NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5:
Chapter 5:
“I should’ve seen this coming. That countryside brat has been harboring ill intentions all along. He secretly formed alliances behind our backs, clearly aiming to split the sect!”
Mo Liusu’s expression was ice-cold, her face dark and heavy as strands of killing intent radiated from her, chilling and suffocating.
Even Baihe Fairy had to keep silent, not daring to provoke her further.
“I agree with Master’s judgment!” Tang Qi suddenly chimed in softly. “Senior Brother Zhou usually acts meek and low-key, but who would’ve thought he’d be recruiting people in secret? I suspect this entire scene was prearranged by him to increase his leverage and pressure Master into submission!”
“That’s right, this is definitely something he’d do! I can testify to it!” Jiang Yuyao added firmly, supporting Tang Qi’s accusation.
“Then he’s bound to be disappointed,” Mo Liusu sneered coldly. “As the saying goes, like attracts like. They’re nothing more than a bunch of rabble, incapable of achieving anything significant. They’ll never sway my will!”
Her disdainful words sent a chill through many elders. To belittle Zhou Tong was one thing, but to insult the sect’s disciples was unbecoming of a leader. Such pettiness and lack of composure were hardly fitting for someone in power.
Her voice reached everyone’s ears, and the hundreds of disciples kneeling before Zhou Tong heard it clearly. Yet, none of them faltered.
“You all shouldn’t go this far. I’m just a useless man now—why bring such trouble upon yourselves for my sake?”
Looking at the youthful faces of the disciples surrounding him, even Zhou Tong couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.
In his previous life, he had wallowed in self-pity, believing he was utterly alone, shunned by the entire world. He had failed to realize that Mo Liusu and the others were not his whole world.
In the unseen corners, there were people who admired him, revered him, and regarded him as a hero and savior.
These were the ones truly worth cherishing. In this life, he would fight to protect them!
With this thought, Zhou Tong’s heart cleared, and everything became bright and open.
The shackles that had bound him for so long seemed to loosen and crumble at a mere thought.
In his previous life, he had been on the verge of the pinnacle of martial arts, just one step away. But that single step had been his lifelong regret, preventing him from reaching the peak until his death.
A wise figure had once told him that his heart harbored a flaw. Without mending it, he could never achieve a complete path.
Now, that missing piece of the puzzle had been found, and he had regained the right to strive for the peak of martial arts.
This time, there would be no regrets!
As this realization struck, a profound transformation began within Zhou Tong.
It was a moment of epiphany, a rebirth of his soul, pulling his entire being toward renewal and metamorphosis.
To outsiders, nothing seemed amiss, but Zhou Tong knew that he was on the cusp of triggering a magnificent celestial phenomenon and stepping once again onto the path of cultivation.
“Senior Brother, why have you stopped? Are you feeling unwell?”
A concerned disciple noticed Zhou Tong’s stillness and spoke up, worry evident in their voice.
The others immediately halted and turned their attention to him, their faces filled with tension.
“You’ve accompanied me far enough. Your intentions are noted, but it’s time for you to return,” Zhou Tong said with a warm smile, though his words made the disciples hesitate.
“Senior Brother… your cultivation… shouldn’t we escort you a bit further…”
“Enough! Are you all ignoring my words now?” Zhou Tong’s expression turned serious, and the disciples immediately fell silent, not daring to argue further.
“Senior Brother, don’t be angry. We’ll listen to you. But please remember, no matter what challenges you face, we’re here to share the burden.
If anyone dares to harm you, no matter how far they may be, we’ll tear them to pieces. Even if we can’t defeat them now, one day we’ll make them pay!”
Their voices were firm and resolute, not just directed at Zhou Tong but as a warning to the world.
They wanted everyone to know that while Zhou Tong might have lost his cultivation and become like a mortal, his junior disciples were far from weak. Anyone who wished him harm would think twice before acting.
“You rebellious brats! How dare you defy me! Do you think I’m just a figurehead?!”
Mo Liusu clenched her fists tightly, her chest heaving with anger as her composure shattered.
Beside her, Tang Qi’s eyes blazed with jealousy, his emotions on the verge of erupting.
How could this be?
Zhou Tong was a cripple, a nobody who should be scorned and trampled by all. How could so many still respect him?
Tang Qi, who prided himself on his divine talents and godlike destiny, felt humiliated. Why was he still overshadowed by a so-called “waste”?
Even Jiang Yuyao and Ge Hongqiu couldn’t hide their shock. They had never imagined that Zhou Tong, whom they had always looked down upon, would command such reverence.
“Mo Liusu, it’s time to stop being so stubborn!” Baihe Fairy urged, gazing at Zhou Tong’s solitary figure in the All-Seeing Mirror. “Bring him back. Let the Sect Master decide once he finishes his seclusion!”
“Nonsense! Ridiculous!”
Mo Liusu sat back down, her gaze condescending as she watched Zhou Tong through the mirror.
“He’s nothing but a cripple. What good is admiration without power? It won’t be long before everyone forgets him. Without the sect’s support, he’ll never rise again. He’ll live out his days as a nobody.”
Her words cast a heavy silence over the hall. Mo Liusu wasn’t entirely wrong—no matter how illustrious Zhou Tong’s past, it couldn’t change the fact that his cultivation was gone.
Returning to the path of cultivation after being crippled was nearly impossible. Countless geniuses had fallen into obscurity after losing their abilities. Could Zhou Tong truly defy this fate?
The elders exchanged uneasy glances, their resolve wavering. Even Baihe Fairy looked uncertain, which brought a faint smile to Mo Liusu’s lips.
She had to admit, Zhou Tong had caused quite the uproar today, but without power, his defiance was meaningless. In the end, Zhou Tong would have no choice but to bow his head.
But then, a sudden change occurred.
The All-Seeing Mirror erupted with dazzling light, drawing everyone’s gaze to Zhou Tong’s glowing figure.
“That’s… Zhou Tong? What’s happening to him?” someone murmured, sensing something extraordinary.
The answer came almost immediately.
“Boom!”
A deafening roar resounded as radiant light filled the heavens. Auspicious energy surged, a fragrant breeze swept through the air, lotus flowers bloomed from the ground, and a scene of unparalleled grandeur unfolded.
The spiritual energy of the heavens and earth began to churn violently, converging from all directions and flooding into Zhou Tong’s body.
He absorbed it all like a bottomless abyss, his aura once again emanating the unmistakable energy of a cultivator. His forehead shone brilliantly.
The sight left countless onlookers gasping in disbelief.
“An epiphany… a complete transformation of the soul. He has resolved the regrets in his heart, broken through his limitations, and rebuilt his path. He’ll be stronger than ever!”
The realization sent shockwaves through the ranks of onlookers. Sect Masters and powerhouses couldn’t contain their excitement.
“Prepare my Sect Master’s token and lavish gifts! Let’s see if we can recruit this unparalleled genius into the Infinity Sect!”
“Our Profound Heavenly Sect won’t fall behind. A prodigy of this caliber belongs in our ranks!”
“Hmph! Don’t even think about it. We’ll each use our own methods to win him over!”
Suddenly, the hall was abuzz with the frenzy of Sect Masters eager to extend olive branches to Zhou Tong.
A crippled Zhou Tong might have been worthless, but this reborn Zhou Tong was a priceless treasure.
With a loud crack, Mo Liusu crushed the teacup in her hand, boiling tea spilling over her pale skin unnoticed.
“This… this can’t be. That useless waste…”
Her voice trembled as she stared in stunned disbelief, her usually composed demeanor completely shattered.