Chapter 317: Removing the Bug of Righteousness

　　Just like that, little tyrant spent three whole days meditating.

　　Three days later, the spiritual energy that was endlessly pouring into his body finally began to calm down. His wounds were also beginning to close on their own, and faintly, the pressure of an Azoth Core could be felt.

　　The core was formed!

　　A certain master who had been silently watching this entire process while standing by his disciple’s side all this while, suddenly took a step forward. With a wave of his hand, he placed down a barrier surrounding his stupid disciple.

　　“Eh?” Zhu Yao curiously turned her head around. What was this about?

　　Yu Yan silently glanced at him. “His core has been formed.”

　　“I know.” I can see that myself though?

　　“Yu… Yao!” He sighed, as he gave her a ‘Why is my disciple so stupid?’ expression. “After the formation of an Azoth Core, lightning tribulation will definitely descend.”

　　“Uh…” Zhu Yao instantly understood. Hell, she had actually forgotten about this. Most likely, the one being zapped would still be her!

　　The corner of her lips twitched a few moments, and then she silently placed down countless formations for herself, including another defensive barrier. “Hoho… Master. Let me handle something like this on my own!” It felt like whenever her master’s about to be zapped by lightning, he’s exceptionally unreliable, and something like that had already happened several times as well.

　　Yu Yan frowned. As though he had recalled some very bad memories, he silently acknowledged her actions.

　　After pondering for a moment, he still felt a little dissatisfied. He reached out his hand pulled his stupid disciple into his embrace. Mn, he felt better now.

　　“Gran… Granny, this is?” Ye Qingcang however was confused. Was something big about to happen? Or was an enemy about to attack? To the extent that such powerful defenses were necessary?

　　“Hoho… You will understand in a moment.” Zhu Yao bitterly smiled. She raised her head and glanced at the sky, her face turned stern. “It’s here.”

　　Ye Qingcang raised his head to take a look, only to see the sky which was still clear for thousands of kilometers a second earlier, had begun to darken. Large amount of lightning clouds gathered. This was the lightning tribulation directed at the formation of Azoth Core! So she was actually worried that Brother Bai wasn’t able to beat the lightning tribulation?

　　“Granny, don’t worry. Brother Bai has a firm heart, he will definitely beat this lightning tribulation safe and sound.”

　　Zhu Yao replied with two words: “Ho ho!” Raising her head, she glanced at the sky. “I say, student Ye, are you sure you’re not going to stand a little further away from me?”

　　“Eh!?”

　　Boom!

　　A snow-white flash of light tore through the skies as a tribulation lightning bolt descended. It struck towards… Zhu Yao.

　　Student Ye who was zapped charred black: “…”

　　Countless unidentifiable animals galloped through the depths of his heart.

　　Wasn’t it Brother Zhiyuan who formed his Azoth Core? Why were the tribulation lightning bolts striking at granny instead? Furthermore, it seemed like granny was very certain that this situation would occur too, as she had placed down barriers beforehand, which lead to the lightning bolt striking straight at him, leaving her completely unscathed!

　　“Gran… Granny…” This did not make sense!

　　“Haah! I already told you to stand further away from me!” Zhu Yao reached out her hand and pulled him into the formation.

　　The lightning bolts in the sky grew even more excited, as they crackled and struck down relentlessly. Furthermore, all of them were striking in their direction, with not a single one landing on Bai Zhiyuan.

　　Student Ye Qingcang felt incredibly confused. Just who was forming his or her Azoth Core here, hey?

　　His heart was filled with doubts, yet a chilling intent suddenly shot out from the side. His heart trembled from the chill. When he turned to look, he saw a man was currently glaring at him coldly next to granny. In an instant, he felt like two ice daggers were stabbing right at his chest.

　　Ehh?

　　Earlier, granny seemed to have called him her master. Why was he looking at him this way? What did he do wrong?

　　So cold, so scary. He suddenly felt like heading out to get struck by lightning instead, what to do?

　　Yu Yan: Someone familiar with my disciple, is hateful as I have expected!

　　“Seven, eight, nine, ten…” Zhu Yao very patiently counted the lightning bolts. Don’t you dare troll me. A total of eighty-one lightning bolts, and not a single one more. Otherwise, it’s a loss for me.

　　“Granny…” Ye Qingcang meekly wiped off the dust off his arms, which were soon to be frozen stiff due to a certain someone’s gaze. Trying to divert his own attention, he spoke up. “You… knew that the lightning would fall on you right from the beginning, right?”

　　“Ah? Fifteen… Sixteen… Seventeen…” Zhu Yao was focused on counting, so she did not hear him well.

　　He had no choice but to repeat his words. “I said, granny, you’re intentionally blocking Brother Zhiyuan’s tribulation lightning bolts, right?”

　　“Intentionally?” Zhu Yao rolled her eyes at him. “Who the hell would intentionally do such a thing? How about you try to intentionally do it in front of my eyes!?”

　　“Then the formations that you placed down earlier were…”

　　Zhu Yao glanced at him. With a heart filled with sour emotions, she sighed. “Habits become second nature, dear youth!”

　　“…” What did that mean? Were the lightning bolts actually striking her on their own accord? He was stunned for a moment. After pondering for a little, he felt that it was impossible. Lightning tribulation was the manifestation of the laws of the Heavenly Dao itself, how could it possibly strike the wrong person? In order to bend the laws of the Heavenly Dao, incredible power was required. Granny must be worried about Zhiyuan, and thus was willing to endure the pain of the lightning tribulation on her own accord. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him. He turned to glance at the figure at the back, whose Azoth Core was growing firmer by the minute. In his eyes, a hint of envy could be seen floating about.

　　Within the heart demon earlier, he had actually heard Bai Zhiyuan’s answer as well. Speaking of which, both of them were pitiful people, as they both had the poorest aptitude. Though he had the fortune of being taken into the Inner Sect, the number of rolling and scornful eyes he received were still no less than being an Outer Sect disciple, while Bai Zhiyuan was once a genius with duo spirit veins, who had fallen to the very bottom of the valley. Their fates were similar, and they had both encountered a grandmother who treated them both with sincerity. Before this, he had thought that Bai Zhiyuan was even more pitiful than he was. After all, he climbed up from the very bottom, so he had nothing to lose. However, Bai Zhiyuan once had everything he wanted, but in the end had everything snatched away. A reality even crueler than his. However, right now, he was a little jealous of Bai Zhiyuan. Because, no matter what were to happen to him, granny would always stand by his side.

　　“Twenty… three, or was it four? The hell, I think I might have missed one. Just how many have I counted?”

　　Ye Qingcang smiled, the envy in his eyes grew brighter. “Granny sure treats Brother Zhiyuan really well.” It’s a pity that no one has ever treated me with wholehearted sincerity.

　　Zhu Yao was startled. She turned to look at him. “What’s wrong with you?”

　　“What is it?” He had a confused look.

　　Zhu Yao frowned. For a moment, the word ‘bug’ on his face grew a little darker. Earlier, it was so light to the point only a mark was present, but now, a greyish colour could be faintly seen. Oh young one, just what kind of thoughts did you have just now? Don’t go back to your former path!

　　“What did you just say?”

　　“I said, granny sure treats Brother Zhiyuan really well.”

　　“Don’t I treat you well too?” Zhu Yao asked back.

　　“…” Ye Qingcang blanked for a moment, only to shake his head slowly right after. “That is indeed true.”

　　Zhu Yao sighed, and then said as she patted on his shoulder. “Little Cang, do you have something you want to tell me?”

　　He stiffened. The expression on his face changed a couple of times, yet he did not speak up for a long while.

　　“If you have something to say, then say it! Don’t be wishy-washy like a girl!”

　　Ye Qingcang clenched his fists, and then took a deep breath. He turned to look towards her and said. “Granny… Actually, I have always wanted to ask you this. Back then, when you brought Brother Zhiyuan out of Ness Cesary Sect, you did it because you were afraid that he would be bullied for possessing the penta spirit veins, and hence you were willing to hand over Skybond Peak. Furthermore, you even took him in as your disciple and brought him away. I’m… a penta spirit veins holder as well! Why didn’t you inform me…” He did not continue after that. Zhu Yao however, understood his intentions.

　　“You wish to ask why I chose to take in little tyrant as my disciple, and not you, right?”

　　He nodded, and then immediately explained in anxious manner. “I… It’s not like I want to have a dispute with Brother Zhiyuan, it’s just… I just want to know the reason.” He wanted to know just why she had always thought Bai Zhiyuan was more talented than he was.

　　“I know!” If he truly was jealous of Little Bai, he wouldn’t have risked his life along with them. Zhu Yao sighed. Then, he looked at him sternly and said. “Little Cang, tell me this. If back then, if we have truly gone to look for you, and told you about us being ousted from the sect, what would you have done? Would you have left with us?”

　　Ye Qing was dumbfounded, and then his expression paled.

　　“You wouldn’t! Zhu Yao replied on his behalf. “Because if you had gone with us, it would be akin to betraying the sect. Most likely, you would even be chased after by the sect.”

　　“I…”

　　“I’m not trying to lecture you!” Zhu Yao continued. “It’s understandable that you would choose not to leave. After all, even if you had come along with us, it would just be an additional baggage for me. Then, let me ask you this as well. If you were little tyrant, and I wasn’t a Demigod practitioner trying to conceal my own cultivation level, but a mere Azoth Core practitioner, would you have left the sect?”

　　No! Ye Qingcang lowered his head. Because, with his personality, even if he were to find out that he possessed the penta spirit veins, he wouldn’t accept being ousted out of Ness Cesary Sect so easily. Even if he were to be thrown into the Outer Sect, he would still think of ways on his own, and seek opportunities for himself to make a stand.

　　“See, this is your difference from little tyrant.” Zhu Yao patted on his shoulder and sternly said. “The reason why little tyrant followed me out of Ness Cesary Sect, was because he trusted me enough. He believed that his grandma wouldn’t hurt him. Even if he were ousted from the sect, even if were labeled as a wandering practitioner, even if he had to cultivation from the start once more, he believed in me. Not to mention, when he left, he once resented the sect, resented his past master, and had even resented everyone, except me, whom he felt indebted to. The first thing he thought of, was not what he should do for his own future, but how he could repay his grandma for enduring all these grievances. With all his heart, he believed in a senior, a friend, or even an elder sister like me. How can I possibly not pamper him a little bit more?”

　　Ye Qingcang was stunned. His face was filled with astonishment and confusion, as though he understood her words, but felt that things had turned even more blurry as well.

　　“Little Cang, you asked why I didn’t choose you? Both of you possess penta spirit veins, and both your cultivation levels were similar as well. However, have you ever thought that you yourself are different from little tyrant in the first place? The two of you have never stood at the same spot. Have you ever place your trust on someone from the depths of your heart, like little tyrant has?”

　　“……”

　　“Little Cang, we are cultivating to become deities. However, the premise is that we have not become deities. We are all humans, and all humans have feelings. No one in this world will treat you well for no reason. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Little tyrant ventured. He believed in his grandma with all his heart. Even when he understood that he would become a wandering practitioner living a harsh life from then on, he did not turn his back, and followed me without any hesitation. But Little Cang, what have you ventured on? Have you ever believed in someone with all your heart? If not, why should I have chosen you?”

　　Ye Qingcang was dumbfounded, and he did not regain his senses for a long while. The echoes in the depths of his heart grew louder, and a single word filled his heart – trust!

　　He was alone ever since he was young. Because of his stubborn personality, he had always relied on his own to grow stronger a single step at a time. He felt that as long as he worked hard, even if he did not have a good aptitude or talent, he would still be able walk on this path. He had never requested help from others, so naturally he would not have comprehended the meaning of trust. Even way back then, when he had a miraculous encounter, the first thing he thought of was to conceal that fact. He only told granny when he had no other choice.

　　However, the stronger he became, the larger the hole in his heart was. Especially when he saw granny and Bai Zhiyuan together, the feeling that he was missing something grew even more intense than ever, and a sense of inferiority faintly grew. All this while, he could not understand why this was happening. However, he now understood that the thing that he was lacking in the depths of his heart, was trust. The true goal behind that heart demon, was to have him clearly see this fact.

　　At that moment, he felt that the things he chased after and tried to conceal with all his might, were a little laughable. Joy suddenly filled the depths of his heart, as if the sun had appeared behind the drifting clouds.

　　Zhu Yao however widened her eyes in utter disbelief.

　　“Young man, let me look at your face!”

　　The bug… disappeared!