2: Resignation

Arriving at the main hall, Li Xiangyun found that the Sect Master and the various Elders had basically all arrived.

These were the Elders of the Four Pavilions and One Gate.

The Four Pavilions were the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, the Alchemy Pavilion, the Artifact Refining Pavilion, and the General Affairs Pavilion.

The One Gate was the Inner Sect.

As for Li Xiangyun, he was now an Outer Sect Elder.

After all, compared to the Outer Sect, the Inner Sect was the Foundation and Legacy of a Sect.

It could be said that the Inner Sect comprised the Prodigies screened by the Sect; each of them was a Late Stage Qi Cultivator and a future pillar of the Sect.

Therefore, Inner Sect Elders were basically the successors to the next Sect Master.

And such an important position naturally could not be held by a half-crippled person.

Li Xiangyun chuckled self-deprecatingly in his Heart-Nature, not sitting in his designated seat, but cupping his hands and bowing to the Sect Master on the high platform, saying, "Sect Master, I am here to resign."

The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect was named Wan Qing, a Late-stage Golden Core Cultivator. He appeared to be a middle-aged man, but in reality, he was already over five hundred years old.

"Resign?"

The Sect Master frowned, sensing that something was amiss. He flashed next to Li Xiangyun, placed his hand on his shoulder, and a stream of spiritual energy probed into him.

Li Xiangyun did not resist, waiting quietly.

The other Elders also turned their gaze, each with their own thoughts, awaiting the Sect Master's conclusion.

They all knew the inside story of Li Xiangyun's injuries.

They also knew the purpose of Li Xiangyun's trip outside this time.

This was also why they were gathered in the Sect's main hall.

After all, a Golden Core Cultivator was the peak combat power of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, naturally attracting everyone's attention.

A moment later, feeling the already shattered Golden Core, the Sect Master stepped back in shock, "You..."

Li Xiangyun smiled freely, "I now have less than a year of Lifespan left, so I wish to resign from the position of Outer Sect Elder and return to my Family. I hope the Sect Master will grant my request!"

He appeared carefree, but the Sect Master looked at Li Xiangyun's aged and haggard face, recalling his former high spirits, and it only seemed more desolate.

The Sect Master gazed at Li Xiangyun's face, silent for a long time, finally letting out a heavy sigh, "So be it~"

"You may go!"

"My Ten Thousand Swords Sect, as a Sect of the Righteous Path, is not heartless. You were injured because of the Sect."

"The Sect will not mistreat you, so you will always be an Elder of my Ten Thousand Swords Sect. This will never change."

"Besides that, go to the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion and take some Medicinal Pills for healing."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangyun cupped his hands and thanked him, "Thank you, Sect Master. There is no need for healing Medicinal Pills; for a dying person, eating them would be a waste."

With that, Li Xiangyun turned and waved his hand, "Everyone, I bid you farewell!"

His previously hunched back was now straightened with effort.

At this moment, he appeared completely uninhibited.

But even so, the air was still filled with the desolation of a fading hero.

The Sect Master watched Li Xiangyun's departing back, his expression constantly changing.

Until Li Xiangyun walked out of the main hall and his figure completely disappeared, neither of them mentioned the matter the young man had reported earlier.

Instead, a slightly irritable and dignified man suddenly stood up and anxiously said, "Sect Master, you just let him go like that?"

The Sect Master's gaze swept over the man deeply, and he said lightly, "What else could I do?"

"Li Xiangyun's Golden Core is already shattered. Now, he probably can't even defeat a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, so how can he complete that task?"

"What? It's that serious."

The Heavenly Sword Pavilion Elder suddenly stood up, somewhat shocked.

The Alchemy Pavilion Elder stroked his white beard and said, "I had some suspicions when I heard him say he only had one year of Lifespan left. It's just a pity about that Grade Three Superior Yin and Yang Medicinal Pill."

The Elder of the General Affairs Pavilion looked at the Alchemy Pavilion Elder with a hint of regret and asked, "Elder Zhao, is there no other way?"

Upon hearing this, the others also turned their gaze to Elder Zhao, each with their own thoughts.

Elder Zhao shook his head and said, "The Golden Core is the Foundation of a Golden Core Cultivator's Cultivation. With a shattered Golden Core, it is beyond help; even an Immortal would find it difficult to save!"

The meaning was simple: if even an Immortal couldn't save him, let alone him.

Upon hearing this, everyone sighed with regret.

After all, as Elders of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, not only they themselves, but even their Families behind them were firmly bound to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Therefore, the stronger the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, the more benefits they would gain.

Li Xiangyun's departure not only meant they lost a Golden Core Cultivator.

One must know, Li Xiangyun was previously groomed to be the next Sect Master, and he even had hopes of achieving the Nascent Soul Stage.

Now, they could only choose someone else... And while everyone felt regret for this, only the previously irritable man breathed a sigh of relief, sneering, "This Li Xiangyun is truly selfish. He knew it was impossible, yet he insisted on doing it."

"Now look, he's dying, and he doesn't even have the ability to contribute to the Sect. It truly was a waste of the Sect's nurturing."

"Enough!" The Sect Master snorted coldly, saying with dignity, "Li Xiangyun, in the end, fell to this state because of the Sect."

"I know you have a grudge with Li Xiangyun, but he is at death's door; don't go too far."

After the warning, the Sect Master disappeared from the main hall.

The others also left.

Only the irritable man curled his lips in disdain, a cold smile appearing on his face as he looked in the direction Li Xiangyun had left, before he too departed... On the other side, Li Xiangyun returned to Xiangyun Peak, quickly tidied up, and prepared to leave.

Every Golden Core Elder had their own main peak, and Li Xiangyun was no exception; Xiangyun Peak was his Cultivation place in the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Standing at the peak, Li Xiangyun gazed at the scene below, inevitably feeling some reluctance.

After all, he had come to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect when he was ten years old and had lived here for over two hundred years, so how could he easily let go?

However, since Li Xiangyun could Cultivate to the Golden Core Stage, his Heart-Nature was naturally good. In just a moment, he composed himself.

But just as he stood up, preparing to leave, a cold voice suddenly rang out.

"Junior Brother Li, are you leaving?"

"Indeed, since you're almost dead, shouldn't you find a grave and buy a coffin?"

The words were filled with sarcasm, causing Li Xiangyun to frown.

Then, a man in a fiery red robe appeared before him.

In response, Li Xiangyun immediately sneered back, "Sun Ping, you trash, you only dare to show your face and wag your tail when I'm about to die."

"You..." Sun Ping was furious and immediately became enraged.

Li Xiangyun had long held a grudge against the person before him.

They had joined the Ten Thousand Swords Sect in the same year.

That year, besides Li Xiangyun, two others had special Spiritual Roots.

Only Sun Ping alone possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

Logically, the one who should have been the center of attention was Sun Ping.

However, he unexpectedly surpassed Sun Ping everywhere due to his powerful Soul Power and excellent Comprehension Ability.

This naturally made Sun Ping, who had a Fire Spiritual Root, unwilling.

Initially, Sun Ping had intended to compete fairly and surpass him with his own talent.

But he was always suppressed by him, and over time, this motivation turned into deep resentment.

Especially the discussions of others further exacerbated this process.

After all, he and Sun Ping entered the Ten Thousand Swords Sect together and were both outstanding, so they were inevitably compared.

Li Xiangyun had long known all of this and had once thought of turning an enemy into a friend, but it was useless.

Later, Li Xiangyun simply stopped caring, for who would care about trash inferior to themselves?

However, he never expected Sun Ping to jump out at this moment...