When Shen Haoran stepped out of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, the other elders and disciples were already outside. The gloom on their faces had vanished, and it appeared they had reaped considerable benefits inside.
Seeing Shen Haoran emerge, the Wan Fa Ancestor gave him a slight nod before addressing the crowd. "Since you’ve all taken what you came for, it’s time to leave. I will remain behind to handle things here."
Hearing the Wan Fa Ancestor’s order to leave, the elders and disciples could only cup their fists and nod in assent. They were then led out of the Secret Realm by the Wan Fa Ancestor, reappearing on the Sacrificial Plaza in the Desert Ancient City.
The Sacrificial Plaza now looked much more desolate. Before they had entered the Secret Realm, this place had been bustling with people, exceptionally lively. But now, all those disciples had perished within the Secret Realm, not even their bones remaining. At this thought, a look of grief once again clouded the elders’ faces.
"Sigh... What kind of cruel twist of fate is this? It was supposed to be a great opportunity, a trial for our disciples. Now they’re gone forever. The old burying the young... it’s a tragedy!" an elder lamented, slapping his thigh in anguish.
"Your Sect is fortunate. At least one of your disciples made it back. What about our Sect? Not a single one returned!" another elder added sorrowfully.
"Doesn’t Shen Haoran have a teacher at the Spirit Emperor Tier? If his teacher had just stepped in, our disciples wouldn’t have had to die!" an elder said, glancing sideways at Shen Haoran. If Shen Haoran remembered correctly, this was the Grand Elder of the Nine Que Sect, Bai Li’s sect.
At the Grand Elder of the Nine Que Sect’s words, everyone turned to look at Shen Haoran, their eyes filled with dissatisfaction. ’The Nine Que Sect’s elder is right. Doesn’t Shen Haoran have a teacher at the Spirit Emperor Tier? In the end, he even killed that Spirit Emperor powerhouse with his teacher’s help. If only his teacher had acted sooner, our disciples wouldn’t have had to die!’
"Shen Haoran, don’t you think you owe us an explanation? Why did you just stand by and watch our disciples die? Even if you were competitors inside the Secret Realm, you are all the hope of our Northern Domain. How could you be so heartless as to just watch them die?" an elder demanded of Shen Haoran, his voice filled with displeasure.
"Exactly! Your teacher is a powerhouse at the Spirit Emperor Tier. How could he lack such basic decency!" the other elders chimed in accusingly. The more they thought about it, the angrier they became, and the looks they gave Shen Haoran grew icy.
Hearing the chorus of accusations, Shen Haoran was stunned for a moment before his expression darkened. ’These people... they’re actually shifting all the blame for their disciples’ deaths onto me and Elder Yan! When I was fighting the Demon King in the Secret Realm, they all ran for their lives, each faster than the last. Not a single one of them stepped up to help me. Now that they’re dead, their elders are venting their anger on me.’ The more Shen Haoran thought about it, the icier his expression became.
"So, you’re blaming me?" Shen Haoran asked coldly, gazing at the elders. Although they were all powerhouses at the Spirit Emperor Level, his presence didn’t weaken in the slightest as he faced them.
"Hmph. Is my teacher someone a group like you is qualified to comment on? If he wishes to save someone, he will. If he doesn’t, even if they all die, what the hell does that have to do with us? They aren’t my sons or grandsons. Even if I did just watch them die, what can you possibly do to me?" Shen Haoran said bluntly, his eyes filled with utter disdain as he stared at the Spirit Emperor powerhouses.
Although Shen Haoran was only a Spirit Marquis Tier Martial Artist, a full major tier below a Spirit Emperor powerhouse, he didn’t give these people the slightest bit of respect. ’I have the Earth Spirit Profound Nether now, anyway. Even if I can’t beat these old geezers, none of them can stop me if I want to escape. Besides, I still have that "powerhouse teacher at the Spirit Emperor Level" that Elder Yan fabricated for me!’
"You..." Seeing how Shen Haoran so blatantly disrespected them, the elders’ faces filled with rage. They were all prominent figures in the Northern Domain. To be cursed at to their faces by some young brat—how were they supposed to maintain their authority in front of their disciples after this?
Yet, as angry as they were, and as much as they wanted to attack Shen Haoran, the thought of the Spirit Emperor teacher behind him instantly doused their fury. A Spirit Emperor powerhouse... Even if all of them combined their strength, they would be no match. If they angered that expert, the fate of Ghost Gui from Fallen Valley would become their own.
"Hmph. We’re leaving." Since there was nothing they could do about Shen Haoran, the elders could only let out a cold snort and leave with a flick of their sleeves. To remain any longer would just be to invite further humiliation.
"Tch. And they call themselves Sect Elders. A bunch of cowards," Shen Haoran scoffed at their retreating backs. Inwardly, however, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. ’If any of them had lost their temper and made a move, my cover would have been blown. Thankfully, they were all completely intimidated by the fake Spirit Emperor powerhouse that Elder Yan concocted.’
Standing off to the side, the Grand Elder of the Celestial Spirit Sect heard Shen Haoran’s remark, and the corner of his mouth couldn’t help but twitch. ’Even I wouldn’t dare say something like that to those elders, yet a disciple from my own Sect just did so without the slightest hesitation.’
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