Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
If it had been other people who had said it, it would have been fine. But the issue was that such words had come from a core disciple of the Demon Slayer Palace, and this was why one needed to take them seriously.
However, Jiang Chen quickly shook his head because he recalled his trip’s objective. He didn’t want to waste his energy.
“You won’t end up wasting time, and if you cooperate with us, you will manage to complete your mission quicker, won’t you?” Murong Yanran had sharp senses and was able to discern what one was thinking through observing body language.
“Us?” Jiang Chen noticed a faint detail among her words. At first, he assumed that she was referring to herself and Xuan Qing. But when he looked at Xuan Qing’s expression, he realized that it wasn’t the case.
“That is right, it’s me and other people. However, there wasn’t any need to mention them before getting your agreement.”
“You are worried that you will run into an issue you can’t solve by yourselves, and this is why you hope that a Buddhist School disciple like me can help you with the Buddhist Light’s illumination?” Jiang Chen asked bluntly and mentioned the main point.
Murong Yanran said, “We will leave all demons we meet on the way for you and let you kill them. You will probably find it’s like cheating. But you don’t care about this because want to rescue someone, don’t you?”
Jiang Chen didn’t reply, and he casually said, “I had assumed that you came here to invite Xuan Qing to go with you.”
“But then a Buddhist School disciple appeared suddenly, and it was like God’s will,” Murong Yanran answered sincerely as if she wasn’t hiding anything from him.
Jiang Chen stroked his chin and kept his silence.
“If you come across a great celestial demon or a more powerful being what will you do? Junior sister Xuan Qing knows this land like the back of her hand, and she can probably ensure your safety. But you will still waste a lot of time and effort.
Murong Yanran continued, “I reckon that you will need five or six days to finish this floor’s mission.”
“So how long would it be if we followed you?” Jiang Chen asked.
“We have decided to try to find the ancient ruins in two days,” Murong Yanran replied decisively.
“It seems then like I don’t have any reason to reject your offer,” Jiang Chen shrugged his shoulders, and, when delight appeared on Murong Yanran’s face, he asked suddenly, “But I still want to know where did you get news about it?”
“Well? This is an unreasonable question.” An embarrassed look finally appeared on Murong Yanran’s face.
Jiang Chen walked toward Xuan Qing and said, “You want us to travel to a land plagued with perils with strangers. Yet you still don’t want to inform us of the reasons behind this. I would rather waste several more days here.”
Upon hearing this, Murong Yanran observed Xuan Qing’s reaction, and she discovered that her junior sister stood at Jiang Chen’s side.
Murong Yanran couldn’t help but shake her head helplessly, and she explained to them the whole story of the affair.
It turned out that a batch of core disciples from the Demon Slayer Palace had managed to discover a certain matter. Someone had entered the Demonic Abyss two times in succession.
This wasn’t a strange matter, but this person was a Young Sovereign, and he was also a Young Sovereign who had once taken part in the Martial Field trial.
According to the agreement between the Demon Slayer Palace and the three great factions, a person mustn’t be allowed to enter twice, and this Young Sovereign knew this rule. This was why he had chosen to change his appearance. However, he had exposed himself by mistake because he had run into thorny demons.
It just happened by chance that a core disciple who had rushed over there had discovered him.
At first, they wanted to teleport that guy out of the Demonic Abyss, until he stated his true objective behind coming into the Demonic Abyss twice.
“We had assumed that he just craved the Demonic Abyss’s cultivation effects. But, after we gave this matter enough consideration, we realized that, once the three great factions’ restraints were lifted, the Demonic Abyss wasn’t any longer a good place for training due to its grave dangers.”
Murong Yanran smiled mysteriously as she mentioned a key point. She paused for a moment deliberately. But both Xuan Qing and Jiang Chen continued to wear ice-cold looks.
“You!” Murong Yanran looked helpless and continued speaking.
That Young Sovereign stated that he had discovered the Empyrean Goddess’s remnants on the third floor. At first, the Demon Slayer Palace disciples didn’t believe him, but once he showed them enough evidence, everything changed.
“What evidence? And what is that Young Sovereign’s identity?” Jiang Chen asked.
“I wasn’t in direct contact with him, and I didn’t see the evidence. But I can assure you that the core disciple in charge at that time had a mistrustful character and was quite prudent. Yet he was still convinced by the evidence. So it was surely genuine.”
After Murong Yanran spoke, she got serious, “As for the Young Sovereign’s identity, it’s a secret. We are cooperating with him. So, why would we expose him?”
This was quite reasonable because this affair wouldn’t have come to an end with just sending away the Young Sovereign, as once this matter was exposed, that Young Sovereign would probably lose his status as a Young Sovereign.
“It’s only the senior brother who was present at that time who knows his identity, and that person had already changed his appearance again.”
“I got news about this matter because I’m a member of the senior brother’s social circle, and I got to hear about this affair. But at that time I hadn’t finished the second floor’s mission and was delayed by the Demon Slayer Horn. This is why I came here so late.”
It was no wonder that she got angry when she rushed to the incident’s location only to discover that it was already settled.
“I have stated everything that should be said, and it’s up to you to make a decision by yourself.”
Murong Yanran had loosened the reins only to grasp them better. After she informed Jiang Chen about everything, she didn’t demand anything from him. She waited for him to make a decision by himself.
Jiang Chen and Xuan Qing exchanged glances. They didn’t even have to consider whether there was something true about this story of the Empyrean Goddess’s remnants, because the safe completion of the mission in two days was better than acting alone.
“It’s like what you had said, I don’t have any reason to reject your offer. But don’t let me find out that you have deceived me,” Jiang Chen said as he accepted the offer.
“If I have deceived you, what will you do?” Murong Yanran asked with a careless smile.
“You should question the people who have deceived me…”
“Where are they?”
“In the underworld,” Jiang Chen replied coldly.
Murong Yanran was taken aback for a moment, but her expression still didn’t change, and, after two or three seconds, she grinned and revealed her pearly white teeth. She said, “So, I won’t have the chance to question them.”
“That will be best for you.”
“Follow me, I will take you to meet the others.”
Jiang Chen used a sound transmission to question Xuan Qing about Murong Yanran while she showed them the way.
“I joined the Demon Slayer Palace at the same time as she did, and we always kept in touch. She has always treated me well. But…”
The following words were obvious. Xuan Qing suspected that Murong Yanran had been dispatched here by the person behind the plot.
“Are you suspecting even women?” Jiang Chen didn’t know what he should say, but he continued, “According to your experience in the Demon Slayer Palace for the past few years, do you think that what she said is genuine?”
“I have always heard stories about remnants, but none of them ever proves to be true. However, the mistrustful senior brother mentioned by her must be senior brother Cao. If he really believed that Young Sovereign, then the Young Sovereign’s news about the remnants must be genuine.”
“It seems like senior brother Cao is quite famous.”
“That’s right, he’s always skeptical of everything.”
All of a sudden, Jiang Chen changed the topic, and warned her, “Be careful!”
“What?” Xuan Qing didn’t understand what he meant.
“Even if they didn’t have a Buddhist School disciple like me, they would still have carried out their plan, which means that they are confident of success. This is why my existence isn’t really important to them.”
Jiang Chen could guess this, and he said, “Since the beginning, this woman has targeted you and tried to change your aims. It was only after discovering that she couldn’t convince you that she came up with a way of dealing with me.”
“What are you implying?” Xuan Qing was confused. She hadn’t detected what Jiang Chen had stated.
“They are remnants left by the Empyrean Goddess, while you are a descendant of the Empyrean Goddess. Taking you with her is tantamount to having a trump card,” Jiang Chen answered as he looked at Murong Yanran, who was walking ahead of them.
When Murong Yanran noticed his gaze, she turned her around and smiled at him.
“You want to play with me, don’t you? Let’s see who will laugh last,” Jiang Chen said to himself.
