Chapter 236 - 230: Mr. Dong! But Ah Ding Is Dead
In the center of the grand hall, two massive figures stood guard in silence.
[Twin Shadows: Mirror and Destruction], Mid-stage Core Formation, HP x15.
...
「Meanwhile, at the Guixi Sect martial arts arena.」
Dong Changsheng’s figure materialized in a flash of brilliant light, and he staggered a few steps before finding his footing.
He glanced around. Behind him was the massive gate of light leading to the [Guixi Secret Realm].
He tried reaching out to touch it, but his hand couldn’t pass through.
The secret realm had rejected him.
He... couldn’t go back.
’Lin Qingfeng!!!’
Dong Changsheng’s face was a mask of venomous resentment and indignation.
’So close!’
’I was *so* incredibly close!’
’That monumental opportunity was about to become mine!’
’Lin Qingfeng not only stole the destiny that should have been mine, but he also mercilessly struck me down!’
This was a humiliation Dong Changsheng would not forget.
He paced back and forth in frustration, his heart filled with anxiety about the future.
’Now that I’ve missed this opportunity, how am I supposed to repay the Sect Leader for taking me in?’
’And how will I ever have the strength to find my mentor and repay his kindness?’
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his agitation, and began to survey his surroundings.
The entire Guixi Sect was deserted, eerily silent.
’Where did everyone go? Did they really all enter the secret realm? That’s impossible...’
His mind was filled with questions. He decided to find Ye Longtao and the other junior brothers first to see if they knew anything.
Lost in thought, he wandered aimlessly through the sect.
But as he passed the Transmission Hall, a figure made him stop in his tracks.
It was "Mr. Qian."
"Mr. Qian," the elder in charge of the Transmission Hall, was strolling leisurely toward him from outside the hall, hands behind his back, apparently returning to his post.
Except, right now, "Mr. Qian" looked rather horrifying.
His normally neat elder’s robes were covered in large patches of blood, some of which hadn’t even dried yet.
His face and hands were spattered with specks of bloody foam and tiny shreds of flesh.
"Mr. Qian" saw Dong Changsheng, too. His blood-stained face actually broke into a kind smile as he waved a greeting.
Dong Changsheng’s scalp tingled.
’What... What is going on?!’
’What in the world happened out here while I was exploring the secret realm?!’
’Why is the Transmission Hall elder covered in blood? Who did he kill?’
’Or... did he eat someone?!’
Though terrified, Dong Changsheng forced a smile and waved back at "Mr. Qian" in response.
He kept reassuring himself, ’I’ve done nothing wrong, so I have nothing to fear!’
He walked stiffly past "Mr. Qian" and continued on his way.
After walking for a while, he finally spotted Ye Longtao and the other undercover junior brothers around a corner.
"Mr.... Mr. Dong?"
"Mr. Dong! You’re back!"
After a moment of shock, the outer-sect undercover disciples swarmed him as if they had found their backbone, immediately starting to complain.
"Mr. Dong! You’re finally back! Something terrible has happened!"
"It’s all Ye Longtao’s fault! He acted on his own and insisted on trying to steal a Cultivation Technique from the Transmission Hall, but he ended up triggering some kind of restriction!"
"Ah Ding... Ah Ding... he was... he was crushed to a pulp by that Mr. Qian!"
They described the bloody, horrifying scene, wanting Mr. Dong to get justice for them.
After listening, Dong Changsheng’s face turned ashen.
He whipped his head around, his eyes fixed on Ye Longtao, his face filled with grief and fury as he roared:
"Ye Longtao! How could you be so foolish! We are here on a critical mission, undercover! We’re supposed to be cautious every step of the way, so how could you act so recklessly?!"
"Brother Ah Ding was innocent! Because of your greed, he died a miserable death in a foreign land!"
"You... How can you face the Sect Leader after this?! How can you face our dead Brother Ah Ding?!"
Seeing Mr. Dong standing up for them, the group of outer-sect disciples nodded in agreement and glared even more furiously at Ye Longtao.
Accused by everyone, the veins on Ye Longtao’s forehead bulged.
He suppressed his anger and explained:
"I did it for Qingxu Temple! To send more intelligence back to the Sect Leader! I didn’t know it would turn out like this!"
"I just wanted the Sect Leader to have a better understanding of this demonic sect!"
Hearing this, the furious expression on Dong Changsheng’s face suddenly froze.
He looked at Ye Longtao, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. Then, the grief and fury that had filled him slowly began to dissipate.
He nodded, his expression turning solemn and serious.
"Oh, so it was to repay the Sect Leader and to gather more intelligence for Qingxu Temple."
"In that case... it doesn’t matter."
"..."
"..."
The entire scene instantly fell into a dead silence.
The expressions on the faces of the outer-sect undercover disciples froze. They stared at Dong Changsheng in disbelief, as if looking at a madman.
"Mr.... Mr. Dong?" one disciple asked, his voice trembling. "What do you mean... it doesn’t matter?"
"Ah Ding... Ah Ding is dead! He’s really dead!"
Upon hearing this, Dong Changsheng immediately adopted the posture of an elder lecturing his juniors and said with righteous indignation:
"Brother Ah Ding’s death is a bad thing. Mr. Ye acted recklessly and got a fellow disciple killed, which is bad, and of course he should be reprimanded!"
"However!"
His tone shifted as he raised his voice,
"His motivation for doing it was to repay the Sect Leader! It was for the great cause of our Qingxu Temple! That’s a good thing, and when someone does a good thing, they should of course be praised!"
"You have to be reasonable! You must clearly distinguish between merits and faults! Do you understand?!"
The undercover disciples: "..."
They stared at the deadly serious Dong Changsheng, feeling like their brains were short-circuiting.
’What... What kind of logic is this?’
’Is this like scolding a murderer for killing someone while simultaneously praising him for being filial because he was robbing them to provide for his parents?!’
’What the hell is this?!’
Dong Changsheng looked at their uncomprehending expressions and continued:
"He caused trouble and got someone killed, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad person. Don’t you see?"
"It was an unintentional mistake! He had good intentions but things went wrong! The gravest retribution for causing Brother Ah Ding’s death has already fallen upon Mr. Ye!"
He pointed at Ye Longtao.
"Do you think the deceased Brother Ah Ding is the one in the most pain?"
"Wrong!"
"Right now, Mr. Ye is surely suffering more than the deceased Brother Ah Ding! What more do you want from him?!"
"..."
After hearing this speech, the outer-sect undercover disciples were completely dumbfounded.
’What is happening?’
’Ye Longtao got Ah Ding killed, and as a result... he’s suffering more than the person who died?’
’What more do we want from him?’
A disciple who had been closest to Ah Ding finally couldn’t take it anymore. His eyes red, he roared at Dong Changsheng:
"Mr. Dong! Ah Ding is dead! How can he possibly compensate for that?! He got a man killed!"