Chapter 766: The Discussion Breaks Down
Xiao Nanfeng frowned at Lou Yujing. "Is that what you've come to talk about today?"
"I merely wanted you to know that the grudge you bear against me is but a misunderstanding. I came to resolve it."
"Resolve that misunderstanding? This easily?" Xiao Nanfeng sneered.
"And why not? If you were me, you would have done the same thing."
Xiao Nanfeng was rapidly growing tired of this conversation. "Why have you come?"
Lou Yujing smiled. "Upon studying your history of cultivation, it's clear to me that you're no idle cultivator. Your assistance in helping me take down the saint proves it. You're the most outstanding cultivator of the era save myself."
Xiao Nanfeng chuckled dryly. "You mean that we're the only two legends of the era?"
"Indeed. No one else deserves that title," Lou Yujing said proudly and confidently.
"You must be crazy. What about the various Immortal Emperors all over the world? What about the Heavenly Emperor, Yu Fuli?"
"They're just corpses who haven't yet stopped moving," Lou Yujing said dismissively.
"Oh?"
"The calamity of the era looms. Even Yu Fuli will be unable to survive its onslaught. He might look strong now, but so what? No cultivator can take on the heavens."
"And what about you?"
"I'm different. I'm going to be a new saint, and the calamity will exclude me. I'll enter the next era as its hegemon," Lou Yujing declared.
"Is that why you schemed against Saint Chi Hai?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded.
"Indeed. The saints are akin to administrators chosen by the heavens. With Yu Fuli ruling over this era, however, the saints have been forcibly displaced from their positions. The next era will be different. When all is destroyed to be rebuilt anew, only the saints will survive calamity. Now that I'm a saint myself, a glorious future awaits me."
"You really plan for the long term, don't you?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.
"You dare look down on me? I offer you a chance at survival, and you denigrate and insult me instead."
"Have I insulted you? I merely told the truth. Your goodwill is more than I can bear, and your supposed opportunity is but a poisoned gift. I don't intend to bow down to the heavens."
"You'll regret it once the time comes," Lou Yujing sneered. "Just you wait for the calamity to descend!"
"I won't. Just like countless sages before me, I'd rather live with honor than become a slave. The heavens are merciless; even if you kneel before them and beg, they won't go easy on you. I suggest you give up on your unrealistic dream," Xiao Nanfeng said coolly.
"How would you know without giving it a try?" Lou Yujing demanded.
"Give it a try? Ha! Lou Yujing, I thought you were a legend of the era despite the fact that you destroyed the Taiqing Immortal Sect, despite the fact that you were rumored to have betrayed the sect out of pettiness. From what you've related, though, it's clear that I was mistaken. You're nothing but a cowardly and merciless man."
"How dare you!" Lou Yujing shouted.
"Am I wrong? You tried to embellish your actions, but that doesn't mean you're in the right. Leaving aside the question of whether the Taiqing Immortal Sect is really an avatar farm as you claim, so what if it's true? I can't imagine there are many of these guardians left. You claim to have killed the majority of the sect just to get rid of them? Is that your so-called loyalty? How laughable!"
"The guardians are hidden among ordinary Taiqing disciples. They can't be rooted out by ordinary means alone. This was the only method to take them down," Lou Yujing hissed.
"Ridiculous! Does that give you the right to kill just about everyone in the sect? Would you kill all the people in a city if there were some demons hiding among their number? How much more shameless can you get?"
"You—"
"So what if there are these supposed guardians? The rest of the disciples are innocent victims like you! Did you show them any mercy when you killed them—your senior brothers, sisters, uncles, masters? They fought alongside you to establish the divine empire of Hongyue, but you chose to kill them all just because you couldn't ascertain their identity!"
"Even if I hadn't made a move, the saint would have," Lou Yujing replied coldly.
"Enough with your nonsense. If you had told the entire sect to hide, the saint would never have gotten everyone. If you had informed Yu Fuli, he would never have ignored your petition. If you had done your best to save the Taiqing Immortal Sect, surely you could have gotten at least half the disciples to safety. You chose not to do so. It's clear what your goal is: to take advantage of the saint to kill whoever can threaten you. You'd rather kill hundreds, even thousands of innocents to save yourself, then take advantage of the opportunity to get on good terms with the saint in preparation for killing him far into the future. You only think about yourself—everything is for your goal of becoming the heavens' lapdog!"
"You—"
"You did sacrifice a lot for the Taiqing Immortal Sect, but didn't it do the same for you? Think about how many resources it funneled your way. Where would you be now if not for the Taiqing Immortal Sect? Perhaps you'd be nothing more than a skeleton! You're ungrateful and cold-blooded, and you even delight in it! You have no right to discuss ethics with me. All who know you ought to disdain you. I shall never forgive you for what you did to the Taiqing Immortal Sect. Your life is forfeit!" Xiao Nanfeng declared coldly.
"Xiao Nanfeng, you know nothing!" Lou Yujing thundered.
Xiao Nanfeng scoffed. "I will never be in cahoots with the likes of you. I am a Taiqing disciple first and foremost, and I was granted the protection of the Taiqing Immortal Sect in a time of personal crisis. I was granted access to sect techniques, and for that I am grateful. These guardians you mention, I may well turn against, but I will never forget what Taiqing has given me, and I will repay kindness with kindness. You are a traitor to Taiqing, and I have you in my sights. Lou Yujing, face me if you dare! I will avenge the innocent Taiqing dead with your head," Xiao Nanfeng declared.