the multi

Chapter 19

"I also want to become strong. I do want to reach the highest realm!" Su Yuchen rubbed his forehead while saying to Senior Brother Li.

"Wanting to become something and working hard to achieve something are different concepts." Senior Brother Li said to Su Yuchen.

He continued, "More than 100 inner disciples possess top grade talent along with top tier affinity to elements. Seventy percent of the disciples possess either top grade talent or top tier affinities. More than twenty five percent only have medium grade talent or medium tier affinities."

"Only a quarter of the core disciples possess the same top grade talent, top tier affinities. Another quarter of them only possess superior grade talent or superior tier affinities."

"However, the remaining half of the core disciples just possess medium grade talents and medium tier affinities."

"Try to realise this, the mental and physical torture from cultivation will slowly drain the passion of everyone."

"Many cultivators with medium grade talents are struck in the outer sect, when cultivators with the same talents climbed to the positions of becoming core disciples."

"There is no different between the peasants in the mortal world and the outer sect disciples. The peasant's life revolves around slowly accumulating wealth, for that they work daily, with their hard earned money they need to raise their families, break their minds on how to face their impossible struggles and then moving forward with no changes in their way of life. During all those years they only enjoy small joys in their life. Then they pass this same life to their children."

"These children go into society and get tempered by the society and then choose the path of the previous generations."

"The outer sect disciples also live a similar life. The same hot blooded children enter the sect and dream about achieving big things, but when they take the first step of achieving the bare minimum qualification of completing six refinements in the Meridian Refinement Realm, they collapse."

"They start seeing the refinements as a mental torture and fall back. They do what their previous generations did, earn contribution points, establishing families, and passing on their dreams to the next generation. They wish their children can successfully go through the mental torture and bring them glory."

Senior Brother Li voice became hoarse as his tone became angry.

"If you truly think of cultivation as torture and suffering, you shouldn't wish for your children to go through the same experience. You shouldn't wish for them to bring glory by tormenting themselves with what you didn't want to."

"They should just get rid of the sect disciple identity and leave this city."

"At least their children can live a joyful and honest life instead of becoming corrupted in this city."

Senior Brother Li took a wine pot and began to gulp all the wine in it.

Su Yuchen was baffled by the sudden tantrums of Senior Brother Li.

Making sure that Senior Brother calmed down, Su Yuchen asked him, "You look like you have a grudge against the whole outer sect. Did you experience something senior brother?"

Senior Brother Li smirked sarcastically, "Experience? I was born in the outer sect. I spent all my youth and passion in the outer sect. Don't think I have a grudge against the outer sect. I have a grudge against the whole sect."

"However, I hate the cultivators in the outer sect more than anything."

"You see, the courtyards here are built to have some distance with their neighbouring courtyards. All the inner sect disciples stay way from others who are not from their factions. The structure of this inner sect makes them competitors starting with their residence itself."

"The outer sect is not build like that. They stay together in dormitories. Their houses are next to each others. They don't have private cultivation room, but a public cultivation ground with a Yin-Yang Protection Formation. Most of their missions also require cooperation from other outer sect disciples. Their structure should breed cooperation and communication. They should have been united."

"Look at the outer sect, they are morally degenerated. The outer sect disciples think of young cultivators as their rations. They torment and beat the passion out of them until the new blood are obedient to them. A cultivator with five refinements try to obstruct a cultivator with four refinements from taking another step. Five refinement cultivators gang up on those who want to become six refinement cultivators."

"Children of seven years and eight years old murder those who should have been their playmates. They poison the food in the dining hall with their small hands."

"There are ten thousand Astral Foundation Realm cultivators in this sect. This force is more than enough to straighten the actions of the outer sect. But, they let the outer sect become the entertainment ground of the inner sect disciples and followed under their footsteps."

"The outer sect deacons and elders who should have taken charge on eradicating the behaviours of the outer sect disciples are the same people that are nourishing this behaviour."

"I have struggled in that miserable place and walked on a bloody path."

"My early years in the inner sect didn't make me feel the same rotten hearts. The spacious courtyards made me peaceful."

"The distance here was a boon to me. Even when I was suppressed in the inner sect, I had a breathing space in these courtyards. No neighbour is spying on me. No child was trying to poison me."

"I was clever and outsmarted many of the inner sect disciples. I lived a respectable life in the inner sect. I achieved the qualifications to become a Sect Elder in this very inner sect, without dropping a single drop of blood."

"I wanted to realise a dream of mine. I tried to become the Outer Sect Affairs Elder. I dreamed of making the outer sect a better place."

"Do you know what happened. The talent less son of a inner sect elder wanted the same position. He wanted to leech off the outer sect to spend the rest of his life. I didn't want that to happen. We competed for that position."

"That waste young master mobilised the whole inner sect to resist me."

"That was the moment when I for the first time in my life has seen the inner sect becoming united."

"This spacious inner sect has shown me the unity that I dreamed of seeing in the outer sect."

"I never complained about my loss from then on."

"I hate this inner sect, but I won't complain about that incident."

"I hate the outer sect, and I hate this whole sect that encouraged a competition which made the lives of millions a living hell."

Chapter 20

Su Yuchen kept quiet after Senior Brother Li completed speaking.

Senior Brother Li stopped speaking for a couple of minutes while staring at Su Yuchen. Su Yuchen didn't know what to say to him.

"You have some friends in the outer sect, right?" Suddenly, Senior Brother Li asked Su Yuchen.

"Yes, we come from the same village." Su Yuchen answered immediately to Senior Brother Li.

"You should go and check up on them some time. They might have faced some troubles because of being your friends." Senior Brother Li's face showed a fake smile as he said to Su Yuchen.

Su Yuchen face turned dark, he asked, "Why? What will happen to them because of knowing me? Didn't you say that the people behind the publicity wouldn't take any action against me?"

Senior Brother Li shook his head, "Those guys will not be taking action against your friends. They only have one use with you and they used you."

"It is the other people who want to use you."

Su Yuchen narrowed his eyes and asked, "What use do I have for other people?"

"Your talent, your affinities. What else do you possess? Can't you break down this simple thing? Do you also have top tier affinity with stupidity?" Senior Brother Li mocked Su Yuchen.

Su Yuchen's face twisted with anger, "I'm a stupid. The Great Stupid, me, will shit on the Outer Sect Affairs Elder's face. The Wisest Senior Brother in the world, Senior Brother Li, please wipe my ass when the time comes."

"Ha-ha-ha! I dare you try it. If you do, I will absolutely clean your ass with the water from all eight oceans." Senior Brother Li cackled and promised unceremoniously.

"Aren't I a member of the Third Elder's faction? Why would others still try to recruit me?" Su Yuchen asked him.

"You are only considered as a member of the Thirds Elder's faction. That doesn't make you a real member of the Third Elder's faction. Everyone knows this fact, but many don't dare to poach you from the Third Elder's faction."

"There are still people who will try to get a talented candidate like you into their camps though. Those are the people who will contact your friends in the outer sect."

"They would have contacted you directly, but you are with me. So, now all they can do is trying to meet you through your friends."

Su Yuchen asked Senior Brother Li, "I hid in my courtyard for two months. No one tried to contact me? Why will they try to contact me now?"

Senior Brother Li said to Su Yuchen, "Those people must have waited to see the way you were going to deal with the situation you were in at that time. Many must have given upon recruiting you, but there should be quite a few people who will still try to recruit you."

Su Yuchen's face became dull and filled with worry, "Will those people leave my friends alone if I reject them?"

Senior Brother Li shook his head, "That alone will not be enough. You must also make a elder from the Third Elder's faction cover you. Then everyone will stop paying you attention."

Su Yuchen became silent, he didn't want to be in the same faction of Jin Tianlong, and with the system he will cultivate and become stronger than others more effectively and quickly. Taking shelter under an elder from the Third Elder's faction will make him enter the same circle as Jin Tianlong.

Senior Brother Li understood the silence of Su Yuchen, "Do you still doesn't want to be associated with the Third Elder's faction?"

Su Yuchen answered after a few seconds of silence, "I don't want to associate myself with them."

"Su Yuchen, do you understand the situation you are in? Do you have any plans about your life in the sect?" Senior Brother Li asked Su Yuchen.

Su Yuchen thought for a moment, "I want to cultivate peacefully and keep my distance from conflicts."

Senior Brother Li looked at Su Yuchen with an annoyed face, "It is great that you have an idealistic plan, but you still didn't understood your situation."

"You are in possession of a treasure. A top grade talent and top tier affinity."

"You are just happy with getting it. You are only planning about what you can do it."

"However, you are not thinking about the consequence of holding a treasure."

"If you had a background it would have been a good thing, but you are a commoner."

"When a commoner finds gold, the authorities will try to snatch it from it."

"When a commoner possess talent, the sect elders will try to use your talents for their own gains."

"If the commoner wants to own the gold, he needs to complete the impossible task of convincing the authorities without burning his home."

"You are lucky, the talent will be with you, it can't be snatched away from you. So now you need to coax the elders and make them trust that you are useful to them."

"As a commoner you can't escape from this."

Su Yuchen looked at Senior Brother Li and asked him, "Which elder is supporting you Senior Brother?" Senior Brother Li is the only person he trusts in the inner sect at the moment. He wants to know about the elder that bailed out Senior Brother Li when he was competing against the waste son of an sect elder. That person should be the only one he can consider.

Senior Brother Li snickered, "It is unnecessary for you to know about the elder behind me. That elder only seeks a motivated disciple."

"He will recruit a motivated low talented disciple, but will not shelter you."

Su Yuchen became silent, "Give me a target, I will try to reach the second stage of Meridian Refinement Realm within that time period. That should prove my motivation."

"I know you. A stage improvement in Meridian Refinement Realm will not make me trust your motivation." Senior Brother Li said to Su Yuchen. "And what if your friends were troubled within that time?"

Su Yuchen instantly replied, "Can you help my friends if they are trouble, Senior Brother? I will work hard with you everyday. You will see a visible progress in me."

Senior Brother Li stretched his hand and caught the scalp of Su Yuchen and then started to move his hand in a circle. Su Yuchen resisted while feeling his head spinning.

"Look at this head, there is nothing in it."

"You give the feeling of an mature child, but this mind is still the same of a four year old kid."

"You are listening to everything I am saying like an obedient child, and now you are asking me for help like a child."

"If I am willing to take you into the Mount Stable, I will also be willing to help your friends."

"You don't need to promise your motivation for that."

"You need to be motivated for your own good."

Su Yuchen smiled and said to Senior Brother Li, "I will work hard from now on Senior Brother Li. I listened to everything you have said. I will remember them."

Senior Brother Li looked at Su Yuchen, "Remembering what I said is easy. When you enter the Astral Foundation Realm, you can even recall every dialogue from our conversation. Do you think that's enough?"

"Everyone can listen, everyone can remember everything."

"You can even read more philosophical works in the library and remember them. The ancients have spoken wiser words than me."

"But remembering them will only make you a knowledgeable person."

"To become much better than that, you need to think about the lines you have read, reminisce the speech you have heard. You need to contemplate their intentions."

"The knowledge the other person wanted to present to you should be inside the mouth of your thoughts."

"They speak more truths every time you listen."

"When your thoughts speak the truth you want to listen you will slowly change."

"Just remembering my word will not make you want to work hard, Junior Brother."

"You need to think about my words and why I said them to you."

"Hopefully, your thoughts will impart you with motivation and make you work hard."

"Only those thoughts of yours can make you change."

Chapter 21

Su Yuchen entertained Senior Brother Li till late into the night. They ate a lot of food by his maid. After Senior Brother Li left, Su Yuchen decided to cultivate at night rather than sleeping as he had a rest in the day. 

One of the five oculi in the ceiling was opened, letting the moonlight inside the cultivation room. 

The formations in the cultivation room captured the lunar astral energy, enhanced the yin energy and gathered it at the centre of the formation. 

Su Yuchen sat at the centre of the formation and then instantly entered into the cultivation state. He visualised the meridian system. The astral energy was flowing in the meridians and slowly nourishing his organs. His dantian was filled with his astral energy. His astral energy began to flow in the meridian system after being infused with his aura by the life essence.

As his astral energy flowed out of his dantian, untouched astral energy flowed into his dantian. The life essence passively infused his aura into the untouched astral energy.

Su Yuchen moved his sight and saw the eight extraordinary meridians. The astral energy in his meridians was crossing through these eight extraordinary meridians. Some of the astral energy was being stored in the eight extraordinary meridians. The astral energy began to flow more harmoniously as they flowed out through these eight extraordinary meridians.

Su Yuchen began the condensation of astral energy in his meridian system. The life essence attracted all the astral energy in its path. The astral energy began to condense around the life essence. 

Su Yuchen focused his mind to resist the life essence from attracting the lunar astral energy around it. The lunar astral energy began to fill the six yin meridians of the twelve primary meridians.

Su Yuchen bared his gritted teeth and completed the circulation through twelve primary meridians with bloody red teary eyes and severe headache. 

Su Yuchen's meridian system is far wider than before. It was an extremely difficult task to circulate the life essence through all the primary meridians while bearing the pressure of the enormous amount of condensed astral energy, even with an enhanced mind. Su Yuchen still resorted to allocate some of his focus on the lunar astral energy during his cultivation.

Su Yuchen closed the oculus in the ceiling. He took rest and gave some time for his mind to recover. In that moment, he felt a cooling sensation wrapping his head, he felt his mind rejuvenating with that sensation.

After an hour, Su Yuchen controlled the life essence and began collecting the lunar astral energy. He condensed all the lunar astral energy that entered his meridians, everything that the formation in the cultivation room gathered. When he began to feel the pressure from the condensed lunar astral energy, there was also an extra, cold sensation in that pressure.

Su Yuchen stored the condensed lunar astral energy in his dantian and then collapsed in the cultivation room holding his head. He was in a worse state than the first circulation. He quickly took a stellar rock and held it close to his body, letting it quench its thirst of astral energy. He tried to resist his heavy eyes from closing, he didn't want to go to sleep yet. In five minutes his body stopped urging him to sleep. 

After half an hour, Su Yuchen entered the cultivation state and controlled the life essence. He carried it and entered the first extraordinary meridian he needs to refine, Ren Mai. The yin heavy astral energy around his life essence made the body open the way into the Ren Mai.

Upon entering Ren Mai, Su Yuchen felt a dark blue line of energy connected to the life essence. This was something he never felt when he controlled the life essence before. Su Yuchen already knew that this dark blue energy was Yin Essence. The Yin Essence circulates through every extraordinary meridian. This dark blue Yin Essence was nourishing his life essence. 

Su Yuchen soon controlled the life essence and only let the condensed lunar astral energy enter the narrow Ren Mai little by little. The life essence slowly completed the circulation through the Ren Mai and entered the dantian. Yin energy connected to the lunar astral energy was deposited in the Ren Mai, a yin meridian that acts as the reservoir for yin energy.

The condensed yin energy in the Ren Mai was smaller than the size of a small sand grain. 

Su Yuchen ended his cultivation state and immediately went to sleep in his bedroom. His mind was beaten a lot during this cultivation session. No matter how much his soul energy nourishes it, he wouldn't be able to stand the fatigue.

..

.

[Ding! Daily sign in completed. Rewarded "Yin Stellar Rock x 10".]

'How much does a yin stellar rock will improve my cultivation speed?' Su Yuchen contemplated while looking at the inch size rock in his hand. He guessed that the yin stellar rock might just be full of yin energy from its name.

Su Yuchen asked the golden bead while massaging his scalp, 'How effective is this yin stellar rock?'

[If the cultivator plans his cultivation session everyday similar to the night before, he can fill half of the Ren Mai in thirty seven day and achieve a breakthrough in cultivation.]

A smiled bloomed on Su Yuchen's face upon listening to the system's notification. He put even more value to the yin stellar rock and placed it inside the system storage space.

'You said I can breakthrough in thirty seven days. So, should I scrap the idea of refining my meridian system?' Su Yuchen asked the system. Although, Senior Brother Li advised him to pause refinements of the meridian system until he reached the sixth stage of Meridian Refinement Realm, he still wanted to confirm it with the system.

[The cultivator is advised to start refinements of the meridian system at the ninth stage of the Energy Condensation Realm.]

[Refining the primary meridians, extraordinary meridians and dantian together produces greater benefits than refining them separately.]

'Okay.' Su Yuchen nodded. 

'I am overexerting my mind too much. Will it cause any trauma to me?' Su Yuchen asked the system while still continuing to massage his scalp.

[The actions of the cultivators will have severe consequences.]

[The cultivator can nourish his body with the elixirs from the system to avoid damages to his mind.]

'Oh, thanks.' Su Yuchen was relieved by the system's reply.

Chapter 22

"Zhao Feng, what do you mean by this?" Zhao Xiaofan roared at Zhao Feng fiercely. "You are taking our practise ground in the battle hall. We secured this place before a week. Get lost from here!"

"Little cousin, shut your mouth. I am just prolonging my training today. You can wait for me to complete my training and then take your turn." Zhao Feng smirked at Zhao Xiaofan, his calm eyes turning cold with Zhao Xiaofan's manner of speaking.

"You didn't even secure the practice ground for any time today, you snatched the tag from others. If you want to trouble us, do it openly by snatching our schedule tag. Don't act childish by feigning ignorance." Zhao Xiaofan mocked Zhao Feng contemptuously.

Zhao Xiaofan was already irritated by his big cousin's opportunistic actions of frequent appearance in front of them these days to inquire about Su Yuchen.

"Brat, you are looking for a beating." Zhao Feng stretched his hand to grab the throat of Zhao Xiaofan. 

Zhao Xiaofan just took a single step back to avoid his hand. 

Zhao Feng was infuriated with Zhao Xiaofeng slipping his hand, he turned his hand and pointed his finger at him and shouted, "I am taking this practice ground. You guys are not getting in the whole day, you guys are never getting a tag in the battle hall."

Wang Daming and others stepped forward and stood beside of Zhao Xiaofan. They were enraged by the words of Zhao Feng.

Zhao Xiaofan still continued to mock Zhao Feng, "Zhao Feng, your brain is small. That should be the reason for your small minded behaviour. Do you need this whole practice ground for yourself?"

"If you want to leech off of an inner sect disciple, go to the inner sect by yourself and recruit Su Yuchen. If you can't do that, do not trouble us to force Su Yuchen."

Zhao Feng showed a weird smile and said to Zhao Xiaofan, "All you guys needed to do was to persuade Su Yuchen to follow our boss, that's it. You refused, you forced me to take action. I was kind and reluctant to take action on my fellow villagers, so I just grabbed the schedule tag of an outsider. But from now I am going to beat sense into you guys."

Zhao Xiaofan yelled at Zhao Feng, "Kind to your fellow villagers? How shameless can you be? You guys are a group of assholes. If you had wanted us to convey a message to Su Yuchen, we could have done it. But you guys knew we didn't meet with him for two months and instead of giving up, you started harassing us."

"How did you even think that Su Yuchen will join your boss after you harassed us?"

"Su Yuchen might be conscious for four years, but he knows as much as a fourteen year old, he isn't stupid like you. You lived for twenty years but you have two dick balls for your brain." 

"Xiaofan shut up!" Wang Daming cried at Zhao Xiaofan when he saw Zhao Feng face turning dark.

Zhao Feng was fuming with anger listening to Zhao Xiaofan. He once again quickly stretched his right hand to choke Zhao Xiaofan's throat. Wang Daming immediately grabbed his hand and gripped it hard.

Zhao Xiaofan took a step back. He immediately kicked at Zhao Feng's chest with his right leg.

With the left hand Zhao Feng slapped the kick away.

Feeling the tight grip on his right hand, Zhao Feng's body immediately changed into copper colour, he swung his right hand to push Wang Daming away. After losing the grip, Wang Daming's hands released green energy that quickly turned into vines, which went to grab Zhao Feng's whole body. Zhao Feng struggled for just two seconds before breaking the vines. He cleared the vines on his body and turned his attention towards Wang Daming intending to end him first.

Wang Daming, who fell on the ground, rose up and balanced his body. The green rune on his hand lit up. When Zhao Feng's fist hit his face, he grabbed his hand while moving his face to the side. 

Zhao Feng's fist just grazed Wang Daming's face, but his copper fist still hurt Wang Daming. Zhao Feng tried to take back his hand but failed to do that.

From the backside, Zhao Xiaofan kicked his right leg covered in silver astral energy at Zhao Feng's legs. Wang Daming timed correctly and pulled Zhao Feng to his left.

Zhao Feng fell on the ground without being able to resist.

Liang Yu quickly placed his palm on the back of Zhao Feng who fell down. The silver metal astral energy covered Zhao Feng's back and pointed at several of his acupoints. However, they failed to pierce into Zhao Feng's copper body. 

Liao Feng pointed his spear at Zhao Feng's head. His hands were shaking.

Zhao Feng raised his head and stared into Liao Feng's eyes. He shouted, "You dare to do this to me? You dare to point your weapon at me?" He turned his head and shouted at everyone, "I will kill you all."

Liao Feng's hand shook with panic and his spear tip left a little gash on the nose of Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng closed and opened his eyes with Liao Feng's actions.

Wang Daming quickly used vines to cover Zhao Feng's mouth. 

Zhao Xiaofan furiously shouted at Zhao Feng, "If any of us gets hurt by you in the future I won't care about our blood relationship. I will not spare your life."

Chapter 23

Su Yuchen blocked the falling wooden sword. Senior Brother Li swiftly retracted the wooden sword, raised it and attacked Su Yuchen once again.

Su Yuchen blocked the falling wooden sword again. Senior Brother Li swiftly retracted the wooden sword, raised it and attacked Su Yuchen once again.

Su Yuchen blocked the falling wooden sword again, his wrists were red, the wooden sword stopped neared his face before it was retracted again. Senior Brother Li swiftly retracted the wooden sword, raised it and attacked Su Yuchen once again with increased force.

Su Yuchen blocked the falling wooden sword with his arms pushing forward, and raising up from a half kneeling posture. His sword met Senior Brother Li's sword before the attack's momentum increased. In that instant he moved his body to the right while pushing his sword to his left.

Senior Brother Li used the force from the push and pulled his sword to his right.

When he pulled the sword enough, Senior Brother Li dragged the sword to his left and slashed at Su Yuchen's torso.

Su Yuchen parried the sword while balancing his foot. The force from the slash pushed Su Yuchen to the side.

Senior Brother Li stabbed at Su Yuchen's abdomen. Su Yuchen parried the stab.

Senior Brother Li stabbed at Su Yuchen's abdomen once again. Su Yuchen parried the stab once again. His balance was lost, distracting him.

Senior Brother Li stabbed upward at Su Yuchen's face. Su Yuchen raised his sword to block the attack. The stab changed the direction slightly and cut Su Yuchen's left wrist.

"Sss!" Su Yuchen hissed with the sharp pain in his wrist.

Senior Brother Li put some distance between them and said, "Take your position!"

Su Yuchen was suffering with pain in his wrist and all over his body. His whole body was covered in blood. He looked at Senior Brother Li with some resentment but didn't dare to resist his order. He took his stance.

Su Yuchen lunged at Senior Brother Li and stabbed at his abdomen.

Senior Brother Li parried the stab.

Su Yuchen retracted his sword and increased the speed of his stab.

Senior Brother Li parried the stab.

Su Yuchen retracted his sword and increased the speed of his stab.

Senior Brother Li parried the stab with ease.

Su Yuchen continued to stab with increasing force in each turn.

Senior Brother Li parried the stab without batting an eye at Su Yuchen's wooden sword.

Su Yuchen changed the direction of the stab and attacked at Senior Brother Li's wrist.

Senior Brother Li stopped the tip of Su Yuchen's sword with his sword's blade.

Su Yuchen felt the sword of Senior Brother Li pushing his sword. He didn't retract his sword and put more force to push his wooden sword.

Senior Brother Li rotated his wrist slightly, and the tip of the sword hit his sword's face. He rotated his wrist to his previous position and slid it across the face of Su Yuchen's sword. The sword dropped quickly, he moved it slightly and made a cut on the fingers of Su Yuchen's right hand.

"Argh!" Su Yuchen dropped the wooden sword and held his bleeding right hand with his bleeding left hand.

Senior Brother Li lowered his wooden sword and looked at Su Yuchen indifferently. Su Yuchen was covered in blood, his training dress was cut in many places. Su Yuchen's arm was covered in many cuts.

Senior Brother Li searched and took out a bottle from his storage ring and gave it to Su Yuchen. He said mercilessly while raising the wooden sword in his hand, "This sword is made from a poisonous wood. Your wounds are poisoned. Apply the powder in this bottle."

Su Yuchen was in unbearable pain. Just by slightly moving any part, he could feel the piercing pain from the cuts on his body. He couldn't control himself and shouted at Senior Brother Li, "Why are you so cruel? Why did you injure me like this? This is not training anymore!"

Senior Brother Li grinned at Su Yuchen, his eyes cold, "I thought you will be proud. I thought you will get used to the pain from these cuts and show off the cuts as a symbol of a warrior and your mastery of sword. Why are you questioning me like this?"

Su Yuchen with red eyes roared at Senior Brother Li, "I only trained in the sword for one day. It was only once! I know nothing about it! Why will I show off? How can I bear the pain from the sword cuts?"

Senior Brother Li raised his lips slightly more, grinning, "Oh! Didn't you just cultivate for a day and showed off your cultivation efficiency to me? Didn't you bear the mental torment of cultivation? Why can't you bear this little pain?"

Su Yuchen's face twisted with Senior Brother Li's answer, "What nonsense are you speaking, Senior Brother? How can you compare cultivation with pain from the sword cuts? Just because I was okay with the pain from cultivation, it doesn't mean I am okay with the pain from cut wounds!"

Senior Brother Li coldly stared at Su Yuchen, "How can you be okay with the pain from cultivation but not from sword cuts?"

Su Yuchen was reminded of the advise Senior Brother Li gave him a few days back, he answered, "I am bearing that pain to progress in cultivation stages. I don't think there is a valuable reason for me to go through this training method to master sword."

Senior Brother Li stared at Su Yuchen, "You think going through pain will make you progress in cultivation but why don't you know going through pain will make you master sword?"

Su Yuchen was irritated, "I need to be skilled and experienced in battles to master sword. The pain will come from battles not from practice. Practice doesn't give the sword cuts like this training."

Senior Brother Li nodded, he asked Su Yuchen, "True. Then what about the pain in cultivation?"

Su Yuchen thought the question and answered, "Pain comes from losing control of life essence, and backlash of cultivation techniques."

Senior Brother Li put on a fake smile on his face, his face was frozen cold, he stared at Su Yuchen and asked, "You know nothing about cultivation and you are okay with that mental torment, why can't you be okay with these small cuts?"

Su Yuchen was frightened by the stare of Senior Brother Li, he tried hard to answer, "I am cultivating for many months without getting hurt, I am used to it. I just started sword practice but I will not get used to the sword practice if I get injured daily."

Senior Brother Li's eyes stared at Su Yuchen coldly, "I am making you get used to these pains. You will be okay with the sword practice in a while."

Su Yuchen stared at Senior Brother Li, "My arms will become paralysed if this type of training goes on. I don't want to get used to this type of pain."

Senior Brother Li patted Su Yuchen's head, "This brain of yours can't become paralysed after your intense cultivation, how can your arms become paralysed?"

"You need this type of training daily."

Su Yuchen answered Senior Brother Li, "I understand why you are saying all this to me Senior Brother. However, I still think my method of cultivation suits me. I am not being reckless in cultivation just because I want to progress faster in cultivation."

Senior Brother Li kept on staring at Su Yuchen, "No ordinary man's mental energy can keep on holding the life essence through the twelve meridians at Meridian Refinement Realm. Your talent is fascinating for you to be able to do that."

"However, you are being mental to keep on doing it twice in a day!"

"It is better for your health to follow the normal way. Collect all the lunar astral energy in your first circulation and then store the yin energy in the Ren Mai in your second circulation."

"Don't do three circulations and lead yourself to your death."

"Your young body can't bear the mental strain of the intense cultivation for long even with your talent."

"Patience is the most important thing in cultivation."

Su Yuchen became silent. He spoke after a few seconds, "I understood one thing after all this time, trying to cultivate in a normal way will make me bored of cultivation. I am already lacking motivation to cultivate if I get bored of cultivation on top of that there is no way I can progress normally in cultivation realms."

"Also, believe me, there is nothing going to happen to my mind with my way of cultivation."

Senior Brother Li said indifferently, "If pain is the motivation for your cultivation progress, it will also be your motivation for sword mastery."

"From tomorrow, the intensity of sword practice will increase."

"Try to get hurt as less as possible."

..

.

"Liang Yu, take Liao Feng with you on this mission." Wang Daming said to Liang Yu while passing the mission plate.

Liang Yu studied the mission plate and his face became confused, "This mission requires us to go outside the sect. Do you really want me to take Liao Feng outside during this period?"

Wang Daming nodded, "Liao Feng is the most talented in our gang. He needs to learn a lot of things. During this time he might also need to step up to fight Zhao Feng."

"For that he needs to experience real fights and he needs to kill someone."

"This mission will be a good practice opportunity for him. The disciple in charge of this mission follows a rival of Zhao Feng. You don't need to worry about the safety of Liao Feng."

Chapter 24

A team of ten outer sect disciples left the Star Falcon Sect on a mission.

The eleven year old Liao Feng was excited as he travelled in the outside world for the first time. He has never gone outside his village and the town near it. He wants to travel and see more places and learn many things to help his close friends.

Although their situation in the sect at the moment was critical, he understood the reason for letting him venture outside at this intense moment.

Liao Feng turned towards Liang Yu and asked him a question that was haunting him, "Is it okay if we just capture them? Can we not kill those innocent Ou clansmen who were on the run?"

Liang Yu was confused for a second and then answered Liao Feng, "The Ou clan is exterminated. We need to make sure there are no remnants in this world. So of course we can't just capture them, we also need to kill them."

Liao Feng's face became dispirited by the answer of Liang Yu, he said in a low voice, "But those people we are chasing didn't commit any crime. All the cultivators and ordinary men in that clan who committed crimes were judged and beheaded. The cultivators we are chasing should not have any crimes, right? They don't need to die, right?"

Liang Yu was troubled by the questions from Liao Feng, he composed himself and replied, "Their fellow clansmen were all killed, and their clan was abolished. The remnants of the Ou clan will surely look for a chance to avenge their clansmen. We can't allow potential threat to our sect to remain alive. So they have to die now. They might not have committed any crimes now, but they will commit them in the future to have revenge on our sect. We are preventing them from committing any crimes and other evil things."

Liao Feng nodded but his face looked unconvinced.

Zhang Dali listened to their conversation and looked at the unconvinced expression on Liao Feng's face. He knew the reason about why Wang Daming asked for his help to let Liao Feng and Liang Yu into this mission. He looked at Liao Feng and decided to guide him. He said, "You are still young and don't know how the society outside of your village and the sect works. You are not convinced by what Liang Yu said, but that is how events will unfold if we leave the remnants of the Ou clan alive. Leaving the threats for our sect alive will lead to many innocent disciples from our sect getting killed by the remnants of the Ou clan in the future. It is better to finish them off now and prevent more innocent people from both our sect and outside getting killed. I don't think you want countless innocent people to die because of our negligence in eliminating these remnants, do you?"

Liao Feng shook his head, "I don't want innocent people to die."

Zhang Dali nodded, "I will show you what happens in the outside world. You will understood why these type of people need to be eliminated before they become a threat to everyone."

Liao Feng nodded. He concealed all the questions and discomfort he still had in his heart.

..

.

The ten outer sect disciples laid a camp at night and took rest. Liao Feng slept near to the campfire. He stared at the fire while contemplating about what to do when he faces the remnants of the Ou clan.

Liao Feng still couldn't fathom killing them as they were innocent and hadn't committed any crimes. 

Staring at the dancing flames and listening to the crackling sounds he remembered Su Yuchen and the arguments he had with him.

..

.

The fire was burning brightly under the night sky. Su Yuchen's father was grilling a skewered fish on top of the fire while talking with Su Yuchen. They suddenly heard the sounds of a horse from a distance.

They looked at the source of the sound. Seeing that it was Liao Feng, Su Yuchen's father turned his attention to the fish. Su Yuchen stood up.

Liao Feng stopped the horse a few metres away from them. He held the reins of the horse and said with a smirk, "Brother Yuchen, thank you, thank you!"

Liao Feng passed the reins to Su Yuchen. Su Yuchen said, "It's okay."

Liao Feng followed Su Yuchen to tie the horse to the post under the shed. He helped him with feeding the horse and placing water in front of it. He had a lot to say but closed his mouth.

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng while cleaning his hands, "How was the hunt? Did you kill anything?"

Liao Feng grinned while showing his teeth, "I killed four rabbits. I hunted them all on my own."

"You should have come to the hunt, Brother Yuchen. It was so much fun. You missed a lot."

Su Yuchen's father looked at Liao Feng who was sitting in front of him along with his son, "Since you feel that Yuchen missed a lot, did you bring anything for him from the hunt?"

Liao Feng had a sheepish look on his face, "Uncle Su, my mother took all the rabbits, so I didn't brought anything for Brother Yuchen. But my father said that he will skin those rabbits and make something for me. I will share it with Brother Yuchen."

Su Yuchen's father laughed. Su Yuchen said to Liao Feng, "You said it. You are not allowed to go back on your words."

Liao Feng raised his hand and shook his head, "I won't."

Su Yuchen asked him, "Okay. What more happened at the hunt."

Liao Feng instantly put on an excited face and said loudly, "You won't believe me, Zhao Feng killed the red horned bear with one punch. One punch! Can you believe it?"

Su Yuchen was surprised by what Liao Feng said, he asked him, "Was that bear tranquilised?"

Liao Feng shook his head, "No! As soon as Zhao Feng spotted the bear, he immediately lunged on it and landed his fist on its head. And with a boom, the red bear fell down like a mountain."

"I even felt the land shaking, when the bear fell down."

"Everyone was stunned when the bear fell down. Brother Xiaofan even threw ten, twelve stones at the bear to see if it was still alive and not acting."

Su Yuchen heard about the strength and toughness of the red horned bear a lot of times since he woke up. The sharpest sword in the village and nearby town couldn't even pierce through the skin of the red horned bear. Hearing that the red horned bear fell with a single punch greatly surprised him.

Su Yuchen father spoke, "Huh! That Zhao Feng had so much strength? I should have believed what everyone said in the village. I let you miss a great chance to enter the forest, Yuchen. If I had known earlier I would have sent you with them."

Su Yuchen shook his head and said with a smile, "It's okay father. I enjoyed fishing with you today. I, at least caught some fishes. I might not have killed any animal in the forest."

Liao Feng asked him, "You caught fishes? How many did you catch?"

Su Yuchen answered, "Not many, just three. You can continue about what happened in the forest."

Liao Feng praised Su Yuchen, "Three fishes are good. You did great, Brother Yuchen."

Chapter 25

Liao Feng continued excitedly, "Zhao Feng made fun of Brother Xiaofan for throwing the stones at the dead bear. Brother Xiaofan got angry and took Brother Daming with him claiming that they can hunt a big beast."

"Do you know what they killed? They killed a young black scales lion together. Brother Xiaofan made Zhao Feng angry while showing off in front of him, so Zhao Feng once again killed an adult black scales lion with a single punch."

"The three of them killed a lot of beasts in the forest."

"All of us killed countless beasts. If we pile them on top of each other it will become a small hill."

Liao Feng grinned at Su Yuchen and asked him, "Can you guess where all of dead beasts are?"

Su Yuchen thought of storage bags and storage rings in cultivation settings, he answered, "I don't know, where are they?"

Liao Feng laughed and tried to replicate the size of a thing with his hands, "Zhao Feng has a storage bag. Its size is only this big! The clothe of the bag is a beautiful red. He just opened the bag and stored all the beasts in it."

"The bag created a vortex and pulled all the dead beasts into it."

Su Yuchen was fascinated by the storage bag described by Liao Feng. He wanted to see it with his own eyes.

Liao Feng looked at Su Yuchen and asked him, "Do you also want to see it? Come with me tomorrow, you can see that storage bag hanging on the waist of Zhao Feng."

Su Yuchen shook his head, "I can't come. I will see it when I get a chance."

Liao Feng asked Su Yuchen, "Why can't you come? Do you have anything to do?"

Su Yuchen answered, "I will follow my father and catch birds."

Su Yuchen's father said at this time, "You can go with him and play tomorrow. I don't need your help tomorrow."

Liao Feng immediately chirped in, "Yes, you can come with me. You don't usually follow your father to catch birds. You can skip for tomorrow."

Su Yuchen was troubled by them, he said truthfully after some thought, "I don't want to. If Zhao Feng decides to do something and it turns bad, I don't want to be in those circumstances. I better avoid Zhao Feng."

Liao Feng tried to convince Su Yuchen, "I also hate when Zhao Feng does bad things, but they are not a big problem for both of us, we can just watch from the side."

Su Yuchen's father shook his head and supported Su Yuchen, "That Zhao Feng is not a good child. It is better both of you avoid him or bad things might happen to you."

Liao Feng tried to convince Su Yuchen, "Zhao Feng is bad, but he is powerful. We can just see him show his powers from the side."

Su Yuchen lightly pushed Liao Feng's shoulder and said, "Aren't you the most talented kid in the village? You can become more powerful than Zhao Feng in the future. You don't need to go and look at him now."

Liao Feng smirked, but still said, "But Zhao Feng is powerful now. He can kill beasts with one punch. He also said he killed a lot of people on his missions. I can't do those things now."

Su Yuchen frowned, he knew that killing others is very normal in cultivation world, "Don't think about killing people. You shouldn't carelessly kill another person. Just hunt the beasts in the forest when you grow stronger. The beasts in the forest are not going anywhere."

Liao Feng rebuked, "I won't be staying in the village when I grow strong. I don't need to kill weak beasts when I grow strong."

"Also, I will only kill evil doers. I won't kill any innocent person."

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng, "How do you know a person is innocent? What if you kill the wrong person?"

Liao Feng said, "I will only kill the people mentioned in the missions in the Star Falcon Sect. They will be all bad guys, I don't have to kill an innocent person."

Su Yuchen was not feeling comfortable listening to the nine year old Liao Feng thinking about killing people, although he is in a cultivation world he couldn't accept it. He also heard that Zhao Feng killed people from a disbanded sect. So he asked Liao Feng seriously, "How can you be sure that the targets in the missions are bad people and they are not innocent? Are you just going to decide because it is said on the mission?"

Liao Feng was confused by the sudden change of Su Yuchen's face, "Don't the Star Falcon Sect issue missions to kill bad people who committed crime? If a person commits a crime, he is a bad person, isn't it? I should kill him so that he won't commit more crimes."

Su Yuchen thought for a moment, he knew that he couldn't convince Liao Feng not to kill a person. He asked Liao Feng, "Why do you think you can kill someone? Even if the person is a bad guy, why do you think you should kill him? Can't you catch and keep him in prison?"

Liao Feng answered Su Yuchen, "If the bad guy committed a small crime, we should catch him and keep him in the prison. The kingdom will do this thing. The Star Falcon Sect will kill people who did big crimes. If I join the Star Falcon Sect I should also kill bad guys who committed big crimes."

Su Yuchen stared at Liao Feng and asked him, "Why can the Star Falcon Sect kill bad guys? Can't it keep them in bigger prisons?"

Liao Feng was perplexed, he said, "If the bad guy does big crimes shouldn't he be killed? The Star Falcon Sect is righteous, it should help others."

"Brother Yuchen, why are you asking me this? Do you think Star Falcon Sect shouldn't kill bad guys? But it should. It should not keep bad guys in prison and feed them."

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng, "What is a big crime?"

Liao Feng answered, "Killing innocent people, kidnapping women and children."

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng, "If a person kills a person, should you kill the attacker?"

Liao Feng answered, "Yes. If he kills someone, he should be killed."

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng, "But why should you also kill a person? He did not attack you? If he committed a crime, you should only catch him and put judge him according to the laws." Don't you think everyone in the village will point fingers at you if you kill someone?"

Liao Feng was angered, "I am killing a person who murdered someone. The village will appreciate me, they won't say bad things about me. Everyone is praising Zhao Feng in the village because he killed a lot of people."

Su Yuchen said in gentle tone, "You don't need to kill a murderer if he didn't attack you or harm you. You just need to catch him and hand him over to the Star Falcon Sect or the kingdom. If you also kill another person the people around you will not see you as a good person."

Liao Feng was baffled, "Why will others not see me as a good guy if I kill someone? I only killed a murderer."

Su Yuchen said, "To be a good person you should not kill someone. When you kill someone you will no longer be a bad person. Even if you kill someone to defend yourself, the people around you will point their fingers at you and accuse you."

Liao Feng rebuted, "The Star Falcon Sect kills many evil people, but it still has a good name. No one calls it a evil sect. Nobody accuses the sect for killing people."

Su Yuchen laughed sarcastically, he couldn't explain many things to Liao Feng. He still tried to explain to Liao Feng in simple terms, "No one accuses Star Falcon Sect when it kills evil people. However, do you really think the Star Falcon Sect is not blamed every time it kills someone?"

Liao Feng answered confidently, "The Star Falcon Sect only kills evil people."

Su Yuchen turned to his father, "Father, you knew who Zhao Feng killed on his mission, right?"

Su Yuchen's father said, "Zhao Feng's father proudly said to everyone that his son participated in exterminating a disbanded sect and the reward he got."

Su Yuchen asked, "Father, is that disbanded sect an evil sect?"

Su Yuchen's father answered, "That is a rival sect of Star Falcon Sect. It is not an evil sect."

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng, "Do you think all the members of that disbanded rival sect evil?"

Liao Feng answered slowly, "No."

Su Yuchen questioned Liao Feng, "Do they all deserve to die? Even after their sect disbanded?"

Liao Feng struggled to answer, but he still defended, "No. However, the rival sect cultivators can attack the disciples of the Star Falcon Sect if they are left alive. No one will accuse the Star Falcon Sect when they eliminate their threats."

Su Yuchen was stunned by the answer of Liao Feng, he didn't expect that this type of thinking was spread even in their remote mountain village.

Chapter 26

Su Yuchen stared at Liao Feng blankly, he asked, "Do you even understand what killing means? It is just destruction! Killing only means destruction. Does everything need to be destroyed?"

"Liao Feng, it is okay to destroy in certain situations. Now answer me, what should be the reasons to kill something or someone? I want you to think about the reason. Give me reasons."

Liao Feng began to think to give an answer to Su Yuchen. Su Yuchen's father had never seen his son so worked up before. He became worried, and paid more attention to his son's mental state.

Liao Feng quickly answered, "If you don't kill a chicken, you don't get meat. You need to kill to eat."

"When bandits attack our village, we need to kill them to survive."

"When evildoers do evil, we need to kill to protect everyone."

Su Yuchen nodded, "Yes, you kill something to eat it. It's reasonable. We kill chicken to eat meat, we grow crops and cut them to eat them. We need to eat to survive. So, to survive, we kill. It's acceptable to kill or destroy something in this situation."

He questioned Liao Feng, "Do you eat another human? Are you a cannibal?"

Liao Feng's face turned twisted, "Yuck! Who eats humans? Only demons would do that."

Su Yuchen answered, "We don't need to eat each other to survive. We are not a threat to ourselves. We don't need to kill each other to survive."

"Do we need human skin to make clothes?"

Liao Feng answered instantly, "No!"

Su Yuchen said, "We have a vast land to find a place and built shelter, don't we?"

Liao Feng nodded, "Yes!"

Su Yuchen said, "It is not necessary for me to eat another person for me to survive, I don't need his skin to make clothes. I can find other places to build a shelter if a place is occupied."

"So I have no requirements to kill another person to survive. Is this correct, Liao Feng?"

Liao Feng thought and said, "Yes, it is not necessary to kill a person. However, bandits rob and kill us for all of them, shouldn't we fight back to survive? Shouldn't we resist when others try to kill us?"

Su Yuchen nodded, "Yes, we can kill to resist. Whoever it may be, bandits, foreign armies, thieves, rapists, etc… we can kill them if we want to live."

"Now, let me simplify some things."

"Remember these two important points."

"First, I have no need to kill another person to survive."

"Second, I don't need to be killed for another person to survive."

Su Yuchen put his hands over the fire, at a safe distance. Su Yuchen's father, who was grilling fish, became alert when he saw his son moving his hands over the fire.

Su Yuchen said to Liao Feng, "Look at this fire, it doesn't burn me when I am at this distance. I also have no reason to touch the fire. I will be burned if I touch it."

Su Yuchen shook his hands violently over the flames, he said, "However, if I unreasonably try to destroy this fire by scattering the burning sticks with my own hands, what will happen to my hands?"

Liao Feng was stunned by the actions of Su Yuchen, he pulled his hands and said, "Your hands will burn if you do that."

Su Yuchen retracted his hands, he said, "See, an unreasonable behaviour will destroy my hands. I don't need to destroy the fire with my hands. If I try to destroy the fire, it will also destroy me."

"Now I am following my unreasonable behaviour."

"What will happen if I can't bear the pain and decide to pull my hands halfway through? My hands are already burned and the burning sticks are also scattered a bit with my disturbance. But my saneness is regained, my hands can still be cured."

"What will happen if I successfully destroy the fire? It means I have completely lost my sane mind, my hands are totally burned in the process, they are destroyed."

"Similarly, isn't it an unreasonable behaviour if I try to kill you? Isn't my saneness in question?"

"If I try to destroy you, you will also try to destroy me in the process of retaliation."

"If I regain my saneness and stop trying to destroy you, I can still avoid being killed by you."

"But if I don't, and then I fail, I will be destroyed by you."

"Even if I fail, isn't your mind also disturbed by me?"

"And if I succeed in killing, my sanity will be totally destroyed."

"Answer me, if my sanity is totally destroyed, am I still a reasonable man?"

Liao Feng said, "No."

Su Yuchen asked, "And if you killed me while trying to defend yourself, will your mind still remain undisturbed?"

Liao Feng answered, "No. I can't bear it."

Su Yuchen said, "Ask the villagers that survived the bandit raids, if they were ever comfortable after killing another man."

Su Yuchen's father said to them, "I killed a bandit in my youth. I felt proud when I did that, but still I was haunted by the fact that a man died in my hands. It wasn't a comfortable feeling but if I didn't kill that man at that time I might not have lived a comfortable life after."

Su Yuchen said, "You are brave to fight the bandits, father. I didn't expect for you to have that experience."

Liao Feng asked, "Uncle Su, Are you still uncomfortable about killing a man."

Su Yuchen's father replied, "No, it is already a thing of the past. I already forgot about that incident."

Su Yuchen looked at Liao Feng and asked, "An unreasonable decision harmed both parties. Now a third party can stop the situation."

"Do you remember the points that I said were important?"

Liao Feng thought and said, "I don't need to kill for survival and I don't need to be killed for other's survival."

Su Yuchen asked Liao Feng, "Was the third party actually involved in an unreasonable event?"

Liao Feng answered, "No."

Su Yuchen asked, "If I touch the burning sticks with my hands, does my father also need to touch the burning sticks to save me?"

Liao Feng answered, "No. He can just pull you without touching the burning sticks."

Su Yuchen said, "The third party also doesn't need to take the same unreasonable decision. He can try to capture the attacker without trying to kill him, can't he?

Liao Feng answered, "Yes. He can capture the attacker and save the other person."

Su Yuchen stared at Liao Feng and said softly, "Liao Feng, if you are the third party in a situation, that's what you need to do. You don't have to kill another person."

Liao Feng stared at Su Yuchen, he went through everything Su Yuchen said and nodded. He smiled and said to him, "Brother Yuchen, you are right. I don't need to kill others if I was not attacked."

Liao Feng immediately inquired Su Yuchen, "However, what about the evildoers that commit heinous crimes and kill hundreds of people? Do we still need to concentrate on capturing them? Won't they escape and kill more?"

Su Yuchen pointed at the flames, "What happens if these flames are extinguished?"

Liao Feng answered, "We will feel cold."

Su Yuchen asked, "What happens if all the flames in the world are extinguished and the sun is destroyed?"

Liao Feng said, "Our planet will be destroyed without the sun."

Su Yuchen gave a silly grin, "That's not what I am pointing at. Let's say, what if there is no heat source in our world?"

Liao Feng said, "We will die because of extreme cold."

Su Yuchen asked, "Now, there is an evil person, who goes around destroying every heat source he sees. What happens in that situation?"

Liao Feng answered, "Those places which lost their heat source turn cold."

Su Yuchen said, "Yes, those places turn cold. What will happen when there is no heat source for people? What happens to the evil person when the people decide to deal with him reasonably?"

Liao Feng answered, "The people need to find a heat source. The evil person will be captured."

Su Yuchen asked, "The new heat source is again destroyed by the evil person who escapes. What happens now?"

Liao Feng tried to answer with some doubt, "The people need to find a heat source. The evil person will be captured."

Su Yuchen said, "When the evil person repeatedly destroys the heat source, the people will feel cold and turn numb to the actions of the evil person. If he can't be captured forever, and allowed to destroy more heat sources, the people will eventually die from cold."

Su Yuchen stared into Liao Feng's eyes, "The evil person is trying to destroy the people. The people can retaliate to survive. The evil person can be destroyed in the retaliation if the evil person doesn't stop."

"If evildoers go on committing heinous crimes in the society, and when they are not stopped, it will lead to the society becoming cold and numb to their actions. The society will eventually be destroyed by the evildoers."

"The society must eliminate these attackers who threaten its survival."

"You, as a part of this society, must eliminate the evildoer that threaten your survival."

Chapter 27

Liao Feng grinned, "Brother Yuchen, do you want me to become a chivalrous man who travels around the world with a sword?"

Su Yuchen smiled, "You don't need to be like that always. Just be brave when you can achieve something, kill evildoers and save more people."

"So, did you understand everything I said up to now?"

Liao Feng answered while his eyebrows knotted together, "I think I understood most of

what you have said. When others attack me and then they don't stop trying to kill me, I can kill them without any guilty. If society means a group of people then they can also kill a person who is attacking their group repeatedly. Did I remember right, Brother Yuchen?"

Su Yuchen nodded, "Yes, you are right, it's similar to what I said."

"Now let me speak about why Star Falcon Sect killing the members from its disbanded rival sect is wrong."

Liao Feng stared at Su Yuchen and focused on what he was going to say.

Su Yuchen continued, "The disbanded sect is not an evil sect. It doesn't need to be destroyed by the society."

"A sect is an institution where people who share similar interests, goals, and experiences gather, etc... It is a mini society."

"A society has many threats it needs to deal with. One of the biggest threats to a society is the existence of another society with different interests and goals."

"What do you do when you have a threat, Liao Feng?"

Liao Feng thought about it and answered, "We need to eliminate them or show them that we are stronger than them and that we can easily eliminate them?"

Su Yuchen smiled, "The second answer you said is correct in a situation where the rival society is only a sect. The first answer is suitable when the rival sect attacks us."

Liao Feng nodded.

Su Yuchen continued, "When the rival society is a threat, we need to increase our defences and also show our offensive strength."

"Look at our kingdom. The neighbouring kingdoms are a threat to us, but did our kingdom attack the neighbouring kingdoms with our army because of that reason?"

Liao Feng shook his head, "Our kingdom didn't attack other our neighbouring kingdoms."

Su Yuchen asked, "If we are not attacking neighbouring kingdoms, why are we still maintaining an army? Why is our kingdom recruiting millions of soldiers?"

Liao Feng answered after thinking for a bit, "We are having an army so that they can protect our kingdom when other kingdoms attack us."

Su Yuchen said, "See, an army is still needed for our kingdom when other kingdoms attack us. We can retaliate against the enemy armies with our army."

"Didn't we heard that the Star Falcon Sect also maintain a large protection barrier?"

Liao Feng immediately said, "Yes, Zhao Feng said that there is a big barrier covering the Star Falcon Sect. Zhao Feng said that the barrier even stopped a big powerful man from their enemy sect from infiltrating into their sect when many of their elders are away."

Su Yuchen nodded, "Now, Star Falcon sect has its own defences. It also seems to be strong."

"I don't know the cause of the war between both sects, but Star Falcon Sect won in the end and their enemy sect disbanded."

"You do know what disbandment means, right?"

Liao Feng answered, "People from that sect stopped being members of the same gang. They are no longer together."

Su Yuchen asked, "This enemy sect is not made up of evildoers, it is not called an evil sect, right?"

Liao Feng answered, "Yes. That sect is not an evil sect."

Su Yuchen asked, "In your family, who makes decisions? Who orders everyone?"

Liao Feng answered, "My grandfather."

Su Yuchen asked, "Who makes decisions in a sect?"

Liao Feng answered, "Sect Elders and Sect leader."

Su Yuchen asked, "Who is wrong for taking bad decisions in your family and in a sect?"

Liao Feng answered, "My grandfather in my family and the sect leader and elders in a sect."

Su Yuchen said, "Now the war between sects is caused by the mentally retarded elders and sect leader."

Liao Feng laughed and nodded.

Su Yuchen asked, "They attacked and took their sect to attack the Star Falcon Sect. The Sect Elders were retaliated by the Star Falcon Sect and died in their hands. The enemy sect is also disbanded."

"The perpetrators died and the institution collapsed. Is everything settled, Liao Feng?"

Liao Feng shook his head, "The members of the sect are still alive. They can hide and kill the Star Falcon Sect disciples in sneak attacks."

Su Yuchen asked, "The enemy sect is disbanded. The goals and the interest on which the enemy sect is established is also destroyed when the sect took unreasonable actions. With that the disbanded cultivators don't need to gather again. Many do not gather, they look for other sects that satisfy their interests to join."

"These guys are not a threat to the Star Falcon Sect any more."

"Only a small group will gather and plan unreasonable actions. These are real threats to the Star Falcon Sect."

"If there is a threat what do you need to do?"

Liao Feng frowned, "You need to strengthen your defence and show your offensive power."

Su Yuchen nodded, "That's right, the Star Falcon Sect needs to strengthen its defences."

Liao Feng was not convinced, "That small group wants revenge on the Star Falcon Sect. They will for sure take unreasonable actions on the Star Falcon Sect. When they know that an attack is inevitable, should the Star Falcon Sect stay silent and let them attack? Shouldn't they attack?"

Su Yuchen stared into Liao Feng's eyes and asked, "Does the Star Falcon Sect know each individual member of their disbanded enemy sect and their choice after the war? If the Star Falcon Sect doesn't know which individual is going to attack them to take revenge, does it qualify them to kill everyone of the disbanded members?"

"If they don't know the choice of one person, can they kill everyone?"

"Many cultivators who will survive are just minor members in the sect without any decision making power. Should they suffer because of the decisions made by some people with mental illness?"

Liao Feng thought for a moment and answered, "They should be kept in prison. They are part of the enemy sect that attacked the Star Falcon Sect. As part of the sect that tried to destroy others, they should also need to suffer punishment until their minds become sane and stop for revenge."

Su Yuchen became silent and thought about Liao Feng's answer. After some time, he patted Liao Feng's shoulder and appreciated him, "Well said. That is a great choice for the Star Falcon Sect to take. As a part of your family, you will also suffer because of the bad choices your grandfather made. As a part of the sect, you will also suffer the punishment for the bad decisions your sect took."

"A war is already an unreasonable conflict. It will lead to a large scale destruction. It will also destroy the sane minds of the people that are in the midst of the conflict."

"The losers of the conflict will be hit harder than the winners."

"They need to be put under more surveillance to avoid them taking any insane actions."

Su Yuchen continued, "Now listen to me. Do we have any experience regarding all the things we spoke about till now like killing?"

Liao Feng replied, "No."

Su Yuchen asked, "We can think of this choice, shouldn't the Star Falcon Sect be able to make a similar choice? Or even better choices considering their experiences?"

Liao Feng nodded, "Yes, they should have come up with better answers regarding the disbanded members of their enemy sect."

Su Yuchen asked, "What action did the Star Falcon Sect decided on regarding the disbanded members of their enemy sect?"

Liao Feng replied, "They hunted them down and killed them."

Su Yuchen asked, "Do they need to be killed for the survival of Star Falcon Sect?"

Liao Feng answered, "They don't need to be killed for the survival of the Star Falcon Sect."

Su Yuchen asked, "Does killing the disbanded members of their enemy sect mean the Star Falcon Sect behaving unreasonably?"

Liao Feng answered, "Yes."

Su Yuchen asked, "Who takes unreasonable and violent actions?"

Liao Feng answered, "A person with insane mind. A mentally ill person."

Su Yuchen asked, "If such a person kills hundreds of people then what does he become?"

Liao Feng answered, "An evildoer."

Su Yuchen asked, "Did the Star Falcon Sect kill hundreds of people with its unreasonable behaviour?"

Liao Feng nodded, "Yes."

Su Yuchen asked, "Is the behaviour of killing hundreds of people similar to Evil Sects?"

Liao Feng hurriedly nodded, "Yes. That is an evil behaviour."

Su Yuchen asked, "Star Falcon Sect calls itself as a righteous sect. Now that it took actions similar to an evil sect, are you still going to support its actions? Are you still going to kill everyone like them?"

Liao Feng shook his head, "I will not support them. I won't kill everyone like the Star Falcon Sect."

Liao Feng clenched his fists and shook them in an up and down motion, "I am wrong, Brother Yuchen. I should not be supporting the Star Falcon Sect."

Su Yuchen felt some relief listening to Liao Feng, "I want to ask something important. Do you think killing is a good action to choose?"

Liao Feng sat straight and answered righteously with a childish tone, "Killing others is wrong, it destroys my mind. I should only kill when my survival is threatened and when the attacker does not back down from trying to kill me."

Su Yuchen nodded with relief listening to the words of Liao Feng. Although he felt weird and sad listening to the nine year old Liao Feng saying them, he was satisfied that Liao Feng might at least not become a mindless killer. He decided to instil his ideas in Liao Feng's mind from then on.

Chapter 28

Su Yuchen's father was lost in thought. His mind was filled with suspicious thoughts about ghost possession. Su Yuchen was never taught anything related to literature since he was awake from his muddled state. Everything his son knew was taught by him, he taught all his experiences to his son. He took care of his son like a baby boy for two years and always took him with him, no matter where ever he went.

The villagers already suspected of ghost possession when his son woke up two years back. He denied those rumours, but now he began to worry about whether a ghost took possession of his son.

Su Yuchen's father gently asked his son in a careful tone, "Yuchen, how did you know about these topics? Who taught you about this topic of killing not being a good thing?"

Su Yuchen was confused for a second about why his father asked him that question. He quickly answered, "Father, isn't it you who taught me that speaking lies, stealing and killing are bad actions? You taught me not to do them."

Su Yuchen father's suspicious thoughts were struck for a second, "I just said to you not to do them. I didn't say anything you have said to Liao Feng. Where did you learn them from?"

Su Yuchen realised that his father might be suspect him. His father might be suspecting him of possessing this body. He didn't possess this body, he experienced a childhood in this body, he saw many things even in a muddled state from childhood. His speciality should only be his memories, not some ghost possession. He quickly calmed down his agitated mind and answered his father, "I thought about it and understood, father. Isn't everything what I said basic? It is very easy to understand."

Su Yuchen's father was puzzled by his son's answer, many questions raised in his mind. He shot all those questions at his son, "You thought about killing and understood this? Did you understand this much just by thinking? Why did you even think about killing? Kids don't think about killing?"

Su Yuchen listened to his father's questions with a bewildered face. He sighed inwardly and answered his father faintly, "Father, it was you who said to me to not hurt others. You said to me to not kill anyone. You didn't explain why I shouldn't do them, so I thought about why you advised me to not do them. And I thought about all this then."

Su Yuchen's father was doubtful, "Really?"

Su Yuchen stared at his father and replied in an annoyed tone, "Really. Is there anything wrong about my thoughts and ideas, father?"

Su Yuchen's father quickly answered, "No. Your ideas are good. Your thoughts are good. But I just can't believe you thought about killing this much."

Su Yuchen laughed and said, "If I remember correctly, what I said to Xiaofeng was all thought by me within an hour. Although I scratched my head for the reason to not kill for more than a week, I got this answer to it within an hour. I don't remember what particular point I was satisfied with, but that revealed this answer to me when I continued to think by following that direction."

Su Yuchen's father was slightly assured with that answer. He said to his son in a gentle and warm, "You are very smart. You should do this every time. From now on, share with me what topic you have thought about. I will also advise you." Though suspicious, Su Yuchen's father was satisfied and happy that his son could think in the right path.

Su Yuchen's brows were furrowed, he asked his father, "Father, why did you ask me these many questions all of a sudden?"

Su Yuchen's father looked at his son, and said in a soothing voice, "No one in the village thinks like you. What you have said is not taught by anyone in the village. So I wanted to know if you ever any met any outsider in the village."

Su Yuchen shook his head and answered, "I didn't meet any outsider in the village. However, does my ideas about killing need to be taught to someone else? You should have better understanding than me about killing, father."

Su Yuchen's father laughed and said, "We only teach children to not hurt and kill others and that is a bad behaviour. Children just ask the adults some questions on why not and then forget them. No child will think about a question for more than a week."

"As for my understanding about killing. I only know that I should not hesitate to kill anyone who tries to harm my family and my village, that is it. You have a good understanding about that than me. We don't think about killing like you do."

Su Yuchen's face began to show a hint of melancholy, "Father, if you are saying that the villagers don't think like I do, did you doubt that a ghost took possession of me and had these ideas? Do you also think I am a ghost?"

Su Yuchen's father was shaken by his son's question. He softened his voice and said in a soothing voice, "No! Yuchen, I didn't doubt you. What you have said is just unthinkable for me, so I was worried about where you learnt all those topics from. Don't be sad, believe your father."

Su Yuchen forced himself to bite his tongue, his eyes turned red, his voice became shaky as he said to his father, "Father, isn't it you who taught me to not lie? Why are you lying now? Isn't it easy for me to realise that you were thinking of ghost possession when you were me asking those questions?"

"Does it mean I am a ghost if I think about killing? The whole village discusses murders and killing all the time. Xiaofeng dreams about joining a sect and killing bad guys! Adults and children all discuss killing and even argues on which famous cultivator is a better killer!"

"Why does this turn into ghost possession when I think about murders and killings? I am not a ghost!"

Su Yuchen's emotions erupted in an instant. 

"If, you adults, didn't realise the views I had earlier than me, it means you are not questioning about why those evil behaviours are evil. The villagers are stupid for not discussing the harmful consequences of killing, they are idiots for just arguing about which cultivator killed more. When the villagers engage in that foolery and I think about the reasons to not kill, it shouldn't make me the possessed person! The villagers should be the possessed ghosts!"

"I already think my approaches are too simple and an adult or a cultivator should have a better approach to this topic."

"If the villagers think I am possessed by a ghost, then I shouldn't have these views about killing, because a ghost from this village would have been too stupid to think of what I have thought. After haunting this village for a long time, the ghost will become a wisp of stupidity."

Su Yuchen vomited all the resentment he had about the village in one breath. The malicious rumours spread in the village led to many concerns for his father, who defended him vigorously against them. Seeing his loving father suspecting him was unacceptable for him. His father was already tired after supporting a burden like him. Anything that breaks his father's hopes and longings for him should be obliterated.

Su Yuchen stared at his father and said in a dull voice, "I already doubted if my approaches are wrong when ever I observe the villagers. Father, if you doubt me because of the villagers' rumours, then I am more asserted in my approach."

"Father, I don't want you to suspect me and become depressed unnecessarily. Don't follow the villagers stupidly, try to understand that I think differently than them. Thinking differently than them should not make me a ghost."

Su Yuchen's father was overwhelmed with emotions after listening to his son's talk that was filled with resentment towards the villagers.

He realised that his worries were unnecessary. His son's experiences of this village were different from his. The way his son perceived the world was different from him. This was what he should worry about, not some rumours that vilify his son.

His son was already walking on a good path just by thinking about the advises he gave to him. He should show more worry and care for his son and encourage him in the path he was walking.

Su Yuchen's father patted his son's head and spoke in a deliberately softened voice, "I am sorry, son. I shouldn't have hurt you with those questions. Don't be upset by my mistaken suspicions. I won't think about those rumours any more."

Su Yuchen complained to his father, "I will become angry on the villagers if you believed those rumours, father. I will become sad only if you make yourself miserable because of them."

Su Yuchen's father ruffled the hair of Su Yuchen, "Not all the villagers are bad

rumourmongers, Yuchen. Many villagers helped me with taking care of you. Don't be filled with resentment towards them."

Su Yuchen laughed, "Resentment towards stupid people will only make me stupid. I won't care about them."

..

.

The night sky was full of bright stars. The wooden sticks in the camp fire were burning slowly. The red hot coals were slowly buried in ashes. Staring at the starry night, Liao Feng reminisced the blurred memories he had with Su Yuchen and Su Yuchen's father. He tried to remember the day from which Su Yuchen tried to instil his views on him.

The cool wind slowly cleared his mind. He recalled the different voices of Su Yuchen while thinking about the actions that he needed to take in the coming days.