Chapter 70: A Decision That Betrays the Ancestors
The campfire still crackled and popped. The aroma of grilled fish and roast rabbit still hung thick in the air. But at this moment, every ounce of attention was fixed upon Tang Ya.
Tang Ya drew a deep breath, her chest rising and falling with such force it seemed she was expelling every last burden that had weighed upon her heart. Her gaze drifted slowly across the faces of Furina, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao, finally coming to rest upon Furina's azure eyes.
"I, Tang Ya, current Sect Master of the Tang Sect—" Her voice trembled faintly at first, but swiftly hardened into unwavering resolve. "—am willing to lead the Tang Sect into the Church of the Water God."
These words struck like a thunderclap, echoing through the silent forest.
Tang Ya reflected in her heart: Since Ancestor Tang San showed no benevolence toward the Tang Sect, why should I cling to a legacy long since rotted from within? This young Pope of the Church of the Water God—so close to her own age—had not only produced the complete Mysterious Heaven Technique, but had displayed a breadth of spirit and magnanimity that inspired true faith. Even if the Tang Sect became a subordinate sect under the church, so long as it retained considerable autonomy, this wager was worth taking.
Bei Bei's eyes widened in astonishment. He hadn't imagined Tang Ya would reach a decision so swiftly. "Xiao Ya, are you truly certain?" he asked with concern, a thread of worry woven through his voice.
Tang Ya nodded resolutely, her eyes blazing like torches. "I've thought it through very clearly. Bei Bei, if you're unwilling to join the Church of the Water God, there's still time to step back."
Bei Bei immediately shook his head, a tender smile curving at the corner of his lips. "How could I? I promised to help you rebuild the Tang Sect. I will walk this road with you to the very end." He paused, and his voice dropped to a soft, intimate murmur. "Besides—I love you."
A blush instantly swept across Tang Ya's cheeks. She lowered her head in embarrassment and mumbled under her breath, "You're impossible. Couldn't you pick a different occasion to say that? There are other people here..."
Furina and Huo Yuhao, standing to the side, couldn't help exchanging glances of helpless amusement. The grilled fish in Huo Yuhao's hands suddenly seemed to lose all its flavor. Furina, for her part, elegantly tapped her chin with a fingertip, a mischievous glint flashing through her eyes.
Meanwhile, deep within Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea, the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was enthusiastically imitating the scene it had just witnessed, pouring out its devotion to the Ice Emperor: "Bingbing, I love you~"
The Ice Emperor smacked him aside with her tail without the faintest courtesy, her voice frigid. "Tianmeng, get the hell away from me! Spare me your nauseating drivel. I don't love you."
"But I truly love you!" Tianmeng protested, deeply wronged.
"One more word, and I'll twist you into a pretzel!" the Ice Emperor threatened.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop! I'll stop!" Tianmeng immediately folded, obediently clamping his mouth shut.
Back in the physical world, Bei Bei was still gazing at Tang Ya with deep, unwavering affection. "Because I truly love you. Wherever you go—I will be at your side."
"Mm," Tang Ya answered softly, the blush on her cheeks deepening.
She turned back to face Furina, and her expression grew exceptionally solemn. "However—before I formally join, I have one request. If you can grant it, I will immediately hand over all of the Tang Sect's secret techniques and hidden weapon blueprints. And I will swear upon the names of my parents—never to betray the Church of the Water God!"
A fierce, unyielding light blazed in Tang Ya's eyes, leaving no room to doubt her sincerity.
Furina, as if she had anticipated this all along, nodded with unhurried poise. "Speak freely. So long as it lies within the capacity of our Church of the Water God, we will do everything in our power to assist you."
"Please—help me destroy the Ironblood Sect and reclaim the Tang Sect's foundation!" Tang Ya's voice was choked with deep, suppressed hatred. "My parents were killed by the Ironblood Sect. This vengeance—I must have it!"
Furina replied almost without hesitation. "This matter is easily handled. Though our Church of the Water God has always favored peaceful coexistence with the common people and rarely resorts to force, your request is both fair and justified. A life for a life, debts repaid—this is the natural law of heaven and earth." Her voice suddenly turned cold. "However, I do not care about harming the innocent. When the time comes, you need only point out your true enemies. I will see that they receive the punishment they deserve. When do you wish to act?"
"The sooner, the better!" Tang Ya answered without a moment's pause, the flames of vengeance blazing in her eyes.
Furina inclined her head slightly. "Good. I agree. Once we are settled at Shrek Academy—during a holiday period, for instance—I will help you exact your revenge, dissolve the Ironblood Sect, and reclaim the Tang Sect's foundation. After all, Shrek Academy has strict rules, and it's not convenient to request leave on a whim. What do you say?"
"Yes!" Tang Ya nodded heavily. The hatred in her eyes was slowly, steadily being replaced by hope.
At that moment, Furina produced from her storage ring yet another ancient, yellowed scroll, along with a faintly shimmering card. "This cultivation technique is called the Heavenly Wood Tome. It is far better suited to your training than the Mysterious Heaven Technique."
She explained, "Because it is a purely wood-attribute technique—and your Bluesilver Grass martial soul belongs precisely to the wood element. Cultivating with this technique will not only accelerate your progress but may even produce unexpected, beneficial effects on your martial soul."
She then handed the card to Tang Ya. "This stored-value card holds two hundred thousand gold soul coins. It's not an enormous sum, but it should be enough to spare you the need to constantly scramble for a living, and allow you to focus wholeheartedly on your cultivation. Since you are now a member of our Church of the Water God, and the Tang Sect is set to become an important division within it, these basic benefits are only what you're entitled to."
Bei Bei, watching from the side, couldn't help clicking his tongue inwardly. To casually produce two hundred thousand gold soul coins and a top-tier cultivation technique without batting an eye—the financial depth of this Church of the Water God was truly unfathomable. He even began to entertain a wild suspicion: could Furina actually be the Water God in the flesh? But he quickly shook his head and dismissed the absurd thought. The more reasonable explanation was that she hailed from some ancient, reclusive clan and had inherited a treasure trove of precious legacies.
Tang Ya, too, was utterly stunned by Furina's staggering generosity. She held the cultivation manual and the stored-value card in hands that trembled faintly. "This... all of this is far too precious..."
"Accept it," Furina said with a warm smile. "The stronger our congregation, the greater the benefit to the Church of the Water God. Besides, I have faith in your talent. I believe you can make the Bluesilver Grass martial soul blaze with a radiance that dazzles the world—and let that venerable ancestor of yours see for himself what the true potential of Bluesilver Grass really is."
She paused, then added, "As for the Tang Sect's other secret techniques and hidden weapon blueprints—there's no rush. You may hand them over at a later date. For now, I have more pressing matters to attend to."
What she didn't mention was that she already possessed all those other secret techniques anyway—they had come bundled with the Mysterious Heaven Technique when she'd drawn it.
The forest breeze swept through, carrying the mingled fragrance of charred fish and fresh green grass. Tang Ya carefully stowed away the cultivation technique and stored-value card, her heart a tangled swirl of overwhelming emotion. This decision was, without question, a betrayal of the Tang Sect's ten-thousand-year tradition. Yet she believed—this was the only path that could grant the Tang Sect a true rebirth.
Bei Bei gently took Tang Ya's hand, offering silent, steadfast support. Huo Yuhao, with impeccable timing, passed over freshly grilled fish and rabbit meat, smiling as he said, "Now that the great matters are settled, how about filling our stomachs? We won't have such leisurely moments for much longer."
Furina accepted the grilled fish and began eating with refined elegance, a thoughtful light shimmering in her eyes. This meeting, seemingly so serendipitous, was quietly beginning to alter the trajectories of many intertwined fates. And for Furina, recruiting the Tang Sect was merely the first step in her grand, sweeping blueprint. Countless more challenges and opportunities still awaited them on the road ahead.