Human Nature is Sinister

But no one had expected it.

Gu Changqing, who had just vanished into the woods, suddenly emerged from the other side of the forest.

He crept through the trees and slipped beneath his uncle's windowsill.

Hugging his knees, he remained utterly still, as though he had merged with the darkness.

"This is..."

Outside the mirror, everyone was stunned.

Anyone could see that the Young Heavenly Emperor had returned because he was worried about Gu Youwei, secretly listening for what was happening inside.

But who could have imagined that a five-year-old child would possess such deep cunning?

"I never expected the Heavenly Emperor to have been so profound in thought even as a child. No wonder he later became the Heavenly Emperor, looking down upon all living beings."

Someone sighed.

"In that case, perhaps he did not truly see Miss Youwei as a burden. He merely hoped she could survive. Otherwise, since he had left her behind, why would he return to secretly check on her?"

A cultivator said.

Gu Youwei's eyelashes trembled lightly. The youth curled up in the dark corner of the scene before them shook her heart too deeply.

Ye Chen, meanwhile, found himself somewhat unable to save face.

After all, he had earlier declared with absolute certainty that the Young Heavenly Emperor had abandoned Gu Youwei because he saw her as a burden.

He swept his gaze across the crowd and said, "Perhaps his conscience had not yet been completely extinguished at that time. But abandonment is abandonment—that is a fact. He could not possibly guard Miss Youwei day and night, checking whether his uncle's family would treat her well, could he?"

"It is autumn now. He is thinly clad and starving. I dare say that before long, he will leave."

The crowd came to a realization.

Only then did they belatedly feel that perhaps they had placed too much hope in the Young Heavenly Emperor.

At most, this act showed that his conscience had not died entirely; it could not conceal the fact that he had abandoned her.

Yet this time, things clearly went beyond Emperor Ye's judgment.

The cold wind howled bleakly.

Curled up in the corner behind the house, the starving Young Heavenly Emperor remained there for three days.

She slept inside the house.

He curled up outside.

Separated by only a wall, whenever the baby's cries rang out, the Young Heavenly Emperor would always be the first to open those bright black eyes.

Three days.

After witnessing those three days, even the people outside the mirror had somewhat changed their opinion of the Young Heavenly Emperor.

"Perhaps he truly only wanted Miss Youwei to live well."

"Yes. A child so young, starving and silently keeping watch through three freezing nights—even an adult might find that difficult to do."

"For a child to do so much for a younger sister unrelated to him by blood, he has done all he could."

The crowd sighed.

Rarely, Ye Chen said nothing this time.

He simply did not know how else to argue back.

Night fell once more.

Gu Changqing felt utterly exhausted, his eyelids heavy.

He planned to leave after enduring this night.

Over the past three days, his uncle's family had, all things considered, treated the child fairly well.

In his haze, he heard the complaints of a middle-aged woman and the wails of a boy.

"This little wench now has to pick out the finest things to eat."

"Mother, I want to eat too. I'm hungry..."

"Her father, I keep telling you to go into the mountains and hunt some game. Other than this bowl of flour paste, there's nothing else left at home."

"Are you looking to die? At this time of year, people are hungry, and the beasts in the mountains are hungry too. Who would dare go up there?"

"Mother, meat. I want meat."

After a long silence, the middle-aged woman's voice suddenly sounded. "Her father, how about we use this little wench as provisions? We can't let Yi'er starve with us, can we?"

Abruptly.

The youth outside the window—whether sleeping soundly or having passed out from hunger—snapped his eyes open.

At that moment.

Every powerful figure outside the mirror felt their hearts inexplicably tremble.

It was because of the cold glint hidden within that gaze.

It made everyone see the shadow of the Heavenly Emperor of old.

For that instant, the youth's gaze seemed to overlap with the Heavenly Emperor's.

"Eating people? I never imagined this couple could be so utterly devoid of humanity."

The crowd was stunned by the middle-aged woman's thoughts as well.

After all, this truly went against all human decency.

Jiang Minghuang said calmly, "In ancient times, such things were not uncommon. In autumn and winter, the mountain animals lay dormant, and hunters could catch no prey. When starvation drove them to the brink, they naturally resorted to extreme measures."

"So that was how it was?!"

For the first time, these lofty figures felt that human nature could be terrifying to such a degree.

In truth.

Jiang Minghuang's understanding of this vile side of mortals was inseparable from his travels in his younger days.

Born into an ancient aristocratic family with an immensely deep foundation, he had been thrown into the mortal world by his father to experience its dust and turmoil, all in preparation for becoming the next Family Head.

It was also during that time that he met Gu Changqing.

Most of the great powers present were peerless experts. Naturally, they had no time to concern themselves with the dangers and evils of the mortal world.

"Then what will he do now?"

Someone spoke, drawing everyone's gaze back to the Young Heavenly Emperor.

Eating people.

Even they felt a chill in their hearts at those two words.

Let alone this youth?

After deflecting Cao Yuwei's attack this time, Mei Gongzi did not rush to counterattack. She merely stood where she was.

Cao Yuwei furrowed his brow slightly. Was this little girl's perception truly so keen? After armoring himself in flames, he still had other methods at his disposal. If Mei Gongzi had pressed her attack, he was confident he could use those methods to restrain her. Yet she had not advanced, forcing the ability he had been holding at the ready to break off.

His war saber slashed out once more, its fierce saber intent several degrees stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with the saber, man and blade becoming one as he charged straight at Mei Gongzi.

The Heavenly Secret Plume in Mei Gongzi's hand unleashed the Heavenly Mysterious Circle again. With an instantaneous teleportation, she switched positions. While neutralizing her opponent's attack, she also broke his lock-on. In the next instant, she was already somewhere else. A flash of golden-red light flickered across Cao Yuwei's body. Had she not evaded so swiftly, another ability would undoubtedly have descended upon her.

A battle of attrition! She seemed intent on wearing Cao Yuwei down.

Yet no one doubted the origin of this ability. After all, the Peacock Demon Race's greatest innate gift was Stellar Transposition. Her technique shared the same marvelous essence, though achieved by a different path.