Liu Yang's reply shocked Zhelan and he was rendered speechless for a long time. He blinked at him and gave him an incredulous look.

"Did you just say what I just heard?" He questioned stupidly and Liu Yang chortled, his eyes filled with amusement.

"And what did you hear just now?" He questioned back, his tone turning sarcastic for a moment which Zhelan did not mind. The realization of what he had done hit him when he saw the man's mocking smile and he felt like slapping himself for his idiocy. His face turned red and Zhelan lowered his eyes to save himself from some embarrassment, albeit it being useless.

However, it was all momentary. When Zhelan recalled Liu Yang's words, he lifted his head again and stared at him in the eye.

"Did you lose your cultivation powers?" He queried, his eyes dilating in surprise when the man nodded at him in response.

"Yes, I did. However, unlike you, Young Master Zhelan, I was not punished to be a human cultivator. Instead, my Qi weakened and I was punished to lose half of my levels of cultivation." Liu Yang let out a sigh of frustration and gritted his teeth in anger while Zhelan watched him in astonishment.

"Currently, you are a mid-level stage four cultivator. If you were punished to lose half of your cultivation powers, then you were once a peak level cultivator....just like me." Zhelan's voice dwindled at the end and Liu Yang looked at him mysteriously.

"You are right. But I am also different at the same time."

Zhelan's brows shot up in confusion and the man, once again, smiled at him in ridicule but did not speak a word more.

"May I know why you were punished?" Zhelan's curiosity was now piqued and his mind wished to learn everything about the man.

"That is a secret I would like to maintain for the time being. Anyway," He scrutinized Zhelan, his eyes sparkling wickedly. "You will gain nothing by learning about it."

Zhelan was irked by the man's behavior towards him. If it was the previous him, the man would have already met his doom for insulting him blatantly. However, he was helpless with no powers. He was just a human while the man was a mid-level cultivator and he was more powerful than him. He would only lose out by provoking Liu Yang unnecessarily.

He took deep breaths to calm himself down while the man waited, his grin not leaving his face. Zhelan had an inkling that the man knew something, something about him but he could not point out what and he felt hampered all the more. If not for the similarity in their situations, he would never have tolerated such an irritating man even a moment more.

Zhelan tried hard to suppress his fury and managed to calm down somehow. "What are you going to next? Do you know how to proceed from here?"

Zhelan was interested to find out what the man had in mind and if he too was told to climb Mount Dao to get his answers.

'If it is so," Zhelan pondered with his eyes narrowed, 'Maybe I can use his company and I will not have to fear any dangers on my way.'

Zhelan's smile vanished as soon as he noticed Liu Yang's expression. Something in the man's eyes told him that Liu Yang knew what exactly he was thinking. It was as though he could see through his soul and find out everything about him without even him speaking a word about it.

"I have my plans." Liu Yang did not uncover his plan and answered him lightly and Zhelan nodded to himself.

"Since you and I, both are in the same situation, why do you not join me?" Zhelan suggested arrogantly, his expression dripping with selfishness. "We could win back all that we lost together."

"No, thank you. I am fine the way I am. I do not want anybody's help to achieve my goals."

Zhelan's blood boiled in anger and he almost wanted to kill him. How audacious of him! Zhelan thought and glared at him. But much to his dismay, Liu Yang remained unfazed by it and even raised his brows as a provocation.

"But if you are with me, you could achieve your goals quicker." Zhelan still did not give up and tried hard to get the man to oblige.

Liu Yang folded his hands and sneered lightly and Zhelan instinctively took a step back when he saw his arm muscles bulge. He looked intimidating all of a sudden and Zhelan was in no mood to fight with a man who could kill him with just one strike. Liu Yang seemed too powerful physically for a weakling like him.

"Are you sure about that? Do you think you will be of any help to me with your current status?" Liu Yang spat. "More than I, it is you, Young Master Zhelan, who needs help to achieve your goals and do not think I do not know what you are up to." He took a step forward and Zhelan stepped back immediately.

"You want to make use of me to attain your purposes." Liu Yang did not hold back and exposed him brutally. "Too bad. I will not be falling for your lies. Your tricks will not work on me."

"What do you mean? I am not lying..." Zhelan continued to argue even though he was failing at it miserably.

"Stop it, Young Master Zhelan. Stop before I lose my mind." Liu Yang held out his palm and compelled Zhelan to stop speaking. "As the world says, you are as voracious as ever and I do not wish to be associated with such a person. Forgive me for my bluntness but I do not need your help."

Zhelan was stunned into silence by the man's arrogant and rude words and he did not react for a long time.

"If fate permits, we may meet someday and I hope by then, you would have worked on your attitude. Have a good day, Young Master Zhelan!" Liu Yang wished and stared at him for a moment before he vanished from the place in the blink of an eye.