Chapter 1118: Chapter 621: Never Remembered (Double-Length) (Part 2)

"A life unsold, where will it go?" Qin Xuzhi said with amusement.

"Qin Qingluo."

"A good destination." Qin Xuzhi praised, then added, "You young ones speak slippery words. I suppose you say one thing to people and another to spirits?"

Chen Yi was not embarrassed at all and said, "I just speak the truth—I don’t sell my own life or the lives of those around me, but I can sell others’ lives."

"Is it yours to sell?"

"If it’s not mine, then I will sell it."

Qin Xuzhi found this youngster quite to his liking, nodded slightly, and slowly explained, "I wonder if you have heard of my Qin Family’s affairs? It doesn’t matter if you have or haven’t; all that matters is knowing that for three hundred years, my Qin Family has not had a truly peaceful day."

The Qin Family vassal to the Southern Border had almost become local rulers, yet the ancestor of the Qin Family claimed they never had peaceful days. Chen Yi remained silent, pondering deeply.

"We have... a maggot that clings to the bone."

With that said, Qin Xuzhi raised his head, looking straight ahead, his gaze terrifying.

They were scarlet snake eyes, as red as blood.

Chen Yi slightly lowered his gaze. He had heard from Zhu E about the origin of these snake eyes. They were acquired by the Qin Family’s ancestor on a distant journey to Tianzhu and were passed down only to the rightful successors of the title Prince of Annan. As for their effects, they had been lost to time, even Zhu E couldn’t explain it, and Qin Qingluo only had a vague understanding.

"Born in chaotic times, the reason I, Qin Xuzhi, rose was through killing—kill ten and not die, and you become a vanguard; kill a thousand and not die, and you become a general; keep not dying, and you can achieve unparalleled feats like Emperor Wu of Song."

The first few sentences could be called bold statements, but the last sentence, both grand yet rebellious, left Chen Yi raising an eyebrow. This ancestor of the Qin Family seemed to differ somewhat from the loyal and devoted figure described in history books.

Seeing this, Qin Xuzhi smiled and asked, "Do I engage in the affairs of Yi Yin and Huo Guang—deposing and establishing rulers—just to be a loyal minister, a virtuous official?"

Chen Yi suddenly understood.

So this disloyalty had flowed in the blood of the Qin Family since the ancestor, persisting until Qin Qingluo.

Holding the bull’s head, Qin Xuzhi continued, "I killed tens of thousands, intending to level the world and achieve unparalleled feats, but, ironically, I died. Dying was one thing, but I just didn’t want to die like that."

"Oh?"

"On the road to being vassals, Emperor Gaozu sent people to ambush us, and I was grievously wounded, my life hanging by a thread. At that time, a great monk from Tianzhu came, saying there was a way to extend life in Tianzhu, so I seized this sliver of hope and went despite my illness." Qin Xuzhi slowly said, "As for what happened next, you probably heard—I encountered the Tianzhu Python God, also one of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Books, Mokula, who called himself the Infinite King, gifting me python blood and bright eyes.

And that great monk was indeed Mokula in disguise.

For this, I was certainly grateful, made a blood oath, and promised great rewards, agreeing to build temples and offer tributes for Him, but unexpectedly, He wanted no temples, no incense, rather, He coveted my Qin Family’s three hundred years of fortune, binding us to coexist."

Chen Yi remained silent, quietly listening.

"For three hundred years, except initially, Mokula has parasitized my Qin Family. To prevent my Qin Family from prospering and escaping His parasitism, He secretly disrupted our royal house, inciting infighting, assassinations, and militaristic conflicts—all mostly caused by this. In recent decades, seeing my Qin Family becoming increasingly powerful, He resorted to curses, ensuring that the legitimate successors of the title were always born late in life.

As for Him, relying on my Qin Family, He gathered dark forces and demons for nearly three hundred years, becoming hard to remove.

I’m not asking you to risk your life to eliminate Him—you might not have the capability—I just need you to delve into the Demon Cave to investigate."

Having listened, Chen Yi roughly grasped Qin Xuzhi’s intention, contemplating for a moment.

He slowly asked, "Ancestor, then why haven’t you eliminated Him in these three hundred years?"

"With a blood oath, even if I had heaven-ascending skills, I have no way to act, and successive generations lacked the capability, unaware of His existence," Qin Xuzhi pushed the bull’s head into Chen Yi’s hand and said, "Besides, for three hundred years, rather than eliminate this scoundrel, I am more inclined to use Him for myself."

He suddenly laughed,

"Becoming Emperor in title wouldn’t be bad either."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi remained silent for a moment, then immediately swallowed the bull’s head in one gulp,

"Alright, I agree."

"Then drink this parting drink."

Qin Xuzhi handed over the tribute of wine.

Chen Yi drank it all in one go.

Qin Xuzhi extended his hand again, dispersing and then regathering the surrounding mist, slowly revealing a painting therein. He pointed out the path for Chen Yi.

Without further delay, Chen Yi turned and left immediately.

"Hold on." Qin Xuzhi called out.

Chen Yi turned back in confusion, wondering if something had been left unsaid.

"If you don’t return," the Qin Family ancestor paused, "I will convey those words to her through a dream."

"What words?"

"A life unsold, where will it go."

......

A punch fell, but onto nothingness.

Qin Qingluo slowly withdrew her hand and looked once more at the woman before her. The figure was solid yet carried an ethereal illusion, as if her punch had rippled through water.

"Nascent Soul?"

Yin Weiyin smiled faintly, accepting the matter.

The tall woman did not become angry because of this. Since the female crown dared to openly show herself, she must have something to rely on, and that person surely has hidden plans. Therefore, from the beginning, when entering the tavern, Qin Qingluo already anticipated what was going on.

"Where is he?" She asked again, her voice low and with an undeniable pressure.

"You are a Vassal King, if you don’t know, how would I? And with his caution, he wouldn’t have disclosed his whereabouts to me," Yin Weiyin said with a sharp edge in his tone, responding calmly, "Perhaps he is on Gaoliang Mountain, perhaps he has already left the Southern Border, or perhaps he’s under your nose... right in your home..."

...Qin Yue?!

Qin Qingluo’s serpent pupils suddenly shrank into two icy slits.

All around suddenly felt several degrees colder, Yin Weiyin noticed the tall figure emitting a violent aura, for some unknown reason.

It seemed she had accidentally touched the reverse scale of this Jiao Dragon.

The female crown silently recited the Supreme Forget Love Technique to calm her mind.

Yet the Prince moved a step closer, lowering her head as if overlooking, gold vertical pupils glimmered with a devouring cold light in the dim light, like a giant dragon staring from the abyss!

Yin Weiyin directly faced this, seemingly held by invisible giant claws around the throat.

"How do you know he appeared in the Ancestral Temple? Did he tell you beforehand?" Qin Qingluo’s voice was devoid of much fluctuation.

Yin Weiyin breathed rapidly, straining to stay calm and said, "Haven’t you... already had some ideas... it’s just that you don’t dare to face it."

"Don’t dare to face it, hehe..."

Qin Qingluo nodded.

The next moment, a palm came down, and the high-quality locust wood tables and chairs in the tavern, along with the tea bowls on them, shattered instantly.

A fierce wind brushed the face, causing Yin Weiyin’s Nascent Soul to sway.

This great woman, her nature so fierce and untamable, even she, in confrontation, was nearly crushed to breathe.

Truly, it’s unknown how Chen Yi could have wrecked this female Vassal King...

As she contemplated this, Qin Qingluo cast a glance over.

Yin Weiyin halted her thoughts, stiffening her expression, showing no sign of fear.

She heard a light footstep slowly.

Qin Qingluo raised her head and saw an all-too-familiar figure descending slowly from the stairs.

She had anticipated this, her angry gaze slightly lowered.

The storm subsided.

Qin Qingluo raised her hand to make a gesture, with no need to speak, the Iron Scale Army swiftly retracted their encirclement and distanced themselves from the tavern, waiting at the streets and alleys.

At this time, Qin Qingluo spoke, "Aunt Zhu."

Zhu E descended in a flutter of red dress, still as gentle as before, yet between her eyes lingered an indelible fanaticism.

"No wonder Princess Jing knew of this matter," Qin Qingluo stated coldly.

"Qingluo, your Aunt never hides from you,"

Zhu E smiled bitterly,

"But he is the Ming Venerable, matters relating to him, Aunt must hide from you."

Upon hearing this, the female Prince was silent for a while, but in the end, she smiled, a smile of sadness and helplessness.

After a long pause, she said, "Let’s go."

Yin Weiyin heard in this a hint of the Vassal King’s magnanimity, finally sighed in relief. After a while, she raised her eyebrows and glanced at the tall woman. Now this female Prince seemed magnanimous, but it was merely going along with the current. If her true self was here, even Zhu E’s influence wouldn’t avoid prison disaster...

If not for Chen Yi’s prior secret contact with Zhu E, if facing Qin Qingluo directly, even with the First Lady’s title, there was absolutely no way to equalize.

The imposing demeanor of the female Prince just now was truly magnificent...

Thinking of this, Yin Weiyin slightly lowered her gaze.

In the dense and unending night, like a solitary existence, the female crown slowly passed by Qin Qingluo’s side, like a scene of encountering a celestial being.

She paused slightly next to Qin Qingluo.

"His matters do not trouble the Prince."

Taichua Goddess slightly tilted her head, her cold eyes carrying pity,

"To be honest, in these three years with me, he has never been concerned about you."

With that, the female crown stepped past.

Qin Qingluo’s fist slightly clenched.