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Xuanyuan Changfeng finally stood up from his seat. Although he did not speak, this action was already the clearest answer for Li Xun.
Li Xun's momentum quickly deflated. Although he was not someone who bullied others with power, losing the support of his Master made him feel a sudden sense of despair.
Xuanyuan Changfeng felt a pang of guilt and sighed lightly. His choice was not about choosing between Li Xun and Ye Tian; on the contrary, it was because he valued both that he made this decision. He did not want to see Li Xun gradually go astray, nor did he want to watch his beloved disciple, whom he had nurtured for many years, ultimately be destroyed by jealousy.
"Hsun, you may leave," Xuanyuan Changfeng said, trying to soften his tone as much as possible since he was not good at comforting others.
Li Xun was taken aback by these words. It seemed he had never heard his Master speak in such a tone before. While he felt somewhat moved, the sense of despair grew stronger.
"Master, are you really willing to lower yourself to speak to me like this just to protect that Ye Tian? What exactly makes him better than me?" Li Xun thought to himself. Xuanyuan Changfeng had never spoken to them in such a negotiating tone, which led to Li Xun's misunderstanding.
Once the misunderstanding arose, Li Xun felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He even began to think that his Master's dedication to principles and responsibilities over the years was nothing but a huge joke.
"Master, the apprenticeship ceremony you are holding today is for him, isn't it?" Li Xun's voice turned icy as he pointed at Ye Tian with a sneer.
As soon as these words were spoken, gasps filled the room. Countless gazes shifted from Yun'er back to Ye Tian and Mountain. Although Xuanyuan Changfeng had not given a clear answer yet, many people began to feel apprehensive about their earlier cold remarks towards Ye Tian.
"And there's also Wine Kid," Xuanyuan Changfeng said upon seeing the desolate expression on Li Xun's face. He felt as if his heart were being cut. Having never married or had children, all his emotions were invested in these few disciples. Moreover, unlike his feelings for Ye Tian and Wine Kid, Li Xun had been by his side for over ten years. In terms of emotional connection, theirs was undoubtedly the deepest; in Xuanyuan Changfeng's heart, Li Xun had always held the position of an eldest son. How could a father not feel pain when his son was disappointed?
"Heh, and there's also Wine Kid," Li Xun repeated bitterly. The implication behind those words was clear: besides Wine Kid, there was also Ye Tian.
"Hsun, as Elder Brother, you should..."
"Master, Hsun is unwell today and would like to take leave," Li Xun interrupted Xuanyuan Changfeng. He did not have the capacity to appreciate Ye Tian's Apprenticeship Ceremony because it felt like watching the woman he loved marry another man right before his eyes.
"Hsun, I will not stop you. Go back and think it over calmly." Xuanyuan Changfeng's words were interrupted by Li Xun in front of all the disciples of Cloudscroll Pavilion, which made him very angry. He even wanted to explode immediately, but when he saw Li Xun's expression, which looked as if his heart was dead, he managed to hold back.
"Hsun takes his leave." Li Xun bowed and left decisively.
After Li Xun walked far away, a trace of sadness and fatigue appeared on Xuanyuan Changfeng's face. He sighed lightly and finally returned to his seat.
Ye Tian wanted to offer some comfort but didn't know what to say. Regardless of who was right or wrong in this matter, it had arisen because of him, so Ye Tianxin inevitably felt a bit guilty.
"Ye Tian..." Yun'er noticed that Ye Tianxin was feeling down and quietly called out to him from the side.
Upon hearing her voice, Ye Tian frowned deeply and signaled her with his eyes to leave quickly.
Yun'er understood the situation and realized that if she stayed any longer, Ye Tian might really get angry. So after biting her lip and hesitating for a moment, she turned and left.
With those who should leave having done so, the scene fell into silence for a time.
The silence lasted for a long while; since what was supposed to happen had not yet occurred, the Apprenticeship Ceremony could not be held.
After waiting for a long time, the atmosphere became increasingly oppressive. At this moment, someone finally could not bear it any longer. The person sitting on the left side of Xuanyuan Changfeng spoke in a tone that combined inquiry and testing: "Lord, should we just...?"
"Wait." Xuanyuan Changfeng replied coldly. If Li Xun's misunderstanding made him sad, then Wine Kid's willfulness was something far more serious than mere sadness.
"But..."
"Do you not understand when I say wait?!" Xuanyuan Changfeng rarely lost his temper like this, startling the person so much that they trembled all over and dared not speak again.
The gathering of people took place in the morning, and as time passed, it was now approaching noon. The scorching sun poured down from above, shining unreservedly on everyone's skin on this exposed mountain top known as the Stone Platform.
Everyone frowned, and even the sweat had soaked their clothes, but no one dared to speak; even the sound of breathing seemed harsh.
Taking out one's anger on others was not Xuanyuan Changfeng's character, and he had never acted this way before. The reason for his behavior today was entirely due to the actions of Li Xun and Wine Kid, which touched a deep scar within him.
He seemed to see his former talented disciple, Wang Weiyang, who ultimately betrayed him and the Cloud Sea Sect.
"Master."
Finally, someone spoke. There were not many present who could call Xuanyuan Changfeng "Master," so when the voice rang out, everyone immediately turned to look at the left side of the viewing platform.
At that moment, there stood fifteen people, each with a face marked by restraint. And what did restraint signify? It signified that they harbored grievances but did not dare to express them.
Except for Ye Tian, as it was he who had just called out "Master."
Upon hearing that voice, Xuanyuan Changfeng's expression softened considerably. He had been waiting for someone who could truly connect with him heart to heart.
What does it mean to connect heart to heart? It means both parties completely express their thoughts without holding back, whether in praise or dissatisfaction. Only in this way can betrayal be avoided forever.
Xuanyuan Changfeng stood up and walked slowly to Ye Tian. Along the way, he scanned the expressions of each of his direct disciples and concluded with a sigh.
The forced respect was not true respect. If one day Xuanyuan Changfeng lost all power and influence, this kind of respect would undoubtedly turn into contempt.
"Extend your hand." Xuanyuan Changfeng managed to squeeze out a faint smile. Although it was just a trace, it was indeed heartfelt. Ye Tian brought him comfort; he also knew that Ye Tian wanted to say something earlier.
Ye Tian looked at Xuanyuan Changfeng in confusion. After hesitating for a long time, he still did not speak because he had already seen the meaning in Xuanyuan Changfeng's eyes.
Xuanyuan Changfeng understood what Ye Tian wanted to say; he wanted to advise against taking out one's anger on others as it was not the way of a mentor.
Ye Tian understood Xuanyuan Changfeng's gaze. What he wanted to convey was, I understand your meaning, and fortunately, you did not disappoint me.
There was no need for words; everything was unspoken.
Ye Tian extended his hand, and Xuanyuan Changfeng reached out to grasp it. Then he rolled up the sleeve of his robe to his shoulder, and a faint white light began to glow from his fingertips as he began to carve on Ye Tian's arm.
In a moment, Xuanyuan Changfeng withdrew his hand and stood still, the glow on his fingers dissipating.
Ye Tian looked down at his arm and saw that from his shoulder to his wrist, a pattern resembling Clouds Rolling and Unrolling had already begun to appear, faint yet distinct.
The pattern was very subtle; it could hardly be noticed unless one looked closely. However, upon closer inspection, it seemed as if one could see countless volumes of Cloud Pattern, far more vivid than any embroidery found in the marketplace.
"This is the Cloud Pattern. From this moment on, you have officially become a disciple of the Cloud Sea Sect, a student of the Cloud Rolling Sect, and my personal disciple, Xuanyuan Changfeng." Xuanyuan Changfeng gazed at Ye Tian with a serious tone, as if telling him not to let him down.
Ye Tian met his gaze with a determined and sincere look in response and promise.
"The Cloud Pattern has been completed; perform the grand ceremony of apprenticeship!" Upon seeing that the Cloud Pattern had been drawn, a Steward shouted loudly. His voice was somewhat shrill, reminiscent of a eunuch, but it was just right for such an occasion.
Hearing this, Ye Tian knelt down. Although he had already paid his respects yesterday, he did so again today without any pretense. Each bow left his forehead flushed red, and each kneel felt almost like prostration.
This was respect; as the saying goes, once a teacher, always a father.
After completing three bows and nine kneels, Xuanyuan Changfeng personally helped Ye Tian up and then laughed heartily as he floated away.
Once Xuanyuan Changfeng had left, those present began to disperse. In a short while, only a few remained.
Among them were several who had spoken with Li Xun, including Hong Zhi, but after much hesitation, they ultimately chose to leave.
Once they left, only three people remained in the venue, and among them, one was actually recognized by Ye Tian.
"You are... Ye Tian..." Zhang Bin asked, stunned and somewhat timid.
Ye Tian smiled and nodded. To avoid making this person uncomfortable, he quickly changed the subject and pointed to the other two who seemed eager to speak with him, asking, "Do you know these two senior brothers, Brother Zhang?"
Zhang Bin and the other two were taken aback. They never expected Ye Tian to be so easygoing. The two individuals who had previously been favored by Xuanyuan Changfeng, whether it was Li Xun or Wine Kid, were known for their bad tempers and high egos. Ye Tian's proactive gesture to ease the situation genuinely surprised them.
"Brother Zhang?" Seeing Zhang Bin in a daze, Ye Tian gently called out.
"Oh... I know them. This is Hong Tie, and this is Xu Quan," Zhang Bin introduced one by one.
"Ah, nice to meet you, senior brothers," Ye Tian greeted the two with a respectful gesture.
The two hurriedly returned the greeting and prepared to strike up a conversation. After all, such an opportunity should not be missed—being a favored direct disciple of a Lord and also easy to talk to was a chance they could not afford to overlook.
"Ye..."
"The three senior brothers can chat; I will take my leave first," Ye Tian understood their reason for staying and quickly interrupted their conversation. He had no intention of engaging in any faction-building activities; he had already given them enough face, so there was no need to linger.
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