"You all make valid points."
It was at that moment that
"I know what works in my favor and what works against me."
"But does that mean I should only do things that benefit me and avoid anything that doesn't?" Chu Feng asked the crowd.
"Brother Chu Feng, the world of martial cultivators is a cruel place. You really should make wise decisions."
"That's right, Brother Chu Feng. Besides, Yuwen Tingyi has already yielded. Just let him go."
Not only the disciples of Immortal Weapon Villa spoke up to advise Chu Feng — even the disciples of Holy Pill Villa urged him to reconsider.
In truth, they all meant well. They didn't want things to escalate between Chu Feng and Yuwen City.
Regardless of Chu Feng's talent, he was still a junior. His strength was ultimately limited. If he killed Yuwen Tingyi now and made an enemy of Yuwen City, the consequences would be dire.
"A wise decision? What constitutes a wise decision?"
"If I go by your logic, then should I take whatever I want — regardless of whether it's mine — simply because I have the power to? Even if it means killing innocent people?"
"A woman — regardless of whether she likes me — if I want her, I should force myself upon her?"
"And those I can't defeat — even if they killed my friends, even my family — simply because I'm no match for them, I shouldn't seek vengeance? Instead, I should befriend them, call them brothers, and pretend nothing happened?"
Chu Feng swept his gaze across the crowd, his tone hard as iron.
Everyone fell silent. They had no rebuttal.
Because deep down, they knew Chu Feng wasn't wrong.
There were indeed many things in this world that could benefit you. But you shouldn't do everything that served your interests, nor avoid everything that didn't.
After all, people were flesh and blood. They had feelings.
"Yuwen Tingyi — I don't need you to tell me what kind of person Li Xiang is."
"Don't you think I know that I don't know him well, that we've only just met?"
"But once I decided to call him my friend, he became Chu Feng's friend. Even if we've known each other for barely a few days — he is still my friend."
"And no one — no one — is allowed to lay a hand on Chu Feng's friends. If anyone does, I don't care if they're the King of Heaven himself. I will not let it go." Chu Feng spoke directly to Yuwen Tingyi.
"Chu Feng, you — you'd better think this through! If you dare kill me, Yuwen City will never let you go!" Seeing that Chu Feng had no intention of sparing him, Yuwen Tingyi stammered in terror.
"You don't need to remind me. I already know — if I lay a hand on you today, Yuwen City will hunt me down for as long as I remain in the Great Upper Realm."
"But let me ask you this: if I let you go today, will you spare me?" Chu Feng asked.
"I — well —"
"Chu Feng, actually… I never intended to hurt you. I was just trying to scare you. It was all just a joke," Yuwen Tingyi tried to explain.
"Heh…" Chu Feng laughed at that explanation. He genuinely found it hilarious.
"You just wanted to joke with me? So the killing intent you unleashed before was fake? Beating Li Xiang half to death was fake? Destroying his cultivation was fake? All just a joke — is that it?"
"I…" Yuwen Tingyi didn't know how to answer.
"Fine. Since everything you did was just a joke, then today I, Chu Feng, will crack a joke of my own."
As he spoke, a thought flashed through his mind. The ancient battle sword blazed with golden radiance. The next instant, it plunged deeper into Yuwen Tingyi's body. At the same time, Yuwen Argh—
Yuwen Tingyi's mouth gaped wide open, and a scream of utter agony tore from his throat.