Going Mad Was Fun for a While

"I looked into your past over the last few days and found that Yu Luomian's influence was everywhere in your life," Nan Feng said.

"And this attention didn't start only after you awakened your Martial Soul. On the contrary, after you awakened it, Yu Luomian became much more discreet about watching over you."

Liu Erlong gave a cold laugh. "He was worried my existence would tarnish the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's reputation!"

"Innate Soul Power of level seven. Though your Fire Dragon Martial Soul is a little weaker than the orthodox Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon after its mutation, you're still guaranteed to reach Soul Saint, with Soul Douluo within reach." Nan Feng looked puzzled.

"And that's considered a disgrace?"

Across the entire Douluo Continent, there were fewer than five hundred Soul Masters at Soul Saint rank or above!

There were fewer than a hundred Titled Douluo and Soul Douluo combined. The remaining four hundred or so were Soul Saints, while all the other Soul Masters were below level seventy.

And nearly half of the Soul Saints were under Spirit Hall's control. The Seven Great Sects, the Eight Great Families, and all the other sects, large and small, controlled most of the rest.

Titled Douluo rarely showed themselves, while Soul Douluo were all overlords in their own right. Soul Saints were already the highest-level experts most Soul Masters would ever encounter!

And Liu Erlong had the talent to break through to Soul Douluo one day!

That kind of talent was a disgrace?

Just how many Soul Douluo did the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have?

Even Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, who would one day be known as the twin prodigies of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, had only level seven and level eight Innate Soul Power, respectively.

Most Soul Masters were born with only level three or four Innate Soul Power. Becoming a Spirit King was their lifelong goal, and those who could reach Spirit Emperor or Soul Saint rank were already geniuses with level five or six Innate Soul Power.

As for levels seven, eight, or nine—or even level ten, Innate Full Soul Power—those who could reach Soul Douluo or even Titled Douluo were geniuses among geniuses!

They were destined to stand at the pinnacle of the continent!

"Do you really think Yu Luomian kept you hidden because he thought you'd disgrace him?" Nan Feng asked.

"Isn't that the reason?" Liu Erlong shot back.

"Then why was there always someone to help you whenever you ran into trouble?" Nan Feng asked.

"You picked fights in Heaven Dou City and made enemies. You traveled abroad and got into trouble with local sects. Why do you think none of them came after you?"

"And back then, when you were about to make a terrible mistake, why do you think Yu Luomian arrived in time?"

Liu Erlong furrowed her brow. "How do you know that?"

"How I know is none of your concern. I'm just putting the pieces together." Nan Feng raised his teacup and took a slow sip. The tribute tea from the Martial Soul Temple really was excellent.

"Yu Luomian didn't ignore you. The truth is, because he cared about you, he never considered exposing your identity. And don't think your birth is something to be ashamed of, or that it would bring the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a bad name. No one cares whether your mother was a woman of the demimonde. They only care about your talent and your strength."

"Besides, your Fire Dragon Martial Soul is similar to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Blue Tyrant Academy receives help from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's elders at every turn. Do you really think people don't know where you came from?"

"They know. Anyone with eyes can see it, and you know it too."

"But they care that you might one day become a Soul Douluo and an elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—not about that little scar of yours that hurts at the slightest touch."

"Yu Luomian simply never brought it out into the open because he knew you resented him. You didn't even want to acknowledge him, especially after what happened back then. You practically hated him."

"You've traveled the continent for years. You should know whether I'm telling the truth. People don't care about right and wrong. They worship the strong, and accept everything the strong do."

"What are you trying to say?" Liu Erlong asked.

"That you want me to seek out Yu Luomian, then help Spirit Hall deal with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"

After all that, he was just telling her that Yu Luomian cared about his illegitimate daughter and that she was valuable!

"Let me correct you. I'm not trying to deal with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. I'm trying to deal with this filthy world, reeking of decay," Nan Feng said languidly.

Liu Erlong gave a scornful smile. "A filthy world? You want me to play the family card and get close to Yu Luomian so I can do your bidding, and you still have the nerve to spout such lofty nonsense?"

"Lofty nonsense? Perhaps." Nan Feng's expression didn't change.

"Right and wrong are just excuses the powerful use to commit violence, and dinner-table chatter for the onlookers."

"Take the war between the Clear Sky Sect and Spirit Hall. Anyone with a shred of sense knows how absurd Spirit Hall's justification is, but people aren't debating whether Spirit Hall was right. They're talking about how incredible Tang Hao is!"

"One against three—what a sensational topic!"

"The Clear Sky Sect's Ring Detonation has once again become the talk of all the sects. No one cares about the low-ranking Soul Masters who died as cannon fodder in this war, much less the innocent civilians who lost their homes and were left wandering homeless because of the Soul Master conflict. No one cares whether they're alive or dead now."

"They're still laughing and chatting, still living in splendor."

"..."

Liu Erlong fell silent, her expression complicated as she looked at Nan Feng.

She couldn't tell whether he was lamenting or mocking. Maybe both. But she could clearly sense a strange madness about him!

"Why don't you calm down first?" Liu Erlong asked nervously.

He gave her an overwhelming sense of danger!

But it wasn't his strength!

"You don't need to be nervous. I'm perfectly calm." Nan Feng kept drinking his tea as if nothing had happened.

"I know you're wondering whether I might be a lunatic."

Liu Erlong's expression turned awkward. "I wasn't..."

"If that's really what you think, then all I can say is..." Nan Feng straightened his expression.

"You've got a good eye!"

Damn it! He'd spent six years on edge in that hellhole called Slaughter City. There was no way his mind could still be normal!

He knew he went off the rails a lot of the time, but he couldn't stop himself!

Saikou ni high na tēma da!!

Why did he like Bibi Dong? Was he lusting after her body?

No, no. He really was attracted to her state of mind!

Going mad was fun for a while; staying mad was fun forever!

Only when you let yourself go mad could you understand how much fun madness was!

No need to worry about anything. Throw off every shackle!

A celebration of the mind! It was so damn intoxicating!

"What do you think I meant by all that?" Nan Feng asked.

"Lamenting the injustice of the world? Outraged on behalf of the innocent? Or condemning this filthy world?"

Liu Erlong hesitated, then shook her head. "I don't know."

"Neither do I." Nan Feng shrugged.

Liu Erlong's eye twitched.

It seemed this guy really wasn't thinking straight.

"Maybe it was a passing impulse, maybe I've been planning it for a long time, or maybe some desire buried deep in my heart has finally been stirred." Nan Feng lifted his head and gazed at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.

"I'm curious how much of an impact I can have on the world, for better or worse."

"Perhaps a thousand years from now, people will praise me. Or perhaps they'll despise me. But one thing's certain: they'll remember me."

Liu Erlong looked confused. "What are you planning to do?"

"Change is uncertain. Things might get better, or they might get worse," Nan Feng said cryptically.

Liu Erlong gave him an odd look. "You want your name remembered throughout history?"

"Perhaps I'll be remembered as a villain for all eternity," Nan Feng said.

"I'm softhearted. I can't bear to see people suffer, so I like to close my eyes."

"Closing my eyes lets me forget my fear, but it can also make me lose my way."

"I don't know what I'll bring about. I don't even know where I'm headed."

"But as long as I can still hear someone crying, then not a single person is allowed to laugh!"

"I can't make everyone happy, so let's be fair about it. Everyone can suffer together!"