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Like Zhang Yao, Ye Zhongzhou and the others who had been captured by Liu Shengfeng back then, these Broad Creed Mountain martial practitioners had clearly all been persecuted and tortured.
The other party had intended to force them into despair, hatred, fear and fury, unable to extricate themselves, finally losing control of their mental states. Under the influence of the aura of the Nine Underworlds, devilish intent would quickly grow within them, even falling to the dark side.
As for those Decimating Abyss martial practitioners, their cultivation bases also varied. However, there were five among them that Yan Zhaoge and the others paid particular attention to.
As those five breathed, their auras resembled thunder, their acupoints shaking as though they possessed divinity, their aura-qis filled with spirituality yet also returning to simplicity. They were clearly all Martial Grandmasters.
Of the five Martial Grandmasters, their cultivation bases also varied. Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei both recognised the white-haired old man among them. He was a late Spirit Vessel Martial Grandmaster of Broad Creed Mountain.
It was just that this old man's eyes were yellowed, emitting a bloodred light. He had clearly already fallen completely to the dark side.
However, the one who attracted Yan Zhaoge and Xu Fei's attention the most was still the person beside that white-haired old man.
That masked man who had once clashed with them.
The gazes of the other Decimating Abyss Martial Grandmasters were also focused on Yan Zhaoge, Xu Fei and Ah Hu.
There was only that person enveloped entirely in a black robe who now suddenly raised his head, his gaze burning as he looked at Shi Tie battling Sima Chui on the golden tower.
His entire face was concealed beneath a mask, only his two yellowed eyes emitting a piercing bloodred light.
While Shi Tie on the golden tower was simultaneously suppressing the golden tower while also clashing with Sima Chui, he was still constantly alert to the surroundings.
The arrival of a group of people down below did not escape his eyes.
Looking at that masked martial practitioner, gazing at those eyes that seemed to be blazing, Shi Tie's unwavering gaze that was like an ancient well without ripples suddenly flickered.
On the Decimating Abyss side, that white-haired old man looked towards Yan Zhaoge and the others.
The other Decimating Abyss martial practitioners also looked warily at Yan Zhaoge, Xu Fei and Ah Hu.
Seeing Yan Zhaoge, Shi Tie and the others, the faces of the captured Broad Creed Abyss martial practitioners lit up once more.
After glancing at the white-haired old man, Yan Zhaoge's gaze returned to that masked man.
Gazing at the other party, Yan Zhaoge said slowly, "Changed to a new mask?"
"But it's meaningless. I've already seen everything I should have seen in that foreign dimension."
Yan Zhaoge sighed, "It is senior apprentice-brother Shi Songtao, right? Although I hoped that you would return safely, I never thought that it would be in such a way. "
That masked martial practitioner now finally retracted his gaze from Shi Tie, looking at Yan Zhaoge indifferently, not speaking.
Yan Zhaoge shook his head, "Do you think I'm tricking you? Even if you weren't sure before, the way you stared at Eldest Martial Uncle just now has already explained everything. "
When Xue Fei saw the mask on the other party's face, he could not help but reveal a sorrowful expression.
Yan Zhaoge said calmly, "If I don't guess wrongly, not using your original martial arts is actually not because you are worried that we will see through your identity, but because you despise Broad Creed Mountain, despise the martial arts that eldest apprentice-uncle taught you, therefore intentionally not using them."
"Concealing your face with a mask, while it is true that you do not want others to recognise you, it is more because you do not want others to mention that you were once a disciple of Broad Creed Abyss, the son of eldest apprentice-uncle."
Yan Zhaoge's tone was complex, "You despise having your past mentioned, not because you feel ashamed or have no face."
Hearing his words, the Decimating Abyss martial practitioners present all had different expressions on their faces, clearly shocked within their gazes.
Swivelling his head to look at the person beside him, that white-haired old man's expression was also a little strange, "You … you are Songtao, the son of Shi Tie? That year, weren't you … "
That masked martial practitioner remained silent, but the gaze with which he looked at Yan Zhaoge contained even more fury.
Yan Zhaoge sighed, "Since your identity has already been revealed, why do you still need to wear that mask? In your own heart, it is not that you have no face to see others ah. "
The black mask was finally taken off, revealing a face that Yan Zhaoge and the others were familiar with whilst also unfamiliar with.
That was a young man who looked to be in his early thirties.
His facial features were ninety percent similar to Shi Tie's, as though they had been cast from the same mold.
Full of bitterness, Xu Fei virtually squeezed out three words from the gaps of his teeth, "Senior, apprentice-brother Shi!"
This Martial Grandmaster who had nearly assassinated Xu Fei in the Devilish Domain Grand Formation at Clear Concealed Lake was shockingly the son of Shi Tie who had been missing for many years, the former genius of Broad Creed Mountain's direct lineage, Shi Songtao!
In mid-air, Shi Tie repelled Sima Chui with a single punch, his gaze falling on Shi Songtao, unable to shift away for a long time.
Having taken off his mask, Shi Songtao no longer cared if his voice could be recognised by others, finally opening his mouth to say, "Long time no see. How have you been? I've returned from Hell."
A simple greeting, but it caused the bodies of Yan Zhaoge and the others to feel a chill run down their spines.
That mild tone contained venom and coldness, seemingly inscribed into their very bones.
Xu Fei said with difficulty, "Senior apprentice-brother Shi, have you been in the Decimating Abyss all these years? That year, was it them who saved you? "
Shi Songtao nodded mildly, "Otherwise, it would have been you?"
He raised his head to look at Shi Tie on the tall golden tower, "It was him?"
Treading within the air, Shi Tie resembled a stone statue as he stood there, unmoving.
"Junior apprentice-brother Xu, what do you want to say? You want to say that your Master, my father, also had his own difficulties that year? " Shi Songtao's tone was very indifferent, causing one to feel a chill down to the very core, "Everyone has their own difficulties, but that doesn't mean that others can understand them, can accept them."
Shi Songtao raised his head to look at Shi Tie, "He chose to protect Broad Creed Mountain's interests, choosing to take care of the many, sacrificing me."
"Sacrificing me, so be it."
Shi Songtao said mildly, "If it were just that, I actually wouldn't hate him. Since he gave birth to me, I'll just take it as returning this life to him."
"However, it wasn't just me who was sacrificed!"
Shi Songtao's tone finally fluctuated, a bloodred light shooting out from his yellowed pupils, as though there were flames blazing within, "My wife, my son, were sacrificed together with me!"
"Yuzhen, my wife, she wasn't a disciple of Broad Creed Mountain. Just because she married me, just because she's your daughter-in-law, she had to be sacrificed for Broad Creed Mountain?"
"Jun 'er, he was only three that year, an ignorant, ignorant child. Was he also going to lose his life because of this?"
Shi Songtao stared at Shi Tie, "There are some questions that I've always wanted to ask you."
"If the ones in danger were other disciples of Broad Creed Mountain, protecting the clan's interests while also saving us, which side would you choose?"
"If two sides were in danger, one being other disciples of Broad Creed Mountain, the other being our family of three, which side would you choose?"
Shi Tie was expressionless, resembling a statue, but his low voice reverberated in the air, "This has nothing to do with who it is."
Hearing his words, Shi Songtao chuckled, "Indeed an answer you would give."
"In your heart, the whole is more important than the individual, the many more important than the few. Your responsibility towards the clan overrides your personal feelings."
As Shi Songtao spoke, he suddenly took a step forward. "Then, you can try to make another choice now."
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