Little did he know that every word he said stepped on a sore spot for the Two from the West.
"Actually, I think the Chan Sect is more suitable. You have far more disciples than we do, and they're excellent, too-strong enough to withstand the pressure!"
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi refused to be outdone.
"But you would suffer the smallest losses facing the tribulation!"
Zhunti snapped.
"Why didn't you suggest sending us in earlier, senior brother? Why did you suggest Senior Brother Tongtian instead?"
"His sect is so large that its losses would be far greater than either of ours!"
As they traded one retort after another, the alliance they had just formed fell apart in an instant.
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi truly had not expected the Two Sages of the West to speak so viciously. Every word stabbed him straight in the heart.
Still, to save face, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi continued arguing his case with all his might.
"I only recommended Junior Brother Tongtian's Interception Sect because I thought facing the tribulation would be an opportunity for his sect."
"After all, his followers vary greatly in quality. What harm would a little purging do?"
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi had barely finished speaking.
Tongtian could not help speaking up from the side.
"I think your followers are quite good, senior brother. Perhaps facing this tribulation would be an opportunity for you, too."
Tongtian's words immediately left Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi choking on his reply.
Meanwhile, Jieyin and Zhunti had no intention of sparing his dignity. They laughed aloud on the spot.
"Exactly."
"Facing this tribulation might even improve the quality of your disciples!"
"Our Western World has no need for that. We need to develop slowly!"
Yuanshi's face darkened.
"Junior Brother Tongtian, the two of us should be presenting a united front against outsiders right now. Why are you..."
Before Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi could finish, Tongtian gave him an icy look, then turned away.
Sensing Tongtian's distant attitude, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi grew somewhat angry.
Over the years, he and Tongtian had often disagreed.
But Tongtian had always stood on his side in the end.
How could he say something like that today?
And in front of the Two Sages of the West, no less. He had utterly humiliated him!
Now, merely looking at the smug smiles on the faces of the Two Sages of the West made Yuanshi furious.
But he could not vent that anger on the Two Sages of the West, so he could only turn on Tongtian.
"Junior Brother Tongtian, do you have some grievance against me? Or is there something you're dissatisfied with?"
Tongtian truly had not expected Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi to remain so shameless even now.
Had he really forgotten what he had just done?
Or did he think I was some fool he could easily coax?
Did he think a few words about brotherly affection would be enough to pull the wool over my eyes?
After the Four Saints' Coercion earlier, Tongtian had finally seen everything clearly.
The brothers he had always held dear had never once thought to hold him dear.
They would even consign him to death for their own selfish desires!
Why should he continue cherishing brothers like these?
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi merely wanted him to take a stand now and send the Western Teachings into the tribulation.
Compared with his two sanctimonious elder brothers.
Tongtian would rather help the two men of the Western Teachings!
At least those two laid their selfish motives openly on the table.
Laozi and Yuanshi, by contrast, somehow made him sick!
Faced with Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's probing question, Tongtian said nothing and merely gave a cold laugh.
After all, their teacher Hongjun was still right there.
If he tore away all pretense now, who knew whether Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi would fly into a frenzy?
Better to proceed gradually.
"Then how do you think I should respond, senior brother?"
"Since you've already said everything, why do you need me to speak?"
"Or do you want me to restore the Interception Sect, then push it into the tribulation?"
"And when that happens, you'll stand to the side and stab me twice more, while I offer you my regards?"
Having gone this far, Tongtian had truly left Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi not a shred of dignity.
He did not want to openly fall out with Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi in front of their teacher, but that did not mean his kindness made him easy prey.
He would not let Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi climb onto his head and dance!
At that moment, Tongtian felt sincerely grateful to whoever had disbanded the Interception Sect!
Had that person not disbanded the Interception Sect in advance.
He really would have fallen beneath the knives of his two dear elder brothers!
Recalling what Lu Feng had told him before he left, Tongtian felt that only today had he finally understood it completely.
It turned out he had never truly seen through human nature.
He had not even understood it as clearly as that boy Lu Feng.
Tongtian's words left Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi speechless. For a long while, he did not even know how to respond.
Tongtian's argument was so well-founded that he had no way to refute it.
All along, Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's self-absorption had kept him from noticing his youngest brother Tongtian's feelings.
He had even taken his younger brother's tolerance for granted.
Now that Tongtian had laid everything plainly on the table.
He could not muster even a single word of rebuttal.
Because he could not find a single example to support one!
He had originally thought some brotherly affection still remained between him and Tongtian.
Now that he considered it, that affection had probably been exhausted entirely just moments ago!
Once Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi realized this, his expression turned as ugly as could be.
But he still could not understand.
Since Tongtian had tolerated me time and again, why couldn't he keep tolerating me this time?
Wasn't it merely a sect?
How could it outweigh the brotherly bond between us?
Could he possibly find anyone closer to him than us in this Primordial World?
Had Tongtian known Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi's thoughts, he would probably have sneered twice more.
Tongtian did not know, but Lu Feng had seen them through the Eye of God.
It seemed Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi still had not figured it out, even now.
Brotherly affection was one thing.
The life and death of two sects was not something to treat as a game.
Especially when his own brothers had personally helped push this life-and-death crisis forward.
How could Tongtian possibly swallow his anger and remain calm?
Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi stared coldly at Tongtian, who stood opposite him.
"So, junior brother, you don't intend to help me?"
Tongtian turned his head away.
He could not be bothered to deal with this man anymore.
Utterly self-centered people would never recognize their own faults.
Even at a moment like this, he would never reflect on himself. Instead, he would lay every fault at someone else's feet.
He had not even considered softening his tone and speaking civilly.
With an attitude like that, why would Tongtian show him any warmth?
Tongtian's silence did not mean Jieyin and Zhunti would remain silent.
The two of them were now positively eager for Tongtian and Heavenly Venerable Yuanshi to fall out even further!
Only if the Three Pure Ones stopped banding together would the Western Teachings have a chance of winning, wouldn't they?
After all, an honor like facing the tribulation ought to go to the Chan Sect!
Before you continue