You Are Unworthy to Die!

The Black-Robed Gu Master crunched a red pill between his teeth, and a layer of dark red substance immediately surged from beneath his skin.

His hands blurred in front of his chest, his fingernails tearing into his palms; bright red blood flowed down his fingertips, transforming into a swarm of insects before it even touched the ground.

Ten Thousand Gu Heart-Eroding Array, sacrifice!

The sound of countless wings beating together coalesced into a shriek that pierced the ears.

These insects formed a black web in the air that blotted out the sky, the crimson light in each of their eyes hungering to devour the dazzling lightning.

Li Pingsheng stood motionless, his right hand hanging loosely at his side.

His arm, previously swollen and bruised, now shimmered with the luster of jade—a mark left behind by the bombardment of lightning.

Listening to the shrill buzzing of the insects, he did not waver in the slightest.

The Nine Heavens Thunder-Controlling Art circulated through his body of its own accord, every acupuncture point feeling as if it were filled with boiling liquid.

He drew a circle in the air with his left index finger.

"Disperse."

The command was not loud, yet it silenced the buzzing of the swarm for a fleeting moment.

The purple thunder circling the wellhead suddenly stirred, shrinking violently in the air before sweeping outward in all directions.

Wherever the lightning passed, the Gu Insect, said to be capable of consuming metal and stone, vanished into wisps of green smoke before it could even emit a sound.

A massive gap tore through the black insect web.

Li Pingsheng took a step forward.

Under the tread of his boot, the bluestone slab shattered from the released thunder force.

His figure turned into a purple afterimage, cutting through the mist as the Black-Robed Gu Master's pupils dilated in shock.

The Black-Robed Gu Master tried to resort to other methods, only to find he could no longer lift his arms; every breath he drew required the strength of his entire being.

Li Pingsheng extended his right hand, fingers pressed together.

A longsword forged from condensed lightning took shape in his grip.

The blade was a living arc of electricity, causing the surrounding mist to hiss as it burned.

People like you should not exist.

The Thunder Sword cleaved through the night.

There was no sound of impact, only the sizzling of lightning cauterizing blood.

The area where the Black-Robed Gu Master was struck turned black and carbonized instantly; the life-bound Gu Insect lurking within him tried to flee, but the moment it touched the air, it was ignited by the thunder fire.

The Black-Robed Gu Master collapsed to the ground, his remaining eye fixed firmly on Old Qi.

"Well-Guardian... your lineage will all eventually perish..."

Before he could finish, Li Pingsheng flicked his hand, and a bolt of lightning pierced through his forehead.

You have killed a heretic. You have gained 1.5 Potential Points.
You currently have 3.5 Potential Points.

As the system prompt echoed in his mind, Li Pingsheng ignored it.

He turned to see an old man sitting by the edge of the well.

Old Qi's back was hunched, the wrinkles on his face deep and etched.

His complexion was deathly pale, and the Azure Light Shield in his hand was shattered into pieces.

He had neither fled nor begged for mercy; he simply sat there, watching the Black-Robed Gu Master turn to ash before seeing Li Pingsheng approach slowly.

"You won."

Old Qi let out a long, ragged sigh, his voice raspy.

Li Pingsheng stopped three paces away from Old Qi, the lightning on his right hand yet to fade.

"Why do this?"

Old Qi did not look up.

"The seal has weakened."

Old Qi stared into the deep, ancient well.

"When I took over fifty years ago, I sacrificed the earth vein every three years. But now, the turbid energy is growing too severe; the thing beneath is on the verge of waking."

A smile hung on his lips, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

"I have tried many methods, but none succeeded. You are the first person in over a hundred years to possess both pure Yang blood and the aptitude for the initial mastery of thunder arts."

"So, you believe it is only right that I be sacrificed?"

Li Pingsheng's voice was steady, devoid of any emotional color.

After a long silence, Old Qi finally spoke.

"Sacrificing one person to trade for the lives of over thirty thousand in the Wealthy District, and to buy peace for the entire Azure Cloud City... I will do it. Even if I know it is wrong, I must still do it."

"Is this what you call 'righteousness'?" Li Pingsheng took a step forward, and several cracks appeared on the stone stele.

"By what right do you make this decision for me? Because you have lived longer? Or is it because of that broken Bronze Talisman in your hand?"

Li Pingsheng raised his right arm, the tip of the Thunder Sword pointing at Old Qi's throat.

"The righteousness you have built is a pride rooted in the flesh and blood of the weak. You dare not face the monster at the bottom of the well, nor are you willing to seek a true way out, so you kill an innocent student to pull the wool over everyone's eyes."

Old Qi closed his eyes, his thin neck tilting upward slightly to expose his flushed throat.

"What you say is correct. For these past fifty years, I have always believed I was protecting something, but in reality, I was just waiting to die. Go ahead; dying at your hands can be considered a form of closure."

Li Pingsheng looked at him.

Old Qi did not resist; he even voluntarily withdrew the true energy from his chest.

When the lightning struck Old Qi's body, red spots appeared across his skin.

After a long silence, Old Qi trembled slightly from holding his breath for too long.

The Thunder Sword in Li Pingsheng's hand had already vanished.

The electric arcs retreated back into his flesh.

Old Qi opened his eyes, unable to see clearly for a moment, and just stared at Li Pingsheng.

"I will not kill you."

Li Pingsheng's voice was devoid of ups and downs.

"There is no meaning in killing someone who is begging for death."

He raised his hand and, before Old Qi could react, pressed his index finger accurately against the man's chest.

A bolt of purple lightning flowed through his finger and into Old Qi's heart.

Old Qi let out a muffled groan; after his heart contracted, a numb, aching sensation spread through his veins across his entire body.

He hurriedly checked his blood, and upon seeing what was inside his heart, his expression turned ghastly.

"Thunderbolt Lock."

After Li Pingsheng withdrew his hand, the muscles on his face relaxed.

"The Thunder Stele Origin is in my hands now. The moment you harbor a treacherous thought, this lock will detonate. At that time, your internal organs will instantly turn to charcoal."

Old Qi's mouth twitched; the faint, lingering stinging sensation in his chest forced his lips into a stiff smile.

"You want me to be your slave?"

"It is not atonement."

Li Pingsheng turned to look at the sky, which was nearing midday.

"Do you not owe the people of this city? Use your entire life to guard this well. From now on, you are forbidden from committing suicide, and you are not to consider the matter of sacrifice ever again."

After a brief pause, he continued.

"Since you believe that sacrificing the few is correct, then you have now become that minority. You shall live under the threat of thunder, and only when you have made a contribution to this city will you be released."

Old Qi stood rigid, frozen in place.

"I accept your command."

He lowered his head, bowing deeply this time.