CHAPTER 310
The Child of the Future and the Child of Destiny
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"What do you want with me?"
Su Cheng sat cross-legged at the tea table, casually pushing aside the tea Shangguan Rou had brought. He wasn't thirsty.
Cheng Liang didn't seem to mind, merely replying solemnly, "Let's talk. You knew this would happen, didn't you?"
Su Cheng scooped up Yu Lan, cradling her like a doll on his lap. "What matter are you referring to? If you mean the outcome of this martial contest, I truly didn't think anyone could match Qinghan."
Yu Lan didn't seem to mind, letting Su Cheng wrap one arm around her waist while the other hand rubbed the top of her head.
Yet Yulan seemed utterly oblivious, nestled contentedly in Su Cheng’s embrace like a child playing with a toy airplane, twirling her beloved butterfly knife.
"You've been to the Eastern Realm. You know what lies beyond that black mist, right?"
"I know a little, but it's limited."
"That black mist is spreading. Though its pace isn't rapid yet, it can no longer be ignored. Now, such darkened zones have appeared in the Southern Realm too."
"What does that have to do with me? That black mist might engulf the entire world, but it will never obscure the Lingxian Hall."
Cheng Liang knew Su Cheng was bargaining for leverage, but if cooperation was on the table, he couldn't refuse outright.
"You know what I'm talking about. I can help you."
"You're not a good partner. I'd rather work with someone else—or not at all."
Cheng Liang curled his lips. If not for Shangguan Rou's words about a true man knowing when to yield, he'd never have agreed to this.
Moreover, in a way, gaining early intelligence on that black mist would be highly advantageous for him.
After all, of the cultivators he'd sent out, only a handful had returned.
"Is this what you want to see?"
"I don't care."
"What about your disciples?"
"Heh, my disciples are quite obedient."
"You're alone in this world, unburdened by ties. But what about them?"
Cheng Liang understood perfectly well that this was the only weakness of the man before him—it was no secret.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have set his sights on Ye Qinghan and Li Shiyao.
"Cheng Liang, you're far more disgusting than I imagined."
"I want more than you do, and my methods are inevitable. You understand that, don't you?"
"Shangguan Rou? Was this your idea?"
Su Cheng stared at the red-clad woman who'd stood silently by for so long. She could guess the gist of it.
Even if Cheng Liang had such intentions, he'd need a way out, wouldn't he?
Besides Shangguan Rou, Su Cheng couldn't think of anyone else.
"Master Su flatters Rou'er too much. How could Rou'er possibly dictate to her master?"
"Heh. Do you think I should cooperate with him?"
"Rou'er believes that for Master Su, cooperation would bring nothing but benefits."
Though Shangguan Rou sensed something amiss, she dared not dwell on it!
If it were anyone else, she might suspect they had designs on her, but not Master Su—she felt nothing of the sort!
After all, Ye Qinghan was still untouched, and with three breathtaking beauties by his side, Master Su had never once crossed the line!
"Is that so?"
"Evidently so." Shangguan Rou wore the same confident expression as when they first met.
Su Cheng smiled. True to his reputation as the former First Disciple, he had clearly matured greatly after purging those trashy thoughts from his mind.
"Let me guess—you've already prepared your response, haven't you?"
"Such a simple truth—even Rou'er understands it. How could Master Su not know? Please stop teasing Rou'er, Master Su."
Su Cheng's gaze shifted back to Cheng Liang.
"That toxic mist didn't appear out of thin air. It emerged alongside the uncontrolled power—a harbinger of impending disaster."
"How did Senior Brother Su learn of such matters?"
"From the ancient texts left behind by our teacher, naturally."
"Where are those ancient texts now?"
"They were consumed by the flames along with our teacher. You should be well aware of this, shouldn't you? After all, it was you who falsely accused me of killing our teacher and set the fire to destroy the evidence, wasn't it?"
"At that time, only you and I were in the academy besides the Master. If it wasn't me, then who do you say it was?"
"Then why couldn't it have been you, Brother Cheng?"
Meeting Su Cheng's vicious glare, Cheng Liang realized he'd strayed off topic.
"Let's not dwell on that. What else do you know about the black mist?"
Su Cheng wasn't keen on arguing with Cheng Liang about this either, so he casually remarked,
"That's all for today. Next time, send someone else to negotiate with me. I don't want to see you."
"Is it because of your teacher?"
Su Cheng glanced at Shangguan Rou beside him and sneered coldly: "You're worse than your disciple. At least she doesn't lie through her teeth!"
"You mean me? After all this time, you still refuse to admit your guilt?"
Cheng Liang was getting damn angry too!
Su Cheng's talent couldn't hold a candle to his, and he certainly didn't work nearly as hard!
Yet the teacher favored this senior disciple!
All the good fortune went to Su Cheng, never once to him!
The master treated Su Cheng so well, yet Su Cheng killed him!
All these years later, the evidence is irrefutable—the master was killed by his own sword! Yet he refuses to admit guilt!
"You must be out of your mind. What good would killing the master do me? And you're playing dumb with me? Is that amusing?"
"That's exactly why I want to know—why would you do such a thing? The master was so good to you!"
"That's exactly why people like you disgust me—you want to have your cake and eat it too!"
Su Cheng felt that if Shangguan Rou hadn't been present, Cheng Liang would have confronted him outright!
This entire charade was merely an attempt to preserve the illusion of a virtuous master before his disciple.
Neither spoke further—one held back by Shangguan Rou, the other by Longlong tugging at his robe.
After a long silence, Su Cheng spoke.
"Three days from now, in Nanding City. You may bring one trusted associate."
Cheng Liang had never contemplated such matters over the years, until now, with the formidable Su Cheng standing before him.
Perhaps because Su Cheng's words could no longer be ignored, he too began to wonder if there was something amiss about the matter.
In his eyes, it had always been a foregone conclusion.
But… he had already endured every form of punishment. What purpose would it serve to deny it now?
Everyone knew he was the murderer!
"You truly… didn't do it?"
"If I had done it, you would have been pinned as the killer for sure, and you wouldn't have lasted this long."
"Shouldn't we bring more people?"
"More people would only be a liability. You can't protect that many."
Su Cheng spoke these words while looking at Shangguan Rou.
But Shangguan Rou clearly didn't grasp Su Cheng's meaning, just as the old fox had once told her.
"I'll keep the appointment. But isn't three days too long? From what I've heard, that black mist is spreading toward the surrounding villages."
Su Cheng briefly described the Dead Zone—a place fraught with danger, where toxic mist carried lethal and hallucinogenic threats, alongside vicious beasts and dangerous hunters.
"In any case, I have my own plan for that Dead Zone. Just come at the time I specified."
Cheng Liang nodded. Had he known this earlier, he wouldn't have lost so many men for nothing!
This wasn't weakness. To achieve great things, one needed the right environment, didn't they?
But a lone powerhouse would always be branded an outcast. He was no exception.
"Alright. I'll be there on time."
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