16: Broken Little Girl

Whoosh—

The divine phoenix sword carried the two of them back.

Although Chen Qingxuan had come to form a contract with Jiang Susu and the plan had succeeded in bringing her out of the Fiend's Lair...

Looking at the current situation, if he left her alone, the Little Girl would definitely find a way to return to the Shenyou Stronghold, like a sheep walking into a tiger's den.

It wasn't that he was worried Jiang Susu wouldn't be able to provide him with experience after her pupils were stolen; it was the way the Shenyou Stronghold operated.

Chen Qingxuan was truly enraged.

To bully a Little Girl whose parents had bled and sacrificed themselves for the stronghold... it was simply subhuman!

On the other side.

Seeing her father rush out as if he had lost his mind, ignoring the search for Jiang Susu, Lu Linger decided to take the stronghold's experts to find her herself.

"Spread out and search... We must find Susu."

After leaving the stronghold, Lu Linger gave the order.

She had long since regarded the Nine Profound Pupils that Jiang Susu had awakened as an opportunity bestowed upon her by the heavens; it was something that could only belong to her.

Now that Jiang Susu had been taken away, she was more anxious than anyone.

"To think you'd actually dare to come out... You're seeking death!"

After Chen Qingxuan brought the Little Girl back, he happened to spot Lu Linger heading out, and a plan immediately formed in his mind.

He tilted his head to look at Jiang Susu. "I know you don't believe they would steal your Nine Profound Pupils. Hide here, and I'll prove it to you."

"Huh?"

Jiang Susu blinked, not understanding.

Whoosh!

After hiding Jiang Susu in the shadows, Chen Qingxuan rushed toward Lu Linger. "Who are you looking for?"

"Who's there?"

Hearing the voice, Lu Linger quickly turned around.

Once she saw it was Chen Qingxuan, she immediately questioned him excitedly, "It's you? Where's Susu... I'm asking you, where did you take Susu?"

Chen Qingxuan smiled faintly. "So anxious? It seems you two have a good relationship."

Lu Linger raised her chin. "Nonsense, she is an adopted daughter taken in by my father, and also my dear sister. Hand her over quickly... otherwise, with just one shout, I guarantee you won't escape."

"How impressive!" Chen Qingxuan's eyes narrowed as he said coldly, "Is it deep sisterly affection, or... do you want her Nine Profound Pupils? It's really hard to guess!"

Thump—

Lu Linger's heart constricted.

"W-what are you talking about... I don't understand... Are you going to hand over Susu or not?" Lu Linger's eyes flickered. She couldn't figure out how Chen Qingxuan knew about the Nine Profound Pupils; could it be that he wanted to seize them too?

Chen Qingxuan spoke as he walked forward, "Since you don't understand, that makes things easier. Don't worry, after I seize the Nine Profound Pupils, I'll naturally send her back to you..."

"Don't even think about it... The Nine Profound Pupils are mine!!!"

Lu Linger suddenly became frantic.

When Chen Qingxuan mentioned the Nine Profound Pupils, she already had a bad premonition. Now that her suspicion was confirmed... she could no longer stay calm.

It didn't matter if Jiang Susu lived or died, but the Nine Profound Pupils were her bottom line.

"Sister...?"

At that moment, a tender, trembling voice came from behind her.

Lu Linger turned her head and her expression changed drastically. "Susu... why are you here? Why didn't you say anything just now?"

"Are you... really going to gouge out my eyes?"

Jiang Susu's large eyes were filled with shimmering tears, looking as if she were about to break.

She thought she had found a family again, but who would have thought... it was all to gain her trust just to gouge out her eyes?

"I..."

Lu Linger was so guilty she didn't know what to say.

What to do? What to do?

She hadn't won Jiang Susu's complete trust yet, and the conditions for stealing the pupils hadn't been created... What should she do now that the plot was exposed?

Forget it.

She absolutely couldn't let Jiang Susu be taken away again.

Thud—

Just as Lu Linger was about to shout to attract the stronghold's experts, Chen Qingxuan, who had been lying in wait like a hunting leopard, struck.

He tackled her to the ground and pinned her mouth shut. "If you dare to scream, I guarantee you'll die first."

"You..."

Meeting Chen Qingxuan's cold gaze, Lu Linger felt a near-death illusion; she could sense that he wasn't joking.

But after being tackled, the strange sensation from her chest made the young girl glare in shame and anger. "Y-your arm is pressing on my chest... Get off!"

"Is that so? I'll crush them for you, believe it or not?" Chen Qingxuan showed no mercy. As he spoke, one large hand gripped forcefully, causing the soft mounds to overflow from between his fingers.

His five fingers were almost embedded in them.

For this kind of venomous villain, moral restraint was like a useless husband standing at the door.

"Ah~~~"

Lu Linger let out a soft groan of pain.

At this moment, she finally realized that Chen Qingxuan was not the refined gentleman he appeared to be, but rather a ruthless man. "Young Master... we have no grievances... If you want to take her Nine Profound Pupils, just take them... our Shenyou Stronghold won't pursue it... But if you hurt me, the Shenyou Stronghold won't let you... Ah~~~ Ah~~~"

Halfway through, Lu Linger closed her beautiful eyes in pain.

His grip was too strong.

Chen Qingxuan looked up at Jiang Susu; the Little Girl looked completely despondent.

Even an adult's heart might be damaged by such a betrayal, let alone an innocent, pure Little Girl who had never experienced the world.

"This matter... isn't that simple."

Chen Qingxuan didn't waste words.

He first pulled out a dagger and pressed it against Lu Linger's throat, then took Jiang Susu's small hand, summoned the divine phoenix sword, and flew toward the Shenyou Stronghold... "Look, quickly... that guy is back."

"Linger and Susu are both in his hands... Go inform the Stronghold Master!"

Looking at the figure suspended on the sword in the Void Realm, the Shenyou Stronghold acted as if they were facing a great enemy.

Not long after.

Lu Tianzheng and the core experts of the Shenyou Stronghold arrived one after another.

"Father..."

Lu Linger called out aggrievedly.

At this moment, a strange pain still lingered in her chest... it had probably been molded into the shape of this man's hand.

"Kid, who exactly are you?" Lu Tianzheng glared at Chen Qingxuan. "Release my daughter immediately, or I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"

"I can release her, but first I want you to tell them... why exactly did you take Jiang Susu as your adopted daughter?" Chen Qingxuan looked down calmly at the crowd of stronghold people, then patted Lu Linger's face with the dagger, signaling her to speak.

Lu Linger didn't dare refuse. "Father, he... he already knows our plan."

"What?"

Lu Tianzheng's pupils suddenly constricted.

"What is he saying... what other purpose could the Stronghold Master have for taking Susu as his adopted daughter?"

"No, from what Linger said, there seems to be some secret we don't know."

"Stronghold Master, what's going on?"

At the same time, everyone also saw that something was amiss.

Lu Tianzheng's face darkened as he glared at Chen Qingxuan. "Kid, we have no grievances... If you're willing to stop now, I promise not to hold a grudge. How about it?"

"No grievances?" Chen Qingxuan sneered and pointed at Jiang Susu. "Does she have a grievance with you? No! On the contrary, her parents died for the Shenyou Stronghold. You received the grace of her parents, yet you dare to use deception to steal her Nine Profound Pupils. What kind of logic is that? Answer me!"

Whoosh—

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place broke into an uproar.

It was clear that very few people actually knew about the father and daughter's plot.

Seeing this, Chen Qingxuan continued, "Everyone, the child left behind by a couple who died for the stronghold was not only denied the care she deserved, but was also plotted against to have her pupils stolen. Today's events happened to Susu, but in the future, they could also happen to you."

"Is such a cold-blooded Stronghold Master who exploits his people really someone you want to protect?"

Chen Qingxuan spoke with passion.

He thought that after saying this, someone would stand up and speak out, but the result was unexpected.

"Don't try to drive a wedge between us... Don't we know whether our Stronghold Master is good or not?"

"Yes, the Stronghold Master has always had our best interests at heart. He has worked tirelessly all these years to lead the stronghold's development, and it's flourishing. Without the Stronghold Master, there would be no Shenyou Stronghold today."

"That's right. If you have a grievance, you can seek justice in the proper way. If everyone was as lawless as you, how could the Shenyou Stronghold remain stable?"

"Even if this is true... hasn't it not happened yet?"

Everyone chimed in, all of them defending Lu Tianzheng.

In contrast, Jiang Susu's small face was pale. Looking at the uncles she once knew, they were actually saying things that even a Little Girl like her knew were wrong... At this moment, the Little Girl was visibly helpless and desperate.

Why was it like this?

Had she done something wrong?

"Hahaha..."

Lu Tianzheng laughed heartily.

The next moment, he flew into the air to face Chen Qingxuan. "Kid, do you think you're very righteous? Do you think they don't understand these principles?"

"But you might not understand why I am the Stronghold Master and not them. Because they... fear the strong!"

"Even if I openly admit that what you say is true, so what? Do you think you can protect them? Fine, even if you can protect them for a while, you'll have to leave one day, right? After you leave... I have plenty of people and time to go to their doors in the middle of the night and 'reason' with them. Do you understand?"

Lu Tianzheng became more and more excited, completely dropping his act. "To tell you the truth, no matter how dissatisfied or unwilling these people are, even if they think I'm doing something wrong, as long as none of them dare to be the first to speak out... then in this Shenyou Stronghold, I am Heaven!"

"Even if a Spirit Stone falls from the sky, it damn well belongs to someone surnamed Lu!!"

"Father, Father, stop talking." At this moment, Lu Linger was almost crying from fear. "He's not like the people in our stronghold... he's not like them!"

"Don't worry, Linger. If he dares to harm a single hair on your head today... I'll make him wish he were dead."

Lu Tianzheng pointed at Chen Qingxuan overbearingly, allowing no room for argument.

"..."

Chen Qingxuan took a deep breath and glanced at Jiang Susu, who was now hanging her head and trembling all over.

The next moment, without any warning, he channeled Profound Power into the dagger. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he cleanly and decisively cut off Lu Linger's head and threw it toward Lu Tianzheng with a sneer.

"Damn it, do you really think I'm some law-abiding citizen?!"