Chapter 52

As far as I know, Your Highness, you have been very close to Su Chen these past three years; there was once an intention of engagement between you two, and you frequently come and go from the Profound Heaven Dao Sect.

You must be extremely familiar with the Profound Heaven Dao Sect, and you likely know Su Chen quite well as well. Have you ever heard any secrets concerning the Profound Heaven Sect? For example, about Sect Master Su colluding with extraterrestrial heavenly demons—think carefully before you speak.

As his words fell, the hall fell into dead silence.

The gazes of all the mighty cultivators fell upon Lin Jianran.

Sect Master Liu also raised his head to look at Lin Jianran, thinking that Lin Jianran and Ye Xuan had been childhood sweethearts; although Su Chen had fawned over her for three years, he could not ultimately outweigh a childhood sweetheart, and she feared that Sect Master Su and the sect behind him would surely perish.

"Ah?" Lin Jianran lifted her head, looking completely bewildered.

She looked toward the Sixth Prince.

Her heart was overwhelmed with shock, and with a hint of fear she replied, "Brother Ye Xuan, are you asking me this?"

"But, but I don't know..."

"Miss Lin, you must think carefully before you speak! Think hard—consider whether Su Chen has ever inadvertently revealed any secrets of the Profound Heaven Dao Sect to you over these years; your testimony bears on Sect Master Su's reputation." The Sixth Prince narrowed his eyes, his words carrying a hint of warning.

He gave Lin Jianran a faint glance.

That glance completely woke Lin Jianran up.

Her reflexes were a bit slow, but she finally grasped the ins and outs of it.

Recently, rumors have been spreading that Sect Master Su is colluding with extraterrestrial heavenly demons, and all the clans of the Eastern Wasteland region have been distancing themselves from the Profound Heaven Dao Sect.

However, her brother Ye Xuan had a duel agreement with Su Chen three years ago, yet nothing has happened; he only said he would give Sect Master Su a chance to reform.

But will Brother Ye Xuan really give Sect Master Su and the Profound Heaven Dao Sect a chance?

The Great Universe Prince's gaze just now was distinctly vicious, not as if he were seeking the truth, but rather as if he wanted a version of the truth that he wished the world to see.

"Miss Lin," the Su Family Patriarch suddenly stood up and said to Lin Jianran, "Just now word came from the Ye family that Su Changfeng has built an altar, attempting to summon heavenly demons, and is allied with the demon tribe, hoping to wreak havoc in the Eastern Wasteland."

"Young Pavilion Master, out of mercy, even if the evidence is solid, he feels he only has an agreement with Su Chen and does not want the Profound Heaven Dao Sect to suffer calamity."

"Therefore, Young Pavilion Master, I would like to ask someone close to the Profound Heaven Dao Sect: has the sect recently shown any strange behavior? Are there signs of colluding with extraterrestrial heavenly demons to bring chaos to the Eastern Wasteland, or is there some other hidden difficulty?"

"You are so close to Su Chen—how could you not have heard anything?"

Having come to this point, even if Lin Jianran were stupid, she would have realized it.

The Profound Heaven Dao Sect is doomed.

Targeted by Brother Ye Xuan and the Great Universe Dynasty, two colossal powers.

Completely and utterly finished.

Having her come here is merely putting on a show.

What kind of show?

Brother Ye Xuan gave the Profound Heaven Dao Sect a chance, but Sect Master Su kept making mistakes; left with no choice, he first detained Young Master Su Chen and the Su family.

Lin Jianran's lips twitched slightly; her mind filled with images of Su Chen's past kindnesses… a flicker of struggle and guilt crossed her eyes.

In the end, it turned into words: "Brother Ye Xuan, I… I've remembered some things."

Don't blame me, Su Chen.

After all, you love me so much; you will surely understand my… not being right?

It's Brother Ye Xuan; I thought I had let go of him, but only when I saw him again today did I realize that I have long been deeply in love with him.

Whatever he wants to know, I will surely speak without reservation.

I don't want to harm you; I am merely stating what he said, Brother Ye Xuan, and you will weigh it.

If the Profound Heaven Dao Sect faces a great calamity, you will die, but you will have no worries, whereas I will bear the blame and live a lifetime in guilt.

Just consider it my debt to you.

"When I previously went to the Profound Heaven Dao Sect, I once saw a small altar and a letter sealed with a blood contract in Sect Master Su's cultivation chamber."

"The writing on the letter seemed to be from a foreign land, or perhaps demon script—anyway, it was not human writing."

Lin Jianran lowered her gaze, inwardly apologizing to Su Chen repeatedly, while smoothly saying: "Moreover, I have heard Sect Master Su say several times… something like… the Northern Abyss Continent venerates the strong."

"If one had sufficient cultivation, directly unifying the Eastern Wasteland and becoming its overlord would be wonderful."

"The human race's talent limits cultivation, setting the upper limit for cultivators; rather than painfully struggling to be nameless heroes who shed blood for humanity… it would be better to just… well, roughly speaking, that's about it."

"..."

After saying that, the many Eastern Wasteland clans in the hall almost held their breath.

Ye Xuan's mouth curled into a cold smile, but it was quickly suppressed, turning into uncontrollable fury.

He heavily slapped the armrest of the gilded chair with his palm: "Bang—bang!"

"Dominate the Eastern Wasteland?"

"Refine humanity with blood?"

"Is the Profound Heaven Dao Sect truly so lawless?"

"Did Su Changfeng really say these words, summoning heavenly demons to bathe the Eastern Wasteland in blood?"

Lin Jianran kept her composure and said: "Indeed, that is exactly what is written on Sect Master Su's blood contract."

"Excellent, excellent!"

Ye Xuan's eyes flashed with anger, veins bulging on his forehead, feeling a myriad of emotions: "Su Changfeng, Su Chenfeng, as the leader of the Four Great Sects of the Eastern Wasteland, do you truly wish for humanity to be treated as blood food?"

"For cultivation, for longevity and ease, would you abandon countless cultivators?"

"I am utterly disappointed in you, Profound Heaven Dao Sect, and in your Su family!"

"If it weren't for the Lin family's miss speaking these words herself, I fear I would still be kept in the dark."

"Sect Master Liu, you have nothing left to say, right?"

"Lin family's miss Lin Jianran accuses Su Changfeng of colluding with heavenly demons and corresponding with the demon tribe, yet you keep saying Su Changfeng guarded the Eastern Wasteland—who should I believe, young master?"

Sect Master Liu curled his lip in a cold sneer and said: "Our sect has nothing to say."

Since ancient times, the arrogant and domineering invite calamity.

If Su Chen hadn't offended Ye Xuan back then, what cause and effect would this really be!

Now, even if she were to say a flower, it's of no use.

"Fine, since you have nothing to say, then..." Ye Xuan met the Sixth Prince's gaze, having already anticipated it, and let out a cold snort: "Then, as the Prince of Da Yu said, temporarily detain the Ye family's residence."

"Just now you said, Su Changfeng's sleeping quarters hide correspondence with the monster clan, right?"

Lin Jianran's expression was extremely tense, even sweat beading on her palms: "That's correct."

"Fine, convey this young master's oral decree."

"Dispatch five hundred elite sect disciples to thoroughly investigate the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect; once the letter is found, immediately imprison the Su family members, and anyone who dares to obstruct will be executed on the spot, except for Su Chen."

"Lin Jianran, this is the token of the External Elder of the Qingming Sect that I, this young master, established, plus the monthly stipend of an Outer Sect Elder—take them."

Until Ye Xuan disappeared from the gilded throne, the invisible pressure in the main hall dissipated, and the hall filled with the discussion of many cultivators.

Kneeling on the spot, drenched in sweat, Lin Jianran finally came to her senses—she... what had she just heard?

Outer Sect Elder?

I'm going to become an Elder!

Good heavens!

Lin Jianran lightly covered her lips, her whole body trembling with excitement.