Chapter 676: Return Trip
Without delaying any longer, Qin Lie arrived at the poisonous bog half a day later.
Soon after his arrival, he first went to where Armament Sect had initially built their sect. He found that the people from Joyful Union Sect had left this place a long time ago.
The death of Ying Xingran and the three reverends, as well as Blood Spear leaving Armament Sect and the poisonous bog, caused Armament Sect’s strength to plummet.
The members of the former Armament Sect and the elders that had fortunately survived were all waiting at this place.
Originally, they planned to rely on Joyful Union Sect and leave the Scarlet Tide Continent.
When Ruan Zhantian, the sect master of Joyful Union Sect, received orders from Li Mu and learned of his connection with Qin Lie, Armament Sect had been immediately abandoned.
The martial practitioners that Joyful Union Sect had sent to the the poisonous bog were ordered to leave by Ruan Zhantian. All communications between Armament Sect and Joyful Union Sect had ceased after that.
Having lost Ying Xingran and the three reverends, along with various exclusive spirit diagrams, the value of Armament Sect dropped in all aspects.
Without Blood Spear and Lang Xie, Armament Sect had no chance of ever becoming a Copper rank force. They posed no threat to Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple. This caused Profound Heaven Alliance to lose interest, so they couldn’t even be bothered to come over and suppress Armament Sect.
Armament Sect inside the poisonous bog declined to the point of being a small Limestone rank force that no one paid attention to.
The elites of the former Armament Sect either died or left. A considerable portion of them left for the ultimate blood ground. This caused the remainder of people to be unable to support the sect. Some of the artificers that were confident in their skills scattered, joining various smaller forces, becoming their artificers.
After Mo Hai and Feng Rong came back, they found that Armament Sect only had a handful of disciples with low cultivations left.
When they told why they had come, the remainder of Armament Sect jointly declared they were willing to leave with Mo Hai almost without hesitation.
They easily recruited these people.
When Qin Lie came, he found that the situation was settled. There was nothing left for him to do.
“They are all people with low cultivation, are they valuable?” Looking at the people he had met a few times before, Qin Lie frowned. “Will they be of any use?”
“They will be helpful,” Tang Siqi replied. “While they may have low cultivation, many of them are artificers. We just have to teach them, and they will prove to be of great help.”
Mo Hai also said, “Qin Lie, this would be the best course of action. The former Armament Sect might have had had people more skillful at forging, but those people couldn’t be molded, their path was set. The young people here had been previously picked by Armament Sect. Armament Sect thought that these are people that could become artificers after being taught.”
“Under my and Siqi’s teachings, the great majority of them will be able to become true artificers.”
“Compared to the old-timers, they are more obedient, willing to accept new things, and more loyal to us.”
Looking at these people, Qin Lie nodded and spoke no more.
The former members of Armament Sect looked at him with reverence and awe.
Ying Xingran and the three reverends had died by his hands. Many of them had seen it with their own eyes. They had a deep-rooted fear of Qin Lie.
“Alright, leave with them. The trash here… throw it all out.” said Qin Lie looking down on a nearby crystalline war chariot. He was disappointed to see all the spirit materials gathered in Armament Sect were neither valuable nor useful.
“The truly valuable things are Armament Sect’s spirit diagrams, me and Siqi have them,” Mo Hai explained with a smile.
“Mn, I understand.”
Under the gazes of many of his former sect members, Qin Lie took out another crystalline war chariot and parked it below. He called for Feng Rong and Yi Yuan and instructed them, “Have them get on this crystalline war chariot.”
“Alright.” Feng Rong, Yi Yuan, Lian Rou and the others started moving.
Each one of them controlled a crystalline war chariot packed with former members of Armament Sect seated in an orderly fashion.
Each crystalline war chariot could hold more than a dozen people. If they squeezed, more than twenty.
The members that had been staying at Armament Sect mostly were low level artificers or had potential to become one. There were few in number.
They quickly got onto the crystalline war chariots.
“Qin Lie, should we wait for Miss Song and the others?” asked Feng Rong seeing that Qin Lie was preparing to leave immediately. She continued, “Two days ago, Song Siyuan and other Profound Heaven Alliance martial practitioners came and said that their side would be ready soon. They hope to come with us to the ultimate blood ground.”
Qin Lie’s gaze moved around.
Ever since Song Siyuan learned of the relationship between him and Song Tingyu, he was slightly afraid to meet people from Profound Heaven Alliance, especially Song Yu…
This time, Song Yu and Xie Yaoyang would definitely come to the Setting Sun Islands.
He was afraid that Song Yu would ask about the matter between him and Song Tingyu.
“There’s no need to wait.” After a moment of thought, Qin Lie said, “They know where the ultimate blood ground is. We shall leave first. When we arrive, I will notify the people from Blood Fiend Sect so that they will let Song Tingyu’s group through.”
“Are you really not going to wait?” Feng Rong smiled. “You are not afraid that Miss Song will be angry?”
“Stop wasting words! Let’s go!” Snorting, Qin Lie controlled the crystalline war chariot to charge in the direction of Purple Mist Sea’s Ghost Isle.
“Let’s go then,” Feng Rong said with a laugh.
And so, the crystalline war chariots flew into the sky above the poisonous bog and then disappeared into the clouds.
A day and a half later, they appeared on Ghost Isle.
When they landed, Qin Lie suddenly felt awkward.
At the center of Ghost Isle, at the entrance that was connected to the Nether Battlefield, two crystalline war chariots silently floated.
Song Tingyu was leaning against one of the chariot, talking with Song Yu. She clearly was not focused.
Xie Jingxuan and her father Xie Yaoyang were on the other crystalline war chariot.
Hearing the roar from the sky, Song Tingyu raised her head. Her eyes flashed, and she locked onto Qin Lie’s chariot from far away. When Qin Lie came close, she said sarcastically, “What? You wanted to leave us behind?”
Xie Jingxuan raised her head and rolled her eyes at him as though she was blaming him for not staying true to his word.
The alliance master of Profound Heaven Alliance, Song Yu, and Xie Yaoyang both had smiles on their faces. “Hahaha, as expected, the heroes come from the youths. Back when you helped Armament Sect drive away the five forces, I just knew that your future was limitless. However, I still underestimated you. Ah, when I pulled you into Profound Heaven Alliance back then, and gave you the status of a foreign delegate of Profound Heaven Alliance, I had a high opinion of you. Pity…”
Shaking his head, Song Yu had an expression of regret. “Pity that my mind was muddled by Song Zhi’s words which let me to do some stupid things. Ah, thinking about it now, I feel great regret.”
“Qin Lie, Profound Heaven Alliance slighted you, please forgive us.” Xie Yaoyang briskly admitted his mistake.
“I’ll let bygones be bygones, as long as you do not repeat the same mistakes in the future.” Qin Lie’s words had a double meaning.
“No! Never!” Song Yu guaranteed.
As they were talking, Qin Lie suddenly saw a fat figure that popped out from a distant corner, sneakily look in their direction with timidity.
“Master Yao!” Qin Lie was overjoyed.
“Haha, not really, not really.” Yao Tai waved his hand as he awkwardly walked out. He scratched his head and said with an anxious smile, “Miss Song insisted on me coming, she said that she wanted you to see me. I don’t know why, and I just came with Alliance Master Song and the others.”
“Have you been well these past years?” Qin Lie asked excitedly.
He had special emotions towards Yao Tai.
During his time at Nebula Pavilion, Yao Tai had always sincerely treated him and taught him all his forging knowledge without keeping anything back.
Yao Tai could be considered his first teacher.
When he had split with Profound Heaven Alliance, he had been worried about Yao Tai. He had asked Song Tingyu repeatedly for her to take care of Yao Tai.
“I’ve been very well,” Yao Tai said with a smile.
“When Tingyu was here, she always paid Yao Tai lots of attention. Before she left for the Land of Chaos to attend the Trial, she found me and had me guarantee that nothing would happen to Yao Tai.” Song Yu had a small smile. “In the years that Yao Tai was at Profound Heaven Alliance, while he did not receive special treatment, he was not targeted.”
“My days have been very good, really!” Yao Tai said honestly.
“That’s good! That’s good!” Seeing Yao Tai was fine, as fat as usual, some of Qin Lie’s hate towards Profound Heaven Alliance somewhat faded. “Master Yao, this time, come with me to the Land of Chaos. There, you can forge as much as you want!”
Yao Tai suddenly shook. “Land of Chaos?”
Prior to his arrival, Yao Tai had been sure he would just meet Qin Lie. He even thought that Song Yu and Xie Yaoyang wanted to use him to threaten Qin Lie.
He didn’t know what Song Tingyu’s aim in bringing him was.
Right now, seeing major personages such as Song Yu and Xie Yaoyang were talking pleasantly with Qin Lie and even looked as though they wanted to establish good ties with Qin Lie, he was slightly dazed.
“I knew that you wanted to meet him.” Song Tingyu laughed softly and then said, “I also knew that you didn’t want to go to Profound Heaven City, so I helped you by bringing him.”
She understood Qin Lie better than anyone else.
“Thanks!” Qin Lie nodded.
“Now you know to thank me?” Rolling her eyes, Song Tingyu said meaningfully. “Aren’t you wishing to get far far away from me?”
Qin Lie felt extremely awkward.
Song Yu looked at the pair and brushed his beard. His face had a smile, but he did not say anything.
“Yes, to the Land of Chaos!” Qin Lie looked at Yao Tai and changed the topic. “Come come come, let me introduce you to Elder Mo Hai!”
Qin Lie looked behind him and shouted at Mo Hai. “Great Elder, this is Master Yao Tai, my first teacher!”
Mo Hai came over and looked with astonishment at Yao Tao. He nodded lightly and said politely, “Master Yao, you taught Qin Lie well, that is amazing!”
“Ah, not at all! I am not Qin Lie’s teacher, I only gave him some basic knowledge on forging.” Yao Tai waved his hands. When he faced Mo Hai, he appeared very sincere and terrified.
Mo Hai’s name was famous in the Scarlet Tide Continent. Anyone that thought themselves an artificer would know his name.
“Go, when we reach the Setting Sun Islands, we can talk more!” Qin Lie shouted.
Everyone nodded.
And so, they put away their crystalline war chariots and then walked orderly toward the entrance, to the ultimate blood ground in the Nether Battlefield below.
……
