Li Yuxia’s flying head was still frozen in an expression of shock, as if he completely couldn’t believe that Bai Lan would actually dare to kill him.
However, by the time he realized it, his vision had already gone dark.
Before Li Yuxia even had time to feel regret, he had become a headless corpse.
As for Bai Lan, a faint, charming smile played upon his lips, one that made those watching shudder with cold.
The blood from the headless corpse lying on the ground turned into a mist, sizzling as it flowed across the floor.
Si Yan felt a headache coming on.
Bai Lan was the disciple he found most difficult to see through.
When his temper flared, he was a cold-blooded killer who struck with extreme ruthlessness and showed absolutely no regard for the consequences.
Years ago, when Bai Lan first left the Phantom Sea to travel and gain experience, Si Yan had been uneasy.
However, considering Bai Lan’s high strength—far more powerful than Yuling’s and second only to his Senior Male Disciple—Si Yan had allowed the youth to leave.
Who could have known that this brat would stir up a storm of blood and cause such ruin outside, even provoking a major catastrophe?
It was heard that not only did the Cultivation World want him dead, but even the Emperor of the Kingdom of Tiansheng personally issued an imperial decree to capture him! Consequently, Si Yan had quickly dispatched his eldest disciple to catch this monster and bring him back to the Destiny Pavilion to lie low and stay under close watch.
But at the very least, Si Yan now understood why that Emperor had been so determined to capture Bai Lan.
It seemed there was a reason for it… but why the Emperor wanted him imprisoned remained another mystery entirely.
Bai Lan retracted his Silver-patterned Flexible Sword, which remained unstained by even a single drop of blood. He continued to smile with demonic charm, but the people around him were already pale with terror.
City Lord Lu and Nan Tianxing collapsed onto the ground without hesitation.
It wasn’t that they were kneeling, but rather that their legs had turned to jelly from fear; they simply couldn’t stand. Cheng Yilin and Su Tao’er remained frozen in place.
Even after Li Yuxia had revealed his background, Bai Lan had still killed him so decisively!
In terms of seniority, Li Yuxia was technically Cheng Yilin’s Senior Male Disciple and was even her companion on this trip.
Although he was arrogant and Cheng Yilin didn’t particularly like him, seeing him die so suddenly still came as a profound shock to her.
Unfortunately, that feeling didn’t last long.
Both Cheng Yilin and Su Tao’er were soon dazed by another shocking secret.
The Deposition of the Empress!
The Emperor of Tiansheng had once actually made the decision to depose the Empress!
Si Yan, however, wasn’t afraid of any of that.
He only worried that Bai Lan would scare Su Tao’er.
Si Yan gave a light cough.
Bai Lan immediately understood, put on his veil, and sat down obediently.
He didn’t dare to disobey Si Yan, and in an instant, he became incredibly submissive, like a delicate bird.
“Pavilion Master Si… Pavilion Master Si, have mercy… I — I, Nan Tianxing, was blind! I — I didn’t mean to offend you — I didn’t mean to offend you!”
In this life-or-death moment, Nan Tianxing didn’t care about anything else.
Dignity didn’t have the slightest value, especially with Li Yuxia’s fresh corpse lying nearby and his head rolling around with warm blood still flowing.
His mind was on the verge of a breakdown.
There was no point in worrying about losing face in public; he simply knelt and begged for mercy.
After all, whether it was pain or pleasure, all of life’s experiences required one to be alive first.
If one died and their soul was extinguished, even the luxury of physical suffering would become a distant dream.
Si Yan didn’t even spare him a second glance as he said, “Kowtow twenty times, and then get lost.”
Upon hearing this, Nan Tianxing was ecstatic.
He hurriedly complied, thanked Si Yan for his great kindness, and then fled in a panic, not even daring to look back once.
Cheng Yilin looked at Nan Tianxing.
This man, whom she had once admired, was now desperately clinging to life in such a pathetic manner, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment.
In the end, Si Yan saw City Lord Lu doing the same, but Si Yan only shook his head and said, “Stand up. Before your father died, he came to visit me every year. He once begged me that if you ever caused any trouble in the future, I should help you out. As for whether I will help you or not, let today’s incident serve as the cancellation of that favor.”
City Lord Lu stood up upon hearing this, but he seemed to have aged several years in that single moment.
He had wanted to turn the Phantom Sea into an independent territory and had intended to use this opportunity to build connections with sects to expand his influence.
But who would have thought?
Even on his deathbed, his father had been warning him to remain respectful—telling him that not only must he provide annual tributes, but he must also personally visit Pavilion Master Si, for he was the truly powerful figure!
City Lord Lu remembered how dismissive he had been back then, thinking, ‘Si Yan is just a mountain dweller from the Phantom Sea. Is he really worthy of my annual visits?’
Regret was useless now.
Even the fact that he didn’t have to kneel today and beg for his life was due to the respect his father had shown this Pavilion Master.
If he had known earlier and invited Pavilion Master Si to oversee his future territory, who would have dared to invade?
It was simply too late for regrets…
Si Yan didn’t say much more.
He ordered Bai Lan to put away the Lihuo Divine Iron and turned to leave the City Lord’s Mansion with everyone. While on the way, Si Yan spoke to Su Tao’er at his side.
“Tao’er, let me ask you, what do you think about what just happened?”
Su Tao’er was startled.
She still felt a lingering fear toward Bai Lan, so she asked uneasily, “Master, what do you mean by ‘what do I think’…”
Si Yan smiled kindly and asked, “Are you scared?” “No… I’m not.”
Si Yan’s tone suddenly softened as he said, “Then let me ask you. If it were you, and you offended someone who demanded you kneel and beg for mercy to stay alive, would you do it?”
Su Tao’er lowered her head and thought for a moment before shaking her head.
“My father told me that a scholar can be killed but not humiliated. Tao’er wouldn’t kneel. I would rather die.”
Si Yan smiled, appearing somewhat relieved, and then spoke.
“You’re wrong. If I’m not by your side in the future and you encounter a life-or-death moment, if kneeling works, then kneel. Why wouldn’t you? You see, those who didn’t kneel died, while those who knelt lived and left. Why not kneel? Dignity, dignity… one must be alive to have dignity. When you’re dead, dignity is nothing more than an empty word. The world may speak well of you, but you won’t even be able to hear it. After 100 years, you will vanish as time passes, and even that praise will be gone.”
Su Tao’er looked completely lost, as if she couldn’t quite understand.
Then Si Yan looked up at the vast, boundless sky and spoke slowly.
“A long, long time ago, I had some very close friends. They once did something earth-shattering! But in the end, they failed. Among them, some died and some were crippled, all because they would rather die than submit…”
Su Tao’er was stunned.
She didn’t understand why Si Yan was suddenly saying this.
She asked blankly, “So Master, did you beg for mercy back then too?”
Upon hearing that, Si Yan grinned, revealing a row of bright white teeth.
He replied, “Beg for mercy…? No, I didn’t beg for mercy. That matter originally had nothing to do with me. I kept trying to mediate, but I was powerless. However, in the end, that person died. I don’t know who killed them, but that’s when I became frenzied. To avenge that person, I alone took up my sword and fought my way up to the Nine Heavens. I killed until there were 1,000,000 corpses, and even a God fell by my hand. I killed until the blood dyed the horizon red… So, I also committed a grave mistake. I killed too many people, and I know I was wrong.”