The Great Exalted rarely showed emotional reactions on his own. In the past, he was either provoked by other professions or reacted when defeating other Chosen Ones. This was the very first ti he had shown interest in an external object.
This made Su Chen pay even more attention to the charcoal-like object in his hand.
However, he had never heard the na Mist Embers before, so he could only store it away for now to study carefully later.
With just a simple turn of his body, the black charcoal in his palm vanished. Song Gang, who was still trying to guess the situation, completely failed to notice.
Su Chen continued to rummage through the items on the ground. The remaining objects were nothing worth paying attention to, so he gathered them all and set them aside.
Song Gang pondered for a long while before finally speaking up again, "Star Seed Su, did you co here specifically for these two Divine Sons of the Evil Gods?"
If Su Chen's goal had been the Divine Sons from the very beginning, then the higher-ups of the Sect had received the news long before they did. This would an that Canglan Planet was no longer trusted, and the consequences could be quite severe.
But if Su Chen had not co for these two, then it ant the Sect had also received the news at the last minute, which would be an entirely different outco.
"Well..." Su Chen rubbed his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face.
The surrounding dust had gradually settled. The residents from the nearby districts gathered on the periphery, craning their necks to look and discussing the giant face that had just appeared in the sky.
anwhile, a middle-aged man who looked like the hotel owner wore an expression as if he wanted to cry but had no tears left. He was speaking with Ming Lin, who wore a Patrol Squad uniform. It seed he had received so sort of promise, as his complexion gradually eased.
eting Song Gang's expectant gaze, Su Chen finally spat out a few words, "It's hard to say."
Song Gang was left speechless. What did 'hard to say' an? This Star Seed was far too good at playing dumb.
Just as he was about to press further, a deafening explosion echoed from the distance.
A thunderous boom abruptly tore through the distant horizon, causing the clouds to churn violently. A pillar of azure wind shot upward, piercing straight into the firmant. Its edges shimred with a cold halo, violently stirring the surrounding air currents.
Imdiately after, it exploded. The cyclone swept outwards like a tidal wave, whipping up raging winds. A muffled, furious roar vaguely rolled out from within, carrying an oppressive aura that made everyone's hearts tighten.
Song Gang's expression changed drastically.
Su Chen's brow twitched. "Soone else is here?"
When Qing Cang suddenly disappeared earlier, Su Chen guessed he had used so thod to search for other suspicious individuals.
But he never expected that Qing Cang would actually find soone. This person was far too careless, considering they were colluding with Divine Sons.
Before Song Gang could make a move, the air currents in the sky shrieked, exploding into a series of sonic booms. Before the figure even landed, a fierce gale rushed towards their faces, blowing so hard that people couldn't keep their eyes open.
However, it only lasted for a split second before the turbulent storm vanished. Qing Cang had already appeared in front of the crowd. In his hand, he carried a guy tied up like a at dumpling. He tossed the stout figure onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Su Chen subconsciously glanced at the person on the ground. The man's face was flushed red, and an incredibly clear slap mark rested on his right cheek.
Fan Zhao!
He was stunned. He truly hadn't expected this guy to be here too.
According to common sense, for such a risky endeavor, it was normal to have subordinates handle it while completely staying out of it oneself.
Even though he had sent Fang Luoxun, he was actually watching from not too far away.
Now that he had been caught red-handed, what room was there to argue?
Su Chen honestly couldn't comprehend how this guy could be so stupid. anwhile, Song Gang looked completely dumbfounded. He stared blankly at the person on the ground, his hands and feet gradually turning ice-cold.
This was Fan Zhao!
The student of Venerable Qin Yun. Why would he appear here, and why had he been beaten like this?
An unimaginable thought burst into his mind: 'Could it be that the one colluding with the Evil God's Divine Sons was Fan Zhao?'
'Sothing terrible is about to happen!'
His heart leaped in shock. Before his thoughts could settle, he felt Qing Cang's gaze sweep over him. With Qing Cang's strength, handling Fan Zhao had taken no effort at all. With a hint of surprise, Qing Cang asked, "Are you Song Gang?"
Song Gang trembled all over and quickly nodded. "It's , Qing Shi. You still rember ?"
Qing Cang flicked his sleeves and placed his hands behind his back. "Naturally, I rember. You were part of the very first batch of mbers I oversaw when I took charge of the Holy Hall."
A hint of joy appeared on Song Gang's face, but Qing Cang seed slightly doubtful. "I recall your physical talent was Profound Purple. Although your ntal talent was only Ink Jade, you were still quite outstanding. How did you end up as the Guardian of a resource planet?"
"Barring any accidents, you should have beco a Hall Master."
The Bronze Sect ruled over nurous Life Stars. In the eyes of ordinary sect mbers, a Guardian already held a fairly high status, but to Qing Cang, it was a bit low.
Although a resource-trading planet was highly lucrative, Canglan Planet was too close to the Sect's core. It was a directly managed planet, not under the jurisdiction of any specific Head of Seat. Thus, it was considered a place despised by everyone.
The joy that had just surfaced on Song Gang's face froze. Looking sowhat ashad, he sighed. "I am honored that Qing Shi still rembers . After my Sacred Hall Graduation, I... I... wasted my ti for a while. Once my talent declined, it beca incredibly difficult to make any further progress, so I could only stop here. Sigh..."
Hearing this, a trace of disappointnt inevitably filled Qing Cang's eyes. He let out a lancholic sigh. "I rember you ca from Xingde Star and had no background in the Sect."
"I told you back then that the enticing pleasures of the mortal world are ultimately nothing but fleeting clouds. If you did not strictly discipline yourself, you would only squander your talent and fade into obscurity."
While a Guardian was by no ans ordinary and could perhaps be considered higher managent within the Sect, looking out across the entire Dust Star Sea, it was nothing much.
Song Gang beca even more speechless, his cheeks growing hot. Keeping his head down, he hastily changed the subject. "What is the situation here..."
To run into a teacher who had placed high hopes on him years after graduation and have him ask about his current situation... this was truly terrible luck.
Watching from the side, Su Chen felt an inexplicable sense of deja vu.
Wasn't the situation obvious? Asking such a question proved just how complicated this Guardian's mood was.
Qing Cang didn't say much either, replying flatly, "It's quite simple. Fan Zhao colluded with the Divine Sons of the Evil Gods to plot against Star Seed Su Chen, and I caught him red-handed."
"No!" Fan Zhao struggled on the ground, his voice hoarse as he still resolutely argued, "I had no such intentions!"
There were many types of collusion with Evil God Cultists, and many ways to handle them, but plotting against a Star Seed would undoubtedly result in the harshest maximum penalty.
He wouldn't be able to bear it either.
"Things have already reached this point, yet you still refuse to admit it. Fang Luoxun has already been captured by . Whether he acted under your orders or not, forcefully searching his mories will make everything perfectly clear," Qing Cang said coldly.
Fan Zhao froze, feeling both furious and remorseful. If he had truly co specifically for Su Chen, he would have planned things much more ticulously. He absolutely would not have shown up here, nor would he have sent Fang Luoxun.
Instead, he would have sent soone who had absolutely no idea of his true identity. However, this happened so suddenly. Su Chen's appearance had caught him completely off guard, and to make matters worse, there happened to be a Divine Son right there.
It was this seemingly perfect opportunity right in front of him that prompted this risky move.
"Nothing left to say?" Qing Cang sneered.
"I didn't co for Su Chen!" Fan Zhao gnashed his teeth, his words carrying a hint of tragic sorrow. "I did secretly contact the Evil God Cultists, but my initial goal was never to deal with Su Chen!"
Let alone Qing Cang, even Su Chen standing nearby didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The ironclad evidence was right there. He really wanted to see how Fan Zhao would argue his way out of this.
"Since you've admitted to colluding with the Evil Gods, there is nothing more to say." Qing Cang's expression was freezing cold.
"No! The reason I colluded with the Evil Gods is because the Sect is unjust!" Fan Zhao scread himself hoarse. "The Spirit Fire was stolen right in front of ! Chu Lingyuan turned a deaf ear, and the investigation was hastily closed! What else was I supposed to do?"
"Martial Uncle Qing Cang, if you were in my shoes, what would you do? The opportunity to fuse a Holy Class slipped away just like that. Would you be willing to let it go? Wouldn't you want to demand an explanation and get to the bottom of it?"
Fan Zhao beca more agitated the more he spoke.
Hearing this, Su Chen silently took a step back. 'This guy established a connection with the Evil God Cultists just to find the Spirit Fire?'
That ant Fan Zhao wasn't actually targeting him. He was rely investigating the disappearance of the Spirit Fire, which wasn't considered a massive cri, explaining why he ca in person.
It was only upon suddenly hearing that he was here that Fan Zhao had a sudden whim and made these two guys make a move.
"Truly..." After figuring out the exact situation, even Su Chen felt sowhat speechless.
Qing Cang frowned. He was also aware of the stolen Spirit Fire incident, and it was indeed rather bizarre. However, he simply stated, "You claim the Sect is unjust, but everything that could be investigated has already been investigated. All personnel fully cooperated, and none of your suspected targets fused a Holy Class. What do you expect the Sect to do?"
The Nether Realm was inherently bizarre and treacherous. Many things happened there without any rhy or reason. It might just be pure bad luck that Fan Zhao encountered such an event.
"Furthermore, that is no excuse for you to collude with the Evil Gods."
Qing Cang gave Fan Zhao no further chance to speak, imdiately sealing his mouth shut. Fan Zhao struggled relentlessly, but it was utterly futile.
Since this involved Qin Yun, he wasn't planning on conducting a private interrogation. Moreover, with such ironclad, undeniable evidence, he naturally had to bring him back for a public trial by the Sect.
Song Gang stood off to the side, not daring to utter a single word, acting like a frightened quail.
"Also..." Before Qing Cang could finish his sentence, his gaze swept over the two corpses of the Divine Sons and froze. His eyes flickered slightly as he walked up to the bodies, examining them from all angles with a thoughtful expression.
Su Chen's heart skipped a beat. 'Was I discovered?'
"Who moved his corpse just now?" Qing Cang asked.
"Nobody moved it, I've been watching over it the whole ti," Su Chen imdiately replied, then asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, I just have a vague feeling that sothing isn't right." Qing Cang shook his head, his brow furrowing slightly as a trace of thought crossed his mind. 'I've already beaten the consciousness of these two guys back to the Nether Realm, so they shouldn't be capable of pulling any tricks...'
However, out of caution, he still looked at Su Chen and asked, "Did you sense anything unusual?"
"No." Su Chen shook his head.
Qing Cang walked up to him. A green glow flashed in his pupils before he finally relaxed.
Su Chen felt a chill run entirely through his body, and then heard Qing Cang advise, "In the future, do not lightly tamper with anything belonging to the Evil Gods."
"It's really nothing," Su Chen laughed instead. "I dealt with them plenty back on Crimson Thunder Planet. As long as I maintain a certain level of caution, there won't be any problems."
"That's true." Only then did Qing Cang rember that Su Chen wasn't so greenhouse flower protected by the Sect since childhood; he was soone forged through the trials of Crimson Thunder Planet.
"Song Gang," he called out.
Song Gang hastily responded, "Present."
"Pack up these two corpses and prepare two Prison Cages. I am taking them back," Qing Cang ordered.
"Yes." Song Gang nodded repeatedly and hurriedly ordered his n to get everything ready.
Qing Cang then walked over to the pile of items Su Chen had collected. He glanced at them and listed off a string of nas, "A Corpse Skull, a Rotting Bone Orchid... they ca quite prepared."
Having said that, he let out another cold laugh. "That fool Fan Zhao actually believed he could obtain the help of the Evil Gods without paying a price?
"
"Who knows what they were truly plotting this ti by using Fan Zhao's hands."
Two Divine Sons operating together was no small matter. Fan Zhao just ntioned that killing Su Chen was an impromptu idea. If Su Chen hadn't left the Sect's core, this incident would never have happened at all.
In that case, what were these two guys originally planning to do?
Thinking about this, Qing Cang felt an unexplainable surge of irritation. Right now, Qin Yun was in major trouble, and the long-dormant Evil Gods had once again set their sights on the Bronze Sect. It looked precisely like a massive storm was fast approaching.
Suppressing his thoughts, Qing Cang turned back and sternly warned Su Chen, "From now on, absolutely do not leave the Sect's core."
"Understood," Su Chen agreed. If he hadn't wanted to eliminate these two Divine Sons, he wouldn't have left the Sect to begin with.
Next, Qing Cang shifted his gaze to Teng Liang, calling him over to ask about how he had sensed the Divine Sons.
To avoid any unexpected complications, Su Chen hadn't discussed anything with his senior brother.
Therefore, when faced with Qing Cang's questioning, Teng Liang was completely ignorant. As for how he sensed them or what the trigger was, all his answers were entirely ambiguous.
Failing to extract any useful information, Qing Cang pondered for a mont before looking back at Su Chen. "This senior brother of yours..."
Su Chen hastily interjected, "Senior Brother Qing Cang, please, absolutely do not leak this matter. Otherwise, who knows what wicked rumors might spread through the Sect.
"
Hearing Su Chen call him 'Senior Brother' again, Qing Cang couldn't help but glance at the sowhat embarrassed Teng Liang, feeling a bit conflicted. To so extent, the two of them were actually of the sa generation.
The youngest disciple of the Ancient King suddenly replied in an exasperated tone, "I know, I know."
Having caught Fan Zhao, Qing Cang didn't intend to stay on Canglan Planet for too long. Once Song Gang had everything prepared, he planned to leave imdiately.
"This is your spaceship?"
At the starport, Qing Cang looked at the mottled grey-black spaceship before him, unable to hide a trace of disgust.
"You didn't co by spaceship?" Su Chen asked in surprise. Since they were returning to the Sect's core, Ming Lin and the others naturally weren't following; they remained behind on duty.
"You told it was best not to alert anyone, so I concealed my presence and crossed through space using only my physical body," Qing Cang said flatly.
"Fair enough." Su Chen shrugged, watching as Song Gang's subordinates pushed the corpses of the Divine Sons, along with the tal Cages holding Fang Luoxun and Fan Zhao, into his little broken spaceship.
Song Gang then walked over and whispered, "Qing Shi, we just received news. The starport channel leading to the core has temporarily suspended operations. You might have to wait a while before you can leave."
"Suspended operations?" Qing Cang frowned. "For what reason?"
Song Gang looked hesitant and shook his head. "They claim it's for maintenance."
"Maintenance?" Qing Cang's face darkened. "What is the real reason!"
Song Gang replied helplessly, "Venerable Qin Yun has returned. In order to avoid too much commotion, all traffic passing through the core starport has been temporarily suspended."
"Qin Yun." A sharp glint flashed in Qing Cang's eyes.
Qin Yun had returned. Su Chen was also quite surprised by this.
With this Venerable's return, many things would be brought out into the open. The other factions were bound to further interrogate them regarding what had happened within the Lost Starfire.
After a brief mont of thought, Qing Cang ordered in a chilling voice, "Establish a communication channel with the Sect. I need to speak directly with the Starport Manager."
Song Gang had already anticipated this. Others might yield to make way for Qin Yun's return, but Qing Cang certainly did not need to.
However, Song Gang couldn't make that decision himself, so he still had to inform Qing Cang and let him be the one to speak up.
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