Translator: CinderTL
As soon as the young man finished speaking, he seemed startled by his own "bravery," his face turning pale.
Beside him, his five colleagues' expressions changed drastically, and they instinctively stepped aside, distancing themselves from him.
Yet this scene seemed to ignite his sense of justice, or perhaps he had decided to throw caution to the wind.
He stubbornly stared at Li Chunjun, unyielding to authority, even unafraid of death, steadfastly holding onto his beliefs!
Li Chunjun looked at him.
He did not speak.
This Qi Refining First Level cultivator mustered his courage, meeting Li Chunjun's gaze head-on without a hint of retreat.
The five beside him felt their scalps tingle, wishing they could turn and flee.
But they dared not!
In this tense situation, they feared that the slightest movement might provoke this dangerous man, leading to a fatal sword strike that would end their lives.
In their hearts, they had already cursed the young man who spoke dozens of times.
This reckless fool who couldn't read the situation deserved to be isolated in a corner and left to fend for himself.
"So, what is the meaning behind your words?"
After a while, Li Chunjun spoke: "To showcase your sense of justice, to accuse me of my sins, to speak out for the injustice suffered by that senior of yours… Jin Zhiya, right? Or is it to defend the honor of the Chiyang Sword Sect, to uphold the dignity of the sect, to ensure it is not desecrated? Or perhaps, for my own good, unwilling to see me stray down a wrong path, wanting to persuade me to abandon evil and embrace virtue?"
The young man was momentarily stunned.
"Perhaps all of those," Li Chunjun said. "However, this is merely the meaning you personally attribute to your actions at this moment. In my eyes, the real reason you've stepped forward, adopting this fearless stance to defend the sect's dignity, has only one true purpose."
He looked at the young man: "To show off."
"You're talking nonsense!"
The young man instinctively refuted.
But Li Chunjun paid no heed to his words and continued, "To make yourself stand out, to use your fearless righteousness to contrast my darkness and evil, to display your heroic spirit in front of the woman you admire, and also… to let the sect know just how much you support the Chiyang Sword Sect…"
He paused briefly, "For this, even in the face of life and death, you have no fear. As long as you don't die, your image will be highlighted before all the great figures, and they will see you. At that point, being entrusted with important tasks, promotions, and salary increases will no longer be a distant dream."
"No… that's not it…"
The young man's chest heaved, his voice slightly breathless.
"And I also know where your initial courage came from."
Li Chunjun's gaze lingered on him: "It was my words, 'Step aside.'"
"That's not true!"
The young man quickly refuted, a trace of fear appearing in his eyes. "I only wanted to advise you not to let hatred and killing blind you, to not become a monster enslaved by slaughter! Put down the butcher's knife and attain enlightenment…"
"So, when I hold the butcher's knife, even the path to enlightenment, which originally requires enduring eighty-one trials, becomes incredibly easy."
Li Chunjun said.
The group stared at him nervously, ready to turn and flee at the slightest sign of danger.
Yet Li Chunjun did not leave.
He was pondering his current state.
Why had he returned to the Chiyang Dao Academy after already leaving?
Was it the confidence gained from cultivating the Profound Phoenix Sword Qi after killing Yu Feng and the other nine?
Or the instinctive desire to eliminate the source of the orders once and for all?
Or perhaps…
To use the Chiyang Dao Academy as a stepping stone to shorten the time as much as possible?
Regardless of the reason, returning to the Chiyang Dao Academy at this moment…
Compared to the goal of "ascending to immortality," the risks far outweighed the benefits.
"The world is a makeshift stage, but placing oneself under the gaze of a Spirit Refining cultivator is nothing short of arrogance."
A Sword Cultivator excels in killing, advancing without hesitation.
But that doesn't mean charging in recklessly.
If he died…
No!
There was no "if."
Li Chunjun calmed himself.
He turned his gaze to the six before him.
These six…
They were merely fulfilling their duties.
Their crimes did not warrant death.
Yet as this thought crossed his mind, he smiled.
"Fulfilling their duties…"
Now, he actually had the mood and the right to consider others, to sympathize with their positions.
A month ago, he had set fire to the courtyard he had lived in for over a decade, burning away all the past and memories of this world. His convictions had become crystal clear.
All living beings are born free, and all things in the world operate according to their rules. So, he wanted to see more, to uphold his identity as an ordinary member of the masses, to observe whether all things and spirits truly differed, to see if the rules of human society remained unchanged throughout time.
Then…
Upholding his identity as an ordinary member of the masses, if he were an ordinary person, what would these people do?
Even if he had managed to kill An Yuan, what would happen if he faced these people again?
Even if they were merely fulfilling their duties, what would his fate be?
So, the essence of the world had not changed. It was merely that he now stood in the position of the strong.
If he were ordinary, he would still be left in despair, at the mercy of others.
Thus, he had no right not to kill.
Nor did he have the right to indulge in compassion or empathy.
Otherwise, back when he had killed Jin Guangming and faced Fang Lieyun's pursuit, he should have surrendered and awaited his execution.
"Whoosh!"
Without warning.
The oppressive atmosphere lingered for a moment before Li Chunjun suddenly struck.
Sword Qi pierced through the air!
Six strands of Profound Phoenix Sword Qi erupted from within him, charging toward the six cultivators.
"No!"
The Body Refining Third Level leader of the group was the first to bolt toward the building's exit.
Some even chose to jump through the windows to escape.
As they fled for their lives, their gazes involuntarily turned to the young man, filled with resentment.
If they had the chance, they would have strangled him to death right then and there!
For showing off!
For speaking out of turn!
The young man's eyes widened in terror.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be!
This wasn't what he had learned!
He had studied psychology and believed he had deciphered some of Li Chunjun's thoughts. Combined with the courage of youth, he had dared to step forward and speak.
Yet the result…
"Why did it turn out like this!?"
Amid the young man's unwillingness and despair, the six strands of Profound Phoenix Sword Qi, tearing through the air at supersonic speed, pierced and shredded their bodies like thunder.
No blood was left behind.
The blood had evaporated in the intense heat.
Li Chunjun withdrew his hand and stood in place.
"There has only ever been strength and weakness, not right and wrong!"
The same situation!
Different levels of strength would lead to different outcomes.
In this world…
Weakness is the greatest sin.
Li Chunjun's eyes regained their clarity.
His soul seemed to have undergone a metamorphosis.
Like…
Animals.
The distinction between herbivores and carnivores.
Herbivores are docile and gentle, only lashing out when pushed to the brink of survival.
But carnivores…
Hunting and killing are the natural order.
...
Li Chunjun left the administration building.
At this time, many people were still rushing toward the building.
But because Li Chunjun's expression was so calm, unhurried, and composed, although some noticed him, they didn't ask any questions and instead hurried into the building.
In this situation, Li Chunjun walked past the academy and arrived at the gate.
At that moment, a figure approached him.
Although it's likely to go on sale on the 1st due to the lack of a recommendation spot caused by the forces of harmony.
(End of the Chapter)
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