Chapter 716: Convincing People with Virtue, I Really Want to Beat You All to Death

Qin Yun was also filled with doubt. Did the Residual Spirit run away? If so, what was the point of his self-directed performance?

In the center of Su Chen’s Floating Island, Qing Cang’s figure suddenly appeared. Brows tightly furrowed, he glanced around. A torrent of cyan wind surged outward, instantly filling every corner of the Floating Island. He found absolutely no trace of Su Chen.

“Where on earth did he go? This is Copper Heart. Who could take him away without making a sound?” Qing Cang’s face turned livid as he strode into the main building. “Activate Manager privileges. I want to review all relevant records for this Floating Island—”

Before he could finish, a virtual screen popped up. “Detecting the entry of a high-level privilege holder under temporary lockdown conditions. Target identified: Qing Cang. Triggering scenario event… Respected Lord Qing Cang, Mr. Su Chen has left a message for you.”

“A message… from Su Chen?” Qing Cang paused in surprise, then quickly pulled it up.

On the virtual screen, Su Chen appeared in the center with the training room as his background. He spoke at a leisurely pace: “Senior Brother, by the time you see this video, you’ve probably noticed my inexplicable disappearance.

“However, don’t be nervous. I will likely reappear after some time. There’s no need to mobilize forces to search for me, nor do you need to worry about me.”

Qing Cang frowned, thinking, *”This kid…”* He wondered under what circumstances this was recorded. Moreover, this was Copper Heart. How exactly did Su Chen do it?

Before his thoughts could settle, a voice came from the screen. Su Chen seemed to guess what he was thinking and grinned. “I know you must have many questions and doubts, but please don’t rush. Just wait, because worrying is useless anyway…”

Qing Cang’s expression froze. Initially annoyed, he then found it somewhat amusing, and his heart eased considerably.

He had always known that Su Chen harbored many secrets. Since this disappearance seemed to be Su Chen’s own choice rather than an abduction by outsiders, he felt much more reassured.

Well… perhaps this wasn’t without its benefits. Qing Cang suddenly realized that even if the Royal Court truly breached the Bronze Sect, they still wouldn’t be able to find Su Chen.

At this thought, his expression grew increasingly cold. “Royal Court, if you really think my Bronze Sect is in the bag, you are deeply mistaken!”

“Taixuan Tianyi?” Su Chen called out as he landed beside Taixuan Tianyi.

Hearing this, Taixuan Tianyi’s eyes moved. He seemed to snap back to reality. Staring at Su Chen standing before him, his heart was filled with profound sorrow.

It was over. Everything was over. A seemingly trivial challenge had actually eradicated his possibility of becoming the Chosen One. A loser could never become the Chosen One again. How did it come to this?

He recalled his boundless ambition upon first entering. In just a few months, nothing remained in his heart but total despair. What had transpired here was entirely different from what he and his family had envisioned. The family’s expectations, their blood feud—everything had come to nothing.

He didn’t even have the face to see the elders in his family who had placed such high hopes on him, nor could he articulate the humiliation and helplessness he had endured here. He closed his eyes in agony, his voice hoarse. “Just kill me.”

He had a death wish? Speechless, Su Chen asked, “Why would I kill you?”

He had already promised the Spirit of Sun and accepted the benefits, so he certainly wouldn’t break his word. However, he couldn’t let the other party know that he was unable to kill him.

Hearing this, Taixuan Tianyi opened his eyes in astonishment. “You’re not going to kill me?”

During their battle, he had employed some underhanded tricks. Furthermore, if Su Chen had lost, he would have dragged him out and handed him over to those old men.

“Sigh.” Su Chen leaned back casually, and a chair materialized beneath him. “There’s no deep-seated hatred between us. Everything you did was merely forced by those old men outside. Killing you does me no good, and I have some questions I want to ask you.”

“COUGH, COUGH, COUGH.” Taixuan Tianyi coughed dryly, a bitter smile flitting across his face. “After you finish asking, aren’t you going to kill me anyway?” He didn’t believe Su Chen would truly spare him.

“Tsk…” Su Chen shook his head and sighed. “Look at you. Whether it’s true or false, at least we share one thing in common—those guys outside are definitely enemies.

“Since you were willing to cooperate with them, why won’t you clear up some confusion for me?”

Hearing this, anger surged in Taixuan Tianyi’s heart. It was true. Over the past few months, those guys outside had studied him inside out. It was even more humiliating than being stripped naked. He said in a deep voice, “You’re right. Go ahead and ask.”

“Why did you call me Su… Su something earlier?” Su Chen asked, seemingly puzzled.

“Su Chen.” Taixuan Tianyi propped himself up to sit, waves of severe pain radiating from his chest. “They suspect you’re a guy from the Dust Star Sea, a student of one of them.”

“Why would they make that connection?” Su Chen asked curiously.

“Because through the sacrificial pillar of light, I noticed that your entry point was very close to this Flame Fire. I just mentioned it in passing. Who knew that group would immediately associate it with this Su Chen person?” Taixuan Tianyi explained casually.

Su Chen fell silent for a moment. He really wanted to kill this guy right now. He figured he should let it go. He had already collected the benefits, and killing this guy wouldn’t reverse the damage.

“So that’s how it is,” he said, feigning nonchalance before changing the subject. “Then what is the current situation of the Taixuan family?”

“Our Supreme Profound…” Taixuan Tianyi fell silent, but he didn’t dwell on it. “Our population has dwindled. Because of the Sun’s Position, we have been constantly hunted.”

“It seems there really are many who covet the Sun’s Position…” Su Chen thought. Unsurprised, he asked, “Hunted? Hunted by whom?”

“Who else could it be?” Taixuan Tianyi gave a tragic smile. “The several pillars of the Abyss Realm.”

Su Chen had been curious about the Abyss Realm for a long time. The Residual Spirit kept claiming its memories were blurry, making this man the perfect person to ask. He asked many questions, and Taixuan Tianyi answered them one by one.

“The Abyss Realm currently has Five Pillars: Great Heaven, Buddha Land, Longevity, Mechanical Realm, and Lingxiao… Each pillar possesses a Sun Saint Monarch.”

“Buddha Land… Lingxiao… These names…” Su Chen thought, instantly associating them with many things from his past life.

“However, because the Taixuan family has been hunted, we have constantly roamed near the Nether Fog,” Taixuan Tianyi continued. “A lot of our information is outdated, but there shouldn’t be any major changes.

“If the Saint Monarch hadn’t been entangled by the Final Ruins back then and driven mad day in and day out,” he added with a bitter smile, “our Taixuan family wouldn’t have fallen to this state.”

Looking thoughtful, Su Chen stood up and said, “Alright, I’m done asking questions. You can go now.”

“Go? You’re really not going to kill me?” Taixuan Tianyi stared at the figure before him in astonishment. For some reason, a modicum of admiration welled up in his heart.

“I said I wouldn’t kill you. Go.”

Taixuan Tianyi took a deep breath and said sincerely, “I offended you during our battle just now… Once I get out, I won’t leak a single detail of our fight.”

Su Chen waved his hand dismissively. “No need.”

“Also, the Spirit of Sun just said it was going to expel you. That’s probably its indirect way of protecting you. The Taixuan family has sacrificed to it for so many years; it’s still of some use, after all.”

“Expel me?” Taixuan Tianyi paused, a wave of complex emotions surging in his heart. Looking at Su Chen again, he bowed deeply. “I shall keep your grace engraved in my heart.”

When he arrived here, those many years of sacrificial affection had seemed entirely useless. Yet, on the brink of death, it had saved his life. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. A pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping him and slowly drawing him upward. His surroundings reverted back into the Cultivation Residence.

Soon, a voice echoed from outside the hall again. It was still the Profound Celestial Ancient King with his eminently punchable smiling face. “My young friend’s abilities truly astound us. You forcefully defeated even the True Radiance Talent.”

“These old men…” Su Chen thought, falling silent for a moment. This group had already made the connection to “Su Chen.” Even if they weren’t certain, they would definitely seek him out to verify it once they got out. Should he still give them a way out? If he didn’t, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to obtain the Moonlight Treasure Bone.

“Hmm… Actually, it’s not impossible,” he mused internally. “I can use the Fire Pillar to navigate the Spiritual Tower anyway. If they stay trapped here, they won’t pose that much of a hindrance to me…”

With that thought, Su Chen conjured a phantom projection to walk out of the Cultivation Residence.

“Gentlemen.” He surveyed the several Ancient Kings, completely devoid of courtesy. “I truly want to beat every single one of you to death.”