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墨書 Inktalez
The voice was slightly aged but full of vigor. Although it was a joking remark, it inadvertently revealed a domineering aura.
Ye Tian's face lit up upon hearing it; this was indeed Xuanyuan Changfeng's voice, and he did not expect him to return.
In contrast to Ye Tian's joy, Wine Kid wore a face of disappointment and frustration, an expression all too familiar, reminiscent of mischievous children wanting to go out to play but being caught by their parents.
"Young friend, you have finally arrived," Xuanyuan Changfeng's voice floated over again. His earlier teasing had not received a response from Wine Kid, and he seemed uninterested in dwelling on the matter.
"Greetings to Senior Xuanyuan!" Ye Tianxin was in high spirits and exerted his strength to call out from afar. His voice was clear and resonant; although it lacked Xuanyuan Changfeng's casual tone, it was still very bright, echoing in the evening twilight.
"Haha, it's been a year, and your strength has improved," Xuanyuan Changfeng laughed heartily, a sense of grandeur immediately emerging.
"It’s just a slight improvement, hardly worthy of praise," Ye Tian replied with a long laugh before activating Yuqi Tayan Jue and swiftly heading toward Fence Courtyard.
Although it was evening, the paths were not devoid of disciples from Cloudscroll Pavilion taking post-dinner strolls. They were astonished by Xuanyuan Changfeng's words; to be referred to as "young friend" by their master indicated what kind of youth he must be.
Of course, this was only for those who were unaware. At that moment, Li Xun happened to be walking in the nearby woods along the path. Upon hearing the call, his expression darkened immediately; the intense jealousy he felt even made those around him shiver.
Ye Tian aimed for speed and fully activated Martial Origin Power while executing his movement technique, yet he did not reveal any spiritual energy. This was because Cloud Sea Sect was not like Spirit Martial Town; Spirit Martial Town was a border town where clan distinctions were not overly strict. However, Cloud Sea Sect was a sect-level force under Martial Sovereign; they would never allow outsiders from other sects to infiltrate their ranks.
Not allowing meant outright rejection, and rejection implied that both parties had discussed and reached a negative conclusion. In Ye Tian's case, there was no room for rejection; if he revealed Spirit Sect's spiritual energy, what awaited him would likely be punishment rather than mere rejection.
Punishment in such grand sects could easily mean death countless times over.
This was the fundamental reason why Ye Tian dared not reveal his spiritual energy. Nevertheless, even so, under the full activation of Martial Origin Power, Yuqi Tayan Jue still allowed him to cover nearly twenty yards in the blink of an eye.
"Whoosh..."
After Ye Tian leaped, he paused briefly to catch his breath. During this short moment, the disciples of the Cloud Rolling Sect who had come upon hearing the noise finally got a clear look at his face.
"Is he the one Master just called out?"
"It should be him; there’s no one else."
"He looks like just a Four-Stage Martial Artist; nothing special..."
"I don’t know, but if Master has taken a liking to him, what can we do?"
A few disciples in blue-green robes were discussing among themselves, their words filled with confusion. The Cloud Sea Sect only accepted individuals with exceptional talent, so Martial Mastery was not considered a remarkable figure in the mountains and was even somewhat mediocre. Their keen eyes had discerned Ye Tian's strength, which was why they were puzzled.
"That is Ye Tian."
Just as they were whispering, a somewhat disdainful voice suddenly came from behind them. The tone was laced with coldness; while it sounded dismissive, if one listened closely, they could detect an undercurrent of jealousy.
"Elder Brother." Upon hearing the voice, the group immediately recognized who it was and turned to pay their respects.
The Elder Brother of Cloudscroll Pavilion was highly valued by Xuanyuan Changfeng, and everyone in Cloudscroll Pavilion respected him not just for his status but also for his immense willpower and perseverance. He always put in several times the effort compared to others and strived for perfection in every task he handled.
Such a person naturally earned respect and was welcomed by others.
Being in an environment where one thrived for a long time could lead to subtle changes in one's mindset.
These changes were unpredictable; they could make someone more kind and tolerant, more indifferent to matters, or more open-minded and optimistic. Conversely, they could also instill a fear of loss, make one unable to bear setbacks, or increasingly value superficial fame and vanity.
Prior to this moment, the disciples of Cloudscroll Pavilion had never heard Li Xun speak with such a chilling tone. Thus, today’s words inevitably made them shudder, feeling that the Elder Brother who seemed capable of shielding them from storms had suddenly become somewhat frightening.
"What's so good about him?" Li Xun asked coldly, glancing at a Young Disciple beside him.
"Li Feng doesn't know..." The Young Disciple, named Li Feng, felt a chill at Li Xun's gaze. Even if he did know, how could he dare to answer in the face of Li Xun's bone-chilling tone?
"Elder Brother, do you think he's using some sort of external method?" A disciple with a large red mole on his face stepped forward to ask.
Li Xun shot him a sidelong glance and snorted coldly, "External method? What do you mean by external method?"
The disciple with the red mole pondered for a moment and then flattered, "What Master likes, we don't have Elder Brother's deep understanding. I can't really say..."
His intention was to please Li Xun, but due to his lack of cleverness, his words ended up sounding somewhat mocking towards Li Xun.
"Hong Zhi, what do you mean by that?" Li Xun's voice shifted from cold to angry. He was simply too jealous; there was no moral issue at play, so he naturally disliked such sycophantic behavior. Moreover, Hong Zhi couldn't even flatter properly.
Hong Zhi had a large red mole on his face with several white hairs growing from it, making him quite ugly and despicable.
As the saying goes, one's appearance reflects one's heart. This person was not only unattractive but also lacked clarity of mind. He often engaged in petty acts of sowing discord and flattering others.
Seeing Li Xun angry, Hong Zhi quickly tried to appease him, "Elder Brother, I find that kid really unpleasant. I just want to teach him a lesson."
Although this statement seemed somewhat nonsensical, it indeed had a good effect. After hearing it, Li Xun's face showed signs of hesitation as he seemed to be contemplating something.
While Hong Zhi couldn't decipher what Li Xun was thinking, he could certainly tell the difference between good and bad expressions. The current hesitation was clearly better than the previous anger.
"Don't you all find that kid unbearable? I can't help but want to go teach him a lesson right now," Hong Zhi continued blabbering since his words were effective. This time he turned to the others, hoping to draw them into the flattery as well.
The strongest skill in flattery is not merely relying on oneself but being able to take the lead while having others assist. Everyone should work together; one person leads in flattery while the others echo it. Only then can the best flattery be achieved.
Hong Zhi, with years of experience in flattery, was well-versed in this art. Under his influence, the others gradually began to express their disdain for Ye Tian, albeit insincerely.
This disdain seemed unfounded; if they were to search their hearts, they likely wouldn't find a true source for their dislike. In fact, they might realize that they didn't really harbor any animosity toward Ye Tian at all. The so-called disdain was merely a product of their nature urging them on.
They needed to assert their stance in front of a powerful figure while also making their submission seem less humble. Aligning with the strong would perfectly resolve this issue, transforming humility into a display of righteousness—a common approach people take to address such dilemmas.
In other words, it was about belittling or persecuting innocent individuals to avoid potential harm and oppression due to differing positions.
Of course, at this point, the situation hadn't escalated to the level of persecution. However, the words from Li Xun finally triggered a qualitative change in this matter.
The group continued to express their contempt and insults toward Ye Tian without noticing the glint of cunning malice that had flashed in Li Xun's eyes.
"Stop, don't say anymore," Li Xun gestured for them to be quiet.
Seeing this, the others ceased their chatter and looked toward Li Xun, waiting for him to continue.
Li Xun surveyed the group, his expression softening. The demeanor of an Elder Brother who could weather any storm reemerged.
"Hong Zhi, I remember you wanted to partner up to exchange for the Nine Li Sword Technique, right?"
"Yes, Elder Brother remembers! We are truly touched," Hong Zhi seized every opportunity to flatter.
"If I recall correctly, the Nine Li Sword Technique requires three thousand Contribution Points," Li Xun said as he patted Hong Zhi on the shoulder and sighed. "You all have been working hard, but you can only take on lower-level tasks. When will you manage to gather three thousand Contribution Points? As your senior brother, I genuinely see it and feel anxious for you..."
The others showed signs of being moved by his words, but soon a sense of foreboding crept into their hearts.
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Since these individuals could associate with someone like Hong Zhi, it was only natural that they weren't particularly virtuous themselves.
Li Xun was arrogant and usually looked down upon these few people, finding them intolerable. Today, however, his sudden change in demeanor made them feel uneasy.
"What’s with that expression on your faces?" Li Xun said, mixing warmth with coldness; this tactic was most effective against petty individuals.
Sure enough, upon seeing this, the few of them quickly shook their heads and began to explain themselves repeatedly.
Li Xun secretly laughed to himself but feigned impatience as he asked, "How many Contribution Points are you still short?"
The group exchanged glances and hesitated for a moment before calculating, finally arriving at a total of one thousand and ninety points.
"Haha, you're still short by so much. At your level of ability, how long will it take you to gather that?" Li Xun laughed heartily, half to mock them and half genuinely amused.
These individuals were not weak; they were all around the level of Second-Stage Martial Artist, yet they could never accomplish anything worthwhile. Aside from causing trouble and bullying the weak, they had no other skills.
However, this was exactly what Li Xun needed at the moment.
"Come here," Li Xun beckoned the few sighing disciples to gather around him.
Once they stood in place, Li Xun sneered and said, "I’ll help you come up with that one thousand and ninety points, but I have one condition. This task is simple and is something you are best at..."
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