After listening to Feng Piaoling's words, the worldviews of Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao suffered an unprecedented shock.
Even Tian Meng was stunned. Good heavens, so that fellow who became a god ten thousand years ago was actually such a black-hearted scoundrel.
Tang Ya collapsed instantly. Her grip on Feng Piaoling's shoulder tightened, and she forced a strained smile. "No, this is impossible. How could it be like this? Little Piaoling, you're just joking with Big Sister, aren't you?"
It was fortunate that Feng Piaoling had warned her beforehand; she maintained a shred of sanity. Otherwise, she and Bei Bei might have been trapped in the earth and suffocated to death.
As for Huo Yuhao, with the protection of the Tian Meng, there was no need to worry about any life-threatening danger.
Feng Piaoling stopped, turned around, and took Tang Ya's trembling hand. As he led them back up to the surface, he spoke expressionlessly:
"Do you think I look like I'm joking? At the end of the day, you descendants of the Tang Sect are pitiful people. You cling to the rules left behind by that hypocrite, shedding blood and tears for him. In the end, the fame belongs to him, while you are the ones forced to bear the consequences of his evil."
"Do you know why your Tang Sect declined so rapidly after the impact of Soul Tools? Being unable to consistently produce experts and blindly clinging to outdated hidden weapons are only part of it."
"The main reason is that you sold those hidden weapons to the three empires of the Douluo Continent. Those harmed by the weapons didn't dare retaliate against the nobility of the three empires, but did you think they wouldn't dare retaliate against the Tang Sect—a paper tiger with no teeth? This is exactly why I said you made your fortune from war."
"The fact you mentioned earlier—that every generation's Sect Master donated most of the income to aid civilians while keeping very little for themselves—is ironclad proof. And you mentioned that some of the Tang Sect's hidden weapons once threatened gods."
"Even if they did, let me ask you: where are those hidden weapons capable of threatening gods now? Were they lost, or were they simply never passed down? Ultimately, you aren't even the descendants of that hypocrite. Or rather, given that hypocrite's true ugly nature, even if you were his descendants, he wouldn't necessarily have passed them down to you."
"Like me, you are all miserable people poisoned by that hypocrite."
As he spoke, Feng Piaoling had already brought Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Huo Yuhao to the surface at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Tang Ya let out a "wah" and could no longer hold back. She crouched on the ground and began to wail.
Bei Bei cast aside his previous gentleness. Bristling with anger, he roared at Feng Piaoling, "Enough, Feng Piaoling! All of this is nothing more than your one-sided story."
He didn't know if what Feng Piaoling said was true or false. But he knew that Xiao Ya was hurting right now—hurting so much that her entire heart and soul were on the verge of collapse. It was hard to imagine the immense pain Xiao Ya would endure if all of this were true.
While speaking, Bei Bei didn't forget to shoot a look at Huo Yuhao.
Because of the ten-year Wind Baboon first soul ring, Huo Yuhao had long been dissatisfied with Feng Piaoling. Seeing this, whether to help Bei Bei or to vent his own grievances, the emotions he had accumulated finally erupted:
"Big Brother Feng Piaoling, this is the last time I will call you that. You have truly disappointed me. How could you say such things to Teacher Xiao Ya?"
"I have lost loved ones just as you have, but I clearly know who my enemy is, and sooner or later, I will take my revenge with my own hands."
"But what about you? You clearly have such formidable talent and strength, and it was Evil Soul Masters who killed your parents. Yet, because of some rumors you heard from who-knows-where, you're taking your anger out on our Tang Sect. This is the behavior of a coward."
"Feng Piaoling, from this day forward, you are no longer my big brother. All ties between us are severed."
Huo Yuhao's words were spoken with such righteous indignation that Bei Bei couldn't help but cast an appreciative look his way. Even Tang Ya, who was in the midst of a mental breakdown, suddenly seemed to have a glimmer of light return to her eyes.
But to Feng Piaoling's ears, it was nothing but a joke. He didn't get angry; he simply looked Huo Yuhao up and down and spoke with an air of indifference:
"What a fine way to sever ties. When you were under my protection on the way to the Star Dou Great Forest, why didn't you sever ties then? After I killed the Wind Baboon that ambushed you, and you begged me to let you absorb its soul ring, why didn't you sever ties then? You were calling me 'Big Brother Feng' with every breath. Now that you've joined the Tang Sect, you've changed your tune to 'Feng Piaoling.' The speed at which you change faces is truly impressive."
Faced with Feng Piaoling's mockery, Huo Yuhao felt his face burning. But when he thought of his first soul ring, that nonexistent shred of shame was once again transformed into fury:
"Public is public, and private is private! What we are talking about now is your insult to my Tang Sect. Don't bring up other irrelevant matters. Besides, I gave you roasted fish to eat along the way. I don't owe you anything."
Feng Piaoling smiled, a very calm smile. "Huo Yuhao, do you know why I took such good care of you along the way?"
Huo Yuhao didn't speak. Or rather, he didn't know what to say.
Feng Piaoling continued: "Huo Yuhao, the illegitimate son of the Star Luo Empire's Duke White Tiger. From a young age, the current Duke White Tiger, Dai Hao, ignored you and your mother, leaving you to be bullied by the Duchess, which indirectly led to your mother being tormented to death."
"You... just who are you?" Hearing Feng Piaoling reveal his life story, Huo Yuhao could no longer remain still. Amidst his shock, there was a flash of fear in his eyes that he hadn't even noticed himself.
Upon hearing Feng Piaoling state Huo Yuhao's background, Bei Bei and Tang Ya also looked at him with shocked eyes. They clearly hadn't expected that this little brother who had just joined their Tang Sect would actually be the illegitimate son of the current Duke White Tiger.
Feng Piaoling said indifferently: "Just a passerby who, while heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain a soul ring, passed by the Duke's Mansion and happened to hear the Duke's wicked servants discussing the past of you and your mother after you left. As for confirming your identity, that wasn't difficult."
At this point, he pointed. "That White Tiger Dagger at your waist, a Class 5 Soul Tool unique to the Duke White Tiger's Mansion, is excellent proof. I am not normally one to meddle in others' business. But seeing a fate similar to my own in you, I felt a moment of compassion."
"Looking at it now, you and that hypocrite are of the same mold. No, I should say you've surpassed your master."
"Feed a man a bowl of rice and he'll be grateful; feed him a sack of rice and he'll resent you. You've only just become a Soul Master and you're already impatient to trample on your benefactor, impatient to become that hypocrite's dog... no, I should say you're worse than a dog."
"If you give a dog a bone, it at least knows to wag its tail. You are nothing but an ungrateful white-eyed wolf."
The moment those last words were uttered, the entire area fell silent. Huo Yuhao felt his head buzzing. Clutching his head, he roared toward the sky: "No! I am not an ungrateful wolf! I am not... I am a man, a man who stands tall between heaven and earth! I am not an ungrateful wolf!"
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi