaken. The position of palace master of the Illusive Music Immortal Palace was a grand and n.o.ble one, but even she was capable of admitting her own mistakes and punis.h.i.+ng herself. That made countless people feel respect. This was a real expert, someone who dared to face their own mistakes.
In comparison to the palace master, Di Long was looked down upon even more. One dared to own up to her mistakes, while the other one refused to admit that he had made any mistakes at all.
This self-punishment from the palace master was the final nail in the coffin for the powers gathering their forces. They disbanded like smoke in the wind, no longer having the slightest reason to target the Xuantian Dao Sect.
Di Long was absolutely infuriated. Long Chen’s photographic jades were another slap in his face, while the palace master’s self-punishment was an even more resounding slap. He definitely refused to admit that he was wrong. He wished to tear Long Chen to pieces, but regretfully, he had no way to do so.
What infuriated him the most was that the Devil Abyss’s eruption was imminent. If he still didn’t support the Martial Heaven Alliance, he would be viewed as a selfish, petty little person who didn’t care about the big picture. However, if he did support them, it would be admitting that he was wrong.
However, under the immense pressure, he had no choice but to swallow his anger in the end. He agreed to temporarily cooperate with the Martial Heaven Alliance to handle the Devil Abyss together.
This move of Long Chen’s was immensely refres.h.i.+ng to Qu Jianying. It was incredibly satisfying. Seeing Di Long look like he had just swallowed dogs.h.i.+t yet acting like nothing had happened, Qu Jianying laughed maniacally inside.
On this day, Qu Jianying came to the Xuantian Dao Sect and called Long Chen over. “Little fellow, this time, you have to win me some face. You must enter the top ten of the Devil Slaughter Rankings for me.”