PBSE 74

Chapter – 74

 Pride

“This is my fate. It cannot be changed, nor can it be forced,” Qin Lin said with a relaxed expression, as if he had never been injured.

“Stubborn donkey, foolish donkey, confused donkey!” The War Envoy cursed three times in a row, clearly upset. But the heavier he cursed, the more his heart ached.

“Tell me about the current situation,” Qin Lin asked casually.

“It’s very severe,” the War Envoy said with a solemn expression. “This time, the invasion of the alien tribes has spread war throughout the entire human race—not just the Southern Region. Across the Xuanyuan Continent, countless humans have died in battle, and innumerable Xuan Passes that the Hundred Tribes defended have been breached. The Xuan Pass guarded by my Star Dragon Tribe has already fallen; otherwise, the Corpse Tribe could not have set foot here.”

Every Xuan Pass is a gateway—an entrance through which alien tribes enter the Xuanyuan Continent from beyond. Though the Holy Emperor Pangu transformed himself into the Xuanyuan Continent to protect all humanity, there were still vulnerabilities everywhere. When the Holy Empress Nuwa appeared, she began the Battle of Mending Heaven. Though this battle patched most of the holes in the Xuanyuan Continent, countless small gaps remained. These are the Xuan Passes.

Each Xuan Pass is guarded by a major human tribe, and only tribes of at least two stars qualify to guard one.

The Xuan Pass guarded by the Star Dragon Tribe faces the Corpse Tribe. Its breach this time directly affects all nine major tribes. Even the Star Dragon Tribe barely survived.

“Have we taken it back?” Qin Lin asked.

“It’s still in a stalemate. However, a three-star tribe above the Star Dragon Tribe has sent reinforcements. Soon, the tide here should turn,” the War Envoy said gravely.

Both knew well that in past wars, even if the Hundred Tribes ignited battles, the flames could never spread this widely. First, the Holy Emperor suppressing Central Zhou would bear the brunt, facing ancient-level forces of the Hundred Tribes. Then came the major Earth Emperor tribes of the Four Regions, followed by the Human Emperor tribes, beneath which were countless smaller tribes.

All the war fires were held back by the strong, making it impossible for a one-star tribe like Chuishi to be affected. But this time, the flames reached here. Even the Star Dragon Tribe suffered heavy casualties, showing how grave the situation was.

“According to the War Envoy of that three-star tribe, one of the Hundred Tribes—the Divine Tribe—broke through a Xuan Pass guarded by a Human King Tribe. The Human King was killed in battle, and the entire tribe perished. If another Human King Tribe hadn’t arrived in time, the alien army would have surged straight through that Xuan Pass into the Xuanyuan Continent,” the War Envoy said. “Even so, the battle there is still uncertain. Humanity now faces a true blood battle—there is no retreat, and no way to retreat.”

“Yes, there’s no retreat, and no way to retreat,” Qin Lin sighed. The tide of war from the Hundred Tribes could not be changed by a one-star Chuishi Tribe, nor by him alone. It was a matter for all humanity.

“All we can do is pray that the Ninth Holy Emperor appears soon,” the War Envoy said wryly. The Holy Emperor is the sky of humanity, the ground of humanity, and humanity’s faith. When the Xuanyuan Holy Emperor falls, a Ninth Holy Emperor will appear—humans have always firmly believed this.

“By the way, what about your kid, Qin Mo?” the War Envoy suddenly asked. “Nothing happened to him, right?”

“He didn’t participate in this battle. How could anything happen? You, as his uncle, cursing him like that… what kind of heart do you have?” Qin Lin laughed.

But he was also puzzled. Why hadn’t he seen Qin Mo when he returned? He should have been managing affairs in the tribe.

The War Envoy chuckled awkwardly. “You are cunning, but unfortunately he has white ‘waste blood’ and cannot cultivate. Otherwise, he could have inherited your will.”

“He has already broken through,” Qin Lin said proudly. “With red high-grade blood, even if through the Refining Art, he won’t be weaker than me in the future.”

“Red high-grade blood?” The War Envoy looked skeptical but pleased. “Looks like you have an heir.”

“Now, heirship is far from the topic. Whether Chuishi continues at all is uncertain,” Qin Lin said, then looked at him seriously. “Promise me—if one day Chuishi ceases, help me take care of him.”

“Alright, but I hope that day never comes,” the War Envoy agreed.

“With you here, I feel at ease.” Qin Lin then called out, “Someone, bring Qin Mo here.”

Outside, a response came, and someone went to fetch him.

“By the way, it’s said the Young Chief of the Tianyao Tribe fell in the Black Stone Mountains. Be honest—does this have anything to do with Chuishi Tribe?” the War Envoy asked suddenly.

“That boy fell?” Qin Lin was surprised. Then recalling the roars of the ancient beasts in the Black Stone Mountains, he countered, “Do you really think our Chuishi Tribe could have done it?”

The War Envoy appraised him carefully, seeing his expression was sincere. “You’re right. That Tianyao youth had a peak blood-exchange cultivator beside him. Could it really have been the beasts that killed him? No. According to our information, he died at the hands of humans.”

“Could it have been him?” Qin Lin suddenly thought of that mysterious man in black.

“Who?” asked the War Envoy.

Qin Lin then recounted the events in detail. The War Envoy trusted him—otherwise, he would not have revealed it.

“I never expected such a grudge,” the War Envoy said. “That Tianyao youth actually wanted to destroy Chuishi. Qin Mo really resembles you when you were young—never willing to lose out, even defying the Young Chief of a five-star tribe.”

“That’s not his fault. If I hadn’t arranged that marriage, none of this would have happened. But what’s meant to happen still happens,” Qin Lin said wryly.

The War Envoy did not comment further. Even with his strength, he could not help Chuishi. The opposing tribe was a massive five-star tribe; in front of the Tianyao Tribe, the Star Dragon Tribe was insignificant.

“Tribe Leader, Qin Mo is missing.” Just then, a soldier reported.

“What? Missing?” Qin Lin and the War Envoy exclaimed simultaneously.

“Deputy Chief Qin Yu said that shortly after you left, Qin Mo handed everything to him and said he was going to support you,” the soldier reported.

Qin Lin and the War Envoy exchanged grim looks. The War Envoy said suddenly, “When I passed through the Black Stone Mountains, I noticed signs of battle. Perhaps the Corpse Tribe tried to ambush Chuishi after you left but was blocked by someone—maybe it was him.”

“At least I know one thing: he would never retreat in battle,” Qin Lin said. His words indirectly confirmed that the signs the War Envoy saw in the mountains were from Qin Mo’s fight against the Corpse Tribe.

Both realized that if Qin Mo had truly encountered the Corpse Tribe en route, he might be in grave danger. Despite his strength and the opening of twenty acupoints, facing an ambush by Corpse Tribe elites would likely not last long.

“The strange thing is, if those Corpse Tribe warriors killed him, why didn’t they reach Chuishi Tribe? Did they pursue him instead?” the War Envoy said.

“Perhaps,” Qin Lin said grimly, his face pale as if aged several years in an instant. “If something really happens to him, how can I face his mother?”

“Han Shuang won’t blame you. Even if he dies, he dies fighting for humanity, and it’s a noble death!” the War Envoy said.

“But I promised her. I said he must grow up safely. As long as I live, he lives…” Qin Lin slumped into a chair, his face even paler.

Jiang Han Shuang—a strange name, yet familiar to both the War Envoy and Qin Lin. This woman had once captivated them.

She is Qin Mo’s mother. No one in Chuishi Tribe knows her name or existence. The older generation had seen her, but in public, she was just an ordinary woman.

One day, she suddenly left Chuishi, leaving behind a child—Qin Mo.

Jiang Han Shuang came and left in a rush. The tribe never liked to mention this past, nor the ordinary woman who suddenly left. From Qin Mo’s childhood, everyone was told his mother had died.

“He’ll be fine,” the War Envoy said reassuringly. “Han Shuang is not ordinary; Qin Mo will naturally not be ordinary. Good people have heaven’s protection.”

Qin Lin was silent. The great hall was quiet.

“He’s dead.” At that moment, a cold voice sounded, making the War Envoy frown, as if recalling something.

Then, a woman in blue entered, holding a green sword. Her face was pale, radiating an unapproachable coldness. Yet her delicate beauty, now ghostly pale, made her seem fragile and pitiful.

The War Envoy stared in shock. “Han Shuang, you…”

But he immediately realized his mistake. This woman resembled the Han Shuang in his mind but was much younger, fresher, though with a similar aura.

“My name is Qing Wei,” the woman said. She was the Qing Wei from the Black Stone Mountains.

“Is Qin Mo really dead?” Qin Lin stared at her.

The War Envoy also looked at her, seeking a definite answer.

“Not Qin Mo,” Qing Wei said, thinking only of that man. She had never seen his face but remembered his gaze forever.

“I’m talking about Hu Han San,” Qing Wei continued.

“Hu Han San?” Qin Lin asked, confused. “Who’s that?”

“That mysterious man in black,” Qing Wei began to recount, exhausted but determined to finish.

“I will find Hu Yidao. I will tell him that his son died proudly,” Qing Wei said, then collapsed.

Qin Lin rushed to support her. For some reason, hearing about Hu Han San’s death stirred a strange emotion in him.

“What’s wrong? Hurry, heal her. She’s badly hurt,” the War Envoy interrupted.

“I know,” Qin Lin said grimly, feeling a strange heaviness.

After Qing Wei was sent to the Elder Hall for healing, the War Envoy and Qin Lin stood at a cliff behind the mountain. The War Envoy asked, “Who is she?”

“I don’t know. I found her,” Qin Lin said. “I didn’t expect her to resemble Han Shuang so much, but she’s not Han Shuang’s child.”

The War Envoy relaxed but then thought of what Qing Wei had said. “That mysterious man dying is a real pity. He must have been a genius of some large tribe. Unfortunately, he encountered a powerful Corpse Tribe warrior, called Qian Xing, at least a Rebirth stage.”

Qin Lin seemed not to hear, staring ahead. After a long moment, he said, “Yes. With such a son, his father would surely be proud….