Hearing this, Hua Yunfei, Jiang Ruoyao, and the others realized that Battle Ancestor had heard their earlier conversation and made this trip specifically because of it... mooching a meal probably wasn't his main reason.
"Hey... senior, eavesdropping on other people's conversations is rude." Nether Son looked thoroughly disgusted.
"Even your master wouldn't dare speak to this old man like that."
Still not looking up, Battle Ancestor said indistinctly, "I just gave him a beating a while ago. If your skin's itching for one, this old man can give you a thrashing too."
Nether Son hastily ducked his head and pulled Hua Yunfei in front of him as a shield. "If you want to beat someone, senior, beat him. He's got thick skin."
Hua Yunfei: "..."
Jiang Ruoyao snickered beside them. "You'd better stop talking, or both the old one and the young one might beat you up."
Tianming Wuji looked at Battle Ancestor, who was busily shoveling down food. "Senior..."
Battle Ancestor cut him off. "Let the question you want to ask rot in your belly. This old man just erased the heavenly traces for you. Your master won't know, and you mustn't ask again."
Battle Ancestor continued, "All this old man can tell you is that Heaven needs no reason to act, because they are the reason itself."
"Whatever you want to do, follow your heart. Don't worry about right or wrong. Keep moving forward, even if that road is a dead end."
Tianming Wuji nodded and said nothing more.
"You little brats really have some nerve. You'll criticize anyone. Do you really think having powerful backing means you can do whatever you please?" Battle Ancestor lectured Hua Yunfei and the others as he ate.
"Doesn't it?" Nether Son stubbornly interjected.
Battle Ancestor raised his head a little and