Qin Chu let out a breath, "I owe him my life."
"Don't think like that. His help in your aunt's and your escape was a favor to us, but it was his duty to him. Our rescuing him is also a favor and a duty; there's no question of who owes whom. The ones who truly owe us are the White Tiger Saint Clan, the Blazing Thunder Saint Clan, and the Black Tortoise Saint Clan who were behind it," Qin Lingxi said.
"Aunt, I still don't quite understand what role the Black Tortoise Saint Clan played in that war back then?" Qin Chu asked, looking at Qin Lingxi.
Qin Lingxi looked in the direction of the Black Tortoise Saint Mountain. "Actually, some forces, like the White Tiger Saint Clan and the Vermilion Bird Saint Clan, didn't want the Vermilion Bird Saint Clan to become powerful. The Black Tortoise Saint Clan was likely one of them. It was just because of your mother's relationship that they couldn't openly act, as attacking in-laws would lead to widespread condemnation."
"A bunch of damned people, so hypocritical," Qin Chu cursed.
"Because we were strong, strong to the point where others feared us, yet we hadn't reached the point where others dared not act. This was our mistake," Qin Lingxi said.
Qin Chu nodded. He understood some of the principles. The Vermilion Bird Saint Clan back then posed too great a threat to others, but it hadn't reached an unshakeable level, which is why the White Tiger Saint Clan and the Blazing Thunder Saint Clan dared to act. If they had truly been strong to an unshakeable degree, to the point where anyone who touched them would die, would the White Tiger Saint Clan and the Blazing Thunder Saint Clan have dared to act?
"In the future, we must learn from past lessons. In the past, we established ourselves with benevolence and righteousness; in the future, we will shake the four directions with ruthlessness and dominance," Qin Lingxi said. She felt that the Vermilion Bird Saint Clan in the past had been too soft, too lenient with the White Tiger Saint Clan and the Blazing Thunder Saint Clan, which allowed them to rise up.
After the aunt and nephew chatted for a while, Qin Lingxi returned to her room to rest, and Qin Chu continued to Cultivate in meditation.
Time slipped away little by little. On the sixth day after Qin Chu and Qin Lingxi arrived, Zhen Xuelin returned.
"The information has been thoroughly investigated. In two days, it will be the day that Elder leaves the Profound Ice Prison to go home. An Enforcer will help him with his shift. I will find a way to delay and distract this Enforcer. After you enter, you must hurry to rescue the person, as the time I can delay is limited," Zhen Xuelin said to Qin Lingxi and Qin Chu.
"Thank you for your hard work, Enforcer Xuelin," Qin Lingxi said, cupping her fists to Zhen Xuelin.
"Qingyi is a pitiful person. He did nothing wrong and shouldn't die! My hope is that you will continue to work hard to rescue Princess Xueyan. This is also my request," Zhen Xuelin bowed to Qin Chu and Qin Lingxi.
Qin Chu bowed back to Zhen Xuelin, "That is my mother. No matter what the cost, I will rescue her."
After waiting for two days, Zhen Xuelin prepared Black Tortoise Saint Clan member attire for Qin Lingxi and Qin Chu. After they changed, she led the two into the Black Tortoise Saint Mountain.
Zhen Xuelin, being a member of the Black Tortoise Saint Clan, understood the situation of the Black Tortoise Saint Mountain. She led Qin Lingxi and Qin Chu around the guarded mountain gate and entered the Black Tortoise Saint Mountain from the side.
"Remember the way you came. I won't have time to see you off when you leave, because I need to delay that Enforcer," Zhen Xuelin said.
"Thank you for your hard work, Enforcer Xuelin," Qin Lingxi said.
Zhen Xuelin shook her head, "You must leave safely. Princess Xueyan is still counting on you."
It took an hour for Zhen Xuelin to lead Qin Lingxi and Qin Chu to the area where the Profound Ice Prison was located.
"I can move the guarding Enforcer away in fifteen minutes. After fifteen minutes, you will go straight ahead, and straight ahead is the Profound Ice Prison. The mechanism to open the gate of the Profound Ice Prison is a small hexagonal stone plate. Turning it to the left will open the gate for about two breaths of time, and it will close automatically after two breaths. After you enter, jump down about a hundred zhang, and that is the Profound Ice Dungeon. After finding the person, you bring him up. When you come out, inject energy into the hexagonal Formation Plate inside the Profound Ice Prison gate. It requires the energy of a sixth-rank King realm, and the gate will open. Then you leave with the person. Remember not to be seen by other prisoners, as that could easily leak the secret. If no one discovers it, Qingyi's fate will remain a mystery," Zhen Xuelin explained some precautions for the rescue to Qin Chu and Qin Lingxi.
"I brought the corpse of a villain in my Storage Ring. After I find Qingyi, I will put Qingyi's robes on the corpse to create the illusion that Qingyi has died," Qin Lingxi said.
"Is the build similar? If it's similar, processing the face would be a good post-mortem plan," Zhen Xuelin said.
"The build is similar. We cannot alert the Black Tortoise Saint Clan due to Qingyi's disappearance, increasing the difficulty of rescuing my sister-in-law!" Qin Lingxi said.
Zhen Xuelin left to complete her part in the rescue. She was also at risk. Once discovered, she would be a traitor to the Black Tortoise Saint Clan, and her fate would be tragic.
After Zhen Xuelin left, Qin Chu and Qin Lingxi waited for fifteen minutes, then quickly rushed to the Profound Ice Prison. Qin Chu found the opening mechanism and opened it.
After the mechanism was opened, Qin Chu and Qin Lingxi entered the Profound Ice Prison.
Upon entering the Profound Ice Prison, Qin Chu and Qin Lingxi stood on a high platform.
"Those imprisoned in the Profound Ice Prison are either completely crippled or have their Cultivation sealed. They cannot come up, so we will go down and search! You follow your aunt. Your aunt can pinpoint Qingyi's aura and can search quietly to avoid being discovered by other prisoners," Qin Lingxi said to Qin Chu.
Qin Chu nodded, then, carried by Qin Lingxi, descended into the Profound Ice Prison.
Upon reaching the ground, Qin Chu felt an extreme cold. For someone without Cultivation, being in there would be torture.
Inside the Profound Ice Prison, there was some light, which was natural light. The Profound Ice Prison was inside a large mountain, and the mountain still had some holes.
Qin Lingxi took Qin Chu on a silent, low-altitude flight, searching for Qingyi within the Profound Ice Prison.
Inside the Profound Ice Prison, there were individual partitioned spaces. Some spaces contained hunched figures, which were the prisoners.
After searching for about half an incense stick's time, Qin Lingxi led Qin Chu to a cell. Inside the cell was a figure with long hair covering his face, sitting cross-legged.
This figure wore a tattered green robe, but his sitting posture was perfectly straight.
"Qingyi!" Qin Lingxi called out softly, her voice trembling slightly.
As Qin Lingxi's voice called out, the figure in the cell trembled slightly. Then, his hand, still bearing chains, lifted his long hair, revealing a face completely devoid of color.
"Princess Lingxi... this place is quite dangerous, don't mind me, hurry and leave!" the man said. He was Qingyi, the loyal guard who had sworn to block the pursuers for Qin Lingxi and Qin Chu back then.
