Paragon of Sin

the message in any way. ” When she offered this alternative, Long Chen ’s expression became slightly unsightly. 

Li Yungu realized some things, and her pleasant smile disappeared with an indifferent stare. She started to twirl her fingers around with Spiritual Light at their tips, concealing her actions by putting her hand behind her back.

Long Chen shook his head, ”I don ’t know what tricks you ’ll pull. I can ’t risk it. ”

Lian Yu felt something was wrong, her heart racing a little from this. She tightly held onto Long Chen ’s hand for comfort.

Hong Chunhua didn ’t seem bothered by Long Chen ’s refusal. She added, ”You can come up with the oath yourself. What tricks can I pull? Unless there ’s more to the story than you ’re telling. Or maybe, the entire story is a lie. Do you know there ’s another way someone can obtain a Mark of the Ascendant? ”

”… ” Long Chen was silent, his eyes betrayed nothing, but his body language was defensively positioned. 

Hong Chunhua gripped her sword hilt, ”the Mark of the Ascendant can be left on one ’s murderer or as a clue to one ’s own death. ” 

The tension in the air became so thick that a knife might fail to cut it. Clearly, Long Chen was keeping some things concealed, but she never thought Long Chen, their Grand Prince, would kill a member of his own sect. It was against the rules to commit such an act. Most grievances would be handled by the sect, and they had no issue with you settling those grievances with death.

Even Wei Wuyin used the Imperial Combat to bash someone to death out of a minor conflict. There was no backlash. In fact, the sect sanctioned such practices and actions, but only when it was overseeing these events. An act of killing your sect member outside of these sanctioned events were looked down upon, even prompting one to be crippled or executed.

For example, Zuhei had gone absolutely crazy and attacked individuals out of rage, killing multiple individuals outside of an Imperial Battle. He was imprisoned for a century or so and crippled, left to live out the rest of his life in absolute agony. Or Qing Qiumu, who used a talisman to kill members of the Ji Clan. She was brought to an execution platform despite her backing and those implicated were imprisoned.

The sect did not tolerate such actions of unregulated conflict amongst members, as it bred chaos and distrust. Most things, especially competition, was aboveboard. It was this system that allowed the Myriad Monarch Sect to build the best competitive and nurturing environment, always giving birth to the greatest talents from unknowns.

The Gateway Door ’s Expedition was entirely different from the Grand Spirit Trials, and killing a fellow sect member was not sanctioned. They were meant to work together, not kill each other. 

Li Yungu had finished her preparations, ready to act. But Hong Chunhua gave her a glance, and she waited. 

Hong Chunhua stared into Long Chen ’s eyes, ”I have no intention of killing you; that would be against the rules that I respect with everything I have. I also don ’t have the authority or proof to forcefully capture you, no matter how much I want to. 

”So I ’ll let you leave, ” her words caught Li Yungu and Long Chen off-guard. Let him leave? Right now, Long Chen was at his weakest state, surrounded by the ship ’s formations, and they could capture him easily. 

”But I recommend that Lian Yu stays with us. She ’s too weak in this disaster-filled world, and I don ’t trust her with you. ” Hong Chunhua stated her thoughts. As Lian Yu was someone she saved, someone his Majesty saved, Hing Chunhua felt responsible for her safety.

”Absolutely not! ” Long Chen didn ’t know what Hong Chunhua was up to. He fully expected a sneak attack to occur, so he was fully on-guard. If things truly went awry, he ’d have to use the one trump card that he didn ’t wish to.

Lian Yu bit her lower lip.

Hing Chunhua turned to Lian Yu, ”He was captured as an Energy Converter. He has no ship, and he ’s suspected of killing a member of our faction, or at least involved in his death. We can ’t allow him to stay if we spare him, but you ’re different.

”To add, he has no future. The Spiritual Mark isn ’t something a cultivator could simply get rid of without spending years erasing it. As a captured individual, he lost the rights to retain his title as a Grand Prince after this expedition. Let ’s not say what happens after he leaves, or whether he could weather that storm, but there ’s still years left before the entrance to leave opens. The entire continent is embroiled in bloody and desperate conflict.

”You ’ll be a burden if you remain with him. Are you certain you want to do that? ” Hong Chunhua spent a lot of effort explaining her reasoning, slowly and clearly. From her actions, one could see she ’d grown fond of Lian Yu.

But Long Chen felt this was a hidden scheme, he stood up, grabbed Lian Yu ’s hands and said with a wisp of anger: ”She ’ll never be a burden and I won ’t allow any harm come to her. As for whether I can keep my Grand Prince title or not, that ’s not any of your concern. ”

Lian Yu felt immense warmth in her heart from his actions and words. Comforted, she nodded to herself and made a firm decision. She looked at Hong Chunhua and said with conviction, ”I trust him. ”

Hong Chunhua looked at Lian Yu for a long time. ”Then leave, both of you. ” She waved her hand dismissively, and Li Yungu ’s formation started to surge with energy.

Long Chen noticed this and frowned, grabbing Lian Yu and flying with the little astral force he restored. They left, floating while looking at the ship. He thought about using his trump card to take the ship, but if they fought back, its possible the ship would inevitably be destroyed in the conflict.

Unwilling to use it in such a risky way, he looked at the direction the other ship sailed off to and tightened his grip around Lian Yu ’s hand. He flew away with her in tow. In truth, he always had a way to escape his captured predicament, but he was waiting for a perfect opportunity when the Light Reflection Phase expert wasn ’t present, and if the sect heard this, they ’ll understand. At least, that ’s what he believed.

Zu Zun walked forward after they left, frowning as he questioned: ”Commander Hong, why let him leave? He clearly killed Jian Cui or at least helped in his death. ” One could tell that their entire conversation was heard by him.

Hong Chunhua ’s expression was calm, but her eyes reflected her anger and vexation. ”His Majesty once said to Su Mei, who later informed me, that if there was ever a time where I wanted to act against Long Chen, I must ensure he doesn ’t have the ability to do anything or was aware of my presence before I went for the kill. Otherwise, the chance of being counter-killed by some inexplicable development was extremely likely.

”I was also ordered to not act against Long Chen, to allow only his Majesty to handle any conflict personally, unless absolutely necessary. Even if we acted, our hands would be tied because we can ’t kill him without proof in hand. If we did, we might be marked by some strange Grand Prince safeguard, and implicate his Majesty or cause our own deaths. ” Hong Chunhua sighed at the end. Her frustration at these events were at an all-time high.

Bei Yunhan frowned, walking beside Zu Zun, ”We shouldn ’t have helped him. ”

”Hindsight is twenty-twenty, but it helps no one. ” Li Yungu was a little moody. She didn ’t like that Long Chen was let go, but she also believed in Hong Chunhua ’s judgment. Long Chen never revealed any sort of fear, even after Hong Chunhua called him out on the suspected murder of a fellow sect member. 

It seemed he was absolutely confident in coming out unharmed somehow. This feeling made her very uncomfortable.

”We ’ll find the others, ” Hong Chunhua breathed out a heavy breath of heavy air and readjusted their focus. ”Let ’s go. ”