The Honest Man's Outburst

Gu Chaoyang secretly took a deep breath. He looked at Bai Yang, bowed, and said in a low voice, "Pavilion Master Bai, must it be this way? If it's a matter of price, we can discuss it..."

"Discuss? What are you, that you're qualified to discuss with me?" Bai Yang said coldly.

A disciple beside him stepped forward and shouted, "My master wants you to call Jiang Dongqu to give us an explanation. Are you deaf? Don't you understand human language?"

As he spoke, he kicked out at Gu Chaoyang.

Gu Chaoyang wanted to dodge to the side, but Bai Yang's disciple was at the peak of Gang Condensation, and with the sudden attack, he had no way to evade. He was kicked in the chest and sent flying.

"Clang!"

Su Nanxing instantly drew his sword.

Sword energy crisscrossed the air.

Almost at the same time he drew his sword, the three Core Condensation experts who were watching him attacked simultaneously, scattering his sword energy on the spot.

"Stop... stop... Senior Brother Su, I'm fine... cough cough..." Gu Chaoyang shouted urgently.

Because he exhaled too quickly, his Blood Essence became stagnant, and he couldn't help but cough up blood.

"Let's go, we're leaving." He quickly rushed to Su Nanxing's side, pulling him, and retreated towards the outside of Heavenly Grass Pavilion.

Seeing Gu Family's group retreating, another disciple went up to Bai Yang and said, "Master, should we..." He made a gesture of cutting grass and eliminating roots.

Bai Yang was somewhat tempted.

He had originally traded with Gu Jinlai, mistaking him for a Jiang Family disciple, so he hadn't had any ulterior motives. However, early this morning, by chance, he learned from a Jiang Family member that Gu Jinlai was not only not a Jiang Family disciple but also a traitor from the Purgatory Demonic Sect who had fled from Changjun City.

This he could not tolerate. How could his Heavenly Grass Pavilion, a prestigious righteous sect, cooperate with demonic and heretical ways? Wouldn't it be better to act on behalf of heaven, eliminate the demon, and seize the supplies as spoils of war?

Thus, the scene just now occurred. As for sending someone to kill Gu Jinlai...

"That Gu Jinlai is not weak. Although he fell from Spirit Refining due to qi deviation and then switched to Celestial Master, his Blood Essence is depleted, but not long ago, he went on a killing spree in Changjun City, and several Core Condensation experts died by his hand. It's difficult to kill him without Spirit Refining." Bai Yang said with some regret, "Unfortunately, yesterday the Pavilion Master personally escorted a batch of precious medicinal pills to Dragon Sparrow Villa, and Grand Elder Zuo Bu'er is in a critical period of cultivation. As for Dong Hanxue, the Grand Elder, she needs to protect Zuo Grand Elder, and also needs to guard the sect..."

"He can kill one or two Core Condensation experts, but can he deal with ten or eight? If we all go..."

"If we all go, not only might we alert the enemy, but even if he breaks through under the cover of others, we might not be able to stop him. Once he escapes, there will be endless trouble. At least, we, master and disciple, cannot withstand his retaliation." Bai Yang shook his head, "Therefore, either we don't act at all, or when we act, we must strike a fatal blow."

After speaking, he looked displeasedly at the other disciple, "Wu Tong, you were reckless just now."

"Disciple knows his mistake. Disciple was momentarily angry and ruined Master's plan," Wu Tong apologized quickly.

Another disciple listened and said with annoyance, "The news from the Jiang Family came too late."

When they received this news, the precious armor Gu Chaoyang was escorting had already set off. Otherwise, if they had delayed a few days for the Pavilion Master to return, they could have captured Gu Jinlai alive and imprisoned him in Heavenly Grass Pavilion, forcing him to forge precious armor for them day and night.

"News from the Jiang Family? Perhaps they deliberately chose to reveal it to us at this time." Bai Yang narrowed his eyes. "It's good enough to have swallowed these ten sets of precious armor. Even if the Pavilion Master returns during the critical period of killing that Gu Jinlai, the Jiang family would likely jump out. They probably have the same idea as us."

"Then in the future, if Gu Jinlai goes to the Jiang Family..."

"The Jiang Family will need to expend some effort to resolve the trouble Gu Jinlai carries. We can also use this matter to provoke the relationship between the Jiang Family and the Demon Refining Hall. If the Purgatory Sect also targets the Jiang Family, that would be even better."

While Bai Yang of Heavenly Grass Pavilion was plotting against the Jiang Family, Gu Chaoyang, Su Nanxing, and their group had already escaped. Starlight City's order was still maintained. In broad daylight, Heavenly Grass Pavilion dared not stop and kill people in the street.

"Senior Brother Su, don't say anything. This has nothing to do with you. Please let the Old Ancestor decide this matter." Gu Chaoyang comforted Su Nanxing, who remained silent. Su Nanxing glanced at him and nodded.

Soon, everyone returned to the courtyard. At this time, Gu Jinlai had already received the news and was sitting in the courtyard waiting. Seeing Gu Chaoyang and the others arrive, he asked, "How are your injuries?"

"I dodged his Gang Qi impact, and with my true qi protecting me, I'll recover in three to five days," Gu Chaoyang said.

Gu Jinlai nodded. "Go and tend to your injuries. Everyone else, withdraw."

"Yes."

Gu Chaoyang responded.

At this moment, Nian Buwang stepped forward and said solemnly, "Ancestor, the Family Head has sent word that the training of the three thousand soldiers is already showing initial results..."

"You go and look after Gu Chaoyang."

Gu Jinlai's tone of voice intensified slightly.

"Yes."

Nian Buwang dared not speak further and quickly withdrew with the others.

Only Su Nanxing remained in the courtyard.

Gu Jinlai looked out at the courtyard.

The sun was setting in the west, and the evening clouds were like brocade.

Looking at the scenery, the world's wind and clouds were almost identical to those on Earth.

After a while, Gu Jinlai said, "Am I too easy to talk to?"

Su Nanxing glanced at his master and nodded. "Much better than before."

"Really?"

"Really."

Su Nanxing nodded. "Master, you follow the rules now."

"I didn't before?"

"You did, but only with those stronger than you."

Su Nanxing continued, "However, Master, you often said that in this world, there are no good or bad people, no good or evil, no justice. There's no bullying the weak or the strong preying on the small. All there is, is life and death, victory and defeat, the winner takes all."

Gu Jinlai seemed to gain some insight. "Continue."

"So-called benevolence, righteousness, and morality are all words spoken by the strong. In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. True power of speech always rests with the strong. If you feel your heart is unsettled, if you feel bound, and you must abide by the rules, it's only because you are not strong enough to break all rules, shatter all restraints, and flatten all injustices..."

Su Nanxing spoke, and Gu Jinlai listened.

This was the experience and wisdom of the "Old Demon Gu" in dealing with the world.

He was just an ordinary person who had transmigrated from the peaceful and prosperous Earth.

He was naturally inclined to understand and follow rules.

The entire Earth was filled with all sorts of laws, constraints, and regulations.

Officialdom rules, workplace rules, drinking etiquette rules, hidden rules, explicit rules, and so on...

But that was Earth!

The peaceful and prosperous Earth!

This world...

It wasn't about living, it was about surviving.

The "Old Demon Gu," who rose from humble beginnings, had more survival experience. "His" life principles would allow him to live better in this world!

"The essence of the cultivation world is the survival of the fittest. What kind of power dictates what actions are taken, and what level of resources are occupied. Rules are merely a framework established by the strong to more easily devour the weak, nothing more."

Su Nanxing said.

This was the essence of a cultivation world that mirrored the underworld.

Not just the cultivation world, but wasn't Earth the same?

Strong nations conquering weak nations, all in the name of human justice.

Weak nations launching wars for self-preservation, only to be sanctioned by stronger nations.

Gu Jinlai looked at him.

This disciple of his...

"Then, do you think which version of me is better, the past or the present?"

"Whatever Master says, I will do."

Su Nanxing replied.

"I understand."

Gu Jinlai nodded.

Rules.

"In that world, I followed the rules for too long, to the point that when I arrived in this world, I acted according to the rules in everything I did, wholeheartedly wanting to be a good person, abandoning evil and embracing good. But I failed to see clearly what kind of world this was. When you come to this world, you must adapt to local customs."

He recalled the humiliation and oppression he felt during his ten-day escape when he first arrived in Changjun City.

"No one here plays by the rules. Everyone gangs up to bully those who want to follow the rules. When cunning and glibness become the social mainstream, honest people deserve to be bullied."

Gu Jinlai "looked" at the little figure in his spiritual world.

He looked at the ring of red karma fire surrounding the figure.

This karma fire had bound him, causing him to abandon evil for good and reform the moment he transmigrated to this world, only to...

Ignite the beginning of chaos.

"Honest people deserve to have guns pointed at them."

If he hadn't immediately followed the rules and abandoned evil for good, the Purgatory Demonic Sect's facade of strength would not have been so easily exposed.

If he hadn't exposed his weakness, the Demon Refining Hall wouldn't have dared to swallow his contributions. He would have received a satisfactory Spirit Refining Cultivation Method, and combined with his farming and clearing of Pure Light, he would have recovered his Spirit Refining strength in no time.

He would still be a Spirit Refining Titan, an elder of the Purgatory Sect.

Would the Heavenly Grass Pavilion dare to offend him over such a trivial matter?

After a while, Gu Jinlai spoke, "The weak follow the rules, the strong trample them!"

This was not the immortal cultivation world he wanted.

But...

The world never shifts according to the will of the weak.

Because the weak have no choice but to follow the rules and rely on the mercy of those who make them.

"Ridiculous."

Gu Jinlai twisted his neck, producing a crisp cracking sound.

"I am an honest person, I follow the rules, because I am afraid. What's the use of being afraid? Now, honest people are about to be shot dead."

Rules? Reason?

Do you talk about rules and reason with gangsters?

Do you talk about human rights and equality with nobles?

Do you talk about law and benevolence with robbers?

Do you talk about charity and morality with capitalists?

Does it make sense?

Is there a need to talk about it?

Rules?

The rules of this world are that there are no rules!

Gu Jinlai slowly stood up.

"Arm me, let's go kill people!"