In the training room of the Sky Sword Sect, Yue Tianxia faced Yue Ran.
"I was in seclusion for ten years, yet your cultivation has not shown the slightest progress?" Yue Tianxia's brows furrowed, displeased with Yue Ran's stagnant cultivation.
Yue Ran appeared nonchalant. "I am already a Nascent Soul expert. Within the Sky Sword Sect, I am considered one of the top experts. Why should I strive further?"
"There are not many Nascent Soul experts in this world, but there are certainly not few. With your cultivation, you're not even worth a second glance," Yue Tianxia rebuked. "As the Young Sect Master of the Sky Sword Sect, if your cultivation cannot far surpass others, how will you inherit the Sky Sword Sect in the future?"
"Your other sons are still in the Golden Core stage," Yue Ran said dismissively. "Eldest brother is only at the mid-Golden Core stage, the third brother at early Golden Core. As for the fourth and fifth brothers, they have vanished, and their cultivation is unknown. Why don't you spur them on?"
Yue Tianxia observed Yue Ran for a moment, then asked slowly, "Are you still blaming me?"
"I wouldn't dare," Yue Ran scoffed. "Who would dare blame you?"
"Your mother and I were truly in love..."
"Enough!" Yue Ran shouted. "Do you have any idea in your heart whether my mother loved you? You killed her parents, annihilated her entire clan, erased my mother's memories, and married her. Do you truly love her?"
Yue Tianxia simply watched Yue Ran. In his opinion, Yue Ran was merely throwing a tantrum. The death of Madam Yue had hit Yue Ran hard, but he believed the cause of all these consequences was not him, but Xiao Man.
"If not for Xiao Man, my mother and I could have lived in harmony forever."
"Stop deceiving yourself," Yue Ran said coldly. "My mother is not foolish. You can fool her for a while, but you can't fool her forever. Also, from beginning to end, my elder sister was not wrong. You were the one who was wrong!"
"Where did I go wrong?" Yue Tianxia stroked the Green Lotus Sword placed on the table and asked softly. "Divine artifacts should be possessed by the capable. She lacked the ability, yet she possessed such a sky-reaching artifact. This was destined to be a tragedy."
"If, one day, someone stronger than you appears, and that person covets the land of the Sky Sword Sect, would they be able to destroy the Sky Sword Sect and establish a new sect on its ruins?"
"If they have the ability, let them come and take it," Yue Tianxia said confidently. "The land of the Sky Sword Sect is not easily taken."
"Sect Master Yue, what is it you want to tell me? Just say it," Yue Ran said, unwilling to exchange pleasantries with Yue Tianxia.
Yue Tianxia's gaze fell upon Yue Ran. Yue Ran's cultivation was unstable, his blood and Qi turbulent, as if he were injured. Yet, with his current cultivation, who could injure him? Or rather, who would dare to injure him?
After a moment, Yue Tianxia grasped Yue Ran's vital point. Upon probing, his expression turned somber. "Where is your Nascent Soul?"
Yue Ran chuckled strangely. "Sect Master Yue, didn't you teach me yourself? The Nascent Soul is equivalent to a second life. Once a Nascent Soul is cultivated, it must be hidden well. Even if the physical body perishes, as long as the Nascent Soul remains, one will not truly die. Naturally, I have hidden my Nascent Soul."
Yue Tianxia narrowed his eyes. Was Yue Ran guarding against him?
"Are you afraid that I will possess you?" Yue Tianxia asked with feigned pain. "Am I that untrustworthy in your eyes?"
"What have you done, Sect Master, that warrants my trust?" Yue Ran retorted. "Is it killing my mother that earns your trust, or persecuting my elder sister?"
"Xiao Man is not worthy of being your elder sister!" Yue Tianxia roared. He hated Xiao Man the most, because Xiao Man had repeatedly disrupted his plans and delayed him from obtaining what he desired.
Yue Ran broke free from Yue Tianxia's grasp. "In my eyes, she is a good elder sister. But you are not a good father."
"Yue Ran, must you always break my heart?"
Yue Ran rose. "You have just come out of seclusion, and I assume you have many matters to attend to. I shall not disturb you."
"Stop. Did I say you could leave?" Yue Tianxia said coldly.
"What? Sect Master Yue is already impatient to possess me?" Yue Ran stopped in his tracks and turned to face Yue Tianxia, sneering. "If you want this shell, take it."
Yue Tianxia frowned, glaring at Yue Ran with great displeasure. He did indeed desire Yue Ran's body, but he wanted a complete shell. A shell without a Nascent Soul was useless to him!
"I never expected you to believe the slanders of a villain. You have truly disappointed me," Yue Tianxia closed his eyes, appearing heartbroken. "You may leave."
Yue Ran's expression was stern. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and left quickly, unwilling to spend another moment with Yue Tianxia.
Once Yue Ran had disappeared, Yue Tianxia opened his eyes. "Someone, come."
"Sect Master."
"Within the sect, who is on good terms with Yue Ran?"
The hidden guard remained silent for a moment before replying, "Sect Master, the Young Sect Master does not associate with others."
Yue Tianxia was slightly taken aback. That was right. The old Yue Ran did not like to interact with people. Later, he only had Xiao Man, and now that Xiao Man had vanished, he naturally had no one to associate with. Then, where was his Nascent Soul hidden? No, that was incorrect. If his Nascent Soul were hidden within the Sky Sword Sect, his blood and Qi would not be so weak. His Nascent Soul must have already been moved far away from him.
"Recently, have any disciples gone down the mountain to train?"
"There are quite a few disciples training on the mountain, but they have no connection with the Young Sect Master." The hidden guard brought a list and handed it to Yue Tianxia for review. Su Dan Novel Network
Yue Tianxia flipped through it. Yue Ran had always remained within the Sky Sword Sect, so his Nascent Soul must have been entrusted to someone else to be taken out of the sect. As for where it was taken, he had a rough guess. Yue Ran trusted only one person: Xiao Man. This meant Yue Ran knew Xiao Man's whereabouts!
Suddenly, a name on the list caught his eye. Yue Tianxia's finger landed on it. "The Third Young Master has gone down the mountain?"
"Yes, the Third Young Master said he felt he was on the verge of advancement and therefore went out to train and seek opportunities for a breakthrough, so he descended the mountain."
"Investigate where Yue Xia has gone."
The hidden guard fell silent again.
"What is it?"
"When the Third Young Master went out, there were originally guards following him. However, after descending the mountain, the Third Young Master shook off the guards and disappeared. Our men searched everywhere but could not find him. To this day, we have not located the Third Young Master," the hidden guard said with some worry. "Sect Master, could the Third Young Master be in trouble?"
"If he were in trouble, it wouldn't be that he shook off the guards; it would be that the guards were killed. His disappearance now means he is likely in hiding."
Yue Tianxia sneered. He never expected Yue Ran to have allied with Yue Xia right under his nose. But Yue Xia detested Yue Ran the most. Why would he help Yue Ran? Where did something go wrong?