Kneeling?
That’s right, kneeling. Witnessing it firsthand, they just knelt down like that?
Pu Zaiye’s eyes widened. A bunch of trash, exactly as he thought. They came to show off and ended up getting slapped in the face. The others hadn't even made a move or said a word before they were kneeling.
What elders, sect masters, or ancestors? They all paled in comparison. Even movies wouldn’t dare film it like this.
Gu Zhe was also stunned. Murong Tiangu was a super expert on the level of a Land Immortal. He was over a hundred years old, yet he just knelt down like that?
Did he have no sense of a master’s bearing?
Hong Ben-zong knew Murong Tiangu’s character. He watched Murong Tiangu kneeling on the ground and sobbing, remaining silent. There must be a reason for this.
Xia Feng looked at the old man kneeling before him and suddenly remembered that he had helped him before. Because Murong Tiangu was a rogue cultivator, he had chosen to risk his life when attempting to break through to the Land Immortal realm. Without the aid of elixirs, his chance of failure was ninety percent. Yet, Murong Tiangu had chosen to attempt the breakthrough.
The situation was obvious. Murong Tiangu’s breakthrough was about to fail, and he was destined to perish. By chance, Xia Feng, who was passing by, saved him and helped him break through to the Land Immortal realm. In this way, they formed a connection.
For Xia Feng, it was simply a matter of seeing his cultivation journey was difficult and lending a helping hand. For Murong Tiangu, Xia Feng was his reborn benefactor.
He had also looked for Xia Feng for a while, wanting to follow him and serve him, but figures like Xia Feng were elusive, and he couldn’t find any trace of him.
He never expected to encounter Xia Feng again today. The moment Murong Tiangu saw Xia Feng, his entire being went into a daze. A surge of reverence arose within him, and he couldn’t wait to rush over and kneel.
“Years have passed, and your cultivation has still shown no progress,” Xia Feng said, looking at Murong Tiangu.
For cultivators, a few years were merely a fleeting moment, gone in the blink of an eye.
Although Murong Tiangu had made no progress in these past few years, he had at least stabilized his Land Immortal realm.
For a rogue cultivator to reach the Land Immortal realm was incredibly difficult. His achievements today were largely due to his efforts and fortunate encounters.
After all, in any era, for any matter, if the direction of one’s efforts is wrong, it is utterly useless.
“Benefactor, Tiangu has disappointed you,” Murong Tiangu said, bowing his head like a child who had made a mistake.
He didn’t know Xia Feng’s strength, nor had he witnessed it. When he broke through to the Land Immortal realm, he couldn’t even sense Xia Feng. Years later, Xia Feng’s strength was likely unfathomable.
He was astonished that Xia Feng could discern his cultivation level with just a glance. How terrifying was that?
“Are you from the Laoshan Sect?” Xia Feng asked, looking down from above.
“Benefactor, I am not. Those three are,” Murong Tiangu shook his head. He dared not deceive Xia Feng, and then he turned his head to point at the three behind him.
When Xia Feng mentioned the Laoshan Sect, Hong Ben-zong and Gu Zhe stirred.
Did he intend to pursue responsibility?
“Young brother, may I know who you are?” Hong Ben-zong asked cautiously, not daring to be presumptuous.
“Laoshan Sect members violated the cultivator’s covenant by leaving the mountain privately to harm ordinary people. I have already executed the previous individuals. I remember sending a message for them to deliver to you. If you still do not cease, I will personally raze your sect.” Xia Feng said sternly, pointing at Pu Zaiye.
“I… I said I’m just a messenger. They didn’t listen, and there’s nothing I could do,” Pu Zaiye said, nearly wetting himself when Xia Feng pointed at him.
At this moment, he couldn’t bother with anything else; he had to sell them out first.
Moreover, what he said was the truth; he hadn’t fabricated anything.
He was just a messenger, a conduit. He had completed his task of conveying the message.
Although he was now terrified, he couldn’t bear this burden.
He had long decided to leave the Laoshan Sect, as it was not a place for people.
Cultivating in the mountains for a lifetime, only to come out and kneel before others? What was the point of cultivating then? It would be better to practice kneeling properly to avoid physical suffering.
“Killed… killed?” Hong Ben-zong’s eyes widened upon hearing this, and a flicker of anger rose in his heart.
However, he couldn’t gauge Xia Feng’s strength. With Murong Tiangu definitely not helping him, he would be fortunate if Murong Tiangu didn’t turn against him.
“En? Do you have an opinion?” Xia Feng’s eyes narrowed, and a surge of power rushed towards Hong Ben-zong.
Hong Ben-zong suddenly felt a force controlling him, rendering his body uncontrollable, unable to exert any of his cultivation.
Hong Ben-zong’s face changed drastically, and a wave of terror spread through his body. He looked at Xia Feng with disbelief.
With just a glare, he felt like a lamb awaiting slaughter, instantly becoming fish on a chopping board.
“I…” Hong Ben-zong wanted to apologize, to beg for mercy, but his throat felt constricted, and he couldn’t utter a single word.
“Considering you did not err in leaving the mountain this time, otherwise you would already be dead,” Xia Feng said, retracting his restraint on Hong Ben-zong. The moment he withdrew it, Hong Ben-zong felt his strength return.
Hong Ben-zong now understood that Xia Feng had spared him. Xia Feng’s display had instilled fear in him. Apart from trembling, all that remained was reverence.
He thought his cultivation had placed him among the pinnacle of the world, yet he was merely a frog in a well. If he hadn’t come out this time, he would never have imagined such terrifying existences.
“Thank you for sparing my life, senior,” Hong Ben-zong said without hesitation, immediately kneeling down and lowering the proud head of a Land Immortal.
Hong Ben-zong had also knelt. Pu Zaiye didn’t seem surprised at all; this was all within his expectations. No matter how loudly they bragged or how flashy their demeanor, they were all like ants before this person.
Indeed, these people were ants to Xia Feng. Land Immortals had merely stepped ashore; they hadn’t even stepped out of the painting.
Anyone within any painting was like an ant to Xia Feng.
“Go back where you came from. If you dare to leave the mountain again to harm ordinary people without reason, I will pursue it to the end,” Xia Feng warned Hong Ben-zong.
“Senior, I, Hong Ben-zong, will certainly abide by the cultivator’s covenant,” Hong Ben-zong cupped his hands and guaranteed Xia Feng.
“Sect Master, I’m not going back. Please cripple my cultivation; I want to withdraw,” Pu Zaiye said anxiously, seeing the situation.
He didn’t want to go back. Cultivating for a lifetime, what was the point even if he became an ancestor? He still had to kneel before others.
“Very well. Your cultivation is only slightly stronger than ordinary people. If I cripple your cultivation, you will be bedridden for several years. As long as you do not use your cultivation to bully ordinary people, it will be fine.”
Gu Zhe saw that Xia Feng was still present and dared not be too harsh with Pu Zaiye, fearing Xia Feng might intervene.
The ancestor had inexplicably knelt down earlier, and he no longer dared to act presumptuously.
“Thank you, Sect Master.” Pu Zaiye was overjoyed, not expecting such good fortune.
Seeing Xia Feng about to leave, Murong Tiangu quickly called out,
“Benefactor, Tiangu has one more matter to report.”