Mo Tiange walked over quietly, peering through the crack in the door.
Elder Qingyi had blood on her chest but remained standing, with Elder Qingmiao guarding vigilantly beside her. Shangguan Yunhao stood not far away, his face filled with resentment. Ren Yufeng, meanwhile, watched their argument as if it had nothing to do with him, an expression of amusement on his face.
"Don't think I'll believe your words!" Shangguan Yunhao's face twisted. "My mind is corrupt? Clearly, you're the ones who are biased!"
"Yes, we're biased!" Elder Qingmiao stared at him, her gaze sharp as a blade. "We were truly blind, favoring you, this ungrateful wretch, in every way! Our Linhai is so lacking in resources, yet we always prioritized your share, never assigned you any duties, letting you focus solely on cultivation. And what did we raise? A white-eyed wolf!"
Having been watched over by the three elders since he was a child, Shangguan Yunhao's imposing manner weakened under Elder Qingmiao's piercing gaze, his eyes beginning to flinch.
Seeing this, Ren Yufeng gave a light laugh, his demonic eyes sweeping over the female cultivators before him. "If that's truly the case, why didn't they let you go to Kunwu?"
Hearing this, Shangguan Yunhao puffed out his chest again. "Exactly! You clearly cultivated me out of necessity for the sect's future! And you were afraid that if I went to Kunwu, I wouldn't return to Linhai, so you kept me trapped here for life!"
Mo Tiange knew the real reason. A few days ago, when she went to the Dao-Attainment Pagoda to meet the three elders, she had gleaned from their words that the Bixuan Pavilion lacked talent, which was why they had always been afraid to let high-aptitude disciples go out to gain experience. It was nothing like the reason Shangguan Yunhao claimed.
This Shangguan Yunhao truly had a corrupt mind. Did he think that just because he possessed an Exotic Spirit Root, he should be pampered everywhere? In Kunwu, every sect indeed wanted to recruit those with Exotic Spirit Roots, but if one thought that having such a root meant they could rely entirely on the sect's provisions, they would only be looked down upon!
Even if the Bixuan Pavilion's resources were lacking, with the full support of an entire sect dedicated to his cultivation, how bad could it be? The small and medium-sized sects in Kunwu probably could only offer the same. But if it were a major sect, even if they accepted a disciple with an Exotic Spirit Root, they would absolutely not be as lenient with him as the Bixuan Pavilion had been. If his cultivation didn't meet the sect's requirements, his Spirit Stones and pills would be reduced. If he didn't strive on his own, no one could save him.
Thus, excellent aptitude was a gift from heaven, but in the end, one still had to rely on their own efforts. Those who, relying on their outstanding talent, felt that everything should be given to them by others—such people could never achieve the Immortal Dao.
"Qingmiao, don't waste words on him!" Elder Qingyi barked out. "This ungrateful wretch blames others for everything he doesn't get. He never once considered that from the day he entered the sect, everything he has today was given by us!"
"Indeed," Elder Qingmiao's expression also turned cold as she looked at Shangguan Yunhao, her gaze indifferent, clearly holding no more expectations. "The three of us, sisters in the Dao, have truly failed. Over a hundred years, and this is what we taught."
The conversation between the two elders made Shangguan Yunhao fume with rage. "Not only do you not repent, you even say I—"
Mo Tiange sighed. Some people in this world only remembered grudges, not kindness. They never thought about how much others had given them, but always about how much more others could give them. If they weren't given everything possible, they felt wronged.
Therefore, even when bestowing favors, one must see clearly what kind of person they are dealing with. Some people, when treated well, not only wouldn't be grateful, but would think you foolish, greedily trying to get more from you—otherwise, you'd be wronging them. 'An ounce of kindness becomes a bushel of enmity'—this saying was not without reason.
"Shangguan Yunhao!" Wei Haolan spoke coldly. "This Demonic Cultivator—did you collude with him?"
Shangguan Yunhao's gaze turned sinister. Having failed to obtain the position of Sect Leader, he harbored intense hatred for Wei Haolan. "Yes, he promised to take me away from Linhai. I've had enough long ago!"
"These past days, disciples from my sect have gone missing from time to time. Was it his doing, or yours?"
"What if it was me?" Shangguan Yunhao showed not a shred of guilt. "Those fools, it's no pity if they die! Better to give them to Senior Ren for his cultivation—a case of making use of waste."
"Then there's nothing more to say." Wei Haolan waved a hand, summoning a bronze mirror. "Elder Qingyi was caught off guard because she didn't guard against you. Now I'll deal with you. Let's see just how strong the Bixuan Pavilion's number one Foundation Establishment disciple really is!"
Shangguan Yunhao's face changed instantly. "Overestimating yourself! Wei Haolan, you stole my position as Sect Leader. Today, I'll show you my true power!" As he spoke, he also summoned a magical tool.
Mo Tiange had never seen Wei Haolan fight before. Seeing her now, she was not weak in the slightest.
Elder Qingyi watched the two clash, her gaze icy. "This traitor thinks too highly of himself. It's good to let Haolan teach him a lesson. In the past, we protected him, not wanting him to suffer setbacks. Now it seems we were too lenient!"
Elder Qingmiao lowered her gaze and sighed, then asked with concern, "Senior Sister, how is your injury?"
"Fine, I won't die." Elder Qingyi removed the hand covering her chest. "Let's deal with the enemy first."
"Agreed!"
The two sisters-in-the-Dao shifted their focus to Ren Yufeng, each summoning their own treasures.
Mo Tiange could tell that although Wei Haolan's cultivation level was inferior to Shangguan Yunhao's, her combat ability was stronger; she probably wouldn't lose to him. As for Elder Qingyi, she was, after all, a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator. Even if ambushed, how could a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator seriously injure her? So her wound wasn't severe. With the two elders joining forces now, Mo Tiange estimated they would still be slightly stronger than Ren Yufeng.
However, she scrutinized Ren Yufeng carefully and noticed the Demonic Qi around him had grown denser. Recalling what Shangguan Yunhao said about the missing Bixuan Pavilion disciples... Ren Yufeng had truly embarked on the path of a Demonic Cultivator, actually using human corpses for cultivation.
Ren Yufeng was currently facing off against Elders Qingyi and Qingmiao when he suddenly glanced toward the alchemy room and said gloomily, "Ye Xiaotian, Junior Sister Ye, it's been a few months. Why are you hiding?"
Since Ren Yufeng and Shangguan Yunhao were colluding, Mo Tiange hadn't expected her whereabouts to remain hidden from him. Although she had a nature of self-preservation, she couldn't bring herself to wash her hands of the matter completely, disregarding the lives of others.
Therefore, she pushed open the door to the alchemy room and walked out boldly.
"Ren Yufeng, I'm right here. What instructions do you have?"
When Ren Yufeng called her 'Junior Sister,' a flicker of surprise and doubt crossed the faces of Elders Qingyi and Qingmiao. But seeing Mo Tiange's full alertness toward Ren Yufeng, their expressions eased.
"Instructions? I wouldn't dare." Ren Yufeng looked at her, a smile on his face. But now, with his entire body shrouded in Demonic Qi, his smile only made him more terrifying. "I truly didn't expect it. Back then, when I couldn't find you, I thought you had escaped with Jiang Shuihan and the others. Turns out you came to the East Sea with me! Did you hide in the underground palace that entire year?"
"Correct." There was no harm in saying this. "Ren Yufeng, I hid in the underground palace for a year, and you never noticed at all."
"Junior Sister Ye truly lives up to being the esteemed disciple of a Nascent Soul Dao Lord from the Xuanqing Sect!" Ren Yufeng's face twisted. He thought he had gained power, yet he had been fooled by a Foundation Establishment cultivator. His anger was understandable. "But today, you won't escape!"
Mo Tiange sneered. "I return those words to you! You are treacherous, cunning, and corrupt-minded. As an elite disciple of the Zhafa Sect, you used your fellow disciples and discarded them after crossing the river, scheming everywhere, trying to kill me to silence me! I, Ye Xiaotian, am not some weak woman who lets others bully her without fighting back. Since you schemed against me, I'll repay you in kind!"
"Hahahaha!" Ren Yufeng threw his head back and laughed. When he finished, his face was full of gloom. "I hate people like you the most, so-called heaven's favorites who look down on others just because you think your aptitude is high. You want to kill me? A joke! A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator wants to kill me!"
Ignoring his mockery, Mo Tiange turned to Elders Qingyi and Qingmiao. "Seniors, does Sect Leader Wei's promise to me when I first arrived still hold?"
Back then, when Wei Haolan asked her to teach Xia Qing alchemy, one of her conditions was to guarantee her safety.
Having heard the previous exchange, the two elders already knew this Demonic Cultivator was a madman. Even if they tried to stay out of it, this person and the Bixuan Pavilion were already at odds. Moreover, the missing disciples were also because of this Demonic Cultivator; the enmity was already formed. They immediately said to Mo Tiange, "Little Friend Ye, rest assured. Since we promised, it naturally holds."
As they spoke, Elders Qingyi and Qingmiao stepped forward.
"Hmph!" Ren Yufeng snorted coldly, glancing at Mo Tiange. "I'll deal with these two old women first, then deal with you!"
"Arrogant!" Hearing this, Elder Qingyi barked.
Even if Demonic Cultivators were generally stronger in combat than righteous path cultivators, this Ren Yufeng was only an early-stage Core Formation cultivator. Elder Qingyi was mid-stage Core Formation, and Elder Qingmiao was early-stage Core Formation. Two against one—there was no reason to lose!
"Whether it's arrogance or not, you'll see!" Ren Yufeng's face turned ferocious as he formed a hand seal with both hands. Instantly, a sphere formed from gathered black Demonic Qi appeared before his chest.
Elders Qingyi and Qingmiao didn't dare be careless. Each released protective Spiritual Light and summoned their treasures. Elder Qingyi's was a jade vase with a willow branch inserted. She plucked the willow branch and flicked it, sprinkling a few drops of sweet dew. Spiritual Qi shimmered before them, weaving into a net of Spiritual Qi that blocked Ren Yufeng's path.
By now, Ren Yufeng's Demonic Qi sphere was spinning wildly. He snorted coldly, sweeping a contemptuous gaze over the people before him, then pushed the sphere forward with a flat hand.
With a "boom," the Spiritual Qi net transformed from Elder Qingyi's treasure blocked the Demonic Qi sphere, but it erupted with an extremely powerful Spiritual Qi shockwave.
"Ah—" Two cries of pain rang out—not from Elders Qingyi and Qingmiao, but from Wei Haolan and Shangguan Yunhao, who were fighting nearby.
Mo Tiange had long since cleverly hidden behind the two elders, so she wasn't affected.
"Haolan!" Seeing Wei Haolan sent flying, Elder Qingmiao flicked a golden rope from her hand, binding Wei Haolan and pulling her back.
Shangguan Yunhao wasn't so lucky. He crashed heavily to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and pointed at Ren Yufeng. "Senior... Ren, you..."
Ren Yufeng looked at him as if he were a tiny ant, his eyes filled with disdain. "Since you're useless, go die!"
Hearing this, anger rose on Shangguan Yunhao's face. "You... don't keep... your word!"
"Hmph!" Ren Yufeng gave him a cold glance and uttered only two words: "Naive!"
Shangguan Yunhao's eyes widened, his face full of unwillingness, before he finally ceased breathing.
Mo Tiange looked at his corpse without a shred of pity. She felt no sympathy for those who couldn't see their own place and only knew how to endlessly take.