Chapter 119: I Withdraw

He Zheng-hao turned around and said earnestly, "Fellow Daoist Su, just bear with it! It’s only a few slaps to the face!"

Su Yi-zhao was speechless.

Bear with it? That was easy for him to say!

Just because the Mo family was powerful, did that mean they could bully people at will? Did that mean they could act without reason?

Su Yi-zhao shook his head. "I will not bear it! Not even if I die!"

The crowd was shocked.

How could he still be so stubborn when facing the Mo family?

Even if he was the top-ranked on the Heavenly Ranking, he hadn't fully matured yet!

Enduring a few slaps wouldn't cost him a piece of flesh!

"Then die!" Mo Yu-bing was instantly enraged.

He had given him a way out, and he refused to take it?

Did he truly think the Mo family wouldn't dare kill him?

Even the top of the Heavenly Ranking had to bow their heads before the Mo family!

The black blade in front of Mo Yu-bing vanished in an instant.

Su Yi-zhao unleashed his profound energy, and the scale within his dantian pool flew out in a flash.

*Clang!*

The black blade that had suddenly appeared before his chest struck the scale.

A soft ringing sound echoed as the void tore open.

Su Yi-zhao let out a "wah" and spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward ten yards before crashing into the Heavenly Ranking monument.

The monument shook, and the deep red characters of "Su Yi-zhao" at the very top fluttered in the wind.

He had blocked the blow, but he was injured.

"A Void Treasure?" A look of gravity appeared in Mo Yu-bing’s eyes.

It wasn't strange for someone at the peak of the Seven-God Realm to begin nourishing a Void Treasure. But to actually dare to wield one meant he was a ruthless character!

Still, he had to die!

He grinned hideously and was about to command the black blade again, when suddenly, Su Yi-zhao unleashed his flying sword.

The moment it appeared, it vanished.

Su Yi-zhao whispered, "Accelerate!"

The short distance of ten yards seemed to vanish in an instant.

The void around Mo Yu-bing cracked open, and ten thousand sword beams shrouded him.

"Ice Spike Art! Vine Art! Fireball Art! Leap Art!"

In a split second, Su Yi-zhao cast every offensive spell he possessed.

Suddenly, centered on Mo Yu-bing, ice spikes, vines, and fireballs rained down, and Su Yi-zhao’s images filled the sky.

"Are those all Seventh-Rank Great Perfection spells?"

Although few had seen a Great Perfection spell, they could certainly feel the power!

He Zheng-hao was stunned! The entire population of Vast City was stunned!

Cultivating one Seventh-Rank spell was already difficult enough. Achieving Great Perfection in one was even harder! But to have so many Seventh-Rank spells all at Great Perfection was simply impossible!

Yet, that impossibility was unfolding right before their eyes.

*Puff, puff, puff...*

In an instant, Mo Yu-bing was engulfed by the spells.

Su Yi-zhao’s true form shifted between forty or fifty illusions, waiting for the right moment to strike! He knew these wouldn't be enough to kill him!

Sure enough, a spot in the void ten yards away twisted slightly.

Su Yi-zhao’s mind flickered, and the sword light pierced that void instantly!

*Clang, clang, clang, clang, squelch!*

"You brat, you're courting death!"

A roar erupted from the void!

It tore open, and a disheveled cultivator stumbled out, blood gushing from his inner thigh!

The crowd stared, shocked once again!

The man was Mo Yu-bing. But where was the aura of an elite disciple? He looked like a battered, mangled refugee!

"Enough!"

Just then, a massive pressure descended from the sky, shrouding both of them.

Su Yi-zhao felt his heart tighten and instantly dared not move. He felt as if he were caught in this aura; even the slightest movement would lead to his death.

Powerful! This was a true powerhouse!

Su Yi-zhao forced himself to look up.

A middle-aged cultivator stood before them. He wore brown Taoist robes, had a square face, and eyes like swords. He was dignified without even needing to show anger.

Across all of Vast City, billions of cultivators fell silent!

Even Mo Yu-bing didn't dare speak. Facing a sect elder, even the Mo family wouldn't dare act recklessly!

This was the rule. And the rule was that the authority of the Xuan-Tian Sect was above all else.

"The recruitment of elite disciples for this term is concluded. Follow me to the sect!" The middle-aged man’s tone was neither an invitation nor a command, yet it was irresistible!

Below, a clamor began to rise.

Elite disciples!

From this moment on, not only would their status skyrocket, but they would be heavily nurtured by the Xuan-Tian Sect. Techniques, profound stones, cultivation chambers—every resource imaginable would be theirs! Everything the Central Continent had, the Xuan-Tian Sect had! And even resources the Central Continent lacked, the Xuan-Tian Sect possessed!

The cultivators standing beneath the Heavenly Ranking grew excited.

"I’m not going!"

Suddenly, a discordant voice rang out!

The crowd was stunned! Even the dignified face of the middle-aged cultivator showed a look of astonishment!

He wasn't going? A cultivator actually refused to go?

The noise of Vast City vanished instantly. A deathly silence took its place.

Good grief! Did he have any idea what becoming an elite disciple meant?

The crowd followed the voice and stared in disbelief.

How arrogant! He was truly a swordsman!

The one who spoke was none other than Su Yi-zhao.

"If I have to associate with elite disciples of this character, then I’d rather not go!"

He swept his gaze across Mo Yu-bing and Mo Yu-tang, his expression indifferent, and bowed to the middle-aged cultivator. "I withdraw!"

The middle-aged cultivator asked, "Are you serious? Are you sure you aren't just acting out of anger?"

Su Yi-zhao nodded. He was a grown man; why would he act out of petty anger?

"Top of the Heavenly Ranking, top of the continent—there is one every term. You must think clearly!" the middle-aged cultivator smiled.

He rarely smiled! But now, he had to force a smile. Before he arrived, he had been instructed: he could leave all the other cultivators behind, but this young man had to enter the Xuan-Tian Sect!

It was true that there was a top-ranked cultivator every term. But this one was absolutely different!

Could someone at the peak of the Seven-God Realm who could injure a veteran elite disciple be the same as others? Could someone with all Seventh-Rank spells at Great Perfection be the same?

The Xuan-Tian Sect was indeed powerful. But the more powerful one was, the more one had to nurture young talent.

He Zheng-hao was shocked! Elder Di was actually smiling! Although it looked unnatural, he was truly smiling. In the entire Xuan-Tian Sect with its hundreds of millions of cultivators, who had ever seen that?

Su Yi-zhao remained indifferent. "I have thought very clearly! I am leaving!"

"Wait!" The middle-aged man felt a sense of urgency.

If there was something he was dissatisfied with, he could just say it! Why was he always threatening to leave?

He glanced at the two Mo brothers and asked, "Are you afraid of the Mo family’s revenge?"

Mo Yu-tang and Mo Yu-bing looked troubled.

Su Yi-zhao shook his head. He had already prepared for the Mo family’s retaliation the moment he struck them!

The middle-aged man thought he was afraid to speak, so he immediately promised, "I will guarantee on behalf of the Mo family that they will not retaliate! How about that?"

Every cultivator present was speechless!

How did his words sound so much like a plea? Recruitment happened once every five years, but such a situation had never occurred! Did the Xuan-Tian Sect ever need to plead? Never!

Su Yi-zhao still shook his head. "I do not wish to associate with such elite disciples."

Once these words were out, the crowd almost fainted!

What? He didn't want to associate with such elite disciples?

Did he have any idea what he was saying? These words had completely offended every elite disciple present!

The middle-aged cultivator’s smile vanished instantly. He let out a cold snort. "Young man, having talent and perseverance is indeed good! But you must also learn the ways of the world! Otherwise, you won't go far!"

He swore to himself that this was the last time he would offer kind advice. For over a thousand years, he had never done such a thing. This was the first time, and it would be the last.

Su Yi-zhao remained calm, his heart undisturbed, and was about to refuse once more.

Suddenly, from the back of the line, a familiar voice drifted over.

"Junior Brother Su! Let’s go together!"

Su Yi-zhao’s body shuddered, and he whipped his head around to look...