Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2216 142: Interception and Killing (Part 2)

The result was obvious, requiring no explanation from Deng Yingjue.

Wang Ba had already anticipated the sequence of events. It was the typical tale of Wan Hainteng slaughtering entire lineages without restraint, refining the cultivators of the Green Flood Dragon Realm to ensure no future vengeance could take root.

A heavy weight settled in his chest for a moment.

He was no stranger to the ruthless methods of the Demon Dao.

To certain demon cultivators, other cultivators and sentient beings were nothing more than cultivation resources to be harvested.

However, what he found difficult to stomach was the fact that the destruction of the Green Flood Dragon Realm was, in some capacity, triggered by the Dao Treasure he had unintentionally bestowed.

Noticing Wang Ba’s dark expression, Deng Yingjue seemed to read his mind. After a brief silence, he shook his head and spoke:

"Sir, please do not believe this tragedy began because of that Dao Treasure... In truth, if I had simply been willing to part with it earlier, this disaster might have been avoided. I have only myself to blame."

"Furthermore, even without this specific incident, the nature of the Wan Family meant we were destined to become prey eventually. Rogue cultivators on the fringes of She Mansion vanished frequently without explanation. I was ignorant of the cause before, but it is clear now that the Wan Family was responsible."

"Just like Wan Hainteng’s Demon Dao magic treasure, the sacrifices required aren't limited to our Green Flood Dragon Realm... our demise was merely moved forward."

Within every coincidence lies a spark of inevitability.

The Dao Treasure acted only as the catalyst; the true villainy resided within the Qingluo Wan Family.

Wang Ba grasped this logic, yet finding peace with it was another matter entirely.

He followed his own path.

Beside him, the Tenth Son of Yin hesitated for a second before leaning in to whisper to Wang Ba:

"Such occurrences are commonplace within Zhang’s Ruins. Families like ours—the Yin Family, or those in Spirit Origin Prefecture, Illusion Sky Realm, Longcong Prefecture, and Golden Water Pond—hold the gateways to Zhang’s Ruins. Because our resources are plentiful, we have no need to hunt rogue cultivators to sustain our family’s Cultivation."

"However, resources are scarce deeper within Zhang’s Ruins. Naturally, those families can only survive by preying on rogue cultivators. This has worsened in recent years because the evil monks of the Supreme True Buddha have shattered many domains, driving more rogue cultivators into Zhang’s Ruins than ever before. With limited resources and an influx of people, competition has intensified. These powers have become much more..."

He paused briefly, searching for the right word before settling on 'unscrupulous' to define their tactics.

He then revealed a hidden rule shared among the various Crossing Tribulation level powers:

"Rogue cultivators from places like the Green Flood Dragon Realm, which boast larger populations, are specifically targeted. These powers do not want new Crossing Tribulation forces rising within the Ruins to challenge them for resources. Therefore, that Dao Treasure was likely just a convenient pretext; the Wan Family had probably been eyeing Fellow Daoist Deng from the start."

Although the Tenth Son of Yin had not reached a high cultivation realm, he had spent years at the side of Yin Fu, the Chief of the Yin Ruins Arena, allowing him to see through these political machinations clearly.

Hearing this, Wang Ba’s heart lightened slightly, while Deng Yingjue stood there in a daze.

"Could it be... was that truly the reason?!"

He had lived under the impression that his own choices caused the catastrophe. Yet, after hearing the analysis from the Tenth Son of Yin, he realized that their mere existence was an eyesore to the Wan Family.

"To them, you are just a crop to be harvested once you've grown sufficiently. They don't care about your thoughts, as new rogue cultivators will always arrive to fill the void."

"In this world, if you aren't the one sitting at the table eating, you are likely the meal being served."

The Tenth Son of Yin spoke with brutal honesty.

These were lessons passed down by the Yin Family Elders, which he now used to illuminate the situation.

Confronted with such a harsh reality, Deng Yingjue could only remain standing in stunned silence.

Wang Ba caught a subtle implication in the words and frowned slightly as he looked toward the Tenth Son of Yin:

"So, does that mean the factions within Zhang’s Ruins actually hope the Supreme True Buddha continues its path of destruction?"

The question caught the Tenth Son of Yin off guard. He wavered, recalling the conversations of Yin Fu and other high-ranking Yin Family members. Unable to form a definitive conclusion of his own, he answered tentatively:

"Perhaps... perhaps they do?"

"We certainly have no desire to encounter those wicked monks of the Supreme True Buddha personally..."

But they didn't exactly oppose their existence either.

Wang Ba silently finished the thought in his mind.

As a Master of a Realm, his perspective and intuition were far sharper than those of the Tenth Son of Yin.

The forces of the Supreme True Buddha threw the Realm Sea into chaos, destroying domains and creating a sea of displaced rogue cultivators.

To the established powers within Zhang’s Ruins, these refugees were like fattened sheep.

From a purely pragmatic standpoint, every Crossing Tribulation force within Zhang’s Ruins benefited from this chaos without exception.

Even the White Canal Yin Family, despite the Tenth Son of Yin’s noble phrasing, controlled the entrance to the Ruins. They effectively taxed every rogue cultivator seeking sanctuary before they could even step inside.

This wasn't necessarily a matter of morality; acting for the survival of one's clan naturally placed self-interest above all else.

However, when interests are divided by proximity and distance, conflict between these powers becomes inevitable.

For instance, those guarding the entrance reap immediate profits and view the Supreme True Buddha as a mortal threat.

Meanwhile, those deep within the Ruins, who gain much less than the gatekeepers, might wish for the Supreme True Buddha to persist. Ideally, they would want the monks to weaken the external powers, providing an opportunity for the internal factions to seize control.

Even among the gatekeeping forces, varying agendas made it nearly impossible to find common ground.