Chapter 182 - 180: Exhausted
The sequence of events that inevitably led to that transmitted message was quite phenomenally chaotic and indicative of a rising star experiencing a sharp fall, and those that have risen with it will oftentimes be the first to experience the burning heat from its end.
Extreme War Mountain, Three Years Ago.
A tall, stable figure that fought endlessly to rise to his current point was beset with a calamity. A calamity he was all too familiar with and willing to challenge to the end; the chase of an elite clan.
Long Chen was a mere Nascent Dust Disciple facing the gargantuan entity that was the Ji Clan. Not only was their Clan Leader a peak-rank Mortal Captain, but they had a dozen Astral Core Realm experts as pillars that stabilized their destiny and status within the Myriad Monarch Sect.
While this might seem like a little in terms of numbers, one must know that in the entire Tri-Vision Starfield, the amount of cultivators at the Astral Core Realm was exceptionally low when compared to the overall population. If one considered all experts, all citizens, all cultivators, and all races, then out of the tens of trillions of those capable of cultivation, less than five million were in the Astral Core Realm. The vast majority of these five million were lower-phase Astral Core Realm experts, those at the World Sea, Sky Ruler, or Soul Idol Phase.
And the number of those in these phases dwindled as one rose. Those in the middle-phases were in the tens of thousands, with less than fifty peak middle-phase experts at the Sixth Stage, and this was across all forces, including the Five Hegemons. Moreover, the majority of these experts were a part of the Five Hegemons!
As for upper-phase experts, there were only two, and they both were renowned Realmlords of the San Clan in the Seventh Stage!
The Ji Clan had a dozen experts of the Astral Core Realm, and this was sufficient to sweep across countless established forces without fear.
Facing this influential clan, Long Chen could only face it as they came. He was subjected to all sorts of plots and schemes, but they all fell short of their objective, some of them benefiting him at the end. However, as calamity after calamity brought about by the actions of this single clan was smashed onto his head, his invisible fortune and the eye that oversaw him was slowly losing its influence.
However, this wasn’t the end. Other forces were offended by his wanton actions, forces allied with the Ji Clan who similarly took action and were even more despicable. They challenged not simply him, but acted against those around him, touching his reverse scale. He could only shield them with his fortune and his ability the best he could, and each time...it was a success by a small margin with coincidence and convenience at his beck and call.
Until he called...and it no longer answered.
This happened three days ago.
Long Chen’s adventures were brilliant. The tales of heroes in various epics as he challenged and overcame with a little bit of luck, talent, and a whole lot of will.
Lin Ziyan, Wu Baozhai, Na Xinyi, Qing Qiumu, and Long Tingyu; these were the women he had met in the Myriad Yore Continent. Xiao Bing and Hong Ru, they were the two women he had met on the Myriad Monarch Planet. His relationships, his adventures, they benefited him and helped him overcome many matters, but this matter was far too intense and abrupt.
It occurred when Long Chen challenged and crippled the reproductive capabilities of a young elite member who attempted to snatch and do unsavory things to Lin Ziyan. Once more, she was the target of desire for the young men of the sect. Perhaps it was her complete lack of backing or matching talent for her exceptional beauty, perhaps it was her intact primal yin and exceptional looks, or simply the misfortunes of being weak, but she was often the target of ceaseless attempts.
However, this time, after his violent actions, the next attempt that happened...succeeded.
The younger sister of Ji Yu, Ji Yin, had acted at the most crucial moment, taking Lin Ziyan away and...
Her fate was unfortunate.
When they were at their wits end attempting to find Lin Ziyan, Wu Baozhai finally contacted Qing Qiumu and Long Tingyu. They acted swiftly, abruptly ending their cultivation retreats and descending on Extreme War Mountain with anxious fury. At that time, Long Tingyu’s identity as having an Ancestor of her demonic lineage in the sect was revealed, and this ancestor was a Heavenly Commander rank Elder!
They used their connections and statuses, one the descendent of a Heavenly Commander Elder and another the descendent of a Prime Imperial Sage, and they bulldozed their way into the clan and came upon an unfortunate discovery.
Ji Yin’s maliciousness knew no bounds as she got thorough revenge for her brother on Lin Ziyan, the core reason for his death. While she wasn’t dead, her eyes were like ash and dust that sought death.
Enraged, Long Chen went berserk with murderous intent, and clashed endlessly with the Ji Clan elite experts, but as he was not even at the Ninth Stage of Qi Condensation Realm yet, still trying to reach the Zenith Mortal State, he was not their match as a few Astral Core Realm experts easily suppressed him.
The matter exploded and the Knights of Enforcement arrived, about to investigate the matter with the utmost diligence. However, as they did, they soon found out about the situation and realized that Lin Ziyan was a Null Disciple. Those at this rank were not protected by the Knights of Enforcement, and their authority was unable to seek justice. This, and with the Mortal Captain Clan Leader standing up for Ji Yin, the matter imploded before it could even get off the ground.
However, this matter might have ended, but another one immediately exploded! And how explosive this event was!
Using a talisman bestowed to her by her Ancestor, Qing Qiumu directly obliterated the elite experts of the Ji Clan suppressing Long Chen and killed Ji Yin in cold-blood. Shocked, the Knights of Enforcement moved to capture her for murder!
She stood proud and upright as if she stood on the side of righteousness and justice. She flashed her emblem that her Ancestor had given her. Told that this was sufficient to ward off many troubles, she vastly overestimated the extent of its effectiveness. The Knights of Enforcement cared little about the emblem of a Prime Imperial Sage and moved to capture her.
She was immediately sealed in cultivation and mobility.
However, Long Tingyu panicked, shattering her own emblem and calling forth her own Ancestor! A Heavenly Commander tyrannically descended soon after. With imposing strength and authority, he swept the situation and seemed ready to handle it with a few words and an iron fist, until a member of the Knights of Enforcement, a member who held a grudge against Long Chen, similarly called forth a higher-ranking official in secret! She witnessed the outrageous acts of the Heavenly Commander and flew into a flurry of rage.
This matter exploded into untold levels at that moment!
Murder!
Abuse of Authority!
These charges didn’t just implicate Qing Qiumu any longer, but Long Tingyu and her ancestor that tried to sweep the situation under the rug and abuse his authority for the sake of his descendent!
When a Captain-class member of the Knights of Enforcement arrived, no one could stop Qing Qiumu, Long Tingyu’s Ancestor, and Long Tingyu from being punished immediately with death! However, there was still one last individual who had yet to arrive.
Qing Qiumu’s Ancestor!
This battle of backings were exceptionally vast, but her actions and authority at the Prime Imperial Sage could only ensure that they weren’t immediately executed, and given a fair trial with evidence. However, what was there to argue? Numerous witnesses saw Qing Qiumu use a talisman to directly kill a disciple and elders of the sect!
She had no ground for arguments, but she did stall.
However, the investigation only condemned Qing Qiumu further, and she was sentenced to be executed.
Long Chen could only watch as all this unfolded, helpless to do anything. Even the spirit in the ring was helpless, not having recovered enough strength to provide any form of support against top-tier experts. There was no rescue that could be made, no arguments that could be levied.
Lin Ziyan’s horrific fate had already happened, and Qing Qiumu’s soon-to-be death was set in stone. A wave of hopelessness and hatred surged endlessly in his heart, but he was still too weak to take any action.
After three days, during that needless investigation, Na Xinyi and Lian Yu had gathered alongside the new additions of Xiao Bing and Hong Ru. They could only watch as the sentence was given, not just to Qing Qiumu, but to Long Tingyu and her Ancestor.
Those two would be punished with imprisonment for attempting to cover-up murder and the abuse of authority in doing so. While Long Tingyu would suffer a brief stint imprisoned within the Hell Layer of War for three decades, her Ancestor would suffer imprisonment for three hundred years!
This was how strict the system was!
-----
"And that’s what happened," Su Mei concluded her explanation of events to Wei Wuyin.
Wei Wuyin looked at Su Mei for a moment. Then, abruptly, he lightly chuckled. It started off slow and weak, then became a full-blown laugh with strength. It reached a point that he couldn’t help but hold his stomach as his boisterous laughter resounded throughout his Alchemic Lab.
This lasted for several dozen seconds before it ended with a deep sigh and a slight shake of his head.
’So this is what happens when one’s karmic luck just runs out. I wonder how many misfortunes I encountered in my alternate future, forcing me to make a Heart of Scarlet Qi, before Long Chen beheaded me.’ He couldn’t help but think this as he recalled the outrageous scene of him using a Heart of Scarlet Qi against Long Chen and even protected his sworn enemy, Jiu Lang.
Guess the saying rings true: When it rains, it pours.
While he had a budding friendship with Qing Qiumu, her actions were quite exceptional this time, and their relationship was never capable of reaching a sufficient point due to Long Chen’s influence. All in all, he had no reason to interfere. It was an unfortunate situation, but it simply wasn’t enough to throw his hat into the ring. And, considering this was an ongoing situation, she was likely already executed by now.
Su Mei calmly watched, but even she had a faint smile on her face. She didn’t hate Long Chen, but she didn’t like him or any of his women either. In fact, she only brought this matter to Wei Wuyin because of...
Oh wait.
She forgot.
"Lord Wei, the reason I brought this to your attention is...directly before Qing Qiumu was executed," Su Mei paused.
"Hm?" Wei Wuyin’s left brow rose slightly.
"Before she was executed, Na Xinyi shouted that she was...your wife." Su Mei plainly stated, her eyes indifferent yet a hint of annoyance could be seen in the depths of those pure black pupils.
"..." Su Mei.
"...?" Wei Wuyin.
"And Qing Qiumu was too." Su Mei.
"...What?"