489 Losing Doesn’t Mean You’re a Loser
“Is the treasure weapon master Mr. Qin mentioned from the Tong family’s treasure shop?” Fan Ziyu asked.
Qin Huai turned to him. “Do you know him?”
“Yes. After I learned about your identity, I investigated you secretly and found out that you had some dealings with the Tong family’s shop. After that, it seemed like the Tong family suddenly disappeared,” Fan Ziyu explained.
“Now that you mention the dozens of treasure masters, I think of the Tong family.” There was a touch of sadness in Fan Ziyu’s eyes. Then, he smiled and said, “Tong Shou and I are from the same generation. We grew up together in the outer city. One family made artifacts, while the other made potions. We’ve been friends for decades. Now, we are both working under Mr. Qin.”
“Is this your plan, Mr. Fan?” Qin Huai raised his eyebrows slightly.
“If the ten counties of East Qingzhou are your territory, Mister Qin, then I want to join in,” Fan Ziyu said. “Now that Qingzhou City is in such a bad state, my pill pavilion’s business can’t continue. Moreover, you have received the legacy of the Emperor of Qingzhou…
“If I follow you, there is a chance to return to Qingzhou City and reopen the pill pavilion in the future, right?” Fan Ziyu smiled bitterly. He was choosing Lingjiang out of necessity as well as desire.
“In that case, I’ll offer Master Fan a position as guest elder and set up a location for you to focus on making pills,” Qin Huai agreed. The influx of people into the ten counties under Lingjiang’s rule would provide protection, a vast market, and cheap labor.
With the help of the Tong family’s treasure master and the blacksmiths of the Three Cauldron Elixir Dispensary, the ten counties would develop quickly. Moreover, Fan Ziyu and the pill makers could help keep Lingjiang safe.
Everyone stood on the cliffs bordering the road leading to East Qingzhou. Below them, a large crowd of people was heading towards it.
“What’s your next move, Brother Qin?” Gou Jie asked, standing next to Qin Huai. His plain clothing made him stand out among this group of exceptional people.
“First, we’ll completely cut off the ten counties from Qingzhou City and create a temporary ‘utopia.’ Then, we need to find a way to break the blood pillar and the grand array of the Sacred Heart Sect,” Qin Huai replied.
He looked towards Qingzhou City where the blood-red clouds were rolling like waves. The soft rumble of thunder sounded like whispers from demons, a terrifying music seemingly from the depths of hell.
“If we don’t stop the blood sacrifice in Qingzhou City, it could spread across the entire province. At that point…” Qin Huai didn’t finish his sentence.
If the terrible blood sacrifice kept going, nobody knew what would happen next. But for ordinary people, it would certainly be like living in hell. His loved ones would also be plunged into never-ending darkness.
“Brother Qin, don’t you have any questions for me? After all, I belong to one of the five great sects of Qingzhou,” Gou Jie asked, narrowing his eyes at Qin Huai.
“Aren’t you planning to tell us, Brother Gou?” Qin Huai responded calmly.
“Hehe. You’re good at staying calm, Brother Qin. Is it because you inherited the legacy of the Emperor of Qingzhou?” Gou Jie asked, looking curiously at Qin Huai. “Do you think you stand a chance against the Sacred Heart Sect and the demons who’ve been preparing in Great You for thousands of years?”
Gou Jie then looked towards the bloody scene that filled people with despair. “A hundred years ago, the old guys from the Thousand Divination Tower predicted this catastrophe. With time, those old fellows predicted the same result even on their deathbeds…”
Gou Jie’s voice trailed off. “Destruction. Qingzhou will fall into an abyss. It’ll be turned into hell by the Sacred Heart Sect and the demons.
“Their predictions were always right. There might be ups and downs, but the final result always matched their predictions. So…” Gou Jie’s face held a mocking smile. “They decided to accept the outcome and surrender.
“The master of Wuji Mountain, Kong Binghuang, fought many battles and held his ground… and the masters of Lion Spirit Mountain and Ghost Ox Sect died on the battlefield.
“Even though the master of the Blue Sea Pavilion has gone down a dark path, the great elder and a few other elders are still fighting fiercely.
“However, the Thousand Divination Tower, one of the five great sects of Qingzhou, surrendered without a fight. All three thousand disciples joined the Sacred Heart Sect peacefully.
“Ridiculous!” Gou Jie’s eyes showed a sorrow he’d never felt before. Then, looking at Qin Huai, he regained his usual playful expression. “Brother Qin, what do you think after hearing the truth? Do you still think you can win?”
Qin Huai shook his head slowly. “If the disaster before us is so powerful that no one can resist, then what’s the point of escaping? Might as well give it a shot… In my hometown, we say that losing doesn’t mean you’re a loser, but if you win, you gain.”
Gou Jie laughed. “Your interpretation, Brother Qin, is really interesting.”
“Brother Gou, why didn’t you choose to join the so-called ‘winners’ like the elders of your sect and save your life?” Qin Huai asked, looking at the prodigies around him who always mumbled nonsensically and were not good with words.