Chapter 496: Chapter 495 Coming
"Alas, I have long been concerned about the current situation, which is why I have been cultivating the two of you, hoping to prevent this man-made disaster on the Great Divine Continent." Huang Chengcheng sighed and slowly began to speak.
All three of them looked at him.
Huang Chengcheng nodded and said, "Of course, there is also my own selfishness at play, but I, Huang Chengcheng, can swear to the ancestors of the Taoist tradition that I have devoted my life to the Taoist cause and to the wellbeing of the people in the world."
Yang Fei showed solemn respect.
Qin Huai’an silently nodded.
Qin Yanyang didn’t speak, but her bright eyes were fixed on Huang Chengcheng, quietly waiting for what would come next.
Huang Chengcheng sighed and said, "A month ago, I sent Yang Fei into the Hidden Sect World. I knew very well that with his current identity, entering would mean a slim chance of survival, yet I still did it with only one purpose—to let him grow and experience life in the Hidden Sect World and become the next leader of the Taoist tradition."
Qin Yanyang pouted and said, "He is your successor, naturally he will be the next Taoist leader. With his current age and Realm, just give him time, and sooner or later he will stand proud above all. It wouldn’t be too late then to reorganize the Taoist tradition in the Hidden Sect World. Why the urgency?"
Huang Chengcheng shook his head and said, "We can’t afford to wait any longer."
"Why?" Yang Fei couldn’t help but ask.
Huang Chengcheng sighed and said, "Those in the Hidden Sect advocating for a major incursion into the world are becoming more impatient. Once they make a big move, Divine Continent Country will face calamity from within, and by then, everything will be too late. Therefore, I had to send Yang Fei into the Hidden Sect World earlier. With his identity, his entry is bound to cause a huge stir within the Hidden Sect and even divert the attention of those who wish to enter the world, thereby buying us some time."
"Hmph, that sounds good, but have you considered Yang Fei’s safety?" Qin Yanyang challenged.
Huang Chengcheng nodded and said, "Of course, I have thought it over. I have said that there will be people assisting him, and so there will be."
At this point, he looked up at Yang Fei and asked, "Are you sure you’ve received no help, overt or covert, all this time?"
Yang Fei coughed awkwardly and said, "Well, I’d barely caused a stir when I first entered before I got imprisoned. No one knew where I was locked up, so there was no one to rescue me. Then, Yanyang came into the Hidden Sect to save me. On the way out, indeed some people spoke up for us, but I think their true intention was not to completely fall out with Divine Continent Country. As for someone explicitly helping me, such a person did not appear. Of course, the timing wasn’t right, so even if the helpers my master mentioned were there, it wasn’t necessary for them to show themselves and risk revealing their identities."
Qin Yanyang was aware of what had happened to Yang Fei after he entered the Hidden Sect World, but it was the first time Huang Chengcheng and Qin Huai’an were hearing about it. Their expressions changed slightly upon hearing this. Huang Chengcheng, lost for words, said, "You got imprisoned right after you went in?"
Yang Fei’s face reddened, and he hummed an affirmation.
Huang Chengcheng extended one finger toward Yang Fei, pointedly tapping in the air a few times, struggling to find the words.
Damn, you’ve completely thrown away the Taoist tradition’s face, haven’t you?
Back in my days in the Hidden Sect World, how domineering was I! If not for their joint efforts, I would have already revitalized the dignity of the Taoist tradition. Would there be any need to cultivate someone like you?
But look at you, you got imprisoned the moment you went in. Such a good disciple indeed.
Huang Chengcheng was more than a little angry, feeling an intense sense of frustration inside. He probed, "Didn’t you cause even a little commotion there? Even if you throw a stone into the sea, it should still make some waves, right?"
Yang Fei could hear the suppressed frustration in his master’s voice and quickly said, "Master, don’t worry, just let me explain."
He then briefly recounted what had happened after he entered the Hidden Sect World.
He didn’t mention the personal matters about Xu Jian and Wang Lei but shared how he ventured alone into the Duanmu Family to make a scene and intimidate the Hidden Sect.
Hearing that Yang Fei had forced his way into the Duanmu Family headquarters, Huang Chengcheng’s face changed on the spot, but seeing Yang Fei sitting here now in one piece, he did not interject.
Later, upon hearing that Yang Fei had escaped under the pursuit of three Divine Travel Realm experts from the Duanmu Family, both he and Qin Huai’an breathed a sigh of relief.
When they heard he had been silently poisoned and controlled by the Poison Sect demoness, Huang Chengcheng sighed and said, "Since it was the old poisoner’s Direct Disciple who poisoned you, given your condition at the time, indeed you couldn’t have defended against it, falling into her clutches isn’t a matter of disgrace."
Qin Huai’an even said, "From what you’ve said, being captured by the Poison Sect woman turned out to be a blessing in disguise, helping you evade the Hidden Sect Eight Great Forces’ search."
Yang Fei nodded and said, "You could say that."
Qin Yanyang snorted, "If it weren’t for being captured by that demoness, couldn’t you have hidden yourself properly on your own?"
Yang Fei’s heart skipped a beat, secretly thinking that when he just mentioned the days he was imprisoned by Helian Rong, he had merely glossed over the fact that she controlled him with drugs and did not mention the aphrodisiac. Listening to his wife’s tone, it seemed a bit like jealousy, didn’t it?
It must be an illusion.
Thinking this, he immediately nodded and said, "Of course, if she hadn’t taken advantage of my weakness to poison and harm me, I wouldn’t have been caught by the people of the Eight Great Forces, and I might have even caused a bigger commotion."
Huang Chengcheng also nodded and said, "Exactly, with your character, you were bound to stir up other troubles. In that case, the plot would have unfolded almost as I conceived, what a pity."
Yang Fei was taken aback and looked at Huang Chengcheng, "Master, what kind of plot development did you have in mind? Do tell."
Huang Chengcheng laughed and said, "Now that things have reached this point, there is nothing that can’t be said. According to my conception, after you went in and caused a commotion, your identity as a Taoist Inheritor would have inevitably led to big trouble, with the whole Hidden Sect World focused on you.
And you, lad, are not weak. Plus, with the people I left inside to secretly help, you would have shone brightly in the Hidden Sect World, rebuilding the Taoist order.
At that time, those from the Hidden Sect who wanted to get involved in the secular world would be too busy to care, and they would have to deal with you, which could alleviate the conflict with the outside world. Unfortunately, human plans are no match for heaven’s, and I didn’t expect you, lad, to be so unlucky as to be imprisoned by a girl for a month.
What surprised me more was that Yanyang was so daring and bold as to risk her safety alone and threaten the Hidden Sect to rescue you. Huai’an and I rushed here as soon as we heard the news, trying to stop it, but we were still too late.
As for the current situation, even I, an old Taoist, can’t see clearly anymore. What the people of the Hidden Sect will do, no one can say; perhaps the disaster upon Divine Continent has already ignited the fuse, beyond retrieval."
After listening to Huang Chengcheng, Yang Fei and Qin Yanyang looked at each other.
They had always had an inexplicable guard against Huang Chengcheng, but now, after hearing his words, both felt somewhat ashamed.
Qin Yanyang, who was always bold, immediately said, "I’m sorry, it was too narrow-minded of us as a couple to suspect your motivations when your only concern was for the greater good; that was really not appropriate."
Yang Fei, looking deeply repentant, wrung his hands and followed his wife in admitting their mistake.
Huang Chengcheng waved his hand and said, "That’s enough, the old Taoist doesn’t have such petty sensibilities to hold a grudge against you youngsters. The situation has developed like this, completely beyond my expectations. The Hidden Sect’s powerhouses could burst out at any moment to defend their supreme status and dignity; you should think of ways to withstand their onslaught."
Yang Fei’s eyebrows raised, "Do they dare to trigger a war never seen between the two worlds?"
Huang Chengcheng snorted, "To them, there’s nothing they wouldn’t dare to do. Especially when their dignity and status are challenged like this, they definitely won’t stand by idly, they will send a major shock to the outside world, using it to defend their inviolable supreme dignity.
No sooner had he spoken than a terrifying presence suddenly descended from the sky.
The four people in the tent all felt their eyelids twitch wildly and quickly rushed outside.