Elder Zhu was speechless. Thinking about it, he had indeed reaped what he sowed. Even if he had done it for the sake of the Five Poison Sect, he had unknowingly offended a ruthless character.
Elder Zhu also knew that even if he wasn't expelled from the sect, he would still receive all sorts of unfair treatment when he returned. At that time, he would be even more humiliated. After all, they were all familiar faces.
Perhaps it was the moment he received Grandmaster Qiu's call for help.
After thinking it through, Elder Zhu's face was ashen. Suddenly, he seemed to have aged a few years. His eyes were empty, and he let out a maniacal laugh.
Then, he turned around and staggered away. I hesitated for a moment, but didn't block his way. I felt that this Elder Zhu was quite pitiful. Even if he wanted to kill me, everyone's position was different. There was no right or wrong.
Actually, even I did not expect that the leader of the Five Poison Sect would protect me to such an extent. This should be attributed to the bargaining chip that I had obtained for myself. For example, not long ago in the True Martial Pavilion, I had inexplicably reversed the situation and killed the Azure Cloud Protector with a counterattack. The scene at that time had shocked Elder Tang quite a bit. He did not dare to hide anything in front of the leader. After learning the truth, the leader had developed a strong interest in me. He dug up the history of my growth. After some analysis, he still chose to endure it.
It could only be said that every step of my growth was watched by many big shots. To me, this wasn't a bad thing. It was just a way to spur me on.
Following Elder Zhu's departure, the other fellows felt very awkward and restless. They looked at each other and could feel each other's uneasiness. Very soon, someone took the lead and reacted. This fellow wanted to imitate Elder Zhu's crazed state. With someone taking the lead, the others followed suit. Apart from Ma Dali from the Guardian Deity Sect, the other five seemed to be collectively pretending to be crazy. It was a rather spectacular scene, but their acting skills were not vivid enough, so they didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
I curled my lips and said angrily. It was obvious that they wanted to gain my sympathy so that they could leave this place as soon as possible.
Hearing that, their faces were extremely embarrassed. Their bodies trembled as they waited for my sentence.
"Alright, you were just following orders. Although you were a little evil, you haven't committed a heinous crime. Behave yourselves in the future."
I waved my hand. Elder Zhu's crazed appearance had touched me. In all fairness, I wasn't a cold and heartless person. On the contrary, as long as someone treated me well, I would repay them many times over.
I used to be merciful to those who tried to plot against me and put me to death. But later on, I realized that it wouldn't work. It was very likely that in the eyes of my enemies, my magnanimity became fear and mockery, so they secretly plotted against me.
Without a doubt, Elder Guan's death was the best example. Even though I wasn't sure who did it, I had some clues. Now, I had to follow the clues to find the real culprit.
Those people thanked me profusely then left. Not long after, only Ma Dali and I were left.
His face was filled with admiration, which made me feel a little embarrassed. If someone didn't know better, they would think that I had a problem with my sexual orientation.
Then, I strode forward and clasped my hands at him. "Thank you, Brother Ma, for standing by and not lifting a finger. You're truly a chivalrous and upright man."
However, as soon as I said that, I felt that the words I used weren't appropriate. However, I didn't mean to belittle him.
"Little Brother Zhuang, you must be joking. I'm just a coward."
Ma Dali shook his head and revealed a bitter smile. Now that things had come to this, he felt a little regretful. If he had been more manly and stood on my side, we could have easily won the 2v5. Even though I had cut off Elder Zhu's arm, there were still many wounds on my body.
Moreover, Ma Dali was sure that even if he had done that, he wouldn't have been suppressed by the people of the Five Poison Sect. Instead, he would have received the Sect Leader's favor and praise. That way, the Vajra Sect would have become the biggest winner. Even if they weren't that powerful, they would at least have the right to speak and hold weight in the Five Poison Alliance.
Sometimes, a single thought could decide many things. However, Ma Dali was glad that he hadn't listened to Elder Zhu's words. Otherwise, he would have been forced to bow and scrape like those people.
"No, no, it's not your fault. Everyone has a different standpoint. From your point of view, it's already very commendable that you did what you did. Come, take this."
I said with a serious expression. My tone was filled with admiration. With a flip of my hand, I took out a bottle of pills.
"Ah, Little Brother Zhuang, what are you doing?" Ma Dali was a little overwhelmed by the favor.
"This is a third-stage Spirit Condensing Pill. It's perfect for you. Take it."
I shoved the pills into his hands. Ma Dali's strength was second only to Elder Zhu's. His aura was steady, and he was also an inner strength warrior. Even though his body's hardness couldn't be compared to mine, if he cooperated with Elder Zhu and the others, he would act as a solid vanguard. Even if I used the second style of the True Martial Seven Skills, I would only have a forty percent chance of winning. After all, I had used almost all of my skills in the battle just now, and I was only missing the second style.
Elder Zhu and the others' only disadvantage was that they lost in defense. They only chose to advance, but they neglected to defend. Ma Dali's existence could undoubtedly make up for this. Fortunately, he had a conscience. At the critical moment, he resisted the pressure and broke up with Elder Zhu and the others. That was how I got my first taste of victory.
It was only natural for him to thank him properly.