Chapter 54: The Powerful Gather, Qin Xiao Is Questioned

After everyone was teleported out, the anger Yao Tiansheng had bottled up finally found an outlet.

“No one is allowed to leave.”

Yao Tiansheng stepped forward and shouted at the disciples who had just been teleported out.

“What is going on?”

Only then did the returning disciples see what was happening outside.

The Tianyuan Sect’s Sect Leader Lin Tiancheng, Supreme Elder Yao Zhan, Great Elder Yao Tiansheng, and Sixth Elder Wen Yuanying were all there. The Sixth Elder had led the expedition; the other three were among the sect’s strongest cultivators.

The Pure Yang Sect had sent several elders in addition to Elder Qi, who had led its group. The Mysterious Yin Sect had done the same.

The Immortal Dao Merchant Association had sent several managers at late Soul Formation. Ling Ruoxue had come too.

Other sects and factions had sent their ancestors as soon as they heard of the commotion. They did not know what had happened, but whatever it was, they wanted their people there first.

Apart from the returned disciples, everyone present was at least at Nascent Soul. Those were the ancestors of the smaller factions; most of the others were at Soul Formation. The Tianyuan Sect had brought the strongest cultivator of all: its Body Integration stage Supreme Elder.

“Elder Yao, what is the meaning of this? Surely you can explain now?”

Some of the factions that did not know what was going on asked why Yao Tiansheng would not let anyone leave.

People had asked earlier too, but those who knew had refused to explain. They said everyone would understand once the disciples came out.

“Big Brother, what is happening here?”

Ignoring Yao Tiansheng entirely, Ling Ruoxue went straight to Ling Wushuang with a worried expression.

At first, Ling Ruoxue had not believed the report that all the association’s elite disciples except Ling Wushuang were dead. With her brother there, who could kill them all? But only Ling Wushuang had returned. She hurried over in worry.

“I can’t explain it all right now. Let’s talk after we get back.”

Ling Wushuang did not want to linger. This was a serious matter, and he had to report it to his father.

Cang Xing went over to the Pure Yang Sect elders with his head lowered, not daring to speak first.

Su Lin fared no better, the gloomy expressions of his own elders making their displeasure clear.

“Which of you killed my son, Yao Kaidong?”

The Immortal Dao Merchant Association, Pure Yang Sect, and Mysterious Yin Sect had ignored his order. Yao Tiansheng questioned the three disciples who had led their groups. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.

Only those three had higher cultivation than his son, and all were elite disciples. If they used all their Dharma Treasures, they might be able to defeat him.

“Are you questioning us, Elder Yao? We’ve been together ever since leaving the second layer. Every disciple can testify to that. What does your son’s life or death have to do with us?”

Ling Wushuang had never liked Yao Kaidong. Yao Tiansheng’s attitude made him even more resentful, so he stopped being polite and answered frankly.

“Shimeng, tell me what happened.”

Sect Leader Lin Tiancheng realized something was wrong and called Lin Shimeng over to question her.

Apart from their three leaders, not one disciple from the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, Pure Yang Sect, or Mysterious Yin Sect had come out. This was more than something wrong. It was shocking.

“Senior Brother Ling is right. Something went wrong in the secret realm. The disciples who entered the second layer all died; these three escaped. Once they came out, we all stayed together. Nobody left. Yao Kaidong and Li Cheng went off on their own. We don’t know where they went, and they never came back. I thought they would be teleported out with us. I didn’t know he was dead.”

Lin Shimeng provided a general account while deliberately omitting Qin Xiao’s involvement.

“It truly wasn’t them?”

Yao Tiansheng had considered all sorts of possibilities, but never this. Who was he supposed to take revenge on now?

“That’s not right, Senior Sister Lin. It wasn’t just those two senior brothers who left. Qin Xiao and his disciple did too.”

Liu Xueyue chimed in abruptly.

“What? Those two also left?”

Yao Tiansheng turned his gaze to Qin Xiao, who was lying nearby, and Yun Man beside him.

“Why are you looking at me, Great Elder? You don’t think I could beat Holy Son Yao, do you?”

Qin Xiao spoke as though he did not care.

“You couldn’t, but your disciple might. Even if she hides her cultivation, I can see it. She’s reached Nascent Soul.”

Even Yao Tiansheng could work it out: his son’s death had to be the doing of Qin Xiao and Yun Man.

“The Nascent Soul stage?”

The Tianyuan Sect disciples stared in disbelief, well aware of how recently Yun Man had entered the sect. How could such a leap be possible?

Ling Wushuang, Cang Xing, and Su Lin already knew Yun Man’s cultivation. She had not hidden it while they fled, so they were not surprised. It seemed Yao Kaidong really had died at their hands. They would not interfere, though. They each had enough problems of their own.

“Since nothing more remains, you may all disperse. Qin Xiao, come here.”

Yao Tiansheng was convinced Qin Xiao was the culprit. There was no reason to hold the others any longer. This chapter was taken from NovelPing without permission.

“Great Elder, I’m badly injured and can’t move. If you have something to say, go ahead.”

Qin Xiao knew this reckoning was inevitable, but they lacked proof.

“Did you kill my son?”

Yao Tiansheng demanded, suppressing his rage.

“No.”

Qin Xiao answered without hesitation.

He was not lying. Yun Man had killed Yao Kaidong, not Qin Xiao.

“Great Elder, I know losing your son hurts. It’s understandable that you’re suspicious. But questioning me like this without any proof is a bit much, isn’t it?”

Before Yao Tiansheng could retort, Qin Xiao pressed on.

“Something went wrong on the second layer, and many disciples were killed or injured. The first layer might have had problems too. Perhaps Senior Brother Yao ran into one? Or perhaps he was left behind in the secret realm. Someone has stayed in the second layer, after all.”

Qin Xiao kept talking, whatever Yao Tiansheng wanted to say. Suspect him all he liked—without evidence, suspicion was all he had. Anything could happen in the secret realm. Couldn’t his son have died of something else?

“Boy, enough of your clever talk. I’ll investigate this. If I find you did it, no one will protect you.”

The elders of the other factions had stayed to watch the show. Yao Tiansheng could not go too far in front of them. He really had no evidence, and he could not do anything to Qin Xiao in public.

“Supreme Elder, Great Elder, there are many strange things about this. Let’s return to the sect first, before we make a spectacle of ourselves.”

Lin Tiancheng saw how difficult the situation had become and hurried to persuade them.

Yun Man had reached Nascent Soul. A prodigy like her was far beyond an ordinary Heavenly Spirit Root. Whatever happened, Lin Tiancheng had to protect her.

“Return to the sect.”

Yao Zhan knew Lin Tiancheng was right. Staying here would only give outsiders something to laugh at.

Everyone dispersed. With Yun Man supporting him, Qin Xiao boarded the Flying Ship they had arrived on.

Qin Xiao looked unconcerned, but he was frightened inside. If it were only the Great Elder, it would not be so bad. Now even the Supreme Elder had come—a Body Integration cultivator. He had no chance of winning. Even his new protector, his master’s wife, could not save him.

Come to think of it, why had he not seen Ye Qiuyue? The Heavenly Clothes Pavilion elder who had come to meet its disciples was someone unfamiliar. Had she left early on some business?

The Supreme Elder and Great Elder flew back with the Immortal Sword Peak disciples instead of taking the Flying Ship. Lin Tiancheng chose to travel on the ship. He still had many questions for Lin Shimeng and needed to learn more about Qin Xiao’s situation.