"This time, these fiends are especially strange. They're clearly mobilizing spiritual power openly, yet not the slightest trace of evil aura is leaking out," Qin Ping said slowly. "This matter is abnormal, it must be made known to the Demon-Destroying Alliance. We are all heavily injured right now and are no match for those people. Forcing a fight will yield no results."
That was the truth.
The crowd felt unwilling, but could only fall silent.
"Therefore. Once the formation is broken and they draw near, we will all simultaneously self-destruct our divine souls and primordial spirits!" Qin Ping said word by word. "The explosion of the divine soul and primordial spirit is immensely powerful, it will definitely kill them. Once they die, I refuse to believe that their demonic qi can remain concealed! When that demonic qi disperses, it will draw the attention of the Demon-Destroying Alliance. We can be said to have died with purpose."
The self-destruction of the divine soul and primordial spirit.
This was different from an ordinary death.
After reaching Nascent Soul Stage, cultivators form a primordial spirit.
Upon reaching Mahayana Stage, the primordial spirit transforms into the divine soul.
The primordial spirit and divine soul are the most fundamental essence of a cultivator.
If only the physical body is destroyed, and the primordial spirit or divine soul escapes, one can still strive for reincarnation, or even use certain methods to be reborn again.
But if they self-destruct.
Then nothing will remain.
No reincarnation.
No trace left in the world.
In the cultivation world, such a method is only used against the most vicious evildoers.
And now, they would do this to themselves just to send out a message?
After Qin Ping finished speaking.
No one hesitated, they all nodded, even faint smiles appearing at the corners of their lips.
"So be it."
"Good."
"Being able to take these fiends down with us before dying was also worth it."
"If the message gets out, the Demon-Destroying Alliance will respond."
"If there are accomplices, they will be scared of reinforcements and stop harming the common people."
"Canglan Kingdom will be preserved."
"As expected of National Preceptor Qin, always the most resourceful."
"Of course! His mother said he was a prodigy who never wet the bed since birth."
"Hahaha!"
The formation continued to be bombarded.
Yet the crowd laughed and talked freely.
In their eyes, there was no fear.
At this moment.
There was nothing left to worry about.
The formation would eventually break, and they were gravely injured with no real combat strength left.
They would simply wait for those fiends to come close, and drag them all into hell together.
Perhaps.
This was the final stretch of their lives.
It's just a pity.
They had once truly imagined that the Wushuang Sect Qin Ping spoke of and Yun Jin might lead them onto a new path.
Perhaps… it was possible.
But they would never see it.
Boom!
A violent strike descended.
The formation barrier trembled.
In the next instant.
With a loud crack, it completely shattered.
With the concealment formation gone, the ceiling of the secret chamber was blasted open with ease.
"Found you."
Chen Chen leaned down, revealing a twisted smile at them.
Qin Ping pressed his lips together.
This expression…
This was definitely not the disciple he personally taught and raised.
Where had his disciple gone?
He dared not think about the answer.
He only hated himself for not paying more attention to Chen Chen, for not discovering the abnormality sooner.
If he had noticed earlier, would the outcome be different?
Unfortunately.
It was already too late.
Chen Chen descended slowly with a group of people.
Qin Ping narrowed his eyes.
The distance was still too far.
They needed to come closer.
Only then could their simultaneous self-destruction guarantee killing all of them.
Qin Ping said calmly, "Chen Chen, I have raised you for so many years. I do not know where I have wronged you to make you act so ruthlessly today."
Chen Chen showed a strange smile on his face, "Good master, I never thought of taking your life. Rest assured, for the sake of our master-disciple bond, your life and theirs, I will spare them all."
"Oh?" Qin Ping frowned slightly. "Then what is the meaning of today's events?"
As he spoke, he took a step forward.
Chen Chen sneered and suddenly waved his hand. A burst of spiritual power pushed Qin Ping back, "Don't come too close to me. A Mahayana Stage self-destruction is something I'm very scared of."
Qin Ping's expression changed.
He knew?
He actually knew?
Qin Ping abruptly turned his head to look at the others.
Everyone wore confused expressions.
They looked at each other, but a sense of vigilance rose in their hearts.
HOw did Chen Chen know their plan?
There's still a traitor among them!
But who was it?
They had no way of determining.
"Who is it?!"
"Don't let me find out!"
"Damn bastard!"
The crowd erupted in fury.
Because of this traitor, their plan had been exposed. Now, they might not even be able to die as they wished.
"Go, set up the Spirit-Sealing Formation," Chen Chen said coldly.
The people behind him responded and quickly began arranging the formation.
Qin Ping and the others were about to make a desperate last move.
Chen Chen smiled faintly, "Take one step forward, and we slaughter one city. Two steps, two cities. Take a few more steps, and the entire Canglan Kingdom will be buried with you."
Qin Ping's expression changed, and he dared not move again.
Their hearts were filled with frustration. But now that Chen Chen and his group were fully prepared, even a surprise self-destruction to kill these demons was impossible.
They could only endure the threats.
Soon, the formation was completed.
Within its range.
Qin Ping and the others tested, only to find that they could no longer mobilize any spiritual power.
Once the formation stabilized, Chen Chen smiled at them, "Now, how will you self-destruct? Hmm?"
"Damn it!"
"Chen Chen, have you no shame before Qin Ping, before your father, before the people of Canglan Kingdom?"
"Have you already fallen into demonic cultivation?!"
"What did we ever do to you?!"
Curses rang out endlessly.
Chen Chen acted as if he heard nothing.
He spoke calmly, "This secret chamber is quite special. It can actually block all communication artifacts. That's why my pawn couldn't send me information earlier, making me search for several days before finding this place. Fortunately, once the formation broke, communication was restored. He used a secret method to inform me of your plan in time."
Hearing this, the crowd grew even more enraged.
There really was a traitor among them.
"I saw you move your fingers just now, Old Wang, are you the traitor?"
"Bullshit! You're the one pointing fingers at random people, I think you're the one whos the traitor!"
"No, it must be Old Zhang, his expression was strange earlier."
"Nonsense, I think it's—"
No further prompting was needed and these people had already begun suspecting each other.
Qin Ping's eyes flickered with alarm.
This was the true terror of demonic cultivators infiltrating the human race.
If they could perfectly conceal their aura and even impersonate others, they wouldn't need to take action at all. Humanity would tear itself apart with suspicion and doubt until it collapsed.
Qin Ping took a deep breath and said coldly, "Now is not the time to find the traitor. All of you, shut up."
Fortunately, his authority remained strong.
Though suspicion lingered, everyone suppressed it for now.
Chen Chen's gaze flickered slightly, "As expected of my master, one word commands all."
Qin Ping sneered, no longer pretending, "Stop acting while using my disciple's face. You are not him. Speak, where have you taken the emperor?!"