Cultivating with Bragging System-Chapter 504 - 253: Repay Grievances Directly! Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night! (7600 words)_3

Chapter 504: Chapter 253: Repay Grievances Directly! Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night! (7600 words)_3

They no longer had such confidence.

Previously, had Xiang Shan reached this stage, he would have been lost and unsure how to proceed.

But last night, Nicholas had found him and offered new guidance. Now, he was filled with confidence, his future path clear.

「...」

He left the grounds of the Ancestral Demon Sect and returned to his clan.

The courtyard was pitch-black, without a single light or fire.

The night wind cut like a knife, and the trees rustled. Even the wild grass in the corner of the courtyard was bent over, as if in submission.

Xiang Shan stopped and looked into the darkness, smiling. "It’s been a long time, Sixth Brother!"

WHOOSH! 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The wind grew fiercer.

A figure slowly emerged. He was tall and glacial, like a piece of unfeeling Cold Iron, emanating a frightening chill.

A thick layer of Demonic Light covered his body.

He walked forward on a current of Demonic Qi, like a sovereign lord from the Abyss, his presence terrifying.

The sixth young master of the Earth Magic Elephant Clan, Xiang Yuan!

He was the foremost expert of the younger generation and the hope of his clan. Already selected to participate in the Divine Demon Ritual, his glory was unmatched. His name was destined to be inscribed on the Ancestral Stele of the Earth Magic Elephant Clan, to be remembered for eternity.

Xiang Yuan didn’t speak. He simply watched Xiang Shan quietly, his hands behind his back, his expression as frigid as a block of ice.

His aura was powerful, like a surging tide crashing down again and again.

In the courtyard, the night wind howled. The cold was biting. Countless blades of wild grass snapped under an invisible pressure, turning to dust that scattered into the night.

Xiang Shan remained calm, his clothes whipping in the wind. He smiled and said, "It’s been many years, Sixth Brother. Your strength has improved by leaps and bounds. You truly are the hope of our clan!"

Xiang Yuan’s expression finally flickered. He sized up his younger brother, who now seemed somewhat unfamiliar. "It seems your strength has grown considerably as well. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have such nerve!"

Xiang Shan asked, "What makes you say that, Sixth Brother?"

Xiang Yuan said coldly, "The Demon Battle Arena in the city was established through the joint support of our three clans. To smash your own clan’s establishment... you call that not having nerve?"

Xiang Shan chuckled. "Ah, so that’s what you were talking about, Sixth Brother."

Xiang Yuan retorted, "And have you prepared an excuse?"

Xiang Shan shook his head. "Why would I need an excuse? I am the one who did it, and I don’t believe I did anything wrong."

Xiang Yuan frowned but said nothing.

Xiang Shan continued, "We are all of the Demon Race. Why should we stand by and watch—or even participate in—actions that harm our own people?"

Xiang Yuan scoffed. "You consider those lowly Foreign Demons our kind? Everyone said you’d gone mad. I didn’t believe it, but now it seems they were right."

Xiang Shan replied, "You should know that I haven’t gone mad. I’ve simply awakened."

Xiang Yuan countered, "The world has always been this way. Your so-called awakening is meaningless."

Xiang Shan stated firmly, "Just because things have always been this way doesn’t mean it’s right!"

Xiang Yuan retorted, "And what difference does it make if it’s right or not?"

A silence fell between them. Even the wind in the courtyard seemed to die down, leaving a suffocating stillness.

A long moment passed.

Xiang Shan gazed deeply at his brother and sighed. "Senior Nicholas was right. The prejudice in a person’s heart is like a great mountain; no matter how hard you try, it is impossible to move."

"Nicholas? The man who writes those storybooks? You’ve been in contact with him?" Xiang Yuan frowned. Though he rarely read storybooks, he knew the name. It had recently caused a huge uproar, placing the entire Three Origins City at the center of a storm.

Countless ancient clans had exhausted their resources trying to find him, turning the city upside down to no avail.

Worse, he had managed to leave something behind right under the noses of numerous powerful experts. He came and went like a ghost, without triggering a single Formation, delivering a resounding slap to their faces.

The man was too mysterious, as elusive as a ghost or a god.

No one knew what kind of methods he possessed.

And yet, despite being shrouded in secrets and clearly possessing extraordinary means, he was content to lower himself by writing storybooks for the entertainment of the common folk.

The upper echelons of the Earth Magic Elephant Clan had discussed the matter. These waters were too murky. Although their clan had a deep foundation, they believed getting involved would likely spell disaster.

Xiang Yuan had never expected his own brother to be in contact with Nicholas.

He recalled his brother’s strange behavior over the past few days.

Xiang Yuan’s pupils constricted. He enunciated each word carefully, "Did he incite you to do all this?"

Xiang Shan replied slowly, "Rather than incitement, it would be better to say he opened my eyes and let me see the world for what it is. Every choice I’ve made has been my own."

Xiang Yuan narrowed his eyes. "What did he tell you?"

Xiang Shan responded, "He told me that a demon should live for themself. This world should be full of diversity and color, not a pool of stagnant water where the strong are always strong and the weak are always weak, with no surprises to speak of... Stagnant water breeds rot, even if that pool is as vast as the entire Demon Realm!"

Xiang Yuan scoffed, his expression dismissive. "The ravings of a madman. And you actually believe them?"

Xiang Shan said nothing. His silence was the answer.

Xiang Yuan pressed, "Then what about this so-called Ancestral Demon Sect? Is that your creation as well? What are you trying to do?"

Xiang Shan’s expression was placid. "They are merely a group of pitiful souls, huddling together for warmth."

Xiang Yuan’s smile grew even colder. "You, a disciple of the Earth Magic Elephant Clan, are huddling together with a group of Foreign Demons for warmth? You’ve brought nothing but shame to our clan! Besides, surely you don’t believe that a group of Foreign Demons gathering together can accomplish anything? They’ve simply gone from being a single piece of trash to an entire heap of it!"

Xiang Shan’s expression was serene, and his words carried a hint of profound insight. "Constant dripping wears away stone; gathering streams can form a vast ocean. That is a truth you will likely never understand."

"I have no more interest in debating this with you! You have violated the clan’s rules, and I am here to take you into custody. Will you surrender peacefully, or are you going to put up a fight?"