Chapter Seventy-Two: Each Follows Their Own Path

The speaker was a man of about thirty, dressed in gray cloth, his eyes slightly narrow, possessing the cultivation of a Martial Master at its peak. Liu Pan recognized him immediately as the cultivator who had measured the bone age of the disciples in line before him.

The head of a second-rate power within Cloudstream City? Elder Yang halted at these words, his confusion deepening, and then frowned, fixing his gaze on the gray-robed man. "What's going on?"

"Reporting to Elder," the man answered with respectful salute, "the reason I know him is because he once sought me out, hoping I could grant his son some convenience, so that his son might enter the Cloudstream Sect."

He spoke deferentially, but before he could finish, a cry suddenly rang out from the crowd, and a figure rushed forth, throwing himself directly at Xu Yangfeng.

"Father!"

Xu Xiaozhan, his voice choked with tears, had been merely watching the spectacle. Yet, upon hearing the gray-robed man utter the name of the blood-stained figure whose face was unrecognizable, his mind blanked entirely.

He needed no further thought to understand why his father would be here at this moment. And in that instant, Xu Xiaozhan felt nothing but endless remorse.

Earlier, when he demanded that those who cut the line disappear, Xu Xiaozhan had indeed intentionally made things difficult for his father. Partly because he truly did not wish to join the Cloudstream Sect, and partly because the sect was so powerful that, as someone who had grown up in Cloudstream City, he dared not show the slightest disrespect.

Precisely because of Cloudstream Sect’s strength, Xu Xiaozhan believed his challenge was "perfect." In his view, his father neither would nor could do anything disrespectful to the sect.

Ultimately, it was a matter of perspective. To mortals, Cloudstream Sect was divine; to low-level cultivators, it was an absolute ruler; to those with broader horizons, an irresistible force; and to those with formidable power, it was merely ordinary. To even greater powers, it might be nothing more than a crawling insect.

Xu Yangfeng and his son, Xu Xiaozhan, because of their differing ages and experiences, valued different things and thus viewed the same matter in different lights.

In Xu Xiaozhan's eyes, Cloudstream Sect was an existence that must never be offended, no matter the circumstances. In Xu Yangfeng's eyes, though the sect was strong, as long as his actions went unnoticed by its members, even if disrespectful, what mattered?

Thus, to Xu Xiaozhan, those who cut the line were untouchable; but to Xu Yangfeng, they could be dealt with.

Perhaps, had Xu Xiaozhan been older, stronger, more rational and mature, he would not have rashly demanded that the two who cut the line disappear. For truly, it was pushing his father onto a path of ruin.

Xu Xiaozhan’s dash from the crowd drew everyone's attention instantly.

However, before he could reach Xu Yangfeng, a figure intercepted him, kicking him to the ground and planting a foot harshly on his back, rendering him unable to rise.

Xu Yangfeng’s face, masked in blood, betrayed no clear expression, but his eyes revealed utter despair.

When the gray-robed man revealed his identity, Xu Yangfeng’s heart skipped a beat. Earlier, he had smashed his head against the ground, intent on destroying his own appearance. He knew well that if the mask were lifted and Xu Xiaozhan saw his face, his son would inevitably rush out from the crowd, with consequences he dared not imagine. He sought to disfigure himself so that Xu Xiaozhan wouldn’t recognize him.

Though repeated head blows did not completely ruin his features, the blood covering his face gave him some relief. Xu Xiaozhan, only at the Martial Apprentice level, had not awakened his spiritual sense and relied solely on distant eyesight, making it difficult to discern his father’s features.

As for the Cloudstream Sect members, those capable had almost all awakened their spiritual sense—no amount of blood could hide his appearance from them. Yet, Xu Yangfeng doubted they would trouble themselves to clean his face, so his aim of hiding his identity seemed achieved.

Unexpectedly, Xu Xiaozhan did not recognize him, but his identity was exposed by an old acquaintance within the sect, someone who had long-standing ties with the Xu family.

To Xu Yangfeng, this old acquaintance owed much to the Xu family, so he believed that even if recognized, the man would not betray him.

After all, one should not bite the hand that feeds. This old acquaintance had taken much from the Xu family and ought to leave them some path to survival.

Yet reality is merciless. Any guess or hope crumbles before it.

Xu Yangfeng did not know why this old friend had "betrayed" the Xu family, nor did he have the heart to ponder it. Only one thought remained: it was over. The whole Xu family was finished.

Staring blankly at Xu Xiaozhan, pinned to the ground and sobbing uncontrollably, Xu Yangfeng suddenly realized that forcing his son into the martial path was the gravest mistake of his life.

What was wrong with business? Everyone has their own aspirations; why impose one’s own thinking on another?

Just as with cultivation, countless people in the Tianfeng Continent embarked on the path, but how many walked identical roads? Each person’s path is unique, as is each person. If all were alike, what color would there be in this world?

Ridiculous. Xu Yangfeng found it laughable. He had always considered Xu Xiaozhan's pursuit of business a waste of time. Now, he saw that forcing him into martial cultivation was the true waste.

"So it was I who erred," Xu Yangfeng murmured, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes.

He did not blame Xu Xiaozhan; though his son’s caprice contributed to their current plight, Xu Yangfeng harbored no resentment. Xu Xiaozhan was not at fault. The blame lay with him, with his own mistakes from the very beginning.

When Xu Xiaozhan rushed out, Liu Pan was taken aback. He had always wondered why he and Liu Kuang, who had never offended anyone in Cloudstream City, would be targeted. It made no sense.

Initially, Liu Pan suspected some enemy of the sect was causing trouble, and he and Liu Kuang were simply unlucky.

But as events unfolded, Liu Pan sensed something amiss. Smashing one’s head against the ground? Was this madness?

Xu Xiaozhan’s cry of “Father!” brought Liu Pan some clarity, but also deepened his suspicion.

Bringing family members to commit wrongdoing beneath the eyes of an enemy faction? Wasn’t that far too stupid?

"Elder, that is Xu Yangfeng’s son, named Xu Xiaozhan," the gray-robed man who had exposed Xu Yangfeng’s identity spoke again, now revealing Xu Xiaozhan’s name.