Chapter 118: The Child Is Entrusted to You

"According to what you're saying, hasn't the Peak Master already protected you?" Ruan Xing asked, puzzled.

Although the act of Qinghong Zhenjun resolutely pushing another disciple to their death to save Qintai He was truly difficult to judge, as the beneficiary, Qintai He should at least feel a sense of relief in his heart.

Who would have thought that Qintai He would shake his head, "Senior Sister Meng is so innocent; I cannot let her die in my stead."

A miserable smile appeared on his face, "Besides, it's not certain that I will die. Master also said that the rift is very likely a Secret Realm that has never appeared before. Who knows, perhaps it could be a blessing in disguise and turn into an opportunity?"

This was likely just Qinghong Zhenjun trying to comfort him; anyone could guess that a place where even a Spirit Severing Dao Lord was injured and fell unconscious would surely be a place of nine deaths and one life for an ordinary Golden Core Stage disciple.

"So, you have decided to go yourself? Will the Peak Master agree?"

"Master didn't agree, but I insisted, so Master let me come back first. Perhaps after Senior Sister Meng's Golden Core tribulation ends, Master will go find her first." A hint of determination appeared on Qintai He's face, "I have already steeled myself for death, but I am worried about Silver Wind."

Qintai He stroked the white wolf beside him that had been keeping its head lowered and snuggling against him, and whispered: "I have always been a loner in the Xuanbing Sect and have no one close to me. I entrust Yinfeng to you, is that alright?"

He had defied his Master's wishes, and he feared his Master would be angry with him. And if Meng Hui found out that his Master had once wanted her to die for his sake, she would likely harbor resentment toward him. Neither of them would help him take care of Yinfeng.

After thinking it over, only Ruan Xing remained. She had become familiar with Yinfeng over these days. She was young, and Yinfeng had a childlike mind; the two of them should be able to get along. Moreover, Yinfeng was a Golden Core Late Stage Monster Beast, while Ruan Xing was only at Foundation Establishment Perfection. Before Ruan Xing's cultivation surpassed Yinfeng's, Yinfeng would be her capable assistant. He believed she would certainly not treat Yinfeng poorly, and during the time Yinfeng protected her, they would be able to develop an emotional bond.

"I promised before to protect you within the Sect. I am very sorry, I have to break my word. Let Yinfeng protect you in my place, is that alright?"

Seeing Ruan Xing lower her head without speaking, Qintai He asked again. Compared to just now, his tone had softened by two degrees.

Meanwhile, Ruan Xing was thinking about how she could maximize her own benefits.

The Peak Master chose to let Meng Hui go in Qintai He's place; why didn't she choose her? She was also at Foundation Establishment Perfection. If Qinghong Zhenjun were willing to give her cultivation techniques and Pills and help her guard the formation, her own tribulation would be a matter of a day or two.

After all, Meng Hui was her first disciple; it was impossible to have no feelings at all. Even if her importance in Qinghong Zhenjun's heart couldn't compare to Qintai He's, it couldn't possibly be lower than her own.

In the previous simulations while grinding skill proficiency, no clues related to Meng Hui and Qintai He had appeared, proving that regardless of who went, Qinghong Zhenjun had never considered letting her go. From such behavior, she could only draw one conclusion.

That is, Qinghong Zhenjun was also not certain that this trip was a guaranteed death sentence. If it really were a Secret Realm and there really were a heaven-defying opportunity, she could not let this chance fall into the hands of Ruan Xing, who might betray her master and destroy the sect in the future.

Therefore, Qintai He might not necessarily die.

Ruan Xing said: "Yinfeng is powerful. If you take Yinfeng with you, your chances of surviving the rift might be greater."

But Qintai He said with some disappointment: "You won't agree to my request, will you?"

"Ah? No... wait a moment, let me think."

Agreeing to Qintai He wasn't impossible; gaining a Golden Core Stage Monster Beast was a significant benefit.

It was just that Ruan Xing felt that a Monster Beast's Golden Core was not as good as her own Golden Core. She still had to find a way to take this opportunity to leave the Xuanbing Sect.

She had to go to this space rift to see what was going on.

Immediately, she opened the Text Simulation. 【Simulation in progress】

At seven years old, you are a Registered Disciple of Yaoguang Peak of the Xuanbing Sect. Upon learning that the Sect is about to send your fellow disciple Qintai He to complete a mission of nine deaths and one life, you take the initiative to volunteer to the Peak Master, stating that if the Peak Master can help you form a Golden Core, you are willing to complete the mission in Qintai He's place. The Peak Master decisively refuses you.

You are not discouraged. The next day, the two candidates selected by the Sect Affairs Hall prepare to depart with Qintai He. You plan to follow them quietly and adapt to the situation once you arrive. However, while taking the Teleportation Array at the Xianyuan City station, you are intercepted by the Peak Master.

Two days later, you plan not to take the Teleportation Array, but to leave Xianyuan City first using your own Dharma Artifact, the Shuttle Spirit Boat. However, less than a cup of tea's time after leaving Xianyuan City, you are intercepted by the Peak Master again.

Five days later, you summon your Sword from your Storage Bag while in your bed, and have the Sword take you into an Invisibility Channel, holding you as you leave Xianyuan City. This time, you succeed in leaving. However, due to the days wasted, you can no longer catch up to Qintai He and the others. The Sword's ability to hide people can only last for at most one or two hours. You and the Sword alternate, using the Shuttle Spirit Boat for a stretch of the journey, then switching to the Ghost Escape Technique. On the third day after you left Xianyuan City, Qinghong Zhenjun finds you. She asks why you are running away and who the mysterious youth beside you is.

You make a few excuses, but Qinghong Zhenjun thinks you are being stubborn, and you die.

【Simulation ended】

Casually choosing to retain the memory, Ruan Xing began to think again.

In her previous successful departures from the Xuanbing Sect, it was always several years later. The earliest was at twenty, and she was with Cheng Bi. By that time, Qinghong Zhenjun had likely already given up on monitoring her, so it didn't matter whether she left or not. But now, she had been in the Sect for less than a month, and Qinghong Zhenjun's gaze was still fixed intently on her.

The Peak Master refused to let her replace Qintai He; it seems that preventing a potential future disaster for the Sect is more important in her eyes than Qintai He's life.

However, the Sword's Ghost Escape Technique is truly a bug; it actually succeeded in escaping without anyone noticing. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't maintain Ruan Xing's presence in the Invisibility Channel for long, Qinghong Zhenjun would likely have had a hard time finding her.

Then how can she leave the Sect to take a look at the rift? She can't even touch the edge of the rift right now; how can she confirm whether entering the rift is a blessing or a curse?

Perhaps the two candidates selected by the Sect Affairs Hall are the key. Those two don't know what they are about to face; they only know that this mission will be extremely difficult, to the point that even the Sect's genius Qintai He has been sent out. They don't know that Qintai He's status in the eyes of the Sect's top brass is very awkward, and instead feel a bit excited to be able to act alongside Qintai He.

If she were to first rely on the Sword to enter the invisibility space and then find one of the two, use the Illusion Technique in the invisibility space to transform into his appearance, then use the Mask Artifact to change her cultivation, and subsequently have the Sword control this person and pull them into the invisibility space while she herself comes out, could she achieve the effect of a "theft of heaven and change of day"?

The first difficulty is that one of these two is at the Golden Core Mid-stage and the other at the Golden Core Late Stage. Although the Sword's methods are extremely covert, he is also only at the Golden Core Stage, so he might not be able to execute this perfectly without a sound.

The second difficulty is that the Sword can only maintain a person in the space channel for a little over an hour, and her Illusion Technique can also only last for a little over an hour. Therefore, the timing of the strike must be well-controlled. From the time the Sword takes her into the Invisibility Channel to the time they successfully leave Xianyuan City, this duration cannot exceed one hour. She also has to leave half an hour to deal with the aftermath after getting out; who knows if Qintai He might discover her sneaking out and immediately send a message to report her to Qinghong Zhenjun.

It would have been better if the person going was Meng Hui. At least Meng Hui had just entered the Golden Core Early Stage and shouldn't be that hard to deal with.

Eh? That's right... Qinghong Zhenjun didn't agree to let Qintai He go by himself, so why did Qintai He go out so easily the next day? Why didn't she let Meng Hui go over and pull some strings? Qinghong Zhenjun values Qintai He quite a bit; it's not like Qintai He said he wanted to die and Qinghong Zhenjun just nodded and said, "Sure, no problem, go ahead and die."

Ruan Xing realized this problem belatedly.

Qintai He saw Ruan Xing lowering her head in thought and did not disturb her.

Only the previously gloomy sky suddenly became clear. The sunlight dispersed the dark tribulation clouds and shone on the ground, and a breeze blew by, bringing a sultry heat.

Qintai He looked up blankly, "Why did the tribulation clouds disperse so early?"

Thanks to Haoning for the monthly ticket~ (End of chapter)