Li Shuilong

Although Li Shuilong's name contained the character for "dragon," he lived like a worm.

He cried, recounting his experiences over the past half-year intermittently to his fellow clansmen.

On his first day after joining the sect, Li Shuilong performed so ordinarily in front of his master that he was assigned to the woodshed, doing the hardest and dirtiest work.

Worse still, he endured bullying from his fellow disciples.

People always bully those weaker than themselves; that's human nature.

In the first month, Li Shuilong was extorted by his fellow disciples, forcing him to hand over three Jade Coins for peace. By the third month, all ten Jade Coins he received were divided among his fellow disciples, not a single one remaining in his possession.

Without any cultivation resources, he could only let his Companion evolve naturally, hoping that after five years, he too could enter the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm.

But what broke his heart was that his Gecko Companion was also discovered.

Zhou Yulan stole his Gecko Companion and fed it to her Golden Scorpion.

Li Shuilong couldn't bear the despair of his path being severed. He went to his master to complain.

After listening to his ordeal, his master, Scorpion Shadow Venerable, merely said two dismissive words: "Waste." Then he flicked his sleeve and left, showing no intention of punishing Zhou Yulan.

Upon learning that Li Shuilong had dared to complain, Zhou Yulan was furious. She led Zhang Ruotong and Wan Wenhu to teach Li Shuilong a harsh lesson.

Terrified, Li Shuilong fled his master's cave dwelling. He ran blindly into this mountain valley, unexpectedly encountering his clansman, Li Shuidao.

What he never expected was that his clansman Li Shuidao was terrifyingly powerful. With just a few punches, he sent these arrogant individuals spitting blood. Not a single one of them lasted a single move against him, not even Senior Sister Zhou Yulan.

After hearing Li Shuilong's tearful account, Li Shuidao was stunned for a long moment. He patted Li Shuilong's shoulder and said, "Do you know why the Five Poisons Sect's rules prohibit killing each other outside of trials?"

"Why?" Li Shuilong asked, confused.

"This rule is for you to protect your Companion with your life. To get your Companion, they must first kill you. They wouldn't dare break the rules, so you could protect your Companion. But now your Companion is lost, your path is severed. Why would your master care about you?"

"Do you know why your master called you a waste? Because you lost your Companion, yet you're still alive. Based on that alone, no one respects you."

"Your only remaining value is to scrub toilets," Li Shuidao said with a hint of coldness.

"Then what should I do?" Li Shuilong asked, weeping.

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

"Myself?" The words plunged Li Shuilong into deeper despair. "How can I rely on myself? I don't even have a Companion! What else can I do?"

"What? You're asking me what to do now?" Li Shuidao grabbed Li Shuilong by the neck, glaring at him with cold eyes. "When your Companion was being extorted, why didn't you risk your life? When your monthly allowance was extorted, why didn't you risk your life?"

"Speak! Why?"

"I... I couldn't fight back! I don't have Spiritual Power or divine abilities, how could I fight?" Li Shuilong cried.

"No! You were just afraid of death," Li Shuidao said coldly.

Li Shuilong was speechless.

He was indeed afraid of death, which was why he chose to escape, why he was trampled underfoot and bullied repeatedly.

"Go back," Li Shuidao said in a detached tone.

"Go back? Where should I go back?" Li Shuilong was stunned.

"Of course, back to your master's cave dwelling. Where else would 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 beat you to death. If they killed you, it would not only violate sect rules, but the job of scrubbing toilets would fall to them. It's harming others without benefiting themselves! No one would want to kill you. Also, as long as you don't take your monthly allowance, no one will bully you again, and you can live a peaceful life," Li Shuidao shook his head.

"I want to go back to the clan," Li Shuilong's tears flowed like a spring.

"You can't go back. The clan won't let you. If you returned, they would tie you up and send you back to the sect. Don't think too highly of the clan," Li Shuidao said coldly.

"Brother Dao, we are clansmen, you have to help me."

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

"I'm going to the Enforcement Hall to report this. I don't believe there's no justice in this world," Li Shuilong yelled, stretching his neck.

"I advise you not to. The people at the Enforcement Hall won't pay any attention to you," Li Shuidao said coldly.

"Why?"

"Because you have no 'grease' on you. The cultivators at the Enforcement Hall are also human. They won't do anything that doesn't benefit them."

Bullying by fellow disciples!

Being called a waste by his master!

His clan wouldn't help him either!

The Enforcement Hall wouldn't uphold justice for him!

He called out to heaven, but no answer came; he called out to earth, but it remained silent.

A deep despair made Li Shuilong feel suffocated.

It was an endless suffocation. He had to break free.

Even if it meant risking his life!

"Ah!" Li Shuilong roared at the sky, his expression extremely ferocious.

He stood up, his face a mask of madness, and stumbled back the way he came, roaring as he walked, "I'm going to kill them! Kill everyone who bullied me!"

"Hmph! So you're finally willing to fight for your life." Li Shuidao flickered and blocked Li Shuilong's path.

"Get out of my way!" Li Shuilong roared.

"You didn't fight for your life when you should have, so why fight now when you shouldn't?" Li Shuidao said indifferently.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Endure!" Li Shuidao uttered a single word.

"No! I can't endure any longer! I want to fight back!"

Li Shuidao looked into the eyes of his kinsman and said in a deep voice, "You must not only endure, but also find ways to please them, rather than provoking their hatred towards you. Also, regarding the monthly allowance, you should proactively hand it over to the strongest among them, perform loyalty for them, and thus gain more trust. Then, wait for an opportunity."

Li Shuilong paused slightly, contemplating Li Shuidao's suggestion, "Wait for an opportunity? Wait for what opportunity?"

"As long as you are observant, there will be many opportunities. For example, you can tell me when they are going to participate in the trials, and I can take action to eliminate them. Of course, you can also take action yourself, but only if you are rational."

Li Shuilong seemed to see a glimmer of hope, and his expression was no longer as frenzied as before.

Li Shuidao smiled and encouraged him, "Very good. You must learn to control your emotions and have the awareness of a weaker person. You must remember that killing fellow disciples outside of the trials is against the sect rules. Moreover, if they kill you, they will have to clean the toilets themselves. No normal person would do something that harms themselves without benefiting others..."

"Shui Long, you started attending the primary school at the age of six, and the family has been teaching you the way of etiquette since then. The core of etiquette is respecting the strong and knowing your place. Think about what the family has taught you over the years, and you will know how to interact with the strong..."

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

"Do you see that big tree?" Li Shuidao pointed to the half-withered, half-flourishing old tree and said, "If you find out when they are participating in the trials in the future, stuff the message into the crack in the stone beneath that tree. I will naturally retrieve it..."