Chapter 185
In truth, the Tianyuan Sect was reluctant to abandon Tao Zhiyuan. Regardless of whether he was the key to their ascension, he was still a Nascent Soul cultivator with a Mutated Thunder Spirit Root.
But now, the other sects had acted first and reported later, spreading the news throughout the entire cultivation world.
Now, they had no choice but to abandon him, even if they didn't want to.
Even as the top sect in the cultivation world, they lacked the power to stand against all the other cultivators.
Most importantly, their Divine Transformation ancestor was no longer unique.
Previously, when their sect was the only one in this small world with a Divine Transformation ancestor, he could have stepped forward to reverse the situation, even if the other sects had spread the news.
After all, the words of a Divine Transformation cultivator carried far more weight than those of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
But now, that was no longer the case.
As the one being abandoned, Tao Zhiyuan was desperate. “You actually believe her nonsense? She’s a waste with a Five Spirit Root, how could she possibly be this powerful? She must have cultivated some demonic art! You’ve all been deceived by her!”
The moment he finished speaking, one of the Divine Transformation cultivators slapped him from across the distance. “So, are you suggesting that we all reached Divine Transformation by cultivating demonic arts?”
Tao Zhiyuan fell silent.
Zheng Ping then spoke up. “You all should carefully consider how you will choose to proceed.”
Tianming’s expression was grim.
Discuss? Had they been given any time to discuss?
Did they have any choice other than to expel Tao Zhiyuan?
Tianming sent a voice transmission to Xuanhong. With an apologetic glance at Tao Zhiyuan, Xuanhong announced, “Naturally, he must be expelled from the sect. This is a matter that concerns the entire small world, after all. From this moment on, Tao Zhiyuan is no longer a member of the Tianyuan Sect. I will send word to the others immediately.”
Zheng Ping nodded in praise. “Sect Master Xuanhong sees things clearly.”
He then turned to the pale-faced Tao Zhiyuan. “You need not worry so much for now. That Fellow Daoist said she would give you ten days to flee. You still have time to prepare.”
His words were as good as saying nothing at all.
Tao Zhiyuan desperately wanted to retort: Prepare for what? How to die?
But he held his tongue. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
Since the Tianyuan Sect had abandoned him, they shouldn't expect any mercy from him in the future.
Of course, Tao Zhiyuan didn't believe he would die at Qiu Chi's hands.
He possessed a Mutated Thunder Spirit Root and was an undeniable genius. So what if he had forced his breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage?
Ge Yanling was merely in the early Golden Core stage, relying on the immortal artifact in her possession.
Ten days was more than enough time for him to find a place to properly advance his cultivation.
He, Tao Zhiyuan, was no pushover to be trifled with.
Sooner or later…
Tao Zhiyuan’s mind was consumed by the classic trope of a scorned youth vowing revenge.
After Tao Zhiyuan left, Zhuang Ye followed Qiu Chi’s instructions and secretly trailed him.
Meanwhile, those remaining on the cloud platform watched as several Divine Transformation cultivators turned to Tianming, their eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. “Fellow Daoist Tianming, you’ve been at the Divine Transformation stage for so long, while we’ve only just arrived. It’s all still very new to us. We’d like to ask you for a few pointers. You must do us the honor.”
“Why bother with all that fancy talk? Tianming, I want to fight you. If you refuse, it means you’re scared. Give me a straight answer—are we fighting or not?”
Before reaching the Divine Transformation stage, these cultivators had to constantly be mindful of Tianming's moods. They had long grown tired of it.
Now that they were all Divine Transformation cultivators, who was afraid of him anymore?
Even if Tianming had been at this stage longer, there were many of them. If they took him on one by one, there was no way he could endure it.
They would have preferred to gang up on him rather than take turns, but there was no need to say that aloud now—it would be beneath their dignity.
They could just gang up on him later, when only they and Tianming were present.
Over here, Tianming’s expression was grim, but he had no choice but to agree to their “sparring match.”
After all, in front of so many Nascent Soul cultivators, refusing would mean admitting he was scared. The loss of face would be too great to bear, so he had to choose to suffer in order to preserve his pride.
Meanwhile, Zhuang Ye had secretly followed Tao Zhiyuan. Not long after they had left the Tianyuan Sect, he called out to him.
“Brother Tao, please wait a moment.”
Tao Zhiyuan, his mind still consumed with thoughts of future revenge, paused. Without turning around, he asked in a cold voice, “What are you doing here?”
Zhuang Ye’s voice held a hint of a smile. “I’ve come to see you off, of course, Brother Tao. You must be running low on medicinal pills, aren't you?”
Tao Zhiyuan was indeed short on pills. After forcing his breakthrough and then working to stabilize his new cultivation level, he had consumed them at an alarming rate.
Now that Zhuang Ye had stopped him and brought up the subject of pills, Tao Zhiyuan assumed he was here to give him some.
Zhuang Ye might be a bit of a dandy and a little foolish, but he was a good person at heart, unlike the others from the Tianyuan Sect…
With this in mind, Tao Zhiyuan turned around. “I am indeed running low on pills.”
After saying this, he fell silent, waiting for Zhuang Ye to offer him the pills.
But Zhuang Ye showed no intention of doing so. Instead, he continued, “So, how many pills do you have left, Brother Tao?”
Is he asking so he knows which pills to give me?
The thought crossed Tao Zhiyuan’s mind, and he answered the question.
After he answered, he saw Zhuang Ye smile at him and hold out a hand.
Tao Zhiyuan stared at Zhuang Ye’s outstretched, empty hand, somewhat bewildered. “What’s this for?”
Zhuang Ye smiled again, speaking with a hint of embarrassment. “Could I trouble you to give me the rest of your pills, Brother Tao?”
Tao Zhiyuan was stunned. Utterly stunned.
His look of confusion was so intense that Zhuang Ye felt compelled to explain, a little sheepishly, “Well, you see, before, you were the genius of the Tianyuan Sect, Brother Tao, which is why I gave you so many pills. But now you’re no longer part of our sect, so of course I have to take them back.”
“But I know it’s not realistic to ask you to return every single pill, so just give me what you have on hand now. I won’t bother you about the ones you’ve already consumed. After all, we knew each other for a time. Consider those a gift.”
As he finished, Zhuang Ye even looked a little proud, wearing an expression that seemed to say, Aren't I generous?
As for Tao Zhiyuan? His face was a kaleidoscope of colors—green, then purple, then white. In short, it was a ghastly sight.
Zhuang Ye kept his hand outstretched, pretending not to notice Tao Zhiyuan’s hideous expression.
Tao Zhiyuan took several deep breaths before forcing the words out through gritted teeth. “So, you only gave me those pills because I was part of the Tianyuan Sect, not because you genuinely considered me a friend?”
“Of course not,” Zhuang Ye immediately retorted. But as Tao Zhiyuan looked on with a glimmer of hope, his next words made him want to cough up blood.
“Of course I sincerely consider you a friend, Brother Tao. Before, you were a disciple of the Tianyuan Sect, and those pills belonged to the sect, so it didn’t matter how many you used. But now that you’re no longer a disciple, even though I still sincerely consider you a friend, I can’t very well use the sect’s pills to demonstrate my sincerity, can I?”
“So, Brother Tao, you should hurry and return the Tianyuan Sect’s pills. We can just consider the ones you’ve already taken as my gift to you.”
Tao Zhiyuan was speechless.
He stared coldly at Zhuang Ye’s innocent expression and sneered. “Sincerely consider me a friend? Do you think I’d still believe that? You’re just here to mock me, aren’t you? You never truly saw me as a friend, did you? You were only nice to me because I was a genius with a Thunder Spirit Root, personally taught by a Divine Transformation cultivator. Right?”
“Now that I’m no longer part of the sect and you have a single Fire Spirit Root, you naturally have no need to curry favor with me anymore, do you? I used to think you were simple, but it seems you’re no different from anyone else!”
The more he spoke, the more furious Tao Zhiyuan became.
Zhuang Ye dropped his innocent expression and scoffed. “Me, curry favor with you? You, a genius? I’m already in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, while you’ve only just reached it. Listen to yourself. Don’t you find your own words laughable?”
Tao Zhiyuan’s face darkened. A thought suddenly struck him, and he recalled the new Divine Transformation cultivators saying they had reached their level because of Qiu Chi.
He looked at Zhuang Ye, now a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, his eyes filled with suspicion. “You and that woman, Ge Yanling…”
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