Wisdom Life

"What is this...?"

Tang Wulin crouched down, his fingertips trembling slightly as he picked up the silver communication soul device from the ground.

Its cold metal casing pressed against his palm, still carrying Xiao Chusheng's body heat, making him frown instinctively.

He had only ever seen his parents use the oldest button-operated communication soul devices. This foldable touchscreen model was a rare item in Aolai City, something only wealthy households could afford.

He carefully swiped upward across the screen with his finger. Sure enough, there was no password lock, and the screen unlocked at once.

What appeared before his eyes was a photograph of Na'er.

It had clearly just been taken, with the corner of this alley as its background.

The photo was named "New Prey."

Na'er in the photograph was just as she was now, crouching on the ground with her knees hugged to her chest. Her long silver hair covered most of her face, revealing only a pale chin and a pair of bewildered violet eyes.

The angle of the photograph was deliberately suggestive, taken from the side with the camera focused on her bare ankles and slender wrists.

Tang Wulin's heart suddenly clenched.

He turned to glance at Na'er behind him. She was timidly clutching the hem of his clothes, her large violet eyes filled with fear and dependence.

He bit his lip, and his finger unconsciously swiped to the right.

The screen changed to the next picture.

Tang Wulin's breathing stopped instantly.

The photo showed a girl who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen. She was kneeling on cold concrete, completely naked, her body covered in horrifying wounds.

There were bloody welts from whips, blisters burned by cigarette butts, and bruises left by fingernails. Old and fresh injuries overlapped, densely covering her entire body.

Her hair had been brutally hacked into a mess. Her face was covered in tears and grime, and her eyes were as empty as a dried-up well, devoid of the slightest trace of life.

Her back, chest, and arms were also covered in filthy insults written in black marker. Every word was like a sharp blade. Though Tang Wulin could not understand them, his instincts told him they were definitely not good words.

"She..."

Tang Wulin's voice was dry and hoarse, as though sand had clogged his throat.

His hand began trembling uncontrollably, and the communication soul device nearly slipped from his grasp.

His stomach churned violently, and he almost threw up the buns he had eaten that morning.

He had never seen anything so cruel, so filthy. It far exceeded everything a six-year-old child understood about "evil."

"What are you standing there for? Keep looking."

Jin Qiu's voice rang out beside his ear, still carrying that careless tone. There was even a faint, ambiguous smile at the corner of his mouth.

Yet Tang Wulin keenly sensed that the air around him had turned cold.

The formerly warm golden light now carried a trace of icy killing intent.

Tang Wulin nodded, took a deep breath, and forced himself to keep scrolling.

One photograph after another flashed across the screen.

There was a little boy beaten black and blue, a girl locked inside a dog cage, and a homeless man drenched in cold water, shivering in the biting wind.

Every photograph had a different backdrop: abandoned factories, remote alleys, or empty warehouses.

The people in every photo had the same despair and fear in their eyes.

Besides the photos, there were also densely packed chat logs.

Tang Wulin opened one of the chat windows. It was full of Xiao Chusheng and his gang of scoundrels bragging.

They discussed who they had bullied that day, whose cries sounded the best, whose resistance had been the fiercest. They even placed bets on how long the next victim would last before breaking down.

There was not the slightest hint of guilt or pity between the lines, only pure malice and twisted pleasure.

There were also transfer records, large sums of Federal Coins transferred from different accounts into Xiao Chusheng's name.

The notes read "hush money," "medical expenses," and "settlement fee."

Clearly, many people had already been harmed by them, and the victims' families could ultimately only swallow their anger and accept money to settle the matter.

Tang Wulin's grip tightened harder and harder, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His chest rose and fell violently. His eyes were bloodshot, and an indescribable rage built and churned within him like a volcano.

His teeth ground together, and he bit his lip until it bled. A thread of blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth, yet he did not notice at all.

Just then, his finger swiped onto a video file.

The video's thumbnail was completely black, and its filename was a string of garbled characters.

Tang Wulin froze for a moment, then, as if possessed, tapped it.

The video began playing.

The image shook slightly. Clearly, someone was holding the device nearby while filming.

It was an abandoned warehouse, dimly lit, with dust and the scent of rust filling the air.

In the video, a boy who looked only twelve or thirteen was kneeling on the ground, clutching Xiao Chusheng's leg and crying his heart out.

His face was swollen like a pig's head. One eye had been beaten so badly it would not open, and blood still ran from the corner of his mouth.

"Brother Chusheng, please, let my sister go!"

The boy's voice was hoarse beyond recognition, thick with desperate sobs.

"She's only ten! If you keep doing this, she really won't survive! I'll kowtow to you, I'll work like an ox and horse for you, please let her go!"

As he spoke, he repeatedly slammed his head against the ground before Xiao Chusheng. His forehead soon split open, blood streaming down his cheeks and staining the floor red.

Xiao Chusheng, meanwhile, sat atop a battered crate with his legs crossed, a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he watched the boy with a mocking expression.

The two lackeys beside him were the same two Tang Wulin had knocked down earlier. They stood nearby laughing loudly and constantly egging him on.

"It's not impossible to let your sister go."

Xiao Chusheng blew out a smoke ring and spoke slowly, his tone full of cruel amusement.

"How about this? Go over there and do your sister. As long as you do it and give us brothers something to enjoy, I'll let you both leave. What do you say?"

Tang Wulin gripped the device even tighter, cracking its screen in several places.

Though he could not understand what it meant, his instincts told him it was definitely nothing good.

The boy in the video froze as well. He raised his head and stared at Xiao Chusheng in disbelief, the color draining from his face in an instant.

"Y-you... what did you say?"

"I said, go do your sister."

Xiao Chusheng's smile became even smugger. He leaned down and patted the boy's face.

"What? You don't want to? If you don't, then don't even think about your sister leaving this warehouse alive today.

"And let me tell you, even if you won't do it, we brothers can do it for you. When that happens, she'll suffer even worse."

The boy collapsed onto the ground, his eyes empty as he kept muttering, "I... I..."

The video ended there.

Tang Wulin stared blankly at the darkened screen, his entire body rigid.

His mood had already fallen to rock bottom.

He had never seen such perverted, such evil intelligent life.

During his six years of life, his parents had taught him to be kind, to help others, and to believe that the world was beautiful.

He had always thought bad people only stole things and fought others. He had never known that a human heart could become this dark.

There really were people who took pleasure in tormenting others, who treated other people's suffering as entertainment.

An icy chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head.

He did not dare imagine what would have happened to that little girl if he had not passed by today, if Jin Qiu had not warned him.

Would she have become like those people in the photos, tortured beyond recognition before dying in despair?

"Fine. That's enough."

Jin Qiu's voice sounded again, interrupting Tang Wulin's thoughts.

His tone was very calm, yet it carried an unquestionable resolve.

"Raise your left hand."

Tang Wulin instinctively raised his left hand.

The next second, a scorching power surged from his palm.

A dazzling golden radiance shot into the sky, illuminating the entire gloomy alley.

A double-tipped spear nearly one meter sixty long appeared out of thin air in his hand.

The spearheads at both ends were incomparably sharp, possessing an almost translucent texture. Sunlight shone upon them and reflected an icy gleam.

The spear's body was a brilliant gold, as if forged from pure gold. Faint dragon-shaped patterns of intertwined gold and violet slowly flowed across it.

Those hidden patterns did not remain constantly visible. They flickered in and out like living things, surfacing along the spear's body and radiating an unusual, majestic luster.

At the same time, a faint violet aura of destruction encircled the spear.

The aura was cold and tyrannical. Wherever it passed, even the air twisted. Pebbles on the ground that touched it instantly turned to powder, leaving behind not even a trace of dust.

The spear felt heavy in his hand, yet it fitted Tang Wulin's palm perfectly, as though it had been custom-made for him.

A feeling of bloodline connection came from the spear, resonating powerfully with the Golden Dragon King bloodline within him.

He could clearly sense that this spear contained a terrifying power capable of destroying heaven and earth.

"This is..."

Tang Wulin's eyes widened as he stared at the spear in his hand in disbelief.

"The second martial soul I made for you. It's called the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear."

There was a hint of pride in Jin Qiu's voice.

"It was forged from a fragment of my source power, combined with the original Golden Dragon Spear, then fused with my Annihilation Law and a portion of destruction power.

"It is only a prototype for now, but it is more than enough to deal with those three pieces of trash."

He paused. His tone remained unchanged, but his words were exceptionally cold.

"And what you need to do now is use it to kill those three bastards for me."

"Brother Jin, but I can't bring myself to do it."

Tang Wulin's body jolted, and the spear in his hand nearly fell to the ground.

His face was pale, and his eyes were full of struggle.

Although he hated those three creatures who were worse than beasts to the bone, so much that he wanted to tear them to pieces—

He was still only a six-year-old child.

He had never even killed a chicken before.

Now he was being asked to kill someone with his own hands, and in such a cruel manner. No matter what, he could not cross that barrier in his heart.

"Can't bring yourself to do it?"

Jin Qiu sneered, a trace of mockery in his voice.

"Tang Wulin, wake up.

"You think that if you spare them now, they'll be grateful and turn over a new leaf?"

"Just as he said earlier, his father is Aolai City's governor.

"In Aolai City, he is the sky itself. Today, you beat him and even broke his spine.

"Do you think he'll let this go?"

"After he goes back, he will definitely tell his official father.

"Then they will find your home, Tang Ziran, and Lang Yue.

"Think about it. With the way they act, what kind of fate will your father and mother face?

"They will torture your parents just as they tortured those victims, making them wish they were dead.

"By then, it will be too late for regret."

Jin Qiu's words were like sharp blades, stabbing fiercely into Tang Wulin's heart.

His face grew even paler, and his body trembled faintly beyond his control.

He thought of Tang Ziran's rough palms, Lang Yue's gentle smile, and the warm days their family of three had spent together.

If his parents were harmed because of him, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.

"More importantly..."

Jin Qiu continued, his voice heavy and firm.

"If you let them go today, all they will do is harm more people.

"Were the photos and videos you just saw not enough?

"Do you want more innocent people to suffer the same pain as those victims?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to protect the people close to you? Didn't you say you wanted to become a powerful soul master?

"If you do not even have this much resolve, if you do not dare kill a few pieces of trash, then what right do you have to talk about protecting others or becoming a god?"

Tang Wulin tightly gripped the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear in his hand. The spear's icy touch made his chaotic mind clear up slightly.

A fierce battle raged within his heart.

His kind nature told him that killing was wrong, that it was against the law.

His mother had said that no matter what happened, he must never take another person's life.

Yet reason told him that Jin Qiu was right. Those three could no longer be called human.

They were demons. They were beasts.

Sparing them would be cruel to the victims and irresponsible toward his own family.

He turned to look at the little girl behind him.

The little girl was clutching tightly at his clothes, her large violet eyes full of unease.

Though she did not know what was happening, she could sense Tang Wulin's struggle and pain.

She extended her tiny hand and gently held Tang Wulin's finger, giving him a trace of warmth and strength in her own way.

Tang Wulin's heart shuddered.

He could not let Na'er be harmed.

He could not let his father and mother be harmed.

He could not allow more innocent people to be harmed by those three demons.

"Let me tell you, if you kill them with this Golden Sacred Dragon Spear, not even their corpses will remain."

Jin Qiu's voice rang out again, her tone gentler now, yet carrying an unquestionable persuasiveness.

"This spear will completely break down their bodies, souls, even every drop of blood and every piece of bone into their most basic particles, then absorb them all.

"In theory, as long as you clean up their belongings, no one will ever discover that you did it."

"No police will come looking for you. No one will suspect that a child like you could kill all three of them.

"These three pieces of trash will be as if they never existed in this world at all."

Upon hearing that, the last trace of Tang Wulin's hesitation finally vanished.

He took a deep breath and slowly raised his head.

His gaze had completely changed.

The clear, bright light in his eyes now held nothing but icy resolve.

The childish innocence and naivety that had belonged to him were, at this moment, utterly ground away by cruel reality.

In their place was a maturity and decisiveness far beyond his years.

He tightened his grip on the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear, slowly raising its tip toward Xiao Chusheng and the other two, who were still writhing and screaming in pain on the ground.

Golden sunlight streamed through the gap at the mouth of the alley, falling over him and the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear, reflecting a dazzling gleam.

"What are you going to do? Please, please don't kill me!"

Xiao Chusheng, who had been curled up on the ground and wailing, saw Tang Wulin approaching step by step with that golden spear emanating a purple aura of destruction. The last remnants of viciousness and arrogance in his eyes instantly vanished, leaving only terror that seeped into his bones.

Ignoring the agonizing pain in his broken lower back, he scrambled backward on his hands and feet. The rough bluestone pavement tore open his palms and knees, leaving streaks of blood behind.

He had pissed himself in terror, and a foul stench spread through the alley.

Snot and tears mixed together, smearing his face. His messy hair clung to his forehead, and none of his earlier swagger remained.

"I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

Xiao Chusheng kowtowed as he crawled, smashing his forehead heavily against the ground with dull thuds.

"I'll never dare again! I'll never bully anyone again! Please, spare me! I'll give you money, lots and lots of money! My father is a governor, he'll give you tons and tons of Federal Coins!"

"Let me go just this once, and I promise I'll never appear before you again! I swear! If I ever dare cause you trouble again, may heaven strike me down with thunder and let me die a horrible death!"

He begged incoherently, his voice shaking beyond recognition and filled with despair.

He had never imagined that one day, a six-year-old child would drive him to such a state.

He had never imagined that this seemingly ordinary little boy would possess such a terrifying weapon, or have eyes so cold and resolute.

Tang Wulin ignored his pleas.

His steps were steady, each one landing on the bluestone pavement with a crisp sound.

In the silent alley, those footsteps sounded like a death knell, each beat hammering against Xiao Chusheng's heart.

He stopped in front of Xiao Chusheng.

Looking down at the pathetic figure on the ground, his eyes held neither pity nor hesitation.

He remembered the despairing gazes in those photographs, the heart-wrenching cries of that young man in the video, the trembling little hand of the girl behind him, and the gentle smiles of his mother and father.

Slowly, he raised the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear in his hand.

The golden spear shaft glinted with a cold light under the sun, while a purple aura of destruction curled around its tip with faint sizzling sounds.

The air around them seemed to freeze, and even the wind fell still.

Tang Wulin drew a deep breath, then abruptly shut his eyes.

His wrist dropped, and without the slightest hesitation, he drove the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear viciously into Xiao Chusheng's chest.

Splat!

The sharp spear tip pierced through flesh and bone with ease, encountering no resistance at all.

"Aaaah!!!"

Xiao Chusheng let out an unimaginably shrill scream, so piercing it seemed capable of tearing apart one's eardrums.

But the scream lasted only a single second before cutting off abruptly.

His body suddenly stiffened. His eyes widened, his pupils instantly dilating as every trace of life faded from them.

Then, something strange happened.

The tip of the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear turned a deep, rich crimson the instant it pierced Xiao Chusheng's body, as though it had been soaked in blood.

A powerful suction force surged from the spear shaft, madly devouring the vitality within Xiao Chusheng's body.

Xiao Chusheng's body shriveled at a visible rate.

His skin lost its luster and turned wrinkled, like dried tree bark.

His muscles rapidly atrophied, making the outlines of his bones clearly stand out.

His hair turned dry and yellow, falling away like withered grass.

In mere seconds, his once fairly robust body became a dried-out skeleton.

Then even the skeleton began to turn brittle, flaking away and shattering bit by bit until it finally became a pile of gray-white ashes.

A light breeze passed through, scattering the ashes into the air until they vanished.

Only his clothes, the dagger he had dropped earlier, and his other belongings remained on the ground, proving that he had once existed there.

The bloody color on the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear slowly faded, returning to its radiant gold.

The spear remained as pristine as ever, without even a trace of blood left behind, as though nothing had happened.

"H-help!"

The other two boys witnessed that horrifying scene with their own eyes and were so terrified that they nearly lost their souls.

Ignoring the excruciating pain in their abdomens, they scrambled to their feet and ran toward the other end of the alley.

They moved with astonishing speed, wishing their parents had given them two more legs.

Only one thought remained in their minds: escape from here, escape from this demon-like little boy, escape from that terrifying spear that could turn people into ashes.

But before Tang Wulin, their speed was as slow as snails.

Tang Wulin did not even open his eyes.

He merely flicked his wrist, and the Golden Sacred Dragon Spear in his hand instantly transformed into two golden afterimages that shot toward the fleeing boys with sharp whistles through the air.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The two piercing whistles rang out almost simultaneously.

The two boys had barely taken a few steps when they both felt a chill in their backs.

Looking down, they saw golden spear tips piercing out through their chests, still carrying a faint purple aura of destruction.

They did not even have time to scream before their bodies began to shrivel, wither, and crumble at the same speed.

A few seconds later, the two boys also turned into two piles of ashes, scattered by the wind and gone without a trace.

The alley fell completely silent.

The screams, pleas, and whistling sounds from moments ago had all disappeared.

Only the sound of wind blowing past the alley entrance remained, along with the faint cries of street vendors in the distance.

It was as though that heart-stopping slaughter had never happened.

Tang Wulin slowly opened his eyes.

The Golden Sacred Dragon Spear in his hand became a streak of golden light and disappeared into his palm.

He stood where he was, motionless.

After a long while, he suddenly seemed to lose all strength. He bent over, bracing both hands against his knees as he gasped for breath.

His chest rose and fell violently, as though he were trying to expel every last breath from his lungs.

Cold sweat covered his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto the bluestone pavement.

His face was as pale as paper, devoid of even a trace of color. His lips were dry and cracked, trembling faintly.

His hands still shook uncontrollably.

Although he had made up his mind, although he knew that what he had done was right, this was still the first time he had killed someone.

The sensation of a cold weapon piercing a human body, the feeling of a life vanishing in his hands in an instant, the visual shock of watching someone turn to ashes before his eyes—all of it crashed against his nerves like a tide.

His stomach churned violently, the steamed buns he had eaten that morning rolling endlessly inside him.

He fought down the urge to vomit, biting his lips hard until they split open and he tasted a faint tang of blood. Only then did he barely manage to suppress it.

He raised his head and looked at the empty alley, at the belongings left behind on the ground, his gaze somewhat dazed.

He had killed people.

He had killed three people with his own hands.

Although they deserved it, although they were utterly evil monsters, he had still killed people.

An indescribably complicated emotion welled up in his heart.

There was fear, discomfort, and confusion, but not a shred of regret.

He knew that if he were given another chance, he would still make the same choice.

Just then, a small, cool hand gently took hold of one of his fingers.

Tang Wulin froze slightly and turned his head.

Na'er stood at his side, looking up at him with her large purple eyes unblinking.

There was no fear or disgust in her eyes, only deep concern and dependence.

She said nothing. She merely stretched out her other hand and gently wiped the cold sweat from Tang Wulin's face.