So-Called Titles of Good and Evil Have Always Bound Only the Weak

Spring deepened, then early summer came; then autumn turned cool, then winter descended.

There was no sense of time in cultivation. Once immersed in it, the years passed unnoticed.

Six years had already passed since Li Changsheng and Jiang Nannan arrived in the Sun Moon Empire.

Time flowed across the Douluo Continent, and the seas quietly shifted.

Yet Bright Capital, situated within the Sun Moon Empire, remained brilliantly prosperous night after night.

Night fell over the earth, but not a trace of darkness or stillness touched the entire imperial capital.

As far as the eye could see, lights stretched endlessly along the miles of streets, while countless soul-tool neon displays flickered with flowing radiance.

The towering buildings stood layer upon layer, glowing from top to bottom. Floating soul-tool streetlamps lit up one after another, while small soul-tool vehicles darting through the air traced arcs of light.

Intricate soul devices operated ceaselessly everywhere. Shopfronts blazed with light, pedestrians streamed by without end, and the feeling of technology rushed straight at them.

The bustling splendor, the dazzling lights and revelry, made the entire imperial capital resemble an immortal city that never slept.

Such an advanced and dazzling nightscape was a spectacle the antiquated cities of the three traditional kingdoms could never rival.

On the pedestrian walkway beside the long street, two slender figures strolled side by side. Their steps were leisurely, the evening breeze gentle, and the years tranquil.

Six years were enough to wash away youthful immaturity and shape grace and brilliance.

Jiang Nannan, once a poor girl with immature features and a touch of timid weakness, had long since shed the frailty and childishness of her youth, undergoing a transformation as profound as rebirth.

Now, her beauty had fully blossomed. Her features were exquisitely flawless, her brows and eyes clear and striking, her skin fair and lustrous. Every smile and frown carried a captivating charm; she was undeniably breathtakingly beautiful.

A simple yet elegant pale-gold short dress fit her perfectly, outlining her tall, slender, perfectly curved figure in all the right places, its lines smooth and graceful.

Her two straight, long, flawless jade-like legs were exposed to the slightly cool evening breeze, slender and proportioned, drawing countless eyes.

A pair of exquisite golden heels in matching tones subtly heightened her stature, making her posture appear even more upright and elegant, her temperament extraordinary.

Six years of study, cultivating both soul power and soul engineering, had stripped away the humility and unease of her lowly beginnings. In their place were scholarly elegance and a cool, gentle poise.

She was now beautiful and captivating, poised and graceful. Walking amid the clamorous crowd, she resembled a moonlit fairy untouched by worldly dust, exceptionally eye-catching.

The evening breeze drifted by, and neon light and shadow from the street fell across their shoulders, quiet and tender.

After walking for a while, Jiang Nannan seemed to suddenly recall a question that had weighed on her heart for years.

She turned her head, her clear eyes carrying a trace of confusion, and softly asked:

"Changsheng, where did Senior Zhongli Wu, the one who brought us here and arranged everything for our enrollment back then, go?"

"Over these six years, I've never seen him again or heard any news of him. It's as if he completely vanished."

This question had remained buried in her heart for a full six years.

When she had first entered the Sun Moon Imperial Academy, she had been ignorant and knew only that he had done Li Changsheng and her an enormous favor.

But six years were enough for her to understand the balance of power across the continent, as well as the terrifying meaning behind the three words Holy Spirit Cult.

It was a dark den of evil, filled with evil soul masters who slaughtered without restraint, a name that made the world pale at the mention of it and drew universal scorn.

It was the ultimate evil sect, besieged by the righteous path and hated by all!

Zhongli Wu was the mighty leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, commanding countless evil forces and standing at the pinnacle of darkness.

Why had such a ruthless and immensely powerful figure gone to such lengths to help two nameless juniors like them back then?

He had even drawn upon his connections and resources, opening doors among the upper echelons of the Sun Moon Empire to ensure they could enroll safely and cultivate without worry.

Six years of doubt, six years without answers.

No matter how she looked at it, the identity of Holy Spirit Cult leader had nothing whatsoever to do with the words "kindhearted person"!

Jiang Nannan's heart was filled with unease and bewilderment, and deep confusion lingered between her brows.

Li Changsheng cast her a sidelong glance, his tone lazy and casual as he absentmindedly asked:

"What? You care a lot?"

Jiang Nannan nodded gently, honestly voicing her thoughts.

"A little. And I don't understand it."

"I didn't know what the Holy Spirit Cult meant before, but that doesn't mean I don't know now... It's a terrifying force made up of countless evil soul masters, stained with blood and slaughter."

"But Senior Zhongli Wu is the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult. He holds great power and stands above all others. Why did he specifically send us to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy? Shouldn't he have made us stay in the Holy Spirit Cult, under its control and indoctrination?"

"Where else could he go?"

"As the Holy Spirit Cult's leader, there were only ever two places for him."

"Either he remained in the cult to stabilize the situation, or, just like six years ago, he ran all over the continent picking people up and bringing them back."

Hearing her bewildered words, Li Changsheng could not help but chuckle. A profound glimmer, one that seemed to understand the ways of the world, flashed through his eyes as he calmly revealed the truth. "As for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, to be honest, that was my decision. It had nothing to do with him."

Jiang Nannan froze slightly at those words, then covered her mouth and smiled sweetly.

A moment later, the smile faded from her face. Her expression grew solemn, and after hesitating for a while, she suppressed the complicated emotions in her heart and quietly asked in earnest:

"So... are you really the Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Son now?"

She had kept that question in her heart for six whole years, never daring to ask it lightly.

Now that she had finally spoken it, Jiang Nannan's eyes were full of complicated worry and unease.

After living alongside him day and night for six years, she knew Li Changsheng better than anyone.

He was gentle and composed, capable of distinguishing good from evil, and kind at heart. He had never indiscriminately killed innocents or been tainted by even the slightest viciousness. As for her, he had cared for her in every possible way; his kindness toward her was as weighty as a mountain.

But the identity of the Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Son was far too glaring, far too deadly.

It meant being born on the side opposing the righteous path, destined to be hated, hunted, and denounced by soul masters across the entire continent!

She was truly afraid.

She feared that one day, when the world's prejudice proved impossible to change and his identity was fully exposed, the boy she saw as her salvation would be forcibly branded an evil soul master, become the enemy of the entire continent, and ultimately be hunted by everyone, denied a good end.

Seeing the worry and concern she could not hide in her eyes, Li Changsheng did not conceal anything. He nodded openly and calmly admitted:

"That's right. I am indeed the Holy Spirit Cult's only Holy Son."

His tone was calm and unreserved, without the slightest attempt at concealment.

To him, this identity was merely a chess piece for arranging matters in the lower realm and stirring the board.

So-called titles of good and evil had always bound only the weak.

Just as when Zhongli Wu had first appeared six years ago.

Or rather, if the Shrek Academy higher-ups learned his identity and found that he was not an evil soul master, they would instead praise him, saying that a tiger father had no dog son, that this power of destruction was pure, and that he would surely accomplish great things in the future.

As for why he had admitted this identity in front of Jiang Nannan.

The reason was simple.

Jiang Nannan was someone he had personally pulled from the mud, changed the fate of, and carefully protected to this day.

At the very least, her feelings toward him were certainly pure and sincere, without the slightest malicious intent.

If he could not see through or hold the girl's heart in his grasp, then he had no right to keep painstakingly arranging matters in the lower realm.

He might as well return to the Divine Realm and inherit the family fortune.