Chapter 1696: Chapter 142 Inescapable Fate_2

“I have long heard of Sister Qin’s beauty and elegance, and today, seeing you, I realize that meeting in person is far better than hearing the rumors… Bu Chan greets Sister Qin.”

Hearing Bu Chan’s words, the usual cold and proud expression on Qin Lingxiao’s face instantly turned to flustered and uneasy, ashamed, and her cheeks involuntarily reddened, feeling as if she had accidentally wandered into someone else’s melon field. Though she hadn’t done anything wrong, it felt like she was caught about to steal melons.

Even though her face was clearly veiled with a thin gauze, she still felt completely exposed before the other person, as if she had been seen through.

Defensively, she argued:

“I… I came to speak with Wang Ba about handling the matter with Han Yanzi…”

Bu Chan merely smiled and elegantly curtsied:

“I see… In that case, Bu Chan won’t delay Sister Qin’s important affairs. If you have time, Sister Qin, perhaps you might come to Wanfa Peak for some tea.”

With that, she gracefully turned and flew away from Wanfa Peak.

“Hey…”

Qin Lingxiao called out as she looked at the departing figure.

Bu Chan glanced back at her in midair, puzzled:

“Is there something you need, Sister Qin?”

Qin Lingxiao looked at Bu Chan’s calm expression, with emotions surging like waves in her heart, yet when she wanted to speak, it only transformed into a slightly stiff smile:

“No, it’s nothing, you carry on.”

Bu Chan smiled slightly and then flew far away.

Looking at the departing figure, though not extraordinarily alluring, it still carried a sense of peace and comfort.

Such temperament was somewhat reminiscent of Wang Ba.

Qin Lingxiao stood still for a while before finally retracting her gaze.

At that moment, she began to vaguely understand why Wang Ba, even when faced with what seemed to be an untouchable great-grandfather back then, resolutely chose that person.

She sighed inexplicably.

A hint of envy and complexity arose in her heart.

Quickly collecting her scattered thoughts, she organized her mind and stepped into the Dungeon.

Her Spiritual Sense rapidly dispersed, but she soon sensed the limitations and suppression on the Spiritual Sense within the Dungeon.

With her realm, her Spiritual Sense could only detect the area not far around her.

At the end of her Spiritual Sense, she ‘saw’ a willow tree and a flaming red phoenix tree.

The familiar figure was sitting cross-legged between the two Spirit Plants, seemingly aware of her presence, smiling towards her.

However, whether it was a misconception or not, despite the faint smile on the other’s face, she always felt that their gaze, compared to before, seemed more indifferent, as if seeing a stranger.

Though somewhat expected, experiencing it firsthand, her heart was inevitably pained.

Yet she quickly masked her emotional fluctuations, her figure flashed and landed in front of the figure, and seriously said:

“Vice Sect Master Wang, do you know that Han Yanzi has gone to Huangji Continent intending to unleash a monstrous massacre?”

Sitting cross-legged beneath the two Spirit Plants, Wang Ba’s smile slightly faded as he nodded:

“I have heard.”

Qin Lingxiao immediately said urgently:

“Then why not go support the Martial Kingdom?”

Wang Ba calmly countered:

“Why should I support the Martial Kingdom?”

Qin Lingxiao was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Wang Ba to say such a thing, her eyes filled with disbelief:

“Can’t you see the current relationship between True Martial and Jin? Moreover, wasn’t Wang Yi’an leading the Martial Kingdom your idea?”

In Qin Lingxiao’s astonished gaze, Wang Ba slightly shook his head:

“That was his own choice, I also tried to dissuade him, but everyone has their own aspirations…”

“But he is your own son!”

Qin Lingxiao couldn’t help but shout angrily.

“And so what?”

Wang Ba again questioned:

“Because of Wang Yi’an, should we risk the safety of everyone in the Sect?”

“By all accounts, it’s not worthwhile.”

“Worthwhile?”

“You call this worthwhile?”

Qin Lingxiao looked at Wang Ba blankly, her gaze revealing a hint of unfamiliarity as if she was meeting him for the first time.

“Didn’t you say before… losing even a speck to benefit the world isn’t worth it?”

“Wang Yi’an to the world is indeed a mere speck, but he is your own child, do you choose to abandon him in favor of everyone else?”

Wang Ba heard and remained silent.

In his view, indeed it was so.

He had tried to dissuade him, but Wang Yi’an still chose this path.

And such a choice, from Wanxiang Sect’s perspective, brought immense benefits.

It allowed him, allowed Wanxiang Sect to gain time, enough time to advance the Dao Domain and Cultivation Base.

It also enabled Wanxiang Sect to understand Han Yanzi’s methods, identify the weaknesses in Han Yanzi.

As time pushed to now, the signs of the great catastrophe were glimpsed from Han Yanzi, and the Martial Kingdom led by Wang Yi’an was the most suitable touchstone.

Thus, by remaining unchanged to respond to myriad changes, awaiting changes in the situation, understanding the reversal method for the great catastrophe, accumulating all Jin’s strength for the final victory was the safest approach.

And during this process, everyone sacrificed was necessary and justified.

This was also the core thinking behind all his decisions.

Among all choices, choosing the most secure path.

But such a mindset seemed hard for Qin Lingxiao to accept.

She shook her head, gazing at Wang Ba’s silence, her eyes filled with deep disappointment:

“You’ve changed, you’ve truly changed!”

“I still remember when we were adrift at the Eightfold Sea, when you spoke of Wang Yi’an, how happy and regretful you were… Wasn’t his nickname ‘Liu Jin’?”

“Even him, you’re willing to abandon just for a ‘worthwhile’… Are you really still the Wang Ba I knew?”