"So, for the sake of this so-called struggle for the Great Dao, rivers of blood and fields of corpses are considered acceptable sacrifices?"
"To your world, a cultivator can make cadaver liberation is at least the head of a sect or even an ancestor-level figure. As long as they can extend their life, why would they care about such things?"
Fairy Lingyue spoke indifferently.
Xu Taiping once again felt the ruthless indifference of the cultivation world.
However, with Fairy Lingyue's reminder, he indeed sensed a hint of conspiracy in the conflict between White Tree Nation and Black Vulture Nation.
"The solution to the Sixth Princess's certain-death situation might lie in this struggle for the Dao. The key to this struggle hinges on the unlocking and breaking of seals. But between the Sixth Princess and the Emperor of Black Vulture Nation, who is on the side of unlocking, and who is on the side of breaking?"
Xu Taiping murmured to himself as he pondered deeply.
"Taiping, are you still intent on breaking the game to save the Sixth Princess?"
Fairy Lingyue suddenly asked with a smile.
"She can die anywhere, just not in the palace of Black Vulture Nation."
Xu Taiping declared with a resolute gaze.
This trial mission had been hard-won, and even if he knew it was a deathtrap, he was not willing to give up so easily after coming this far.
Fairy Lingyue chuckled upon hearing this.
"But I advise you to prepare for the worst, because unless we can determine which among the Empress, the Sixth Princess, and the Emperor of Black Vulture Nation is the banished immortal, and what their respective Dao seals are, this deathtrap is unsolvable."
She then reminded Xu Taiping with a serious expression.
Hearing this, Xu Taiping felt somewhat deflated.
Fairy Lingyue was right; with so little information, breaking the game seemed as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
"Let's do what we can and leave the rest to fate. We can't just give up so early."
Xu Taiping leaned back in his chair.
Even if the trial ended in failure, giving up just like that was not his style.
"Bang, bang, bang…"
Just then, someone knocked on the door of the inn.
"Who is it?"
He asked alertly.
"Angry Fist Estate, Fan Ye."
The person outside responded coldly.
"Fan Ye?"
Xu Taiping was somewhat surprised.
This Fan Ye was none other than the grandson of the master of Angry Fist Estate.
"My grandfather left a letter for you."
Fan Ye spoke from outside the door.
Xu Taiping thought for a moment and eventually went to open the door.
"My grandfather asked me to give you this letter."
As soon as the door opened, Fan Ye handed a letter to Xu Taiping.
"A letter from your grandfather to me?"
Xu Taiping took the letter with some confusion.
"I found it while sorting through his belongings. He specifically instructed me that if you could defeat him in a fair fight with your boxing skills, making him admit defeat wholeheartedly, I was to hand this letter to you."
Fan Ye nodded indifferently in front of him.
"The fight today with you was the most exhilarating one I've seen him engage in. Especially that last punch, I never thought his boxing intent could be so serene. So, I think he must have been truly convinced by his defeat to you."
After murmuring these words, Fan Ye turned and left without looking back.
Watching Fan Ye's retreating figure and looking at the letter in his hand, Xu Taiping felt a mix of emotions.
"Take a look at this letter. Perhaps you'll find some clues. After all, Fan Qi must have known about the Empress's schemes long ago."
Fairy Lingyue's voice rang in Xu Taiping's ear.
"Mm."
Xu Taiping nodded, then took the letter back to his room.
***
After the time that an incense stick burn out.
After carefully reading the letter, Xu Taiping slowly raised his head.
He exchanged a glance with Fairy Lingyue beside him, then said with a sigh:
"Just as we suspected, Fan Qi was indeed a chess piece placed by the Empress. Whether it was surrender, slaughter, or setting up this life-and-death arena, it was all her plotting."
"However, this chess piece ultimately left something behind."
Fairy Lingyue smiled and pointed to the last part of the letter—
"Only after more than a decade did I realize that I had been deceived by her. All she did was not for the dawn of the common people of White Tree Nation, but solely for the struggle for the Dao."
"She is the immortal from the mountain, and the Emperor of Black Vulture Nation is the banished immortal from the mountain. She intends to use the Sixth Princess as a sword to destroy the Emperor's Dao seal, ensuring he can never return to the mountain."
"Although I do not know the grudge between her and the Emperor of Black Vulture Nation, I accidentally saw a secret letter in her possession, written in strange characters. She once spoke to this secret letter, saying, 'You shall never unlock your Dao seal in this lifetime.' Therefore, I surmise it may be related to the legendary Dao seal, so I copied the text from it."
"If you, young friend, can recognize the text, perhaps you can use it to break the game."
"She is the love of my life, yet she has ruined me. I cannot bring myself to hate her, but the Sixth Princess is an innocent and pitiable person. If you can help, please do so. If not, please burn this letter and act as if none of this ever happened."
After reading this passage carefully again, Xu Taiping was speechless for a long time.
"I'm becoming more curious about this Empress."
Fairy Lingyue raised her lips at this moment.
"Whether it's kin or a loved one, to her, they are all pawns in her hand. Such a person cannot be a nobody. We might even encounter her in the future."
She spoke with a hint of competitiveness in her eyes.
"It's better if we don't."
Xu Taiping couldn't help but smile wryly at Fairy Lingyue's sudden competitive spirit.
"Do you recognize the writing on this paper, Sister Lingyue?"
He then took out another piece of paper with a peculiar texture from the envelope.
According to Fan Qi's letter, the content on this paper might be closely related to the Dao seal.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas