NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3:
Chapter 3:
The scene fell into silence, as if time itself had stopped. The only thing that stood out was the glaring red mark on the contract, sharp and striking.
The contract was sealed.
Moments later, the glowing contract split into two parts, each landing in the hands of Zhou Tong and Mo Liusu.
“You dare!!”
Mo Liusu broke the silence first, her voice icy and biting. A bone-chilling aura radiated from her, freezing the air around her.
Her expression turned completely cold, her face devoid of any emotion, resembling a block of eternal ice. Her pupils gleamed darkly, unfathomable and deep.
Everyone’s heart skipped a beat. They all knew the matter had now reached an irreparable point. Zhou Tong’s defiance had utterly enraged Mo Liusu!
Ge Hongqiu, Jiang Yuyao, and Tang Qi exchanged glances, each spotting the joy in the others’ eyes.
Whenever their master entered such a state, it meant there would be no leniency.
“Zhou Tong, from this day forward, you are expelled from the sect. You are no longer allowed to identify yourself as a disciple of the Azure Purity Sect, nor are you permitted to use its techniques. Should you defy this, I will personally ensure you are punished!”
“This is exactly what I sought,” Zhou Tong responded calmly, as he retrieved a jade pendant from his robes. The pendant, ancient yet exquisitely crafted, radiated a warm, tranquil aura.
Its pristine condition made it clear how much care had been given to preserve it.
“What are you doing with that?”
Mo Liusu’s pupils constricted. This jade pendant had been a token she had gifted Zhou Tong when he became her disciple. It had once been an ordinary jade, but it seemed Zhou Tong had always carried it with him.
“I’m returning what belongs to you,” Zhou Tong said, extending the pendant.
However, Mo Liusu struck it with a burst of energy, shattering it into pieces.
“I have no need for anything tainted by you,” she spat coldly.
“Then, please return the token I gave you,” Zhou Tong said seriously, holding out his hand.
Mo Liusu froze. She vaguely remembered Zhou Tong carving a delicate wooden bead as a token for her when he was younger. But she had long since discarded it, its whereabouts unknown.
“That piece of trash? Do you think I’d keep something like that? What now? Are you planning to accuse me of theft?” she sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm, showing no intention of sparing Zhou Tong any dignity.
“It doesn’t matter,” Zhou Tong said with a shrug. That wooden bead had held the innocent affections of his youth. Since it was already discarded, there was no point in dwelling on it.
“Farewell,” Zhou Tong said as he turned to leave. Mo Liusu’s eyes grew colder as she watched him go.
“Wait,” she called out. “The cultivation you possess was given to you by this sect. If you intend to leave, shouldn’t you leave all of it behind?”
Her words shocked the elders, who looked at Mo Liusu in disbelief. She was asking Zhou Tong to cripple his own cultivation—such cruelty was unthinkable!
Zhou Tong halted and turned to face the woman who had once been his master. His expression was cold and unyielding.
“What nerve you have! Over the years, when have you ever taught me anything? Even the spiritual stones I used for cultivation were earned through my own hard work. What does any of it have to do with you?”
His words caused many onlookers to gasp.
Could Zhou Tong’s struggles over the years truly have been this dire? If what he said was true, without guidance or resources, Zhou Tong’s self-taught achievements were nothing short of terrifying.
“Don’t talk nonsense. You’re nothing but a stray dog now,” Mo Liusu retorted, her tone cold and disdainful.
“No matter what, the sect has sheltered you for years. Without it, you wouldn’t have survived until now. Do you think you can simply walk away? That’s impossible.
If you can’t bring yourself to cripple your cultivation, you will serve as a lowly laborer in the sect for the next ten years. After that, all will be forgiven.”
As she spoke, she retrieved a token inscribed with three golden characters: Sect Leader’s Decree.
Holding this decree, Mo Liusu could exercise the authority of the Sect Master. Her words carried the weight of law within the Azure Purity Sect.
If Zhou Tong wanted to leave today, there was no other path except self-abolishment of his cultivation.
Mo Liusu felt immense satisfaction, confident she had cornered Zhou Tong. In her mind, no one would willingly cripple their own cultivation.
“I’m not playing your game. If severing my ties with you comes at this price, I’d say I’m getting a bargain.”
Zhou Tong’s tone was indifferent, as though he had let go of everything. Yet his words struck Mo Liusu like thunder.
“Hmph! Stop pretending. Do you think this act will earn my pity? You’re delusional!” Mo Liusu sneered, dismissing him as if she didn’t take his resolve seriously.
“BOOM!!”
A surge of intense energy erupted from Zhou Tong’s body, expanding rapidly and reaching its peak before continuing to grow.
“Stop, child! Stop this madness!” Elder Baihe exclaimed. She recognized Zhou Tong’s actions—he was forcefully overloading his spiritual energy, the most common method of self-destruction.
“Bang!!”
With a deafening explosion, Zhou Tong’s energy vanished entirely. He had become an ordinary mortal.
Through the divine image broadcasted by the heavens, this scene was visible to all. No matter the distance, everyone watching was left stunned.
A prodigy who had won the championship of the Hundred Sects Tournament had just destroyed his own cultivation. The act was both shocking and incomprehensible.
“Such decisiveness… It seems he’s completely given up,” some elders lamented.
“Truly remarkable courage. Few have the resolve to start over from nothing. Zhou Tong’s brilliance remains unmatched,” others praised.
“Courage? What a joke! He’s just a stubborn child who doesn’t know how to adapt. Those who are inflexible will only break. He’s doomed to accomplish nothing in the future!”
In the Punishment Hall…
“You…!”
Mo Liusu was momentarily stunned. Zhou Tong’s actions had once again exceeded her expectations.
Unknowingly, her eyes grew misty for a moment, a faint haze surrounding them. However, the mist was quickly evaporated by her spiritual energy, and her expression returned to its icy indifference.
“That fool has finally destroyed himself. From now on, I’ll be the strongest prodigy in the sect!”
Tang Qi remained expressionless, but inside, he was elated.
He was a genius in his own right, talented in all aspects, yet he had always been overshadowed by Zhou Tong. His hatred had festered for years.
Now, the greatest obstacle in his path had been removed, far more easily than he had ever imagined.
“You may leave now. Once you step out of the sect, never come back,” Mo Liusu declared coldly.
“Then I’ll be on my way!” Zhou Tong replied, leaving without hesitation, his figure tall and unyielding.
“Isn’t this too cruel?” Elder Baihe asked, her gaze hesitant as she looked at Mo Liusu. “In recent years, Zhou Tong has contributed so much to the sect. With the next Hundred Sects Tournament approaching, no one else can shoulder the responsibility.”
“Don’t make a fuss!” Mo Liusu scoffed. “All of his accomplishments were thanks to the sect’s resources. Besides, my disciple Tang Qi has the potential of a god-king. Compared to him, Zhou Tong is like a sparrow to a phoenix—utterly incomparable!”
Her voice was loud, as if afraid Zhou Tong wouldn’t hear her.
Throughout, Mo Liusu kept her eyes locked on Zhou Tong’s back, unwilling to look away for even a moment.
In the past, hearing such remarks would have filled Zhou Tong with unease, making him grovel even harder to avoid abandonment.
But now, Mo Liusu deliberately said these words, hoping to see Zhou Tong falter or show a hint of pain. Yet, she was destined to be disappointed.
Zhou Tong’s steps were firm and steady, growing more distant with each passing moment until he disappeared from her sight.
Still, she stared in the direction he had gone, her gaze lingering long after he was gone.
“Bring me the All-Seeing Mirror of Ten Thousand Reflections. I want to monitor his every move and reveal everything to the public.”
Her words startled the surrounding elders. One immediately stepped forward to object.
“This is against protocol. In public trials, only the judge is subjected to the heavens’ scrutiny, not the one being judged!”
“Special circumstances call for special measures. Since he’s left the sect, I must ensure he doesn’t use its techniques,” Mo Liusu insisted.
“This isn’t appropriate,” Elder Baihe interjected with a frown.
“Zhou Tong has defeated every peer he’s faced, earning no shortage of enemies. Now that his cultivation is gone, he’s at his weakest. Revealing his whereabouts would surely endanger him!”
“So what? His life or death is none of my concern,” Mo Liusu replied coldly.
Her words sent a chill through everyone present.
It was clear to all—Mo Liusu intended to drive Zhou Tong to the brink of despair, using death itself to force him to yield.
She wanted to shatter every last fragment of his pride.