Chapter 2316: Suffering the Consequences

Wuxia Xianxia

“If you dare to harm Big Brother, my Kanghui Clan will fight you to the death!”

She recognized Qin Sang and realized that the disappearance of Miao and Xuan was no accident, but a conspiracy targeting them. Big Brother had clearly fallen into a trap, and his fate was uncertain. Panic seized her heart, and she could only utter a powerless threat.

As expected, the face in the mist was indifferent to her threat and smiled faintly: “Fellow Daoist, you should depart as quickly as possible. Remember to tell the Grand Shaman not to bring too many powerful cultivators, lest it cause any misunderstandings.”

Without waiting for her reply, the mist suddenly dispersed.

Although the face vanished, she still felt an eye fixed on her, her heart filled with both urgency and fear. This person might be bluffing her, and Big Brother might still be fighting, but she couldn't take that gamble. Daring not to delay even for a moment, she rushed back to her clan to report the news.

After the female cultivator from the Kanghui Clan left, the entrance to Ghost Child Abyss returned to normal. However, the calm was soon broken again.

A series of whistling sounds emanated from the horizon, and a fierce gale instantly swept across the land, as if it could level mountains. A streak of light tore through the sky, rushing forth at extreme speed, its immense momentum like a roaring mountain or a surging sea, reflecting the urgent mood of its master.

When the light approached Ghost Child Abyss, the whistling abruptly ceased, revealing four figures. The girl had returned, bringing three more people with her.

Two elders, dressed in similar black robes, stood on either side of a female cultivator. As they gazed at Ghost Child Abyss, both wore expressions of indignation.

The female cultivator was barefoot, faint water mist swirling around her, shielding her from the dust of the world. A small crimson snake hung inverted from her left ear, its tail seemingly fused with her ear. It raised its head, flicking its tongue towards Ghost Child Abyss, its nature extremely fierce, adding a touch of seductive beauty to the cultivator.

This woman was the Grand Shaman of the Kanghui Clan, named Li.

She gazed at Ghost Child Abyss, unlike the two elders beside her whose anger was evident. Suppressed wrath simmered in her narrow eyes, and deep within that wrath lay profound worry.

The girl knelt before Li, extremely anxious. “Please, Grand Shaman,” she pleaded, “quickly go and save Big Brother.”

One of the elders' lips subtly moved, as if he wanted to speak, when his expression suddenly shifted.

Whoosh!

A gentle breeze drifted past, and within it seemed to be several blurred figures. The figures gradually became clearer, standing on the other side of Ghost Child Abyss's entrance and gazing towards their position. They were none other than Shechen and his group.

Qin Sang was nominally a guest elder of the Dongyang Clan. While instructing the girl to report the news, he had also sent a message back to the Dongyang Clan, inviting Shechen to come.

The two clans had deep-seated conflicts, and the two Grand Shamans were no strangers to each other.

The wrath in Li's eyes flared brightly, as if two man-eating fiery snakes lurked within them, yet her tone was as cold as ice: “Old Ghost She, what a trick! I underestimated you!”

“You reap what you sow,” Shechen chuckled. Under the leadership of this 'demoness' from the Kanghui Clan, he and the Dongyang Clan had suffered greatly. Presented with an opportunity to mock her face-to-face, how could he miss it?

In truth, he was also astonished. Upon receiving Qin Sang's message, he found it hard to believe. Not only had Qin Sang captured Miao and Xuan alive, but he had also trapped Jing, the great genius of the Kanghui Clan. And judging by Qin Sang's tone, Jing had no power to retaliate, his life or death resting on Qin Sang's whim. Shechen, confident in his own abilities, knew he couldn't have achieved this even if he had acted personally.

“Even Jiu Mie surely couldn't have imagined this,” Shechen thought, “that he still greatly underestimated Elder Qin's strength!” Shechen felt both admiration and relief. Unexpectedly, trouble had arisen from within his own house; Shexue had actually colluded with an external enemy to harm Sheshuang. If not for Qin Sang, Sheshuang would likely not have escaped death.

“Hmph!” Li scoffed coldly and said to those beside her, “You all remain outside. I will go and meet this Elder Qin.”

“My Lady, you cannot!” The elder was greatly alarmed and quickly tried to dissuade her.

Shechen also instructed, “You all stay outside as well, to prevent any minor disturbances.”

Li and Shechen entered Ghost Child Abyss one after another, leaving the others to guard the entrance. The two parties glared angrily at each other, the tense atmosphere causing the air to congeal.

By this time, the struggle within Ghost Child Abyss had long ceased. Qin Sang had given up the idea of capturing Jing alive. He had trapped Jing in place with a sword array, and Jing no longer resisted, quietly sitting cross-legged in the center of the starry sea. In fact, Qin Sang had continuously worn down his strength, and his various techniques had been consecutively broken. Even if he fought to the death, he saw no hope of escape.

Miao and Xuan had also been brought over by Qin Sang, awaiting the two Grand Shamans. As Li and Shechen entered Ghost Child Abyss, Qin Sang received a message and instantly swept outwards.

Two figures sped through Ghost Child Abyss, one following the other. Li flew ahead, seemingly acting as a guide, but she was actually following the sensation of the pendant. Her expression grew increasingly solemn. The opponent didn't even bother to conceal the pendant's aura, showing complete confidence, and her last glimmer of hope was shattered.

Suddenly, Li's elegant brows arched, and she stopped, staring intently ahead. She saw thick miasma rolling, automatically parting to either side, and a person walked out.

Qin Sang saw Li was alone and secretly thought, 'This woman has courage!' Then he secretly transmitted a message to Shechen. “Fellow Daoist She,” he communicated, “this Grand Shaman of the Kanghui Clan actually dared to come alone. Isn't she afraid we'll join forces and keep her here?”

Shechen secretly thought, 'What a harbinger of disaster!' and quickly said, “This woman is the head of a clan. Clans that have thrived since ancient times all possess unknown secret inheritances. This woman must have something to rely on, Elder Qin. You absolutely must not underestimate her.”

“So, Fellow Daoist, you also possess such means?” Qin Sang retorted, not surprised by the comparison. In his dream, if not for Jun Yang, it would have been by no means easy to kill Yuan Jian and the others.

“I admit my strength is not as great as Elder Qin's,” Shechen replied, “but in critical moments, even if I cannot defeat an opponent, escaping is not difficult.” Shechen deeply understood that he had to dissuade Qin Sang from such dangerous thoughts. Shechen had never before seen such an unbridled individual who dared to plot against the Kanghui Clan's Grand Shaman.

If a huge mess were to be made, Qin Sang could simply leave the Witch Clan behind without a care, but all the consequences would have to be borne by the Dongyang Clan. The Witch Clan established the Grand Shaman Competition precisely to limit conflicts between the major clans to a certain scope. Murdering a clan's Grand Shaman was simply too audacious; one must remember that above the major clans were the Great Witches. Forget about killing Li; even killing Jing required careful consideration. If the great genius of the Kanghui Clan could be quietly eliminated, Shechen would be delighted. However, once Jing fell, the Kanghui Clan would surely go mad, and the current Dongyang Clan could not bear the cost. Therefore, upon receiving the news, Shechen dared not delay and immediately rushed over.

“This person has such a strong killing intent,” Shechen pondered. “Is he a Daoist master or a demon?” Shechen secretly smiled bitterly, and couldn't help but wonder if inviting Elder Qin was the right decision.

“You may as well try,” Li suddenly spoke.

Hiss…!

The crimson snake flicked its tongue at Qin Sang, emitting a threatening hiss. Li extended her slender, jade-like finger to soothe the red snake, while staring coldly at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang's heart stirred. This woman possessed an astute mind. He had communicated with Shechen via spiritual transmission, without revealing the slightest killing intent, yet she had still detected it.

“This must be Fellow Daoist Li, I presume?” Qin Sang said with a smile, bowing. “I’ve heard much about you.” How could he not know the consequences of killing a Grand Shaman? He had merely been speaking idly just now; he certainly didn't want to provoke the Great Witches into hunting him down.

“I, however, have never heard of any Elder Qin!” Li retorted brusquely, directly reprimanding him to his face, “With Elder Qin’s strength, why are you so unknown?” This was the biggest point of suspicion. The stronger Qin Sang's displayed strength, the more suspicious his origins became.

“I am merely a person without a home or clan,” Qin Sang sighed faintly, “compared to the two of you, I am like a lost dog. If not for a certain pursuit, I would not have emerged to involve myself in these affairs. I would rather accompany the clear wind and bright moon, dwelling among green mountains and treading through pine seas…”

Li said gravely, “May I ask which clan Elder Qin's ancestors belonged to?”

Over the ages, the Witch Clan had experienced successive periods of upheaval. As new clans rose to prominence, old ones declined, split apart, or even completely perished. The members of those clans—some had long since integrated into other clans, forgetting their ancestors, while others still clung to past glory but had lost their temples and altars, gradually fading away. Now that the Witch Clan was in decline, cowering within this territory, and with deep-seated conflicts between the major clans, they could only struggle to survive in the gaps. For such an expert to appear among these people was truly an anomaly; he had even been recruited by Shechen.

Li glanced at Shechen and couldn't help but feel envious of the Dongyang Clan's good fortune.

Shechen answered for Qin Sang: “Elder Qin hails from the Haobo Clan. His emergence this time is to reclaim his ancestors' glory. Alas, there is no Haobo Clan left in this world; its members are scattered, and its temples and altars are buried in unknown locations.”

“If Fellow Daoist Li can provide any clues, I would be immensely grateful,” Qin Sang said earnestly.

Li frowned in thought, barely recalling this clan. The Haobo Clan's reasons for decline were unknown. Only a few sparse mentions remained in ancient texts, suggesting it wasn't a powerful clan even in antiquity. What clues could she possibly have?

Li shook her head and asked in a deep voice, “Where is Jing now?”

“Fellow Daoist, do not worry,” Qin Sang said. “All three fellow Daoists are safe and sound…” As he spoke, Qin Sang waved his hand, and his true essence transformed into a clear mirror, reflecting the scene inside the sword array.

Jing was seated cross-legged on a clay pot, with spiritual light protecting his body, eyes tightly closed, and breathing long and steady. If not for the dazzling sword-stars surrounding him, one might have thought he was cultivating in his immortal cave. Xuan and Miao were not far from him. Their cultivation bases had been sealed, and surrounded by sword-stars, they felt as if thorns were pricking their backs, unable to enter a meditative state, their faces haggard.

Sensing that they were being observed, Jing abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the clear mirror. Just now, Qin Sang had kindly informed them of the truth. Xuan and Miao knew that the Grand Shaman was watching them, and with faces full of shame, they lowered their heads.

Seeing the three, rage flared in Li's eyes. Suppressing her anger, she took out a spirit insect: “Elder Qin, please allow me to send this wind-messenger insect inside.”

Qin Sang naturally had no objection. He wrapped the cricket-shaped spirit insect in his true essence and sent it into the sword array. The wind-messenger insect landed before Jing. Jing's lips subtly moved, communicating with Li across the distance.

A moment later, Li took a deep breath: “What are Elder Qin's terms for releasing them?” There was no need to argue over who was right or wrong. Her people had fallen into Qin Sang's hands, and she was willing to concede defeat.

Qin Sang walked to Shechen's side and bowed, saying, “Please, Grand Shaman, make the decision!”

“Haha…” Shechen laughed heartily, the slight displeasure in his heart instantly vanishing. “This great victory is entirely due to Elder Qin's efforts…” As he spoke, he secretly communicated with Qin Sang, and upon learning his terms, his smile stiffened.

“This…”

Li was already feeling displeased, and she sharply snapped, “Old Ghost She, why are you being so evasive!”

Shechen said helplessly: “In this Grand Shaman Competition, you must no longer make things difficult for me. Furthermore, from now on, the Kanghui Clan's shamaness must fully assist Sheshuang!”

“Very well!” Li did not hesitate. With this defeat and three experts captured, the Kanghui Clan's complete failure in this Grand Shaman Competition was declared. They were the butcher, and she was the fish.

Fairness was an illusion in the Grand Shaman Competition. It was common for several clans to unite, ordering their shamanesses to assist a certain shamaness at all costs. This time, the Kanghui Clan and the Dongyang Clan had formed a secret alliance. Since they were sworn enemies, this alliance would have an even more unexpected effect in the future.

“Elder Qin suffered greatly in this battle,” Shechen continued. “You should compensate him accordingly.”

“That is only right!” Li replied, extending her slender, jade-like hand.

Shechen knew this woman was always decisive. Even he couldn't help but admire her resolve at this moment. He took out a blank jade slip and wrote down a list. The list primarily consisted of treasures Qin Sang had requested, divided into two main categories. One part was food for the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, and the other was various spiritual materials for artifact refinement. He needed to start preparing to reforge the Grand Yin Divine Sword immediately. Simply integrating the fragments of the Grand Yin Divine Sword into the Grey Oriole Sword would not be enough. Qin Sang was determined to refine at least one top-tier spiritual treasure, which necessitated collecting a large amount of precious spiritual materials.

After reading it, Li's brows furrowed slightly, and she put away the jade slip. “Whatever our clan currently possesses, I will immediately order someone to deliver it,” she stated. “The missing portions will be sent to Dongyang City before the Grand Shaman Competition concludes!” The conditions Qin Sang proposed had been carefully considered and were within the Kanghui Clan's acceptable range. Li naturally discerned this and did not haggle.

Li continued to stare at Shechen, knowing it wouldn't be this simple.

“And…” Shechen glanced at Qin Sang. “Fellow Daoist, you went to great lengths to get that pendant into Sheshuang's hands. To use it only once would be too wasteful.”

Li's brow furrowed. “What do you mean?” Her gaze shifted to Qin Sang.

“The Dongyang Clan has quite a few enemies,” Qin Sang kindly suggested. “Fellow Daoist, why not leak this secret to other clans, or reveal our whereabouts at an opportune moment? If Sheshuang is killed and I am injured by others, it would also serve as a way for you to vent your anger.”

“I find Sheshuang, but don't act myself, instead instigating others?” Li fumed. “Do you take those people for fools, falling for such an obvious trap?” This was simply a demon! He was clearly addicted to extortion and even wanted to continue luring others into pursuit. She cared nothing for the fate of other clans. But once it was discovered that she had conspired with the Dongyang Clan, not only would her lifelong reputation be ruined, and she would needlessly provoke many enemies, but she would likely also be bound to the Dongyang Clan from then on.

Shechen also sighed inwardly, feeling increasingly like he had invited a wolf into his house. He only wanted to safely and securely send Sheshuang to the Taihao Clan. Qin Sang's actions would undoubtedly add many variables, but Qin Sang's will was not something he could influence. His gentle persuasion only earned him the reply: “Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I know what I'm doing.”

“I believe Fellow Daoist Li will find a way,” Qin Sang said with a smile.

Li gritted her teeth, and the crimson snake, sensing its master's fury, emitted a shrill hiss, poised to strike. Suddenly, Li's angry expression vanished, replaced by a radiant, captivating smile. “Very well!” she declared. “I will certainly attract opponents that will satisfy Elder Qin.”

Gazing at her blossoming smile, Shechen immediately felt a sense of unease. Due to their connection with humans, there were quite a few clans who disliked the Dongyang Clan. Among them were powerful northern clans, but due to their distant locations, nothing could be done about them.

“Hold on,” Shechen quickly interjected, “this matter still requires careful long-term deliberation!”

Growing weary, the three engaged in a round of arguments before finally establishing an oath.