Chapter 409: Heavenly Dao Oath

She just had to be the difficult one, time and time again.

Never mind Lu Sangjiu; even the crowd of spectators was growing impatient, unable to stop themselves from shooting disgusted looks at Ye Zhiyao.

No one present was an ordinary person. When everyone focused their attention on her, all clearly showing their impatience, the pressure on Ye Zhiyao became almost tangible.

She felt as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing down on her, making even the slightest movement feel strenuous.

Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead, but inwardly, Ye Zhiyao was furious.

So, she circulated the Spiritual Energy in her body, concentrating it and sending it surging toward the ancestor’s Nascent Soul that she had yet to fully digest. A powerful force instantly erupted from her body.

Under this surge of power, the pressure that had been weighing her down was violently thrown off, and the way many people looked at her changed in surprise.

Only then did Ye Zhiyao finally feel a sense of vindication. ’So they all looked down on me, huh? They really thought I was easy to bully!’

Of course, while it was somewhat surprising, everyone knew that a Tribulation Crossing Ancestor was residing within Ye Zhiyao. So, her sudden increase in strength was surely the ancestor taking action. It wasn’t that strange.

However, with this development, it was no longer appropriate for the crowd to meddle. They could only wait quietly for Ye Zhiyao to finish speaking.

Ye Zhiyao looked at Lu Sangjiu coldly and said, "Since you wish to leave the sect, then according to the rules, you should cripple everything you have learned in the Seven Emotions Sect!"

"Especially... don’t forget, you also learned the Seven Emotions Sect’s exclusive Secret Technique, Starry Sky."

"The Seven Emotions Sect isn’t a charity. Did you think you could just say you’re leaving the sect and walk away safely with this ultimate technique?"

At these words, everyone was stunned.

It was true that, in theory, leaving a sect required one to cripple their own cultivation.

In practice, however, for cultivators at the Nascent Soul realm or above who wished to leave their sect, they generally only needed to make a Heavenly Dao oath. They would swear not to pass on the sect’s Cultivation Techniques, do anything to harm the sect, or ever join another sect.

Then, they would provide some form of compensation to the sect, and that would be the end of it.

After all, High-level cultivators were not easy to produce, so there was no need to make a mortal enemy.

But Ye Zhiyao’s current intention was clearly to push Lu Sangjiu to a dead end.

Of course, this was an internal affair of another sect. Whatever the spectators thought, they could only keep it to themselves and not interfere.

But seeing Ye Zhiyao be so aggressive, Duan Xingyun and the others grew truly furious.

Luo Linlang said angrily, "What do you mean? You actually want my Little Junior Sister to cripple her cultivation?"

Ye Zhiyao’s lips twisted into a smirk. "I’m not the one forcing her to leave the sect. If she wants to leave on her own, she should be prepared for the consequences."

Master Qian He’s brow was also furrowed. "Must it come to this?"

At that moment, Duan Xingyun spoke up. "Since she joined the sect, aside from the most basic Qi Refining Technique, Little Jiu has never studied any other of our sect’s Cultivation Techniques, nor has she practiced the Seven Emotions Technique."

"She has gotten where she is today through her own abilities. Other than Starry Sky, she owes the sect nothing."

"But during her time in the sect, she also made great contributions."

"She made a name for herself in the battle at the Gold and Silver Gate, bringing glory to our sect."

"Later, in Lu City, she uncovered the situation with the Fang Family and helped the Major Sects root out their spies."

"And now, she has exposed He Guang’s true face, helping to quell the war between Immortals and Demons."

"Her deeds, one after another, have wronged neither heaven nor earth, neither the Immortal Gates, and certainly not the Seven Emotions Sect."

"Ye Zhiyao, for you to be so aggressive at a time like this... have you not gone too far?"

Duan Xingyun’s words made even Master Qian He feel a sense of shame. Yet, Ye Zhiyao remained self-righteous. "So what? All I know is that our sect’s ultimate technique cannot be passed to outsiders!"

"If she wants to leave the sect, she must cripple her cultivation!"

However, at that very moment, a soft chuckle was heard. "Our sect’s Secret Technique?"

People had been appearing one after another, so everyone was used to it by now. They immediately looked toward the entrance.

As the main doors were pushed open, Yan Lingzhi’s figure appeared before the crowd.

Though he had the appearance of a youth, he carried the oppressive aura of a true expert. He walked into the main hall step by step, his gaze landing on Ye Zhiyao.

His expression was blank as he said, "Have you not studied the sect’s history? Did you forget that Starry Sky originally belonged to my master’s lineage?"

Ye Zhiyao’s expression changed. The moment she saw Yan Lingzhi, she had a bad feeling, but she refused to give up.

She stared at Yan Lingzhi. "Elder, what is the meaning of this?"

Yan Lingzhi replied icily, enunciating every word, "The meaning is that Starry Sky belonged to my master. It was only because he was invited to join the sect back then that this Secret Technique was included among the sect’s Secret Techniques."

"But it was agreed from the beginning: Starry Sky belongs to our lineage first, and the sect second."

"I was the one who taught Little Jiu Starry Sky. It has nothing to do with whether or not she is a Sect Disciple."

He paused, looking at Ye Zhiyao with eyes full of contempt. "It’s my technique. I can give it to whomever I please. Who the hell do you think you are to demand it back on my behalf?"

Ye Zhiyao’s face turned utterly grim in an instant. She couldn’t help but rage, "You... You’re being disrespectful to the Ancestor!"

Yan Lingzhi scoffed. "Don’t try to use the Ancestor to pressure me. The Ancestor is only residing in your body temporarily. That doesn’t make you the sect’s Ancestor."

"In the past, whatever you did in the sect, everyone gave you some face and let it slide. What, have you now forgotten who you are? Do you think you can just open your mouth and command the entire sect on the Ancestor’s behalf?"

"...You!"

Humiliated like this in public, Ye Zhiyao’s eyes turned crimson, and then she attacked Yan Lingzhi as if she had gone mad!

Yan Lingzhi let out a cold laugh. "You think you’re a match for me?"

Ye Zhiyao slashed with her sword, but he merely flicked a finger, and her sword was sent flying.

Although it was only the difference between the Body Integration Realm and the Divinity Transformation Stage, for most cultivators, this was an insurmountable gap.

Not to mention, Ye Zhiyao’s cultivation had been built up by piling on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. She possessed a high but superficial level of cultivation and didn’t know how to use it properly. How could she possibly be Yan Lingzhi’s opponent on her own?

A Sword Cultivator, disarmed in a single move. There was no need to continue the fight.

Ye Zhiyao’s expression was incredibly ugly. "Fine... Just fine! You’re all going to protect her, is that it? Then I’ll just wait and see what kind of ’good end’ you all come to!"

Yan Lingzhi didn’t even lift an eyelid. "Scram."

Ye Zhiyao turned and stormed away in a fury.

With the troublemaker finally gone, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.

Master Qian He sighed, clasping his hands in a salute to the crowd. "My apologies. This was an internal sect matter. We’ve made a spectacle of ourselves."

After speaking, he looked at Lu Sangjiu, seeming to want to say something but hesitating.

But Lu Sangjiu didn’t need him to say anything more. She directly made a Heavenly Dao oath.

"From this day forward, I, Lu Sangjiu, leave the Seven Emotions Sect. However, I will never reveal anything concerning the Seven Emotions Sect. I will not join any other sect hereafter, nor will I take the initiative to become an enemy of the Seven Emotions Sect or do anything detrimental to it."