Shuren continued to speak.

  “But once you do, your life is forfeit.”

  Yijun’s worst fears had come to fruition. Her hands trembled, the dagger moving slightly back from the young child’s neck. Weren’t the two in front of them meant to be the righteous cultivators of the Seven Clouds Sect? They felt like monsters instead, kids that had far too much power, yet killed a middle-aged veteran.

  The man’s eyes in front were ice blue, and she felt like an insignificant bug. A Stage 7 like her that barely got to this level with scarce resources was no match against the pair that killed a Rank 2. She wouldn’t be surprised if they had powerful charms protecting their lives as well, like well groomed children of a top tier sect.

  Killing the orphan was pointless. Yijun had no desire to kill her out of malice.

  She saw herself in the child.

  Her scrambled train of thought was interrupted by a cold voice.

  “But there is a way for you to live.” Shuren had caught Yijun’s attention now. “As long as you-”

  Shuren threw a bloodied dagger with the power of a Stage 9 Qidense, stabbing deep into Yijun’s hand. She dropped her dagger, losing her advantage with the hostage.

  “You scoundrel!” She said, stumbling while grabbing her short sword on her side.

  Shuren’s eyes were completely bloodshot, disregarding everything while his Qi cycled on his feet, dashing forward with madness. He let go of his weapon to spare a hand in grabbing the child.

  Ignoring the wound in his calf re-opening, Shuren covered the distance within two seconds.

  Yijun slashed with a predictable amateurish swing of her blade, and Shuren smacked it away with the back of his hand.

  Too easy.

  Shuren delivered a raw punch straight to her liver.

  Yijun staggered backwards, and her back felt the hard and cold sensation of the wall. Spit and saliva choked out of her mouth, as she lost control of her breath. She tried to swing at him once more, but an iron grip stopped her left hand from moving. Like chains that had just been wrapped around her.

  Like before, when she was just a mere slave.

  But they were just the hands of Shuren, stopping her with ease.

  Yijun clenched her jaw, glaring at Shuren. But what came out of her mouth next wasn’t words of defiance.

  “Spare me! I’m willing to be your servant!”

  “Spare you?”

  Shuren’s eyes became bloodshot, and veins bulged in his neck.

  Twisting Yijun’s wrist to disarm her, Shuren grabbed the short sword that left her hand.

  With a crack, her wrist was shattered. Shuren only needed to exert a bit of strength for this woman.

  And when she saw his face, it was filled with indifference and conceit. His eyes were like a still mountain amongst a storm. Unaffected by her pleas.

  With the short sword in his hand, Shuren stabbed.

  Deep through her heart. Until the blade stabbed through the wall behind her, pinning Yijun to her death.

  Even though Shuren couldn’t use Qi when holding on to a sword, killing a person like her with a basic stab was easy enough.

  “Did you consider sparing the parents of that child you killed? When you chopped them, tortured them, and burnt them in front of her?” Shuren asked, with a voice so low it dripped with glacial fury.

  Yijun made an indescribable expression. Her lips quivered, her cheeks convulsed. But it was not fear that riddled her eyes, but of moist sorrow. In the end, she had a mocking smile as cold tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “Y-you think I wanted to? You think I enjoy killing people?” Yijun whispered, blood rising through her throat. She coughed, splattering her own blood on Shuren’s face.

  He didn’t react.

  Shuren would not move away. Unlike the Rank 2, she had no chance of fighting back now. She was weak.

  He was willing to be the sole receiver of her dying words.

  And what would the words of a cursed murderer of innocents like her be? What justification, what ideals, what absurd notion would she give for doing such a thing?

  It took everything in Shuren’s power to not cut off her tongue.

  But she was dying either way.

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  Yijun raised her left hand, grasping Shuren’s robes. They were silky, comfortable, and extravagant.

  Unlike hers.

  And Shuren raised an eyebrow when he noticed the expression in her amber eyes.

  It wasn’t that of despair, or of anger.

  It was a familiar expression he had seen.

  Was it despair? Not quite.

  It was resignation.

  “Have your dignity be stripped, your will stolen. Your freedom chained and thoughts smashed to nothingness. When you have absolutely nothing left, forced to live under the power of someone else, then come back to me. You!” she stammered. Blood continued to pour out of her throat, but she continued regardless.

  “You have everything under the heavens, so don’t you dare talk me down like some demon! If you were in my position, you also would’ve done the same thing…”

  “So you say that this was out of your hands? Because I’d rather be a dead slave than be forced to be a dirty demon willing to kill the parents of a young child. All I hear are ridiculous excuses from a weak willed woman.”

  His anger was replaced by irritation. This was her justification?

  “Perhaps… I am weak willed. This world is a prison; a realm filled with nothing but despair.” Her fingers dug into Shuren’s collar.

  “Have you… Ever starved to the point you ate bark?”

  “Bark? There should at least be fruits on a tree for sustenance, why would you…” Shuren replied.

  “Has there ever been a day where you haven’t had a home to return to? Watch all your friends and family die from starvation? Wear the same clothes for years? You…” Yijun coughed out blood, wheezing in pain.

  Shuren had a grim face. He let her continue to speak.

  “You have the backing of a powerful sect. You’re strong, your opportunities are endless. You have a choice.” Yijun’s head slumped down, gazing at the blade that stabbed her heart.

  “Do you think you would be different if you led my life?” she said with a hoarse voice.

  “Of course. I would never yield to a demon. I would rather die.”

  “I see.”

  Yijun looked at the opening in the ceiling, with the light of day pouring in.

  Did she ever have a choice in making her own path? From youth, she was taken in as a starving orphan, nothing ever held in her hands. She knew no warmth of family, nor of love.

  At least in her last moments, she wanted to try something of her own choice for once.

  Shuren stepped back after letting go of the weapon. To her, I seem like the richest man, with the choice of will. But even then, the values instilled in me, my ideals, would never make me yield to a demon. Even if it means death.

  “You call yourself a righteous cultivator… If you wish to stop them, be wary of the mount-” Yijun vomited out her innards endlessly.

  “What’s going on? I didn’t inflict this wound!” Shuren even considered grabbing a healing pill, but there was no saving this woman at this point. It was as if her entire body revolted against her, forcing her to hasten towards death. “Something’s wrong!”

  “Remember… The Revered Truth S-”

  A blood curdling shriek filled Shuren’s ears, and he backed off in surprise.

  Yijun’s own tongue had been cut off, falling out of her mouth. Yet, when she stared at Shuren for a final time, life dimming from her eyes, she gave a smile that defied death itself, filled with mockery for the world.

  If Yijun was going to die, then she would die on her own terms.

  Shuren imprinted every single word she said in his mind, ensuring he wouldn’t forget it. Something was off. Especially that demonic scream at the end.

  At this point Ming stood up, limping towards Shuren. He walked so that he wouldn’t put pressure on his injuries.

  Yijun’s corpse wriggled for a moment, until a dark red creature tore itself out of her chest, plopping to the floor with a squelch.

  This disgusting thing had no mouth, and yet it expanded with that sharp shriek.

  When Shuren saw that thing, every cell in his body desired nothing but smashing it to a pulp. This disgust went further beyond sighting a disgusting bug. It was far beyond that.

  This thing shouldn’t exist in this world. That’s what his brain screamed at him. His foot smashed it over a dozen times at once, making sure that disgusting, nauseating, loathsome worm would die.

  “Shuren!” Ming yelled, snapping him out of his stupor. Shuren wouldn’t stop stomping on that thing, as if he’d been turned insane. “What the hell is that thing?!”

  Shuren’s foot was trembling as he lifted it off, and a foul, sticky resin that pulsated with small eyes wriggled and melted.

  “It’s still alive?!”

  The worm wheezed, writhing as it moved north. Ming had already unsheathed his sword

  He also felt the revolting sensation at its sight. Ming stabbed it once, yet it sliced apart into dozens of pieces. Its wriggling and bulging eyes exploded, and an abhorrent smell swept across the room, far worse than the child corpse Shuren had to dig out before.

  It made their throats churn. The Silvent orphan finally gave a reaction, spilling vomit to the side.

  “Let’s get out and get some fresh air. Focus on healing up first, then we’ll check the room later.” Ming patted him. “And grab the girl too. I’m not exactly in the state to.”

  Shuren nodded, slowly walking towards the Silvent girl.

  “We’re from the Seven Clouds Sect, sent to get you.” Shuren held out a hand to her, but she rubbed the vile remains of vomit off her mouth and refused to move.

  “I’ve buried your parents. A filial child like you should pray at their grave.” Shuren was going to ignore her response to pick her up, but at those words she nudged forward. He grabbed the girl, lifting her up. Her tired, emotionless eyes fluttered, the drowsiness and exhaustion reaching her limits.

  Shuren took a last glance at the corpse of Yijun. Even with her battered condition, her smile didn’t fall. The light of the outside world fell in her direction, illuminating her for one last time.

  Is this… Regret? No. It’s this urge to deny her words.

  She claimed that if Shuren were in her circumstances, he would’ve done the same thing.

  I would never.

  Finally, words came out of the girl’s mouth for the first time before she fell asleep.

  “She never tried hurting my parents… Big sister was… just like me…”

  She held onto her shawl, sleeping in Shuren’s arms.

  Shuren had a conflicted gaze.

  No one would willingly choose to be a murderer. How many people could say they enjoyed killing? Would everyone in a demonic sect be the same, all crazed with the taste of blood?

  At the very least, that woman didn’t seem like it. Whatever her reasons for joining the demonic sect, would he also have done the same in her situation?

  He yearned to prove her wrong.

  But he couldn’t.