The once relatively tidy Rock Valley was now reduced to ruins. Fewer than one-third of the beast clan disciples had survived, and every one of them was injured.
Elder Li Yan leaned on his war blade that had been broken in half, barely managing to stand. He looked at Chen Ping approaching slowly, his expression extremely complicated.
There was the relief of having survived a calamity, shock at Chen Ping’s strength, but most of all, endless regret that gnawed at him like venomous insects.
He recalled his earlier arrogant attitude, the few low-grade immortal stones thrown on the ground, the merciless expulsion.
Every scene felt like a resounding slap across his face and heart.
If he had not judged by appearances and belittled the other, if he had treated him with courtesy and kept this youth of unfathomable strength in the valley, how could Rock Valley have suffered such devastating losses?
How could so many outstanding disciples have died in vain?
“Sen… Senior…”
Elder Li Yan opened his mouth. His parched throat emitted a hoarse voice. His face burned with shame. The previous haughtiness had vanished completely, leaving only humble pleading.
“Thank you… thank you, Senior, for lending a hand to save us. Previously, this old man was blind and offended Senior. I beg Senior… to save this old man. This old man is willing… willing to pay any price…”
He felt the meridians in his body, eroded by the Nether Ghost Fire, continually worsening. His life force was rapidly draining away.
Without the help of a powerful expert to expel the demonic fire, he would undoubtedly die.
The youth before him was his only hope.
Chen Ping stopped. His gaze calmly regarded him, eyes like an ancient deep well, without the slightest ripple.
He saw the regret, fear, and pleading in Li Yan’s eyes, but that was all.
Towards this kind of snobbish person who was arrogant before and respectful after, only awakening at the brink of death, Chen Ping felt not the slightest pity.
He had saved Shi Yan and Ying Wu because of his promise and his conscience.
He had killed the demonic cultivators because of old grudges with the Myriad Souls Demon Sect. But Elder Li Yan’s life or death, what did it have to do with him?
He said nothing. He did not even bother to give a mocking glance. He simply shifted his gaze indifferently towards Shi Yan and Ying Wu, who were hurrying over.
This disregard caused Elder Li Yan far more despair and pain than any insult or revenge.
“Pu…”
Overcome by sudden rage and the eruption of his injuries, Elder Li Yan violently spat out a large mouthful of foul blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. His body trembled fiercely.
He reached out his hand, as if trying to grasp the last straw of salvation. His eyes were filled with unwillingness, remorse, and hatred for his earlier behaviour.
In the end, that outstretched hand fell powerlessly. His eyes lost focus. His massive body crashed to the ground with a boom. His breath ceased completely.
Until death, his eyes remained wide open, filled with regret for not realising sooner.
An elder of the fifth grade of the Heavenly Immortal realm had ended up like this because of momentary arrogance and prejudice. It was truly lamentable.
Elder Li Yan’s corpse lay at the feet of the person he had once belittled.
The wide-staring eyes frozen with endless regret and despair formed a ghastly picture together with the surrounding scene that resembled a battlefield of carnage.
The surviving beast clan disciples watched this scene. Their emotions were extremely complicated. There was sorrow for the elder’s passing, but even more was awe towards Chen Ping’s unfathomable strength and cold decisiveness.
Shi Yan and Ying Wu looked at the deceased Elder Li Yan. Their feelings were complicated, but mostly filled with gratitude and reverence towards Chen Ping.
They walked to Chen Ping and once again bowed deeply. “Thank you, Senior, for saving our lives once more. If Senior had not returned in time, we… we would already have…”
Chen Ping waved his hand. His gaze swept over the ravaged valley and the few remaining survivors. His tone remained calm. “This place is no longer safe to stay. Since the Myriad Souls Demon Sect has already dispatched such forces, stronger reinforcements are likely to follow.”
