Clear in Heart, Clear in Reason

Zhu Tong had been worried these past few days.

He always felt that Bai Yu was not someone who would give up easily.

Yet over the past few days, Bai Yu's every action had remained as usual.

Apart from being more gloomy than before, he would buy some pork and beef from time to time to feed the black dog.

"Looks like he truly intends to give the black dog away. That's why he feels so bad and is giving it a few good meals."

Zhu Tong finally relaxed and let out a sigh.

"In life, eight or nine things out of ten never go as one wishes. Of the remaining one or two, they are even less satisfactory."

"If you want to live well, you have to give up some things. Little Bai is no exception."

With that, Zhu Tong began clattering away at his abacus again, checking this month's income for the funeral home.

The days passed one by one, and Bai Yu showed not the slightest unusual movement.

The day when Second Master Zuo would come to collect protection money again was drawing near.

On the twelfth night, Bai Yu blew out the lamp.

He invested several hundred points of life experience into his crossbow bolts.

Crossbowsmanship: Mastery, 1/10000!

A cold smile curved Bai Yu's lips. He stuffed clothes beneath the quilt, making it look as though someone was lying in bed.

Then, like a swallow, he leaped out through the window.

Dressed in black nightwear, he sped through the darkness.

Before long, he reached the rooftop above an alley and quietly lay in wait.

His pitch-black clothes were utterly inconspicuous beneath the night sky.

These past few days, Bai Yu seemed to have done nothing, but in truth, he had secretly followed Second Master Zuo every night and thoroughly learned his routine.

Second Master Zuo had kept a woman outside, and he visited her once every three days.

Moreover, he always returned home thoroughly drunk.

Bai Yu activated the Mystic Tortoise Breath Concealment Art, suppressing his presence to the utmost. No one could possibly discover that a person was lying atop the roof.

Time passed second by second, until footsteps sounded in the distance.

Humming a little tune, Second Master Zuo staggered drunkenly out of a small courtyard.

He was in an excellent mood today.

Recently, the Black Wolf Gang had raised its protection fees, so more people had come to borrow usurious loans from him.

That had earned him a viciously fat sum.

Today, he had just come out of his lover's house. Her service these days had practically sent his soul flying from his body.

Humming his tune, he entered the alley and untied his trousers at the corner to relieve himself.

"Once next month comes and the loan money is collected, Second Master here will make even more."

"And that brat from the funeral home should be worth squeezing another two taels of oil from. Then I'll send that big black dog to my brother-in-law. Maybe I can climb another rung or two."

Second Master Zuo finished relieving himself in high spirits and turned around.

Whoosh!

A crossbow bolt tore through the air.

Second Master Zuo had been completely unprepared, and he had drunk quite a bit besides. He had no time to react at all.

The bolt shot straight into his throat and punched clean through his neck!

A yellow talisman was attached to the middle of the bolt!

Second Master Zuo could not make a sound. One hand clutched his neck while the other hurriedly reached behind him for a weapon.

At that moment, a black shadow descended like a great bird, closing in before Second Master Zuo and striking his arm out of its socket with one palm.

"You... you are..."

His throat injured, Second Master Zuo could only make a hoarse rasping sound.

"That's right. It's me!"

"Let me offer you one piece of advice: in your next life, when you can spare someone, spare them."

A glint of cold light flashed in Bai Yu's hand as a dagger plunged into Second Master Zuo's heart.

Second Master Zuo died on the spot, his pupils gradually scattering.

Bai Yu sneered and retrieved the crossbow bolt and dagger.

He took three Gathering Affliction Talismans from his robes and pasted them onto the wall.

A chill wind rose in the alley for no reason at all.

Visible black vapor streamed in from every direction and entered Second Master Zuo's corpse.

In the blink of an eye, Second Master Zuo's body began to blacken and rot, turning into a pool of foul-smelling black water.

In the end, only a tattered garment remained, wrapped around a snow-white skeleton.

Now, even if Judge Bao himself came, he would not be able to tell how Second Master Zuo had died.

Bai Yu sneered, put away the three Gathering Affliction Talismans, and leaped onto the rooftop like a bat, vanishing into the night sky.

Under the night sky, he gulped down mouthfuls of air, unable to stop the exhilaration swelling in his heart.

"Hmph. If you dare offend one who seeks immortality, you had better be prepared to be killed in return."

He moved stealthily all the way back, swiftly returning to the funeral home.

The moment he reached the small courtyard's entrance, however, he saw that the gate was open and Uncle Jiu was sitting in the yard drinking tea.

Uncle Jiu turned to Bai Yu, his gaze blazing.

"Did you use an Evil-Suppressing Talisman?"

Bai Yu shuddered in alarm.

He had not expected tonight's gathering Killing Intent to alert Uncle Jiu.

When Bai Yu had become his disciple, Uncle Jiu had said that he was not allowed to use Zhuyou arts to commit evil.

Did killing Second Master Zuo count as doing evil?

Bai Yu fell silent. Only after a long while did he raise his head and look Uncle Jiu straight in the eye.

"That's right. But my conscience is clear."

Uncle Jiu set down his teacup and said calmly.

"The human heart is ever-changing. Some people's true nature is demonic; even if they kill tens of millions, they will feel no guilt."

"I ask you this: have you wronged reason?"

Bai Yu lowered his head in thought.

If Second Master Zuo had been willing to reason, he would not have pressed him step by step.

If there had been a place where reason could be spoken, Second Master Zuo would not have dared commit such evil.

It was precisely because this world had no justice that the blade in one's hand became the final reason.

The weight in Bai Yu's heart lifted, and he answered openly.

"My heart is clear, and reason finds no fault."

Uncle Jiu nodded.

"Well said: clear in heart, clear in reason!"

"I believe you."

He drew out a yellow talisman from his robes and placed it on the table.

"Still, you were not seasoned enough in handling matters. After killing someone, the dead person's resentment will cling to the murderer. If someone hires a Yin-Yang Practitioner, they may be able to trace you."

"This is a Clarity Blood Talisman. It can dissolve unjust Baleful Intent. Carry it with you, and it will prevent others from tracking you with Yin-Yang arts."

With that, he turned and left the courtyard.

Bai Yu took the Clarity Blood Talisman, and a cool sensation flowed through his entire body.

He only felt his body grow lighter, as though a stone pressing upon him had been moved away.

"Whew. Good thing Uncle Jiu understands reason."

Bai Yu entered the room through the window, tidied up his gear, and began sleeping soundly.

The next day, Second Master Zuo's corpse was discovered. Through his remaining clothes, people identified him.

Everyone speculated whether Second Master Zuo had encountered a monster, or perhaps offended some great master.

Many people rejoiced inwardly and secretly cried that it was immensely satisfying—evil had met its retribution.

Second Master Zuo's Household, however, was furious.

They were certain that something suspicious lay behind it.

His elder sister, the wife of a gang leader, personally stepped forward and invited the most respected Yin-Yang Practitioner, Daoist Lin Jiu, demanding that Daoist Lin Jiu find the murderer.

Daoist Lin Jiu arrived at the scene with his disciple and declared that he would certainly drag out the killer.

He turned and asked.

"Little Yu, in your view, how did Second Master Zuo die?"

Bai Yu inspected the scene with great seriousness, put on a display like celestial maidens scattering flowers, and tossed out fire talismans before concluding.

"Reporting to Master, in my opinion, the deceased committed suicide."

"He should have had his blood rush to his head after drinking, then suffered backlash from the unjust Baleful Intent that had long entangled him, dying as a result."

Daoist Lin Jiu assumed the bearing of a lofty master and stroked his beard.

"That is correct. I have already used Zhuyou arts to investigate. Second Master Zuo was indeed consumed by Killing Intent."

"Everyone, do good deeds, and commit no evil."

Since even Uncle Jiu had spoken, Second Master Zuo's family could only accept their fate.

They sent Second Master Zuo to the funeral home, demanding that it give him a grand and glorious burial.

Uncle Jiu nodded in agreement, then turned and handed the arrangements over to Bai Yu.