Chapter 582 - 320: How Did You Do It?

Qing Cang hesitated briefly, then shook his head. "I’ll take you back first."

Clearly, he was a little uneasy because of what had happened to Qin Tianlin.

Su Chen didn’t object, and the Flying Device headed toward Copper Heart.

Qing Cang stood before the viewport, gazing out at Dragon Abyss, and couldn’t help but sigh. "One moment, he was number two on the preliminary selection list, a bearer of Divine Dawn Level Talent with a dazzling future ahead of him. The next, he’s a corpse. Life is just that unpredictable."

"You really called it, kid."

"What did I say?" Su Chen asked, feeling a subconscious twinge of guilt.

"’No matter how bright the future, dead is dead.’" Qing Cang sighed, then continued, "But it’s a good thing, in a way. If Qin Yun had actually managed to hide it, and Qin Tianlin had entered the Lost Flame, he might have truly become the Chosen One for a Sun Tier profession."

Upon hearing this, Su Chen looked puzzled. "Qing Cang, I know Qin Tianlin and I didn’t get along, but if he had become the Chosen One, wouldn’t that have been a good thing for our Sect?"

Qing Cang shook his head and explained, "You’re thinking about it too simply. Every time a new Morning Star Tier emerges, the major Sects and the Royal Court all catch wind of it and spring into action. They’ve developed a tacit understanding over many years to keep the conflicts manageable, but it’s still inevitable that things get ugly and they end up at each other’s throats."

"If it’s already like this for a Morning Star Tier, imagine what it’s like for a Sun Tier. That’s a level of power that surpasses the entire Dust Star Sea. Becoming the Chosen One is one thing, but actually realizing that potential is another entirely."

"During that process, do you think the other powers would just sit back and watch? It would have been one thing if Qin Tianlin’s potential remained hidden. But if it were exposed, our entire Sect would become everyone’s target."

At this, Qing Cang glanced at him again. "Besides, he already held a grudge against you. If he had been allowed to grow stronger, he certainly wouldn’t have let the matter rest."

"Alas." Su Chen let out a soft sigh. "We may have had our conflicts, but he was still a formidable asset to the Sect. For him to be lost like this... it’s truly a pity."

Qing Cang’s gaze grew distant. "You can say that again. If only he hadn’t been from the Qin Family... or if he’d been born twenty years earlier, or twenty years later. It comes down to timing. To fate."

"I just don’t get why this Black Tuo targeted Qin Tianlin, of all people." Qing Cang still couldn’t figure it out. Obviously, no one could answer that question except Black Tuo himself.

And since Black Tuo had now gone silent, it was a question destined to remain unanswered.

Qing Cang was merely thinking out loud and didn’t dwell on it. He turned to instruct Su Chen, "For the next little while, stay away from Dragon Abyss. They’re going to conduct a thorough sweep. It’s unlikely there are other Great Deceitful Gods lying dormant, but it’s best to wait and see."

"Ordinary Believers can be identified with routine detection methods. Even most Divine Sons can be found, with the exception of the Faceless Ghost lineage. It’s only the Great Deceitful Gods whose methods are inscrutable. It’s hard to spot any signs without a careful search, which will probably take some time."

Perhaps worried he might have scared Su Chen, Qing Cang added, "Still, you’re under the watchful eyes of an Ancient King. As long as you don’t give a Great Deceitful God an opportunity to get close, you won’t end up like Qin Tianlin."

"I understand." Su Chen nodded. ’I’ve already got the Morning Star Essence, so I can’t be bothered to run back to Dragon Abyss anyway. As for Zhao Cheng, I had Ming Lin submit the report on the Dark Moon Group’s suspicious activities a long time ago. Of course, it wasn’t just the Dark Moon Group. I included several other factions to muddy the waters. Ming Lin is my man, so as long as I’m sure he hasn’t been corrupted by a Deceitful God, there shouldn’t be any issues.’

"And then there’s Qin Yun. With Qin Tianlin dead, he must be in a foul mood. There’s a real danger his grief could twist his mind." Qing Cang mused, looking at the attentively listening Su Chen before letting out a long sigh. "Hopefully, this Spirit Fragment that suddenly appeared can create an opportunity for us."

Opportunity? Su Chen was taken aback. "What opportunity?" he asked, confused.

"What other opportunity do you think?" Qing Cang said with a sense of helplessness. "You’re only Star Amber Level, so you can’t contend for the Spirit of Sun. Our Sect no longer has a member with Divine Dawn Level Talent. If something doesn’t change, the Spirit of Sun will likely be beyond our reach."

"Er, but you just said that becoming the Chosen One isn’t a good thing," Su Chen said hesitantly.

"I was talking about Qin Tianlin. If it were you, the situation would be completely different." Qing Cang glanced at him, the double standard obvious, but his tone was also one of helplessness. "But alas, you’re only Star Amber Level."

’If only the standard could be lowered,’ Qing Cang thought. He truly believed Su Chen would have a chance of catching the eye of the Spirit of Sun.

Su Chen appeared unconcerned. "If I get it, it’s my good fortune; if I lose it, it’s my fate."

"You certainly seem to be taking it in stride." Qing Cang shot him a sideways glance. "This is the Sun Tier. If you don’t seize this opportunity, you may never get another one in your lifetime."

’The unique nature of these professions is such a trap,’ Su Chen thought, then said with feigned helplessness, "What can I do? Unless... I could go try that Profound Celestial Instrument and see if it can raise my Talent to Divine Dawn Level."

"Ha." Qing Cang assumed Su Chen was just kidding and played along. "If you really managed to raise it to Divine Dawn Level, you’d probably leave even the Profound Celestial Ancient King speechless."

"Oh really? In that case, I really have to give it a shot. If the Royal Court can do it, it’s not impossible for me," Su Chen grinned.

Qing Cang chuckled in amusement.

...

Meanwhile, around the arena, the Town Guard Army had cordoned off the area in multiple, tight layers and erected a Talisman Array barrier. From a distance, the central region was just a blur.

"What’s going on? Looks like something big happened."

"Who knows? Did you see that enormous bronze bell just now? Was that the Bronze Ancient King making a move?"

"It has to be, right? Who else possesses that kind of power?"

The crowd was abuzz with discussion. Black Tuo had struck with extreme speed, and Qing Cang had sealed off the central area at the earliest opportunity, so almost no one had seen clearly what had happened.

The news of Qin Tianlin’s death was, for the moment, still confined to a small circle.