Chapter 35: Su Yuntao's Decision
Walking along the official road outside Soto City, flanked by rice paddies,
Ning Fengzhi glanced from time to time at the silent Li Tianyi to the lively and beautiful Ning Rongrong. He kept looking back and forth for a long time, his expression as if hesitating over something. "Sect Master," Li Tianyi interrupted his thoughts.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "Xiaotian, what's the matter?"
"I've been away from the village for six years and I want to go back," Li Tianyi continued, feeling a little worried that Ning Fengzhi wouldn't let him go.
Ning Fengzhi paused, unsure of what to think, then said with concern, "Well, it's time to go back after being away for so long."
"Where is your village?"
"Holy Soul Village in Fasno Province. It's a very small place. I'm sure you haven't heard of it," Li Tianyi replied.
"Oh?" Ning Fengzhi looked at him with a meaningful look in his eyes.
Li Tianyi finally came to his senses. Given Ning Fengzhi's personality, how could he possibly invite someone into the sect whose background he didn't know? He'd probably already sent someone to investigate him.
"Then let's split up and reunite at the sect in a few days?" Li Tianyi asked tentatively.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "Xiaotian, we should be going the same way. Why don't we go together?"
"I also want to see what kind of remarkable village could produce someone like you."
Ning Rongrong also jumped over, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Take us there, Brother. I want to see it too."
"..."
Li Tianyi was speechless. "Take you back and show you how badly I fared back then?"
To be honest, he would never want to go back unless Ying Xue'er was still there.
After all, there was no escape. Li Tianyi, Ning Fengzhi, and the other two set off for Holy Soul Village.
"Brother, which way should we go?"
"Uh!" Li Tianyi looked at the fork in the road before him, unsure which one led to Holy Soul Village.
He'd rarely been outside, and he only knew from memory that it was north of the Barak Kingdom, but nothing else.
"Take this way!" Ning Fengzhi quickly pointed in a direction, and this time, Li Tianyi noticed a map in his hand.
Uh, is this your home or mine? How do you know more than me? Li Tianyi's mouth twitched, and he felt a wave of doubts rising in his heart.
"No!" Ning Rongrong kneaded her delicate face and made a face at Li Tianyi.
As the four of them approached Holy Soul Village, Li Tianyi gazed at the small village so close, feeling a surge of excitement.
That girl from back then could be said to be his first friend.
When everyone looked down on him with tinted glasses, only Ying Xueer was willing to defy all odds and approach him.
Perhaps it was because of this innocent and kind girl that Li Tianyi felt his heart hadn't completely turned cold.
As Li Tianyi reminisced, he suddenly spotted a figure approaching from the village. Upon closer inspection, he happened to recognize the man.
A familiar face, the familiar white suit and black cape. The longsword emblem on his chest had grown from three to four.
Perhaps the most significant change was the man's once slightly arrogant expression, now tinged with somberness and age.
"Brother Tao?" the man looked up at the young man who had called out to him, scrutinizing him carefully before he hesitantly saying, "Xiaotian?"
"It's me, Brother Tao!"
Confirmed, the man hurried over in surprise. Seeing an acquaintance, Li Tianyi felt a sense of familiarity and quickened his pace to meet him.
"Xiaotian, you're not..." the man hesitated.
"Your leg is broken, right? Look, I'm fine now, aren't I?" Li Tianyi symbolically stamped his foot.
Then, Li Tianyi inquired, "Brother Tao, I haven't seen you since I was recuperating in Notting City. I heard you got a promotion and moved somewhere else?"
"Oh, don't mention it," Su Yuntao sighed, his expression darkening.
"Xiaotian, who is this person?" Ning Fengzhi walked over and asked.
"This big brother was the one who took care of my martial soul awakening back then," Li Tianyi replied.
"Oh." Ning Fengzhi glanced at the four-sword emblem on Su Yuntao's chest, which represented his rank, and the word "soul." He turned his head away, apparently not intending to speak.
Li Tianyi suddenly remembered that Su Yuntao had just walked out of the village: "Brother Tao, it seems like you are returning to your old job, picking up your old skills?"
Su Yuntao shrugged his shoulders and said with some relief: "It can't be helped. I was demoted recently."
"Why was he demoted for no reason?" Li Tianyi was a little puzzled. If it was because of him, he should have been demoted six years ago. Why wait until now?
Su Yuntao shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Thanks to you, I was promoted and moved to a big city six years ago. My girlfriend's attitude towards me changed at that time, and I have been living a pretty good life these years."
After he finished speaking, he paused and said with a daze, "Until not long ago, the headquarters suddenly issued an order to wipe out all my achievements and sent me back. Now my girlfriend has run away."
Li Tianyi seemed to understand a little. If it was not long ago, then that was the time when he disappeared from the Spirit Hall.
"Ahem," Li Tianyi felt as if he had inadvertently tricked Brother Tao.
Su Yuntao, in turn, began to wonder, "I heard about you since I came back. Rumor has it that not only did you injure your leg, but you also mysteriously disappeared."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes flickered with danger upon hearing this.
Li Tianyi immediately patted Su Yuntao on the shoulder and said, "Brother Tao, go away. Sometimes knowing too much is bad."
"Xiaotian, don't let the Spirit Hall know your whereabouts for the time being," Ning Fengzhi said, staring at Su Yuntao.
Su Yuntao, listening to Ning Fengzhi's tone and seeing the dangerous aura emanating from the withered old man behind him, felt a chill run down his spine, as if sensing something.
Li Tianyi, recalling the fate of Xiaopeng and the others, asked, "Brother Tao, do you still have family in the city?"
"My girlfriend ran away, so where would I find family?" Su Yuntao said bitterly.
"Brother Tao, don't go back. Stick with me from now on."
"Stick with you?" Su Yuntao asked, surprised.
"Boom!"
Golden flames instantly ignited Li Tianyi's body before quickly receding.
Su Yuntao, sensing the terrifying pressure, stared at Li Tianyi in horror. "You, what realm have you reached?"
Li Tianyi shook his head, not explaining, awaiting his response.
Su Yuntao glanced at the two men behind Li Tianyi, their unfathomable and dangerous auras. Then, looking back at Li Tianyi, he realized that even if he stayed in the Spirit Hall, he wouldn't achieve much, and he made a decision immediately.
"Then I'll follow you from now on." Su Yuntao bowed.
Li Tianyi nodded in satisfaction after hearing the answer.
This decision had actually just occurred to him: the Su Yuntao he had seen in his previous life seemed too "sad," with all the authors treating him as a mere tool.
So, he decided that if Su Yuntao had the guts to follow him, he would give him a chance to rise again.
Poor talent? No problem.
Li Tianyi was thinking that a tiger's inner core in the Xingdou Great Forest might be a perfect match for Su Yuntao.
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(End of this chapter)