Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds-Chapter 517 - 268. Kill the evil at its root and retire from the world of jianghu.

Decision? What decision could be made now? The Flying Feather Immortal Palace had been denounced as a "false sect" by the Butian Sect; it was no longer orthodox. The long-standing friendship between the Flying Feather Immortal Palace and the Nanhua Sect had become a joke...

His Marriage Contract with Zuoqiu Ying had been a decision made by the two Higher Teachings to maintain their past alliance. Now that the Flying Feather Immortal Palace's legitimacy was gone, what... was this Marriage Contract worth? 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

That's right, the Marriage Contract! As long as the Marriage Contract is signed, the Nanhua Sect and my Flying Feather Immortal Palace will become allies. Then... as long as the Nanhua Sect supports us, what does the Butian Sect even matter?

Once Xu Xing leaves the Nanhua Sect, without the protection of the Nanhua Sect's Sage Monarch, he will certainly die under Ancestor Chi's attack...

At that time, the Butian Sect will become a joke, a wisp of smoke from the past.

Ruan Baimei's mind raced. Just when he was on the verge of despair, this thought suddenly struck him. His eyes lit up, his confidence rekindled.

The wishes of the lesser sects and schools were certainly important, but what was more critical, more vital, was the choice of a Higher Teaching like the Nanhua Sect.

As long as they had the support of the Nanhua Sect, the Flying Feather Immortal Palace's foundation wouldn't crumble. Support from the other lesser schools could be gradually secured in the days to come.

Address the major issues first, then the minor ones.

But is Xu Xing really so kind-hearted?

Ruan Baimei hesitated.

Just now, Xu Xing had reminded him that the auspicious moment was about to pass, which seemed like a devastating psychological blow... but he believed the underlying scheme was far more complex; there had to be another purpose.

Could it be that I was just being paranoid, seeing threats where there were none?

Did Xu Xing just want to mock me and have no other purpose?

No! That's not right! If I can understand the Nanhua Sect's attitude, can't Xu Xing? He wouldn't overlook such a significant matter.

Cold sweat beaded on Ruan Baimei's forehead. He remained silent, not answering Xu Xing's words.

He was scared! Truly scared!

In the past three days, he had considered every possible outcome, but he never imagined that Hai An's severed head, the one he himself had relinquished, would be the very blade that severed his future prospects.

And he was the one who had personally handed this blade... to Xu Xing.

The more one talks, the more one errs; the more one acts, the more one oversteps.

What are Xu Xing's conditions for satisfying the Nanhua Sect and gaining their support?

Ruan Baimei's robes were drenched in cold sweat. He glanced at Xu Xing several times, then at Zuoqiu Ying, and then at the cultivators from the various sects in the hall. He opened his mouth but said nothing.

Time trickled by.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, half an incense stick's worth of time had passed.

"Baimei, what's wrong? The auspicious moment is about to pass!" the Ruan Family Dao Lord's voice echoed via Sound transmission using his Divine Sense, reaching Ruan Baimei. "If you don't reply now, if you don't proceed with signing the Marriage Contract with Zuoqiu Ying, then all of this... it will all be over..."

The Ruan Family Dao Lord had noticed Ruan Baimei's anxiety. Disappointed as he was, he didn't forget to remind this junior member of his family.

In his view, Xu Xing's "intrusion" into the Nanhua Sect could, at most, only force the Flying Feather Immortal Palace to execute Hai An and, by leveraging the situation, establish the Butian Sect.

As for the so-called struggle for orthodoxy, it was merely some verbal squabbling.

Replace the Flying Feather Immortal Palace? A backdoor takeover?

He didn't think Xu Xing would have the audacity. If he truly did so, Xu Xing would utterly and irrevocably offend the two Sage Monarchs, leaving no room for reconciliation thereafter...

「Welcome Hall」

Before the hall's grand entrance, the ritual incense, symbolizing the auspicious moment, burned slowly within the bronze ancient tripod. More than half of it had already been consumed; only the very tip remained unburnt.

The cultivators from the various sects watched this ritual incense and the reactions of the prospective couple of the Marriage Contract—especially the reaction of Ruan Baimei, the Junior Sect Leader of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace.

However—

Ruan Baimei, usually so composed and observant of decorum, now seemed to have lost his wits, remaining utterly silent.

Were it not for his gradually paling complexion, the assembled cultivators might have mistaken him for being under an Immobilization Spell, or perhaps even dead.

"Why isn't he speaking yet?"

"Could Ruan Baimei have been daunted by Xu Xing? Frightened by a peer?"

"It made sense. Xu Xing was an unparalleled talent, a Pride of Heaven appearing once in a generation. Although Ruan Baimei wasn't bad, compared to Xu Xing, he fell short by a considerable margin."

"Xu Xing's earlier challenge had not only thoroughly suppressed Ruan Baimei in terms of cultivation but had also bested him in scheming by more than a single measure."

"How could he dare to continue this contest?"

Soon, amid the murmurs of the cultivators, the ritual incense in the bronze ancient tripod slowly burned to its end.

And their gazes towards Ruan Baimei shifted from initial awe and fear to growing disdain.

Failure itself wasn't terrifying.

But if he no longer even possessed the courage to contend with Xu Xing...

Then this Ruan Baimei of the Taibai Immortal Body was truly beneath them.

Had they possessed Ruan Baimei's lineage and aptitude, perhaps they would be the ones standing on the platform now.

Even if they couldn't overcome Xu Xing, they wouldn't be as pathetic as Ruan Baimei was at this moment.

"I... no longer have the face to sign a Marriage Contract with a disciple... of the Nanhua Sect..."

"I... I am willing... to voluntarily renounce the position of Junior Sect Leader of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace. Henceforth, I shall retire from the Cultivation World and live in seclusion, never to emerge again..."

Ruan Baimei, still hesitating, watched the ritual incense burn out. As the final speck of ash drifted into the bronze ancient tripod, it was as if all strength had been drained from him. He gave a wretched laugh and, slowly shaking his head, said this.

It was gone! He had utterly lost the will to contend with Xu Xing.

Yes, Xu Xing had offended the two Sage Monarchs. With them around, Xu Xing would absolutely not fare well; there was a very high probability he would perish. But... what did any of this have to do with him?

Before Xu Xing, he was still a failure.

This defeat meant that upon returning to the Sect, he would face severe punishment. Rather than wait for the Sect to strip him of his Junior Sect Leader position, it was better to abdicate himself right now. At least he could salvage some dignity.

A cultivator. A cultivator. One dedicated to the path of cultivation.