"But if you would not even save people like them, how could I trust you to remain by their side?"
"If you truly lacked the ability, then fleeing would be understandable. But you clearly could have asked me for help, and you still chose to run."
"That leaves only one explanation: in your eyes, the price you would have to pay matters more than their lives."
"If one day you decide that protecting them costs more than you're willing to give, will you abandon them too?"
"Even if you are fully capable of saving them!"
The Avatar's voice was steady and precise, completely devoid of its earlier frivolity.
Every word struck straight at Ye Ling's soul, forcing him to ask himself—
Have I become too cold?
But this was the result of his upbringing. The place he was born into, the environment he grew up in, had always been indifferent and harsh.
In such a world, how much passion could he possibly have kept?
People said that ten years spent drinking ice could not cool a man's hot blood.
But that was only true for a few.
At the very least, Ye Ling was not one of them.
He calculated gains and losses. He weighed what benefited him most. He would become… someone who put himself first.
To pay a tremendous price to save a group of people he had only just met?
That was absurdly saintly.
Just because I'm capable means I must save them?
Why?
With great power comes great responsibility?
Nonsense.
Complete nonsense.
That's nothing but moral coercion.
They saved me because I saved them first. It's simply repaying a debt.
His thoughts churned with these arguments.
It was as if a demon whispered in his ear: Just leave. If it comes to it, avenge Tie Chunsheng and the others someday in the future.
He had no reason to pay a heavy price and beg the Nine Heavens Immortal Maiden's Avatar for their sake.
Besides, there was no guarantee the Nine Heavens Immortal Maiden's Avatar even had the power to save them. If he asked and failed, he would only humiliate himself.
None of this aligned with his own interests. There was absolutely no need for him to do any of it.
But—
When he looked at their faces, pale and resolute, burning through the last of their lives just to send him away…
For the first time in his life, Ye Ling felt his heart stirred by others.
He had only just met them.
And hadn't they only just met him?
They were complete strangers. Why should they send him away?
Even if he had once saved them, they were all about to die. What reason was there to repay a debt at this point?
If they were self-serving like him, concerned only with their own benefit, then the most rational choice now would be to lie down and wait for death.
Repay a debt?
Once you're dead, what is there left to repay?
If gratitude were their only motive, Ye Ling might have felt more at ease.
But he could tell that wasn't it.
What drove them was—
The future.
What they wanted to preserve was the flame of the Orthodox Dao, not their own old lives.
Logically speaking, if they were thinking purely in terms of practical benefit, then in a situation where only one person could be sent away, Tie Chunsheng, a Great Ascension Stage cultivator, would have been the most reasonable choice.
He was the strongest among them, the greatest fighting force, and the one most likely to avenge everyone.
Yet they chose Ye Ling.
Because Ye Ling possessed a kind of potential and ability that even they could hardly fathom, they decided to send him away instead of Tie Chunsheng. And they did so without dispute, without internal strife, united in purpose.
This was what it meant to be a cultivator of the Orthodox Dao.
"Looks like you understand now."
The Avatar's voice regained a trace of its earlier lightness, no longer as solemn as before.
"This disciple has been enlightened."
Ye Ling's voice was hoarse. This time, there was no deliberate show of respect, no forced humility. He spoke as he normally would.
"Good. That's more like it."
The Avatar let out a soft laugh, clearly satisfied.
"Grandmaster…" Ye Ling gave a bitter smile. "May you take action now?"
"That's the right tone."
The Avatar ignored his question and instead scolded him lightly.
"You were respectful before, but deep down you were unconvinced, weren't you?"
"Ah… a little."
"Good. It's better to admit it."
"Could the punishment be a bit lighter?"
"I'll give you a fifty percent discount."
"Many thanks, Grandmaster."
"You must come up within seven years."
"Yes. This disciple will work doubly hard."
As soon as Ye Ling finished speaking, he felt time begin to flow again.
"Young brother, hurry over here!"
After setting up the Formation, Tie Chunsheng and the others collapsed to the ground, completely drained. He pointed toward the center of the Formation.
"This random teleportation Formation can send you to the Four Great Imperial Dynasties. Once you arrive there, you'll be safe."
"Why don't you use it yourselves?"
Ye Ling stood up and asked calmly.
The Avatar had yet to appear, but since she had already given her word, he felt completely at ease.
"Hahaha… If we leave, who's left to stop him?"
Tie Chunsheng burst into hearty laughter.
"We are not cowards! To perish together with the demon is a worthy end!"
Lu Changtian even improvised a poem on the spot.
"Young friend, I am Tan Yue, the Medicine Elder of Qishan. I have a granddaughter at home. If you ever have the time, please look after her for me."
Tan Yue shot Ye Ling a knowing smile.
"Don't listen to him. I am—"
Somehow, starting with Tan Yue, the conversation veered completely off track, shifting from a life-and-death farewell into what felt like a matchmaking gathering.
These mighty experts had all noticed Ye Ling's extraordinary nature. After all, even those at the Soul Formation Stage had fallen, yet Ye Ling, merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage, was still alive.
Naturally, each of them started thinking about securing a future for the women in their families.
If something came of it, wouldn't that be a huge gain?
Ye Ling could not help but laugh in exasperation.
What is going on?
Aren't we all about to die?
And they still have the mood for this…
Seeing Ye Ling silent for so long, his expression complicated, Tie Chunsheng hurriedly cut off the increasingly inappropriate chatter. The old fellows had already started describing the more "advantageous features" of their female relatives.
"That's enough. Don't make the young man laugh at us."
Tie Chunsheng barked, then turned to Ye Ling.
"Young friend, go now. We old bones can hold him off."
"Next year on this day, remember to burn me a pair of chess pieces."
"A paper tripod will do for me."
"How about a jar of '82 Daughter Red?"
"Unbelievable. I've never seen anyone so shameless."
"I just want some Immortal Happy Water."
"…"
Though they all understood they were truly about to die, these unparalleled experts kept deliberately steering the conversation off course, never once allowing it to turn solemn.
"Alright, alright."
Ye Ling smiled faintly.
"Let me say a few words."
"I'm planning to open a Succubi Pleasure House. Interested?"
"Since we've faced life and death together, I'll give you membership cards. Eighty-eight percent discount, how about it?"
The moment he finished speaking, the previously lively atmosphere went completely silent.
???
Did I join the conversation at the wrong time?
Weren't you just talking about Old Wu's great-granddaughter having a nice figure?
Or have you all already… lost the ability?
Sigh.
Such high-quality customers, wasted.
"Young friend."
Tie Chunsheng frowned, his tone suddenly serious.
"Don't do anything foolish. You have limitless potential ahead of you. There's no need to stay and die with us."
"Ah…"
Ye Ling glanced around.
The powerful figures who had been laughing moments ago now wore solemn expressions, carrying a tragic resolve.
Oh.
They still don't know they're saved.
Only then did Ye Ling realize. He knew the Avatar would intervene, but he had forgotten to tell them.
And these lovable old experts had clearly tried to maintain that lighthearted atmosphere to send him off without burden.
"Actually, my master—"
Before Ye Ling could finish, Qin Rushui suddenly interrupted.
"Hahahahaha… Finally the Demon Realm, the Demon Realm… Bah! Useless trash! Why are you still stuck in the Lower Realm?"
A wildly arrogant voice erupted from Qin Rushui's mouth, utterly different from his previous demeanor.
"Y-you… who are you?"
Soon, Qin Rushui's own fearful voice followed, trembling.
"Trash is trash. I helped you so much, and you still ended up like this… Wait. The Heavenly Demon Sect was destroyed?"
The arrogant voice rang out again. It seemed to be reading through Qin Rushui's memories. Upon discovering the fall of the Heavenly Demon Sect, it roared in fury.
"Helped me? Th-this…"
Qin Rushui's voice turned frantic.
"The Heavenly Demon Soul-Transferring Technique… Impossible! That technique was lost long ago!"
"Fool. You only realize it now?"
The voice mocked coldly.
"I should have possessed Blood Edge when I first encountered him. A waste like you is utterly useless."
"Still, I must thank you. If you, that Outer Sect Disciple, hadn't survived back then, I would have eventually dissipated from this world."
"But…"
"You can die now."
Qin Rushui's face changed drastically. Blood streamed from his seven orifices, and thick Baleful Qi poured from his body, horrifying to behold.
"I-it's the Holy Lord… You're the Holy Lord…"
"So you finally figured it out, fool."
"Spare me… spare my life, Holy Lord… I beg you… please…"
"What use is a worthless piece of trash like you?"
"I… I at least saved… saved your life…"
"Simply devouring your soul was already merciful. I didn't even choose to enslave it forever. You should be grateful."
"Y-you…"
Qin Rushui's face turned a dark purplish red, his entire body trembling violently. Yet the Baleful Qi surging from him only grew stronger.
Tie Chunsheng and the others, slumped on the ground, were protected only by Ye Ling's shielding power. Otherwise, the force would have blown them into the walls.
Their strength was completely spent. All they had left was self-detonation. They were simply waiting for Ye Ling to leave before blowing themselves up.
"Hoo… not a bad taste."
The overwhelming Baleful Qi lasted a full minute before Qin Rushui let out a satisfied belch.
The aura around him had changed completely.