With those words, Lin Xuan turned and left without looking back.
Wang Yan followed close behind him.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Lin Xuan stopped him before he could speak.
What use would saying more do?
Since it was useless, there was no need to say it.
Guilt surfaced in Wang Yan's eyes, and he closed his mouth with difficulty. He... did not want to drag his master down because of him...
But as Lin Xuan saw it, blaming his own disciple for trumped-up charges, or even abandoning his disciple?
He could not do it.
What crime had Wang Yan committed?
Besides, it was merely the Spirit Jade Sect. What was there to fear? The Azure Yang Sword Sect was afraid, but he, Lin Xuan...
Had never feared them in the slightest!
Originally, Lin Xuan had planned to enter the Seven Kingdoms Grand Competition in the Azure Yang Sword Sect's name and secure a good placing for the sect.
Now, it seemed there was no need.
Neither master nor disciple looked back. They felt not the slightest attachment to this cold, heartless sect.
"Ancestor..."
Watching Lin Xuan and Wang Yan leave, Lu Tianxing's eyes flickered unreadably. He opened his mouth to say more, but Ancestor Xuanjian stopped him.
Ancestor Xuanjian shook his head slightly.
"Forget it. Let them go. They have nothing more to do with our Azure Yang Sword Sect anyway."
In his eyes, Lin Xuan had stepped onto a road of no return.
All for a disciple-even if that disciple was rather gifted, so what?
Both Wang Yan and Lin Xuan were doomed to die. Since that was the case, there was nothing more to fuss over. Let them go.
Without the Azure Yang Sword Sect, they were nothing but ants the Spirit Jade Sect could crush at will. How pitiful that they could not even realize this, and had forgotten who had given them the confidence to challenge the Spirit Jade Sect.
Leaving the Azure Yang Sword Sect might as well clear their heads, so they would not live too foolishly in the final moments of their lives!
Though unwilling to accept it, Lu Tianxing could only shut his mouth at Ancestor Xuanjian's signal and silently retreat to the back.
What neither of them knew was that they should have been thankful they had not forcibly detained Lin Xuan and his disciple. Otherwise...
A graceful figure brushed past him, heading in the opposite direction to stand before Ancestor Xuanjian, and in front of Lu Tianxing as well.
"I am grateful for all the nurturing the sect has given me over the years. Sect Master, Ancestor, please forgive me. I wish to leave the sect together with Lin Xuan and the others!"
Li Fufeng's choice shocked everyone present. For a moment, none of them could speak...
She bowed gracefully to Sect Master Xuanyang, then glanced back at the Jade Moon Peak Master. With little attachment, she gave a casual smile, bowed once more to the ancestor, then straightened and turned to follow Lin Xuan without hesitation.
The sect's principles... differed too greatly from what she believed. She was unwilling to compromise herself, and even less willing to become the Azure Yang Sword Sect's junior sect master, assimilated and sinking into depravity within such a sect.
Li Fufeng knew full well that she was no important figure, and her words carried little weight. But speaking and remaining silent, acting and doing nothing, were two different things.
She was unwilling to wallow in the same filth.
She would not stay in such a sect.
"Fufeng..." Seeing Li Fufeng leave in anger, the Jade Moon Peak Master frowned slightly and opened his mouth to call after her.
Hearing his voice, Li Fufeng stiffened for a moment. Before she could say anything, the Qingwei Peak Master walked over helplessly and blocked her path.
Fairy Clear Subtlety looked at Li Fufeng with concern, her slender, willow-leaf brows drawn together.
"Fufeng... must you really do this? Don't act on a moment's impulse..."
Before she could finish, however, Li Fufeng firmly interrupted her.
She shook her head.
"Qingwei Peak Master, Jade Moon Peak Master, thank you both for protecting me all these years. But my mind is made up. There is no need to persuade me."
"I'm leaving... please take good care of yourselves!"
There was not the slightest reluctance in Li Fufeng's eyes, only a faint sense of release.
She bowed to the Jade Moon Peak Master and the Qingwei Peak Master, then set off again.
Watching Li Fufeng's pale-clad figure drift away, Ancestor Xuanjian wore an ugly expression. So did Sect Master Xuanyang.
Wang Yan and Lin Xuan's departure was still acceptable.
But Li Fufeng...
Whatever else, she was the sect's holy maiden. Her leaving just like this was truly something of a blow to morale.
"Forget it. Let her go."
Ancestor Xuanjian slowly narrowed his eyes. Once Li Fufeng had disappeared from sight, he suddenly turned toward the others in the hall and asked abruptly.
"Besides those few, does anyone else wish to leave? Go now, and I will let you leave without a fight."
His words fell, but several breaths passed with no one moving or answering.
The Qingwei Peak Master lowered her head and gently bit her lip. Countless thoughts churned in her mind, but in the end, she said nothing.
She was different from Li Fufeng. Young and impetuous, Li Fufeng could simply walk away. Though she, too, disagreed with Ancestor Xuanjian's actions, she was not free to act as she pleased. She had reasons she could not leave.
Fufeng...
The Qingwei Peak Master felt a hollow ache in her heart, an inexplicable sense that she had lost something.
At that moment, no one was more pleased than Lu Tianxing.
Starfall Peak, which he hated most, was gone, disbanded on the spot.
Wang Yan, the young genius whose talent firmly surpassed his, had also been expelled from the sect. Perhaps Su Lianxin and Qu Youmeng would leave with Lin Xuan as well.
Li Fufeng, who had always opposed him, was gone too. The position of junior sect master had already slipped past him, but now it could only fall to him.
This was truly... wonderful!
Joy was written all over Lu Tianxing's face. Only after a long while did he suppress the delight welling up from his heart.
Only Sect Master Xuanyang gave a heartfelt sigh.
"Wang Yan was exceptionally gifted. What a pity."
That was Sword Intent...
"There is nothing to pity," Ancestor Xuanjian suddenly said coldly. "If the old does not go, the new cannot come. Our Azure Yang Sword Sect has the resolve to bear a loss. Besides, a genius must survive to be called a genius."
A dead one could only be a regret.
"Moreover..."
Ancestor Xuanjian paused briefly, then turned his hand over and took out several items, drawing everyone's attention.
A trace of self-satisfaction appeared on his face.
"These are what I obtained in the Heaven-Burning Mystic Realm a while ago. We have merely lost a few disciples. It is of no consequence."
With that, Ancestor Xuanjian turned his hand over again, displaying a jade-white porcelain bottle in his grasp.
"This is...?"
Everyone's breathing stopped for an instant. At the sight of the treasures in Ancestor Xuanjian's hands, they were nearly overwhelmed with joy.
So many treasures...
Ancestor Xuanjian truly had gained quite a few fortuitous opportunities in the Heaven-Burning Mystic Realm!
Wang Yan, Li Fufeng-they had cast them all to the back of their minds. Their gazes lingered, unwilling to turn away, as they longed for the ancestor to bestow treasures upon them.
Lu Tianxing was among those thinking the same thing.
And Ancestor Xuanjian really did look his way!
"Tianxing, keep these two pills safe."
The porcelain bottle landed in Lu Tianxing's hands. Before he could wonder what pills they were, Ancestor Xuanjian explained in a steady voice.
"These are two Dragon Soul Pills, each with one pill pattern. Refine them well. I look forward to your growth."
Dragon Soul Pills!!
Lu Tianxing's hands nearly shook hard enough to drop the porcelain bottle. Coming back to himself, he stared at the bottle in his hands, his gaze filled with shock and wild joy.
Dragon Soul Pills!
These were exceedingly precious, capable of improving one's aptitude and greatly increasing one's strength...
Seventh-grade pills!!
He had actually obtained such precious seventh-grade, single-pattern spirit pills so easily?
Lu Tianxing could not believe it, but he was so ecstatic that he nearly laughed aloud.
Under everyone's gaze, Lu Tianxing hastily composed himself and lowered his head to conceal his expression, cupping his fist in delight.
"Yes! I will certainly not disappoint you, Ancestor!"
He was even a little grateful to Li Fufeng!
Had she not left, he probably would never have received such an opportunity.
Hah!
He truly wanted to see how much Li Fufeng would regret it if she found out!
She would surely... regret it until her guts turned green.