As for Meng Hao, his eyes were still filled with blood, but to Wang Tengfei, this was merely like a weak ant baring its mandibles before an elephant; a single stomp would crush it.
For Wang Tengfei, what happened today was truly a matter of extreme insignificance. This wasn't disdain, nor was it indifference. He even smiled at the people around him; as he walked past, his gentle laughter lingered in the air. Calm and composed, as if nothing had happened, he continued to guide the cultivation of junior disciples, his amiable and benevolent demeanor inspiring affection in others.
Around the square, the female disciples gazed on as if mesmerized. Even the other cultivators showed expressions of reverence. Not a single person spared Meng Hao a glance, as if they had forgotten his very existence.
Compared to Wang Tengfei, Meng Hao seemed to stand in an opposing world. His entire body was covered in blood, his clothes tattered, and he was in the utmost distress.
Meng Hao could sense Wang Tengfei's attitude towards him; it wasn't contempt, but utter disregard. At this moment, as Wang Tengfei departed, the restraints on Meng Hao loosened, and his body immediately became so painful he felt he might collapse. Yet he gritted his teeth and persevered, sincerely bowing his head in gratitude to Grand Elder Ouyang.
Without a word, Meng Hao turned, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. His body trembled, but he endured, gritting his teeth, lifting his two legs, which ached as if crushed, and silently walked step by painful step into the distance. Sweat drenched his robes, and with every step, he bled from the pain. His figure, like a lonely, sorrowful wolf, slowly receded.
Grand Elder Ouyang watched Meng Hao, wanting to say something, but in the end, remained silent. He simply stood, watching Meng Hao's figure disappear into the distance.
Inside his cave abode, Meng Hao stumbled in, and as the door closed, he could no longer bear it. His body collapsed, and he fainted on the ground. Wang Tengfei's cultivation was at the peak of the sixth layer; Meng Hao was fundamentally no match for him. Had he resisted, his internal injuries would only have worsened.
This unconsciousness lasted for two days. When Meng Hao awoke, his entire body ached, making it difficult to stand. He tried to crawl up, but the moment his hands touched the ground, the pain intensified, burning as if his hands had been flayed. Meng Hao panted, sitting quietly and still in his cave abode.
After a long while, he slowly lowered his head, looking at his two hands. In his palms, ten fingernails were still deeply embedded. The two days of unconsciousness had caused these fingernails to grow into his flesh. When he had used his hands to push himself up, the newly grown flesh had torn, and fresh blood had gushed out.
Meng Hao's expression remained unchanged as he gazed at his hands. After a long moment, he tore open the wounds in his palms and pulled out each fingernail. By the time all ten fingernails were removed, his hands were soaked in blood, which flowed onto the ground, filling the cave abode with a bloody stench.
Throughout the entire process, Meng Hao's expression remained utterly impassive, as if these hands were not his own. The ruthlessness within him, at this moment, became strikingly clear.
He lowered his head, looking at the ten blood-soaked fingernails. After a long moment, he collected them and placed them on his stone bed. He wanted to look at these ten fingernails every day, to remind himself daily of the humiliation he had suffered today.
There would come a day when he would repay this humiliation, with interest.
— I myself am my greatest reliance!
After a moment of silence, Meng Hao spoke for the first time, his voice hoarse, as if it wasn't his own.
Several days passed in a flash. Meng Hao didn't leave his cave abode for even half a step. He didn't want to go out, didn't want anyone to see him. He hadn't forgotten what happened that day in the plaza, how he had stood against the whole world. He sat quietly cross-legged in his cave, looking at his blood-stained hands. His numb expression transformed into fury, then into a dark brooding. Until one day, the cave abode rumbled open. As the bright moonlight from outside shone in, the entire cave abode was bathed in a hazy glow.
Xu Shijie's figure stood at the entrance of the cave abode. She had her back to the moonlight, making it impossible for anyone to clearly see her face.
Meng Hao said nothing. Xu Shijie remained silent. After a long moment, she finally spoke.
"I only came out of seclusion yesterday!"
Meng Hao stood up and bowed deeply.
"Wang Tengfei comes from a powerful background, and is not from Zhao Guo. His cultivation has already reached the peak of the sixth layer, and furthermore, he's the one the Sect Master designated to become an inner disciple… You shouldn't provoke him."
Xu Shijie was silent for a moment, then said gently.
"This junior disciple understands!"
Meng Hao raised his head and smiled, his expression seeming to have returned to normal. It was impossible to tell that he harbored any lingering resentment about the matter. At this moment, he was subtly different from the Meng Hao of sixteen or seventeen years ago.
This subtle difference was a glint of coldness, but Meng Hao hid it very deeply, so deeply that even he didn't notice it. Outsiders, of course, couldn't detect anything at all.
"But if he comes to trouble you again, even if I'm in seclusion, you can crush this jade slip, and I will know!"
Xu Shijie was silent for a moment, then waved her hand. A purple jade slip floated to a stop in front of Meng Hao.
"That day, I brought the four of you up the mountain. You were the first to become an outer sect disciple. Your companion, who was in the North District's servant quarters, has also advanced. This morning, he will report to the outer sect!"
After Xu Shijie finished speaking, she glanced at Meng Hao and then left.
"Thank you, Senior Sister. I have a question I'd like Senior Sister to clarify. With my aptitude, now at the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, how long would it normally take to reach the seventh layer of Qi Condensation?"
Meng Hao suddenly asked.
"Reaching the fourth layer of Qi Condensation in less than a year, you must have had some fortuitous encounters in your cultivation. You don't need to tell me about it, and I won't ask. Disregarding your fortuitous encounters, with your aptitude, to reach the seventh layer of Qi Condensation would take ten years at the fastest, or thirty years at the slowest. The fourth, sixth, and eighth layers of Qi Condensation are all bottlenecks. Furthermore, without a special opportunity, it would be difficult to break through from the sixth to the seventh layer."
"Are these bottlenecks for everyone?"
"Yes, everyone!"
Xu Shijie slowly walked into the distance. Meng Hao sat cross-legged in his cave abode, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes.
Half an hour later, Meng Hao stood up and walked out of his cave abode. The mountain wind at night carried a hint of chill. The weather had changed extremely quickly, as if autumn had arrived in just a few days. The leaves had changed color, and the hills were covered in a desolate expanse.
The bright moon hung high in the sky. Meng Hao walked along a small path on the desolate mountain. All around was quiet, with only the sound of the wind and rustling leaves for company. Meng Hao made his way towards Beifeng!