Li Yuanjiao fell silent for a moment, his voice turning hoarse. "You are correct... Yu Muxian entered Azure Pond Sect at the age of eight. He has spent his years in secluded cultivation. I have never heard of him harming others..."
His vision dimmed slightly, his Immortal Foundation wavering. A wave of fear crept into his heart, filling him with a sense of helplessness. Beads of cold sweat gathered on his face, dripping steadily. He finally broke the silence, his voice trembling slightly.
"People like us are not like you. Our lives are spent walking on a knife's edge. The things we do... they are far from honorable. We kill for wealth, for self-preservation, for family... And sometimes, the people we kill do not deserve to die."
"I have lost count of how many lives I have taken. I do not fear death, nor do I claim to follow a righteous path. I do not weigh sins against virtues. My family has shed blood at Moongaze Lake, and among those who perished, not all were guilty."
"The road to the Dao stretches endlessly forward. Do you think every obstacle in the way is a despicable villain? No. The path to power is not paved with ethereal purity and celestial grace. My family... we are merely struggling to survive."
Li Yuanjiao stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the sharp blade at his waist emitting a faint hum. A cooling sensation spread through his Shenyang Mansion, gradually calming his turbulent emotions. His tone softened as he continued, "I do not offer this as an excuse. I am simply not a virtuous man. My family treats mortals and rogue cultivators kindly. We do not cultivate through blood qi, and I rarely harm others without cause. But when the survival of my family is at stake, I cannot afford to retreat."
Tu Longjian stared at him blankly before responding, "Senior, you misunderstand me..."
He fell silent for several breaths, as if he had more to say. However, before the words could leave his lips, a deep, resonant drumbeat reverberated through the heavens.
Boom!
Both men instinctively turned their gazes skyward. Amidst the vast sea of stars, a brilliant white light emerged, scattering clouds as it descended. Amid the glittering starlight, a jade wall slowly rose into view.
The jade wall was covered in dense engravings, etched with countless names. Amidst the hazy clouds, it appeared blurred and indistinct. Several streaks of light rose from the horizon, heading toward the jade wall.
Boom!
A second deep drumbeat echoed through the air. Tu Longjian hurriedly said, "Senior! The Three Drums Wall is descending. Let us go observe it first. We can discuss this matter later!"
The two of them soared into the sky, Tu Longjian's hand gently brushing over the black-red token at his waist as his spiritual sense stirred. What madness is this? Why would you use your divine ability to influence him!
The token flickered faintly, transmitting a weak spiritual response, You are the one who's mad! Why would you provoke that Yu Muxian! I know someone like you, still clinging to notions of old debts. If I act to deter him and make him retreat on his own, wouldn't that be perfect? But alas, my strength has waned... and this man's will is solid... he actually broke free of it on his own...
Tu Longjian's anger flared but there was no opportunity to lash out, so he could only sulk as he flew higher into the clouds, glancing into the distance.
The skies were already filled with figures, their forms scattered within the cloud layers. Many familiar faces hovered silently in the mist, all intently watching the jade wall, waiting. Tu Longjian turned to Li Yuanjiao behind him and said softly, "This is an opportunity open to all... Senior, let us wait a moment."
The two stood in midair for some time. Slowly, the veil of mist shrouding the jade wall dispersed, revealing a massive surface inscribed with tightly packed ancient characters. At a glance, all the markings on the jade wall appeared to be names of techniques.
The sight in the clouds was spectacular. Nearly all those within the grotto heaven had gathered here, their robes and garments of every color glimmering in the light of their dharma artifacts and spirit tools. Each cultivator stood frozen, hands forming incantations, their gazes fixed on the jade wall.
Boom!
The third drumbeat reverberated at last. None dared to move as two figures materialized before the jade wall.
One figure was tall and clad in ancient white robes, cascading downward in flowing lines with two pale sashes hanging loosely at his sides. His face was obscured by a hazy aura, and golden-white halos rippled outward behind his head, marking him as no ordinary being.
The other appeared to be a youth, sitting cross-legged atop a cloud with his feet dangling freely. He leaned lazily against the Three Drums Wall, holding a jade pot in one hand and casually pouring its contents into his mouth. His face, too, was veiled in indistinct mist, while his other hand rested on his knee.
The youth spoke softly, "I have always had a question I cannot resolve. I wonder if Senior might enlighten me."
The standing figure gave a slight nod.
The youth asked, "Does morality truly exist in this world?"
"I have wandered across Jiangnan and the Eastern Seas, witnessing countless people and countless events. Conflicts in this world stem first from gain, second from emotion, and only third from morality." He continued, "Forget about good and evil. Killing someone to advance one's cultivation—could that be considered moral?"
The white-robed figure shook his head definitively. The youth chuckled and pressed on, "If killing to cultivate is immoral, then what about killing to seize treasure—can that be called moral?"
The white-robed figure gave a faint shake of his head.
The youth persisted, "Then is it moral to harm and kill in the name of stealing another's heritage or dharma artifact? If it is immoral to harm and kill for the sake of theft, then enslaving others must also be immoral. If enslaving others is immoral, then renting land to tenants and collecting taxes or tributes must likewise be acts of exploitation! Buying cheap and selling high, extorting excessive profits—are these not also violations of morality?"
The youth's voice remained light and airy, "In that case, let me ask you, Senior: Since the dawn of human society, when has the ruling class ever possessed morality? And when have the ruled ever followed morality?"
The white-robed figure gently shook his head and replied, "It is precisely because human hearts are mired in greed that we, who are blessed by the heavens and earth, must act to set the world right. We are tasked with correcting humanity and nurturing our own morality... to enter the world and cultivate by upholding justice."
The young man straightened his back, his gaze fixed on the figure before him, and his tone grew cold and stern, "If we go by what you have just said, the Wei State is still cultivating Bright Yang, with its system of three wives and four concubines. They have established an imperial hierarchy, centralizing power into a single figure and enforcing a rigid structure of reverence and submission. Where, then, is the concept of governance through noninterference? In today's world, when have cultivators ever shown any true morality?"
He let out a cold laugh. "So this is your logic: cultivate immortality, cultivate immortality... but no matter what we cultivators do, we are born guilty! As long as there is injustice and inequality in this world, it can all be blamed on us. And then what? So what? What does it have to do with me?"
His tone was icy, and though he addressed the figure before him as senior, there was no hint of reverence in his words, only audacious defiance.
The figure in white spoke softly, "In ancient times, men and women mingled freely, and they felt no shame in being without clothing; union itself was considered morality. In the distant past, when heaven and earth had no order, treasures were claimed by the capable, and that, too, was morality. Today, under imperial rule, the authority of rulers and parents is morality. Morality, like the fruits of the Dao, is ever-changing. It is not a static thing."
"Oh?" The young man burst into laughter, his laughter rolling out uncontrollably, his body swaying with amusement.
The figure in white merely stood there in silence, observing him until the young man finally subdued his laughter. When he spoke again, his voice carried a biting edge, "So, senior, your so-called morality is like dandelion fluff in the wind, changing at every whim! You keep your eyes fixed on the heavens, bowing to the celestial tribulations above, letting them dictate everything. With reins through your nose like an old ox plowing a field, you move wherever you are directed!"
His tone turned chilling, his words laden with scorn, "Then remember this, senior—perhaps someday, killing others to cultivate will also be considered morality! After all, the fault lies not with me, but with the times, with the heavens themselves!"