Retreating from the Sect

The Refining Room was quiet, and anyone could hear the unspoken words of Ning Ri.

Anyone who has been a parent knows that Chen Xingfeng is also a person.

Therefore, he could feel how deafening Ning Ri's silence was.

He put away all the Qi Refining Magic Treasures, turned to look at Ning Ri, and said, "So, you know why I never announce the reason for failure?"

Everyone who had participated in Chen Xingfeng's refining missions in the past did not know why they had failed.

Because Chen Xingfeng never said, even people of Yang Xingming's caliber were extremely curious about the reasons for failure.

Now that he knew the truth, Ning Ri felt a sense of both unexpectedness and inevitability. It was as if he were walking through a forest of steles and suddenly discovered that the surrounding steles were all fake, made by Li Cheng. His brain folds were smoothed out, and the stones in his acupoints were cleared...

Everything became clear!

All this trouble, wasn't it just to keep it from his wife's ears?

Ning Ri gave a polite yet awkward smile, "I understand! If you don't want anyone to know, you shouldn't tell anyone."

Chen Xingfeng chuckled, "That's well said."

"If you want a secret to remain unknown, you can't tell anyone."

Hearing this, Ning Ri inexplicably felt as if Chen Xingfeng would kill him in the next second. Chen Xingfeng's words had a certain "you know too much" vibe.

Thinking of this, Ning Ri couldn't help but ask curiously, "Then why did you tell me?"

Chen Xingfeng: "Because I appreciate you."

"Really?"

"Just being polite."

Ning Ri: "..."

He had no choice but to change the subject and say, "Then why didn't you admit your mistake earlier? That way, perhaps... there would be more room for amends~"

This dragging on couldn't be the solution, right?

He felt that if Chen Xingfeng continued to procrastinate like this, he would eventually drag himself to death.

Day drags to night, night drags to morning, can it drag Master Xingfeng to death?

Perhaps because he had spoken some truth, the melancholy on Chen Xingfeng's face was no longer concealed. He sighed, "Do you think I don't know such a simple truth?"

"But when she saw me post the mission, she thought I was commemorating our past feelings. She was overjoyed..."

Ning Ri: "..."

Good heavens, so he wasn't just putting up a brave front, he was out of options.

Chen Xingfeng continued, "I'm explaining this to you only so that you understand that your refining skills are indeed very powerful, and you don't need to be discouraged by my negation."

Ning Ri said seriously, "Master Xingfeng, I was indeed a bit disappointed just now, but I understand now. You have your difficulties, and I won't be disappointed anymore."

Chen Xingfeng felt Ning Ri was talking nonsense. Ning Ri was clearly happy when he received the spirit stones earlier, but he didn't dwell on it and continued, "However, I brought you here for a private talk not only to explain the reason but also to ask you a question."

"What question?" Ning Ri asked curiously.

But Chen Xingfeng did not speak rashly.

Instead, he walked around the refining room, where the temperature was still scorching hot, and then channeled a trace of Spiritual Energy to turn on the lights on the wall.

A bright glow enveloped the refining room, whose walls were slightly reddened by the Artifact Fire.

After turning on the light, a hint of coolness spread.

Ning Ri felt his mood become much calmer. Clearly, this lamp was not just for illumination but also for adjusting one's mindset, helping anxious artifact refiners relax.

Then, Chen Xingfeng asked, "Are you an inner disciple of the Heaven Defying Sect?"

"Not yet," Ning Ri shook his head. "My cultivation is not enough."

Everyone knew this; Qi Refining cultivators could only stay in the Outer Sect. But upon hearing this, Chen Xingfeng's face broke into a joyous expression. "Your skills are actually enough to enter the inner sect of the Heaven Defying Sect. Don't they make exceptions?"

As he spoke, Chen Xingfeng felt a bit surprised in his heart--

These people would actually follow the rules for once?!

Ning Ri replied, "Elder Zhou Hai did give me an opportunity to enter the inner sect early. But I was worried that if I entered the inner sect as an exception, it would cause controversy and mockery, and might put pressure on Elder Zhou Hai. Moreover, my heart is like glass, easily influenced by external voices. I was afraid that this would hinder my cultivation path, so I chose not to join the inner sect."

Chen Xingfeng listened intently at first, but by the end, he laughed in anger, "Your heart is like glass? I think your heart is like your skin."

Ning Ri: "..."

Why the personal attack?

Chen Xingfeng continued, "You're overthinking it. Even if you joined the inner sect, with the personality of the people in the Heaven Defying Sect, they wouldn't bother with you."

"However, that doesn't matter anymore. Since you haven't joined the inner sect, would you be willing to leave the Heaven Defying Sect? I can recommend you to join other major sects! For example, the Lingxi Immortal Sect, a great righteous sect."

Ning Ri understood. Chen Xingfeng had pulled him aside for a private chat, seemingly to tell him the reason, but in reality, he wanted Ning Ri to leave the sect.

He couldn't help but scratch his head, "Uh... Did the Heaven Defying Sect offend you somehow?"

He thought the Heaven Defying Sect was quite good.

Chen Xingfeng said, "The Heaven Defying Sect hasn't offended me, but I think its environment is not good."

Ning Ri: "The Heaven Defying Sect... ah... the mountains are green, the water is clear, the birds are singing, the flowers are fragrant. The environment is quite nice."

He didn't want to leave the Heaven Defying Sect, not for any other reason than Xun Zang's guidance, Mo Cuidao's techniques, and Zhou Hai's missions... he couldn't leave.

"Don't play dumb with me," Chen Xingfeng said. "I'm referring to your fellow disciples. Their environment isn't good and will drag you down. Moreover, the Heaven Defying Sect is an evil cultivation sect. It's really not suitable for you."

Ning Ri was shocked. "Evil cultivation?"

"Everyone here is quite kind."

Chen Xingfeng waved his hand. "Evil cultivation isn't about good versus evil, but about the method of cultivation. Those who cultivate using unorthodox methods are all evil cultivators..."

Ning Ri suddenly understood.

If that was the case, then the Heaven Defying Sect was indeed an evil cultivation sect.

Chen Xingfeng said earnestly, "You are a genius. You should walk the righteous and upright great path. That is what suits you best."

"The ways of the Heaven Defying Sect are truly not for you."

He adhered to teaching according to aptitude. If Ning Ri's talent were a little worse, then taking a less conventional path wouldn't matter. After all, everyone should find the path that suits them best.

But Ning Ri possessed such immense talent, didn't that precisely indicate that he should just follow the main path?

Ning Ri scratched his head at these words. "Just how evil is the Heaven Defying Sect? I feel like it's actually fine."

He felt that based on his current interactions, the Heaven Defying Sect's impression was that although everyone spoke of defying heaven, these were just superficial slogans. At their core, everyone was engaged in normal, traditional cultivation, like a gimmick.

In reality, they practiced Qi Refining when they should practice Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment when they should practice Foundation Establishment, and cultivation when they should cultivate. There was nothing special about it.

Take Mo Cuidao's artifact refining method, for example. When he competed with others, he didn't really find himself any different from them.

But upon hearing Ning Ri's words, Chen Xingfeng sighed and said:

"Like this."

"Let me give you an example of the Heaven Defying Sect."

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.