After hearing Chen Luoyang's question, Vajra appeared by the side and said, "Reporting to Cult Master, Young Lady Qingqing is in the guest room. But she isn't resting and is waiting for your return."
"Bring her to the main hall," Chen Luoyang ordered before sitting down on his throne.
"Yes, Cult Master," Vajra acknowledged before he suddenly let out an evil smile. "Reporting to Cult Master, it seems like Young Lady Qingqing… doesn't really like the Edict of Black Death. After seeing the Sword Pavilion working together with Black Emperor Xiuzhe, she is rather disappointed."
Zhang Tianheng had also laughed by the side. "When the members of the Great Xia Empire attacked the sedan chair, Young Lady Qingqing was also watching by the side."
Chen Luoyang remained unchanged while he looked at the duo quietly and didn't say anything.
Zhang Tianheng and Vajra's necks withdrew a little as they quickly removed their smiles. Vajra then went to bring Ying Qingqing over.
Zhang Tianheng said softly, "Reporting to Cult Master, before sending that Sword Pavilion's Xie Xingmang to the valley, I interrogated him again. It seems like he doesn't know how to restore Young Lady Qingqing's crippled sword dao. Due to the constraint of time, I could only send him and Helian Zhe to the valley first. But that incident happened…"
"It doesn't matter," Chen Luoyang said nonchalantly.
Zhang Tianheng remained silent, and soon enough, Vajra brought Ying Qingqing to the main hall. Afterwards, Vajra and Zhang Tianheng left. The main hall was only left with Chen Luoyang and Ying Qingqing.
"Cult Master Chen." Ying Qingqing bowed below the stairs.
Chen Luoyang had an indifferent expression as he sized up Ying Qingqing with rather interested eyes. According to the life experiences stated in the black pot, he was certain that the Sword Pavilion didn't cripple Ying Qingqing's cultivation of the Clear Sky Divine Sword.
It was even less possible that the Great Xia Empire's Sixth Prince Li Tai might have done it. The greatest possibility was Ying Qingqing herself. The opposition was worried that this young lady might help the Demon Cult Master to recuperate; therefore, they confined her.
During this exchange of hostages, they were actually planning to bring back both Xie Xingmang and Ying Qingqing. As the saying goes, "An ordinary person is innocent, but if he hides a jade, it is a sin."[1] As a result, Ying Qingqing crippled her own sword dao.
Chen Luoyang didn't know what the thoughts of Shi Jing, Nie Hua, and Li Tai were, but he was rather surprised. However, he had a thought in his mind that had been lingering around silently.
That was… should he eliminate her? It wasn't a joke; he was indeed seriously considering this matter. It wasn't really related to the matter whether Ying Qingqing still had the Clear Sky Divine Sword. It was for another reason… When asking for Ying Qingqing's information from the black pot, it was revealed that a large amount of blood-red serum was required. It was far beyond any regular martial master. In fact, it was far beyond the standard of a martial king.
But what if the reverse happened? If he killed her or watched as she died in front of him, would the blood-red serum be replenished more than the normal standard? The difficulty of killing her was only as much as killing a martial master… However, she obviously had a great secret on her. If he made a move blindly, would it bring about an immeasurable risk or consequence?
Chen Luoyang shook his head silently. After coming to this world, he felt as though he was getting increasingly ruthless and apathetic to human lives. He was getting adapted to this environment, and he might still be extremely cautious, but he was slowly filling into his character. He was becoming a true Demon Sovereign.
If this carried on, is it I who possessed a Demon Sovereign, or has the Demon Sovereign possessed me?
Okay, if I am having such thoughts, it means I am extremely bored. However, it also means that I am getting increasingly relaxed and am able to put thoughts into such trivial matters. In other words, I am getting restless.
Chen Luoyang mocked himself in his heart before he gathered his focus again to face the young lady at the front. However, that thought earlier was still rather tempting…
Would using someone else to do the dirty work eliminate the possible future consequences? Chen Luoyang's imagination was running wild while his expression remained calm as usual.
"Your sword dao has been crippled. How is your body doing? Is there anything uncomfortable?"
Ying Qingqing stayed silent for a moment before answering, "I merely dispersed the Clear Sky Divine Sword Intent. It doesn't really affect my body."
Chen Luoyang tapped his finger on the armrest gently and asked, "If This Seat didn't hear it wrongly, your words imply that you crippled your own sword dao cultivation, and it wasn't done by the members of the Sword Pavilion?"
"Yes." Ying Qingqing nodded and said, "It is my fault for deceiving Cult Master Chen previously."
Chen Luoyang said calmly, "Did you deceive me previously or are you telling a lie now? Shi Jing, Nie Hua, and the others are fleeing while my cult members are in an all-out pursuit. Are you lying and wish that This Seat will spare them?"
Ying Qingqing shook her head. "It is indeed done by myself." She then looked at Chen Luoyang and said, "I should be thanking Cult Master instead. The Great Xia Empire's Sixth Prince Li Tai had confined me, and I am free because of your proposal to exchange me with the Sword Pavilion's Fourth Sir."
"Back when I was in the Sword Pavilion, I received care from the Fourth Sir and hoped that he could also regain his freedom. The Sword Pavilion and the Great Xia Empire didn't want my Clear Sky Sword Qi to aid in Cult Master Chen's recuperation. Therefore, they were preparing to bring back both of us. Therefore, I crippled my Clear Sky Sword Qi to eliminate their worries. As such, it would have been fine if both parties could exchange hostages peacefully. However, I didn't expect Fifth Sir and the others to be so obstinate."
Ying Qingqing sighed before saying, "Until now, I could not understand why a calm and intelligent person like Fifth Sir would be so stubborn and wouldn't even compromise at all."
She gave a deep bow to Chen Luoyang and said, "Fourth Sir wasn't the one to confine me. I just wished that I could be exchanged for his freedom to repay his kindness…"
Chen Luoyang was thinking, You might wish to repay Xie Xingmang's kindness, but the problem is… your debt to the Demon Cult Master should be even greater right?
While he was thinking to himself, the young lady continued speaking, "…It resulted in my lies to Cult Master Chen earlier. I wish for Cult Master Chen to forgive me."
While speaking, there was a beam of sunlight that shone in front of Chen Luoyang. It was as if it was the dawn of the morning sun. Sword intent was emitted from Ying Qingqing's body as though they were streaks of sunlight. It was weak at first, but it got increasingly intense. It was just like the sun rising in the east until it reached the peak in the afternoon. It was bright like midday and illuminated all living things.
It was none other than the Clear Sky Divine Sword Intent.
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The Clear Sky Divine Sword cultivation that Ying Qingqing had dispersed entirely had automatically been restored at this moment.
"…" Chen Luoyang was forcefully straining the muscles on his face from twitching.
What the hell! It can actually be done like this? Chen Luoyang wasn't sure if Shi Jing, Nie Hua, and Wen Liu had checked carefully, but the Demon Cult had also probed several times. It was true that Ying Qingqing didn't have any Clear Sky Sword Intent left before this. It was possible to restore the martial dao cultivation after it was crippled, but it required time. It wasn't possible for it to come back so quickly, like what happened to Ying Qingqing.
Restoring just by mentioning it? One could simply cripple one's own cultivation for fun if that was the case. Not even the Sword Pavilion Lord could do the same, right?
This lass is definitely abnormal! Chen Luoyang yelled in his heart. However, on the surface, he remained composed as though it didn't really matter to him. His mouth merely let out a faint smirk.
"The Sword Pavilion and Great Xia Empire obviously didn't know that you had such a move." Chen Luoyang looked down slightly at the young lady with interest and said, "You lied to This Seat and also to them. Are you still the same honest lady that This Seat knows of?"
The brilliance in Ying Qingqing's eyes turned dim in response as she looked rather ashamed. "I am probably… corrupted by bad examples…"
[1] This saying is referring to Ying Qingqing being innocent, but just because she has something of value (the Clear Sky Divine Sword), she becomes suspect.