William could afford to stare at Zheng Tao because of Mei Lingxi. The two men feared her enough to stay at a distance.

He always thought the act of conversing with enemies was relegated to people of suspect intellect, but that mattered little at the moment. The memories of all his interactions with Zheng Tao were carefully being dissected in his mind.

Not that it helped.

No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t see a point when he should have been suspicious. Most of their time was spent poring over texts, following the meticulous lesson plan Zheng Tao had created. When they weren’t in cramming mode, conversations of a casual nature were exchanged.

William clearly remembered how Zheng Tao mentioned he relished cultivating and the love he had for the sect to take him in. The joy he felt when he mentored the newcomers in the sect.

It was backed up by how friendly everyone was towards him.

So none of that seemed false, though the evidence in front of him proved it was.

“It’s nothing personal, Junior Brother,” Zheng Tao offered when he didn’t stop staring, “I had to decide my future, and I chose what was best for me.”

He thought back to the past few days, wondering if the constant nagging to stay in the library and go over mundane subjects had been on purpose. It wore him down, enabling Zheng Tao to lead him here.

Perhaps he had also mistaken the reason Zheng Tao kept staring at Mei Lingxi. It hadn’t been attraction fueling those looks but rather a wariness about her presence ruining his plans. But why then did he call her before they left the sect?

It could have been to stop rousing any possible suspicion from any Elders that could have been watching, but he couldn’t be sure.

“Fine, you wanted to decide your future,” William tried to keep his voice steady, “What was the reason you wanted to lure me out here?”

It was the first time he tasted betrayal. He had imagined his actions in this scenario plenty of times, well before he ever became a cultivator or arrived in this world.

None of that prepared him for the sense of loss that came over him.

William truly felt he had met one of the few people who could be considered a friend. Even if he had been about to break the news that he was about to move up to the Inner Court, he believed it would have been possible to return to the comfortable camaraderie they had. All it would have needed was time. The time that he had been planning to invest.

Now, it felt like all that hope and effort had been for absolutely nothing.

Even worse than nothing if what he suspected was true. That Zheng Tao had planned to use him and then silence him before betraying the sect.

“It was twofold,” Zheng Tao finally replied after a long second, “I needed someone who could extract a Soul Lotus, and I was hoping you would join me. You’re a cultivator that focuses on combat. No matter how much the sect values you, they won’t be able to help as much as the group I joined.”

William glanced at Feng Lirong, finding it strange that she was okay with them having a full-blown conversation when the sect’s Elders could discover them. But he wouldn’t question it.

“Better help than what the sect is giving me? Zheng Tao, we have spoken for the past two weeks. Do you really believe that?” William mourned a little after calling him by name for the first time. It felt like any relationship they had was cut at that point. “And why would you need me to extract a Soul Lotus? You could do it yourself.”

Zheng Tao was silent. It looked like he was done talking.

That was fine. William was done listening to the bullshit that was spewed at him. Feng Lirong wanted something with him, and it wasn’t to convince him to defect.

“I can see your doubt, but he isn’t lying. Young Zheng Tao is an average cultivator at best. Still, I can easily guarantee that he will reach the Core Formation Realm. I’ve heard of your talent, Wei Liang. For you, I can guarantee that you will get first pick in the collections. You will reach the Nascent Soul Realm easily, maybe even more.”

That struck a chord in William. A connection slowly formed in his mind. The look on his face must have alarmed Mei Lingxi since she stepped in front of him.

“Leave,” she ordered, “My Young Master will not entertain such foolish thoughts.”

“Don’t be so hasty, little girl,” Feng Lirong smiled, “This also applies to you. Your talent might not be as high as your master's, but you will also have a better future with us than here.”

“Step aside, Sister Lingxi,” William said as he gently pushed her out of his way. It would have been impossible if she didn’t allow it. “When you say pick in the collection, what do you mean by that?”

Feng Lirong’s smile widened. “The main way we cultivate is with external means. Talent is not necessary, but with what you possess, the heavens is your limit.”

“Interesting,” William felt a smile forming on his lips, one that was as false as her words, “These… external means. They wouldn’t happen to be people, would they?”

He could see Feng Lirong’s gaze sharpen into daggers. “Kill him!”

William sneered when the two men jumped into action, Mei Lingxi meeting them in the middle to block their path. She was successful, but it wasn’t easy for her to hold back both of them. It might take some time, but she would eventually be overwhelmed.

“You could have been useful, Junior Brother.”

He looked away from the fight to see Zheng Tao slowly being lifted into the air to a waiting spirit boat. Any affection he had toward him was gone, and so was any sense of loss.

All that was left was burning hatred.

“Instead of dying without purpose, you could have become nourishment. A part of something greater.”

William’s mind flashed back to the demon in human form. That woman who slaughtered so many young souls to gain a minuscule amount of power. The despair he felt when it was his turn to be drained of his soul.

The hatred toward Zheng Tao spiked to a level that made him see red. He wanted to rip the smiling bastard’s head clean off his shoulders. It would save countless lives and soothe his rage at the same time.

“Zheng Tao!” William shouted, “I’m happy you showed me what you truly were before I told you.”

Qi surrounded his body, flickering like an ethereal blue flame as he activated Force Multiplier. The ground cracked beneath his feet before he appeared beside Mei Lingxi and clamped his hands around the necks of Mo Xuefeng and Ren Wushan.

He ignored Mei Lingxi’s wide eyes and the choked gasps of the men trying to escape his grasp. “I’m already in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Unlike talentless trash like you, I don’t need cheap tricks to help me!”

That insult was weak, in William’s opinion. Still, if Zheng Tao was willing to switch to the demonic path because of talent, this should be what hurt the most.

At this point, Zheng Tao was already in the spirit boat, but he was smiling instead of being angry. “I’m glad, Junior Brother! I wondered why Elder Yu gave you so much attention and freedom. Now I know, and I can be content that I made the right choice! My dream is to match cultivators like you!”

William almost snarled at the happiness he could see. His frustration only increased by the futile struggle of the men slowly being asphyxiated in his hands. “Enough!”

He growled and squeezed their necks harder, ready and willing to end their lives right there. These men were not considered human in his mind, not with how their cultivation was gained. It would be a kindness to end them.

“Young Master, leave one alive!” Mei Lingxi said quickly before a sharp snap was heard.

[+42375 XP]

[Level Up | 10 Stat Points Added] x 3

William tossed the dead body to the side before savagely slamming the one left alive into the ground, sparing his life but putting him near death.

He looked back at the spirit boat, seeing it start to move. With promise in his voice, William vowed, “You will die by my hands, Zheng Tao. As will the rest of you sick freaks.”

[Side Quest Added | Kill Zheng Tao and the cell he belongs to]

The spirit boat disappeared, and a moment later, two Elders were seen flying toward them from the entrance to the Outer Court.