Righteous and Evil

"Ah!"

A piercing cry tore through the night sky.

Jin Haoxuan's entire left ear was ripped apart by a single sword strike, blood dyeing half his head red.

The searing pain slammed into his mind, making his body convulse uncontrollably.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

Only now did he realize that being beaten hurt this much.

At this moment, there was no resentment or regret left in his mind, only unparalleled terror.

For this was the instinctive reaction of a life facing death.

Before the Sharp Sword hanging over his head, his resentment that his father had not killed Li ChunJun and his sister a month ago, and his regret over provoking such a madman, were all crushed by the terror of death and the agony of his flesh.

In such a state, he could barely think. He could only howl and scream in vain.

Life was the most splendid miracle between heaven and earth.

Li ChunJun did not torture people to death.

This sword had merely missed its mark.

So he raised his sword again.

"Spare me... no! Please... spare me..."

Whoosh!

The sword light descended.

"Ah!"

A heart-rending scream echoed once more.

Jin Haoxuan's right ear shattered.

His hand trembled a little.

This sword...

Had missed again.

Li ChunJun raised his sword...

And drove down the third strike.

Outside the courtyard.

The guards and security personnel of Hengguang Garden hurried over with equipment in hand.

Steel forks, shields, spears, swords—nothing was lacking.

By the time their group arrived, several people were already waiting outside the courtyard.

"Minister."

The captain leading those people quickly stepped forward to greet the dozen or so newcomers.

Cui Yuan, the man addressed as Minister, looked at the tightly shut gates and the corpses within the courtyard. Without the slightest hesitation, he said, "What are you standing around for? Open the gate. Don't forget what your job is!"

"Yes."

With the minister's order, one of them quickly operated the controls and opened the gates of the Jin Family Courtyard.

A group of twenty swiftly entered the Jin Family courtyard.

Yes, twenty people.

Ever since cultivators descended and shattered Blue Star's former order, worsening public security, wealthy people going out with bodyguards and guards had become standard. One key measure of whether a residential complex was upscale was also the amount of security manpower it had.

Hengguang Garden had over sixty registered security personnel.

Because of leave, shift changes, and other reasons, only thirty-odd people were in the garden. Some also had to patrol, so only twenty had come to the Jin Family Courtyard.

Yet among those twenty, no fewer than a palmful were skilled in External Refinement. Cui Yuan, the Security Department Minister, was even an Internal Strengthening Martial Artist.

Though he was not as famous as Sun Yongxing, he was bold enough to fight and daring enough to risk his life. Even in Guangzhou City's Martial Artist circles, he was a figure of some standing.

But as they entered the courtyard and finally recognized the identities of the corpses within, Minister Cui's steps came to an involuntary halt.

"This is... Captain Sun!? He actually..."

"Zhou Que and the others... are dead too!? They died in the Jin Family courtyard!? They were all experts at Outer Refinement Great Accomplishment! If we leave out the minister, even all nineteen of us attacking together might not be able to do anything to those three!"

"Where did this murderer come from, to be so vicious!?"

Many in the group cried out in shock, unable to suppress their alarm.

As Hengguang Garden security personnel, they naturally knew full well the weight of the Jin Family guards.

It was no exaggeration to say that although the Jin Family had only around ten guards, in terms of elite quality, they were no less formidable than Mount Tai Security's sixty men.

"Ah!"

At that moment, a pained yet feeble voice came from inside the villa.

"That's the young master of the Jin Family!"

Someone immediately recognized it.

"Minister!"

The gazes of several captains swiftly fell on Cui Yuan. Though apprehensive, they were also eager to make a move.

"Surround the place! Notify the others to come over! Also, report this to the Garrison Department and contact Mr. Jin!"

Cui Yuan's expression was filled with gravity.

"We... aren't going in? That criminal is committing murder inside. Shouldn't we stop him?"

A security guard who had only recently entered the profession asked.

Cui Yuan looked somewhat hesitant.

At a time like this, they naturally should have rushed in to stop the criminal from killing.

But...

The lineup of Sun Yongxing, Zhou Que, and the others might not have been weaker than their twenty men.

They were all dead. If they barged in under such circumstances, they might well...

"Wait until Lin Bai'an and the others arrive, then rush in together!"

Cui Yuan said in a low voice.

Inside the house.

After missing eighty-one times.

Jin Haoxuan's screams had weakened until they were barely audible.

Li ChunJun heard the commotion outside...

His hand stopped trembling.

With one sword strike, he pierced through Jin Haoxuan's skull.

Wiping the blood from his sword on Jin Haoxuan's clothes, worth tens of thousands, Li ChunJun rose in high spirits and walked to the door.

He glanced behind him at the Jin Family villa, where blood flowed like a river.

Then he focused and swept his gaze over the records "displayed" on the Human Emperor Flag.

"Killed Level 3 life-form. Experience +26!"

"Killed Level 3 life-form. Experience +25!"

"Killed Level 3 life-form. Experience +28!"

"Killed Level 2 life-form. Experience +3!"

"Killed Level 1 life-form. Experience +1!"

...

Life Level: 7 (12/700)

"One day. My Life Level went from 1 to 7. Leveling up was this easy!"

Three years!

He had spent three years figuring out this accompanying treasure. Because he had been meek and kind, because he had obeyed the law, his Life Level had remained stuck at Level 1.

And now, in one night...

No, to be precise, two hours.

In two hours, his Life Level had risen directly from 1 to 7!

As long as...

He was willing to kill!

Bang.

He violently pulled open the shut doors.

Outside, more than thirty fully armed figures stood ready, as though facing a great enemy.

But when they clearly saw the person who had emerged at the door, Cui Yuan's expression, along with those of several others, subtly changed.

This person...

They knew him.

Li ChunJun!

After all, a month ago, the momentum he had built using public opinion had even made the trending lists.

Since it concerned an important figure in their own residential complex, Cui Yuan had paid some attention.

But in his impression, this Li ChunJun had merely been an ordinary student at Guangzhou High School. How had he...

Actually become bold enough to come to the Jin Family and kill people!?

And Sun Yongxing was dead too!?

Cui Yuan scrutinized Li ChunJun for a moment.

Then he looked at the blood staining his body.

Some of that blood belonged to others, but some absolutely belonged to Li ChunJun himself!

In particular, Cui Yuan precisely noticed the tear in Li ChunJun's clothing at his waist, completely soaked in blood.

Looking at the more than thirty people at his side, including Lin Bai'an and the others, who were likewise at Outer Refinement Great Accomplishment, he felt somewhat reassured.

Then he stared at the youth standing in the doorway and shouted sternly, "Li ChunJun, put down your weapon. No matter what happened, violence is never the answer. We must take up the weapon of the law to protect our rights. Do not let a moment of impulse cause irreparable consequences."

Li ChunJun stared blankly at Cui Yuan, whose face was full of "righteousness."

After quite some time, he said, "The law?"

He tilted his head. "Great Shang's law?"

"That's right. I know what happened to you. None of us wish to see such a tragedy, nor do we wish for it to happen. But that is not a reason for you to abuse violence and disregard the law. If everyone acted as you have, then what would be the difference between you and those perpetrators of violence?"

Cui Yuan spoke earnestly. "So put down the sword in your hand and go to the Garrison Department to turn yourself in. I believe the law will take your special circumstances into account and show leniency, giving you a chance to turn over a new leaf and become a new man!"