Chapter 212: Chapter 209: Day of Reckoning?
Mo Qi was in no hurry to leave from Within the Pass.
For one, he truly needed to set up the Teleportation Array. For another, his External Incarnation was handling things on the outside, so there were no major issues for the time being. And finally, it was safest for his main body to remain here and ride out its period of weakness.
Besides, with the two of them acting separately, his main body could step back and observe the Empire from an outsider’s perspective, making it easier for him to plan his subsequent actions.
Setting up a two-way Teleportation Array to connect the world Within the Pass to the one outside was an incredibly complex task. It was a massive undertaking and came at a considerable cost.
Fortunately, Mo Qi had plenty of treasures and materials on hand. After all, he had plundered an immense amount of wealth from both the Void Sect and from Within the Pass.
And so, for the next several days, under the guidance of the Chaos Scripture, Mo Qi threw himself into setting up the Array.
At the same time, he still made sure to set aside some time each day to perfect the others’ Cultivation Techniques.
All he had to do was imprint a Cultivation Technique into the Chaos Scripture, and the scripture would automatically correct its errors, fill in any missing parts, and perfect all its flaws.
At first, the others didn’t quite believe Mo Qi could do it. But when he handed them their perfected Cultivation Techniques, they were left in utter awe.
Could people the Mountain and Sea Empire deemed valuable enough to imprison rather than kill possibly be weak in strength or foundation?
They considered their own Cultivation Techniques to be among the Empire’s finest, most of which had been passed down for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years.
Every single line was the culmination of the blood, sweat, and experience of countless predecessors; they were virtually flawless.
But when they looked at the versions Mo Qi provided, they discovered with just a cursory glance that much of the content had been altered.
Before they even had a chance to formally practice it, the True Essence within their bodies resonated with it, as if cheering joyfully.
The difference in quality was clear at a glance.
"He actually did it!"
Beyond their shock, their gazes toward Mo Qi were gradually replaced by reverence.
Especially the group of Void Realm Cultivators who had yielded to the Pig Emperor’s "Shi Wei"—they now suddenly realized that surrendering to Mo Qi actually seemed like an excellent proposition.
Mo Qi paid this no mind. He believed that once these people, who would rather be imprisoned than surrender to the Mountain and Sea Empire, decided to follow him, they were unlikely to betray him.
Unless a being even more terrifying and bizarre than the Pig Emperor appeared, but how could that be possible?!
In any case, Mo Qi didn’t believe it.
He firmly believed the Pig Emperor was a one-of-a-kind existence.
This was because the Chaos Scripture’s description of the Pig Emperor read: Fused with Dragon Source, new ability activated, mutated again. Mutation direction: unknown. Future potential: unknown.
If even the Chaos Scripture said its direction and potential were unknown, Mo Qi had to wonder, ’Who could possibly top that?’
Its first ability was getting anyone it stared at pregnant. Its second was driving anyone it recited poetry to into a complete mental breakdown.
’I really wonder if this thing has a third or fourth ability, and just how insane they might be.’
...
「Meanwhile.」
In the northern part of the Mountain and Sea Empire’s Imperial City stood the Celestial Prison, which housed death-row inmates.
Jin Quan’s eyes were lifeless. His pierced limbs were charred black and withered, the blood long dried.
He sat slumped on the ground, back hunched, looking as if he had aged several decades.
Zhang Shao watched Jin Quan from the same spot as before, a gleeful smile spreading across his face.
He had come here the moment he confirmed Mo Qi hadn’t made it out from Within the Pass.
He was here to tell Jin Quan that he had won.
He had finally gotten his revenge!
He wanted to see the look on Jin Quan’s face when he heard the news.
And now, Jin Quan’s reaction was deeply satisfying.
"How could he have died?" Jin Quan murmured softly.
He still remembered that night in the forest near the Earth-level Spiritual Ore deposit, when he’d personally tested Mo Qi, only to suffer a setback due to his own carelessness.
’How could someone who made a mighty Void Realm expert like me eat crow possibly die Within the Pass?’
But he knew what kind of person Zhang Shao was. Although insidious, he wouldn’t go so far as to lie to a dying man.
"I personally arranged the death trap. For a brat who still reeks of his mother’s milk, death was his only possible fate," Zhang Shao said with a satisfied laugh.
"Mo Qi is just the beginning. You are the second. Your son Jin Sanpang and his friends are the third. The Void Sect is the fourth. One by one, I will eliminate all of you. The vengeance for my son can only be cleansed by a mountain of corpses and a river of blood!"
Jin Quan closed his eyes as two trails of bloody tears streamed down his face.
He had long been tortured by the punishments of the Celestial Prison to the point of utter exhaustion. Even with a towering rage in his heart, he could hardly move a single finger.
He didn’t regret entrusting Jin Sanpang to Mo Qi; he only regretted that he had been so blind, pledging loyalty to a deranged piece of scum like Zhang Shao.
All his life, he had been diligent and uncomplaining, taking on any dirty work for the sake of the Wolf Fang Sect—always rushing to the front line. And this was his reward.
A chill seeped into his heart, followed by a wave of complete helplessness.
He couldn’t avenge Mo Qi or stop Zhang Shao’s rampage; he couldn’t even save himself.
"Hahaha, I just love the look on your face right now. Feeling hopeless?"
Zhang Shao laughed wildly. ’This is what revenge feels like!’
Just then, the great doors to the Celestial Prison swung open. Flanked by several hundred guards, two men in military armor strode in.
They headed straight for Jin Quan.
Zhang Shao froze for a moment, but then a thought seemed to strike him, and the corners of his mouth curled up once more.
"Jin Quan, see that? Your final day has come!"
Thinking they were here to execute Jin Quan, his smile widened even more.
"If you kneel and beg me now, I can give Jin Sanpang a quick death. Otherwise, I will make him taste every form of extreme torture in this world!"
At these words, Jin Quan’s eyes snapped open. He glared at Zhang Shao, but he was utterly powerless against him.
"Who are you?"
The two men in military armor approached.
"I am Zhang Shao, Sect Leader of the Wolf Fang Sect. Greetings, Generals."
Zhang Shao quickly cupped his fists and bowed to the two men.
They were none other than two of the leading generals of the day: Nangong Yi and Zhao Ruifeng, the Patriarchs of the Nangong and Zhao Families!
They had been sent by Li Shimu to escort Jin Quan out and bring him to the Blessed One—that is, Mo Qi’s External Incarnation.
"Generals, thank you for your trouble. Jin Quan’s crimes are worthy of death a thousand times over; this is truly a great misfortune for my Wolf Fang Sect. But he is, after all, our Steward Leader. I ask that you permit me to see him on his final journey and to collect his remains for burial."
Zhang Shao put on an act, appearing deeply grieved and full of loyalty.
Nangong Yi and Zhao Ruifeng exchanged a strange look, then ignored Zhang Shao completely.
Nangong Yi beckoned to the warden. "Release Jin Quan. Heal his injuries with your best medicine. I want you to attend to him as if he were your own mother. Within the hour, I want to see him standing before us, alive and well, completely unscathed."
"As you command!" The warden, not daring to disobey in the slightest, hurried off with his men to carry out the order.
Zhang Shao was dumbfounded. ’What’s going on?’
’Why aren’t they killing Jin Quan? Why are they releasing him instead?’
