Chapter 529 - 498: Tang Linli Takes the Fall

Chapter 529: Chapter 498: Tang Linli Takes the Fall

...

As soon as the meeting concluded, three orders were issued, sending the entire Jinghai Island Reef into a flurry of activity.

Not only were the Loose Cultivators gathered to salvage the three Spiritual Boats shattered that day, but countless smaller vessels also spread out across the sea, searching for the Spiritual Boats and cargo plundered by Xiao Chan.

Even.

The two Chiefs of the Primordial Sect, and even Chen Che and the other Golden Core Cultivators, each took a Spiritual Boat and searched the depths of the Black Tortoise Calm Sea several times.

However, just as Chen Che had predicted, they made little progress.

They found many fragments of Spiritual Boats, but none bore the markings of any Sect or influence.

They also questioned the Cultivators on the island, asking about the Magical Artifact the enemy cultivator used to kill Great Protector Ye Shaoqiu.

Unfortunately.

The distance had been too great for the eyesight of Foundation Establishment Cultivators to see clearly. Moreover, when the Magical Artifact had crashed down, it was like a daytime meteor, too brilliant for the naked eye to look at directly. How could they possibly have identified it?

For a time, all three lines of investigation stalled.

However, on the seventh day of the search, even more shocking news arrived:

Celestial Ghost City had been razed to the ground.

Of all the Cultivators stationed there, only Zhu Yiwen, the Vice Chief of Xingtang Hall, survived. Everyone else, including members of the major families and the Golden Core reinforcements, had been killed in battle.

Even Zhu Yiwen himself had only narrowly escaped with his life.

At the last moment, he had used the Blood Burning Secret Technique to flee for hundreds of thousands of miles before being rescued by sect disciples. Though he had cheated death, ninety percent of his Cultivation was destroyed. Now, like Zhao Yunchen, he could barely maintain his cultivation at the Golden Core Realm.

Still, Zhu Yiwen was one of the lucky ones.

Teng Miao, the Vice Chief of the Internal Affairs Hall—the one who had challenged Chen Che—was not only annihilated in body and soul, but his family’s elite and talented younger generation were also virtually wiped out in the battle. Now, only a few old, weak, and infirm members remained, and his family was stripped of its status as a Golden Core Influence.

The one leading the assault on Celestial Ghost Ridge was none other than Jiang Shaotian, the Right Protector of the Star-Picking Sect, along with a host of their elites.

When this news broke, an uproar swept through all the influences under the Primordial Sect’s jurisdiction.

It was one disaster after another!

Moreover.

This incident was every bit as calamitous as the ’tragedy’ at Jinghai Island Reef.

...

"Isn’t this too much of a coincidence? Chen Che had just left, and the Star-Picking Sect attacked right after?"

Inside the Primordial Sect’s office on Jinghai Island Reef, Chen Jiyuan paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back.

He was mentally and emotionally exhausted. The Great Protector’s case was still unsolved, and now two Vice Chiefs were dead. Even after presiding over Xingtang Hall for over two hundred years, he had never encountered so many difficult, high-profile cases.

"What coincidence? You’re not still unclear about why Chen Che was driven out of Celestial Ghost City, are you?"

Qiu Tianshui said slowly after a moment of silence.

The implication was that he didn’t believe there was any connection between the two events.

"But I still feel like something is wrong."

Chen Jiyuan shook his head, sat down with a commanding presence, and drained his Spirit Tea in one gulp. "It’s precisely because I know that I feel something is off," he said. "I was puzzled back then, too. Why would he give up Celestial Ghost City for no good reason?"

"You’re overthinking it."

Knowing Chen Jiyuan’s personality, Qiu Tianshui paused to think for a moment before saying:

"Teng Miao was your man. You were the one who recommended he go to Celestial Ghost City. Duobao also hinted in the Hall that he could seize command of the garrison if necessary. Chen Che fought two battles in Celestial Ghost City. The last one, at Three Rivers Peak, was clearly a proactive attack on his part, an attempt to wipe out the Star-Picking Sect in one fell swoop."

Qiu Tianshui blew on the steam rising from his Spirit Tea.

"He had already gained enough. What was he supposed to do, not cede command? Besides, it’s impossible that he colluded with the Star-Picking Sect. After all, Dou Shanhe died at his hands."

"Sigh!"

Chen Jiyuan closed his eyes and fell silent.

It was true. They were the ones who had driven him away, even fighting a battle in Celestial Ghost City over it. It was said that before Teng Miao and the others arrived, Chen Che had even eliminated a pair of Golden Core Cultivators from the Star-Picking Sect who were stationed outside. When he left, he even took the remaining Cultivators from Celestial Ghost Ridge with him.

Teng Miao had reported all of these things to him in a letter, down to the last detail.

It was just that he was having a hard time accepting it all.

The thought that nearly twenty percent of the Primordial Sect’s upper echelon from the major Halls had died in these two battles gave him a throbbing headache.

"What is the Sect Leader’s condition right now? The Star-Picking Sect’s offensive is so fierce, their leader is clearly on the verge of a breakthrough. It’s almost certain he’ll advance to the Nascent Soul Realm. Our Sect Leader went into seclusion at the same time, but there’s been no news at all..."

Chen Jiyuan suddenly shot to his feet, his eyes wide.

"It can’t be... Is the Sect Leader already gone...?"

"Watch your words!"

Qiu Tianshui’s expression changed. After checking the Silent Barrier, he added another layer before snapping, "Have you lost your mind? As the Chief of Xingtang Hall, how could you say something like that? If even we panic, the Primordial Sect will fall apart!"

Both leaders went into seclusion at the same time. News has long been circulating that the Star-Picking Sect’s leader is about to break through, yet there’s been no word from our side.

Furthermore, Huang Shiwo has been out traveling, collecting Fierce Beasts for alchemy, and there’s been no news from him either.

As time drags on, the morale of the lower-ranking disciples is naturally wavering.

Rumors have even begun to spread among the disciples that the Sect Leader failed his advancement and has perished. The only reason chaos hasn’t broken out is because the upper echelon is keeping things stable.

But if they panicked, the Sect would truly be finished!

"Celestial Ghost Ridge is lost. This is a major event. The enemy can now confront the Primordial Sect directly. We need to put things here on hold. Jinghai Island Reef has no natural defenses to rely on. We should return to the Sect to discuss this further."

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Jiyuan spoke, then added:

"It would be best to investigate the Sect Leader’s situation again. If the Sect Leader is truly... we need to start thinking about an escape plan!"

Hearing this, Qiu Tianshui couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

It was true.

Without the Sect Leader, how could they possibly fend off a Nascent Soul True Monarch?

...

The two Chiefs talked in the office all night.

Before dawn the next day, they prepared to depart. They took the group of Golden Core Cultivators who had accompanied them, and their Spiritual Boat majestically rose into the air on the wind, disappearing over the horizon in a mere twenty to thirty breaths’ time.

"Valley Master Chen, with the Star-Picking Sect eyeing the Primordial Sect like a tiger, we should all work together. We’ll have to trouble you to handle matters here... It’s fine if there are no results. Just do your best."

It had to be said, Qiu Tianshui was quite a skilled speaker.

Anyone else hearing this would have poured their heart and soul into the task, if not worked themselves to death.

Unfortunately.

Chen Che was not someone easily swayed by words. He was well aware of how the Primordial Sect had always treated him, and besides, he was the one who had orchestrated this whole affair. He would just go through the motions for a few days at most, and that would be the end of it.

’They’re in such a hurry to return to the Sect, most likely because Celestial Ghost Ridge has fallen.’

Chen Che knew exactly what was happening.

Having lost the natural barrier, the Primordial Sect would now have to face the Star-Picking Sect directly. The Sect’s upper echelon certainly needed to discuss the ramifications of this development.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Yu Qian, Meng Qianxun, Zhao Shifeng, and the others who were seeing the Chiefs off. They all breathed a subtle sigh of relief. They could naturally guess that Chen Che and Xiao Chan had left the boat earlier precisely for this purpose.

Tang Linli, however, had a bitter expression.

The blame that Chen Che refused to take had ultimately fallen on his shoulders. It was no exaggeration to say that from this point forward, his future within the Primordial Sect was completely ruined.

"Fellow Tang."

Only after the Spiritual Boat had vanished completely did Chen Che turn to him.

"You’ve worked hard these past few days searching. Have some free time to sit and talk?"

"Val-Valley Master Chen... I..."

Stammering, Tang Linli didn’t dare refuse. He was led to a tavern in a daze, and it wasn’t until Chen Che personally poured him a cup of hot tea that his chaotic mind was jolted back to reality. Terrified, he scrambled to his feet and respectfully received the cup with both hands.

"Chief Steward Tang, you have been wronged in this matter," Chen Che said slowly.

Tang Linli shook his head bitterly. "Before long, I won’t be a Chief Steward anymore..."

Chen Che’s interest was piqued. He could hear the resentment and regret in the man’s voice.

After all, for Tang Linli, this was an undeserved disaster.

However.

Chen Che still feigned ignorance, asking in surprise, "Fellow Tang, what do you mean by that?"

Tang Linli gave a bitter smile. "Although the opponent was a Golden Core Cultivator, far beyond my capabilities, I am, after all, the one in charge of Jinghai Island Reef. When something like this happens, I can’t escape responsibility... I’m the only one who can take the fall."