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Ye Tian frowned slightly upon hearing the voice, as he had just heard it not long ago.
"Young Master Ye, one should spare others when possible," the figure gradually emerged from the forest, with white beard flowing and a kind demeanor.
"Elder Dou..." Hong Zhi stared in shock, never expecting that the one pleading for his life at such a critical moment would be someone he had never respected.
Elder Dou looked at Hong Zhi, smiled and nodded, then turned to Ye Tian, saying, "I wonder if Young Master Ye could grant this old man a favor?"
"But he wants to kill me. If someone is determined to take your life, would you still be willing to spare him?" Ye Tian looked at Elder Dou in confusion. Although Ye Tian had already decided to let Hong Zhi go after Elder Dou spoke, he was puzzled about what Elder Dou was thinking, acting so mercifully like a monk.
"Master... he won't let me go! Please save me!" Hong Zhi became anxious when he saw that Ye Tian was still unwilling to relent. With his acupoints sealed, he could only cry out for help.
"Master?" Ye Tian sneered. He vividly recalled Hong Zhi's previous contemptuous attitude towards Elder Dou, showing no respect and even disdain, as if feeling embarrassed that Elder Dou was his actual master.
However, according to the rules, Hong Zhi could only refer to Xuanyuan Changfeng as his master, since although he was merely a nominal disciple, he had performed the formal rites of apprenticeship before Xuanyuan Changfeng. How could there be two masters for one person in the same sect?
This behavior from Hong Zhi was clearly that of a petty person clinging to hope in desperation. From this small detail, it could be inferred that if one day the sect faced calamity, he would likely be the type to betray and turn against them.
Upon hearing Hong Zhi's words, Elder Dou frowned deeply. He was kind-hearted but not lacking in wisdom; thus, he could discern some aspects of human nature through this detail. "Young Master Hong Zhi, do not speak recklessly. Your master is Xuanyuan Pavilion Master."
"You taught me skills and imparted the principles of being a person. It has nothing to do with that old... Lord, you are my master! You must save me!" In this life-and-death moment, Hong Zhi was in a state of panic. He only noticed the change in Ye Tian's expression but completely failed to realize that even Elder Dou was beginning to feel displeased.
"Elder Dou, do you still want to save him?" Ye Tian asked as he looked at Elder Dou, a hint of mockery evident on his lips.
Elder Dou was a kind man, but kindness alone meant little; while he was benevolent, he was also rather foolish. He had raised Hong Zhi, only for him to develop such a vile character—disrespectful and duplicitous. Although much of this could be attributed to Hong Zhi's own poor character, as his actual master, could Elder Dou's indulgence absolve him of responsibility?
Thus, Ye Tian looked down on him; teaching Hong Zhi skills was akin to nurturing a traitor for the Cloud Sea Sect.
"Save him." Elder Dou hesitated for a moment, but quickly made his choice.
"Elder Dou, as a junior, I have a few words that I'm not sure if I should say." Ye Tian turned away, no longer meeting his gaze. He disliked Elder Dou's benevolent eyes because that kind of kindness was foolish, making one want to wake him up with a scolding.
"Esteemed Disciple, please speak."
Although Ye Tian could not see Elder Dou's expression, he could guess his actions; he must have slightly bowed.
"I am the junior and you are the elder; this is not appropriate according to etiquette." Ye Tian's tone grew colder as he thought to himself, "No wonder no one takes him seriously. As an elder of the sect, he is so subservient."
Ye Tian's guess was correct. Elder Dou's lack of arrogance and humility might initially give a sense of kindness, but over time, as an elder who needed to set an example for his disciples, such behavior would only lead to a lack of respect from others, making him appear increasingly insignificant.
Elder Dou fell silent, and it was evident that the atmosphere had become somewhat awkward.
"May I ask why you insist on saving him?" Ye Tian waited for a moment before asking again.
"Though not formally acknowledged, he is indeed my disciple," Elder Dou replied with a somewhat sorrowful tone, indicating that he had deep feelings about this matter.
"But he has never regarded you as a master!" Ye Tian suddenly turned around, his sharp gaze fixed on Elder Dou.
"That is his affair..." Elder Dou's eyes remained as gentle as ever, seemingly harmless, as if he wanted to reform every violent person.
"Do you think I am bloodthirsty?" Ye Tian felt uncomfortable under that gaze because from Elder Dou's eyes, he seemed to read the message: Hong Zhi does not deserve death; it is you who are too violent...
"Esteemed Disciple has misunderstood." Elder Dou was about to bow again.
"Stop! I can't take it!" Ye Tian shouted sharply. At this moment, he even felt some disgust towards Elder Dou. This person appeared gentle and polite but was truly lacking in self-respect; receiving cold treatment was well-deserved!
"I don't want to waste my breath with you anymore. To be honest, I don't want to kill him, but I need him to agree to a condition." Ye Tian was truly fed up with Elder Dou and felt that after today's parting, he hoped never to encounter him again.
"Master, no! I can't agree to him. You know what kind of person the Senior Brother is!" Hong Zhi pleaded loudly. He had grasped a lifeline, so it was easy for him to make a decision. Ye Tian and Li Xun were undoubtedly the latter.
Upon hearing this, Ye Tian suddenly burst into laughter. He had no intention of having Hong Zhi identify Li Xun; the condition he mentioned was for Hong Zhi to voluntarily renounce his status as a direct disciple and then become a disciple under Elder Dou. This way, not only could it effectively prevent him from tarnishing Xuanyuan Changfeng's reputation in the future, but it would also provide some comfort to Elder Dou, ensuring he wouldn't feel distressed about teaching someone else's disciple.
"What are you laughing at?!" Hong Zhi's arrogance surfaced. Although Elder Dou was harmless, his strength was evident; with his protection, Ye Tian definitely couldn't harm him today.
"I'm laughing at how you have a chance to save your life but are throwing it away," Ye Tian stopped laughing and coldly stared at Hong Zhi, his sharp gaze piercing like arrows, making others shudder.
As the saying goes, those who are pitiful must also have their faults; Elder Dou's actions left Ye Tian speechless once again.
He stepped sideways, blocking Hong Zhi behind him while once again staring directly at Ye Tian, speaking gently: "Esteemed Disciple, your hostility is too strong. If this continues..."
"Master, quickly kill him to eliminate the threat! Otherwise, this person will surely bring great disaster to our Cloudscroll Pavilion!" With Elder Dou's protection, Hong Zhi felt even safer and went all out in his slanderous provocations.
"Heh, am I the one with hostility?" Ye Tian laughed in anger. Not to mention that he had considered sparing Hong Zhi several times; facing someone who had been scheming to kill him, could this really be considered hostility?
"Esteemed Disciple, I am old and may not speak very well next; I hope you can bear with me."
As Elder Dou said this and prepared to bow again, Ye Tian ignored him this time. Firstly, because the previous statement clearly indicated that he intended to use his age to lecture him, which made Ye Tian very angry. Secondly, this person's subservience seemed habitual; Ye Tian looked down upon it and didn't bother to stop it.
"You are a direct disciple with extraordinary talent and potential for limitless growth." Elder Dou paused here and seemed hesitant for a moment before sighing and saying, "But with great power comes greater inner demons. If you cannot suppress the demons within your heart, the power you possess will not only become a nightmare for others but will also destroy yourself."
"You make a very valid point." Ye Tian replied without hesitation because he had contemplated this issue before. When a person possesses overwhelming strength or power, their mindset undergoes certain changes. If one commits evil acts with the strength of a novice martial artist, they can only engage in petty crimes at most. If one commits evil acts with the strength of a warrior, then murder and arson become possible. But if one commits evil acts with the strength of a Martial Master or Martial Sovereign or even higher levels of power, then massacre and extermination become trivial matters!
"So..."
"Don't say any more." Ye Tian interrupted Elder Dou. Although he did not know whether he would become cruel and bloodthirsty after gaining immense power, he believed that if he did, the people he killed would only be those who deserved it.
"Are you planning to let him go?" Elder Dou did not continue speaking, but his tone had turned somewhat cold.
"Master, stop wasting time with him. Hurry up and kill him to eliminate the threat to our sect. Can't you see how ambitious he is?" Hong Zhi was afraid of any further complications. With Elder Dou's change in attitude, this precious opportunity must be seized.
For Hong Zhi, what would be the best outcome? Naturally, it would be to eliminate Ye Tian and ensure there were no future troubles!
Of course, the best outcome would be perfect, and what is a perfect ending? Killing Ye Tian through Elder Dou's hands. This way, he would not only avoid taking risks but could also take credit from Li Xun, which could earn him a thousand Contribution Points...
Elder Dou's tone turned cold, causing Ye Tian to pause. He could not understand why Elder Dou could endure Hong Zhi's provocations but showed signs of anger towards him.
"Elder Dou means to protect him?" Ye Tian asked with a cold smile.
"Yes." Elder Dou nodded, his expression one of unwavering determination.
This scene ignited Ye Tian's fury. He was a stubborn person, inherently unyielding. If you are wrong, then you are wrong; he would not change his opinion of you based on your attitude. The word compromise did not exist in Ye Tian's vocabulary.
Even if you are an elder, I do not care about your status or strength. Since you cannot distinguish right from wrong, I must punish evil right under your nose!
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