novelraw Chapter 409: Help Me Keep Yu Zhao, Or I’ll Die!
Chapter 409: Help Me Keep Yu Zhao, Or I’ll Die!
Dao Lord Tai Wei initially harbored the intent to kill Ye Cong Xin, but watching her confront Yu Zhao, a spark of curiosity ignited within her. This could be an opportunity to better assess Yu Zhao’s character and determine if she was capable of taking on great responsibilities.
Raising her brows slightly, Dao Lord Tai Wei decided to let events unfold naturally.
“It seems you’ve all remembered,” Ye Cong Xin’s cold voice broke the tension. “Yu Zhao, you knew I had nothing, yet you deliberately brought Cui Jue before me to flaunt him, to tear open old wounds. From that moment, I swore to myself—I would take everything you had! Every single thing!”
The crowd at the Dao Field gasped in shock at Ye Cong Xin’s venomous words.
Yao Wu Ji gawked in disbelief. “Are you insane? Yu Zhao was only being kind to you, and you call it flaunting? Over a man? What’s so great about that?”
Long Fei Fei chimed in, “Exactly! How could you pin this on Yu Zhao? She’s so unlucky to have someone like you in her life!”
The disciples of the Five Elements Dao Sect looked especially conflicted. Before Yu Zhao had severed ties with Master Qing Yan, the prevailing rumors painted her as a tyrant who relentlessly bullied Ye Cong Xin.
But who could have guessed that the true villain had been Ye Cong Xin all along—the so-called victim harbored malicious intent from the very start.
It was one thing for outsiders, unaware of the truth, to be misled. But for those who shared the same peak, the same daily life, it was unthinkable that they hadn’t recognized Ye Cong Xin’s treacherous heart.
Fang Cheng Lang and his peers felt the burning shame of their fellow disciples’ bewildered and disapproving gazes. They wished desperately to vanish into thin air.Ye Cong Xin, however, paid no heed to the crowd’s rebukes. She stood ramrod straight, her piercing gaze fixed on Yu Zhao. “I’ve succeeded! Yu Zhao, whether you admit it or not, I, Ye Cong Xin, am no longer beneath you!”
Yu Zhao, silent for a moment, shook her head slightly.
Ye Cong Xin’s obsessive need to compare and compete had twisted her very soul, pushing her to the brink of madness.
For cultivators, this was a fatal flaw.
In her past life, Yu Zhao had been blinded by feigned familial bonds and spent her days locked in rivalry with Ye Cong Xin, only to lose utterly. This time, Yu Zhao had broken free from those chains, soaring high, while Ye Cong Xin entangled herself in her own web of envy and extremism.
No wonder Yu Zhao had sensed something amiss when they reunited—Ye Cong Xin was already teetering on a precarious edge.
“Yu Zhao, what does that headshake mean? Do you still look down on me?” Ye Cong Xin demanded, her voice sharp.
“I have never looked down on you. The one looking down on you is yourself,” Yu Zhao replied, calm as still water.
“Ha!” Ye Cong Xin scoffed bitterly. “You’re the most hypocritical person of all, refusing to speak the truth even now.”
“Am I wrong?” Yu Zhao countered evenly. “If you weren’t insecure, why would you constantly compare yourself to me? Why would you harbor hatred over trivial matters?”
Only now, after Ye Cong Xin’s confession, did Yu Zhao piece together the truth. Previously, she had thought her mere existence obstructed Ye Cong Xin, inciting her malice.
But it turned out Ye Cong Xin’s torment stemmed from her own deep-seated inferiority complex.
Ironically, Yu Zhao, too, had once envied Ye Cong Xin. She envied her sweet words that won over seniors and peers alike and her ability to foster harmonious relationships within the sect.
Yu Zhao even entertained the thought of emulating Ye Cong Xin’s demeanor.
Looking back now, her past feelings seemed laughable—naïve and shallow to the core.
“You’re lying! Me, insecure? Impossible! I’m the most gifted one! Soon, I’ll reach Divine Transformation and crush you all beneath my feet!” Ye Cong Xin screamed, her voice shrill and frenzied, her eyes glowing with an ominous red hue.
Across from her, Yu Zhao remained composed, radiating serene confidence.
Dao Lord Tai Wei gave a subtle nod. Yu Zhao’s exceptional talent was matched by her steady temperament—qualities that would undoubtedly lead her far on the path of cultivation.
Having seen enough of this spectacle, it was time to intervene.
With a mere glance, Dao Lord Tai Wei immobilized Ye Cong Xin. The latter stood frozen, her body rigid as stone, though her eyes darted about in panic.
Turning to Yu Zhao, Dao Lord Tai Wei instructed, “It’s time. I’ll open the transmission passage shortly. Do not resist and follow my lead.”
“Understood,” Yu Zhao replied solemnly. Bowing deeply to those around her, she said, “I, Yu Zhao, embark on an uncertain journey. Take care, all of you.”
She dared not promise she would return, fearing her words would tether their hearts with hope. But she silently vowed that if she ever gained the freedom to traverse between worlds, she would return to reunite with her companions.
“Junior Sister Yu, take care!”
“Yu Zhao, I’ll wait for your return!”
“Senior Sister Yu, be safe!”
Their parting words rang with heartfelt sincerity, though none dared voice pleas for her to stay. A chance to train under a powerful figure from the Higher Realm was an unparalleled blessing; how could they bear to stand in the way? All they could offer were their deepest wishes.
Dao Lord Tai Wei was slightly surprised by Yu Zhao’s popularity. Most prodigies, prideful and aloof, rarely bothered forming bonds. Yet Yu Zhao had done so, to the detriment of her progress.
What a waste, Tai Wei thought. If not for these distractions, Yu Zhao would have already transcended to Divine Transformation instead of lingering at the Nascent Soul stage. No matter—once they returned to the North Abyss Realm, she would see to Yu Zhao’s proper training.
Raising her hand, Dao Lord Tai Wei tore open the void, summoning a massive vortex that shimmered with radiant light. Spiritual mist seeped from the portal, intoxicating all present with its allure.
The sheer density of spiritual energy in the Major Thousand World, Tai Wei explained, was a hundredfold that of this world. Cultivating there was a blessing beyond measure.
The crowd, mesmerized by the vortex, failed to notice the bloodshot madness consuming Ye Cong Xin’s gaze.
Ye Cong Xin understood what Yu Zhao’s departure meant. From this point forward, they would belong to separate worlds. No matter how much luck she stole, she could never surpass Yu Zhao’s achievements. Worse, she was but a puppet to the system, while Yu Zhao soared, the cherished disciple of a great master.
This couldn’t happen!
After all the effort she’d expended to narrow the gap between them, Yu Zhao was once again rising above her.
“System! I know you can hear me! I demand you stop Yu Zhao! If you don’t… I’ll end it all and take everyone down with me!” she shrieked internally.
The system, as ever, remained silent.
“You leave me no choice!” Ye Cong Xin screamed, her Nascent Soul writhing as dangerous energy began to gather in her core.
Finally, the system stirred.