Chapter 2761 - 2758: Survival of the Fittest

Ling Feng, Song Ruozhao, and Shui Nian each used their own flying methods and flew at the fastest speed, arriving at the ruins of the Shui Clan’s mansion in no time.

Although this mansion has now become ruins, as long as Ling Feng slightly activates his Divine Sense and combines it with Little Fei’s sensing abilities, it shouldn’t take long to find some clues.

When Ling Feng left here to find Song Ruozhao, not much time had passed, but it was enough time for a hostage incident to occur. Ling Feng knew Ling Yao extremely well. She is the Goddess of the Ancient Divine Tribe; when taken hostage, she certainly wouldn’t panic like an ordinary person or even faint.

Ling Yao would have faced those people from the Clan of Darkness extremely calmly, and even though Ling Yao doesn’t have much offensive capability, from the traces at the scene, she must have put up some sort of resistance; otherwise, the situation here wouldn’t be so terrible.

There is also a suspicion that the people from the Clan of Darkness intended to destroy all traces and clues at the scene, but based on what Ling Feng knows about Ling Yao, she is not a compliant woman, despite her normally cold and somewhat rigid appearance.

But at critical moments, she will surely handle things without panic. Ling Feng has activated his Divine Sense and scanned the entire mansion’s ruins, while Shui Nian said he had to return to the clan to handle some matters. Although Ling Feng knew this was an excuse, he couldn’t possibly stop him from going back.

Therefore, seeing the relatively amicable attitude and no bad emotions from the earlier conflict with Song Ruozhao, Ling Feng said nothing and let Shui Nian go back, also saying that Shui Nian’s Shui Clan should do everything to track down Ling Yao’s whereabouts,

otherwise, when a calamity befell the Shui Clan without Ling Yao’s help, Ling Feng and the others could be somewhat "powerless."

Such words made Shui Nian feel a chill down his spine, understanding that what Ling Feng said about them being helpless without Ling Yao was complete nonsense – it was merely a condition to threaten Shui Nian.

If Ling Yao wasn’t found, Ling Feng and Song Ruozhao would deliberately hold back during the calamity, unwilling to wholeheartedly help the Shui Clan through it.

So even though Shui Nian knew Ling Feng’s intention and that they truly might commit such heinous acts in the eyes of the Shui Clan, destroying their entire race, Shui Nian dared not question it. He could only smile and promise to make the Shui Clan dedicate their efforts to finding Miss Ling Yao.

This attitude finally satisfied Ling Feng, and he nodded, allowing Shui Nian to leave.

Both had ulterior motives, which Ling Feng had seen many times, both parties were well aware, but Ling Feng was in the proactive position while the Shui Clan and Shui Nian were in the passive position. They could only follow Ling Feng’s lead, repeatedly compromising without resistance.

Otherwise, it would always be the Shui Clan that suffered.

While Ling Feng was still investigating, Little Fei’s scouting insects and sensory organs were also deployed. Ling Feng observed the traces while also paying attention to Song Ruozhao’s expression and actions. Although Song Ruozhao did not devote his full efforts to finding clues like Ling Feng,

Song Ruozhao was also indeed contributing his part in searching for clues. However, because he was not familiar with Ling Yao, Song Ruozhao couldn’t empathize with Ling Feng’s urgency.

Yet Ling Feng did not mind Song Ruozhao’s indifference, silently continuing his search for clues. After a long time, Ling Feng gave Song Ruozhao a meaningful glance and said softly,

"I am quite surprised that you would stand up for that An Qi. I didn’t expect you to defend such an outsider, someone you barely know, let alone stand up against your own kind for them. I find it quite surprising."

Song Ruozhao got up and smiled faintly, "Not really, I just felt a kindred spirit. Back then, I hated people like Shui Nian who trample on and ignore justice without reason. It just so happened that I encountered such a situation this time, so I stepped in casually,"

"After all, I was probably in the same situation as An Qi back then..."

Ling Feng was surprised and then slowly turned his head, gazing at Song Ruozhao whose expression remained calm but with eyes that couldn’t completely hide their melancholy. Ling Feng deliberately smiled and said, "How could it be, even back then you were much stronger than An Qi. The difference between you two is like heaven and earth."

"You were already a prodigy of the nine provinces back then, capable of slaying Great Demons single-handedly, a person praised by everyone. Yet An Qi is just an ordinary little merchant, unable to control his fate, delivered as an experiment by his own people, wandering in other worlds unable to return home. How can you say you two are alike?"

Ling Feng’s words, though somewhat plain, carried truth. A powerful Song Ruozhao and the timid, death-fearing An Qi are certainly not the same type of people on a certain level and, in fact, share no similarities.

Song Ruozhao shook his head and said, "Although I seem powerful now, back then when I was punished in the square, was I not just like An Qi today?"

"Life and death, fate all controlled by others. If they wanted you dead, you were dead; if they wanted you alive, you’d live. Those in high power, when they say someone is guilty, even if they’re not, they’re guilty; when they say someone is innocent, even if they’re guilty, they’re innocent."

"Watching my family killed by the Human Emperor and Dao Sect and thrown in front of me powerlessly was me, indeed a genius at that time, but nothing in the eyes of those ancient cultivators with millennia of power."

"I breached their limits, so they sealed me, disregarding the contributions I made for the Human Race prior."

"Wasn’t the powerless me back then just like the An Qi today, powerless over his fate concerning life and death?"

"Shui Nian is stronger than him; thus, he can breach agreements and promises without repercussions, while the promise-abiding An Qi faces death at the hands of treacherous Shui Nian."

"Such unfair treatment and inequality are results of power disparity; it is the same in every world. Where is the justice? Where is the righteousness?"

"Helping An Qi today wasn’t due to being a saint or excessive pity towards a stranger,"

"I merely saw a reflection of the past Song Ruozhao on An Qi for a moment, him slumped on the ground like how I was once on trial in court. Though mostly different, I bathed in my wife’s and child’s blood back then,"

"Blood they labeled ’filthy Devil Beast blood and bastard blood’ in their tongue." Song Ruozhao’s eyes flashed with extreme sharpness, as if back in those court days.

"Today An Qi had my rescue, but back then, and even earlier for my long-dead wife and child, without saviors, they were killed and shattered into unrecognizable pieces!"

"Back then I was weak, unable to save my wife and child, unable to save myself, so I was sealed, enduring three thousand years of sealed pain!"

"Now do you still think An Qi and I are different?" Song Ruozhao coldly gazed at Ling Feng,

"In facing an enemy hundreds of times stronger, facing a problem utterly unsolvable, everyone is equal; no one is different, no one outside this truth,"

"The law of the jungle, how similar it is!" Song Ruozhao looked up at the sky, his eyes full of reminiscence and longing, probably mourning his family three thousand years dead.