Arts Know Neither Good nor Evil; People Are Divided into Good and Evil!

Zhang Qingqing clutched the Brocade Pouch in her hand, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face as she nodded again and again.

"I'll remember, Brother Chen. Don't worry."

Though Zhang Xuanchen could not bear it, he did not wipe away her tears.

If he said anything now that gave her hope, the outcome was easy to imagine.

All he could do was turn away coldly and leave.

He believed that was the best way.

Watching Zhang Xuanchen's retreating back gradually fade into the distance, Zhang Qingqing knew well that after today's parting, they might never meet again.

At that thought, she could no longer restrain her emotions.

"Brother Chen! Can I hug you?"

Hearing this, Zhang Xuanchen abruptly stopped, his eyes widening slightly.

Before he could react, he felt someone wrap their arms around him.

He could clearly feel Zhang Qingqing's body trembling continuously from her sobs.

For a moment, he stood there frozen.

Only when the pressure around his waist loosened did he see Zhang Qingqing retreat two meters away.

The Maiden wore a simple short shirt as she stood upon the grass. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, tears falling to the ground. Against the fading sun, she looked heartbreakingly beautiful.

She smiled and waved at Zhang Xuanchen, making her final farewell.

"Qingqing, you..."

Zhang Xuanchen raised a hand, wanting to say something, but the girl interrupted him.

"Brother Chen, there's no need to say more. Qingqing understands.

"The Brocade Pouch you left for Iron Egg, I'll give it to him tomorrow.

"And finally...

"May you grow wings and transform into a fish of the Northern Deep!"

With that, Zhang Qingqing ran toward her home.

"Alas..."

Zhang Xuanchen sighed and turned toward the mountain.

Zhang Qingqing was a smart girl. He believed she would come to terms with it.

As he walked, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

"Cultivators! Sinister aura! Evil Cultivators!"

A ruthless glint flashed through Zhang Xuanchen's eyes.

He immediately concealed himself and rushed into the forest beside the village at the foot of the mountain.

He happened to see two Evil Cultivators setting up a Formation.

One was at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, and the other at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Perhaps because they knew this place was remote, neither had even bothered to hide deliberately.

Thus, Zhang Xuanchen found them with ease.

The younger Eagle-Nose Man looked at the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man, who was focused on arranging the Formation, and complained, "Joining the Soul Devouring Cult is really difficult.

"Even Qi Refining Middle Stage cultivators need a Blood Spirit Bead made from the Blood Sacrifice of five thousand mortals to join.

"We've already wiped out more than a dozen mortal villages, haven't we? Yet we still haven't reached two thousand people.

"Big Brother, what does the Soul Devouring Cult want Blood Spirit Beads made from so many human sacrifices for?"

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Hurry up and set the Formation! We can't let the night grow long and dreams multiply!"

The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man shouted at the Eagle-Nose Middle-Aged Man.

Hearing that, the Eagle-Nose Middle-Aged Man curled his lips. "Big Brother, why are you so timid? In a remote little place like this, with barely over two hundred mortals, what danger could there be?"

"Is that so?"

Zhang Xuanchen appeared behind the Eagle-Nose Middle-Aged Man like a ghost.

As sword light flashed, his head instantly rolled to the ground.

"Who's there?!"

Sensing a surge of killing intent, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man immediately became alert. He swiftly used a movement technique, trying to widen the distance between himself and Zhang Xuanchen.

But Zhang Xuanchen was faster. With a flicker, he appeared before the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man.

"What?!"

Terror appeared on the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man's face, but in the next instant, it turned into pain.

Crack!

Zhang Xuanchen directly broke the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man's limbs and shattered his Dantian. He released Spirit Fire, reducing the Eagle-Nose Middle-Aged Man's corpse to ashes.

Then he seized the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man by the neck and took him up the mountain.

Throwing him onto the ground, he said coldly, "Tell me. What is a Blood Spirit Bead? Why do you want to join the Soul Devouring Cult? And what is the Soul Devouring Cult's purpose in gathering Blood Spirit Beads?"

The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man gave a strange laugh.

"Heh heh, don't even think about getting anything out of me. Kill me or torture me as you please!"

"I didn't expect you to have such backbone. But you aren't even a member of the Soul Devouring Cult, so why keep their secrets?

"What benefits did they give you?

"You could clearly die a quick death. Why insist on suffering every torment before you die?"

Hearing Zhang Xuanchen's words, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man fell silent.

After a moment, he replied, "What you say seems to make some sense."

Zhang Xuanchen was speechless. This Evil Cultivator seemed to have something wrong with his head.

"Then tell me. Once you do, I'll give you a quick death."

"Fine."

This time, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man did not hesitate at all before nodding in agreement.

"The Soul Devouring Cult is an Evil Cultivator faction that appeared suddenly. It is filled with powerful experts, and Blood Spirit Beads are blood pearls condensed through the Blood Sacrifice of humans using a special Formation. Here, this is one."

As he spoke, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man even took out the Blood Spirit Bead for Zhang Xuanchen to see.

On the surface, it was merely a fist-sized, round blood pearl.

Zhang Xuanchen frowned slightly and sent his Spiritual Sense into it.

In an instant, he saw a sea of blood.

Countless wronged souls were bound by chains to black iron links that radiated evil aura.

"Why did you kill me?! Why did you kill me?!"

"My child! Give me back my child!"

"Save me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

Wails and cries of grievance echoed ceaselessly beside his ears.

Zhang Xuanchen felt as if he had entered a blood-red hell.

It suffocated him.

He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and instantly regained clarity, withdrawing his Spiritual Sense into his body.

In only a few seconds, sweat had soaked through his clothes.

His eyes bloodshot, he grabbed the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man by the throat.

Grinding his teeth, he said, "You are demons!"

Seeing Zhang Xuanchen's crazed expression, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man smiled disdainfully. "Heh, we are demons?

"Are you cultivators who call yourselves righteous any different? Huh?"

His expression twisted savagely as he stared fixedly at Zhang Xuanchen, enunciating every word. "I was originally a disciple of a Qi Refining Family!

"Just because one disciple in my family accidentally stepped on the shoe of a disciple from a Great Sect, my entire family was exterminated!

"Thirty-two cultivators and more than ten thousand mortals were all slaughtered!

"Tell me, why?

"Is it simply because he was a lofty sect disciple, while we were a weak Qi Refining Family?"

"Hahahaha! How is that any different from Evil Cultivators? The only difference is that they don't use the corpses to cultivate!"

"Bullshit righteous sects! They are nothing but a pack of sanctimonious hypocrites!"

"Young man, tell me—who are the demons? Huh? Speak!"

Looking at the crazed Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man before him, Zhang Xuanchen calmed down at that moment.

He knew very well that the other man was right.

This world had always been one where the strong were revered.

Zhang Xuanchen took a deep breath and said, "That is not a reason for you to slaughter mortals at will!

"Arts know neither good nor evil; people are divided into good and evil!

"As for right and wrong, I have my own measure in my heart."

"Now tell me, why does the Soul Devouring Cult want these Blood Spirit Beads?"

The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man shook his head, his voice hoarse. "That is not something an ant like me could know."

"In that case, rest in peace."

At Zhang Xuanchen's words, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man showed not the slightest fear. Instead, an expression of relief appeared in his eyes.

Zhang Xuanchen showed no mercy. With one punch, he shattered the man's heart.

Then he sent out a wisp of Spirit Fire and burned him to ashes.

"I don't care whether you are righteous or an Evil Cultivator. If you dare touch those I protect, there is only death!"