Chapter 669 - 362: Deducing Qin Yun, the Residual Spirit’s Scheme

"Senior Brother, I have a suggestion," Qin Yun suddenly spoke up.

Chu Lingyuan snapped back to reality, his voice indifferent. "No need. You are still a criminal bearing guilt."

"Just hear me out," Qin Yun coughed dryly, hurriedly adding. "Right now, we don’t know when Master and the other Ancient Kings will return, and those old foxes might not fail to notice our vulnerability. I am, at the very least, in the Morning Star Tier. I can still offer my remaining spark of usefulness to the Sect."

"Your remaining spark of usefulness?" Chu Lingyuan scoffed. "Even if the Ancient Kings cannot return in the short term, our Bronze Sect still has seven Chairmen, nearly twenty Tier Nine Professionals, and many senior members nearing the end of their lifespans. It is not your turn to offer anything."

Qin Yun said helplessly, "Senior Brother, I did indeed commit many wrongs in the past by relying on my status. Please give me a chance to turn over a new leaf."

Chu Lingyuan stared at the man before him—a Qin Yun who seemed both somewhat familiar and like a total stranger. "What are you plotting this time?"

Qin Yun sighed. "What could I possibly plot? I just want to survive."

Chu Lingyuan remained silent. Grabbing Qin Yun, he transformed into a streak of Flowing Light and darted straight toward Copper Heart, touching down at the Qin family’s estate.

It had only been about half a year since Qin Yun was escorted away by Qing Cang, yet a heavy sense of desolation immediately washed over them.

"Ven... Venerable?" a startled and doubtful voice called out. In the corner stood a weather-beaten old man with greying hair. The old butler?

"Is it really you?" The butler hurriedly stepped forward to look at the unrecognizable Qin Yun, unable to hold back his tears. "How did you end up like this?"

Qin Yun also seemed somewhat emotional. His eyes flickered slightly as he asked, "Xiao Ge, why are you the only one here? Where is everyone else?"

The old butler looked thoroughly crestfallen. "Everyone else... they all scattered..."

"Sigh." Qin Yun let out a long breath. "When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter."

Chu Lingyuan watched from the side. Though his face remained expressionless, he sighed inwardly. He escorted Qin Yun into the inner hall. With a flick of his finger, black iron chains extended from the void, securely binding Qin Yun’s limbs. "In consideration of your past contributions, I am leaving you some face. I hope you won’t make things difficult for me."

"Yes, Venerable."

Watching Qin Yun’s trembling, frail state, Chu Lingyuan’s gaze inevitably grew complex. He flicked his finger once more, dropping a vial of Metal Potion onto the ground.

"Thank you, Senior Brother," Qin Yun said hurriedly.

He watched Chu Lingyuan leave, then promptly dismissed the butler. Once the room fell perfectly silent, Qin Yun dropped his pitiful facade and gripped the Potion. "Senior Brother, oh, Senior Brother. You are still the same old you."

He opened the vial, and a golden liquid flowed out. Qin Yun swallowed it in one gulp, and his complexion finally seemed to gain a bit of healthy color. Although this Potion was of extraordinary quality, it could only slightly repair his physical condition; his missing Life Origin could never be restored.

He let out a long breath, the corners of his mouth gradually pulling back into a wide, soundless grin. "This glimmer of survival..."

***

"Just now, above the sky... was that the scene inside the Sun Flame?"

Inside the Flying Device, Chu Ran remained incredibly curious, yet he couldn’t help but feel a lingering fear. "Xiao Linfeng died such a miserable death. Old Su, it’s a good thing you weren’t acknowledged by the Spirit of Sun.

"When do you guys think the Ancient Kings will come out?

"Since they needed an acknowledged person to pave the way in, how will they get out? Will they need to consume another acknowledged person? Which of the Ancient Kings will be sacrificed?"

Chu Ran babbled on without pausing. Far too much had happened today, making it clearly difficult for him to calm down. Su Chen and the other two remained completely silent.

At first, Wei Zhenghong only frowned upon hearing Chu Ran’s incessant chatter. However, when the topic of ’when the Ancient Kings would come out’ was brought up, his face sank and he reprimanded him once more. "How many times have I told you not to wildly speculate about the matters of the Ancient Kings? Only the four of us know what you just said. If you mention this to outsiders, don’t blame me for showing no mercy."

Chu Ran shrank his neck back. Having spent a long time with Wei Zhenghong, he could tell that the older man was genuinely furious this time, unlike his usual feigned scoldings, so he didn’t dare say another word.

Shen Yi’an sighed softly. "Even Chu Ran can deduce certain things from this, let alone those old geezers."

"What does he mean, ’even me’?" Chu Ran grumbled internally.

The Dust Star Sea had long suffered under the Five Great Sects and the Royal Court. Wei Zhenghong shook his head. "The Ancient Kings merely went inside; it’s not like they died. They will come out eventually. If those people really dare to try something, aren’t they afraid of a reckoning?"

"Though the Ancient Kings have gone inside, the Moonlight Tier Spiritual is still there," Shen Yi’an pointed out meaningfully.

"Would they dare?" Wei Zhenghong’s expression filled with shock and anger.

Su Chen, however, maintained his silence. This Spiritual brought both immense advantages and terrifying disadvantages. If someone stole the Spiritual and hid within the Nether Fog, then even if the Ancient Kings emerged, wouldn’t they be completely helpless? The thieves would just have to stubbornly outlive their targets and slowly search for the newly chosen ones. No matter how many generations it took, they would eventually find them.

Shen Yi’an shook his head again. "It probably won’t escalate to that point. The Ancient Kings might even come out tomorrow."

Wei Zhenghong fell silent for a long moment before waving his large hand dismissively. "Forget it. Let’s not talk about these things anymore. Even without the Ancient Kings, their deep foundations are still present. It’s not that simple.

"Su Chen claimed the title of Star Head, and we haven’t even had the chance to celebrate yet. How about it? Shall we go to my Floating Island for a banquet?"

"Let’s pass for today," Su Chen finally spoke up, shaking his head. "The energy expenditure was quite large. I need to go back and recover."

Shattering the King’s Shadow had indeed drained him significantly. Coupled with the other matters concerning the Great Sage, Su Chen had no mood for banquets or socializing. Wei Zhenghong naturally didn’t insist. After escorting Su Chen all the way to his Floating Island, the rest of the group finally turned back.

"Qin Yun, the Residual Spirit... the Residual Spirit, Qin Yun..."

If that Residual Spirit had truly taken the opportunity to escape and was now colluding with Qin Yun, it wouldn’t be good news at all. Su Chen watched the Flying Device depart into the distance. Opening his interface, his gaze fell upon the [Power of Taixu] he had just captured from that Residual Spirit.