Dao Ling was quite embarrassed!
He had indeed underestimated these four from the Shi Clan!
In his view, having reached the Time Realm, he should at least be invincible among his peers! After all, he had always been unmatched at his level.
But this time, he was wrong!
Because he overlooked one thing: he wasn’t facing one Time Realm expert, but four!
One-on-one, he had a good chance of winning, but the problem was, this wasn’t a duel!
Four against one!
Neither Ye Xuan nor Dao Ling had any chance of victory!
Because none of the four, led by Shi Yuan, were pushovers!
At that moment, Shi Tian, who was standing in the distance, suddenly said softly, “Is this my clan?”
Hearing this, everyone in the field turned to look at Shi Tian.
From the start, they had all overlooked Shi Tian’s presence!
Shi Tian was also a supreme genius!
Then, Shi Tian gave a faint smile. “I find it somewhat pathetic!”
Pathetic!
At these words, Shi Yuan and the others frowned.
Shi Tian laughed loudly. “For the clan? Clan Leader, all I see now is greed!”
The faces of the Shi Clan’s experts darkened.
Shi Yuan stared coldly at Shi Tian. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Shi Tian smiled. “Of course I do! For the clan? Clan Leader, you make everything sound so righteous, but it’s just greed, utterly shameless! The battle for destiny was between me and those two, not involving the clan. But you insisted on using the clan to pressure them, turning a simple matter into something complex and dragging the entire clan into it. Now, you’re leading the Shi Clan down a path of no return! If you don’t kill them, the clan faces danger in the future. But if you do kill them, will the clan be safe?”
He pointed at Ye Xuan in the distance. “That sword he wields—could an ordinary person forge it? Even if the Zhou Clan exhausted all its resources, they couldn’t make such a sword! If you kill him and the one who forged it comes for you, can you really withstand them?”
Shi Yuan’s face grew grim.
In truth, he wasn’t unaware of these issues, but as Shi Tian said, the Shi Clan now had no way back.
He had chosen to ignore these problems!
Now, they could only see it through—kill Ye Xuan, seize the sword, and break through!
In the distance, Shi Ru sighed softly. “Young one, we shouldn’t be debating this now. We should unite against the outsiders!”
Shi Tian shook his head. “Teacher, you’re wrong!”
Shi Ru was displeased. “The greater good comes first!”
Shi Tian gave a faint smile. “The greater good? What is the Shi Clan’s greater good? Seeing a prodigy and, instead of befriending them, choosing to destroy them? Everything has cause and effect. If the Shi Clan kills these two today, Teacher, do you really think our clan can bear the consequences?”
Shi Ru’s face darkened.
Shi Yuan suddenly sneered, “Befriend them? Shi Tian, do you know what you’re saying? You and those two are vying for destiny—the destiny of the Great Path. You were born enemies, understand? Besides, at least half of your achievements today are due to the clan’s nurturing. The clan raised you, and now you question it?”
Shi Tian looked at Shi Yuan. “I’m not questioning the clan—I’m questioning you!”
Shi Yuan’s eyes narrowed, a glint of killing intent flashing within.
Shi Tian showed no fear. “Shi Yuan, you’re blinded by greed! You want to kill these two, claiming it’s to prevent them from joining the Zhou Clan. But have you considered that your actions are what will push them into the Zhou Clan’s arms? And that sword of the Chosen One—have you truly thought about whether you can bear its weight? Can an ordinary person wield such a heaven-defying artifact? Can our Shi Clan bear it?”
Shi Yuan snarled, “Are you boosting their morale and undermining our own?”
Shi Tian shook his head slightly. “I just don’t want you to lead the Shi Clan step by step into the abyss.”
Nearby, Shi Ru sighed softly. “Shi Tian, your words aren’t without reason, but now we must unite against the outsiders! Think about it—if we don’t kill them today, will they spare our Shi Clan in the future? At this moment, we have no retreat. We can only kill them to eliminate this threat.”
The other elders nodded in agreement.
The Shi Clan truly had no way back now.
Shi Tian was silent for a moment before saying, “Elders, I understand you, but I’m sorry—I don’t agree with your actions. If I, Shi Tian, am to compete, I’ll do so openly, honorably, and with integrity. What’s the point of winning the battle for destiny this way?”
He glanced at the Shi Clan experts. “You have your reasons, and I have my principles. My principles don’t allow me to do this.”
With that, he turned and left.
With each step he took, his aura surged wildly!
Seeing this, everyone was stunned.
By his tenth step, his aura had reached a terrifying level. In an instant, countless mysterious forces from the heavens and earth rushed toward him!
The Power of Time!
It was the Power of Time!
The Shi Clan experts were petrified.
Shi Tian had reached the Time Realm!
Shi Yuan’s face was ashen.
Nearby, Ye Xuan and Dao Ling exchanged a glance, silent.
Shi Tian’s actions had truly exceeded their expectations.
Dao Ling suddenly said softly, “Holding to principles, staying true to one’s heart… Faced with his heart and his clan, he chose not to compromise.”
Compromise!
Ye Xuan was silent.
In life, people often face choices that go against their heart but bring benefits. In such moments, many compromise for gain.
Like ordinary folk, some break the law for money. Do they not know it’s illegal? They do, but profit blinds their eyes and, over time, their hearts.
Should one follow their heart and be principled, or compromise with the world, doing things they dislike or even despise?
Clearly, Shi Tian chose to follow his heart.
If the clan was wrong, it was wrong, and he didn’t follow their mistake.
But he wasn’t the clan leader. He couldn’t change things, nor did he try. If he rebelled, some might follow, but it would lead to internal conflict and bloodshed within the clan.
He chose to leave!
At that moment, Shi Tian, now far away, suddenly said, “If the clan faces danger one day, I will return!”
With those words, he vanished.
The Shi Clan experts felt a mix of emotions.
Gone!
The Shi Clan’s greatest prodigy in history was gone!
Had they been wrong?
But the Clan Leader wasn’t wrong!
These two were such prodigies and born enemies with Shi Tian. If not eliminated now, when would they be?
From the bigger picture, the Clan Leader was right.
Was Shi Tian wrong?
Shi Tian had his principles and pride, unwilling to win the battle for destiny this way. Was that wrong?
In the distance, Shi Yuan suddenly snarled, “Shi Tian has betrayed the clan. From this moment, he is no longer one of us.”
Some elders looked at Shi Yuan in disbelief.
Expel Shi Tian from the clan?
As old monsters who’d lived for ages, how could they not see Shi Yuan’s intentions?
He was seizing this chance to solidify his authority!
The elders were displeased.
Shi Ru suddenly said gravely, “Clan Leader, Shi Tian didn’t say he was leaving the clan. Isn’t your action a bit improper?”
Shi Yuan shot Shi Ru a cold glance, his eyes flashing with killing intent. “Are you questioning me?”
Shi Ru didn’t back down. “What, is the Clan Leader turning the Shi Clan into your personal dictatorship?”
Some elders looked at Shi Yuan with displeasure.
Shi Yuan turned to the three nearby Time Realm experts. “At this point, we have no retreat! These three—the Chosen One, Dao Ling, and that woman—if they grow stronger, you know the consequences! If they leave today, they’ll surely join the Zhou Clan. If we don’t eliminate them now, the Shi Clan will fall to them in the future. Choose!”
The three Time Realm experts were silent.
After a moment, the lead elder said gravely, “There’s no way back!”
He looked at Ye Xuan in the distance. “Kill him, take the sword, break through.”
Break through!
If their initial motive was for Shi Tian and the clan’s future, now it was for themselves. Seeing Ye Xuan use that sword to break through beyond the Time Realm had stirred their hearts!
Beyond the Time Realm!
That temptation was irresistible!
No Time Realm expert could resist it!
Hearing the elder, Shi Yuan nodded slightly. “Then kill!”
He glanced coldly at the Shi Clan experts. “Right or wrong, we won’t debate today. Let time judge. I tell you, even without Shi Tian, I, Shi Yuan, can lead the Shi Clan to glory.”
The Shi Clan experts were silent.
Resist?
Impossible!
With four Time Realm experts siding with Shi Yuan, even if Shi Tian were here, resistance would be futile!
Strength ruled, granting authority and decision-making power!
Shi Yuan looked at Ye Xuan in the distance. “Shi Tian said killing you brings consequences I can’t bear, but I don’t believe it! Years ago, a fortune-teller told me my fate is strong. Today, I’ll test it—I’ll see if I, Shi Yuan, and the Shi Clan can bear this consequence!”
Ye Xuan turned to Dao Ling. “How many can you take?”
Dao Ling thought for a moment, then said, “Two!”
Ye Xuan blinked. “I thought you’d boldly say all four!”
Dao Ling quickly shook his head. “No, no! Brother Ye, we each take two, no problem, right?”
Ye Xuan was about to reply when two terrifying auras suddenly appeared from the shadows.
Seeing this, Ye Xuan and Dao Ling’s expressions changed drastically!
Two more Time Realm experts!
In the distance, Shi Yuan sneered at them. “What, did you think the Shi Clan only had four Time Realm experts?”
Ye Xuan turned to Dao Ling. “How many can you take?”
Dao Ling hesitated, then said with difficulty, “Three! I’ll take three, you take three—fair!”
onsieur Ye Xuan nodded. “You go first!”
Dao Ling nodded without thinking, charging toward the three Time Realm experts.
But at that moment, Ye Xuan suddenly turned and vanished into the horizon.
He fled!
In the distance, Dao Ling, who had already reached the three Time Realm experts, froze. “Damn it…”
