"Master Tanshi, if I hadn't stepped in to save those mortals, the two of us could still be traveling now, heading to the Eastern Sea, free and unfettered."
Inside a cave abode temporarily excavated somewhere in the barren mountains.
Tanshi was helping Yuyan heal his injuries.
Yuyan said, "But now we've landed ourselves in a cage over this. I regret it. What do you make of that?"
The monk Tanshi slowly withdrew his power and shook his head slightly. "Benefactor Yu, you've told quite a few lies."
"First, you aren't trapped in a cage. With your strength, if you fled with all your might, the Demon Sect most likely couldn't stop you."
"You simply can't abandon the commoners here, and so you're unwilling to leave lightly."
"Second, had you not acted that day, I'm afraid you couldn't have continued your journey east, much less remained free and unfettered."
"Third... you don't regret it. You're only teasing this humble monk."
Of course Yuyan had no regrets.
He merely felt some hatred that, while Devil Cultivators bled mortals dry, no one from the Eastern Wilderness's native sects stood up to resist.
In fact, during their travels, the two of them had made contact with some of the Eastern Wilderness's sects.
They weren't all cold and heartless. Quite a few sects had considered joining forces against the Devil Cultivators.
Unfortunately, the cultivation world of the Eastern Wilderness wasn't particularly strong.
Even if they truly united to fight the devils, they would have only one chance. If they failed, the entire Eastern Wilderness would become Devil Cultivator territory.
Their foundations, their disciples, their Dao Paths-the entanglement of so many factors had robbed many sects in the Eastern Wilderness of the courage to oppose the Devil Cultivators.
"You will certainly go, benefactor."
"Don't put me