After Xu Tong made his choice, the system gave its corresponding response.
"Ding! The host has received a reward: the World Tree Sprout." "The system reward may be claimed at any time."
Xu Tong inwardly rejoiced at receiving the system reward, but his expression remained unchanged, betraying nothing unusual.
After all, Laozi and Yuanshi were still right in front of him. He could not let any cracks show.
Now that he had made his choice, Xu Tong no longer hesitated.
Seeing that Xu Tong had remained silent for so long, Laozi and Yuanshi could not help growing anxious.
Unable to contain himself, Yuanshi urged him, "Well, third brother? What is there to hesitate over? Now that you've emerged from seclusion, the three of us can join forces. Teaching those two birdmen, Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor, a lesson would be a sure thing."
"This is a perfect opportunity to vindicate our Pangu Orthodox Lineage."
Yuanshi had always been like this. Whatever he did, he liked to start by slapping a grand moral label on it.
Rather than admit that teaching Di Jun a lesson was about avenging himself, he insisted on dragging Xu Tong into the affair.
Put that way, Xu Tong would almost seem heartless if he refused.
Laozi had sat silently off to the side all along, but Xu Tong could see his stance clearly enough.
Xu Tong inwardly rolled his eyes.
Of the three of them, Yuanshi was merely somewhat selfish at worst, but Laozi was a scheming old bastard through and through.
Without his tacit approval or a nod of agreement, Yuanshi would never have acted so brazenly before Xu Tong.
Given the temperament of the Tongtian they had known before, Yuanshi's words, coupled with that grand moral label of the Pangu Orthodox Lineage, would probably have done the trick already.
Unfortunately, the person facing them now was someone else entirely.
The Tongtian of the past no longer existed.
"Ahem."
Xu Tong cleared his throat and looked solemnly at the two of them, his expression unusually grave, as though he had something vitally important to say.
Seeing him like this, they both straightened their expressions, assuming that Xu Tong was ready to take action.
Then Xu Tong said, "Elder brothers, vindicating our Pangu Orthodox Lineage is naturally a good thing. However, now is not the time."
At those words, both their expressions changed.
Yuanshi immediately grew displeased.
"Tongtian, what do you mean by that? Since when does vindicating our Pangu Orthodox Lineage require choosing the right time? Could it be that you don't want to help?"
Laozi did not stop Yuanshi. Instead, he added fuel to the fire from the sidelines.
"Second brother is right. This concerns the reputation of all three of us. We cannot keep putting it off. Besides, who does that birdman Di Jun think he is, daring to insult us Three Pure Ones?"
"Third brother, now that you've finished your seclusion, it is time we taught them a lesson."
Laozi wore an air of righteous conviction, as though Xu Tong would be breaking some vital oath between them if he refused.
Under their gazes, Xu Tong almost felt as though he had committed some grievous crime.
But that thought lasted only an instant.
When he recalled all the things the two of them would do in the future, the guilt in Xu Tong's heart vanished without a trace.
Good grief, those two almost managed to brainwash me.
You two were the ones who insisted on going out and stirring up trouble, offending Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor. Why are you dragging me into the mire now?
He had no quarrel with Di Jun or the Eastern Emperor.
Yet now, if he did not intervene, they would pin the blame on him instead.
Xu Tong rolled his eyes inwardly.
These two old bastards are truly shameless. If I stepped in and pushed Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor too far, wouldn't they lead the entire Demon Tribe after me?
Once something went wrong, you two would run faster than anyone.
Do you really think I'm an idiot?
Xu Tong sneered inwardly.
Looking at the two agitated men before him, he waved a hand, signaling for them to calm down.
"Please don't get worked up, elder brothers. I haven't finished speaking yet."
Seeing Xu Tong act this way, Yuanshi still felt dissatisfied and immediately wanted to scold him some more, but Laozi stopped him.
"Second brother, let us hear what third brother has to say."
Only after Laozi spoke did Yuanshi swallow the words on the tip of his tongue.
Even so, he snorted coldly and shot Xu Tong a displeased glance.
"Hmph. Since eldest brother has spoken, go on, then."
Yuanshi's lofty, condescending manner filled Xu Tong with disgust.
No wonder the original Tongtian never got along with Yuanshi.
Never mind anything else. That attitude of pulling someone close when you need them and shoving them aside when you don't is already annoying enough.
What's more, whenever someone does anything for him, he acts as though it's only his due. Who could stand that?
Once my cultivation is high enough to protect myself, I'm leaving Kunlun Mountain immediately. I'm not staying here to swallow this humiliation.
Xu Tong silently made his decision.
At the same time, he deliberately distanced himself a little further from the two of them.
Knowing that they were destined to part ways someday, Xu Tong instead felt free of any burden.
Looking at them, he said, "Elder brothers, when I said just now that this was not the right time, I was not deliberately trying to shirk my duty."
"You have both returned from the Purple Cloud Palace. Although I did not go there myself, the Dao Ancestor's voice carried throughout the Three Realms, so I know what happened."
Those words of Xu Tong's were indeed true.
Hongjun had tried every conceivable means to lure Xu Tong out of seclusion.
Naturally, he had to let Xu Tong know about something as important as the distribution of Primordial Violet Qi and make him understand its benefits. Only then would it be easier to draw him into the tribulation.
Unfortunately, Xu Tong was not the Tongtian of the past.
What good would becoming a Sage do? Wouldn't I still be at the Heavenly Dao's mercy?
Thus, no matter how Hongjun tempted him, Xu Tong simply refused to take the bait.
Now that he was facing Laozi and Yuanshi, however, Xu Tong had an argument ready.
Hearing that Xu Tong knew what had happened inside the Purple Cloud Palace, the two were somewhat surprised. But after thinking it over, they found it reasonable, so they remained silent and watched Xu Tong, waiting to hear what he would say next.
Xu Tong continued, "I imagine that with your aptitudes, elder brothers, you must have won the Dao Ancestor's favor. Surely you each received a portion of Primordial Violet Qi."
"As for Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor, they are merely two birdmen. They surely received no Primordial Violet Qi."
"Elder brothers, you are now uncut jade. Why should you dash yourselves against common tiles and stones?"
"In my view, your most urgent task is to comprehend that Primordial Violet Qi and attain Sagehood."
"Once you become Sages, what would Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor amount to?"
"If you still insist on chasing a moment's satisfaction, then I have nothing more to say. I will accompany you in this madness, elder brothers. Even if I die, what of it!"
Having finished speaking, Xu Tong wore an expression of tragic resolve, as though he were about to march nobly to his execution.
Seeing him like this, the two were left utterly dumbfounded by his words.
When neither spoke for a while, Xu Tong laughed inwardly. You two amateurs. As if I couldn't bluff circles around you.
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