The List

Lianshan Xin was not a bloodthirsty man. At heart, he was a pragmatist. Dai Yongzhen posed little threat to him, so he had never really intended to kill him.

But at this moment, he felt Dai Yongzhen deserved to die.

His understanding of the world befitted his suffering.

His end, too, ought to befit his understanding.

"Since you don't want to discuss corruption among the Demon Cult's higher-ups, let's talk about Blood Guanyin."

As Lianshan Xin spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Dai Yongzhen's face.

At the name "Blood Guanyin," Dai Yongzhen, whose composure had already crumbled, changed color again.

"You saw the Elder's portrait? You deserve to die! How dare the likes of you profane the Elder's immortal beauty? If she finds out, she will gouge out your eyes!"

Lianshan Xin frowned.

At his age, he was still fawning this hard? How had he lived so long?

This time, however, Qi Wenbin cleared his throat and spoke up. "Sir, we can't let this man live."

Du Jiu nodded as well. "We really can't let Blood Guanyin learn that we saw her portrait. That she-devil is far too bloodthirsty."

Lianshan Xin was somewhat surprised. "Blood Guanyin is that outrageous? Is there no one who can keep her in check?"

"If she encountered any of our Nine Heavens' nine leaders, Blood Guanyin would naturally flee at the first sign of them. But anyone below the Dharma Form Realm would have trouble escaping her hunt, so we can't let word get out," Du Jiu warned.

"Does she have that much time on her hands? If word gets out, would she actually come here just to kill us?" Lianshan Xin asked skeptically.

"Probably not, but there's no need to put ourselves on a Dharma Form Realm she-devil's mind. If we happen to encounter her someday and she kills us on a whim, who could we turn to for justice?"

Qi Wenbin's words were practical.

Lianshan Xin agreed that they made sense.

"Name everyone in your chain of contacts, Teacher. Cooperate, and I promise you a dignified end."

Dai Yongzhen steadied his emotions, and his tone regained its scorn. "Do you think I'm the sort who clings to life and fears death?"

"Even if you aren't, shouldn't you spare a thought for Dai Yueying?" Lianshan Xin said softly.

Yet his voice was like a demon's whisper.

It made Dai Yongzhen change color once again.

Lianshan Xin shook his head. "You have so many weaknesses people can exploit, yet you still wanted to follow the Demon Cult into business that could cost you your head at any moment. You were courting death. Why bother?"

If you wanted to rebel, you should at least have no attachments.

Dai Yongzhen had attachments everywhere. However one looked at him, he hardly seemed suited to rebellion.

"Dai Yueying just passed the entrance examination for White Deer Grotto Academy. Teacher, give me everyone in your chain of contacts, and I promise to make your death look like an accident. It won't interfere with her admission to White Deer Grotto Academy."

"Really?"

Dai Yongzhen was a little tempted.

"You know what my relationship with Yueying is like. We've always been close, and she even has certain feelings for me. I'm not an animal. As long as she has nothing to do with the Demon Cult, why would I make trouble for her?"

"She has nothing to do with the Holy Cult. She doesn't even know it exists."

Dai Yongzhen hastened to defend Dai Yueying.

But then he remembered that the writer of his letter had mentioned Dai Yueying by name.

His heart sank.

At that very moment, Lianshan Xin asked about it. "Why would someone in the Demon Cult tell you to take good care of Dai Yueying?"

Dai Yongzhen quickly composed his explanation. "When I was young, a steward's daughter and I fell in love, and we had Yueying. Later, my wife died unexpectedly, and the Holy Cult posted me to Jiangzhou. Although that steward doesn't like me, and isn't particularly fond of Yueying either, he still asks after her in his letters."

Perhaps knowing his lie was riddled with holes, Dai Yongzhen could only pin his hopes on Lianshan Xin's conscience. "Xin, Yueying is in love with you. Surely you can't trade her life for your future? That isn't what I taught you from the sages' books."

Lianshan Xin smiled. "Rest assured, Teacher. As long as you agree to my demands and name everyone in Blood Guanyin's chain of contacts, I naturally won't make trouble for a defenseless young woman like Yueying."

"I... I can tell you, but I don't know much."

"That's all right. Write down what you know first, then add one name at the end."

"Whose name?"

"Jiang Haoran."

"Who?"

"Jiang Haoran."

Dai Yongzhen stared at Lianshan Xin in shock.

Du Jiu's and Qi Wenbin's expressions changed as well.

The two exchanged a glance, and Qi Wenbin spoke first. "Sir, if I remember correctly, Jiang Haoran is the Jiangzhou Governor's son?"

"You remember correctly."

"Do you have a grudge against him?"

"None whatsoever."

"Then why are you..."

"Last year, Jiang Haoran galloped his horse down the main street and sent a seven-year-old boy flying. By the time the boy reached my family's clinic, he had only a breath left in him. My father tried everything he could, but only managed to keep him alive for three more days. In the end, the family received fifty taels of silver in compensation. Our clinic used a great many precious medicinal ingredients, but we never even received payment for the treatment."

This was also one of the reasons Lianshan Xin had resolved to practice martial arts and strive to climb higher.

If you didn't climb, what could you use to withstand even a tiny whim of those dragon sons and phoenix grandsons above you?

"Things like this are actually very common. I'm sure none of Great Yu's nineteen provinces are exceptions. Afterward, the family gave up on appealing to higher authorities. Of course, even if they hadn't, it would have been useless. The governor wasn't especially overbearing with his power; at least he paid fifty taels in compensation. I understand all those rules. Surely we couldn't make a governor's son pay with his life for a commoner's child?"

Lianshan Xin's voice was calm. "I just think things shouldn't be this way, and neither should Great Yu. Injuring someone with a galloping horse certainly isn't enough to bring down a governor's son. Taking the case all the way to the Divine Capital, even before the emperor, would do no good. But if the governor's son had colluded with the Demon Cult, everything would be different."

Lianshan Xin looked at Dai Yongzhen and suddenly chuckled. "Teacher, you taught me that wealth and honor must not corrupt us, poverty and low station must not shake us, and might must not bend us. You also taught me that a true man should stand tall between heaven and earth, master the arts of letters and arms and offer them to the imperial house, serve his country and its people, and have no shame whether looking up to heaven or down to earth. Today, your student is presenting his graduation report. Are you satisfied?"

Dai Yongzhen stared blankly at Lianshan Xin, as though looking at a stranger.

After a moment, he wielded his brush and set ink to paper, writing down five names.

The final name was none other than "Jiang Haoran."

After solemnly handing the list to Lianshan Xin, Dai Yongzhen said gravely, "Lianshan Xin, it was an honor to have been your teacher. I underestimated you. As long as you preserve this upright, unyielding character, when our Holy Cult sets the world right one day, there will surely be a place for you."

Lianshan Xin could not be bothered to respond.

Taking the list, Lianshan Xin tucked it into his pocket and casually asked, "Is the Demon Cult Leader, Peacock Wisdom King, a man or a woman?"

"A man, of course. Why would you ask such a question?" Dai Yongzhen asked in confusion.

Lianshan Xin silently breathed a sigh of relief.

He was being a little too sensitive.

He had been rattled by all the Demon Cult fiends around him and had started seeing snakes in the shadows of bows.

When he got home, he should show his mother a little more filial devotion.

"Teacher, you can die now."