The City Lord's Mansion's order had struck like thunder. Under Zhang Minghui's personal supervision, it spread to every corner of Trade City in just half an hour. The stewards of the three academies appeared together at Inner City Square, where a cultivator used spiritual power to suspend a blood-red notice board a hundred meters in the air. A dozen or so large characters glinted coldly: "No restrictions on origin. Demonic cores, beast hides, and demon bones purchased at high prices." The sight sent chills down the backs of the onlooking non-human races. Yet far more of them gazed at it with hearts full of greed for wealth!
The villages outside the city had already received discreet notice. The non-human villagers who had relied on Trade City for generations now wore laser hunting knives copied by the Technology Academy at their waists and carried Binding Talismans made by the Talisman Academy. In groups, they made their way toward gaps in the city wall. They knew this was a rare chance to make a fortune. Before, they had to worry about the City Lord's Mansion's rules. Now that there was an official "Purchase Order," they had nothing left to fear.
When night fell, screams began to rise and fall in the dense forest beyond the city walls, mingling with the roars of the demon race and the sharp crack of exploding talismans. After each scream died away, it wasn't long before villagers entered the city through a dedicated passage, their heavy bags of beast hides on their backs, and delivered the fresh "goods" to the three academies' purchasing stations.
The changes inside the city came swiftly and strangely. Streets that had been jammed the day before were mostly deserted after a single night. The non-humans who had once begged by the roadside had either vanished or become demonic cores and beast hides at the purchasing stations. At last, the patrolling soldiers could breathe easy. They walked along the clean streets, their eyes passing over the towering skyscrapers on either side. The glass curtain walls reflected the pale daylight, making it easy to forget that this had once been a chaotic gathering place for non-human races.
Now and then, a fish slipped through the net and tried to fight back. The moment it bared its fangs, a drone circling overhead locked onto it. A laser beam struck, knocking it unconscious in an instant. Villagers who had heard the commotion then dragged it away, leaving only a faint smear of blood that the Cleaning Robots soon washed away.
Su Mo stood on the top-floor terrace of the City Lord's Mansion, overlooking the city below as order gradually returned. The divine sense of a Great Luo Golden Immortal blanketed the whole city, clearly revealing every deal and every fight in its dark corners. He saw the Alchemy Academy's furnaces glowing red through the night, and the faint stench of blood mingling with the white steam as demonic cores were tossed inside. He saw the Artifact Refining Academy's artisans tanning beast hides and tempering demon bones, crafting one spirit-infused magical artifact after another. He saw researchers in the Technology Academy's labs taking apart non-human spirit cores, trying to extract their energy to improve weapons and equipment.
"City Lord, in the past three days, the three academies have purchased over 7,300 demonic cores, more than 12,000 beast hides, and over 5,000 jin of demon bones. Fewer than a third of the non-humans who were in the city remain, and the street disturbances have been completely quelled." Zhang Minghui stood behind him, unable to hide the relief in his voice. "The villagers outside the city have made a fortune. Quite a few unaffiliated cultivators have even joined in. Now the non-humans have either fled or are too afraid to show themselves."
Su Mo didn't turn around. He rolled a jade slip from Jixia Academy between his fingertips, his expression complicated. He could feel the Human Race's fortune growing more concentrated throughout the city, and the lights of technology shining ever brighter between the high-rises. Yet a nameless heaviness stirred deep in his heart. He remembered the fear in the eyes of Black Ape and the other non-humans, and Zhang Minghui's words about "protecting the safety and interests of the Human Race." Perhaps this was simply how Trade City survived: the strong preyed on the weak, and that had never changed. But he, a "scholar" serving as the City Lord, had ultimately been the one to set this bloody purge in motion.
Just then, a message jointly sent by the three academies came through the communicator. Zhang Minghui glanced at it and reported, "City Lord, the Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Technology Academies have jointly requested that purchases be suspended. They say their stockpiles are sufficient to last a thousand years. If they keep buying, the remaining non-humans may fight back desperately, and the cost could outweigh the gains."
Su Mo fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Approved. Tell them to rein in their methods and not take things too far. Also, have the soldiers tighten their supervision of the remaining non-humans and designate a special residential area for them. If disturbances break out again, handle them directly according to the city's laws."
"Yes!" Zhang Minghui bowed in acknowledgment. As he turned to leave, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile. He had finally figured out his new City Lord's temperament: he seemed softhearted, but was decisive and ruthless when it mattered.
Night spread over Trade City's skyscrapers, turning their glass curtain walls deep blue. Su Bai returned alone to the City Lord's Mansion study. He had shed the dignified robes of the City Lord and wore only a plain long robe, just as he had at Jixia Academy. The study held few extravagant furnishings. Its shelves were filled with classics brought back from the academy, bamboo slips interspersed with paper books. In one corner sat a Light-Shadow Reader sent by the Technology Academy. The archaic atmosphere of the Primordial World and modern technology came together in an uncanny blend, much like the city itself.
He sat at his desk, the cool touch of the jade communication slip still lingering on his fingertips. His cultivation as a Great Luo Golden Immortal let him disregard the fatigue of the mortal world, but the knot in his heart coiled around him like a vine, tightening by the moment. His divine sense spread out again without his knowing, passing over the designated residential areas for non-humans. Their low wooden shacks stood in glaring contrast to the surrounding high-rises. The surviving non-humans huddled inside, their eyes filled with fear and wariness, their former clamor gone. He saw a young foxkin girl silently crying as she clutched a piece of hard, dry flatbread. The purity in her gaze made his heart seize.
"The strong prey on the weak..." Su Mo murmured, tapping his fingertips against the desk with a dull thud. He remembered his teacher Feng Luo's instruction at Jixia Academy: "A scholar must have a compassionate heart and uphold the right path. Even in a corrupt age, one must not lose one's true self." But now, as the City Lord, he had brought peace to the city by the bloodiest means. Were those "goods" they had purchased not living beings, one after another? In his eyes, the white steam billowing from the alchemy furnaces gradually became the blood of the non-humans. The pungent stench of blood seemed to pierce through time and space, lingering in his nostrils.
He rose and walked to the bookshelf, taking down a copy of the Record of Seeking the Dao personally given to him by Feng Luo. On its yellowed pages, his teacher's annotations stood out in thick strokes of ink: "The Great Dao has three thousand paths, all leading to the same destination. Yet compassion is the foundation. Without it, even one who ascends to the peak of the Immortal Path will be utterly alone." Su Mo traced the note with his finger, his eyes growing warm. He knew Zhang Minghui was right. Trade City had always survived this way. His actions had indeed protected the Human Race's safety and interests, and even strengthened its fortune. But why did that heavy burden of "doing the right thing" torment him so?
After much hesitation, Su Mo took a green jade slip from his storage ring and infused it with a wisp of spiritual power. This was a communication slip made specially by Jixia Academy, one that could connect directly to his teacher, Feng Luo. As the spiritual power flowed through it, the jade slip glowed with a soft green light. Su Mo drew a deep breath. His voice was filled with exhaustion and confusion he could no longer conceal. "Teacher, this is your disciple Su Mo. I am currently stationed in Trade City... Recently, I used an iron-fisted approach to deal with unrest among the non-humans in the city. Though it brought peace within its walls, I can't put the turmoil in my heart to rest. I sought the Dao with a compassionate heart, yet acted with bloodshed. Among those non-humans were elderly people, children, and women. Is this law of the strong preying on the weak truly the right path? I don't know. I'm confused..."
His words faded. The jade slip shimmered, carrying his thoughts to distant Jixia Academy. Su Mo held it in his hand and stood quietly by the window, gazing out into the deep night. The weight in his heart felt no lighter. He knew his teacher might have an answer for him, but he feared that the answer would confirm the unease stirring faintly within him: perhaps he had already strayed from the path he had first set out on, caught between his duties as City Lord and his true self as a scholar.
Jixia Academy stood in Luo Shui City, where the Human Race's fortune was at its strongest. Spiritual energy shrouded its lofty halls and palaces. Feng Luo sat across from Jiang He in the Dao Discussion Pavilion behind the academy. On the stone table, Enlightenment Tea brewed with Spirit Spring water sent wisps of steam curling upward, forming faint patterns of the Dao. Feng Luo wore white and carried an otherworldly air, just as gentle and refined as Su Mo remembered. Jiang He, seated opposite him, wore a pale yellow robe with flame patterns that shifted in time with his breathing. They showed not a hint of aggression; instead, they made his presence seem like still water in a deep pool, restrained yet concealing world-shaking power.
Suddenly, the communication slip at Feng Luo's waist lit up green. He raised a hand to take it and infused it with spiritual power. Su Mo's voice rang clearly through the pavilion. Feng Luo's brows drew together slightly. After listening, he looked at Jiang He and let out a soft sigh. "That child is still too attached to the word 'compassion.'"
Jiang He lifted his teacup and took a small sip. The tea flowed down his throat, turning into a clear stream of spiritual power that circulated through his body. He set the cup down and looked into the distance, as though he could see past time and space to the lights and bloodshed of Trade City. "Su Mo is exceptionally talented and pure of heart. Brother Feng Luo, you taught him well. But he has only just risen to a position of authority, and though he possesses the cultivation of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, he still doesn't understand the full weight of the word 'protection.'"
"What do you mean by that, Brother Jiang?" Feng Luo asked.
"Trade City is neither Jixia Academy nor Tianyuan City." Jiang He's voice was steady and powerful. "It is a place where countless races live side by side, and the strong preying on the weak is the very backdrop of survival. After the Sages and the Heavenly Dao fought, the order of the world collapsed and the non-human races were left wandering without shelter. If they aren't brought under strict control, the ensuing chaos will harm not only the Human Race, but also the unarmed non-humans. Su Mo's actions may seem cruel, but in truth, he held the line. He didn't wipe them all out. Instead, he designated a residential area and left them a chance to survive."
Feng Luo considered this for a moment, then nodded. "But he can't get past that in his heart. He thinks he has betrayed his compassion."
"Compassion isn't the same as softheartedness." Jiang He rose and gazed at the sea of clouds beyond the pavilion. "In the Primordial World, survival has never been a matter of choice. It's a question that must be answered. The Human Race's prosperity today rests not on compassion alone, but on decisive action and holding fast to its limits. Su Bai's inner conflict comes from separating a scholar's 'compassion' from a City Lord's 'responsibility.' He must understand that protecting the Human Race, keeping this city alive, and allowing more people to survive in a chaotic age—that is the greater compassion."
He paused, then continued, "The coexistence of technology and the laws of the Primordial World in Trade City is an experiment in itself. I stationed him there not merely to have him govern a territory, but to temper his Dao heart in this corrupt age. His current struggle is an opportunity for his Dao heart to grow. Brother Feng Luo, perhaps you should tell him this: the Great Dao is ever-changing, but compassion must remain. Those who undertake great deeds must be broad-minded, yet also possess the resolve to act with iron will. Hold fast to your limits and remain true to yourself. That is enough."
A look of understanding passed through Feng Luo's eyes. He picked up the communication slip, spiritual power flowing across his fingertips, and spoke softly into it. "Mo'er, your teacher understands your confusion. In the chaotic Primordial World, survival comes first. You acted with an iron fist to protect, not to kill. That is the City Lord's duty, and there is nothing wrong with it. Compassion does not mean indulging others; holding the line is fundamental. By designating a residential area and leaving room for them to live, you remained true to yourself. The path of the Dao heart is bound to be full of struggle. Don't demand perfection of yourself; simply act with a clear conscience. Remember, you are protecting the Human Race, as well as the balance of this city. That is your right path for now."
Inside the study in Trade City, the jade slip in Su Mo's hand lit up green again. His teacher's voice was gentle yet firm, like spring rain nourishing his parched heart. He listened in silence. His tense shoulders gradually relaxed, the warmth in his eyes fading and giving way to relief and resolve.
He knew the struggle in his heart might never disappear completely, but at last he understood that the so-called right path wasn't an unchanging doctrine. It meant fulfilling one's duties in one's position, holding fast to the lines that must be held, and protecting those who must be protected. Trade City's law of the strong preying on the weak could not be changed, but he could be the one who held the line and kept this struggle for survival from becoming too cruel.
Su Mo put away the jade slip and looked out at the night once more. A pale streak of dawn had already appeared at the edge of the sky. A new day was about to begin. Trade City's high-rises gradually emerged in the morning light, technology's brilliance mingling with the aura of the Primordial World to form a unique and magnificent scene. He took a deep breath. Most of the knot in his heart had loosened, leaving only the heavy burden of responsibility and a clear, unwavering resolve.
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