Fu Yao excitedly asked, “Brother, you’ve finished your seclusion?”
Li Chen nodded, frowning as he saw another figure approaching quickly through the sky.
Zhao Xueyi had arrived as well.
“Senior Brother.”
Li Chen’s expression turned cold. “Zhao Xueyi, I’ve already said—I’m no longer a disciple of Qilin Holy Land. I now belong to the Myriad Demons Sect. What are you planning this time?”
Zhao Xueyi’s expression was soft, like she was looking at her own brother. “Senior Brother, come back with me. Master said that as long as you return, the position of Holy Son is still yours.”
“You will always be the Holy Son of Qilin Holy Land.”
Li Chen gave a cold snort, his eyes full of disdain. “Do you think I care about that? I’ve done so much for Qilin Holy Land—you know how I was treated. And what’s more, why did you bring Ning Ningyun here?”
Ning Ningyun, standing behind Zhao Xueyi, raised her voice, “Senior Brother, if I say I’m sorry, will you come back with me?”
Just looking at her made Li Chen feel sick.
If he had the strength, he would’ve killed her right there.
At that moment, many cultivators had gathered around. Just like ordinary people, cultivators loved gossip—especially when it involved Qilin Holy Land and the Myriad Demons Sect.
Li Chen chuckled.
He suddenly had an idea.
He raised his voice and said, “There are so many people here. Let them judge between us. Let’s see who’s truly in the wrong.”
As his voice echoed out, even more cultivators gathered around.
Zhao Xueyi’s face darkened. She glanced around at the crowd—many were from other holy lands or one of the ten demonic sects.
Ning Ningyun sneered inwardly. If you want to embarrass yourself, I won’t stop you.
She stepped forward. “Since that’s what you want, let’s do it.”
“Li Chen, weren’t you once the Holy Son of Qilin Holy Land?”
“Yes.”
“And now you’ve betrayed the sect and joined the Myriad Demons Sect. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“There are so many cultivators here. Let them judge. Betraying your sect is a serious crime. Now that the Sect Master is willing to forgive you, yet you remain arrogant and refuse to return—isn’t that your fault?”
Li Chen smiled coldly. Ning Ningyun—so this is how you want to play?
The crowd began murmuring among themselves.
“He was a disciple of Qilin Holy Land. I’ve seen him before—Li Chen.”
“It’s really him? The Holy Son of Qilin Holy Land betrayed the sect? That’s a huge offense. If the sect is willing to forgive him, why not go back?”
“How dare he betray the sect like that?”
“Li Chen? I’ve heard of him. They say he once fought off an army of 100,000 demons by himself, wielding only a sword. He crushed them and sent them fleeing in panic. How could he betray the sect?”
“No way! They actually dared do that to him?”
“You don’t know? After fighting the Demonic Heavenly Maiden, he lost all his cultivation. He was just a Qi Refining Realm disciple after that.”
“Oh… how tragic.”
Many cultivators expressed sympathy, but even so, some felt it wasn’t a reason to betray his sect.
Li Chen looked at Ning Ningyun, his voice steady. “Ning Ningyun, you came to the sect at the age of eight, didn’t you?”
“So what?” she puffed out her chest proudly.
“When you came to the mountain at eight, who taught you to cultivate Qi?”
She was at a loss for words.
Li Chen sneered coldly. “What, won’t answer? Didn’t you want judgment from the crowd? Then I’ll go along with it.”
“It was you, so what?” Ning Ningyun forced herself to reply.
“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
Li Chen continued, “After you reached peak Qi Refining Realm, who taught you to build your foundation?”
“You did.”
“And who taught you to condense your Golden Core?”
“You.”
“Who gave you the pills you needed?”
“You again.”
“And the artifacts?”
“Li Chen, what are you getting at?” Ning Ningyun snapped. “Why all these questions?”
“Just answer.”
“…It was you.”
Li Chen turned to the crowd and pointed at Ning Ningyun. “She came to the sect at eight. All of you who were around back then know what an eight-year-old can do. I personally taught her how to refine Qi, build her foundation, and break through to the Golden Core Realm.”
“When she was twelve, she liked spiritual fruit. To fulfill her wish, I ventured deep into the Ten-Thousand Mountains and found a rare fruit called Crimson Gold Fruit.”
“I fought a demon for it—lost an arm to get it.”
“Zhao Xueyi, you saw it yourself. Tell everyone—did that really happen?”
Li Chen stared at Zhao Xueyi, waiting.
His words were like daggers piercing her heart. She couldn’t breathe. Her face filled with guilt. “Senior Brother, what’s the point of all this? It’s in the past…”
“I just need a yes or no.”
Zhao Xueyi nodded silently.
The crowd erupted in whispers.
“Wow… was Senior Brother really that good? I remember when I joined the sect, he gave me one Qi Essence Pill and that was it. If I had a Senior Brother like him…” Read this novel at NovelPing for the best experience.
“He’s not just a Senior Brother—he’s like a father.”
“He taught her how to refine Qi, build her foundation, and reach the Golden Core Realm. If I had that kind of help, I’d think my ancestors were smiling on me.”
“He cared for her more than any master ever would. Not even your own father would go that far.”
Hearing the exchange, every cultivator understood.
Such devotion—no master could offer that much. No biological father, either.
Ning Ningyun, seeing the strange looks from the crowd, shouted, “You only did all that because Master told you to! If she hadn’t ordered you, would you have done any of it?”
“I cultivated hard for your sake. If I didn’t, Master would’ve punished you. Everything I did was to help you!”
The crowd stared in disbelief.
What kind of person was this?
A disciple of Qilin Holy Land? A personal disciple?
He gave her pills, artifacts, personally taught her, and she claimed it was “for his own good”? That she cultivated “for him”? Not for herself?
Was she stupid?
And all that over some fruit—and he lost an arm for it. Not only was she ungrateful, she still blamed him.
What kind of person like that existed in the cultivation world?
Li Chen stared at Ning Ningyun, gritting his teeth. “I taught you, sheltered you, protected you. Now you’re at the Void Refinement Realm—so how did you repay me?”
Ning Ningyun arrogantly replied, “Master told you to do those things. Why should I repay you?”
The crowd was dumbfounded.
Why should I repay you?
Someone cared for you, taught you, gave you everything—and you’re asking why you should repay them?
Li Chen nodded. “You’re right. I did it because Master ordered me. But even if that were true, has anyone else ever treated you like I did? Look around—has anyone here received that kind of care?”
The others all shook their heads and began to complain.
“No way. Last time I asked my Senior Brother to lend me some mid-grade spirit stones, he wouldn’t even listen.”
“Same here. Even my master wouldn’t give me this kind of help.”
“In our world, a master brings you in, but cultivation is your own responsibility. If you’re lucky, they’ll give you advice—but pills and treasures? No chance.”
“My Senior Brother’s way above me in cultivation. He won’t even give me discarded artifacts unless I pay spirit stones. If I had someone like Li Chen, I’d be blessed.”
Ning Ningyun started to panic hearing all this.
She shouted, “Don’t be fooled by him!”
“He poisoned a spirit beast!”
“He stole things, and even climbed into my bed at midnight! He tried to take advantage of me! He’s a beast!”
Everyone was stunned and turned their shocked eyes toward Li Chen.