"Absolutely not. I don't know whether the matter of her targeting me was decided by herself or because she was ordered to, but she has already crossed my bottom line. The enmity between us can only be washed away with blood. Either I die, or she dies. There's no third option."
Long Chen's words were desivie without any room for leeway. There was no way to doubt his determination. Long Chen was now completely infuriated with Yin Wushuang.
Hua Biluo was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Long Chen, do you know how powerful the ancient families are?"
Long Chen shook his head. "I don't know. I also don't need to know. Even if she is the descendant of a god, she still must die. Otherwise, I won't be able face my dead brothers."
Whenever Yin Wushuang's name was mentioned, Long Chen's killing intent would soar. Guan Wennan's lifeless eyes were forever fixed within his mind.
Although the various disciples of the 108th monastery had once had some enmities with each other during the initial competitions, those enmities had all been completely forgotten since the Righteous and Corrupt battle. They had all become life and death brothers who trusted each other unequivocally.
Thinking of how those people hadn't died due to the struggle with the Corrupt path, but instead due to the insidious schemes of that woman, Long Chen really had an urge to cut Yin Wushuang into a million pieces.
"If you kill her, her family will not let you off. Perhaps even the supermonastery will not be able to protect you. The supermonastery's higher-ups will not offend an ancient family just for a disciple. At that time, you will be handed over as a murderer to appease the Yin family's fury," said Hua Biluo.
"Hahaha, the ancient families really are mighty. So only they can kill others, but others can't retaliate?" sneered Long Chen.
"You are correct. The ancient families are that barbaric, but there's also no way around that, as they have the power to do so.
"She was only sent to the monastery as a tempering experience. Once that experience is over, the Yin family will call her back.
"With the ancient families' haughtiness, they will definitely not permit one of their descendants to be murdered. So brother Long, you have to think this over. For her, you are willing to throw away your own life. Is it worth it?" Hua Biluo looked at Long Chen complicatedly, trying to persuade him.
"I don't care if it's worth or not. This is an issue of principles. If I can't get revenge for my brothers, then what is the point of me cultivating? What is the point of living?
"No matter how high a person's cultivation base reaches, it is a constant struggle while death is just a step away. I would rather live happily, repaying gratitude and enmity, living each day as it comes. As for my enemies, then while I'm alive, they will all be sent to hell," said Long Chen.
"But have you ever thought that you might implicate the people by your side? Once an ancient family is infuriated, your friends will also die. What will you do then?" Seeing how obstinate Long Chen was being, Hua Biluo was slightly angered.
"I would run." Contrary to Hua Biluo's expectations, Long Chen actually said these three words.
"I would run and cultivate on my own. When I'm strong enough, I will exterminate their entire family, using their blood as a sacrifice to my dead friends. Then, I would bury my bones with my companions." Long Chen's voice was extremely calm.
But within that calmness was an absolute confidence, one that would cause a person's soul to shiver.
It was an absolute joke to say you would exterminate an ancient family. But when this joke was said by Long Chen, it seemed so natural, so domineering, and contained an unquestionable resolve.
In the other tent, Meng Qi and the others' hearts were pounding. When they heard Long Chen's last sentence, they seemed to be able to see the scene of Long Chen all alone, standing in front a field of graves, filled with sadness as he killed himself. Tears streamed down five faces.
Even Hua Biluo felt a burst of sorrow. According to Long Chen's character, perhaps that really would be the final result.
"Is there really no room for any leeway?" asked Hua Biluo.
"Thank you for your advice, but the enmity between me and Yin Wushuang is unresolvable. The people by my side are not my chess pieces, but my life and death brothers."
Long Chen's words caused Hua Biluo to be a bit angry. But that anger had only just surfaced when it was replaced by a dim sadness.
"To be your friend really is fortunate," she sighed. In the sinister cultivation world, people like Long Chen were truly few and far between.
As the proverb went, when the dead were dead, the living had a duty to continue living. She had really never heard of someone who would throw away their own life to get revenge for dead people.
In the cultivation world, the focus was on benefits and profit. No matter how great the value of a person was while they were alive, once they were dead, there was no longer any value to speak of.
Long Chen's thinking profoundly shook Hua Biluo's inner heart. This was the first time she encountered someone in this world who cared so purely about his friends.
"I, the other hand, don't think they're so fortunate. Those that want to be my friends have to have quite the hardy lives, or staying by my side will be too dangerous." A sad light shone in Long Chen's eyes.
Long Chen was actually someone very guarded with his emotions. He wasn't afraid of danger, but he was afraid of the people by his side facing danger. He wasn't afraid of death, but he was afraid of seeing each of his friends falling one by one. That was something harder to endure than his own death.
That was also why he had strived to be a great scoundrel when he first joined the monastery. He wanted to be frivolous. He wanted to be on his own, with no cares in the world. He wanted to do whatever he wanted to do. That was a nice thought.
But then brother after brother appeared by his side. He was already firmly tied to everyone.
He was no longer facing life on his own. He was no longer alone on his cultivation path. This new path was one with laughter and joy.
But when that joy was lost, it would become pain and suffering. Long Chen cherished each person by his side, so he needed to get stronger, and he needed everyone else to get stronger as well.
"Why don't you wait then? Since you are confident in growing to that point, why must you face her at this time?" asked Hua Biluo.
"This isn't a matter of waiting. I know what kind of person she is. If I don't kill Yin Wushuang, she still won't let me off.
"Furthermore, even if I did let Yin Wushuang off, a second Yin Wushuang will immediately pop up. Then a third and a fourth.
"Right now, I want to cut down this Yin Wushuang so that the future ones learn to be afraid. I'll smother those future problems before they get a chance to grow. So I absolutely must kill Yin Wushuang," said Long Chen.
Hua Biluo rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache. "It looks like I have no way to persuade you to give up on killing Yin Wushuang."
"That's correct. So you don't need to waste anymore time on that. If I haven't guessed wrong, then you must also be a person from an ancient family."
"Yes, I am the same as Yin Wushuang, and come from another ancient family. Furthermore, the relationship between our two families is rather average."
Long Chen was speechless for a moment. Rather average? Truly worthy of someone from a noble family; her words were so implicit. Why not just directly say that their families' relationship was bad?
"The reason I was sent to the monastery was also for a tempering experience. However, it can also be said to be a competition between me and Yin Wushuang.
"The Yin family approves of Han Tianyu's talent, and so they intentionally sent her over to the first monastery. Their plan is to set him up as the monasteries' top expert, and have him take first place in the monastery competition.
"Once he has that glory, the Yin family will invite him to marry into their family, as currently, he still lacks that qualification. He must obtain the first place of the monasteries.
"With the relationship between our two families, I naturally won't let them do as they please. So I want to suppress Han Tianyu in the secret realm."
Long Chen asked, "What exactly do you mean by suppress?"
"Suppress in all ways. Not just in terms of direct martial might, but also in terms of group power. I've already promised the second monastery's sect leader that I will help him fight for the rank of the first monastery.
"Currently, I've roped in quite a few smaller powers, forming an alliance with them. At the very least, I'm not losing out in numbers.
"In terms of actual combat ability, I might not be able to defeat Han Tianyu, but I can at least guarantee that I won't lose. But with brother Long's assistance, we should have over an eighty percent chance of victory.
"But you say you have to kill Yin Wushuang, so my plans are ruined. Even if my Hua family's relationship with the Yin family isn't good, there technically isn't any hatred on the surface.
"But if you kill Yin Wushuang, then it will no longer be a matter of hidden competition. This matter would blow out of my control," sighed Hua Biluo.
Even though she came from an ancient family, she wouldn't be able to escape her punishment if she helped Long Chen kill Yin Wushuang.
Although the Yin family wouldn't be able to do anything to her Hua family, killing Yin Wushuang would go beyond her family's plans. Her actions would lead to dissatisfaction amongst her family, and she would end up losing out greatly.
Her goal in being sent to the monastery was to try and suppress the Yin family, but the Hua family definitely did not want the matter blowing up too big. If Yin Wushuang died, the nature of this matter would have completely changed.
So Hua Biluo was stuck in a difficult position. What should she do in this situation? Should she still war against Yin Wushuang, or should she just quietly retreat?
But if she retreated at this point, all her previous efforts would have been wasted. Her tempering experience this time would count as a failure, and that would also cause dissatisfaction amongst her family.
Long Chen was also lost in thought. He understood Hua Biluo's difficulties. But it was absolutely impossible for him to let off Yin Wushaung.
After pondering for a long moment, Hua Biluo sighed. "I've decided to quit my old plan."