Actually, regarding Yao Kaidong's death, everyone already had a result in their hearts.
If Yun Man was not at the Nascent Soul stage, they would naturally only be suspicious, but since Yun Man broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, plus at that time only those four disappeared, and now only two came out, then even using their toes to think, they would know what happened.
Of course, if the ones who came out alive were Yao Kaidong and Li Cheng, others would similarly believe that those two killed Qin Xiao and Yun Man.
Qin Xiao naturally also knew this, but the situation at that time had already determined the result of either you die or I die, and Qin Xiao had no other choice. He could not just keep running away.
"Beast-Control Sect? It seems this secret realm probably cannot be visited in the future."
Lin Tiancheng, having learned the outcome, spoke with a pained expression.
The Abyss Secret Realm had always been a prime location for major forces to acquire additional resources, but that path was likely closed now.
"Still, Meng'er, you said Qin Xiao saved those three heaven-chosen figures? How on earth did he pull that off?"
Lin Tiancheng still found it hard to believe. How could Qin Xiao possibly escape the encirclement of a Soul Formation Demon Beast?
"Father, none of them spoke of the specifics, so I am not entirely clear either."
Lin Shimeng was equally curious, but the group had maintained a tacit understanding to keep the details quiet.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, Qin Xiao and Yun Man were speaking in low voices.
"Master, this situation looks grim. Even without proof, the Great Elder is unlikely to let us go."
Yun Man voiced her concern.
"There is no need to panic yet. Let us see the Sect Leader's stance. If he fears the Great Elder and refuses to protect us, we simply will not return. It is not as though we have nowhere else to go."
Qin Xiao replied with apparent indifference. These old figures cared deeply about their prestige. Even if the Great Elder wished him dead, he could not resort to blatant underhanded moves immediately; he would need to manufacture a plausible justification to protect the Sect's reputation.
As long as matters remained within the boundaries of fair protocol, Qin Xiao could retreat to Seven Stars Peak. Surely the Supreme Elder would not lower himself to make a personal move, and the formation on Seven Stars Peak was more than capable of withstanding Soul Formation attacks.
That formation was precisely why Qin Xiao dared to return to the Sect. As long as the Supreme Elder remained inactive, he had nothing to fear from anyone within the Tianyuan Sect, for outsiders could not breach the barrier.
"Qin Xiao, are your injuries improving?"
Having finished speaking with Lin Shimeng, Lin Tiancheng walked over to Qin Xiao and asked with apparent concern.
"Many thanks for your concern, Sect Leader. I am holding up."
Qin Xiao could not yet read Lin Tiancheng's true intentions, though his current attitude appeared neutral.
In truth, Lin Tiancheng was already convinced that Yao Kaidong and Li Cheng had perished at the hands of master and disciple. Consequently, he was uncertain how to broach the subject or what position he ought to take.
"Shall we speak privately in the control room?"
After a moment's reflection, Lin Tiancheng decided a private conversation was necessary.
"Very well."
Qin Xiao stood up immediately. Although his entire body still ached, walking presented no major difficulty.
The two soon arrived at the flying ship's control room, where Wen Yuanying looked up with mild surprise.
"Sect Leader, should I step outside to give you two privacy?"
Wen Yuanying asked tentatively. If she left, however, the flying ship's controls would fall entirely to Lin Tiancheng, making her presence necessary to clarify.
"Yuanying, stay. Since I chose to speak with Qin Xiao privately, I have already made my stance clear. I know your character; even if you choose not to lend a hand, you will remain neutral, so there is no need for secrecy."
After considerable internal debate, Lin Tiancheng had resolved to protect Qin Xiao. Securing Junior Sister Wen's support would only make the path smoother.
"Senior Brother Lin, are you truly determined to protect him? The Great Elder is the Supreme Elder's adopted son and personal disciple. Would it not be wiser to let Qin Xiao leave and send him far away from Qingzhou?"
Seeing Lin Tiancheng speak so frankly, Wen Yuanying dropped her reserve. Having studied under the same master, the two addressed each other privately as senior and junior fellow apprentices.
"Are the two of you already certain that I killed Yao Kaidong?"
Qin Xiao interjected, having caught the clear implication of their words.
"Could it be otherwise?"
Lin Tiancheng retorted with a slight frown.
"Indeed, I killed him."
Qin Xiao saw no point in denial. Since both individuals had already indicated a willingness to shield him, feigning ignorance would only appear insincere.
"It is not merely our conclusion; everyone has already drawn the same inference. I weighed the matter for a long time before deciding to protect you. First, you are the Seventh Elder's sole disciple; second, you managed to train an exceptional disciple."
Lin Tiancheng abandoned all pretense. The second reason carried the most weight; mere sentiment regarding the Seventh Elder would not have been enough to secure his protection-at best, he would have merely facilitated Qin Xiao's escape.
"Senior Brother, the Great Elder is one matter, but I fear the Supreme Elder may intervene as well."
Wen Yuanying harbor no illusions about the Great Elder; her true concern was the Supreme Elder, Yao Zhan, who possessed late-stage Body Integration cultivation.
"It matters little. While the Great Elder is the Supreme Elder's adopted son and personal disciple, the Supreme Elder belongs to the entire Tianyuan Sect, not merely Immortal Sword Peak-"
Lin Tiancheng broke off mid-sentence, suddenly mindful of Qin Xiao's presence.
"Very well. Since Senior Brother has made his decision, I shall support you. Carry on with your discussion; I need to send a message to Sister Qiuyue anyway. This matter is not easily resolved."
With those words, Wen Yuanying turned to leave to dispatch her message, while Lin Tiancheng stepped forward to take over the helm of the flying ship.
"Lately lad, you can give me the honest truth now. I need to know the sequence of events if I am to risk protecting you with my eyes open."
Lin Tiancheng fixed Qin Xiao with a stern look.
His decision to protect Qin Xiao stemmed partly from a deep curiosity about how the young man had managed to extricate those three proud talents from the clutches of a Soul Formation Demon Beast. If Qin Xiao truly possessed such methods, he was an asset worth keeping.
Ever since the Sect Disciple Recruitment, Qin Xiao had seemed entirely transformed. Had his soul tablet shown any abnormalities, Lin Tiancheng would have suspected him of being possessed through Body Seizing by some powerful entity.
A soul tablet served as more than a simple indicator of life or death; because it held a sliver of the disciple's primary soul, it remained bound to them. While that strand could not be used to exert direct control, it would inevitably shatter if the primary soul perished.
Body Seizing produced the exact same result: when an external soul usurped the vessel, the original soul dissipated and the soul tablet fractured. Were it not for Qin Xiao's soul tablet remaining normal, they truly would have suspected that a powerful cultivator had seized his body, given how many shocks he had caused them lately.
Pressed thus, Qin Xiao shared everything he could afford to reveal. Matters pertaining to the system, or the substantial supplies plundered from the hidden cavern, were omitted entirely.
"So you expect me to believe you simply stumbled into that cavern entrance by pure coincidence? That the cavern happened to be the giant ape's lair? That a litter of young apes happened to be inside, allowing you to bind them and hold them hostage? And that the beast actually yielded to your threats?"
After listing the string of improbable coincidences, Lin Tiancheng wore an expression of complete disbelief.
"Sect Leader, you need not tell me; even I find it difficult to believe. Yet that is precisely how events unfolded. Besides, Ling Wushuang of the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, Cang Xing of the Pure Yang Sect, and Su Lin of the Profound Yin Sect can all corroborate my account. I was not the only one who escaped; perhaps fortune simply favored me."
Initially, Qin Xiao had not thought much of it, but hearing Lin Tiancheng recount the sequence made it sound utterly absurd. Yet reality had transpired precisely that way.
Naturally, the endeavor had been perilous in the extreme. A single misstep would have turned Qin Xiao into a meal for the giant ape, sealing the doom of all five survivors in the second layer.
"Very well. I shall treat your account as the truth for now. Now, explain what transpired regarding Yao Kaidong."
Although skepticism lingered, Lin Tiancheng recognized the logic in Qin Xiao's words: multiple witnesses had emerged from different factions, making a coordinated fabrication unlikely. The truth would inevitably surface in time.
Looking for more free chapters? Visit www.skynovelvault.com to read over 5,000 free chapters and continue exploring more stories from SkyNovelVault.