A Fallen Genius

Old Li's robe fluttered as he gently landed beside Li Chen, his murky eyes fixed on Qi Xuanyue.

Although he glared at her, neither Qi Xuanyue nor Ming Yue, who was behind her, felt his aura, showing the old man had no ill intent.

To him, they were just kids squabbling. 

"Li Yuan, let the young ones take care of their problems," a soft voice rang and a woman, similar to Qi Xuanyue in looks, appeared. 

She stood on a large, flying sword and looked at Old Li with a smile. However, her eyes revealed a twinkle.

"It's been a long time, Li Yuan. Have you been avoiding us?" Another man clad in red also arrived on a flying sword. 

Few others appeared, their eyes filled with mockery as they gazed at the genius who dominated the city six hundred years ago!

Now, they had all surpassed the immortal Daoist level and had a long life to live yet the man whom even the City Lord respected looked different from dried wood. 

"Li Chen, let's go." Old Li said softly, patting Li Chen's shoulder. 

"Won't you have a chat with your friends?" The woman in purple teased. She scoffed while gazing at the man she fought to win over his heart. 

"Look at him, drinking his life away after discovering his stunning talent was just a fluke." 

"Mo Xing gave her life for you!" Another who also tried courting Old Li's wife before she married him scowled. 

Li Chen's eyes trembled, anger coursing through his bloodstream but the old man kept walking. 

"Where do you think you're going? Our duel isn't over!" Having the elders of different sects backing her, Qi Xuanyue yelled, blasted fire from her palms and it transformed into a crane!

The crane soared into the sky, leaving a blazing trail in the dark skies. It made a dive for Li Chen but he evaded quickly. 

[Let me deal with her.]

"No."

[You have the power yet you let those self-titled fools mock you! Why?] Li Chen couldn't understand Old Li's thoughts. What did he train for if not to defend themselves and break the will of the heavens?

Cultivation was a battle against fate, which is why many practitioners possessed outstanding tolerance and the will to grow stronger.

"Fools?!" Qi Xuanyue's mother's expression turned ugly. She swung her right arm and clenched her fist. 

Li Chen's eyes flew wide as he felt a string bind him! In a split moment, countless strings left Qi Xuanyue's mother's robes, bound him, and turned red.

"For your blatant disrespect, die." She hissed and drew her hand backward. 

"Ha!" A sigh left Old Li's lips and he looked at the severed strings around Li Chen. "You want to kill my disciple before me?" 

"How can you train such a disrespectful brat?" 

"He needs to be punished!" 

"Qi Yue'r is a grand elder of the Eternal Night sect. How can a no-named brat disrespect not only her but all of us?" 

Seeing all this, Li Chen knew it wasn't about him. They were using him as bait to get their revenge on a fallen genius.

Qi Yue'r couldn't swallow the truth that she had once tried to seduce Old Li and she wanted to eliminate his discipline to ease her heart's pain.

"I stopped cultivating because I was tired of it. I grew tired of struggling for every little thing, and I regretted not joining a powerful sect like Autumn Haven's sect. As much as Mo Xing had hope, I have lost hope in myself. Just stop and go back to your luxurious lives," Old Li sighed, staring at the men and women who stood on flying swords looking down at him.

The strongest of them was a 63-star Immortal Primal cultivator.

"He should be punished." The man in red stretched his index finger, pointing at Li Chen, who felt like slashing that finger off. 

"Mo Xing'er was a fool to marry you." Another man who loved the famous flower—Mo Xing—retorted furiously. 

"A Thousand Earth Palms"! 

The earth rose from the ground and formed palms, all aimed at Li Chen.

As the palms hurtled toward him, Old Li shook his head softly. "If it's what you want, then... I'll have to act." 

SHING—!

Destroying the palms, Old Li's sword flew into his arms and a potent aura billowed off him. His environment became calm while others flared their auras.

The aura of elders bore down on Old Li yet his back barely caved. "You must understand a few things, Li Chen. First, you must identify who your friend is. Second, the rouge path is a treacherous one that will snuff out your talent." 

SLASH—!

At that moment, Old Li swung his sword. The radiance decomposed into thousands, each bearing the imprint of his will. 

Shocked that Old Li's sword intent had reached this level, the elders retaliated but Old Li responded with a second slash, which severed the arm of a man in black.

"You…!" Qi Yue'r glared at Old Li, unable to believe he was still this strong despite neglecting his training for centuries.

A white glow burst out from Old Li's chest, covering his body and his sword. It cried out and everything around him was split apart.

Li Chen used his movement technique to escape as the old man joined two fingers and folded the others. 

His sword followed the movement of his hands, spinning and piercing towards the sky as he waved his hand.

Pointing towards the elders, his sword shot forward, splitting into ten and whooshing in different directions!

Awed, Li Chen watched the old man utilize "Nine Phantom Steps" to the peak! With each step, Old Li would appear hundreds of meters away, evading the elders attacks.

Qi Xuanyue and Ming Yue's faces went pale when they saw their elders falling from the skies, blood leaving their lips and a sword plunged through their hearts.

"Crimson Heart Splitter!" 

This was a formidable formation sword technique beyond the mortal grade!

Suddenly, Old Li landed beside Li Chen and space twisted.

Li Chen found himself on the mountain. [What just happened?!]

"We ran." Old Li sat on his favorite chair, which was the only chair outside and slurped a mouthful of noodles.

"Ah! It's cold!" 

[We ran! Why?]