Divine Emperor Demon Emperor

The incessant screams from the main plaza were deeply unsettling to Lin Yun. In the end, these disciples were innocent, yet they had become the ultimate victims.

But there was nothing to be done. That was just the way of the world. Their only mistake was being disciples of Taiqing Academy.

Standing there alone, he wondered where the upper echelons and talented disciples of Taiqing Academy had gone.

As he mulled it over, a thread gradually began to form in his mind, naturally connecting all the events. It started with his meeting with Qing Zhu, moved to the Qing Zhu Association members impersonating Taiqing Academy to attack the Celestial Spirit Auction House, and ended with the current disappearance of the academy’s leadership and prodigies.

Pulled along by this thread, the chain of events clicked into place. Finally, Lin Yun understood Qing Zhu’s objective.

A wry smile touched his lips. Qing Zhu was truly far too clever. It had seemed like she was giving him a great gift, but in reality, he was the one who had handed her a prize.

First, Qing Zhu learned that Lin Yun was being hunted by Taiqing Academy. She must have also guessed Wei Yunhang’s murderous intent toward him, which was why she came to Fire City.

Moreover, she secretly arranged for Qing Zhu Association members to enter Fire City and impersonate Taiqing Academy disciples in an attack on the Celestial Spirit Auction House. This way, Wei Yunhang, with his murderous intent, would surely burn his bridges and lead the disciples of Taiqing Academy in a *real* attack on the auction house.

And just like that, Taiqing Academy was forced to face the wrath of the Celestial Spirit Auction House.

At that point, all Qing Zhu had to do was go to Taiqing Academy and shatter any illusions its leadership might have, telling them that the Celestial Spirit Auction House would never reconcile.

Combined with Qing Zhu’s extraordinary methods and Aunt Lan at her side, what would the Taiqing Academy leadership conclude? They would probably pin all the blame on Lin Yun and the Celestial Spirit Auction House.

’I’ve been used as a pawn...’ Lin Yun shook his head helplessly. He finally knew where the Taiqing Academy leadership and its talented disciples had gone. They had probably all joined the Qing Zhu Association; even the academy’s Saints had likely gone with them.

Although Taiqing Academy was truly no more, in reality, all its experts and talented disciples had been absorbed under Qing Zhu’s command. This surge in combat power made the Qing Zhu Association even more terrifying.

He had figured it all out. This was Qing Zhu’s true objective.

’I never would have thought that Qing Zhu would lay such a massive trap just because of the death feud between me and Wei Yunhang, absorbing the entire leadership and all the talented disciples of Taiqing Academy.’

Lin Yun gave a wry smile. Just then, Flowing Water Saint came up behind him and asked with a light laugh, "So? It doesn’t feel good to be used as a pawn, does it?"

Although he hadn’t interacted much with Flowing Water Saint, Lin Yun knew that this woman was a monster in her own right. In terms of both intellect and power, she was at the Demon Level.

"What are you trying to say?" Lin Yun asked calmly, looking at Flowing Water Saint.

"I know the strength of the Qing Zhu Association, and I know about the battle in Wind City. Now that they’ve absorbed the experts and talented disciples of Taiqing Academy, what I want to know is, how do you plan to fight them?"

"Oh, right. And I’ve also heard that the leader of the Qing Zhu Association is a very beautiful woman, protected by a Saint, and with origins shrouded in mystery," Flowing Water Saint added with a light chuckle.

"So? What is it you really want?" Lin Yun was in no mood to beat around the bush with Flowing Water Saint. Having been played by Qing Zhu, he was thoroughly frustrated.

"Hehe, what’s wrong? Getting angry? Annoyed that you’ve been played?" Flowing Water Saint chuckled, covering her mouth.

Hearing her teasing tone, Lin Yun fell silent. The Qing Zhu Association’s strength had grown immensely, and a bitter feeling washed over him.

Seeing his silence, Flowing Water Saint smiled. "I can help you. If I stay, then you’ll have two Saints by your side. I can’t say you’ll be able to confront the Qing Zhu Association, but your personal safety should be guaranteed."

Hearing this, Lin Yun looked at the faintly smiling Saint. After staring at her for a long moment, he finally spoke. "You want to see the final outcome of the struggle between me and the Qing Zhu Association?"

"That’s right." Flowing Water Saint didn’t try to hide it, answering his question frankly.

"Didn’t I say it? I’m bored. Besides, cultivation is the same no matter where you are. Furthermore, I’m very interested in both you and that mysterious leader of the Qing Zhu Association. Even in the Central Domain, the two of you would be considered Demon Fiends. That’s why I’m so eager to see what kind of ending your struggle will have."

What Flowing Water Saint said wasn’t wrong. Her talent was immense. For a Demon Fiend like her, there was no need to worry about her future accomplishments—they were bound to be great.

And every Demon Fiend had their quirks, like seeking out excitement and things of that nature.

As she finished speaking, Flowing Water Saint leaned close to Lin Yun’s ear, her breath fragrant as she whispered, "However, if you lose, or if you prove incapable of even fighting back, I might just leave at any time, you know."

With that, Flowing Water Saint departed with a light laugh.

A Saint not yet a hundred years old, with such a unique temperament... She wasn’t the kind of woman who was stunning at first glance, but the more time one spent with Flowing Water Saint, the more one would realize she was a peerless beauty, hardly inferior to Lu Bingning and the other two women.

’Staying behind for the thrill, huh?’ Lin Yun mused softly, watching her retreating figure.

Having found nothing of value at Taiqing Academy, Lin Yun and the three Gold Order holders returned to Fire City first. The other experts from the Celestial Spirit Auction House remained behind, tasked with dismissing all of Taiqing Academy’s disciples.

The order from the head of the Celestial Spirit Auction House Headquarters was simple: utterly destroy Taiqing Academy. Neither Qingfeng Saint nor Flowing Water Saint had any intention of slaughtering the low-level disciples, so they simply dispersed them. With that, Taiqing Academy would truly cease to exist.

Taiqing Academy was finished. Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Qing Zhu Association, in a Main Hall perched on a cloud-wreathed mountain peak, the Taiqing Institute Director, the Six Supreme Elders, Wei Yunhang, and even Taiqing Academy’s own Celestial Light Saint were all present.

However, one of Taiqing Academy’s Supreme Elders—Qin Feng’s master—now lay as a corpse in the center of the Main Hall. Aunt Lan stood beside the body, his blood still on her hands. A single glance was enough to know that she had killed him.

Seductively licking the blood from her hand, Aunt Lan chuckled. "The Qing Zhu Association never shows traitors any mercy."

Qin Feng’s master had opposed the plan for Taiqing Academy’s leadership and talented disciples to join the Qing Zhu Association. He had been vehemently against it from the beginning, but alas, the Taiqing Institute Director had already made his decision.

Seeing Qin Feng’s master lying in a pool of his own blood, the members of Taiqing Academy all wore expressions of grief. This was especially true for the remaining five Supreme Elders; the six of them had been like brothers for a lifetime.

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