Cruelty

Wearing a purple Daoist robe, Yu Ruochen, with hair casually tied back with a black ribbon, stood silently on a very large open space.

The ground of this flat area, spanning hundreds of zhang in area, seemed to be cast entirely from metal, gleaming with a faint luster. At a glance, one could feel the unique coldness, hardness, and weight of metal.

The altitude here was almost level with the sea of clouds, so much so that a faint mist, like white gauze, floated an inch above the entire ground.

Apart from Yu Ruochen standing silently, the entire plaza was empty. However, around the plaza, every twenty zhang, there was a large square cauldron, emitting a faint smoke from which a clear, fragrant scent wafted, the mist lingering.

To the north of the plaza was a hundred-step staircase, also cast from metal. Each step had deep grooves for anti-slip and water drainage. Above the hundred steps stood a main hall of vermilion color, with massive vermilion pillars supporting black glazed eaves. The hall, with its vermilion and black contrast, predominantly vermilion, was fronted by white marble balustrades. Behind the hall was a steep gorge, into which the latter half of the hall disappeared. Framed by the steep gorges on both sides, the hall resembled a pearl in a clam shell. A thin waterfall also sprayed down from the side of the cliff, adding a touch of liveliness to the hall.

Although this hall was not as grand and magnificent as the giant hall within Mount Luofu, it appeared extremely exquisite and beautiful.

Yu Ruochen stood motionless on the metal-cast plaza, slowly merging with the twilight of the entire Shushan, becoming indistinguishable. It was as if he had completely integrated into the surrounding world.

Unity of Heaven and Man.

Yu Ruochen, without any discernible magical energy fluctuations, had also entered the state of Unity of Heaven and Man.

Suddenly, a red light shot into the sky from afar, dispersing into dozens of red rays of light. This was the Flying Flame Talisman cast by Dan Lingsheng to summon disciples back for assembly.

Yu Ruochen suddenly raised his head slightly, looking towards the dispersing rays of light.

With this slight movement, Yu Ruochen detached himself from the surrounding world.

The state of Unity of Heaven and Man was broken.

"Yuan Tianyi surpassed my current realm thirty years ago. I am still not as good as him," Yu Ruochen said slowly, sighing as he quietly watched the ray of light.

A bright sword light suddenly shot from the direction of Tianzhu Peak, landing far below Yu Ruochen on the plaza.

"Martial Uncle!"

Clad in a black robe, the newcomer bowed to Yu Ruochen. It was Duan Tianya, whose expression was always cold.

"Do you think this method is too cruel for them?" Yu Ruochen nodded at Duan Tianya and suddenly said.

"Martial Uncle, you already know my intention?" Duan Tianya nodded and said solemnly, "Who is without fault? It is normal for them to be greedy for life and fearful of death without tempering. Perhaps with an opportunity, they can become the backbone of Shushan in the future."

"What you say is certainly true," Yu Ruochen said gently, looking at Duan Tianya, then at Shushan enveloped by the twilight. "Yuan Tianyi perished in Kunlun, and even the Chì Lè Sect opened the Great Brahma Mandala Wall for self-preservation. Kunlun has been making moves for days. Starting yesterday, they are recruiting disciples widely and have sent out over a hundred elite disciples into the world for training. Although I don't know why, a great change has occurred. Our Shushan is at the forefront, not because we are cruel, but because the general trend of the world has forced us to act this way."

Although Yu Ruochen's voice was gentle and calm, Duan Tianya could hear the intense killing intent within it. Duan Tianya remained silent, but his fists involuntarily clenched slightly.

"There are still a few days until the Sword Recognition Ceremony," Yu Ruochen suddenly smiled, looking at the empty plaza. "By then, this place will be filled with my Shushan disciples. I wonder if any of them will surprise us this time."

After a pause, Yu Ruochen smiled again and said, "Every year, our Shushan welcomes such a day. I only wish that every year I can stand here and watch such a day."

In the night, looking out, the sky in the distance was filled with swirling clouds.

***

"Where am I?"

Luo Bei sat up abruptly.

A faint ray of sunlight filtered through the black lacquered window frame, revealing that it was already morning.

"Where is that black-robed stranger named Lu Yu? Did Martial Uncle Dan Lingsheng and the others save me?"

Full of doubt, Luo Bei looked at the empty room, furnished only with a woven straw mat and a censer burning purple incense. He pushed open the window right in front of him and was startled again.

Outside the window was a thick sea of clouds!

The room Luo Bei was in was actually on a cliff extending outwards, suspended in the air! Outside the window was a ten-thousand-zhang abyss!

With a creak, Luo Bei pushed open the door of the room.

Outside the door was a courtyard of over ten zhang in area. The ground of the courtyard was a naturally flattened piece of rock.

Surrounding the courtyard were rooms like the one Luo Bei was in, stacked in layers, a total of five floors.

The five-story buildings surrounding the courtyard were all ancient and sturdy. Above the central building, facing a black grand door, hung a plaque about four zhang long.

"Dao Fa Zi Ran"

Four characters in wild cursive script seemed to fly out of the decaying plaque.

Dan Lingsheng stood in the center of the courtyard, amidst these four surrounding buildings.

Dan Lingsheng's face, with its terrifying scars, still looked shocking, sending a chill down one's spine. However, there seemed to be a hint of warmth in his eyes.

"Cai Shu?"

Luo Bei pushed open the door, looking at this place he had never been to before with a dazed expression. At that moment, he noticed that the door of the room next to his was also pushed open. Cai Shu, looking just as surprised as he was, met his gaze with the same questioning look.

"Martial Uncle Dan Lingsheng, what exactly is going on? I encountered a black-robed stranger on Tianzhu Peak, he said he was Lu Yu from North Yin Mountain..."

As Luo Bei from the ground floor room walked out, he immediately asked Dan Lingsheng, who was standing not far in front of him.

However, Dan Lingsheng merely waved his hand, signaling Luo Bei to stop talking.

Luo Bei and Cai Shu stood in the morning sunlight, exchanging glances. At that moment, the doors of the surrounding rooms opened one after another. From some of the rooms that had not yet opened, came a nightmare-like cry of alarm.

"Senior Brother Lin Hang!"

Among the people who came out, Luo Bei saw Lin Hang, whose face was a little pale. He couldn't help but grab Lin Hang and secretly ask, "Senior Brother Lin Hang, what happened?"

"I... I don't know..." Lin Hang said, somewhat surprised and confused, shaking his head. He stammered, "I... I... I encountered someone on Tianzhu Peak, he said he was from the North Yin Sect..."

"What, you also encountered someone from the North Yin Sect?!"

Lin Hang's words were stammering, but this sentence was like a gunpowder keg exploding in the hearts of Luo Bei and Cai Shu, who heard it!

"What exactly is going on?!" Luo Bei couldn't help but turn around abruptly and loudly ask Dan Lingsheng.

This stern question drew all eyes to Dan Lingsheng and Luo Bei.

"If you weren't idiots, you should have figured it out by now," Dan Lingsheng said indifferently, glancing at Luo Bei before lowering his gaze. "How could people from the North Yin Sect sneak into Shushan? This so-called North Yin Sect was just a test for you."

"Boom!" A wave of uproar swept through the crowd.

Luo Bei looked around at the expressions on others' faces and knew they had all encountered the so-called North Yin Sect member, Lu Yu, just like he had.

"What happens to those who fail the test?" someone suddenly couldn't help but ask. Luo Bei's gaze swept over to Ling Dong Shan, whose face was also pale.

"He also refused to poison Dan Lingsheng. Senior Brother Lin Hang can be here, so clearly he also..."

Just as this thought surfaced in Luo Bei's mind, he heard Dan Lingsheng say coldly, "Those who fail the trial will no longer be Shushan disciples starting today."

"Expelled directly from the sect!"

Luo Bei's fists clenched. Everyone had gathered, but he saw that including himself, there were only six people left. Not even those from Zi Xuangu were among them.

The fate of these people was predictable.

"Isn't this punishment too severe?" Luo Bei couldn't help but look at Dan Lingsheng and ask.

"Too severe?" Dan Lingsheng didn't even look up and said silently, "Why are you here, and they are not? You just memorized the Shushan regulations yesterday. Don't you know that anything that seeks profit or involves harming fellow disciples is a grave offense in Shushan?"

Luo Bei was speechless.

Indeed, he couldn't find any reason to refute Dan Lingsheng. Yet, his chest felt inexplicably hollow.

Because, like Duan Tianya who had pleaded for Yu Ruochen, he suddenly felt that even though some people had made mistakes, they should still be given another chance.

"Having a benevolent heart is a good thing."

Dan Lingsheng's gaze swept over Luo Bei's face again, and his voice, devoid of any emotion, rang out, "But as you cultivate and gain experience, you will learn that cultivation is not just about flying around in the sky with sword light! Do you know how many predecessors sacrificed their bodies and souls for Shushan to achieve what it has today? Sometimes, a single lapse in judgment can lead to eternal damnation!"

"Those who pass this trial will be granted the 'Great Dao Direct Pointing Cui Xu Art.' Our Shushan sword techniques are unparalleled in the world, and the 'Great Dao Directing Cui Xu Art' is its foundation."

"The pills you took this time were not poison, but genuine Jade Condensing Pills. The last herb for the Jade Condensing Pill is extremely difficult to find. From today onwards, I hope you will hold onto your true heart, just as you did when facing Lu Yu. Otherwise, even if you learn our Shushan incantations, you will surely go astray! You will have wasted Shushan's teachings and this pill!"

"Luo Bei," as Dan Lingsheng took out the black leather-bound scripture from his bosom that Luo Bei had seen in Lu Yu's hands and unfolded the words of the Great Dao Directing Cui Xu Art, Cai Shu, standing beside Luo Bei, suddenly asked him softly, "One day, if someone were to force you to harm me like Lu Yu did, would you agree?"

Luo Bei was taken aback, then shook his head. "Of course not."

Cai Shu, who had not turned to look at him while asking, smiled faintly and said softly, "Neither would I."