Chapter 701 382: The Tide Rises on the Qiantang River

Silence and stillness fell upon the cave. Light and fire intertwined where the rock ceiling had been shattered, flooding the space with daylight.

Life Crane and Yang An stood in the light, their shadows stretching long across the ground.

"Take one more step, and you're done as Pavilion Master."

The words suddenly left Life Crane's lips, his voice echoing out of the cave and spreading across the mountain range.

These words were not for Yang An, but for Thirty Flow and the others who, alarmed by the commotion, were rushing toward them.

The disturbance had been so great it had even caused the Floating Island to tremble. Thirty Flow and his men had immediately rushed over to see what was happening.

But at Life Crane's warning, they all halted in their tracks and immediately withdrew.

Thirty Flow knew full well that Yang An had returned to the island and entered the secluded training grounds on the back mountain. He had also sensed a powerful aura from the commotion just now—it was unmistakably Yang An's.

It was a shame he couldn't discern what had happened between Yang An and Life Crane. It left him deeply confused, but he had no choice but to retreat swiftly.

"As you command."

Thirty Flow took a deep breath and quickly led his men back to the Sect grounds.

Back in the shattered cave, a cocoon of light enveloped Wen Yin. Yang An had saved her ravaged body, and her Immortality was already taking effect, rapidly regenerating her.

Yang An continued to stare directly at Life Crane, but even after a long wait, the old man showed no intention of attacking him.

'It seems I've won.'

'Though it was an "impulsive" act to save Wen Yin, it also tested Life Crane's attitude.'

'Or maybe I didn't win, but Life Crane couldn't lose either. We both got what we wanted.'

'From the very beginning, Life Crane never intended to kill Wen Yin. He just wanted to see if I would stand by and do nothing.'

'But if I had done nothing, there was no guarantee Wen Yin wouldn't have been burned alive. After all, the old man is notoriously capricious.'

So, Yang An had to save Wen Yin, but he also wanted to find out just how important he was to Life Crane.

This was an opportunity for both of them.

It was an opportunity to "solidify" the master-disciple relationship between him and Life Crane, binding them securely to the same fate.

Now, they both knew the outcome.

"Thank you, Master, for holding back."

Yang An dispersed the light radiating from his body and returned to his normal state, finally able to relax completely.

'Why would Life Crane do that? It was likely a necessary test before entrusting me with something truly important.'

'The test is over now, and I've passed.'

"Heh heh heh… Having a weakness is hardly a good thing, my dear disciple."

The He Tou laughed sinisterly, and Life Crane laughed along with it. Both knew what this meant, but for Life Crane, this was the best possible outcome.

If Yang An cared for nothing, he would be the most difficult to control.

A person with principles will ultimately be bound by them. That is the greatest cage of all.

And that was precisely the cage Life Crane wanted.

"I understand your meaning, Master. But does this not apply to you as well? To think I am so important to you… I'm truly flattered."

Yang An also smiled.

'It's true I have a weakness. What the He Tou said seemed to be aimed at me, but it was a barb that cut both ways. Life Crane has a weakness too, and that weakness… is me.'

'When you pour everything you have into a single goal, it too becomes a cage until it's achieved.'

The two of them looked at each other and laughed. The sound echoed within the cave, even carrying outside.

Far away on the Sect grounds, Thirty Flow and the others wore strange expressions, utterly bewildered.

One moment it had sounded like they were at each other's throats, and the next they were getting along so harmoniously.

'I can't figure it out. I just can't figure it out.'

"COUGH, COUGH—"

Wen Yin's body was mostly restored. She coughed violently, spitting out gobs of charred flesh and organs as her Immortality forced her body through a rapid metabolic process.

Her expression was blank; she had no idea what Yang An and her master were laughing about. A sense of indignation welled up inside her. The torment she had just endured felt baseless, like some kind of farce.

It was as if the world had isolated her, leaving her unable to even understand their laughter.

"Wen Yin."

"I am here."

Even though Life Crane had nearly killed her moments ago, Wen Yin remained humble, answering feebly while dragging her still-mangled, half-restored body.

"I have opened a secret realm in the East Mountain. Your Cultivation Level is shallow; you don't even have the qualifications to open the 6th Floor for your senior brother. If you truly wish to help him, then go and temper yourself."

As Life Crane spoke, he tossed a Curse Seal to Wen Yin.

It was a symbol of status within the Golden Thread Pavilion. From this day forward, she too would be a member.

'The old bastard is a master manipulator,' Yang An thought. 'He doesn't kill Wen Yin, but instead makes her offer herself up willingly.'

Wen Yin glanced at Yang An with hollow eyes, then, without hesitation, picked up the Curse Seal from the ground.

Yang An knew Wen Yin was now heading to a cage of her own. He also understood this was Life Crane's way of reining him in.

Once you know a weakness, how to exploit it is self-evident.

But Yang An wasn't the least bit panicked. Because he would do the same.

Wen Yin obediently left. In the end, only Yang An and Life Crane remained in the shattered cave.

"Next, I will open the 6th Floor of the Xian Origin Land for you," Life Crane said.

'So the old bastard really did have another way to do it. Killing Wen Yin wasn't his only option,' Yang An cursed inwardly, but he also felt a great sense of relief.