Madman's Fair Words

Emerging from Wei Dayong's house, Wang Quan headed straight for the peculiar-smelling courtyard in the west of the city. Pushing open the loosely shut wooden door, he found Madman Xu with his back to him, squatting in a corner fiddling with a bubbling earthenware pot, pungent smoke swirling around.

"Yo, a rare visitor," Madman Xu said without turning his head, his hoarse voice laced with its usual mockery. "Heard you've been doing well lately, even teaching those little girls martial arts? What, you have time to come smell the stink here today?"

Wang Quan closed the door behind him. In the dim, yellow light, his expression was calm. "The Myriad Monster Blood Devouring Art you gave me, I've practiced it," he stated directly.

Madman Xu's movements paused. He slowly turned around, his cloudy eyes glinting in the shadows as he scanned Wang Quan from head to toe as if appraising a work of art. "Practiced it? How does it feel? You didn't turn yourself into a monster that only knows how to kill, did you?"

"The urge to kill, it is indeed a bit stronger towards non-humans," Wang Quan admitted frankly, feeling the dormant restlessness within him. "Especially when I see those Corpse Tribe monsters while on patrol, the killing intent flares up quickly. But I can still suppress it for now; it doesn't affect other living people. Other than that, there are no immediate issues."

"Only strong killing intent towards outsiders? That's normal!" Madman Xu grinned, revealing his uneven yellow teeth. "The Myriad Monster Blood Devouring Art feeds on the essence and blood of Demonic Creatures. Practice it for too long, and you'll naturally see them as enemies! As long as you don't start salivating at the sight of any living person, it means your will hasn't been completely devoured by beastly nature!" He suddenly leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Want to try something more potent?" As he spoke, he retrieved a long object wrapped in talismans from a wooden crate in the corner. Unveiling the paper, a scorching, violent aura rushed towards them—it was an arm covered in dark red scales, its nails sharp as hooks, emanating a heart-stopping heat.

"An Abyssal Flame Demon's arm! Graft it on, and you'll have immense strength and the ability to control flames!" Madman Xu ecstatically caressed the scales. "But only those who view death as returning home can graft it! Everyone who tried before went mad. Do you dare?"

Wang Quan frowned, looking at the arm that seemed ready to burn at any moment, and shook his head. "It's neither human nor ghost. I can't accept it."

"No guts!" Madman Xu spat, then pulled out another bundle wrapped in grey cloth. Unveiling it revealed a dark green arm, covered in stone-like patterns, exuding a deep, heavy aura. "A Mountain-Bearing Dragon Turtle's forelimb! Carrying a trace of the Dragon Son Baxia's bloodline, it's all about absolute strength, ultimate suppression!"

Wang Quan still shook his head. "I'll walk on my own two feet first. I came today to inquire about General of the Middle Army Li Chongshan."

Madman Xu's expression instantly turned cold as he slowly put the arm away. "Inquire about him? Heh, the imperial court ignored him for five years, do you really think they didn't know?" He chuckled sarcastically. "He's a registered disciple of some important official in the capital! Doing dirty and tiring work in this poor backwater, who in the court wouldn't give him face?"

Wang Quan clenched his fists. "So the common folk of Anping deserve to have their families destroyed?"

"Justice?" Madman Xu suddenly burst into manic laughter. "In this world, whoever has the biggest fist is just! Li Chongshan and the master behind him are justice! I, Madman Xu, can make those who want to live stronger, but I can't give you justice!"

He suddenly lowered his voice. "Listen to me, stop asking. Protect your own life before your fist is strong enough! You can't even protect yourself now, what are you talking about giving others justice?"

Wang Quan stared at him with eyes like knives. "I will protect my own life, and I will solve my own problems. But some things, once seen, cannot be unseen." His voice was laced with suppressed anger. "Even a common man's anger can spill blood!

Madman Xu's manic smile gradually faded from his face, replaced by an almost cold calmness. He looked at Wang Quan with his cloudy eyes, his voice low and hoarse. "You think anger can change this world?" He slowly shook his head, with a weariness that seemed to have seen through everything. "You can only blame yourselves for being born in this place, for being born as mere grass. You can only blame yourselves for not having strong enough fists."

He paused, his gaze piercingly fixed on Wang Quan, his tone carrying a hint of warning, even a trace of imperceptible complexity. "Young man, having fire in your heart is a good thing. It can make you arrogant, make you feel like you can shatter the sky. But don't forget, before you truly grow up, in the eyes of those big figures, crushing you is no different from crushing an ant..."

Wang Quan said nothing further. He merely gave Madman Xu a deep look, then abruptly turned, yanked open the creaking wooden door, and strode out without looking back.

"Fighting for justice costs lives..." Madman Xu muttered softly.