"You should know the current state of the world without me having to explain it. The descent of a Heavenly Mandate brings chaos to the world; the world stirs. It was so in the distant past, in the ancient times, and the Present Era will be no exception."
"This world may appear calm on the surface, but undercurrents have long been churning. From great sects and nations down to minor schools and families, whether it's our Crimson-Letter Sect or the Immortal Dynasty, everyone is the same. All are trying to find a way to survive this upheaval."
"For survival?" Old Master Fengxu said coldly. "Is that your reason for betraying Chixiao and siding with the Immortal Dynasty?"
Tan Tong retorted, "The Chixiao Sect ceased to exist long ago. Since it no longer exists, how can I betray it?"
"The Chixiao Sect may be gone, but the Crimson-Letter Sect remains!"
"Chixiao is Chixiao, the Crimson-Letter Sect is the Crimson-Letter Sect. Fengxu, don't confuse the two!"
"Without the Chixiao of the past, where would the Crimson-Letter Sect of today come from!"
"Even so, the Crimson-Letter Sect today is already scattered and fragmented. Its demise is only a matter of time!" Tan Tong declared. "I have no intention of waiting for death alongside the Crimson-Letter Sect in this upheaval!"
"The Crimson-Letter Sect may be scattered, but if we, the old Chixiao Brothers, unite, no one would dare look down on us! Moreover, our Chixiao Sovereign has issued the Chishang Seal Order, summoning the Chixiao Brothers. Why haven't you responded!"
"Responded?" Tan Tong sneered. "Why should we respond to the Chixiao Sovereign's Chishang Seal Order? Hah... Fengxu, oh Fengxu, tell me, how many of our Chixiao Brothers from back then actually responded to the Chishang Seal Order? Forget our brothers, or the various Banner Masters—how many of the Seventy-Two Earth Fiends responded? How many of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars? How many of the Eighteen Princes?"
Tan Tong's words left Old Master Fengxu unable to retort, striking a deep chord of pain within him.
Back then.
When the Monarch was judged by the Immortal Dao.
When the world fell into chaos, with demons and monsters running rampant.
With a single Chishang Seal Order from the Old Master, whether it was the Three Sects and Six Paths or the Nine Sovereigns, the Eighteen Princes, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, the Seventy-Two Earth Fiends, all the Banner Masters, all the Hall Masters—every single Chixiao Brother assembled without delay.
But now.
Just a few years ago, when the Chixiao Sovereign issued the Chishang Seal Order to discuss matters, it was exactly as Tan Tong said. Forget the Chixiao Brothers, even the backbone of the former Chixiao Sect like the Seventy-Two Earth Fiends, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, and the Eighteen Princes—few responded.
Whether they didn't receive the message or, like the Black-Hearted Fiend Zhou Taihe, they already had other ideas in their hearts, no one knew.
"Fengxu, oh Fengxu, this is the Present Era, no longer the Ancient Times. In the Ancient Times, we were lucky enough to overthrow the Immortal Dynasty. In the Present Era, what do we have to fight the Immortal Dynasty with? Don't say the Monarch is dead—even if the Monarch were still here, we would be no match for the Immortal Dynasty of the Present Era!"
Tan Tong tried to persuade him. "Fengxu, wake up. Three years ago, you were injured by a young man. Isn't that enough to make you realize how the Present Era has changed? The Present Era belongs to the young, to the era of fortune. The era that belonged to us Chixiao has long passed... Whether you admit it or not, this is an undeniable fact. Even if the Monarch were alive, he could not lead us to recreate the glory of the Ancient Times."
"We... never intended to contend with the Immortal Dynasty again, nor to recreate the glory of the Ancient Times. We are not unaware of the changes of the era. It's just... no matter what, these cannot be your reasons for siding with the Immortal Dynasty!" Old Master Fengxu's face flushed red. "Don't forget how the Immortal Dynasty oppressed us back then! Don't forget how many of our Chixiao Brothers died at the hands of the Immortal Dynasty!"
"There is no personal grudge between us and the Immortal Dynasty. Back then, our battles with the Immortal Dynasty were, at most, forced by circumstances for survival, nothing more. It's true that many of our Chixiao Brothers died at the hands of the Immortal Dynasty, but many from the Immortal Dynasty also died at our hands."
Tan Tong spoke righteously. "Back then, it was merely a difference in stance. One must look forward, not live in the past forever. And..."
"Nonsense! If not for our Chixiao Brothers fighting desperately against the Immortal Dynasty back then, where would your past be? If not for the Great Hidden Dragon-Elephant protecting us, where would your present be? If not for the Monarch taking all the blame upon himself, where would your future be!" Before Tan Tong could finish, Old Master Fengxu couldn't help but roar. "One must not forget their roots! And one must not be without conscience! The reason you are alive today, living so well, is not because of your own abilities! It's because of the Monarch, because of the Dragon-Elephant, because of all those fallen Chixiao Brothers who traded their lives for it! You cannot wield the Blood Fiend Dragon-Elephant and use everything the Monarch bought with his life to side with the Immortal Dynasty!"
Tan Tong sneered in response. "Stubborn! Utterly stubborn and unreasonable!"
"Hahaha! Stubborn?" Old Master Fengxu threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with fury. Pointing at Tan Tong, he shouted, "Tan Tong, don't spout this twisted logic to me! What 'for survival,' what 'scattered like loose sand,' what 'forced by circumstances'—you sided with the Immortal Dynasty, that's what you did! No matter what excuse you find, siding with the Immortal Dynasty is the fact, an ironclad fact! Your fundamental purpose in siding with the Immortal Dynasty is nothing but seeking wealth and glory! Why bother finding so many excuses!"
Perhaps Fengxu's tone was too harsh, or perhaps his words struck a nerve. The previously calm Tan Tong slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his face alternating between green and white, clearly enraged.
Seeing him rise, the group of Fated Prodigies and Earth Immortals behind him immediately began circulating their Nascent Soul Dharma Forms. Tan Tong raised a hand, signaling them not to act. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath to suppress the fury in his heart, and said, "Since you put it that way, I won't deny it. Yes, I do seek wealth and glory. Is that wrong?"
"And don't tell me that everything today was bought with Gu Tianlang's life! Hmph! That's just what you think. I don't believe it. Everything I have today, I fought for myself. It's what I deserve! I, Tan Tong, owe no one, least of all Gu Tianlang! If anyone owes anyone, it's Gu Tianlang who owes me!"
Tan Tong stood with his hands behind his back, his aura imposing, his face dark. He shouted, "Back then, why did we follow Gu Tianlang to conquer the world? Wasn't it so that one day we could overthrow the Immortal Dynasty, rule the world, and enjoy wealth and glory? And what did he do? After overthrowing the Immortal Dynasty, he personally buried the Chixiao Sect! And he said he wanted us to live free and unrestrained lives in the future? What a joke! I, Tan Tong, followed Gu Tianlang to conquer the world for a life of wealth and glory, not some 'free and unrestrained' life!"