Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Master Killing?!"
Before this phrase was uttered, all of Elder Dou's words had barely registered with Ye Tian, but upon hearing "Master Killing," he couldn't help but be shocked.
The notion of Cloudscar committing such an act would leave any disciple of the Cloud Sea Sect, not just Ye Tian, utterly astounded.
Ye Tian knew very little about the secrets and past of the Cloud Sea Sect, and others knew even less. Perhaps the four chief disciples like Li Xun and Thunderstorm might have some knowledge, but such confidential matters were likely beyond their awareness.
"Elder Dou, do you realize what you're saying? Slandering the Sect Master carries serious consequences!" After a moment of calm, Ye Tian coldly reprimanded him. In truth, he wasn't entirely disbelieving; when Elder Dou made this statement, he recalled the conversation between Xuanyuan Changfeng and Luo Qingyin that night.
"Heh heh, slander? I'm just a mere elder; he doesn't even know who I am. Why would I need to slander him? Besides, what benefit would it bring me to slander him?" Elder Dou showed no signs of panic; instead, he appeared somewhat excited, as if revealing the secrets of the Cloud Sea Sect was a source of great satisfaction for him.
"As you said, you're just an elder. How do you know such secrets?" Ye Tian continued to press for answers. He wasn't trying to defend Cloudscar's reputation; rather, he was probing for information to determine whether Elder Dou's claims were true.
"Hahaha!" Elder Dou laughed heartily at this. After a while, he finally spoke: "Secrets? Are there still secrets in this world? As long as someone does something, it will eventually be revealed through whispers. Those who opposed Cloudscar back then were severely suppressed, but there are always fish that slip through the net."
"Fish that slip through the net... Luo Qingyin..." Ye Tian once again thought of this extraordinarily powerful and mysterious figure.
"Heh, you know about Luo Qingyin? It seems you know quite a bit about the secrets of the Cloud Sea Sect. Then I won't waste any more words. You must have formed your own conclusions about what kind of people Cloudscar and the Four Great Sect Masters are," Elder Dou said with a look of disdain, as if the figures he mentioned were merely hypocrites.
"I certainly have my conclusions. In life, power struggles mean there is no absolute right or wrong; victors are lords while losers are bandits. Elder Dou, after living for so many years, don't you understand this simple truth?" Ye Tian retorted. In reality, if Cloudscar had truly conspired with the current Four Great Sect Masters to commit such an act of master killing, Ye Tian would not be so calm inside. However, the situation remained unclear; whether Elder Dou was genuinely informed or merely spreading hearsay still needed investigation.
Moreover, as Ye Tian pointed out, in the struggle for power, human nature can become worthless. Although Martial Sovereign does not have a monarchy system, it is not uncommon for princes to rebel against their fathers in order to seize the throne.
Parricide among parents and children—could it really be just a matter of power? Clearly, the situation is not that simple. If one is not driven to the brink, which son would choose to harm his own father?
Born in the vortex of power, many things are beyond choice. Sometimes, rebellion against authority may be the only way to follow destiny; at other times, only such rebellion can save more lives.
Of course, even if it is for justice or for the sake of the common people, acts of parricide or killing one's master are undoubtedly wrong. There are indeed those with ulterior motives, but they are still in the minority.
Since many times it is impossible to avoid such situations, we can only consider whether the wrongs have any meaning.
In Ye Tian's view, even if Cloudscar truly colluded with the current Four Great Sect Masters to commit such an act of rebellion against his master, he must have his own reasons and cannot simply be seeking the supreme position of Master of Yunhai Sect.
However, it is also possible that Cloudscar is a person with ulterior motives and that the Four Great Sect Masters are a group of accomplices in wrongdoing. Who can say for certain?
"Indeed, one cannot judge the act of killing one's master purely based on right or wrong, but I do not wish to discuss who is right or wrong with you," Elder Dou paused and continued, "The reason I tell you this is that I cannot bear to see you manipulated by them for a lifetime."
"You have such a good heart?" Throughout this ongoing conversation, Ye Tian maintained a cold smile almost the entire time.
His attitude towards Elder Dou was not because he suspected the latter's words might be baseless slander against his master or sect leader, but because no matter what he said—true or false—his intentions were certainly not noble.
"It seems that you have a deep misunderstanding of me, Young Master Ye. Do I really seem like a cunning old fox?" In stark contrast to Ye Tian, Elder Dou maintained a false yet magnanimous smile throughout.
"Not at all; it's because you are one."
"Hahaha, perhaps I am. I have no intention of defending myself. But there is one thing I must correct: there is no pure good in this world; any kindness has its purpose."
Ye Tian did not speak. Although Elder Dou's words were not entirely correct, they still held some truth. Some people do good deeds, but their motives may not genuinely stem from a desire to help those in need.
For reputation, for vanity, for superiority, and so on.
“To be honest with you, my intention in saying this is to encourage you to gain insight,” Elder Dou said as he set down the teacup he had been fiddling with. After going around in circles, the conversation finally got to the point.
“I may be dull, but I do not need you to enlighten me,” Ye Tian replied coldly.
“You are mistaken. I am not here to enlighten you; I want to persuade you to gain insight because if you do, it will benefit both you and me.”
“Benefit? You want to use me as a pawn, don’t you?” Ye Tian scoffed at Elder Dou's words. He had been hinting at how hypocritical Ye Tian and others like Cloudscar were, yet he failed to notice that through his own actions, he had perfectly embodied the very hypocrisy he criticized.
“If you want to interpret it that way, fine. But in my words, this is called cooperation.” It must be said that Elder Dou's years of practiced restraint were impressive. Despite Ye Tian's cold demeanor, he showed no signs of anger.
Perhaps deep down, he wished to tear Ye Tian into pieces, but at least on his face, there was no sign of fury.
This skill of his made Elder Dou undoubtedly the best in the Cloud Sea Sect.
“Then tell me, how do we cooperate?” Ye Tian continued speaking in a dismissive tone, but this time it was a deliberate act. Elder Dou was cunning and would try to extract information from him; thus, Ye Tian could not respond normally. If he suddenly appeared curious or eager, Elder Dou would likely see through it immediately—he was merely fishing for information.
However, even so, Elder Dou still wore a knowing smile.
Seeing this, Ye Tian sighed inwardly. Elder Dou's depth of strategy far surpassed his own. When it came to playing mind games with Elder Dou, Ye Tian felt he still had much to learn.
"You don't need to be frustrated. Since I came to find you, I will naturally inform you about the cooperation. As for whether you want to convey this to Xuanyuan Changfeng, that's your own business." Elder Dou pushed the previously poured tea towards Ye Tianxin, wearing an expression that suggested he could see through Ye Tian's thoughts.
It was rare for Ye Tian to have his thoughts seen through by someone. In past power struggles, none of his opponents had managed to gain any advantage over him. However, facing Elder Dou at this moment, Ye Tian felt a sense of helplessness.
"Let's hear it." Since he couldn't outsmart him, Ye Tian decided not to waste any more thought on it. He asked casually; if Elder Dou wanted to speak, he could do so. If not, it didn't matter, as it was Elder Dou who needed to cooperate with Ye Tian, not the other way around.
"I have a deep grudge against Xuanyuan Changfeng, and you are a spear in their hands. Just think about it: Xuanyuan Changfeng is only in his sixties this year. With his strength and realm, living another hundred or eighty years is easy for him. When do you think you can sit in the position of Lord?"
Elder Dou believed what he said made sense, so he stroked his sparse white beard and continued, "You have only been at Cloud Sea Sect for a few days, and yet he held a grand ceremony for you and even bestowed upon you the Cloud Token. Do you think all of this is reasonable? Moreover, the so-called tasks and Contribution Points system at Cloud Sea Sect have led countless disciples to lose their lives at the hands of bandits over the years. Yet how many have truly learned the supreme technique of Extreme Martial Arts? You don't even need to calculate; looking across the entire Cloud Sea Sect, there is only Cloudscar who has done so. Think about it: among the disciples of Cloud Sea Sect, if anyone were to obtain a Profound-Grade Martial Arts manual, it would be enough to cause a stir. But above Profound Level is Celestial Level, and above Celestial Level is Extreme Martial Arts!"
Elder Dou spoke at length, and it must be said that his words were quite reasonable. Extreme Martial Arts and Thousand Clouds, as the sect's foundational martial arts, would be impossible for any disciple of Cloud Sea Sect—including Ye Tian—to exchange for using Contribution Points in their lifetime.
However, Elder Dou overlooked one point: as foundational martial arts, if they were freely available for learning and fell into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, it would be a devastating blow to Cloud Sea Sect.
"You've said so much but still haven't explained what exactly this cooperation entails." Ye Tian's resolve was not swayed in the slightest. While he certainly couldn't outmaneuver Elder Dou in cunning, he doubted that Elder Dou had the ability to ensnare him with mere verbal sparring.
"Forget it; I've said so much and you're still not getting it. I'll just be straightforward." At this moment, Elder Dou seemed to have run out of patience and directly stated, "I will help you ascend to the position of Cloud Pavilion Master within three years; you help me kill Xuanyuan Changfeng!"
Although he had mentally prepared himself for this possibility, Ye Tian still felt a jolt upon hearing those words. Of course, he wasn't surprised by Elder Dou's intentions; rather, from the tone and expression of Elder Dou, he could analyze that there was already a complete plan regarding this matter.
If he didn't agree, Elder Dou would undoubtedly shift his next target onto Li Xun. Given Li Xun's obsession with power, it was very likely that he could be manipulated!
Comment 0 Comment Count