Chapter 232: You Two Know Each Other?

"My choice is... I want both!"

A grin split Shen Haoran’s face as a sharp aura erupted from within him. A cold light flashed in his eyes as he stared at Hei Yao without a trace of fear.

Seeing Shen Haoran’s sudden display of sharpness, Hei Yao frowned and said coldly, "Kid, don’t be too greedy. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You have only one choice: either the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian or those two souls!"

"And what if I say no?" Shen Haoran replied faintly, his eyes narrowing.

Hearing this, a cold sneer touched the corners of Hei Yao’s mouth. He looked at Shen Haoran and said, "Don’t forget, this is my test. You have no right to choose anything other than the options I give you!"

"Hmph, is that so? But the choice is mine to make. In this world, no one can sway my will but me—not even the heavens and the earth, let alone a mere Fire Spirit like you." Shen Haoran’s gaze hardened as he chuckled coldly. A heroic spirit soared from him, so powerful that the surrounding flames began to tremble.

Sensing Shen Haoran’s aura, Hei Yao couldn’t help but take notice, but his expression then darkened. "Hmph," he said coldly. "And no one has ever dared defy my will. I advise you to think this through. Otherwise, you’ll end up with nothing!"

With that, Hei Yao clenched one hand. The fiery ropes binding Elder Yan and Changmao to the Stone Pillars suddenly tightened, twisting their faces in agony.

Seeing the pained expressions on Elder Yan and Changmao’s faces, Shen Haoran’s heart clenched. He tried to step forward but was held fast by his own fiery bonds, unable to move.

"Old man, don’t push your luck!" Shen Haoran roared, turning his head to glare at Hei Yao.

"Hmph, this is just a small warning. Now, make your choice. Or else..." Hei Yao snorted coldly. The Black Flame in his hand flared violently, illuminating his aged face and making him look like a Demon from Hell. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Seeing Hei Yao’s appearance, Shen Haoran suddenly retracted his aura. He became as still as a pool of stagnant water, his face devoid of any ripple, as if what was happening had nothing to do with him.

But this version of Shen Haoran made Hei Yao’s pupils shrink. A sense of danger rose in his heart.

"I, Shen Haoran, swear this: if any harm comes to Elder Yan and Changmao, I will utterly destroy the Spiritual Wisdom you have spent a million years cultivating!" Shen Haoran stared at Hei Yao, his face expressionless. The chilling words that left his mouth were spoken in a tone so cold it seemed to freeze the very air.

"You dare threaten me!" Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, a Nameless fire ignited in Hei Yao’s heart. The surrounding Black Flames seemed to sense his will and instantly flared up.

"A threat? Hmph, this isn’t a threat. It’s a promise to Elder Yan and Changmao! Yes, I’m no match for you right now. But as long as I, Shen Haoran, am alive, I will one day return to settle this debt! If not in ten years, then a hundred. If not in a hundred, then a thousand. No matter where you hide, I will find you and utterly destroy you!" Shen Haoran’s face was a mask of madness as he stared at Hei Yao.

"And you think you’ll be leaving this place alive?" Hei Yao shouted coldly.

"Then try me!" Shen Haoran bellowed. The Spiritual Power in his body surged, and it looked as if he was about to erupt at any moment.

Staring at the frenzied Shen Haoran, Hei Yao’s heart trembled. ’If I really let this kid escape, he will definitely come back for revenge one day. A genius isn’t frightening. What’s frightening is a genius who is also a madman. And Shen Haoran is undoubtedly the latter!’

At this thought, Hei Yao suppressed his anger, and the surrounding Black Flames receded. He looked at Shen Haoran and said, "Kid, I am only trying to help you. The Fire Spirit Black Obsidian represents power among the Five Elements. To obtain great power, you must sever your so-called worldly attachments. Otherwise, you will never gain the recognition of the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian!"

"Hmph. Sever my worldly attachments? What’s the difference between that and being a walking corpse? If one gains power just for the sake of gaining power, then what is the meaning of Cultivation? I’m desperately pursuing strength not to stand at the absolute Peak of Martial Arts and look down on all creation, but to protect my loved ones and the people I care about! The strong master power, while the weak are mastered by it!" Shen Haoran retorted with a disdainful snort.

"Haha! Your mouth is full of righteousness and grand principles, but when faced with the temptation of true power, who can really act as you claim? Humanity was the Creator’s greatest failure—scheming, backstabbing, and stopping at nothing to achieve their goals. How are you any better than them?" Hei Yao laughed scornfully at Shen Haoran.

"That’s right, humans do have many flaws. But the beauty of humanity can’t be summed up in a sentence or two! The loyal bond between sworn brothers, the mutual respect between husband and wife, the profound gratitude between master and disciple, and the greatest love of all—family. You are nothing but a Spiritual Wisdom formed in the later ages. You’ve never experienced human life. What right do you have to judge us? What right do you have to generalize all of humanity!" Shen Haoran retorted.

"Yes, I’m no saint, and I don’t understand grand, righteous principles. But I act according to my own principles and bottom line. Anyone who crosses them, I will make them pay a hundredfold—even if it’s the heavens and the earth themselves!"

"You..." Faced with the imposing Shen Haoran, Hei Yao was speechless, unable to find a rebuttal.

"Like master, like disciple. Elder Yan, this kid is just like you in your youth. No, this guy is much stronger than you were! I can’t win an argument with him. You deal with him!" Hei Yao waved a hand dismissively, shouting huffily at Elder Yan, who was tied to the pillar not far away.

At that, Elder Yan, whose face had been twisted in agony just moments before, let out a great laugh. He broke free from the fiery ropes and looked at Shen Haoran with satisfaction, saying, "Haha! What did I tell you? I said this kid would definitely surprise you! Elder Hei, you’ve lost to me again!"

Seeing Elder Yan laughing before him, Shen Haoran was momentarily stunned. ’What’s going on? Wasn’t Elder Yan imprisoned? How is he joking around with this Hei Yao? And they made a bet?’

"Haha! Shen the kid, this here is an old friend of mine, Hei Yao—the Spiritual Wisdom formed from the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian! The old geezer wanted to test you himself, to see if you could truly master the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian. It looks like you’ve given him quite a shock. You’re probably the first person in the world to get the better of this old monster! Haha!" Elder Yan explained, looking at the bewildered Shen Haoran.

"Hmph!" Hearing Elder Yan’s words, Hei Yao just snorted coldly but didn’t refute them.

Looking at the two old men before him, Shen Haoran finally understood. ’So these two old geezers knew each other all along. They were setting me up!’

[P.S. It’s the Winter Solstice today, have all you brothers and sisters eaten dumplings? Haha, I had a bit to drink today and have a headache, so this might be the only update. I’ll be back to the regular schedule tomorrow. My apologies!!]