Chapter 156: Sinister Truth

Jiang Feng did not deny it, and gave a gentle nod.

He paused briefly, then gave a concise explanation of the whole story.

He roughly recounted that Ling Zhaixing stole the Southern Frontier Tiger Talisman and was ultimately rescued by him.

And the reason Jiang Feng acted back then was also to let Ling Zhaixing obtain the Mysterious Warm Jade Core.

Su Xueyan heard this, and her brows knit tightly.

"So that's how it is… No wonder the Dragon Group says she's a serious offender."

Jiang Feng nodded: "The Southern Frontier Tiger Talisman's influence is too great; the Dragon Group could not stay indifferent."

At that moment, Su Xueyan seemed to recall something and hurriedly asked.

"Jiang Feng, the Southern Frontier Tiger Talisman you mentioned—what does it look like? Is it a palm‑sized jade talisman?"

Jiang Feng's heart stirred, and he looked at her with some surprise.

"Have you seen it?"

"I'm not sure if it's the same, but I happen to have a similar item in my room!"

"A few days ago, while tidying my vanity, I found a delicate wooden box on it; when I opened it, there was exactly such a jade talisman inside!"

Jiang Feng's expression instantly grew solemn.

Ling Zhaixing's disappearance, yet the talisman appeared in Su Xueyan's room—this is certainly no coincidence!

"Take me there to see…"

Su Xueyan dared not delay, and immediately turned toward the second‑floor bedroom.

Entering the bedroom, Su Xueyan hurried to the vanity, and took a rustic Small Wooden Box from the drawer.

The wooden box looked somewhat aged, with simple patterns carved on it.

She opened the box, and a palm‑sized jade talisman lay quietly inside.

It was exactly the Southern Frontier Tiger Talisman Jiang Feng had spoken of!

Jiang Feng stepped forward, picked up the talisman, and his expression grew ever darker.

Ling Zhaixing regards the Southern Frontier Tiger Talisman as her life, and would never easily discard it.

Now that the talisman appears in Su Xueyan's room, there is only one possibility.

She deliberately hid the talisman here before she vanished.

"It really is the Southern Frontier Tiger Talisman…"

Jiang Feng muttered to himself, taking a deep breath.

"It must have been Ling Zhaixing who placed it here. She must have met with trouble; otherwise she would never have abandoned the talisman."

"It is the token of tens of thousands of tribal armies in the Southern Frontier; whoever holds the talisman can mobilize all the frontier tribes' forces. Precisely because of this, many factions covet it, seeking to claim it as their own."

"What?"

Su Xueyan was stunned; she never imagined that this seemingly ordinary jade talisman could be so terrifying.

Su Xueyan quickly said, "Jiang Feng, this talisman is too dangerous; keeping it here will surely bring trouble to the Su Family. Please put it away safely! I don't want it to endanger Grandpa and Xiao Nuan."

"Don't worry, I will secure it properly and will never let it cause any trouble for the Su Family. Once I find Ling Zhaixing, I will return the talisman to her."

He carefully stored the talisman, while his mind raced with thoughts.

Jiang Feng turned his head toward Su Xueyan, his tone serious.

"You should no longer involve yourself in this matter, and do not mention the talisman to anyone. I will find Ling Zhaixing as soon as possible and resolve this."

"Alright, I trust you."

……

Meanwhile, in that hidden Underground Water Prison, the atmosphere was oppressively suffocating.

On the dim, damp stone walls, water droplets continuously fell.

The air was thick with a strong scent of blood and the foul odor of poisonous snakes, making one feel nauseous.

Ling Zhaixing was shackled by iron chains to a central stone pillar, her complexion so pale it lacked any hue of blood, her lips cracked, and her breath so weak it seemed it could cease at any moment.

New wounds had appeared on her body, and blood slowly dripped down the iron chains, spreading dark red patches in the puddles on the ground.

Mu Laoyue stood before her, twirling two entirely emerald‑green poisonous snakes in her hands.

The snakes spat bright red fangs, their cold gazes fixed on Ling Zhaixing.

"Junior sister, why must you be so stubborn?"

Mu Laoyue sheathed the snakes, a hint of feigned sympathy appearing on her face.

"Junior sister, why must you be so stubborn?"

Mu Laoyue paced slowly, and the voice sounded especially harsh in the cavernous prison.

"It was you who coveted that huge sum and agreed to help that elder steal the Heavenly Ling War God's talisman. Now that the talisman is in hand, if you obediently hand it over, you can save your life and receive a generous reward—what's not to like?"

"Why torment yourself to the brink of death over such a hot potato?"

Ling Zhaixing slowly lifted her heavy eyelids, her gaze filled with icy hatred.

"Coveting money? Mu Laoyue, stop twisting right and wrong here!"

"I agreed to act back then because that person promised never to harm the Sect even a bit, and would provide ample cultivation resources for the Sect!"

Her voice suddenly rose, filled with endless sorrow, anger, and guilt.

"But what about him? He turned and sent people to slaughter the Sect en masse! Hundreds of members of the whole school were brutally killed in a single night! All of this is because of me!"

Tears streamed down her pale cheeks, mixing with blood, making the scene especially bleak.

"If I hand over the talisman, wouldn't I become an accomplice? Wouldn't I betray the dead Master and senior brothers? Even if I die, I will never let that demon succeed!"

"Accomplice?"

Mu Laoyue let out a scoffing laugh; the sympathy on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of indifference.

Junior sister, you are too naive. Those who succeed become king, those who fail become bandits; this world is truly weak meat strong teeth. That lord holds great power, his Faction is overwhelming, and whatever he wants will eventually be his. Do you think that by guarding the Tiger Talisman you can avenge the Sect? It is merely courting death.

He paused, a flash of frenzy flickering in his eyes.

That lord has already promised me that as soon as I obtain the Tiger Talisman, I will be appointed Vice Commander of Nanjiang, command half the tribal army, and enjoy endless wealth and honor. What does it matter if Master and the others die? Their deaths are merely stepping stones paving my way to the clouds.

"You traitor!"

Ling Zhaixing trembled with anger, the hatred in her eyes almost solidifying.

"Mu Laoyue, have you forgotten how Master treated you? And you? You actually turned to the one who killed your enemy, for wealth and power, without a shred of conscience!"

"Conscience?"

Mu Laoyue seemed to hear the biggest joke in the world and disdainfully curled her mouth.

"How much is conscience worth? Can it buy power and wealth? Master was indeed kind to me, but he is too stubborn! That lord forced him to cooperate with the plan, to hand over the Sect's treasured ancient books. He refused, tried to block it, and thus brought disaster upon himself. His death is purely self‑inflicted, no one's fault."

He stepped in front of Ling Zhaixing, looking down at her from above.

"Junior sister, I'll give you one Final Time chance. Hand over the Tiger Talisman, and I can plead with that lord to spare your life, let you stay by my side as a concubine, and later share wealth and honor with me. Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to make your life worse than death; then you will not only surrender the Tiger Talisman but also regret ever coming into this world."

"Dream!"

Ling Zhaixing spat a mouthful onto the Ground.

"Even if I die under torture, I will never submit to scum like you! Mu Laoyue, I advise you to return soon! The mastermind behind this is so ruthless; if he can wipe out our Sect today, tomorrow he will eliminate you! By aiding this cruelty now, you will inevitably meet the same fate as Master!"

"Enough!"

Mu Laoyue's deepest fear was struck, and her face instantly turned ferocious.

"Stop spreading demonic rumors here! That lord trusts me completely and will never abandon me! Since you refuse the wine and take the punishment, don't blame me for being impolite!"

He turned and grabbed a bronze whip studded with barbs from the corner of the wall.

"I want to see just how hard your Bone really is!"

Mu Laoyue stared at Ling Zhaixing with a vicious glint, raising the bronze whip high.

"I will chip away at your Bone, tear your Leather flesh, until you surrender the Tiger Talisman!"

Ling Zhaixing closed her eyes, quietly awaiting death.

At that moment, a voice rang out.

"Stop."