133: Chapter 133 Blame

On a snowy peak seven hundred miles away.

A White-bearded Elder widened his eyes. "The Demon Venerable... is dead?"

He was in disbelief. Is an Ascension Realm Cultivator really this strong? Killing a Void Tempering expert like slaughtering a dog.

One must know that in this era, the Void Tempering stage is already the peak that most Cultivators can reach.

They are revered as lords and ancestors, with no one daring to oppose them.

To be slain so easily?

Gu Shentian stood beside him, frowning slightly.

"Have you forgotten what Cultivation Technique the Demon Venerable practices?"

The White-bearded Elder was startled.

"The Blood Nurturing Heavenly Demon Art?" He realized. "But..."

"If she were that easy to kill," Gu Shentian interrupted him, "she wouldn't be sitting in the position of Demon Venerable."

The Blood Nurturing Heavenly Demon Art is one of the top Demonic Path Cultivation Techniques; once practiced to a certain Realm, one is practically indestructible and extremely difficult to kill.

Furthermore, its growth speed is incredibly fast, with no Heart Demon Bottleneck to speak of; it wouldn't be impossible for her to become another Ascension Realm Demon Venerable in the future.

The White-bearded Elder was silent for a moment before saying, "But Yan Qingning clearly didn't use her full strength. Even if the Demon Venerable can't die, she still can't win, right?"

Gu Shentian didn't respond to that.

He gazed at the cloud-white figure in the distance and suddenly asked an unrelated question:

"Do you think Jiang Hongyuan would ever fall for a man?"

The White-bearded Elder was stunned.

What kind of question was that?

"This..." He thought for a bit. "Even if Jiang Hongyuan is a Demon Venerable, she is still a woman. As a woman, how could she not like men?"

He was a bit dazed by the question.

Gu Shentian shook his head.

"I've known Jiang Hongyuan for so long; she will likely only ever love one man in her life, with absolutely no second person possible."

The White-bearded Elder looked at him. "Who?"

Gu Shentian spoke indifferently, "The Dao Seeking Demon Venerable, Dao Xun."

The White-bearded Elder's expression changed, and he took a step back.

He hadn't heard that name in a very long time.

"But isn't the Dao Seeking Demon Venerable already dead? He died under the Ascension Tribulation!"

Gu Shentian looked at the figure wearing the red bridal veil in the distance.

"With the Blood Nurturing Heavenly Demon Art, one can achieve Rebirth with just a drop of blood," he said with a heavy gaze. "For a person like him, do you think he wouldn't leave any backup plans?"

The White-bearded Elder stroked his beard in thought.

"The Cultivation World has indeed had such speculations for a thousand years."

He said slowly, "But how powerful is the Ascension Tribulation? Even if one could achieve Rebirth from a drop of blood, I'm afraid nothing would remain, right?"

An ordinary Soul Transformation Stage Heavenly Tribulation can blast even a single hair into ashes, let alone the great Ascension Tribulation.

To rely on Rebirth from a drop of blood as a backup plan is truly a pipe dream.

Gu Shentian was also deep in thought.

He had a general understanding of Jiang Hongyuan's personality; she never had any intention of giving up on anything that had passed through her hands.

Nor would there be any possibility of replacement.

A thousand years ago, he had seen Jiang Hongyuan and the Dao Seeking Demon Venerable behaving intimately from a distance.

And rumors had long circulated in the Cultivation World that Jiang Hongyuan loved the Dao Seeking Demon Venerable; as such, if Jiang Hongyuan were to marry, she would absolutely not choose anyone else.

"Then tell me."

Gu Shentian's voice was very low. "Would Jiang Hongyuan just find any random man to marry? And even go as far as sending out invitations to draw out Old monsters like Yan Qingning, who usually ignore worldly affairs?"

He paused slightly, his tone becoming even more solemn:

"Don't forget, the Dao Seeking Demon Venerable used to be the Sect Master of the Blood Fiend Sect."

"Only he could be a match for Jiang Hongyuan."

The White-bearded Elder fell silent.

If all of this were true, it would inevitably cause a sensation throughout the entire Cultivation World.

A red light flickered in his eyes as he looked again at the Groom wearing the red bridal veil in the distance.

If that person really is the Dao Seeking Demon Venerable...

Then what's happening today is far more than just a simple bride-snatching.

The White-bearded Elder spoke, "As long as the Groom's veil hasn't been lifted, everything is just your speculation.

No one will believe such news unless it is absolutely certain."

Gu Shentian sighed. "I'm afraid many people around here are hoping for the Groom's veil to be lifted."

...

Yan Qingning stood in mid-air, looking coldly at the corpse on the ground that no longer moved.

The two halves of the body lay in the snow; black mist was still seeping out, but it was growing fainter.

Red Silk was scattered all over the ground, with a few pieces still drifting gently in the wind.

She raised her hand.

An ice-blue flame emerged in her palm.

The flame expanded rapidly, changing shape, and finally transformed into an ice-blue fire Phoenix.

The Phoenix spread its wings, looking lifelike.

Every feather was clearly visible, and every texture was exquisitely detailed.

With a flick of Yan Qingning's hand, the Phoenix dove toward Jiang Hongling's corpse.

She intended to grind the bones and scatter the ashes.

Jiang Xun looked at the Phoenix, his mind in turmoil.

He should have been happy.

But why did his heart still feel so heavy?

A Red lantern suddenly drifted down, landing in front of him.

Jiang Xun looked up.

In the sky, countless Red lanterns were drifting down.

Some were still lit, while others had already gone out.

They twirled in the wind and snow, slowly falling until they filled the entire sky.

The Red lanterns and white snow blended together, creating an indescribable sense of desolation.

Jiang Xun gave a bitter smile.

"Jiang Hongling..." he whispered, "Just how many did you release?"

In the world before his eyes, there was nothing but wind, snow, and these Red lanterns.

They drifted down from every corner of the sky like a silent rain of light.

Some landed on the snow, still glowing. Others were blown away by the wind, vanishing into the vast snowy plains.

He bent down and picked up the one at his feet.

The lantern was very light, with a frame woven from golden bamboo strips and a surface covered in Red Silk.

Inside was not a candle flame, but a glowing Ore.

He recognized this thing; it was a common lighting tool in the Cultivation World that would glow when Qi was injected into it—the more Qi, the brighter the light.

To make hundreds of thousands of lanterns fly ten thousand feet high and shine like stars...

How much Qi would that consume?

When did she start preparing?

Jiang Xun pondered in his heart.

This quantity was definitely not something that could be prepared in just two or three days.

He gripped the lantern tightly, an indescribable feeling in his heart.

A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

Very forcefully.

Jiang Xun winced in pain and let go of the lantern.

The lantern fell to the ground and rolled twice; the Ore inside tumbled out, its light flickering before going out.

He turned his head.

Yan Qingning was already standing beside him at some point.

There wasn't a single bloodstain on her clothes, not even a wrinkle.

The Moon wheel behind her illuminated Jiang Xun's face clearly and brightly.

Jiang Xun felt that in this pure light, all the thoughts and secrets in his heart had nowhere to hide.

"If my husband likes them," she said in a light tone, "then we will simply hang them all over our home in the future."

Jiang Xun's heart sank.

He tried to shake her off but couldn't. Her hand gripped his wrist like iron pincers.

"We aren't married yet," he said. "There's no need to call me husband."

Yan Qingning gripped even tighter.

She pulled him closer.

Jiang Xun was forced close to her; Yan Qingning's eyes were still so bright and clear.

"Do you blame me for killing that Devil Head?" Yan Qingning asked.

Jiang Xun turned his head away.

"No."

"But I can feel it." Yan Qingning stared at him. "You blame me in your heart."

Jiang Xun was at a loss for words.

Was he blaming Yan Qingning?

No, he didn't blame her.

That tiny sliver of blame was something even he hadn't noticed. He blamed himself.

Wasn't he the one who caused all of this?

It was he who provoked these people for the sake of his conquest. It was he who made those promises and spoke those sweet words.

It was he who made them believe he loved them.

Could he say that Jiang Hongling's death had nothing to do with him? Could he say with a clear conscience that she deserved her death?

He couldn't.

At the very least, if Jiang Hongling were to die, it shouldn't be because of him.

Yan Qingning looked at him, waiting for his answer.

Jiang Xun was silent for a long time.

In the distance, the ice-blue fire Phoenix was still circling and burning over Jiang Hongling's corpse.

He opened his mouth but didn't say a single word.