A blatant and brilliant open scheme.
The mark formed by the thirteen life tokens glowed in Chen Kuang's palm, the pure golden light sharp and blinding.
Of course, that mark was merely an outward symbol.
Even if someone were to sever Chen Kuang's hand now, the connection bound to life and death would remain. So long as he willed it, he could instantly drag all those cultivators down with him.
This was a link deeper and more unbreakable than any oath. Perhaps someone in the world could sever it, but that did not include Shen Xingzhu, who had only taken half a step into the Profound Realm.
Shen Xingzhu stared at him, eyes dark and unreadable.
"I know," she said coldly.
"Li Hongling intended to wait until I left, then detonate the buried Mountain-Crushing Thunder to destroy the entire imperial city, burying over two thousand people inside the palace, along with Su Yu's corpse."
Hearing this, Chen Kuang chuckled, his expression full of dry amusement.
So she did know about Li Hongling's little scheme after all.
And not only that, this was precisely the outcome she wanted to see, even subtly nudged into place.
She dangled that mask of benevolence as bait. If Li Hongling had truly triggered the detonation, Shen Xingzhu would've struck her down without hesitation, acting in righteous fury.
Yes, what Shen Xingzhu was savoring was exactly this kind of game of murder under the guise of morality.
Had she shown even a hint of suspicion, Li Hongling would've hesitated out of fear for Mysterious Divine Path Sect's reputation.
But Shen Xingzhu? She feigned indifference the whole time.
Unfortunately for her, in the end, it wasn't she who killed Li Hongling, but Chen Kuang.
And even worse, he had shattered her Dao Heart in the process.
All her well-laid plans had collapsed into a heap of chaos, thanks to him.
Hearing his laughter, Shen Xingzhu's heart filled with irritation again.
It was happening again...
Why?
This man, his cultivation had already plummeted back to the Qi Opening Realm. His wounds should be screaming in agony, and he was cornered with no way out.
He should be in despair, not grinning like a madman.
Yet he still dared to laugh?
She stared harder, her voice sharper:
"I already know Li Hongling planted the Mountain-Crushing Thunder. But if you think you can use that to threaten me... then you're just deluding yourself."
Chen Kuang smiled cheerfully. "Oh? Why do you say that, Immortal?"
Shen Xingzhu said coolly, "There are no mortals left in the city. Those cultivators, whether they followed you willingly or were tricked, have already entrusted their lives to you. If you wish to avoid their deaths, just refrain from killing innocents."
"If you were unaware, the blame is mine. But since you know what you're doing, then this is nothing more than borrowing a knife to kill."
She said it plainly:
"If they die by your hand, that is your sin. What does it have to do with me?"
"Well said. Borrowing a knife to kill."
Chen Kuang sighed. "Your logic is so airtight. It's true, you're not easy to fool."
"But if the people inside the imperial city no longer matter to the Immortal..."
He tilted his head, smiling faintly.
"What about the people of the entire Liang Kingdom? What about... the entire world?"
Shen Xingzhu's gaze sharpened. That faint irritation in her heart suddenly swelled.
Like a discordant note in a flawless melody. Like a stone cast into a still lake, ripples spreading endlessly.
The whole world? This man, a mere Qi Opening Realm cultivator, dares to talk of holding the world hostage?
Ludicrous!
In the past, Shen Xingzhu wouldn't have even bothered to listen. A Qi Opening Realm talking of the world? Like an ant boasting about toppling an elephant. Not even worth a laugh.
And yet...
Now, when Chen Kuang said it, she couldn't ignore it.
Somehow, part of her already accepted the idea:
This man... if he said he would do it, then he really might do it.
But how? What leverage did he have to threaten the world?
A long silence.
When Shen Xingzhu still didn't respond, Chen Kuang began to laugh again.
"Why the hesitation, Immortal?"
"I'm just a petty man, spouting delusional nonsense. Why take it seriously? Why not just cut off my head right now and end this?"
The more at ease he appeared, the more uncertain Shen Xingzhu became.
She took a deep breath to calm herself, then said coldly, "What are you really trying to do?"
Chen Kuang gently placed a hand on Chu Wenruo's thin shoulders.
"Immortal... have you ever heard a certain secret?"
"A secret only the royal family of Liang might know."
Shen Xingzhu frowned and looked at Chu Wenruo.
Chu Wenruo's eyes widened, she hadn't expected that the secret she'd casually revealed to save Chen Kuang's life might actually matter.
Chen Kuang continued in a low voice:
"Since Immortal already knows about the hidden passages filled with explosives... then you must have noticed the immense Spiritual Energy in those tunnels, yes?"
Shen Xingzhu's expression tightened. "So what? Those passages are arranged using Qian-Kun techniques, they're clearly meant to support the imperial city's defensive formation."
"Oh?"
Qian-Kun techniques... yet another unfamiliar term.
So that's how everyone else had interpreted the purpose of the energy flowing through those tunnels.
Chen Kuang said slowly:
"But now that the protective screen has shattered... Immortal, look again, has the energy vanished?"
Shen Xingzhu's breath caught.
Chen Kuang's grin widened.
"So... it's still there, then."
In a flash, Shen Xingzhu appeared beside him. Her sword pressed to his neck. "Then tell me, what are those tunnels really for?"
Chen Kuang had been planning to keep bluffing for a bit longer, but he judged the timing was just about right.
So he shrugged and said:
"Beneath the Heavenly Prison lies a Demon Suppression Vault, sealing away an ancient demonic creature of unimaginable power."
"And with the strength of the Mountain-Crushing Thunder... it only takes a moment to blast that seal wide open."
Chen Kuang grinned:
"So really, Immortal, you should be thanking me."
"If Li Hongling had detonated them like you expected, you'd be in far worse shape than you are now."
Much worse.
Because in that scenario, it would have been entirely Shen Xingzhu's fault that a world-ending demon had been released, because she chose to ignore it.
Her Dao Heart would have been shattered beyond repair.
Still, this wasn't much better.
Shen Xingzhu's pupils contracted. She looked toward the smoldering ruins of the imperial city.
Chen Kuang clicked his tongue:
"An ancient demon, huh? I wonder how strong it is. Stronger than a Saint, perhaps?"
Shen Xingzhu spun around. Her sword slid forward another inch, cutting into Chen Kuang's neck.
Chen Kuang raised his hand with a smile, and clenched his fist.
Golden light burst from his palm.
BOOM!!!!!
A deafening explosion rang out from the center of the imperial city. Fire erupted into the sky.
Raging flames consumed what remained of the capital, surging with the wind and engulfing half the city in mere moments.
The ground trembled. The underground passages burst open, leaving behind deep, yawning rifts.
And from that abyssal blackness... an unspeakable evil presence leaked forth.
In the depths of that pit, a massive cyan eye slowly opened.
A vertical crimson pupil glinted with wicked light.
"This is the first," Chen Kuang said with a light laugh.
"There are twelve more. If I choose... they'll all go off, Immortal, now it's your turn to decide-"
"Kill me?"
"Or turn around and reseal that demon before it's too late."
"Those cultivators may have died because of me. But if that demon kills millions across the realm...That will be your sin."
Now Shen Xingzhu finally understood why Chen Kuang dared to be so fearless.
He held a torch in his hand, capable of setting the world ablaze.
With malevolent delight, Chen Kuang said:
"There's a phrase I'd like to return to you, Immortal."
"If you were ignorant, the blame was mine. But since you know... this is just borrowed murder."
Shen Xingzhu's face turned pale. "But those people... they came to save Liang..."
Chen Kuang nodded and smiled gently. "Exactly. And now they die for the same cause."
"They gave me the right to choose life or death. So they died with meaning."
Shen Xingzhu took a breath, staring at his smiling face.
"You... you're a devil."
Then she sheathed her sword, transformed into a stream of light, and shot toward the burning ruins of the capital.
Chu Wenruo, who had been holding her breath the entire time, gasped in relief.
"She's gone! Mr. Chen, we... we're safe, right?"
"Ah!"
She suddenly yelped, Chen Kuang had just slapped her on the rear.
Her face turned crimson. She bit her lip, not daring to speak again.
"Not yet," Chen Kuang muttered. He slumped forward, resting heavily against her back.
"Go. Remember what I said, grab the reins. Ride. Don't look back."
His voice grew weaker and weaker.
Chu Wenruo's heart clenched. She suddenly felt something wet and sticky on her back, warm and heavy.
It wasn't sweat.. It was blood.
Her face went white as paper and she reached up to touch the hand draped over her shoulder, only to fin that it was slick with crimson.