Chong Sheng's gaze remained fixed on Bai Zihan for a long mont after finishing his explanation.
Silence lingered between them.
(Why was he asking about Qin Lingxiao?)
Although she was definitely soone whose fa spread across the world, he didn't think that even the Desolate Heaven Empire would have heard about her.
Moreover, it didn't seem like Bai Zihan was rely interested in her because he had heard her na or anything like that.
Then, slowly, his brows began to knit together.
Sothing had suddenly occurred to him.
Then he spoke again.
"Don't tell ..."
His voice grew heavier.
"...that you've actually t her?"
The question hung in the air.
Bai Zihan did not imdiately respond.
But this ti, he did not hide it.
He simply nodded.
"Yes!"
Chong Sheng froze.
"...You t her?"
His tone had changed completely.
There was genuine surprise now.
Bai Zihan spoke calmly.
"She is in the Desolate Heaven Empire."
The mont those words left his mouth, Chong Sheng's expression changed completely.
His pupils shrank slightly.
"What?"
The word ca out naturally.
He stared at Bai Zihan.
As if confirming whether he had heard correctly.
"The Desolate Heaven Empire?"
A long pause followed.
Then Chong Sheng exhaled slowly.
"...That ans..."
His eyes darkened.
"...the calamity has arrived."
The atmosphere instantly turned heavier.
Chong Sheng fell into brief thought.
Many possibilities flashed through his mind.
If Qin Lingxiao had personally co to the Desolate Heaven Empire, then a huge storm was waiting for it.
No wonder Bai Zihan had asked about the Western Region and Qin Lingxiao- because seed the Desolate Heaven Empire had been targeted by terror.
But then another thought struck him.
And this ti-
It was even more shocking.
His eyes slowly lifted back toward Bai Zihan.
"Wait a minute!"
His voice lowered.
"If you saw her..."
He stared directly at Bai Zihan's face.
"...then how are you still sane?"
The question was not rhetorical.
It was genuine confusion.
Because in his understanding, that should be impossible.
It was not an exaggeration to say her beauty could disturb anyone's mind- especially soone below the Immortal Realm.
If a weak cultivator saw her face...
They would fall madly in love.
There would be nothing left in their mind except her.
They wouldn't even be capable of thinking about anything else.
They would abandon their cultivation-
Their clan.
Their family.
Their future.
Everything.
Just to please her.
And yet... Bai Zihan was standing there, completely sane, and even doing sothing that wouldn't help him capture Qin Lingxiao's heart.
If Bai Zihan had truly t her, then that shouldn't be possible.
Moreover, even though he might have been in seclusion, a matter as significant as Qin Lingxiao arriving in the Desolate Heaven Empire-
He would have heard of it.
Not to ntion, nearby empires would already be preparing to welco and
please her.
But there was no such news.
No such movent.
(Is he lying to ?)
He considered that possibility.
"She ca in disguise. Perhaps because she was deliberately holding back,
that's why I wasn't affected."
Bai Zihan replied honestly.
Hearing the reply, Chong Sheng thought for a second and nodded in
understanding.
If Qin Lingxiao had co in disguise, that would explain why there was no widespread news.
Although it raised another question-how Bai Zihan discovered her identity.
But as soone who could even know that he had reincarnated and was the
forr Demonic Emperor...
Chong Sheng understood that Bai Zihan was far from simple.
Finding Qin Lingxiao in disguise might actually be easier than uncovering his
own past.
"You are lucky!"
Chong Sheng said.
(And I am so unlucky!)
He thought to himself.
If Qin Lingxiao hadn't suppressed her ability, and if Bai Zihan had seen her true
face...
Then he would have been completely enchanted by now.
He would have devoted all his ti and effort to winning her heart.
By then, Bai Zihan wouldn't have even thought about dealing with him. He
wouldn't have been chased and beaten by Bai Zihan.
But alas, it seed he was not so fortunate.
Bai Zihan stood there, unmoving, his expression as calm as ever.
He had asked what he needed to ask.
The Western Region.
The Qin Clan!
Qin Lingxiao!
And Chong Sheng had answered.
Bai Zihan's gaze lingered on Chong Sheng for a mont longer.
(What should I do with him now?)
That question surfaced naturally.
Chong Sheng was not like Lin Xuan.
He didn't expect Chong Sheng to be obedient or offer loyalty like Lin Xuan.
Not to ntion, Chong Sheng held deep resentnt toward him for the
humiliation.
Bai Zihan's eyes dimd slightly.
(He cannot be trusted.)
Even if Chong Sheng appeared cooperative now-
That ant nothing.
People like him never truly submitted.
They endured.
They waited.
They searched for opportunities to strike.
Bai Zihan understood that kind of person very well.
(Then... control him?)
The thought appeared.
The Heavenly Mandate Assimilation Art.
On paper, it was enough.
But Bai Zihan's gaze darkened slightly, and he shook his head.
(No!)
He dismissed it almost imdiately.
Chong Sheng was not an ordinary cultivator.
He was a forr Demonic Emperor.
A master of formations. Soone who had already defied fate once.
Bai Zihan did not believe for a second that such a person would remain
controlled forever by a technique.
(Maybe now... it would work. Maybe for a while. But in the future?)
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Once Chong Sheng grew stronger, and after studying the technique...
There was a high chance he would find a way to break free.
Moreover, he was a Heaven Chosen!
Who knows? He might one day wake up and know the whole Heavenly
Mandate Assimilation Art!
Then he would easily escape from his hand.
And the mont he escapes, the consequences would be severe.
Bai Zihan exhaled slowly.
(Then there is only one option left.)
The safest one.
100 percent guarantee that CHong Sheng wouldn't beco a threat to him.
His gaze slowly lifted and settled on Chong Sheng.
A faint killing intent surfaced in his eyes.
And the mont it appeared- Chong Sheng felt it.
His entire body stiffened instantly.
A chill ran down his spine.
His gaze snapped toward Bai Zihan.
And what he saw-
Made his heart sink.
That look.
He knew that look.
He had seen it countless tis before.
"...You-"
Chong Sheng's voice ca out low.
"You're planning to kill ? Even though I already answered every question."
Bai Zihan did not deny it.
He did not even bother to hide it.
"There's no reason to keep you alive!" His voice was calm.
As if stating a simple fact.
Chong Sheng's eyes darkened.
"...I've told you everything I know."
He spoke slowly and carefully. "And I've cooperated."
A faint pause.
"And yet you still want to kill ?"
Bai Zihan's expression didn't change.
"That's precisely why. Why would I let soone like you live-soone who
might co back to bite in the future? You would have done the sa,
wouldn't you?"
Chong Sheng froze for a fraction of a second.
Indeed-
He would have.
In truth, he couldn't entirely bla Bai Zihan for this decision.
Eliminating a potential threat was the safest choice.
"I see!"
A bitter smile slowly appeared on his lips.
"You're right."
He muttered.
"If our positions were reversed... I would do the sa." Silence!
The air grew heavier.
Like a storm about to erupt.
Chong Sheng slowly straightened his back.
While it was true that he would have made the sa decision-
That didn't an he would accept death so easily.
His eyes sharpened.
The faint submissiveness from before vanished completely.
In its place was the cold, calculating mind of the forr Demonic Emperor. "...Wait."
His voice was low but firm.
Bai Zihan did not move. But he didn't strike either.
Chong Sheng caught that and imdiately pressed forward.
"You want to kill because I'm a threat. That's reasonable!"
A pause.
"But have you considered..."
His gaze locked onto Bai Zihan.
"...what you're about to face?" Chong Sheng continued, his tone turning sharp.
"Qin Lingxiao. You already know what kind of person she is. She is a monster
beyond what you can face." He took a step forward.
"You still think you can deal with her alone?"
Silence!
Bai Zihan did not respond.
But Chong Sheng didn't stop.
"If she has her eyes on the Desolate Heaven Empire..."
"Then this isn't sothing you can brute force your way through." Another step.
"You might be strong. You might even be a monster in your own right. But
against soone like her..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Strength alone is useless."
Then he spoke the key point. "You need soone who understands how people like her think."
A pause.
"Soone like ."
He pushed further.
"I've lived at the peak. I've fought countless enemies. I've dealt with schers,
traitors, and hidden forces."
"I know how these gas are played."
His voice turned colder.
"You kill now, and you remove a threat. That's true."
"But at the sa ti, you also remove your advantage against her."
"...Keep alive."
He said quietly.
"And I'll help you deal with Qin Lingxiao."
A pause.
"Otherwise,"
His gaze turned cold.
"You might survive today. But you won't survive her."
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