Interception

Being asked this, Xie Tao felt deeply uncomfortable. He certainly remembered, but at this moment, he could not say it.

How could he overturn himself, even knowing that he was in the wrong?

He also blamed himself for being too naive back then; ideals and such were not suited for the association's development. He had known it even then, only using ideals as a means to rope in helpless rogue cultivator artifact refiners to join the association, expand its influence, and facilitate the encroachment upon the artifact-refinement market.

In truth, the rogue cultivator artifact refiners who joined understood this. Even if they did not understand at first, they ought to have after adapting for a period of time. Only Wu Zhongxing—why did he persistently cling to that so-called ideal?

If not for Wu Zhongxing's strong competence and ability to get things done, Xie Tao estimated he would have expelled Wu Zhongxing from the association long ago.

Now, he already harbored a faint regret.

Seeing Xie Tao remain silent, Wu Zhongxing answered for him, "You said the founding ideal of our association was that once we join, we are one family, making no distinction between noble and humble, crossing the river in the same boat.

The two characters 'Tong Zhu' mean advancing and retreating together, looking out for and helping one another. You said that for us rogue cultivator artifact refiners under the jurisdiction of Five Spring Mountain, things are too difficult. If we do not look out for one another, how can we live good lives?

Furthermore, we must not only look out for one another within the association, but also extend ample help to rogue cultivators outside of it. Simply because we are all rogue cultivators, suffering under the exact same kind of persecution.

Yet what about you now? Look at what you are doing now—just because Li Mo joined another artifact refining association, you and Fang Ming are going to kill him?

Does this not conflict with our association's ideals?

President Xie, will you answer me?

Heh, you cannot answer anymore, can you? Because you have changed, corrupted by that lofty power. You feel that everyone must walk according to your will, or else it is a betrayal of the association.

Both you and Fang Ming have betrayed the association, and betrayed the ideal you set down in the beginning."

That final sentence was practically screamed by Wu Zhongxing. One could see how heart-broken he was, and one could also see how vast his dedication to this association had been, how immense his expectations, and thus how profound his despair.

Hearing his furious roar, Xie Tao felt his anger growing larger and larger, but he still deeply restrained himself. He said, "Little Wu, I brought you into the association. After all these years of tempering, I thought you had already grown up and seen through certain matters."

"This world is simply like this. If we do not act that way, our living space will only grow narrower and narrower. If so, how can we elevate our artifact-refining skill and raise our cultivation? Without benefits in the association, how can we make its artifact refiners follow us?"

"Ideals are merely a means for us to rope in rogue cultivator artifact refiners. If we didn't say those things, how would those rogue cultivators ever join our association?"

"Are you a fool? You don't even understand this point?"

"I suppose I truly am a fool. Perhaps in the entire association, I am the only one still stubbornly believing in that foolish ideal," Wu Zhongxing muttered, his entire person appearing desolate and forlorn. "President Xie, starting from today, I, Wu Zhongxing, withdraw from the Mutual Aid Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiner Association."

Having said that, Wu Zhongxing staggered as he turned around.

"You dare quit the association? Quitting the association makes you a traitor, and traitors must all die." Xie Tao's entire expression turned ferocious, his intent to kill Wu Zhongxing no longer possible to suppress.

Wu Zhongxing paid him no further mind, pulling the door open to leave.

"It seems you cannot be allowed to live. Die!" A ruthless expression flashed across Xie Tao's face as he immediately struck.

"Bang!"

A fire sword shot fiercely toward Wu Zhongxing's back, then struck the defensive light shield composed of spiritual power. The fire sword extinguished, while the small spirit light shield remained completely steady.

Xie Tao cried out in shock, "Small Spirit Light Shield Robe?"

Wu Zhongxing turned around, his face no longer holding any emotional fluctuations—his expression devoid of sorrow or joy. He nodded and said, "That's right, it is precisely the Small Spirit Light Shield Robe forged by Fellow Daoist Li, along with the Spirit-Absorbing Robe.

Xie Tao, my artifact-refining talent was utterly poor, so I simply gave up on artifact refinement and devoted myself to handling miscellaneous matters in the association, practicing spells day and night in hopes that one day, upon growing strong in power, I could protect the association's artifact refiners.

Unexpectedly, fortune plays with people.

Xie Tao, you and Fang Ming are the rotting roots of the Mutual Aid Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiner Association. Today, before leaving the association, I will purge these roots. I only hope the fellow daoists in the association who still uphold these ideals can have a slightly smoother path."

Wu Zhongxing let out a sigh, then put on a resolute expression. A Disposable Storage Talisman appeared in his hand, and with a flash of light, a spell sword materialized. Then, like lightning, the spell sword shot fiercely toward Xie Tao.

"Little Wu, do you know what you are doing?"

Feeling the spiritual power fluctuation of Wu Zhongxing's Fifth Level of Qi Refining and seeing the spell sword streak like lightning, Xie Tao was instantly struck with terror. He was also merely at the Fifth Level of Qi Refining, and furthermore, he had spent his entire life studying the path of artifact refinement—how could he possibly be Wu Zhongxing's match?

"Little Wu, I know I was wrong!"

"Little Wu, don't be impulsive. Think about how I usually treated you."

"Little Wu, I'll go with you to persuade Fang Ming."

"Little Wu, spare my life, I really was wrong, I shouldn't have lost my original intent..."

"I'm sorry, President Xie, this is a struggle of ideals!"

A moment later, Wu Zhongxing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, conjured a Fireball Technique, and burned Xie Tao's corpse to ashes. After that, he headed straight for Fang Ming's residence.

"Vice President Fang, are you in?"

Fang Ming was currently reading books on artifact refinement in his room. With the threat of Li Mo eliminated, he was in a superb mood, feeling as though his comprehension had increased by a fraction. Hearing Wu Zhongxing's voice at that moment, his gaze shifted as he got up to open the door.

The moment the door opened, a spell sword was pressed against his throat.

Fang Ming flew into a rage, glaring fiercely at Wu Zhongxing. "Wu Zhongxing, do you know what you're doing?"

Wu Zhongxing said coldly, "Vice President Fang, I have a matter I wish to ask you. If you answer honestly, I guarantee I won't sever your head."

Realizing at that point that Wu Zhongxing was not joking, Fang Ming immediately became well-behaved, answering whatever Wu Zhongxing asked.

"Alright, I've already answered. If you want to save Li Mo, then don't waste time here." Fang Ming extended two fingers, tentatively and slowly pushing aside the spell sword at his neck.

Seeing the spell sword slowly move away from his throat, Fang Ming's expression relaxed. Then, his complexion changed as he looked down at the spell sword piercing through his heart. A sweet, fishy taste surged in his throat, and he looked at Wu Zhongxing with utter disbelief. "You said you would spare my life."

Wu Zhongxing twisted his spell sword, extinguishing Fang Ming's remaining vitality, and said earnestly, "I never break my word."

Having spoken, he destroyed the corpse and obliterated any traces, departing swiftly.

He had to save Li Mo.

There should still be enough time.

"Heh, I truly am a fool," Wu Zhongxing laughed at himself. The root of this interception targeting Li Mo was all because of him; if he did not save him, his heart would remain blocked.

Conflicting with the ideals in his heart would also hinder his cultivation.

Wu Tao and Fellow Daoist Jin chatted casually as they walked toward their home on Sincere Tea Street.

There were still two streets left before reaching Sincere Tea Street.

Abruptly, Fellow Daoist Jin's nostrils flared as he halted his steps, his expression guarded. A talisman had already appeared in his hand, and he said in a low voice, "There is the scent of blood."

Wu Tao's expression tightened, and he similarly gripped a Disposable Storage Talisman in his hand, ready to draw his spear at any moment. Simultaneously, his spiritual power reached out to touch the Small Spirit Light Shield Robe, the Spirit-Absorbing Robe, and the Godly Travel Talisman, prepared to instantly activate the Godly Travel Talisman and run at the very first sign of trouble.

Only when running failed would he consider fighting for his life.

But with Fellow Daoist Jin, a cultivator of the Qi Refining Layer 7, present, it shouldn't fall to him, a practitioner of the Third Level of Qi Refining, to fight for his life, right?

Not a single soul was on this street.

Footsteps sounded as a blood-stained figure came running toward them. Just as Fellow Daoist Jin was about to strike, Wu Tao called out to stop him, "Senior Jin, hold on, it's an acquaintance."

"Fellow Daoist Li, quickly leave, Fang Ming wants to kill you. Two cultivators at the Fifth Level of Qi Refining..." Spotting Wu Tao from afar and seeing that he was safe and sound, Wu Zhongxing shouted in a flurry.

Wu Tao called out, "Fellow Daoist Wu, do not come closer, stop right there, or else we will attack."

Seeing how cautious Wu Tao was, Wu Zhongxing felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. He had no choice but to halt his steps and quickly say, "Fellow Daoist Li, I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Fang Ming sent two people to intercept and kill you. You and this fellow daoist should flee quickly."

"It's too late!"

From the street corner, a voice rang out, and immediately after, two figures appeared. The moment they emerged, Fellow Daoist Jin's figure flashed as he too executed a movement technique, appearing before those two rogue cultivators in the blink of an eye and striking fiercely.

"Late-Stage Qi Refining?"

"Senior, spare our lives, the two of us were merely passing by!"

Two miserable screams erupted in succession. Fellow Daoist Jin dusted off his hands and said to Wu Tao, "Taken care of. Artifact Master Li, let's go home."

"Fellow Daoist Jin, you haven't looted the corpses yet."

"Many thanks to Artifact Master Li for the reminder."

Fellow Daoist Jin finished looting the corpses in a single second.

Wu Tao said to the still-dazed Wu Zhongxing, "Fellow Daoist Wu, we can discuss this matter another time, let's head back first. We'll leave the corpses to you to handle—clean them up properly so as to avoid unnecessary trouble."

With that, without waiting for Wu Zhongxing to snap out of it, he departed at high speed alongside Fellow Daoist Jin.

When Wu Zhongxing recovered his senses, Wu Tao and that Qi Refining Layer 7 figure were already gone. He had no spare attention to ponder why Wu Tao had someone protecting him, and could only hastily use two Fireball Techniques to thoroughly destroy the corpses and their traces, even packing up the ashes to take away.

He feared that if he were even a step late, the patrol squad and the Demon Slaying Hall personnel would arrive to investigate.

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