55: Chapter 55 A Tragic Couple on the Frontier of Yan Kingdom
["Stop! Don't run!"]
[Cluttered shouts of pursuit came from behind.]
[A quarter of an hour ago, not long after they had left the ruins of Qingshi Town, they were cornered by the Law Enforcement Hall of the Qinglan Sect.]
[The leader was a deacon in the Ju Zhen Realm who demanded to take them in without a word.]
["Two remnants of the Lin family, you killed our sect's disciples, and you still want to run?"]
[Chu Sheng's heart skipped a beat.]
Han Li's affair had been exposed.
Although he had done it cleanly, the Second Elder was clearly unwilling to give up and had sent people to lie in wait at Qingshi Town, just waiting for their return.
Watching the scene, Chu Sheng silently complained: The Second Elder must have gone crazy after his nephew died.
To wait for half a month just for a suspect—what kind of grudge must that be?
["Split up and run!"]
[Lin Bufan shouted in a low voice and dashed off in another direction.]
[Chu Sheng didn't have time to think; he turned and dove into the dense forest.]
[After running for a day and a night, the shouts of pursuit finally faded away.]
[Chu Sheng collapsed under an old tree, panting heavily.]
["Where is Lin Bufan?" He struggled to stand up and looked around.]
[The forest was silent.]
[No one was there.]
[Chu Sheng's heart sank.]
[He retraced his steps and only found a chaotic battlefield. A dozen corpses lay scattered about, including those of Qinglan Sect disciples.]
[On the ground was a line of crooked words carved with a sword:]
["Sister... save..."]
[It cut off before finishing.]
[Chu Sheng stared at those words, stunned for a long time.]
["Sister?" he murmured, "Since when did Lin Bufan have a sister?"]
[Chu Sheng gasped, "The sister he mentioned, could it be the Second Madam?"]
What a pair of star-crossed lovers.
Watching this scene, Chu Sheng fell into deep thought:
This plotline involving Lin Bufan was buried too deep.
His feelings for the Second Madam had actually reached this extent?
Instead of thinking about escaping before dying, he was thinking about saving her?
What a deep obsession this must be.
But now was not the time to be sentimental.
Only by surviving could he consider what to do next.
[In the scene, Chu Sheng stood up and looked around.]
[He didn't know where this was, only that he must be getting further and further away from the Qinglan Sect.]
[Keep walking.]
[Another three days and three nights passed.]
[Crossing over a mountain, the view suddenly opened up before him.]
[A great river lay before him, and on the opposite bank was a border town with curling smoke from cooking fires, where pedestrians could vaguely be seen coming and going.]
[Just as Chu Sheng was looking for a place to cross the river, a sense of danger flared in his heart.]
[A figure dashed out from the mountain forest and stood in mid-air.]
[Ninth Grade of Qi Induction!]
["Kid, you run quite fast," the man sneered. "You killed people from our Qinglan Sect, and you still want to leave alive?"]
Chu Sheng's mind raced.
This person wasn't from the Law Enforcement Hall; he must be a private soldier sent by the Second Elder.
Ninth Grade of Qi Induction—four minor realms higher than him. Facing him head-on would mean certain death.
But—
He touched the demon refining pot in his bosom.
There was still a wisp of the Crimson Python's remnant soul inside the pot.
Although it was only a remnant soul, it was, after all, a Condensing True Great Demon.
Letting it out would be enough to give this guy a headache.
["Senior, you've misunderstood."]
[Chu Sheng looked innocent, "I'm just a wandering cultivator passing by. I've never even heard of the Qinglan Sect..."]
["Cut the crap!" The man raised his hand and struck a palm.]
[Chu Sheng rolled on the ground, dodging in a sorry state, while simultaneously flipping open the lid of the pot!]
["Come out and eat!"]
[A puff of black smoke erupted from the mouth of the pot, instantly transforming into a giant phantom of the Crimson Python.]
[Although it was only a remnant soul, the phantom opened its bloody maw and swallowed the Ninth Grade of Qi Induction cultivator in one gulp!]
["Ah—!"]
[The Crimson Python phantom smacked its lips, looking at Chu Sheng as if still wanting more, seemingly asking: Are there any more?]
[Chu Sheng: "...No, that was the only one."]
[Chu Sheng slammed the lid shut and bolted.]
[In the distance, an even stronger aura was approaching.]
[Ju Zhen Realm!]
[Chu Sheng scrambled to the riverbank and dove into the water.]
[Behind him, the Ju Zhen Realm cultivator had locked onto him and struck with a palm, causing the river to explode in a spray of water over ten zhang high!]
["Kid, you can't escape!"]
[He didn't know how long he had drifted, but the sounds of pursuit finally faded away.]
[Chu Sheng struggled to climb ashore and lay on the ground, gasping for air.]
[He looked up and around.]
[This was a river beach, and not far away was a small pier.]
[On the pier stood a boundary marker with two large characters carved on it—Yan Kingdom.]
[Chu Sheng was stunned.]
[Yan Kingdom.]
[He touched the jade pendant in his bosom, the crown princes token that the Old Man of the Pavilion Guard had stuffed into his hands before he died.]
[After all this running around, he had actually ended up here.]
Watching this scene, Chu Sheng felt conflicted.
He had previously learned a little about the Yan Kingdom from the classics given by the Old Man of the Pavilion Guard.
It was located on the northeastern border of the Tianfeng Kingdom, and its land area was comparable to a single prefecture of the Tianfeng Kingdom.
Although it was called a "Kingdom," it was actually dependent on the Tianfeng Kingdom, paying tribute every year and acknowledging vassalage every year.
However, the Yan Kingdom's royal family had lasted for four hundred years, with stable public support and a complete court structure.
To put it bluntly, it was just a small vassal state with an independent government; outwardly respectful, but with many hidden agendas inside.
The Old Man of the Pavilion Guard, who could hide in the Qinglan Sect for twenty years, was likely the handiwork of the Yan Kingdom's royal family.
A small country like this could survive in the cracks for four hundred years precisely by relying on such infiltration and planning.
With the crown princes token in his possession, ending up here was equivalent to delivering himself to their doorstep.
[Critical Choice Triggered: Stranded in the Yan Kingdom, where to go from here?]
[1. Take the token and head to the royal capital to seek refuge with the crown prince. You might get involved in the Yan Kingdom's factional strife, or you might be treated as a fraud.]
[2. Hide your identity and settle down in a border town first. You might miss the opportunity, and the token might become a hot potato.]
[3. Return to the Tianfeng Kingdom and continue searching for Lin Bufan and your wife. The Qinglan Sect is still hunting you, so returning might be suicide.]
Chu Sheng looked at these three options and fell into deep thought.
Return to the Tianfeng Kingdom? That would be suicide.
The Second Elder's people were still hunting him; they had even dispatched someone in the Ju Zhen Realm. The next step would probably be the Second Elder coming himself. Returning would be walking right into a trap.
Hide his identity?
That was a safe choice, but keeping the token would sooner or later be a hidden danger.
If it were discovered, it would be better to take the initiative.
Seek refuge with the crown prince...
He remembered the look in the eyes of the Old Man of the Pavilion Guard before he died, and recalled his selfless teaching over those two months.
He had to repay this kindness.
Besides, this line with the crown prince might become a new backer.
"Select 1."
Chu Sheng made his decision, "Go to the royal capital and meet the crown prince."
[In the scene, Chu Sheng stood up and looked toward the east.]
[That was the direction of the Yan Kingdom's royal capital.]
["Lin Bufan..." he murmured, "I hope you are still alive."]
[Then, he began walking toward the border town.]