Chapter 155: Give Him Some Dignity
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Yu Fei’s heart sank the moment he heard Yu Zhao’s voice, feeling a strong sense of foreboding.
He hastily prepared a defensive technique when suddenly, a massive shadow enveloped him. Instinctively, he looked up and froze in place. A giant, nearly ten zhang tall, loomed over him, its massive, cold eyes piercing into his soul. Upon closer inspection, the giant looked exactly like Yu Zhao.
A chill ran down Yu Fei’s spine. Gritting his teeth, he bit down on his tongue and, without hesitation, took flight to escape.
Whoosh—
The deafening sound of wind howled around him. A gigantic footprint descended from above, threatening to crush him. Yu Fei pushed his speed to its utmost limit, narrowly evading the attack.
Just as he thought he had escaped, an enormous hand reached for him. From his perspective, it was as though a mountain was crashing down on him, its sheer size and force overwhelming his senses.
Realizing that merely dodging was futile, Yu Fei clenched his jaw, infused spiritual energy into his defensive artifact, and launched himself like a meteor towards the giant Yu Zhao. Yet, the anticipated collision never occurred.
Instead, two massive fingers pinched him mid-flight, immobilizing him completely. No matter how he struggled, the only sound was the creaking of his bones under immense pressure. A fear he had never felt before spread through him like wildfire.
Is this it? Yu Fei thought, despair welling up. Is the reputation of the Five Elements Dao Sect so terrifying that I can’t even survive a single exchange?
Before he could dwell on his humiliation, the giant Yu Zhao transferred him to her palm. Trapped within her grasp, Yu Fei’s head was the only part visible, his face awash with shame and bitterness.
Yu Fei attempted another desperate struggle, but it was utterly useless. Worse yet, the force binding him continued to grow, and he felt as though he was about to be crushed alive.
This is just a sparring match… Is Yu Zhao really trying to kill me?
Terror consumed him. Pride abandoned, he tried to surrender, only to find he couldn’t utter a single word. Despair filled his eyes as tears began streaming down uncontrollably.
No! I don’t want to die! he screamed internally. Sect Master! Elders! Someone save me!
“Yu Zhao, enough. Yu Fei has lost. Stop toying with him and give him some dignity,” Elder Luo interjected, unable to bear the scene any longer.
Losing is one thing, but this level of humiliation… Elder Luo thought, shaking his head. He feared that if this continued, Yu Fei might wake from the illusion unable to cope, leading to a shattered Dao Heart.
Truthfully, Yu Fei was talented and insightful, but his arrogance held him back. This battle, though harsh, might teach him a valuable lesson.
Yu Zhao had no intention of pushing things too far. With Elder Luo’s intervention, she withdrew her soul power, dissipating the illusion. The towering figure and her virtual presence vanished into the wind.
Back in the sect’s main square, silence reigned. No one dared to speak.
It took Yu Fei a long time to recover from his shock. Staring blankly at his unharmed body, he could still feel the lingering sensation of death. Slowly, his gaze shifted to Yu Zhao, whose calm expression betrayed no emotion, and then to his fellow disciples, their eyes filled with sympathy.
It was all… an illusion?
The disciples of the Green Wood Sect watched Yu Fei’s dazed expression, wanting to offer comfort but unsure how. They hadn’t witnessed what he experienced, only that after casting a defensive spell, he seemed to attack aimlessly, as if in a trance. Then, frozen in place, his face twisted with pain and terror.
It wasn’t until Elder Luo spoke and Yu Zhao revealed herself that they understood what had happened.
This little-known inner disciple of the Five Elements Dao Sect managed to deceive everyone with her mastery of illusion techniques, ensnaring even You Fei in a spellbound state, unable to break free.
You Fei was utterly defeated—so much so that it could only be described as a humiliating loss.
It wasn’t just You Fei who found this hard to accept; even the disciples of the Green Wood Sect were stunned. Fang Cheng Lang, too, felt as if he were dreaming.
Even in his prime, Fang Cheng Lang would not have dared to claim victory against You Fei with the ease and elegance displayed by Yu Zhao. Yet, Yu Zhao had done precisely that. Her strength delivered a harsh slap to his face, shattering his hollow ideals and illusions.
Regardless of whether Yu Zhao forgave him or not, their dynamic would never return to how it once was. Yu Zhao no longer needed to rely on anyone for validation—her strength was her most reliable support.
Fang Cheng Lang suddenly recalled how, when Yu Zhao first joined the sect, Sect Master Ji Yuan had laughed and remarked that Master Qing Yan had finally accepted a disciple capable of carrying on his legacy. At the time, Fang Cheng Lang thought the sect master was joking. Now, he realized Sect Master Ji Yuan had been entirely serious.
“You Zhao,” You Fei’s hoarse voice broke the silence. Yu Zhao turned to him.
With a face teetering between despair and composure, You Fei solemnly said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have belittled the Five Elements Dao Sect earlier. I apologize to you, and I apologize to your sect.”
In the world of cultivation, the strong commanded respect. You Fei accepted his punishment willingly. Yu Zhao gave a slight nod, her calm demeanor signaling her acceptance of his apology.
“Junior Yu Zhao, come here for a moment. The sect master wants to see you,” Elder Luo called from afar, gesturing to her.
A chill ran through Yu Zhao’s heart. Why would the Green Wood Sect’s sect master summon her? Could it be that she had embarrassed the sect and was now to be held accountable? She quickly dismissed the thought—surely a sect master wouldn’t be petty enough to quibble with a mere disciple over such matters.
“Understood,” she replied, striding quickly toward Elder Luo.
As soon as Yu Zhao left, a few disciples who had been standing behind You Fei hurried forward to support him, their faces filled with concern. “Senior Brother You, are you alright?” they asked.
You Fei managed a bitter smile. His physical condition was fine, but the shadow Yu Zhao had cast over his psyche would likely linger for years.
Fang Cheng Lang instinctively wanted to follow Yu Zhao to ask about the situation, but as he stepped forward, the memory of her disappointed gaze froze him in place. He couldn’t bring himself to take another step.
It was clear—Little Six no longer wanted to see him.
…
On the other side, Yu Zhao followed Elder Luo to the main hall of the Green Wood Sect. Outside the hall stood Mu Ye, who seemed surprised to see them arriving together.
“Yu Zhao? So the sect master was waiting for you!” Mu Ye exclaimed in surprise.
Yu Zhao shook her head lightly, indicating that she had no idea what was happening either. Sensing that now was not the time for further questions, Mu Ye simply said, “The sect master is waiting for you inside. You may go in.”
Yu Zhao bowed to Elder Luo before stepping into the main hall.
The spacious and brightly lit hall held only one figure—Sect Master Wu Sang.
Stopping a respectful distance away, Yu Zhao performed a disciple’s salute and introduced herself, “Junior Yu Zhao, inner disciple of the Five Elements Dao Sect, greets Sect Master Wu Sang.”
Sect Master Wu Sang raised his hand and smiled faintly. “Yu Zhao, you are remarkable. In less than ten years, Master Qing Yan will undoubtedly regret his decisions.”
Yu Zhao wasn’t surprised that Sect Master Wu Sang knew about her estrangement from Master Qing Yan. The cultivation world was a place of fierce competition, with rivalries between sects always closely monitored. Moreover, her public request to leave her master had caused quite a stir—anyone paying attention to the Five Elements Dao Sect would have known about it.
“You flatter me,” Yu Zhao replied modestly.