Chapter 939: Chapter 45: Five Seconds of Defense_3
Xuan Yue’s face was adorned with crystalline tears. The conversation between the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang and Xuan Ye had been conducted through telepathy, and she hadn’t heard it. She knew that parting with Ah Dai was inevitable. In a sorrowful voice, she said, "Father, there is something I must leave for Ah Dai, for it belongs to him. Please remove my seal first, and I will return with you to the Church."
Seeing his daughter’s grief-stricken expression, Xuan Ye’s heart softened, and he released the binds on Xuan Yue. Wiping the tear streaks from her cheeks with her sleeve, Xuan Yue walked up to the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, her voice choking up as she said, "Grandfather, please tell Ah Dai that Yue Yue will always remember him. Tell him to take care of his health, and if possible, I will definitely go find him someday." While speaking, she took off the Elf Bracelet from her wrist and handed it to the Sword Saint, "This was gifted to us by the Elf Queen. It will be useful to him when he seeks the Elf Kindred. It’s just that Yue Yue can’t accompany him anymore."
The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang took the Elf Bracelet, which couldn’t emit its green glow after leaving the Elf Forest, and said indifferently, "Child, once you return, devote yourself to diligent cultivation. You and Ah Dai will surely meet again in the future. I have nothing to give you but the promise of a powerful guardian later on." Looking at the endearing young girl, he couldn’t help but recall his own deceased daughter.
Unable to hold back her tears, Xuan Yue let them flow once more, taking a deep look at the unconscious Ah Dai in Xi Wen’s arms, and wept, "Tell him that I... I hope he can be my follower for life." With those words, she turned and ran, her crystalline tears dancing in the air, twinkling with a rainbow’s light under the sunlight.
Xuan Ye sighed, bowed slightly to the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang, and then chased after his daughter. The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang muttered to himself, "Owen, your life has indeed been too harsh. As your master, I can’t atone for much, but let me help your disciple find happiness."
The disciple brothers under Xi Wen had already gathered around. Zhou Wen said, "Master, are you really letting him go just like that? You didn’t see how arrogant he was just now!"
With a slight frown, the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang said, "Zhou Wen, from today on, you are to remain in silent penance for three months. You need to work on your impulsive temper. Xi Wen, you supervise him. Xuan Ye’s magical talent is so prodigious that it even surpasses his father, the current Pope, and his future is boundless. Though defeating him is not an issue for me, have you considered the consequences if we completely offend the Church? If all their high priests join forces to launch a Forbidden Curse, Tian Gang Mountain might cease to exist. In a one-on-one confrontation, I do not fear the Pope. However, if he has enough distance and time to chant his spells, I too cannot guarantee an undefeated record. The Sky God might be intangible, but the Pope possesses mysterious powers. I know that all of you are now quite strong in your own right, and ordinary magic can’t break through your qi defenses, but never underestimate the power of magic, which borrows the energy of heaven and earth and is ultimately stronger than our self-cultivated qi. Moreover, with the millennium calamity approaching, I do not wish for any more complications. From today, you must all intensify your cultivation. When the catastrophe arrives, it will be up to you." He reached out, took Ah Dai from the petrified Xi Wen, and continued, "Xi Wen, those two children who came with Ah Dai, you must guide them well. I have thought it through. Owen’s vengeance must be claimed, but we are not fit to participate. After all, he has wrought much killing across the continent. If our Sect overtly partook, it would affect Tian Gang Sword Sect’s reputation. The task of revenge will be left to Ah Dai to fulfill."
Lu Wen said, "But Master, Ah Dai is still so young. Although he is the strongest among the disciples of the same age, I’m afraid that..."
The Sword Saint of the Tian Gang raised his hand to stop him, "There’s no need for you to worry about that. In half a year’s time, meet me in the stone chamber; I have something to tell you. No one is to disturb me in the back mountain for the next six months." With that, he disappeared with Ah Dai before everyone’s eyes.
Xi Wen led his fellow disciple brothers in a respectful salute towards the direction where the Sword Saint of the Tian Gang vanished. After a long silence, Xi Wen said, "It’s time for us to leave. It seems that Master intends to personally teach Ah Dai."
Zhou Wen lamented with a gloomy face, "Elder brother, Master has sentenced me to three months of silent penance. What do you think..."
Xi Wen glared at him and said, "Indeed, you need to reflect. Your temper! Fourth brother, from today, you must encourage the disciples to practice diligently. We must also seize the time. Master wants us to increase our strength, and there must be his reasons."
Lu Wen said, "Yes, Elder Brother."
........
In a dimly lit room.
"Did you summon me for a reason?" a deep voice asked.
"If it wasn’t for something important, do you think I’d come here?" another voice, nearly as low and deep, responded.
"What’s the matter?" the deep voice asked emotionlessly.
"My men were attacked by your subordinates during a mission, and one of my retrievers was killed. Leader of the Assassin Guild, don’t you think you owe me an explanation?" The speaker was the head of the Thieves Guild. Since learning that his retriever had died at the hands of the Sword of Hades, he immediately rushed to the Headquarters of the Assassin Guild to confront them. While the headquarters were a secret to others, for him, who controlled all the undercurrents of information, it was no great mystery.
