Li Shuilong

Although Li Shuilong had the character "dragon" in his name, he lived like a worm.

He wept as he haltingly told his clan brother about everything that had happened to him over the past six months.

On Li Shuilong's first day after joining the sect, he had made an utterly ordinary impression on his master, so he was assigned to the woodshed, where he did the dirtiest, most grueling work.

Even worse, he was bullied by his fellow disciples.

People always picked on those weaker than themselves. That was human nature.

In his first month, Li Shuilong was extorted by his fellow disciples and had to hand over three Jade Coins to buy peace. By the third month, they had divided up all ten Jade Coins he received, leaving not a single one in his hands.

With no cultivation resources, he could only let his Spirit Companion evolve naturally, hoping he might reach the mid stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm after five years.

But what left him utterly despondent was that his Gecko Companion had also been discovered.

Zhou Yulan took his Gecko Companion and fed it to her golden scorpion.

Li Shuilong simply couldn't bear the despair of having his Dao Path cut off, so he went to complain to his master.

After hearing what had happened to him, his master, Scorpion Shadow Venerable, merely sneered and said two words: "Useless trash." Then he flicked his sleeve and left, with no intention of punishing Zhou Yulan.

When Zhou Yulan learned that Li Shuilong had actually dared to complain, she flew into a rage and set off with Zhang Ruotong and Wan Wenhu to teach him a vicious lesson.

Terrified, Li Shuilong fled his master's cave dwelling. Running blindly, he ended up in this valley, where he never expected to encounter his clan brother, Li Shuidao.

What he could never have imagined was that Li Shuidao was frighteningly strong. In just a few punches and kicks, he had sent those arrogant bullies spitting blood. Not one of them had lasted even a single move against him—not even Senior Sister Zhou Yulan.

After hearing Li Shuilong's tearful account, Li Shuidao sat stunned for a long moment. Then he patted Li Shuilong on the shoulder and said, "Do you know why the Five Poisons Sect's rules forbid disciples from killing one another outside of trials?"

"Why?" Li Shuilong asked in confusion.

"That rule means you should risk your life to protect your Spirit Companion. If they want to take your companion, they have to kill you first. They wouldn't dare break the rules, so you could protect your Spirit Companion. But now that you've lost your companion and your Dao Path is cut off, why would your master care about you?"

"Do you know why your master called you useless trash? Because you lost your companion and still managed to stay alive. For that alone, nobody will respect you."

"Your only value now is scrubbing toilets." A trace of coldness crept into Li Shuidao's voice.

"Then what should I do?" Li Shuilong asked through his tears.

"You can only rely on yourself," Li Shuidao said slowly.

"Rely on myself?" That only plunged Li Shuilong into deeper despair. "How can I rely on myself now? I don't even have a Spirit Companion! What can I do?"

"What can you do? You're asking me that now?" Li Shuidao seized Li Shuilong by the throat and glared at him coldly. "When they extorted your Spirit Companion, why didn't you fight for your life? When they stole your Moon Coins, why didn't you fight for your life?"

"Tell me! Why?"

"I...I couldn't win! I don't have Divine Abilities or spells—how could I fight them?" Li Shuilong wept.

"No. You were just afraid to die," Li Shuidao said coldly.

Li Shuilong had no answer.

He really had been afraid to die. That was why he had chosen to run away, and why others had trampled all over him and bullied him again and again.

"Go back," Li Shuidao said indifferently.

"Go back? Where am I supposed to go?" Li Shuilong froze.

"Back to your master's cave dwelling, of course. Where else can you go?" Li Shuidao continued.

"If I go back, they'll beat me to death," Li Shuilong said, trembling.

"Don't worry. They won't kill you. Killing you would break the sect rules, and then they'd have to scrub the toilets themselves. It would hurt them without helping them, so nobody would be willing to kill you. And as long as you stop taking your Moon Coins, no one will bully you anymore. You can live out the rest of your life in peace." Li Shuidao shook his head.

"I want to go back to the lineage." Tears streamed down Li Shuilong's face.

"You can't go back. The lineage won't let you return. If you do, they'll just bind you and send you back to the sect. Don't put the lineage on a pedestal," Li Shuidao said coldly.

"Brother Dao, we're clan brothers. You have to help me."

"I can't help you! The only thing I can do is kill them when we're at a trial. Other than that, I won't do anything for you...Go back," Li Shuidao continued, trying to persuade him.

"I'm going to the Law Enforcement Hall to report them! I refuse to believe there's no justice in this world!" Li Shuilong shouted, straining his neck.

"I advise you not to go. The people at the Law Enforcement Hall won't even bother with you," Li Shuidao said coldly.

"Why?"

"Because there's nothing to squeeze out of you. The cultivators in the Law Enforcement Hall are people too. They won't lift a finger for something that offers them no benefit."

Bullied by his fellow disciples!

Called useless trash by his master!

His lineage wouldn't help him!

The Law Enforcement Hall wouldn't give him justice!

He could cry out to the heavens, but they wouldn't answer; he could call to the earth, but it wouldn't heed him.

A deep despair rose within Li Shuilong, leaving him gasping for air.

The suffocation was endless. He had to break free.

Even if it cost him his life!

"Ah!" Li Shuilong roared at the sky, his expression twisted with rage.

He stood up, his face wild with madness, and staggered back the way he had come, roaring as he went: "I'll kill them! I'll kill everyone who's bullied me!"

"Hmph! You're finally willing to risk your life." Li Shuidao blurred and appeared in front of Li Shuilong, blocking his way.

"Move!" Li Shuilong roared.

"You didn't risk your life when you should have. Why are you risking it now, when you shouldn't?" Li Shuidao said coldly.

"Then what do you say I should do?"

"Endure!" Li Shuidao spat out a single word.

"No! I can't keep enduring! I'm fighting back!"

Li Shuidao looked into his clan brother's eyes and said gravely, "You have to endure, and you have to find ways to please them, not make them hate you. And about your Moon Coins—you should hand them over willingly to the strongest one among them, putting on a show of loyalty so you can win their trust. Then wait patiently for an opportunity."

Li Shuilong paused, considering Li Shuidao's advice. "Wait for an opportunity? What opportunity?"

"If you know how to watch carefully, plenty of opportunities will come along. For instance, you can tell me when they're going to take part in a trial, and I can kill them. Or you can do it yourself, but only if you keep your head."

Li Shuilong seemed to glimpse a sliver of hope, and his expression was no longer as crazed as before.

Li Shuidao smiled encouragingly. "Good. You need to learn to control your emotions and accept your place as the weak one. Remember, killing fellow disciples outside of a trial breaks the sect rules. Besides, if they kill you, they'll have to scrub the toilets themselves. No sane person would do something that hurts them without helping them..."

"Shuilong, you started attending the clan school when you were six. The lineage has been teaching you the ways of etiquette since then. At its heart, etiquette means respecting the strong and knowing your place. Think about what the lineage has taught you over the years, and you'll know how to deal with the strong..."

"Thank you. I know what to do now," Li Shuilong said.

"Do you see that tree?" Li Shuidao pointed to the old tree, half withered and half flourishing. "If you find out when they'll be taking part in a trial, slip the message into the crack beneath that tree, and I'll come get it..."