Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 435 : Trap (2)

Chapter 435: Chapter 435 : Trap (2)

Huang Taichen’s entire body shuddered like a leaf in a storm, hot tears tracing fiery tracks down his reddened cheeks.

The betrayal cut him deepest because it came from someone he thought he could trust, the only ally he thought he had.

"I was stupid," he said.

"But still, I refused to acknowledge the truth. I went back to the forest to find that tree. I wanted to see the carcass with my own eyes.

It had already disappeared by the time I arrived, leaving only a huge patch of blood on the soil underneath. I... I..."

Huang Taichen pressed both palms against his face.

"I am so sorry," he wailed. "I am so sorry, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know... I killed a beast but somehow it was not a beast but Sect Leader Shang himself. I don’t know what happened..."

Huang Taichen whimpered like a trapped beast, his body contorting into a tight ball. He rocked back and forth, the words "I’m so sorry" tumbling from his lips like a broken record, each iteration tinged with a raw, desperate ache.

"Do you swear that you have spoken the truth and nothing but the truth?" Qiao Wei asked.

"I swear by my parents’ grave that I did not lie about a single thing," Huang Taichen said. "Master Qiao Wei, please... Please believe me."

His hands tight against Huang Taichen’s trembling shoulders, Qiao Wei met his gaze, his own brimming with fierce faith. "I believe you," he avowed, each word etched with unshakeable certainty.

And in that instant, the dam of Huang Taichen’s sorrow burst. A guttural cry ripped from his throat, his body wracked with silent tremors. Against Qiao Wei’s chest, choked whispers tumbled out, each one a fragment of the agony that consumed him.

Qiao Wei gently patted the suffering young man on the back.

"It’s fine," he said. "Everything is going to be fine."

An hour passed, punctuated only by Huang Taichen’s anguished cries. Finally, he found the strength to move. With shaking hands, he pushed himself away from Qiao Wei.

"Thank you, Master Qiao Wei," he choked out. "I wish that you were the first person I met when I decided to join a cultivation sect. I wish that I did not trust Shang Zichen blindly."

There were so many more wishes left to say, but Huang Taichen no longer had the energy to speak.

The physical aches were mere whispers compared to the thunderous roar of anguish that echoed within his heart. The weight of unveiled truths and unfulfilled dreams for many years pressed down upon him, a crushing burden that threatened to extinguish the flickering flame of his life.

"I am content," he declared. "Master Qiao Wei believes me, and it makes me very happy. Now, I can die without a single regret."

Qiao Wei widened his eyes at Huang Taichen.

"Huang Taichen, you...!"

The younger man shot him a sad smile.

"I know that I am stupid," he said. "Otherwise, Shang Zichen would not be able to deceive me so many times. I also know that my abilities are dangerous. Best to disappear from this world, so I won’t bring further disaster into this world."

"No," Qiao Wei disagreed. "You cannot just surrender and keep the truth hidden. The truth must come to light, and Sect Leader Shang’s death must be avenged."

Huang Taichen scoffed, his face pulled into a grimace.

"Who else would believe me, Master Qiao Wei?" He asked, his tone devoid of hope. "No one else will. It is my word against the Shang brothers’ word. Who would believe that the Shang brothers killed their own father...?"

It was indeed an almost impossible feat, but Qiao Wei refused to give up. He must not give up.

"We have to try," he insisted. "If you are willing to throw your life away, then do it while exposing the truth. I don’t want cultivators from so-called ten great sects to get away with such heinous crimes. Not under my watch."

The knot at Huang Taichen’s throat bobbed up and down nervously.

"Master Qiao Wei, I am resigned to my fate. But if my puny life can help you somehow... I am willing to do whatever you want. I just... I don’t want to use Discordant Melody ever again."

"Wonderful," Qiao Wei took the flute away from Huang Taichen with one fluid movement. "There is no way I will ever let you use this cursed flute again."

With a flick of his wrist, Qiao Wei launched the flute into the air. It tumbled end over end before being seamlessly cleaved in two by her blade. The splinters, like shrapnel from a shattered nightmare, burst into all directions and danced across the wind, carrying with them the mournful wails of a thousand restless spirits.

Huang Taichen and Qiao Wei clamped their hands over their ears to block out the piercing shrieks.

"M-Master, what was that?" Huang Taichen asked.

"I might be wrong, but that flute might be made out of ground human bones," Qiao Wei said through gritted teeth. "It carried a substantial amount of resentment energy. Those with adequate cultivation will eventually encounter qi deviation, while those with no cultivation will be steeped into malice against their will.

The evil spirits will corrode one’s mind and drag it to the depths of Hell."

A wave of shudder ran down Huang Taichen’s spine when he heard Qiao Wei’s words.

"E-Evil," he said. "Shang Zichen..."

To think that the Second Young Master Shang harbored such evil intention toward him!

It was simply inconceivable!

"No need to overthink it. To this date, we don’t know why he wants to ruin your life. The most important thing right now is to prevent him from taking your life," Qiao Wei decided.

"A-And what can I do, Master Qiao Wei?" Huang Taichen stuttered like a three-year-old.

Qiao Wei shot the younger man a confident smile. With a light tap on Huang Taichen’s back, he said, "Naturally, we need to run away now."