Chapter 838: To Each Their Own Path

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The witnessing elders, disciple and venerables looked stupefied. Gasping at the totally outrageous outcome.

The sect only had those Soul Harmony experts, yet all were killed in a flash.

As the bloody rain fell, with squishy parts in between, the audience froze. No one made a single peep.

Zhuo Fan took back the sword, turning around to grin at his previous trusty punching back, Ren Xiaoyun.

Shuddering, Ren Xiaoyun’s mood hit rock bottom.

[Again? Why me? I can’t take it anymore, dying in two hits. You, elders, don’t just stand there, help!]

Everyone was still looking lost. Maybe the shock was so great it upended all their common sense, or it just might be that they were smart enough to play dumb and not die like the others before them.

Ren Xiaoyun wanted to curse.

They just loved buttering him up every day all day, but when it counted, none would help. 

[A bunch of double-crossing degenerates!]

The elders were having difficulties themselves, though. With the best Soul Harmony experts removed so easily, as Ethereal Stage experts, they’d only go there to die.

[Sect Leader, you gotta take us into consideration, to preserve the strength of the sect]

Ren Xiaoyun looked to be in the pits of despair. 

[It’s over. Who’ll help me now?]

Zhuo Fan snickered, shooting for him, “Ha-ha-ha, Sect Leader Ren, the great middle-three sect, Heaven Trailing Sect, is nothing short of a letdown. All your elders are cowards, none willing to risk themselves to save you. Talk about a useless Sect Leader.”

Ren Xiaoyun’s face twitched.

“Sect Leader!”

The elders finally cried out in anger, though none thought of coming over.

[Fine, fine, I already knew your stance. I’m about to hang so what’s the point of faking sympathy, to console me?]

[Humph, hypocrites!]

Ren Xiaoyun huffed and sneered.

He was wondering if these geezers were really after sympathy, or maybe they had been hypocrites for so long, they forgot how to act natural. 

One thing was certain, these ingratiating oldies were useless when the going got tough, like now. 

[I should’ve just sent them first to fight. What was wrong with me when I went to fight that freak?] 

Ren Xiaoyun was wallowing in regret.

A shame none of this mattered at this point. Zhuo Fan popped next to him and punched at his head.

It didn’t follow the same game from before, the strike was filled with the desire to kill. Even Zhuo Fan got tired of playing. 

Ren Xiaoyun’s heart sank and sighed.

[I just had to mess with the wrong monster…]

Whoosh!

Just before Zhuo Fan’s killing blow landed, a whistling sound passed by his ear.

Zhuo Fan’s punch halted and he jumped back while leaning his head back. Just in time too, as a sword wave was inches from his nose. The sharp golden energy even made his face sting despite not touching him. 

Boom!

The sword wave destroyed a faraway forest in a huge explosion. Fire and dust covered the skies, erasing everyting in dozens of miles.

That attack was even stronger than his punch!

Zhuo Fan gulped, hovering in the air and sweating bullets. Looking up, he saw a tall man in white, looking rather young. He was holding the heavily wounded Ren Xiaoyun, looking down with a calm gaze.

“High Venerable!”

The audience cheered at seeing their savior, bowing in respect. Ren Xiaoyun grinned, “High Venerable, you came…”

“You’d be dead if I didn’t.”

High Venerable threw Ren Xiaoyun down. The spectating elders rushed to catch him, looking after his every need. Though Ren Xiaoyun’s opinion of them already dropped. 

[Disaster came at our doors and you only now show care? Too little, too late!]

Ren Xiaoyun remained silent with a dark look.

High Venerable laughed and turned to Zhuo Fan, “What problems might you have with Heaven Trailing Sect to cause such a big scene?”

“Heaven Trailing Sword, Xiao Yunshan?”

Zhuo Fan squinted then mocked, “You’re out at last. I’m Demon Scheming Sect’s High Venerable Yuan Xinggang’s disciple, Zhuo Fan!”

Shaking, Xiao Yunshan looked at him hard before nodding, “I see, so you’re the one he mentioned. Your master was very proud of you till the end. I’ve never seen that look on him before. It even got me curious to see you. But then I heard rumors of Universal Righteous Sect targeting you and that you didn’t survive. Who knew…”

“I’d survive and come find you?”

Grinning, Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed with bloodthirst, “Xiao Yunshan, I heard you killed my master. That’s why I came here, to take your head!”

Xiao Yunshan was as calm as ever, turning to the heavily wounded Ren Xiaoyun, “That’s why you kept him alive, to make me step in.”

“True, but you came rather late. Now your great sect is a dozen Soul Harmony experts short.”

“Ha-ha-ha, sorry, but I’ve been in seclusion and couldn’t hear the commotion until now.” Xiao Yunshan smiled, not minding his own sect’s experts had been mowed down.

Zhuo Fan was puzzled. 

[Is the High Venerable not on good terms with those oldies, or maybe he stands above taunts and ingratiations?]

Xiao Yunshan spoke, “You must’ve come for revenge. Would you mind answering a question first?”

“I’m the most accommodating to dead men.”

“Ha-ha-ha, how cocky, although,” Xiao Yunshan looked around and nodded, “You do have the power to back it up. I can see now why the old man was so proud of you. You’re truly gifted. Only, I just heard that the Demon Scheming Sect is in ruins. Did you do that?” 

Zhuo Fan nodded, “Correct.”

“You knew the Demon Scheming Sect was the old man’s most cherished place. Even with the traitorous elders, having a hand in killing him, they were all the core of the Demon Scheming Sect. Their death means the end of Demon Scheming Sect and the end of all his efforts. Is this revenge to pay your respect, or get rid of everything?”

Xiao Yunshan’s eyes stared hard, waiting for an answer.

Zhuo Fan’s gaze didn’t falter, then laughed, “Who said I’m taking revenge for master?”

Xiao Yunshan was stunned.

“In the end, master is dead and he won’t come back just because I took revenge.”

Zhuo Fan spoke with a sage look, “Everyone is looking to avenge themselves, and I’m no different. Demon Scheming Sect had been my master’s cherished place, but not mine. I only cared about master and not the sect. I even told him that Demon Scheming Sect will be home as long as he was there. When that ceased, ha-ha-ha, there’s no home without kin. Master had his path and I have mine.

“Even as master was killed, I’m sure he still didn’t want to see the sect in ruins. But from how I saw it, every last one of them are his killers. If I don’t destroy those bastards, I’d have not let down master, but myself and my path. Xiao Yunshan, do you get it now?”

Xiao Yunshan shuddered, looking at the sky in ponder. Elder Yuan’s final words echoed loud in his ears.

[Xie Wuyue, you’re damning the sect…]

[So that’s what he meant.]

Taking a deep breath and turning to Zhuo Fan, Xiao Yunshan laughed, “Ha-ha-ha, I see it now. Old man, I finally understand why you’re so proud of him. He’s good, no, great, ha-ha-ha…”

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