# Chapter 768: The Traitor
Many people felt regret for Zhang Ruochen, believing that he had missed the best opportunity, and from then on, he would never be a match for the nine Realm Sons.
Even Huang Yanchen felt extremely self-blaming (zìzé), thinking that she had held him back.
Otherwise, he would have been able to drink the Divine Spring.
"I'm sorry. If it weren't for me holding you back, you would definitely have secured a Realm Son seat and become one of the nine Realm Sons. Your future prospects would have been limitless."
Huang Yanchen bit her lips, her deep blue eyes staring intently at Zhang Ruochen across from her, with crystalline light flickering in her gaze.
If Huang Yanchen had known earlier that Lin Yue was likely Zhang Ruochen, then she would never have agreed to let him be a guard.
Which woman wouldn't want her fiancé to become a towering figure?
"It's all my fault for being too slow. If I had guessed earlier..."
Huang Yanchen noticed that there were still some young cultivators around, so she immediately swallowed the second half of her sentence.
Zhang Ruochen, however, appeared quite calm, smiling slightly. "Becoming a Realm Son is nothing remarkable. No matter how many cultivation resources there are, they are ultimately just aids. The path of the Sacred Dao, in the end, must rely on oneself."
The Realm Son banquet ended, and everyone began to descend from the Book Mountain.
"Junior Brother Lin Yue."
A voice came from behind—Gai Tianjiao's.
Zhang Ruochen stopped, turned around, and cupped his hands. "Senior Sister."
Having drunk the Divine Spring, Gai Tianjiao's Sacred Qi was extremely abundant (chōngyíng), surging outward like a fountain of light, as if she would break through her bottleneck at any moment and reach the Half-Saint realm.
However, because Gai Tianjiao wanted to participate in the Sword Discussion Assembly, she suppressed her cultivation level.
Gai Tianjiao came before Zhang Ruochen, a hint of reproach on her face. "Why? With your strength, you could have easily secured a Realm Son seat. Why didn't you fight for it?"
Zhang Ruochen knew very well that after the Realm Son banquet ended, many people would come to question him, so he was mentally prepared.
Zhang Ruochen smiled lightly, appearing carefree. "Senior Sister securing a Realm Son seat is already a great joy for the Liangyi Sect. As for me, being able to drink the Great Saint Heavenly Tea is more than enough."
Gai Tianjiao knew that the nine Realm Sons had already been selected, and it was a done deal that could not be changed. Therefore, she said no more, only sighing.
"Haha!"
A mocking laugh came from the steps of the Book Mountain. "Senior Sister, don't sigh. In fact, Lin Yue not competing for the Realm Son seat might not be a bad thing. At least for me, it's a great blessing."
A spirited young man, hands behind his back, looking quite arrogant, slowly descended from the Book Mountain. His somewhat sinister eyes fixed on Gai Tianjiao, revealing an expression that was neither a smile nor a frown.
"Traitor, dare to appear before me? Believe me, I'll cripple you right now."
Seeing this man, Gai Tianjiao's gaze became extremely furious. Her fists clenched involuntarily, and threads of flame surged from her pores.
This person was none other than the traitor of the Liangyi Sect, now a disciple of the Four Symbols Sect—Shao Lin.
Shao Lin shook his head and smiled. "Why is Senior Sister so angry? The past is all in the past. Why can't we let it go with the wind? Now, we are both Realm Sons, and in the future, we will both become disciples of the Empress. In that sense, we are fellow disciples again."
Gai Tianjiao didn't bother with his nonsense. She stomped her feet, transformed into a streak of fire, and punched toward him.
In terms of strength, Shao Lin was only at the bottom among the nine Realm Sons and dared not clash head-on with Gai Tianjiao.
So, he immediately executed a Ghost-level top-grade movement technique, turning into a ghostly shadow that passed through the position of Gai Tianjiao's fist, appearing behind her instead.
Gai Tianjiao's punch hit nothing, and a solemn expression appeared in her eyes. "The Four Symbols Sect's movement technique, Seven Star Shift."
"That's right, Seven Star Shift."
Shao Lin smiled, then turned his gaze to Zhang Ruochen. "The reason I'm here is not to spar with Senior Sister. I just wanted to thank Lin Yue. If he hadn't defeated the Undying Blood Clan's Third Prince, and if he hadn't given up on the Realm Son seat, I probably wouldn't have become a Realm Son, wouldn't have drunk the Divine Spring, and wouldn't have received such a great opportunity."
With that, Shao Lin cupped his hands and bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
But his mouth let out a very smug laugh.
Anyone could see that he wasn't thanking Zhang Ruochen but rather coming to show off, to look at a loser from a victor's perspective.
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly, feeling that Shao Lin was a petty man who, once he achieved something, became arrogant and looked down on everyone.
How far could such a person go, even as a Realm Son?
Zhang Ruochen appeared indifferent. "I never thought about competing for the Realm Son seat. Besides, I only defeated the Undying Blood Clan's Third Prince because I couldn't stand his arrogance. So, you don't need to thank me. In the future, if I encounter someone too arrogant and conceited, I will still strike without hesitation."
Shao Lin naturally understood the subtext in Zhang Ruochen's words, but he only sneered inwardly. Now that he had drunk the Divine Spring, his strength far surpassed Zhang Ruochen's. Even if he was arrogant, what could Zhang Ruochen do about it?
As a Realm Son, he would not only be able to become a disciple of the Empress but also receive endless cultivation resources, sleep with the most beautiful women, and gain the greatest power. Even Saints would have to watch his expression.
Could Zhang Ruochen do that?
Thinking of this, Shao Lin became even more contemptuous of Zhang Ruochen and smiled. "I really admire your composure. But in the end, people have to face reality. Perhaps you were indeed stronger than me before, but from now on, you will never be my match."
"Is that so?"
Zhang Ruochen licked his lips, revealing a faint smile.
Shao Lin puffed out his chest, looking quite proud, and walked away into the distance. "We'll see at the Sword Discussion Assembly."
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Shao Lin's back, shook his head in boredom. What an arrogant fool.
Was being a Realm Son invincible?
Zhang Ruochen had always believed that there was always a sky beyond the sky, and people beyond people. Whoever claimed to be invincible under heaven would lose badly.
"Senior Sister, who is this guy? Will he also participate in the Sword Discussion Assembly on the ninth of September?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Gai Tianjiao's flames gradually receded. "His name is Shao Lin. Back when I went down the mountain for training, I saw him starving to death, so I saved his life and brought him to the Liangyi Sect to cultivate."
"He didn't disappoint my expectations. His cultivation speed was comparable to yours, and he quickly became the most outstanding sword prodigy of the Liangyi Sect. In terms of sword path talent, he surpassed both me and Qi Feiyu. At that time, the three of us were selected together to enter the Sword Pavilion for training, consuming a large amount of the Liangyi Sect's cultivation resources."
"Unfortunately, Shao Lin was an ungrateful wolf. Once his sword path was complete, he betrayed the Liangyi Sect."
Gai Tianjiao looked at her own thick arms, touched her rough face, and smiled bitterly. "Back then, when I was at the most critical moment of my cultivation, Shao Lin ambushed me, causing the extreme yang energy in my body to lose balance. Although I saved my life, I ended up looking like this."
"To be honest, even so, I don't blame you. I only blame myself for being blind back then, for pitying him and bringing him to the Liangyi Sect. I harmed not only myself but also the sect."
"What truly makes me hate is that after learning from the Liangyi Sect, receiving the best master's teachings, and the best resources, he ended up representing the Four Symbols Sect and turning against the Liangyi Sect. That, I cannot tolerate."
Zhang Ruochen could feel the hatred in Gai Tianjiao's heart. Thinking about it carefully, she was indeed quite unlucky.
Out of kindness, she saved someone, only to be turned into a neither-male-nor-female appearance by that person.
Gai Tianjiao was known as one of the Four Beauties of the Liangyi Sect. Back then, she must have been as beautiful as a flower, not like she was now.
Not only that, but she also harmed the Liangyi Sect.
The Liangyi Sect spent a large amount of cultivation resources, only to cultivate an enemy. Just thinking about it was extremely humiliating.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Since he's a traitor, I'll clean up the sect's mess at the Sword Discussion Assembly."
Gai Tianjiao's crimson eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen, then she sighed again and shook her head. "If it were before the Realm Son banquet, with your strength, you could indeed deal with him. But now, after drinking the Divine Spring, he has condensed three Divine Seals again in his body, and his strength has increased by who knows how many times. Your cultivation is far from his match. At the Sword Discussion Assembly, it's better for me to handle it myself."
Zhang Ruochen said, "In a one-on-one fight or a life-or-death battle, Shao Lin is definitely no match for you. But the Sword Discussion Assembly is about swordplay."
"Senior Sister, your attainment in the sword path is far inferior to Shao Lin's. In that case, you will surely lose to him. So, it's better to leave the Sword Discussion Assembly to me. You should have confidence in me."
Gai Tianjiao felt that Lin Yue was underestimating Shao Lin too much.
Because she knew very well the power of the Divine Spring, which was beyond Lin Yue's imagination.
Gai Tianjiao didn't take Zhang Ruochen's words to heart. She left the Book Mountain directly, returned to the Sword Pavilion, and prepared wholeheartedly for the Sword Discussion Assembly.
Huang Yanchen looked at Zhang Ruochen and asked, "Shao Lin was able to secure a Realm Son seat, so his own strength must be quite formidable. Now that he has drunk the Divine Spring, his strength is even more unfathomable. Are you really going to participate in the Sword Discussion Assembly and fight him?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was extremely firm. "In my life, what I hate most is betrayal."
With that, Zhang Ruochen also left the Book Mountain.
Huang Yanchen paused for a moment, then immediately chased after him. With so many eyes and ears around earlier, it wasn't convenient for her to speak. But there were some things she had to ask him clearly.
Whether he was Lin Yue or Zhang Ruochen, he had to give her an explanation.