Chapter 5: Right and Wrong

Xuangang must die today! This is a reality that no one can change. Perhaps even he himself never expected that his ultimate fate would turn out this way. Xuangang's power was draining away bit by bit. "Hahaha, to think that I have roamed and dominated the world for so many years, only to end up in such a state. However, people of the Suiyi Pavilion, you should all know this: if I die today, not a single one of you will escape!"

Xuangang had originally believed that he would undoubtedly win this battle. Yet, when he laid eyes on those nameless experts of the Suiyi Pavilion, a trace of fear welled up within his heart. For many years, such fear had been completely absent from him; he should have conquered fear long ago, but he never imagined that it would come to this in the end!

"Xuangang, you man cannot leave today. We have long known that the Four Great Sects intended to come to the Suiyi Pavilion. Do you know why you were always the first one to make a move? Because in the eyes of the other three, you are simply the best cannon fodder! Did you think that after you charged in and died, the other three would genuinely fight for your honor? In reality, they are doing no such thing. They are only laughing like madmen in their hearts. In their eyes, you are nothing more than a burden—it was like that in the past, and it remains the same today!"

Xuangang's complexion turned extremely unsightly. To his dismay, he discovered that he could not find a single reason to refute these words. It was true; his decision to come to the Suiyi Pavilion was entirely his own choice. He refused to remain cannon fodder for the other three any longer. For years, he had struggled desperately to prove himself, yet throughout all this time, he had never been given the opportunity!

"Hmph, even if what you say is true, so what? I never asked the other three to avenge me. In fact, all the battle data from the engagement just now has already been transmitted into the minds of those three men. Therefore, even if I truly die today, at least my mission has been accomplished. Shouldn't I be happy about these things?"

"Xuangang's usefulness is probably limited to this now. What I didn't anticipate, however, is that while the overall strength of the Suiyi Pavilion is clearly inferior to what it used to be, they have managed to secretly cultivate so many powerful experts. Eldest Brother, when do the three of us finally make our move? Are we really just going to sit back and watch Xuangang march to his death? No matter what, this man grew up alongside us. If he just dies like this, it will deal a terrible blow to the reputation of the Four Great Sects!"

Mo Xuanbing, the Master of the Xuanbing Sect, looked very young, and every word he spoke was frosty to the extreme. His relationship with Xuangang was not necessarily close, but since they were both members of the Four Great Sects, he ought to step in at a critical moment.

"What? Are you worried about that man? Let me tell you this: Xuangang's strength is not as weak as you imagine. In fact, for years, this man has been concealing his true cultivation. I am well aware of what he truly desires in his heart—he has always wanted to become the supreme leader of the Four Great Sects. But do you really think I would allow such a thing to happen?"

"Xuanbing, I know that you and he were the closest since childhood, though the two of you never spoke another word after a bitter falling-out. Very well, I know you are a sentimental person. Since you are so concerned about your former friend, I will send you to find him right now. Remember, as long as you take this fight, the only acceptable outcome I want is victory!"

"I imagine that if the two of you join forces, it will be comparable to the absolute peak experts of the world. Well? I am entrusting this matter to you now. Will you do it or not?"

Xuanhu looked down at Xuanbing from the high platform, his voice cold to the absolute extreme. He knew that Xuanbing would undoubtedly agree. Sure enough, Xuanbing did not hesitate for even a single second. "Very well, Eldest Brother, you can rest assured and leave this matter to me. Once I go, I will bring Xuangang back safely!"

Hearing this, Xuanhu raised a finger and wagged it from side to side. "No, no, no. In sending you, I actually have two objectives. First, obtain the incantation for the Suiyi Pavilion's Undying White Flame. Once we acquire this divine technique, the strength and status of our Four Great Sects will rise straight to the skies. The second objective is for you to eliminate Xuanbing!"

What? Eliminate Xuangang? Why on earth must this be? Although this man lacked cleverness, in the past he had truly given his all for the Four Great Sects. Such a man should not be met with this kind of end!

"What? Can you not accomplish these two tasks? Ah, I understand. You must be thinking: Xuangang has committed no grave faults over the years, so why must he die in the end? The reason is very simple. Because when this man transmitted the combat data, the coordinates of our Four Great Sects were exposed."

"According to the rules of the Four Great Sects, once someone joins us, no one is ever permitted to disclose the sect's coordinates. Anyone who violates this rule must die. What? Is this reason not enough? Of course, he doesn't have to die—except that rules are rules and can never be broken. If he doesn't die, then you must die!"

"There can only be one of you two alive. Think carefully now about what you should do!"

Rules were inherently ruthless, and only through such harshness could every disciple understand what should be done and what must not be done. Every person's life was limited to a single existence; Xuanhu had never seen anyone willingly forfeit their own life for the sake of another.

What kind of place were the Four Great Sects? They were the most ruthless place in the world, where everything was determined solely by individual strength. Those with mighty strength could say whatever they pleased, while those without it would be completely ignored by everyone!

Xuanbing drew a deep, turbid breath and gently closed his eyes. "Eldest Brother, I finally understand what I must do now. Rest assured, no matter what, I will never let you down!"

"Of course I believe that. Entrusting this crucial matter to you gives me complete peace of mind. Very well, I have nothing more to say; go and prepare yourself."

Xuanbing nodded and turned to leave. In truth, Xuanbing had long harbored a deep revulsion toward the rules of the Four Great Sects, but lacking the power, he was powerless to change any of it. Once he grew stronger, he vowed to alter every single rule here!

"Eldest Brother, you just let Xuanbing leave like that? From the look in his eyes just now, he seemed genuinely reluctant. What if this man changes his mind? At that time, I won't have the means to suppress him. Although Xuanbing appears mild-mannered, his methods are extremely ruthless. For many years, I've wanted to cross swords with him, but I know all too well that no matter how much I cultivate, I am no match for this man!"

Xuanzhen's voice drifted over leisurely at that moment. He always hid within the shadows, which made his complexion extraordinarily pale.

"Xuanzhen, you are overthinking. Do you truly not know what kind of temperament Xuanbing has? Whatever he promises, he will ultimately fulfill. In this man's heart, the mission is always paramount; compared to the mission, personal emotions truly count for nothing."

"Do you think this man holds no resentment toward Xuangang? In truth, he does. He has hated Xuangang to the extreme for a long time, but over the years, he has never spoken of it. Therefore, with things having reached this point, I truly believe this is an opportunity for him. If you don't believe me, just wait and see."

"Does dealing with a mere, long-declined Suiyi Pavilion require the entire Four Great Sects to mobilize? Sending those two is more than enough. We need only sit back and watch."

An event that required all four top-tier experts of the Xuan character-tier to appear simultaneously had to be momentous, yet centuries had passed since such an occurrence last took place.

Hearing this, Xuanzhen said nothing more. Since Eldest Brother had spoken thus, he naturally chose to believe him; Xuanzhen's trust in his Eldest Brother, Xuanhu, was unprecedented.

Upon returning to his courtyard, Xuanbing behaved with utter tranquility. He sat down, surveyed his surroundings, and finally unsealed a jar of fine wine. He took a long, continuous swallow, gulping down half of it at once. Was this day finally arriving? Xuangang, perhaps you never knew that in the depths of my heart, I loathed you beyond measure. I always thought to myself that if this world lacked you, I certainly would not have ended up like this. Your existence shattered my original peace, and everything that rightfully belonged to me was snatched away by you!

Back then, you could never have imagined that one day in the future, you would be saved by me? Yet this was something I constantly dreamed of. To achieve this goal, I don't know how hard I worked. For all these years, I never dared to expose my true cultivation because I knew that a man like you could never bear to see anyone else surpass you!

Yet there was one thing you fundamentally got wrong: there are countless people in this world far superior to you. Consumed by jealousy toward this person and that, you lost your way long ago—though you yourself never even noticed the change!

This jar of wine is specially prepared for you. Once I finish drinking it, I will come to find you. You must hold on, because a man like you can only die at my hands!

After swallowing the final drop of wine, the man's gaze grew exceptionally resolute.

His body gradually became translucent, and in the end, he transformed directly into a streak of light and vanished without a trace!

At this moment, Xuangang truly had no alternatives left. Facing this inexplicably materialized formation, he honestly did not know what to do next. "Xuangang, listen to me. If you wish to survive, calm yourself down. The more you struggle, the worse your outcome will be. You should know by now that I simply cannot tolerate such behavior. I also know that you have been enduring in silence. Perhaps you possess immense power, but even that strength is now gradually draining away. Tell me, what is to be done now?"

"Hmph, you pack of scumbags, do you really think you can defeat me just by employing this formation? Let me tell you plainly, such a thing is utterly impossible. My cultivation is different from Xuanhu's; my power stems from anger. Once I accumulate enough fury, what do you think the ultimate outcome will be?"

"Anger? Hahaha, are you joking? Do you honestly think your words instill even a shred of fear in me? Yes, perhaps you were truly formidable in the past, but that was many years ago. Look at what has become of you now—you are nothing more than an ant in our hands!"

"To deal with a man like you, letting you die too easily would be the real injustice. Tell me, under these circumstances, what is the best course of action?"

"Xuangang, you've probably forgotten how many things you've done in the past, but we have never forgotten. I have waited all these years precisely for a battle with you!"

It seemed that over the years, Duantian had grown supremely confident in his own cultivation. Having cultivated like a madman for so long, finally having the chance to prove himself to everyone was inherently a matter of great pride. Duantian had kept a very low profile over the years; apart from a few individuals close to him, no one else knew just how formidable his cultivation truly was!

This was also the first time he was unleashing his full, terrifying might! The battle intent radiating from his body erupted completely at that moment. Witnessing such ferocious intent, everyone in the vicinity was struck dumb with astonishment. What kind of ordeals had this man endured through the years unknown to them? How had his power grown to such a terrifying degree?

"Duantian, you are full of surprises. After all these years, I thought you would have slunk away with a half-dead body long ago. I never expected you to find a way to heal your internal injuries. How you managed it is something I couldn't care less about, but you should know that I have always been searching for a truly formidable opponent, and I knew you were waiting for me too. Since you want to fight me, why trap me in this formation?"

"The truth is, you still lack confidence in your own strength. If you were truly confident, you would dismantle this formation right now. But as a defeated opponent, you lack the courage!"

In the past, Duantian might have been provoked into fury by such taunts, but so many years had passed, and everyone had undergone astonishing transformations. Hearing these mocking words, the man did not display even a hint of anger. "After all these years, is the only thing that has grown in you your sharp tongue?"

"By my nature, I would naturally welcome a fight. Having acquired immense power, I can triumph over anyone I face. Trapping you here is the Pavilion Master's will. Haven't you always wanted to fight the Pavilion Master? He said that since this is your final wish, he will naturally grant it!"

"What? Do you think Li Feiyan is dead? Not at all. The Pavilion Master has been in seclusion all these years, cultivating like a madman. His obsession with ultimate power has surpassed even mine!"

"What did you say? Li Feiyan is still alive? How is that possible? According to the intelligence I received, that man died long ago! Why is he still breathing? Tell me, where is he right now?"

"What? Does hearing the Pavilion Master's name make you this happy? Rest assured, the Pavilion Master will arrive shortly. He said he has anticipated this battle for a long time. Since you dared to make a move against the Suiyi Pavilion, you must have the courage to bear the consequences!"

Duantian was naturally thrilled. Was Li Feiyan really alive? Of course not. By saying this, he was merely buying time so that Li Moqing could emerge!

Yet, why had so much time passed without the slightest movement from that woman? Could something have gone wrong during her meditation? That seemed unlikely; she had always strictly followed cultivation protocols and never dared to be the least bit reckless!

Xuanbing's movements were actually unhurried; he intended to wait until both sides had exhausted each other before making his move. Since this was an assignment, he had to follow procedures step by step. Calculating the time, Xuangang was undoubtedly trapped. Hmph, this outcome was hardly surprising; this man had always had things too easy, succeeding in everything he did, failing to realize how detrimental that was to his own growth.

"Xuangang, why have you fallen to this state? When we met previously, you were so mighty. Do you remember what you said back then? You claimed you would defeat everyone in the Suiyi Pavilion with your own strength. What happened now? Why have you become like this? Don't worry, I am coming right now, and as you know, once I arrive, everything will be perfectly resolved!"

"Xuanbing, do you even know what you're saying? As fellow companions, seeing me reduced to this, you truly refuse to lift a finger? You weren't like this in the past. Do you know what consequences await if I die?"

"I know very well: disciples of the Four Great Sects must never kill one another. That is the rule, and as someone who values rules above all else, I am well aware of it. Therefore, although I promised Eldest Brother I would come to assist you, how I choose to assist you is entirely my own affair. I might as well tell you now—I prefer watching fires from across the river, as that best suits my personal standards!"

"I remember when I was severely injured back then, you treated me in the exact same way. Now the wheel has turned, and I treat you likewise. Surely you have no objections to that, do you?"

Xuanbing no longer bothered to conceal his resentment toward this man. Witnessing Xuangang's frantic expression was truly satisfying. "Actually, I never imagined you could be such a person. Do you know how happy I am in my heart right now? You always loved mocking others, and now you have become the laughingstock of everyone!"

"Hahaha, Xuanbing, you needn't be so smug. Do you really think this can trap me? Let me tell you, my strength is formidable right now. If I wish to, I can break out in a minute. The only reason I haven't done so yet is that I want to see what other tricks the Suiyi Pavilion has up its sleeve. You must have heard what I said to Duantian just moments ago; that man is arriving immediately. I recall you had a massive grievance with Li Feiyan back then!"

"What? A long-lost friend is about to reappear, and you have nothing to say?" Xuangang assumed that uttering this name, which Xuanbing dreaded so deeply, would strike terror into his heart. Yet Xuanbing's reaction disappointed him. "Li Feiyan? Such an old name. If you hadn't mentioned it today, I might have forgotten I ever knew such a man!"

"What did you just say? That man is coming out right now? Hahaha, although I don't know who told you this, I must tell you it is completely false. Li Feiyan died many years ago. I recall you were disappointed for a long time upon receiving that news. You had cultivated for so many years, only to find that your chosen rival was dead—anybody would find that hard to accept!"

"I originally thought you would have let go after all these years, but to my surprise, you still cannot banish this man from your heart. Why? Does the shadow he cast over you run that deep? In truth, your cultivation has already surpassed his; the tragedy is that you refuse to believe in yourself!"

"Your obsession with power has grown increasingly severe. Through all these years of cultivation, you have harbored severe internal injuries long ago. Normally they remain hidden, but the moment you engage in forced combat, those hidden ailments will erupt. To be honest, if you choose to leave now, you might still survive; if you remain stubbornly delusional, you will truly die!"

"You must have spent an immense amount of time to reach your current level of power. The Suiyi Pavilion has nothing to do with you—why interfere in such matters?"

"Xuanbing, what do you mean by that? I know you've always envied me. You believed I was stronger than you, and indeed, that was the fact. I was stronger than you in the past, and after all these years, my strength has only grown more formidable. Haven't you always wanted to exact revenge? Come then! Even if you and the Suiyi Pavilion join forces, I am not afraid!"

"You are right; I did expend a vast amount of time for this power. That is because you have never experienced the sheer terror and helplessness of lacking strength—emotions capable of devouring a person whole. I endured such agony for a very long time. Could you ever have managed that if you were in my shoes?"

"Indeed, you could not. So since you cannot achieve such a thing, keep your mouth shut! Shortly, I will let you witness what true power looks like. Only mighty power can accomplish greater things. It's a pity that such a simple truth eluded me back then!"

"I only hope I understand it now!"

Most people were unwilling to listen to past sufferings, preferring only the sweetness of the present. Xuangang never imagined that one day he would be recounting his past stories to Xuanbing, a fact he found hard to believe even after speaking the words.

"Xuangang, do you still refuse to give up? This formation should have absorbed all your cultivation by now. In my eyes, you are nothing more than a complete waste, and I certainly won't fight a useless person." Duantian was supremely confident in the power of his nameless formation!

"Duantian, you seem far too confident in your own strength. Yet you forget: when you were still a nobody, I had already been renowned for years. For all this time, I have concealed my true might. Now I will let you witness my genuine power—your formation cannot hold me!"

Boom!

Following a deafening explosion, Xuangang finally stepped out of the nameless formation, while the previously formidable array shattered into fragments. "How is this possible? What did you do? Why has my formation completely lost its effect?"

"Hahaha, your formation? These arrays of yours were derived from my own power in the first place. I kept quiet earlier simply to watch your smug expression. Well? Do you believe it now? If I wish to, I can eliminate you in a minute, but I choose not to!"

"You're right, we've known each other for so many years. If I killed you off so easily after all this time apart, it would be terribly dull. Now that I'm out, you should display your own skills—unless, having felt my fierce battle intent, you've become too terrified to make a move?"

"Hmph, you were nothing more than a trash in the past. The only reason you defeated me back then wasn't because of your own formidable strength, but because you hid behind others. Li Feiyan defeated me, while you merely reaped the rewards! What? Now that your past is exposed, your face looks quite unsightly!"

"Hmph, Duantian, you were a good-for-nothing in the Suiyi Pavilion back then, and you still are. I imagine none of the folks present know what this man said to me back then just to save his own skin! Years ago, in order to survive, this man already became a disciple of the Four Great Sects. But his schemes were clever indeed—he wanted the cultivation resources of both sides. Did he really think things could be that simple?"

"What? Lord Duantian is a member of the Four Great Sects? How is that possible? He received immense grace from the Suiyi Pavilion—did he never think of repaying it?"

"Hmph, repaying grace? Everyone, look at this man's face—is there a single trace of gratitude there? Everything he has done was entirely for himself!"

"Shut your mouth! Absolute nonsense! I am no such person. You people are actually willing to believe an outsider rather than me? Have you forgotten that we are brothers who have lived and died together? How can you let an outsider's words drive a wedge between us?"

Was what Xuangang said true? Naturally, it was. Yet even if it were true, under the present circumstances, Duantian could never admit to it. He knew very well that once confessed, everything he had built would vanish like smoke. Having struggled for so many years to finally reach this point, how could he let anyone snatch it away?

Yet, glancing around, he noticed the expressions of the surrounding disciples had shifted. These gazes were all too familiar to him. Why had things turned out this way? Did these people truly not want him to grow more powerful?

"Why are you looking at me like that? I have never done anything wrong. Everything I did was ultimately for the sake of the Suiyi Pavilion. I belong to the Suiyi Pavilion!"

"Duantian, it seems you truly have no qualification to remain in the Suiyi Pavilion any longer. You hid yourself deep indeed; for all these years, I never realized you were such a person. Look at yourself—your entire body reeks of the Four Great Sects' aura! No wonder you didn't seem to cultivate much normally, yet somehow managed to acquire such immense power in the shortest possible time. Now it's entirely clear: you used the Four Great Sects' cultivation as your foundation, allowing your strength to grow rapidly!"

"Someone, drag this man away! We will deal with him after this matter is settled." Li Feichen despised betrayal above all else.

"No, my lord, you cannot treat me this way! Only I can defeat this man. If I die now, the entire Suiyi Pavilion will be ruined. Is that what you wish to see?"

By this point, Duantian dropped all pretense and voiced his demands. He was utterly arrogant, believing firmly that he alone possessed the supreme strength required to deal with Xuangang.

"Duantian, you overestimate yourself. Do not forget that the Suiyi Pavilion was sustained jointly by my brother and me. Long before you arrived, the Suiyi Pavilion had weathered countless battles of all scales; we are long accustomed to such conflicts! You claim you can defeat Xuangang? Hmph, Xuangang never even deigned to look at you properly—that is your greatest tragedy!"

"Indeed, this man is simply not qualified to be my opponent. Li Feichen, I've rooted out this traitor for you. Considering our many years of acquaintance, I might not excel at other things, but I am certainly certain of this. Shouldn't you thank me?"

"Hmph!"

Ignoring Xuangang's mockery, Li Feichen's gaze grew increasingly glacial. "What are you disciples still waiting for? Did you not hear my command? I said, drag Duantian away! I don't want to lay eyes on him for another second!"

Yet not a single surrounding disciple stirred. "My lord, I dare say I have served the Suiyi Pavilion with utmost dedication over the years. To think that you, someone who usually appears so reasonable, would cast me aside merely because of my origins. Actually, I never wanted things to turn out this way. Do you know why these disciples around you refuse to move?"

"The reason is simple: they have always been my people. I have rendered numerous meritorious services to the Suiyi Pavilion. When the former Pavilion Master was still here, he valued me greatly and even told me that the position of Pavilion Master would eventually be mine. But once he was gone, you intended to discard me, didn't you?"

"Naturally, things are not so simple. Do you truly not wish to know why I came here today? Was it merely to deal with a paltry Xuangang? My lord, you were wrong about one thing: the person truly unworthy of being my opponent is Xuangang!"

"Xuangang, I gave you plenty of chances earlier. I wanted you to leave, as this business had nothing to do with you. But I was mistaken—a person like you never changes. Did you really think you broke my formation? Not at all; you were trapped within it the entire time!"

"Do you know what my true specialty has been all these years? Formations! I poured all my efforts into mastering arrays. Didn't you once tell me that someone like me would never achieve anything on the path of cultivation? Very well, today I will let you see what kind of fate awaits you in this Nameless Triple Array!"

"Lord Li Feichen, I am deeply grateful to you. Had you not brought me back all those years ago, I would not have achieved what I have today. I always told myself that to repay such grace, I would do anything you asked. But it seems I was wrong after all. You claimed I disappointed you, but in truth, it is the exact opposite: the one who truly disappointed me is you. Actually, I never had any real interest in the position of Pavilion Master!"

"I told the Pavilion Master as much many years ago. The Suiyi Pavilion made me strong, and that debt of gratitude must be repaid. But I tell you now—that debt has been fully settled. As for the position of Pavilion Master, the more you refuse to grant it to me, the more I intend to seize it, because that is my true nature!"

"What? Do you find this shocking? Because of you, I suffered immense hardships over the years. To protect your niece, you ruthlessly eliminated numerous elite disciples. Did you think you acted covertly enough that no one would ever find out? You were wrong; I knew about all of it all along. I kept silent previously only because my strength was insufficient, but things are different now!"

"I possess supreme power today, and every wicked deed you committed back then, I am going to expose completely. Li Moqing, you should believe me now—this is the true face of your uncle! He refuses to allow anyone in the Suiyi Pavilion to surpass you; whenever such a person appears, he annihilates them utterly. You simply never knew because you were always sheltered!"

"Yet I could no longer bear to watch in silence, so I must speak the truth. You must believe me—I have no reason to lie about this!"

Hearing these words, Li Moqing's complexion turned ashen.