The catfish demon tribe naturally followed Ye Tiancheng's wishes. Otherwise, their very survival would be in question. They dared not disobey him, and thus agreed to his terms. Ye Tiancheng then left with peace of mind.
"You truly trust them? I believe they are merely intimidated by you on the surface. In reality, they harbor deep resentment towards you and wish they could devour you. This will surely sow the seeds of future trouble. If you do not treat them well, they will harbor profound grievances against you. Once you lose your advantage, they will subtly act against you, perhaps even eliminating you." The great green snake appeared very worried, fearing the catfish demons might make a move against Ye Tiancheng.
If these people were to indeed cause trouble behind his back, it would be a significant hidden danger. However, Ye Tiancheng seemed utterly unconcerned, wearing a relaxed expression. There wasn't a trace of worry in his eyes, as if everything was proceeding as he had anticipated.
Seeing his unwavering confidence, the great green snake decided not to disturb him further. With a wry smile, it thought, "It's like a monk not worried while a eunuch is anxious." Ye Tiancheng clearly had his own methods, and others should not overthink things, lest they trouble themselves unnecessarily.
They returned to Huangjia Village as dawn was breaking.
Since they had not found Xiao Liuzi's father, Ye Tiancheng felt he had broken his promise upon their return.
Wang Youcai, upon seeing Ye Tiancheng's return, happily greeted him. He was very pleased with this fellow. Regardless of anything else, as long as they returned safely, future matters could be dealt with later. As for whether Xiao Liuzi's father could be rescued, it all seemed to be a matter of fate, beyond human capability.
Seeing their broad-mindedness and that they did not shift the blame onto him, Ke Fan felt very happy. He was primarily afraid that others would push all responsibility onto him, which was why he had appeared so worried. His worry, however, was not entirely unfounded; it was a natural human sentiment.
Since it was a natural sentiment, there was no need to force others. Blaming everything on others was not the way. Ye Tiancheng, therefore, appeared exceptionally calm and composed. This demeanor was clearly uncharacteristic of him.
Ye Tiancheng felt that if he promised something to someone and failed to deliver, he would be seen as untrustworthy. Thus, he was extremely agitated and anxious, his emotions escalating with his mood. He appeared like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins, arrogant and unrestrained, making him seem somewhat out of place to everyone. The gentle, refined, and moral person he once was had vanished, his face now filled with an aura of wickedness.
Naturally, people would keep their distance from such a person. The villagers of Huangjia Village felt as if they had encountered an evil deity upon seeing him and wished for Ye Tiancheng to leave their village as soon as possible. These people were too afraid of him, and their thoughts were entirely aimed at self-preservation. After all, the desire to live is the most fundamental characteristic of every living being, and the fear of death is also a characteristic of every living being.
He did not dwell too much on the fact that these villagers, who had once considered him a hero, now looked at him with such eyes.
If the entire world held a prejudice against him, then it was the world that was mistaken. This was because, in reality, everyone was selfish and self-serving, yet they expected others to make sacrifices for them without ever considering reciprocating. They placed their greatest hopes on those with greater power, relying on them as if they were praying to deities, never considering their own need for change or what they themselves had contributed to others. Therefore, Ye Tiancheng saw through these people with great clarity. He had no desire to argue with them or gain anything from them. He simply felt they were too pitiable, never willing to do anything for themselves, only hoping that those with greater abilities would help them more, thus deifying them and prostrating themselves at their feet.
Poets, therefore, revere the strong, regardless of what kind of strong they are. Even those who have slaughtered millions for their own benefit will not be judged by them. As long as one can achieve this thoroughly, they will only be regarded as deities. This is because there are simply too few people in this world who possess such abilities. When Ye Tiancheng appeared before them.
In such a situation, he naturally had to maintain a state of calm detachment, for he knew he was merely a ridiculous existence. Since he was ridiculous, why should he present himself in a way that made others believe he was necessary here? He should just get used to everything and not dwell on so many issues. This was why he looked at them with such indifference, as if nothing had happened. Such calmness inevitably made people feel that he had many, many problems, and at this moment, he did not wish to dwell on them. Some issues were pointless to discuss at length.
After all, for him, talking too much would lose its original meaning. Since it lost its meaning, there was no need to continue. What he truly wanted to do was simple: to elevate his own interests to a more noble status. At this moment, Ye Tiancheng was aware that one thing had become a fact: he needed to find Xiao Liuzi's father's soul. Only by finding his soul could he understand why his father had gone to that inexplicable place, leading to his soul being scattered. The certainty that Xiao Liuzi's father had returned to the west was simple: Wang Kou had stayed in that place for so long. He had already exhausted all his efforts just searching for Xiao Liuzi, let alone his father. For him to have gone to that place, there was a 99% chance of no survival.
Therefore, he was so certain. Everyone heard his words and looked at Ye Tiancheng with an indescribable gaze. No one understood why he was doing this or what the meaning behind it was.
Of course, he did not wish to further explain these meanings. Some things, when explained too clearly, were meaningless. The only meaningful thing was to go to the underworld to find his father's soul. Only by finding his father's soul could he further ascertain the cause of his death. Why Ye Tiancheng was doing this, and what the significance of his actions was, were questions with many answers. Many things done this way were meaningless, but he still had to do it. This was essentially to provide a complete explanation to the other party.
Having an explanation was, for Ye Tiancheng, truly the biggest failure of his life. He felt he had to do this. The reason he remained silent was entirely due to his concern about their perception of him. Thus, he remained silent, letting them think whatever they wished. In a certain sense, speaking might not necessarily solve problems.
If silence could solve all problems, then promises would be meaningless. However, he simply did not want to continue arguing with them. These familiar people did not understand what was going through his mind, which was why Ye Tiancheng maintained a state of silence. This silence was not permanent but temporary.
It seemed as if he had an insurmountable state within him. For the sake of what he believed to be right, he continuously strived. What he had always wanted to prove had now spread throughout his entire being, as if those things he believed in.
At this moment, he finally felt that no matter how great the responsibility, it could not compare to the responsibility of this matter. It was something he had personally promised. After much thought, he couldn't help but look at Wang Xiaoliu.
Wang Xiaoliu was a simple child and would not blame Ye Tiancheng.
Although Ye Tiancheng had promised to find his father, he didn't need to pay such a heavy price for it. This was why he felt at ease in his heart. He knew that Ye Tiancheng had faced near-death experiences in such a dangerous place as Binhu. It was unlikely his father could have survived. This young child, at such a tender age, sometimes thought more clearly than adults. He had not spoken of his experiences, which were more profound than any child's. In fact, some adults did not have his experiences. This made one feel that this child was extraordinary, possessing the demeanor of an old soul.
"I am very sorry, I destroyed your Chi Blood Sword." Ye Tiancheng said to Wang Youcai.
However, his apology did not bother Wang Youcai. For him, exchanging a sword for a person's life was more than enough. Material possessions were merely external things; he viewed them with great detachment and did not place much importance on them.
Seeing his magnanimity made Ye Tiancheng feel even more guilty. At this moment, Ye Tiancheng smiled and took out the short sword he had commissioned earlier. This short sword exuded a blood-red aura, displaying an extraordinary temperament. Seeing the imposing aura of this sword, he couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Why did he smile, and why did his smile seem so complex? Within everyone's heart, there existed a realm that others could not penetrate. Huang He Ban possessed such a realm, which was why he thought through everything with such clarity.
Those who could achieve such a state still commanded immense respect. Because he was determined to be a blacksmith, in the eyes of many, he was an individual out of step with the world. Such people naturally became thorns in the side of some, a constant irritation. Thus, his dangerous operations were, in essence, not tolerated by this world.
Because the country did not permit him to forge swords, he continued to forge such dangerous items.
This was because such items could potentially take lives and also lead to various public order issues.
If a person wished to do evil, even without a weapon, their bare hands could strangle someone to death. The quality of a weapon is not determined by the weapon itself but by the person wielding it. Just as cultivators, if they harbor malice, can become demons, those who cultivate demonic arts, if they harbor good intentions, can use their abilities to save the world. The good and evil in the world ultimately lie in a person's thoughts and actions, and have nothing to do with the weapon itself.
Furthermore, people in the secular world habitually categorize people and things into good and bad. Good and bad are entirely dependent on a person's perception and view of the matter, without careful consideration. Therefore, secular people are simply secular people; they follow the thoughts of the elites without any independent ideas or decisions. Such people are truly pitiable. However, in this world, it is a case of everyone being drunk while only one is sober. No one truly ponders these issues. Those who truly ponder these issues might find it difficult to survive in this world, as all their actions revolve around the thoughts of others.
Ye Tiancheng detested such people the most, and Wang Youcai also detested such people. But what could be done? One could not change the world as it had already formed. Those truly capable of changing the world were always at its pinnacle, for only then did they have the ability to change the world and contribute to it. Therefore, talking so much was useless. The only thing that was useful was to be able to subvert others' viewpoints and thus realize one's own dreams.
Ye Tiancheng's thoughts could be considered quite dangerous, for his way of thinking was indeed perilous. Perhaps his decisions were correct, but perhaps they were also dangerous, because those who could reach the underworld were no ordinary individuals. Ye Tiancheng observed the exquisite dagger, noticing many minerals he had not seen before. He thus inquired, "What is on this that makes me feel you have added other minerals to my opponent's?"
Wang Youcai did not evade the question directly but smiled faintly and replied to Ye Tiancheng, "I have added Fire Stone to this. This item can emit flames, meaning your dagger can possess flame attacks. Of course, my skill is limited to one use. If you wish to upgrade this dagger in the future, you will need to find elven craftsmen in the Elf Kingdom."
Upon hearing this, Ye Tiancheng's face showed a look of astonishment. This was because, in his mind, this fellow's forging skills were already at their peak. To hear him say such a thing at this moment, why wouldn't the boss be surprised? His surprise was entirely natural. But Wang Youcai was telling the truth; if the dagger were to be upgraded further, it would indeed require the elves with their higher technical skills. The storage ring Ye Tiancheng held was also crafted by elves; they lived in realms inaccessible to humans.
Ye Tiancheng never dreamed that Wang Youcai was so humble. What he thought was no longer what he thought, which gave him a new understanding. From then on, he realized that there were always people better than oneself and heavens beyond heavens. If he truly wanted to reach his desired goal, he would have to reflect and ponder diligently. There was no way he could make himself feel that this world was so perfect and complete. Of course, people would have similar views. In these times of temporal passage, very little could truly settle within oneself. Sometimes, researching something could consume one's entire life, but this was not the case for them. Their lifespans were long, giving them ample time and energy to research something. When something had been researched for thousands of years, it would naturally become a deadly trump card. The reason these storage rings could hold so many items was entirely because the rings contained spatial anomalies.
It looked like just a ring, but the space it contained could materialize physical objects, virtualize them, and store them within a tiny ring. Therefore, only elves could craft storage rings. Craftsmen in the human world did not understand how to craft rings. Furthermore, what cultivators needed could only be crafted by elves. Thus, generally, only elves possessed such skills. Elves would naturally exert their utmost effort to craft these items for the use of cultivators. The reason cultivators liked to do such things was entirely because their thought processes were on a different level than those of secular people.
They generally thought about realms that secular people could not reach in their entire lives, and pursued material and spiritual desires that they could not enjoy.
Since ancient times, what king or general did not desire longevity?
However, among the global population of over 7 billion people, only a few thousand, perhaps 1,000 to 2,000, could achieve longevity, which was less than one in ten thousand of the population. Therefore, the number of cultivators on this planet was scarce, like throwing a handful of soybeans into the ocean. The probability of these soybeans meeting each other within this vast ocean was extremely rare. But with the development of global transportation technology.
Their chances of meeting each other increased significantly. Among these over 1,000 cultivators, only a little over 100 could become powerful individuals. Ye Tiancheng, with his current cultivation, was not considered powerful at all. He could only be said to have just begun to explore the path. To become powerful, he still had many, many years to cultivate. For now, he could only be considered a beginner.
Ye Tiancheng was aware of this, so he did not become arrogant, nor did he feel discouraged. He had to continue to strengthen his own cultivation. Only by continuously improving his own cultivation could he continuously enhance his cultivation power. He was very clear and understanding of this point.
Therefore, they, the third year students, dared not openly display their strength, especially in front of the secular world.
The demonic beast materials he possessed still needed to be processed by himself. He could not let everyone know. If these people found out, the news would spread like wildfire, and cultivators would appear before him like a swarm of locusts, snatching his resources. As Earth's cultivation resources became increasingly scarce, there was only bloody competition and struggle between cultivators, as everyone wanted to become a peak expert in the Five Paths. To achieve longevity, one had to strip away the existence and lives of others. Not doing so would be considered womanly kindness.
Since ancient times, what king or general had not advanced by stepping on the blood and corpses of others? Without a certain resolve, one could not become a strong individual. Those who became strong had all walked this path. Their hearts had long since turned into something as hard as stone. In everyone's heart, there was never any mercy or anything of that sort. Those who lived to be like this were either old foxes or simply foxes.
Perhaps this world was too cold and realistic. Once cultivators accepted the rules of the cultivation world, they became cold-blooded and ruthless. Therefore, when cultivators met each other, they would kill and plunder each other's resources. Ye Tiancheng was well aware of this, which was why he had no intention of showing off his good possessions, nor did he dare to let cultivators stronger than himself know that he possessed demonic beast materials.
Since ancient times, to avoid punishment, Wang Kou did not wish to die early. For him, the meaning of life was very important. Therefore, he had to hide the fact that he possessed demonic beast materials. Now, his mood was incomparably calm. He had long understood that people in this world would not easily reveal their trump cards. People only speak three parts of what they know, keeping the remaining seven for themselves.
Therefore, Ye Tiancheng had come to understand the cruelty and reality of this world. He would never easily reveal these things to others, because others had no relation to him whatsoever. The life and death, joy and sorrow of others had nothing to do with him. Cultivators only cultivated for their own well-being. If they did not preserve their own lives, everything they had obtained would turn to nothing. Only what they possessed truly belonged to them. What they did not possess had no value or meaning. Wang Gaofan was still alive entirely because he wanted to enjoy all the beautiful things in this world. As long as he had something, it was real; what others had was theirs. Therefore, although Ye Tiancheng was dark and evil, he had not yet considered snatching others' possessions. Although he had previously snatched Senior Brother Lin Xue's storage ring, it was out of necessity.
Because the other party intended to take his life, he could not help but protect his own life. Fighting desperately to survive was also for himself. If a person did not fight for themselves, it would be utterly ridiculous and pathetic. Therefore, once a person lived with great clarity and freedom, everything could be explained well in words. If a person lived in great distress and struggle, this person.