Chapter 1502: Nether Ridge
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
One could not blame Dong Hui for thinking like that.
In the Moon Illumination Sect, even those few Saint Stage powerhouses, including the Sect Leader, might not have been able to take out a Three-Star offensive Dao Talisman either.
However, Bai Li Hong who was a Three-Star Saint Inscription Master might have some ways to obtain the Three-Star offensive Dao Talisman.
“Young Master Duan, it’s indeed our Ouyang Clan who is in the wrong in this matter. Even I as a Clan Leader would never expect that Ouyang Shan would turn out to be this undaunted and ruthless. I never thought that he would be daring enough to have covetous thought towards you to the point that he’d actually lay a murderous hand on you.” Looking at Duan Ling Tian, Ouyang Ba told him apologetically and when he reached the end of his sentence, he put on a relief facade right away. “It’s a great thing that always blessed are the good men. Ouyang Shan has also been executed successfully and this is a happy ending to all.”
“Happy ending to all?” Duan Ling Tian smirked coldly and stared at Ouyang Ba deeply with interest, causing him to feel slightly guilty right away.
“However, no matter what, Ouyang Shan was still our Second Elder of the Ouyang Clan, so although he’s already dead, our Ouyang Clan will still have to take up the responsibility for this matter. Even though our clan can’t take out any Three-Star offensive Dao Talisman, we’re still willing to offer other things as compensation. Besides, we’re also willing to offer more to help you get over the shock, Young Master Duan.” As the current Clan leader of the Ouyang Clan, there was no doubt that Ouyang Ba was also a smart person as well. The moment he saw how his son was still breathing and intact, he could already faintly guess Duan Ling Tian and Dong Hui’s intentions.
There was no doubt that they wanted to seize this chance to extort money from their Ouyang Clan so that they would need to sacrifice something.
Therefore, before Duan Ling Tian could open his mouth, he had already taken the initiative to offer this option sensibly.
As for the matter regarding Ouyang Qing, he did not say anything further because he knew that there was no need anymore.
“Clan Leader Ouyang is indeed a straightforward person! Since you’re this candid, of course, it wouldn’t be nice for me to keep nitpicking on this matter. You can just bring Ouyang Qing back with you right away. However, I hope that you’ll show more of your sincerity in some matters. Otherwise, this matter might not have ended yet.” Even though Duan Ling Tian was taken aback by Ouyang Ba’s sensibility, he did not have the intention to keep nitpicking on this matter since his plan had already been accomplished.
However, he still planned to extort from Ouyang Ba a little more. From his words, there was no doubt that he was warning him not to take out some random things just to brush this off.
“Of course, of course!” Upon hearing Duan Ling Tian’s words, Ouyang Ba was so frightened that cold sweat broke out all over his body. Just now, he had indeed planned to offer some random, inexpensive things to brush the man off.
However, right now, that did not seem possible anymore.
He could not take the risk to offend Duan Ling Tian, and neither could the entire Ouyang Clan behind him.
“In three days, I’ll pay you a visit at your place with Senior Brother Hui. By that time, I hope that you’ve already prepared your sincerity well, Clan Leader Ouyang. I am personally interested in those items that are so unusual that not everybody can identify them,” Duan Ling Tian took a long, meaningful look at Ouyang Ba and added.
His last sentence, on the other hand, was implied for the sake of his Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda. Perhaps, among those unnamable materials in the Ouyang Clan’s collections, there might be some materials that were needed to repair the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda.
Right now, although the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda had been repaired up to the third level, Duan Ling Tian was still not satisfied yet.
The Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda had a total of seven levels, so even though three levels had already been repaired, it was still barely half of the entire pagoda.
“Young Master Duan, don’t worry! I’ll make sure that you’re satisfied!” Even though his heart was bleeding, Ouyang Ba still forced a smile to respond to Duan Ling Tian. Then, after bidding goodbye to Duan Ling Tian and Dong Hui, he brought Ouyang Qing back with him.
When they left, Ouyang Qing, who had managed to survive this disaster, had joy in his eyes. Trailing obediently behind Ouyang Ba, he did not dare to utter a word at all.
No matter what, it was him alone who had caused this trouble, so he was feeling terribly guilty.
After leaving the Nine Sect Alliances’ headquarters, seeing how Ouyang Ba did not utter a word, Ouyang Qing felt uneasy. “Father, just scold me if you want.”
“I want to know the truth.” Ouyang Ba finally opened his mouth, but he did not have the intention to scold Ouyang Qing. His tone was horrifyingly calm.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Qing did not dare to hide the truth anymore. Narrating in detail, he told the ins and outs of the story.
When he mentioned the part where Ouyang Shan was killed, he noticed that his father’s body quivered a little, so he quickly added on, “It’s I who caused Grandpa Shan to be killed! It’s all my fault! Everything is my fault!”
“The fact that you know that it’s all your fault means that you haven’t reached the hopeless stage yet. Now that Second Elder has been killed because of you, don’t talk about yourself; even I feel guilty towards him too!” Ouyang Ba remarked indifferently.
“Yes, I feel guilty towards Grandpa Shan!” Ouyang Qing quickly nodded his head and dared not refute at all.
“This time, after we go back, I plan to send you to the Nether Ridge.” As a glimpse of brilliance flashed across Ouyang Ba’s eyes, the tiny ounce of remaining doubt in his eyes disappeared without a trace as it was replaced by determination.
“The Nether Ridge?” When Ouyang Qing heard Ouyang Ba’s words, he suddenly turned horrified. Almost howling, he yelled out, “No! Father! I won’t go to the Nether Ridge! Father, you can’t do this! I’m your only son!”
When Ouyang Ba heard his pleading, his face turned cold right away.
His only son?
Well, it might have still been true the last time, but just some months ago, the concubine that he had outside had given birth to an illegitimate son.
In the entire Ouyang Clan, only he and his trusted followers knew about this.
The reason he did not announce it was that he was worried that Ouyang Qing would inflict harm on his other son. Besides, due to Ouyang Qing’s existence, the entire Ouyang Clan would also discriminate against his illegitimate son.
After that illegitimate son of his was born, he did not have the intention to bring him to the Ouyang Clan although he was very ecstatic about it.
He had made up his mind to pass on the Ouyang Clan to Ouyang Qing.
However, Ouyang Qing had really let him down this time, causing him to make up his mind to send him to the Nether Ridge. If Ouyang Qing never came back after he left, this would only mean that he had an unlucky life.
By that time, he would bring his illegitimate son back to the Ouyang Clan and train him as his next successor.
“Father, I’ll die! Since the ancient times, none of our Ouyang Clan members who went into the Nether Ridge managed to come out alive!” Ouyang Qing continued to roar as though he was unwilling to go to the Nether Ridge no matter what.
“You’re wrong. There was somebody who walked out of that Nether Ridge alive before from our Ouyang Clan,” Ouyang Ba replied nonchalantly.
“But that was ten thousand years ago! Besides, he’s the only special case in our Ouyang Clan! In the past ten thousand years or so, there’ve been 10,000 people, if not 8,000, from our Ouyang Clan who went to the Nether Ridge but none of them have emerged alive before!” Ouyang Qing’s face was completely terrified. The moment his words left his mouth, he swept a vigilant glance at Ouyang Ba and in a flash, he tried to flee.
However, how could he possibly be able to flee under Ouyang Ba’s nose?
Very easily, Ouyang Ba blocked Ouyang Qing. “I’ve already made my mind up regarding this. You don’t have to be so pessimistic about this anyway. That senior of our Ouyang Clan who came out of the Nether Ridge several ten thousand years ago was a lineal disciple from our Yang Clan just like you too. Hence, you actually still stand a high chance. After all, the Nether Ridge is said to be closely related to our first Clan Leader. Perhaps, he’ll take care of a lineal disciple like you more,” Ouyang Ba added.
“Besides, if you manage to come out alive within a given time, you’ll be able to surpass the Moon Illumination Sect and even the Nine Sect Alliances, let alone Duan Ling Tian! When that senior of our Ouyang Clan that time was at his prime stage, even a six-rated force’s Saint Stage powerhouse was no match for him at all. If it were not for the fact that he offended a powerful person from a fifth-rated force, he wouldn’t have died just like that. On top of that, our Ouyang Clan wouldn’t have reached such a stage of being finished for good!” Ouyang Ba was filled with excitement and emotions at first, but when he reached the end of his sentence, he could not help but sigh out loud.
“Qing’er, I really think that you stand a great chance to become the second lineal disciple of our Ouyang Clan who can walk out of the Nether Ridge,” Ouyang Ba told Ouyang Qing.
“Father, don’t think that I don’t know that most of the Ouyang Clan disciples who’ve entered the Nether Ridge were all lineal disciples… But look what happened to them! Not even three months after they’ve entered, their Soul Pearls already completely shattered,” Ouyang Qing responded with an aghast look. His body continued to struggle, trying to break free from Ouyang Ba’s restraints.
In the end, Ouyang Ba could only hit him so that he would pass out.
“Don’t blame me, please, Qing’er. It’s all because the trouble that you’ve caused this time is just too huge! Not only will I not believe the words that you said in the Nine Sect Alliances’ headquarters, but even those elders from the clan won’t believe it at all! I must give them some explanation about this!” When Ouyang Ba muttered till the end, he lamented.
Even though he could just let Ouyang Qing go free, he had no doubt that the moment he left, the clan elders would definitely join forces and dismiss him from his position.
There was a rule in the Ouyang Clan that stated that if the Clan Leader had made a grave mistake, his bloodline would be robbed of the special privileges of having the priority to be his successor.
There were many powerful elders who were also lineal disciples just like him in the Ouyang Clan who were not from the same bloodline and were waiting for him to make a mistake. That way, they would be able to dismiss him from his position and let their own bloodlines to have the priority to succeed the Clan Leader’s position.
In order to protect these special privileges of his bloodline, Ouyang Ba had to harden his heart and make such a decision.
Such a decision would render those elders speechless and give his son, Ouyang Qing, hope. Although the hope was very tiny — to the point that he also felt that Ouyang Qing would most likely be unable to survive — it was at least better than dying right away in the Nine Sect Alliances’ headquarters.
“The Nether Ridge…” The moment Ouyang Ba recalled the dangerous ground that their Ouyang Clan had left behind since the beginning of time, his heart could not help but tremble for a moment.
It was rumored that the Nether Ridge was related to the ancestors of their Ouyang Clan.
All along, there was a legend passed on in the Ouyang Clan which stated that whichever Ouyang Clan disciple who could walk out of the Nether Ridge would definitely become a top-rated powerhouse.
At first, due to the reason that no Ouyang Clan disciple had made it out alive from that place before, people no longer believed that legend anymore.
It was only until ten thousand years ago when an Ouyang Clan lineal disciple walked out of that place and delivered extraordinary powerful strength that he managed to prove that the legend was not just a groundless rumor.