Chapter 357
“And there are countless cultivation crystals as well. Those are not treasures that can be acquired on a whim.”
Yian swept his gaze across the gathered elders, trying to make them see reason.
An elder shook his head.
“Those items are indeed valuable, but the Blazing Stone is our clan’s sacred relic. It affects the future of countless tribesmen. How could a few treasures possibly compensate for that loss?”
Even if such riches had been offered in exchange from the beginning, many of them still would have refused.
Viewed over the long term, the sacred relic was far more valuable.
More importantly, they wanted it back. And they intended to force Setan to reveal where it had gone.
“You people…” Yian’s face darkened with frustration. “You’re nothing but greedy.”
Deep down, however, he understood their true objective.
They did not care about compensation. They wanted Setan to surrender.
But he knew his son too well. Setan would sooner sacrifice his life than betray Nina.
“Yian, even you know these things cannot truly replace the sacred relic.”
One elder sighed.
“Instead of arguing with us, convince Setan to reveal where it is.”
Several others immediately agreed.
“That’s right. Let him tell us where the relic went.”
“If he cooperates, we can overlook this incident out of respect for his past contributions and withdraw the punishment.”
Yian’s expression hardened.
“I refuse to accept this verdict.”
Before the argument could continue, Setan stepped forward and gently caught his father’s arm.
“Father, there is no need to argue with them.”
His voice remained calm. Then he turned toward the elders.
“The loss of the sacred relic is my responsibility. I will accept whatever punishment you decide.”
His eyes sharpened.
“But this matter ends with me.”
Elder Freen immediately shook his head.
“Impossible.” The old lion’s gaze was cold and unyielding. “Your punishment addresses your crime. It does not erase the fact that the relic is still missing.”
He stepped forward.
“We will continue searching for that female and reclaim what belongs to Blazing Flame City.”
A dangerous chill entered Setan’s aura. The air itself seemed to tighten.
Seeing the shift in his expression, Freen gave a humorless laugh.
“Setan, with your strength, perhaps you could kill me.”
His eyes narrowed.
“But if you harm me for the sake of that female, Blazing Flame City will never stop pursuing her.”
The threat hung heavily in the room.
“And your father and mother will spend the rest of their lives being condemned by our people.”
Setan’s hands clenched into fists. For a brief moment, murderous intent flickered through him. Then it vanished. Slowly, he forced himself to calm down.
He could not kill Freen. Not now. Not at this cost.
A satisfied smile touched Freen’s lips.
“Take him.” He turned toward the guards. “Lock him in the dungeon.”
The guards hesitated briefly before stepping forward.
“Tomorrow, he will be taken to the Ice Thunder Cavern to receive punishment.”
Then Freen looked directly at Setan.
“I am giving you one more day.”
His tone softened slightly.
“If you reconsider and reveal the relic’s whereabouts, we can still resolve this.”
His expression became almost regretful.
“You have been an excellent City Lord.”
That much was true. He had trusted Setan completely. When Setan requested the elders’ tokens, Freen had handed over his without the slightest suspicion.
“If you help recover the relic, we can put this behind us.”
His eyes remained fixed on the younger lion.
“We will forgive this mistake and support your return as City Lord.”
In Freen’s mind, Setan had merely been bewitched by a female and momentarily lost his judgment.
If he repented now, there was still a path back.
Setan said nothing. Nor did he resist.
He understood that fighting would accomplish nothing except drag his parents into the disaster.
Besides, he had never intended to flee from the consequences.
Only one regret remained… He had not been able to completely clean up the aftermath for Nina.
He could only hope she had already gone far enough away. Hope she had escaped before the elders found a trail.
Hope Odian’s teleportation array had already carried her beyond their reach.
Under the watchful eyes of the elders, Setan was escorted away.
Yian could do nothing but watch as his son disappeared into the depths of the dungeon.
A profound sense of helplessness settled over him. For a long time, he remained standing in silence. Then, as if finally making a decision, he turned and strode out of the City Lord’s residence.
His pace quickened with every step. There was still one thing he could try. One final possibility.
Meanwhile, Freen and the other elders immediately launched a full search for Nina’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately for them, Setan had anticipated this long ago.
Every clue. Every trace. Every possible lead… All of it had been erased with meticulous care.
No matter where they searched, they found nothing. Not a footprint. Not a scent mark. Not a single indication of which direction she had traveled.
After hours of fruitless effort, frustration mounted among the elders.
“Freen, what do we do now?” One elder’s expression was grim. “We can’t find any trace of that female.”
He rubbed his forehead. “Setan cleaned everything too thoroughly.”
Several elders sighed.
Sometimes Setan’s exceptional competence was more troublesome than helpful.
Freen’s face darkened.
“Then we wait.” His voice carried cold certainty. “I refuse to believe he can endure the Ice Thunder Punishment.”
A flicker of anger flashed across his eyes.
“When the pain begins, he will talk.”
The others exchanged uneasy glances. For now, they had no better option.
If they wanted answers, those answers would have to come from Setan himself.
. . .
Deep beneath the city, within the cold shadows of the dungeon, Setan sat alone in silence. The dim light cast long shadows across the stone walls. Yet there was no fear on his face, only calm acceptance.
The punishment awaiting him tomorrow seemed unable to shake his resolve.
Some time later, footsteps echoed through the corridor. The heavy dungeon doors creaked open.
Yian entered, accompanied by another beastman.
Together, they stopped before Setan’s cell.
The atmosphere grew tense as father and son met each other’s eyes through the iron bars.