On one hand, he was acting on the orders of He Fengyang, bearing a heavy mission. Reason told him that sacrificing Fang Zheng, this mortal boy, was the most correct choice for the greater good of the Immortal Crane Sect.
But on the other hand, his emotions stopped him.
People are not grass or trees—how can they be heartless?
Spending day and night with Fang Zheng, watching him grow step by step, seeing him make mistakes, watching him train hard for revenge… it was so much like his former self…
Heavenly Crane Elder couldn't bear it!
"Fang Zheng, you little brat! How many times have I taught you? This is the most basic Refinement Path technique!"
"I'm sorry, Master." Fang Zheng's palm was smoking, the Gu insect in his hand had turned into a pile of charcoal.
…
"Fang Zheng, practice, practice, and practice again! I, the esteemed Heavenly Crane Elder, have a disciple who can't even arrange a simple arrow formation of cranes! If this gets out, where will I put my face?!" Heavenly Crane Elder roared in anger.
"I'm sorry, Master. I'll definitely work harder… urgh!" The more nervous Fang Zheng got, the more mistakes he made.
In the sky, two flocks of cranes, due to his error, crashed directly into each other.
For a moment, there were only the mournful cries of cranes and the cracking of bones. They fell from the sky like dumplings being dropped into a pot.
Seeing this scene, the Parasitic Soul Flea in Fang Zheng's aperture froze stiff, then immediately flew into a rage. "You big idiot!"
…
"Master, I was wrong. I'm sorry." Locked in the seclusion room, Fang Zheng faced the wall and apologized to Heavenly Crane Elder.
"Silly boy, what are you apologizing for? A good beating!"
"Huh? Master, doesn't the sect rule forbid disciples from fighting each other?"
"Hmph, Zhang Nan's master is Xuan Ji Zi. Back then, I couldn't stand that guy. I beat him until he looked like a pig's head. He was locked up here longer than you will be. Although I am already dead, you are still my disciple! How can you let others bully you like this!" Heavenly Crane Elder sneered.
"Master…" Fang Zheng choked up, his eyes reddening, tears welling up.
"Idiot, what are you crying for? A man does not shed tears lightly!" Heavenly Crane Elder scolded.
"Yes, Master. I'm sorry, Master!"
…
At this critical moment, time seemed to stretch infinitely long.
Scenes of the past flashed through Heavenly Crane Elder's heart. Cries of "Master" echoed in his ears.
Heavenly Crane Elder roared, his voice deafening: "Fang Zheng, you have to work hard! Have you forgotten the pain Fang Yuan brought you? Forgotten how, when you first came to the Immortal Crane Sect, you were beaten bloody by your fellow disciples? Forgotten the wronged souls of your family? Forgotten how your aunt and uncle were cruelly killed by Fang Yuan? Your hatred. Your efforts. It all comes down to this moment! You cannot fail! You cannot give up!"
"I must sense it, I can definitely sense it." Hearing Heavenly Crane Elder's roar, Fang Zheng's morale lifted.
But in his senses, it was still the vast, boundless darkness.
No matter how hard he tried, how much effort he exerted, he couldn't detect any sign.
"Why? Why?!" Fang Zheng's state of mind was shaken, falling into disorder. The most unbearable memories from the depths of his heart surfaced one by one.
Throughout his life, the shadow Fang Yuan cast over Fang Zheng seemed to merge with the darkness in his senses, bringing boundless oppression to Fang Zheng. Everything was bleak and gloomy.
Fang Zheng felt like an infinitesimally small point, adrift in this vast darkness.
Bewilderment, helplessness, loneliness, despair—all kinds of negative emotions flooded his heart.
"I'm sorry, Master… I… failed." Tears streamed down Fang Zheng's face. His body had reached its limit, and his state of mind was on the verge of collapse.
"No! You cannot fail! I absolutely forbid it!" Heavenly Crane Elder was also getting anxious, shouting again and again.
But Fang Zheng gradually stopped hearing him. He was about to fall into a coma, just like in his previous training sessions.
"Damn it, damn it!" Heavenly Crane Elder cursed in his heart. At this moment, he thought of his body-snatching plan, and the punishment He Fengyang would give him if the mission failed.
"Fang Zheng, you bastard! I poured all my energy into grooming you, and in the end, you still can't escape the shadow of that man! Since that's the case, let me give you a hand!!"
Heavenly Crane Elder's thoughts flickered, and he finally convinced himself. The situation also forced him to make this choice.
He played his trump card.
Instantly, the entire blood pool began to emit a bright light, sweeping away the previous gloom.
The Gu insects hidden on Fang Zheng's body and around the blood pool were activated one after another.
"Ah——!" Fang Zheng jolted as if electrocuted. His body trembled violently, his head snapped back, his arms spread out, his hands clenched into fists, and his nails dug deep into his palms.
Unparalleled pain surged into his heart, causing his eyes to roll back.
In almost the next breath, Fang Zheng's roar abruptly stopped. He lost consciousness, but under the effect of the Gu insects, he continued to activate the Fiendish Blood Flower Gu and used the Blood Sense Gu to sense Fang Yuan's existence.
The blood pool boiled, gurgling loudly.