Divine Emperor Demon Emperor

Lin Yun’s voice was calm and quiet, but it still reached Wei Yunhang’s ears clearly. Hearing this, Wei Yunhang didn’t answer, his expression remaining unchanged.

However, the truth was just as Lin Yun had said. It wasn’t only the Taiqing Institute Director who had discovered Qin Feng’s talent; Wei Yunhang himself had also realized it.

Ordinarily, discovering a Demon Fiend would be a cause for celebration for any power. However, one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. Both Wei Yunhang and the Taiqing Institute Director felt that Qin Feng’s growth could threaten Wei Yunhang in the future.

Thus, the two of them secretly approached Qin Feng’s master. Persuaded by the Taiqing Institute Director, Qin Feng’s master ultimately agreed to help Wei Yunhang strip Qin Feng of his status as a Core Disciple.

As for why it wasn’t the Taiqing Institute Director himself, that’s easy to understand. As the Director, could he really get rid of a disciple just because of the talent he displayed? If he did that, which of the Taiqing Academy’s Disciples would still obey him in the future?

And as it happened, Qin Feng’s senior brother approached their master at this very moment. Turning the situation to their advantage, the Taiqing Institute Director and Wei Yunhang cleverly shifted the goal of eliminating Qin Feng, transforming it into a matter of conflict between him and his brother disciple.

This way, the Disciples of Taiqing Academy wouldn’t blame Wei Yunhang and the Taiqing Institute Director. At worst, Qin Feng’s master would be the one to take the fall for them.

With Lin Yun having pointed out the heart of the matter so bluntly, Wei Yunhang offered no reply. But Lin Yun could feel it. ’From this moment on, Wei Yunhang and I will probably go from friends to enemies.’

’It didn’t matter, anyway.’ In Lin Yun’s eyes, his relationship with Wei Yunhang was merely a transactional one. Now that their interests were in conflict, things could naturally no longer be as they were.

Lin Yun said no more, just quietly watching Qin Feng on the arena stage. Right then, Qin Feng’s eyes were locked onto the figure on the central high platform.

After listening to Qin Feng’s almost roaring accusation, his master finally rose and walked to the edge of the high platform, looked at Qin Feng, and said impassively.

"I took you as my disciple because you are naturally gifted and intelligent," Qin Feng’s master said slowly. "However, you and your Senior Brother are like fire and water. Naturally, I must choose one. And in my opinion, your Senior Brother is more suitable than you to inherit my mantle."

Looking at Qin Feng on the arena stage, a deep guilt flickered in the depths of his master’s eyes. In truth, what he said was far from what he truly felt. Comparing Qin Feng and his Senior Brother, the old man much preferred Qin Feng.

Although they had only been master and disciple for just over a month, in the depths of the old man’s heart, he had already come to see Qin Feng as his own kin, as his own son.

Lin Yun had guessed some of this, but he hadn’t mentioned it to Wei Yunhang. The real reason the old man chose to do this was, in fact, to save Qin Feng’s life.

If the old man made a move himself, he would have an excuse to drive Qin Feng out of Taiqing Academy and thus save his life. But if the old man refused? Even if Qin Feng was safe for the time being, would Wei Yunhang and the Taiqing Institute Director really allow Qin Feng to continue growing stronger in the long run?

After saying this, the old man, a Supreme Elder of Taiqing Academy, weakly closed his eyes—in truth, it was to stop his own tears from falling. He could see the disappointment in Qin Feng’s eyes, the complete death of his spirit.

’A teacher for a day, a father for a lifetime...’ The words Qin Feng had just spoken kept replaying in the old man’s mind. In his own heart, didn’t he think the same way? It was just a pity that now, Qin Feng probably hated him, his master, to the very core of his being.

Hearing the old man’s words, Qin Feng laughed bitterly, a sound full of disappointment and desolation. And to the old man, this laughter was like a multitude of knives stabbing viciously into his heart.

"Fine," Qin Feng said, his voice low. "Your disciple will never forget your grace in shaping him. These three kowtows are what I owe you in return." He then knelt down, facing the old man.

Facing the old man’s direction, Qin Feng kowtowed three times with heavy force. He didn’t even circulate his Elemental Power, causing his forehead to split open and bleed from the impact.

Watching Qin Feng perform the three kowtows, an uncontrollable impulse surged within the old man. How he longed to go forward, help Qin Feng up, and tell him that everything he had done was to protect him.

But reason told the old man he could not do so. As a Supreme Elder of Taiqing Academy, he could not betray the Academy. And yet, he could not stand by and watch Qin Feng die, either.

The only solution was for the old man to swallow this bitter pill alone. Even if Qin Feng hated him for it, as long as the boy lived, the old man was willing to bear all the consequences.

It wasn’t just the old man; the other five Supreme Elders of Taiqing Academy also felt uneasy. They knew how high the old man’s expectations for Qin Feng were. But caught between Taiqing Academy and his favorite disciple, the old man had no choice; he had to both preserve Qin Feng’s life and consider the good of the Taiqing Academy...

After Qin Feng finished his three kowtows, he stood up again. His expression had become dim and indifferent, devoid of any emotion, like a living corpse.

"Master, what I owed you, I have now returned. Forgive your disciple for his lack of filial piety, for I can no longer fulfill the promise I once made to you..." Qin Feng’s voice was hoarse. He paused, took a long look at the old man standing at the edge of the central platform, and finally, clenching his jaw, channeled the Elemental Power in his body and forcefully shattered the Longsword in his hand.

"From this day forward, I, Qin Feng, am no longer your disciple, nor am I a Disciple of Taiqing Academy. From now on, we are strangers."

Qin Feng’s words lingered in the old man’s ears like a curse. Upon hearing them, he staggered back three steps.

His already aged face seemed to grow even more ancient in that moment. Fortunately, as the old man staggered backward, another Supreme Elder stepped forward to steady him.

Taking a deep breath, the old man seemed to have aged immensely in an instant. His spine was no longer quite so straight, and with faltering steps, he walked to the edge of the high platform. The old man looked at Qin Feng and spoke slowly.

"Fine... From now on, we are strangers."

With that, the old man returned weakly to his seat. No one noticed that as he turned away, a single, clear tear couldn’t help but fall from the corner of his eye.

The Longsword was broken. Just when the many Disciples of Taiqing Academy thought the matter was over, Qin Feng’s Senior Brother suddenly thrust his sword toward Qin Feng’s back.

Immersed in extreme grief, Qin Feng had no idea that his Senior Brother’s Longsword was already bearing down on him like the Death God’s scythe.

He didn’t react in the slightest. At that moment, the old man, who had already sat back down, shot to his feet. His eyes were wide with fury—fury directed at Qin Feng’s Senior Brother.

"Qin Feng, you should never have appeared in Taiqing Academy. You are a threat to Brother Wei, so today, you must die," said Qin Feng’s Senior Brother in a voice only Qin Feng could hear.

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