Chapter 400 - 400: The Reasons Behind Everything

Radiant Sun Arena, Lounge.

From spectator to fighter, from fighter to spectator.

Only a mere day seemed to have blurred by, but the numbers of battles were many.

Now that so much time has passed, there were obvious changes in the lounge.

The first thing Bubai noticed was that the population of men got cut down by more than half.

On the other hand, the population of women remained about the same… just that most were now toyed with by different masters.

From trading to sharing to free-use...

The smell of degeneracy here in the lounge was even stronger than before!

Obviously, Bubai wasn't the only one that needed to vent before and after a deathfight.

Of course, since the queue is locked up by the clan competition, most of the hyenas here were mostly doing it for the sake of socializing and their topic of conversation now revolved around…

"Uh...? Strange. I heard in the past, they always fought till their eyes turned red and blood flowed like rivers. Didn't matter how bad it looked for them. Why are those bug-lovers giving up so easily this year?"

"Oi, ya can't blame them. Didn't you see their plight? With so many hounding them, it's already good enough that the new clan head lasted that long."

"Good enough? Oh really? Then how come that surnamed Qian doesn't look injured at all? Look—he's standing there just fine, isn't he?"

Indeed, everybody could see Qian Fusha standing tall and rigid near the corridor exit. He certainly didn't look like somebody who has been coughing out gallons of blood not long ago.

In fact, he was even confronting… no, it was more apt to say his way got blocked by a… unfamiliar eunuch?

Qian Bage saw this and hurried over with Bubai.

Seeing them coming, the eunuch gave them a contemptuous look, then turned back to Qian Fusha.

"What? Is Lord Qian planning to rely on these two to hold the fort? This little one suggests you surrender early and we, the Jin Clan, can still let you off with some... dignity."

Qian Fusha's face was stone-cold.

"If you want anything else, it can still be discussed, but our clan's Flower Mosquito Gu Arts Codex will not be handed over even if we all fight till our last breath on the battlefield!"

The eunuch sneered. "Really? You've fallen to this state, but still refuse a toast, just to drink a forfeit? Lord Qian had best think about it carefully!"

"No need." Qian Fusha's tone got even firmer. "Our stance will never waver, whether your lord tries once or a hundred times! Lao Da decreed so, and we're the same!"

"Humph! Stubborn!" The eunuch knew he wasn't getting through to these stubborn brothers. So instead, he turned to warn the outsiders, more specifically, Bubai.

"This young hero, I suggest you don't dip your hand into this pot of porridge. Otherwise, the consequences will be beyond your imagination!"

Bubai calmly brushed off the poisonous courtesy. "Our Mo Clan doesn't need outsiders to dictate what we can and cannot do."

The eunuch didn't give Bubai a good face at all and sneered.

"Humph! Just a wild weed picked up from outside! Really think you're all that? Since you can't recognize reality, don't blame our Jin Clan for not showing mercy!"

His eyes then cut towards the other hyenas. "That goes for all of you as well! Whatever my lord fancies can only belong to my lord! Any that dares try to stop the inevitable—humph!"

After throwing down his third-rate villain line, the eunuch stormed out like everybody here owed his master some respect.

Watching the eunuch disappear up the stairs, Qian Bage cursed under his breath. "Ou, think a core disciple's all that? Bah! Just another bloody toad that wants to climb the phoenix's branch! Dream on!"

Bubai glanced at the two brothers that looked like they were really defending some just cause.

But... it was just a cultivation art, wasn't it? Did that Jin Clan really pester the Qian Clan just for that?!

Like Merlin please, these two clans don't even cultivate the same bloody path! Why even bother?

So, that must not be the reason! Thus, Bubai can't help but try probing, "Um… did your two clans really feud for so many decades just over… this flower whatnot cultivation art?"

"Ou?" Qian Bage rolled his eyes. "Brother Bai, it's not the wager we care about, it's who's cultivat—"

"Xiao Ba!"

Hearing the stern warning from his brother's tone, Qian Bage casually zipped his mouth with a shrug.

But that single seemingly-careless slip-up still gave Bubai enough intel to work with.

It's not hard to understand how important a complete cultivation art was.

Price aside, it was a ladder to power and immortality! Why wouldn't anybody want it?

But that's only for the path they were cultivating. Other paths? They could only be resold!

If that's the case, where did the demand come from? Why would the rest want another's cultivation art?

The answer? Intel.

Knowledge was power! Once the secrets of a cultivation art gets leaked, it will make it that much easier for others to find its weaknesses and ways to counter it!

That's why for those powerful clans and any holding status worthy enough to get targeted, they must take measures to prevent others from snooping into the secrets of their foundations.

And by the sound of it, the one practicing that whatever Flower Mosquito Gu Arts Codex should be... the very backbone of this mid-tier Qian Clan.

Most likely, the mysterious core disciple!

Hence, leaking something like this was basically ruining their own foundation.

Makes total sense that the Qian Clan will guard that codex at all costs!

That chain of thought was straightforward. But there were a few questions that still perplexed Bubai, like...

Bruh. why bother going through all the trouble to hide this matter? Can't they just say it outright? Or is there something unspeakable about the identity of the person behind?

Another point: the Qian brothers were really at the end of their rope this time.

Though this Qian Fusha still stood upright, his forfeit was actually as good as cutting their clan's own tendons. That put their chance of guarding that precious art in an even worse position!

He should know this. Then why give up all of a sudden? What happened to the vow to not give in even if they all fall on the battlefield? Where's his integrity?

A foundation realm master who has lived past a century shouldn't make such a lowly mistake.

There must be a hidden story. A reason for everything…

Fortunately, Bubai didn't have to dig into this mystery because his short buddy took the initiative to do so. "Ouu... Lao Er, how are your… injuries?"

"No biggy. Just some light burns and Qi exhaustion."

Qian Fusha's face was stiff like stone and nobody could tell if he was telling the truth or not.

But that was not enough to brush off his clever little brother. Instead, Qian Bage scooted closer and whispered, "That… Lao Er, why did you…?"

Qian Fusha cut him off with a small shake of his head. "We'll discuss that later. Right now, it's more important to keep the torch's fire going."

"Ou, ou, right, right!" Qian Bage fist-palmed in agreement, but then showed a worried face. "Then, Lao Er, who should we send up next?"

Qian Fusha didn't answer. He simply silently stared at his younger brother.

Facing the gaze heavy enough to press mountains, Qian Bage blinked innocently. He glanced left, then right, and met the amused gaze of Bubai who clearly wasn't standing anywhere behind him.

Realization finally hit and the shorty pointed at himself. "No, Lao Er, you don't mean… m-me?!"

Qian Fusha looked at his younger brother with a serious face. "Xiao Ba... what do you think?"

Qian Bage shook his head like a rattle.

"Impossible, impossible, ou! How can a little early-stage like me fight that?! That's somebody at the peak of mid-stage! He'll whip me as easily as you and Lao Da do, ou! Besides, we have Brother Bai—"

"Xiao Ba!" Qian Fusha sternly stared at his brother, turning him into a deer staring into headlights.

"Don't push responsibilities onto others. It's time you do something for the clan. You can't always hide behind us brothers forever. And besides, she dotes on you so much... Are you really willing to watch her…"

Qian Bage opened his mouth but his words seemed to get stuck.

Qian Fusha sighed wearily and patted his shoulder. "Xiao Ba, don't worry. I'm not asking you to throw your life away. Just do your best to delay, then the rest… we brothers will find a way."

"I…" Qian Bage knew the situation was already very bad and he couldn't refuse. His eyes hardened and he nodded seriously. "Lao Er, you can count on me, ou!"

"Good." Qian Fusha's gaze softened, just for a heartbeat. "Xiao Ba, remember, don't be stingy this time. I know you have lots of good things hidden in that pocket of yours. Use every means to stall and…"

"I don't need to remind you about the taboos when dealing with these blood freaks. But this time, remember well—keep away and don't let him get your blood! If he does, immediately surrender! Understand?"

"Ouu…" Qian Bage didn't fully understand why, but this single point, he remembered.

Even if nobody said anything, it was quite obvious that the critical truth to Qian Fusha's surrender might lie there!

As for a transmigrator like Bubai? He could even guess some of the possible rules and templates behind that power!

The most likely possibility?

An off-brand version of the lunatic evil cultist that joined the world-salvation organization of a certain rain village in the ninjaverse next door?

Perhaps… or maybe there's more to it?

But whatever the case, that Jin Tiemo was definitely not a simple character to deal with. The shorty's loss was almost set in stone.

The real question was: how will these Qian brothers handle what comes next? Will they…

Bubai peeked over to the stoic Qian Fusha. Their gazes met and the man forced a smile.

"Xiao Bai, how about we head back to the private box to discuss... the follow-up?"

What follow-up? Bubai grinned inside. Isn't that obvious?