Chapter 172 : Chapter 172

Chapter 172. A Truth Too Cruel to Accept

Thus, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Shi Ritian put on a show of shaking his head and sighing, then said in anguish, “The reason I came today was to tell you about Cailin.

I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍saw it with my own eyes... Clan Leader Cailin was taken away by that Human Race. That bastard used her and forced her to hand over the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura...

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment I learned of it, I immediately wanted to seek justice for Cailin. But I never expected that after obtaining the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura, Chu Feng’s power would surge, and he would even break through two realms in one go. Even though his realm was still below mine, for some reason, that brat possessed many divine artifacts. On top of that, he had the Emperor Flame and that ancient divine sword. Altogether, he had become completely unstoppable.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I felt that if I refused to save her, I would be far too ashamed to face the Ancient Royal Clan. So I insisted on rescuing Cailin. I never imagined that Chu Feng would strike with such ruthless intent. I almost did not make it back alive.”

BOOM!

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was as if something exploded inside Yuntian’s mind, bursting into a riot of color. He did not even have time to react before a splitting headache tore through him.

“What did you say? Do you even understand what you are saying?”

He gave him the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura.

Those words alone echoed through Yuntian’s mind.

No one understood better than Yuntian what the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura truly meant.

In an instant, Yuntian’s eyes turned blood-red. His entire body trembled as he stared fixedly at Shi Ritian, his voice hoarse beyond recognition. “Say that again. I do not believe it. Cailin clearly promised me that when the day came for me to achieve greatness, the two of us would unleash the full power of the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura together.”

Yuntian had completely lost himself. His hands clenched into fists so tightly that veins bulged across his face. His complexion flushed a violent red as he kept roaring and bellowing uncontrollably.

Shi Ritian had long since guessed that Yuntian would never be able to accept such a thing. After all, Yuntian loved Cailin. Once he heard this, he was bound to fly into a rage for the sake of the woman he loved.

Still, even Shi Ritian had not expected Yuntian to be this agitated.

But to Shi Ritian, there was nothing to fear in that. On the contrary, inwardly he was even more delighted, though he quietly concealed his true thoughts.

He continued to fan the flames. “Brother Yuntian, do you think I would lie to you about something like this? I saw it with my own eyes. That Human Race wrapped Clan Leader Cailin inside Chaotic Mist for a full half hour!

You and I are both cultivators. You should understand better than anyone what that half hour meant.

A full half hour! And when the mist finally dispersed, Clan Leader Cailin’s face was flushed, her clothes were in disarray, and she kept her head lowered behind him, not even daring to look anyone in the eye...

Most importantly, I clearly saw the power of the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura on Chu Feng’s body, and Cailin personally admitted to me that it was Chu Feng who had stolen the power of her Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura.

All of this, every last bit of it, was caused by that foolish Human Race. Tell me, what right does a mere Human Race have to order around members of our Ancient Royal Clan?

Besides, from top to bottom, who in the Ancient Royal Clan did not know that you and Cailin were a match made in heaven? Everyone had been waiting for the two of you to unite and make a great contribution to our Ancient Royal Clan. And now, all of it has been ruined by some insignificant Human Race. Even I cannot swallow this insult.”

As Shi Ritian spoke, he slammed his fist heavily into the stone pillar beside him and said in grief and fury, “To be honest, that Human Race is lower than a beast, worse than an animal. But the one who truly suffered most is Cailin. The reason she kept dealing with Chu Feng was to save you. Yet who could have expected that Human Race to be so shameless? Cailin suffered endless humiliation for your sake. I think we cannot stand by any longer. We have to save her.”

Yuntian looked as if he had been struck by lightning. He staggered backward and dropped to the ground.

Seeing Yuntian like this, Shi Ritian was overjoyed.

Those words had been spoken deliberately. He knew exactly what kind of temperament Yuntian had, and he knew even better how deeply he cared for Cailin. That was why he had intentionally painted Cailin as a noble and tragic figure.

This way, Yuntian would believe that Cailin had fallen into danger entirely because she had tried to save him...

Her face was flushed...

Her clothes were in disarray...

Half an hour...

Those words were like blades, carving into his heart again and again. Yuntian could not even regulate his breathing with his spiritual power. He only felt as though he could no longer draw breath at all.

“Cailin... my Cailin. Back then, I promised that I would protect you well, but now I have broken that promise. Worse still, I dragged you down from the heavens into hell. Do not worry. Whatever that beast did to you, I will make him repay it tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold. No matter how powerful that Human Race brat is, even if I have to stake my old life on it, I will still seek justice for you.”

He muttered under his breath as bloody tears seeped from his eyes. His fists were clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug straight into his flesh, and drops of bright red blood fell one after another.

In the next moment, fragments of memory surfaced in Yuntian’s mind, scenes of him and Cailin from childhood all the way to the present.

Because Yuntian had always respected Cailin deeply, he had not even touched her hand all this time.

He had cherished her with the utmost care, treasured her like a priceless jewel in his palm, as though he feared she would melt if held in his mouth or shatter if cradled in his hand. He had been cautious every step of the way, waiting only to leave the treasury so he could marry her in grand splendor.

But now...

It was over. Everything was over.

“Why?! Why?! Why?! She was the princess I held in the palm of my hand! We were only one step away from a perfect ending. It was that damned Human Race. That damned Human Race destroyed everything I had, destroyed my entire future. Since that is the case, I will make that damned Human Race pay the price.”

Yuntian threw back his head and howled. The spiritual power around him ran wild, and the surrounding ruins exploded apart with a deafening crash. From the nearby mountains came a rapid series of blasts as rocks burst apart one after another.

Even Shi Ritian was deeply frightened by the terrifying aura Yuntian gave off, and he hurriedly moved two steps to the side.

Yet Yuntian still sprang to his feet like a savage beast, his eyes red as a demon’s. “He touched my woman, so he must pay the price. I will make my words clear right here today. I am going to tear him to pieces! If that damned Human Race has any courage at all, then he can stay right where he is and wait for me. Today, I will fight him to the death!”

With that roar, he made as if to charge out.

Shi Ritian grabbed him at once. “Brother Yuntian, calm down! I did not come here today to tell you all this so that you would act on impulse.

You and I both know better than anyone what Chu Feng’s strength is like. To be honest, even if the two of us joined forces, we still might not be his match. If that is the case, then why go smashing eggs against a rock? Wouldn’t that just be courting death?”