Chapter 447 - 447: Blame
"That's not true. You're a part of the family now, so of course, they are your family as well," Long Chen said, smilingly. He didn't feel like he was talking to a puppet, but as if he was talking to a real girl.
There was a small flicker of emotion in Xia's eyes that went unnoticed by Long Chen.
"Xia understands Master," Xia said as she gently smiled.
Long Chen quite liked her attitude.
"Anyway, can you use martial skills when you fight, or you only use physical attacks?" Long Chen asked her.
He wasn't sure about how she fought. All he knew was that she could handle Earth Realm cultivators in her servant form.
"Xia can use any weapon, whether it be a sword, spear, knife, or anything else. Xia can use some martial skills as well," Xia replied.
Long Chen nodded his head in praise.
"Good. So, which Weapon is your favorite? Where do you keep your weapon?" Long Chen asked her. He couldn't see any weapons on her.
"Xia likes swords the most, but there is no problem using anything else either. Xia doesn't have a weapon yet," Xia replied to Long Chen as she shook her head.
"I do have some extra swords. You can choose which one you like," Long Chen said to her as he brought 5 Peak Gold Grade swords out of his storage ring that was in the treasury of the King that he had robbed.
"Xia likes them all. Master should choose one for Xia," Xia said without even observing the swords carefully.
Long Chen smiled wryly. She was just too polite even though Xun claimed that she would be like an average person.
"Alright. I'll choose one for you. All of these have similar strengths, but I think you will look good when using this sword. It suits you."
Long Chen selected one sword and kept the other swords back in his storage ring.
The sword he had chosen was a longsword, with a sharp blade. He had a blur hilt that seemed like water. The blade of the sword was a mix of silver and sky blue, giving it a lighter color.
Xia took the sword and waved it lightly.
"This is a good Sword. Xia will cherish this gift from the master," Xia thanked Long Chen.
Long Chen also took out a sheath from his storage ring. It was also in the treasury that he had robbed, but he never used it as he didn't like carrying his swords. He didn't bother with the sheaths previously and just kept his swords in his storage ring.
The only reason he was carrying a sword on his back now was that the Demon Sheath was capable of boosting the growth of his sword. If that weren't the case, he wouldn't have used that either.
Xia happily inserted her sword in the sheath that was given to her by Long Chen and set it up on her back.
Long Chen continued his casual conversation throughout the way. He talked to Xun as well as to Xia.
****
"Back in the Dark Soul Sect, there was a prison hall. It was the same hall that Long Chen had infiltrated to kill Mi Yao.
There was a particular cell in the Prison Hall. It was the same cell that was making noise when Long Chen left the prison.
Inside that Cell was a person. If Long Chen had seen that person, he would have found him familiar.
He looked like a human; at the same time,
he didn't. This person had a humanoid body and a human-like skin, but what made him different was that he had a third eye at the center of his forehead. While His height was over 3 meters tall, his build was actually thin.
The person looked similar to Terra, whom Long Chen had met in the world where he was taken for his trial. The person looked like he was from the Elphia tribe— the tribe of Terra and Xia.
The man grew tired from hitting on the door and sat down with his back resting against the door.
****
The next morning arrived. While Long Chen was still on his way towards the Blazing Sun Empire, something was happening in the Dark Soul Sect.
A black-robed elder was sent to Long Chen's courtyard with the list of routine questions about their mission to the Divine Heaven Sect.
When the Black Robed Elder reached Long Chen's place, he noticed the broken door.
A deep frown covered his face. He stopped thinking about anything and hurriedly entered Long Chen's courtyard.
"Long Chen?" He called out as he tried to find him, but that's when he got the smell of blood.
He walked towards Long Chen's bedroom and saw the blood on the floor. There were some words written on the floor with blood as well.
The man read the words, and his face lost his color.
"This can't be happening!" he exclaimed as he searched every corner of the house.
He left the courtyard and informed everyone.
Every Elder came and checked Long Chen's courtyard.
Most of them understood the meaning of the words written in his rooms.
They all went to the Prison Hall and noticed that Mi Yao was missing as well.
Almost all the black-robed elders and grand Elders were there. Even the Sect Master and the Prime Elder were there, looking at the empty cell of Mi Yao.
After some time, another black-robed elder entered the Courtyard.
"Did you inform Lang Jing about this? Why did you take so long?" The Sect Master asked.
"Lang Jing is missing Sect Master. He wasn't there," the Black Robed Elder replied.
"He wasn't there? Where could he have gone?" The Sect Master muttered.
"There's no doubt about it. Someone helped Mi Yao escape last night. There was no chance for her to escape on her own," the Prime Elder muttered as he noticed that there was no damage in the door of the cell.
"Whoever did it was most probably an insider. Someone from our sect did it. The chances of it being an outsider are really low," another Grand Elder said.
"Mi Yao had definitely gone down the wrong path. She killed our Prime Disciple for revenge. We can't let her escape," another Grand Elder chimed in.
"How can you be so sure? Maybe Lang Jing did it! He wanted to kill Mi Yao, and we all saw it. He killed her and escaped with his disciple, making this clever ploy!" Grand Elder Chu said.
"Grand Elder Chu, Previously, I was only suspicious that you were the one who helped Mi Yao, and your statement only makes my doubts more concrete. Mi Yao was your favorite black-robed elder. You also hated Lang Jing for disrespecting the Sect Master! Mi Yao wouldn't dare to attack Lang Jing as her enmity was with Long Chen, and she wasn't as strong as Lang Jing," A Grand Elder said as he glared at Grand Elder Chu.
"True. Lang Jing being missing can only mean that whoever helped her was stronger than Lang Jing. Lang Jing was one of our Strongest Black Robed Elders. Only a Grand Elder can take him out. Only you had it out for him!" another person said as he pointed towards Grand Elder Chu.
"What nonsense are you talking about! You have gone mad! I wouldn't go that far to do that! I love my sect, and I would never do anything to harm it!" Grand Elder Chu refuted.
"Mi Yao also claimed that when she told us about Long Chen's death, but we all know how truthful her words were. Your words sound similar in intent," Another Grand Elder said.
Most of the Grand Elders seemed to be blaming Grand Elder Chu.