Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 402 - What About C and D?

Deep in the Demon Prison, the air was thick with the sound of roars and the clanking of chains. The path below, littered with steel chains and magic circles, seemed to lead straight into the bowels of hell itself. The brutal, angry howls echoing from the depths sent a shiver down the spines of the new demon slayers gathered there.

Rumor had it that the demons locked up in the Primordial Academy's prison were so twisted by their long confinement that they became especially vicious towards newcomers.

But for these rookies, turning back wasn't an option.

The prison gate above, forged from top-notch iron and etched with magical runes, was designed to be impregnable from the inside. Their only way out was to keep fighting until the gate would open on its own.

Yun Xiao was the last to enter, but he was in no hurry.

"There's plenty of time," he said, glancing back at the four kids trailing behind him, their faces a mix of nervousness and determination.

Listening to the demonic shrieks, their complexions paled, but their spirits didn't falter.

"Brother Yun, you just do your thing. We'll keep up," a particularly neat-looking kid piped up, trying to muster bravery.

"We won't hold you back... We'll give it our all," the others chimed in, their voices a mix of fear and resolve.

Despite their anxiety, they didn't show any signs of backing down. In their eyes, Yun Xiao saw a burning desire for the Primordial Academy.

"What's your name?" Yun Xiao asked the neat-looking boy.

"Yue Molin, from the Inkwind Realm," the boy replied.

"Inkwind Realm, huh?" Yun Xiao was surprised. "I thought you'd be from the Primordial Ruins."

"Yes, I'm the first from the Inkwind Realm to ever set foot in the Primordial Ruins. My dream is to join the Primordial Academy and stay here forever. I've been training day and night, never slacking off..."

"Okay, that's enough," Yun Xiao cut him off, chuckling, to spare them a family history lesson. "Weren't you the one who scored pretty high on the Dao Heart test?"

"Yes, I scored 25 points, ranked fourth," Yue Molin replied to Yun Xiao's query, eager to share.

Noticing the crowd hesitating at the entrance to the demon pit, Yun Xiao, with time to kill, curiously asked, "Let me throw a question your way."

"Shoot!" Yue Molin nodded eagerly, well aware that Yun Xiao, like himself, was an outsider to the Primordial Ruins.

"How did you tackle the first question? The one about choosing two out of four to eliminate," Yun Xiao inquired casually, his gaze still fixed on the abyss below.

"That question?" Yue Molin pondered for a moment, then said earnestly, "I believe the right answer, in the eyes of the Primordial Academy, was to eliminate A and B."

"A and B? A demon who accidentally harmed people due to its kind nature and a human cultivator who betrayed his teammates?" Yun Xiao was slightly surprised.

"Exactly!" Yue Molin nodded.

"Why's that? Give me the details," Yun Xiao asked.

The other three kids, intrigued by this post-exam discussion, gathered around.

Confident in his reasoning, Yue Molin explained, "Firstly, about A. It's about the core mission of the Primordial Academy, which is to slay demons, vanquish devils, and protect the Dao for the sake of all beings. Whether a demon is kind-hearted or not is irrelevant to us protectors of the dao. If it commits murder, the Academy must execute it, failing which it cannot justify itself to the victims or the public, nor can it stand firm on its founding principles. Therefore, not choosing A as the primary target is essentially an incorrect answer."

"Go on," Yun Xiao nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"The second one, B, is a human cultivator who betrayed his team. Betrayal, no matter the reason, constitutes an act against humanity. From the standpoint of humanity, such a person deserves to be punished. So, B is a legitimate target," Yue Molin stated.

"In short, define your principles, then take a stand," Yun Xiao nodded, finding Yue Molin's answer reasonable. After a pause, he added, "But what I don't get is, why can't I also eliminate C and D?"

"This ties back to the issues of authority and law enforcement," Yue Molin replied.

"Elaborate, please," Yun Xiao requested.

The path of cultivation was as much about life's journey as it was about spiritual practice. These moral dilemmas posed in the tests often reflected profound truths about human nature, which Yun Xiao found fascinating.

Yue Molin continued, "C is the teammate who gives up and drags everyone down, causing the mission to fail. In other words, a liability. It's crucial to note that while C might be incompetent, causing frustration and failure, he hasn't committed betrayal."

"But if his failure leads to innocent deaths, doesn't he deserve to die?" Yun Xiao probed.

"He might deserve punishment, depending on the severity of his actions. But here's the catch: the person in question is a participant in the demon-slaying mission, subjective and influenced by emotions. Without an act of betrayal, merely making a mistake doesn't give us the right to judge him. If we're disciples of the Primordial Academy, we should report his actions to the elders for law enforcement, not take matters into our own hands. The wrongdoer's fate should be decided by the law, not by our whims," Yue Molin explained.

Yun Xiao chuckled and shook his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He recognized that this was the answer the Primordial Academy would endorse. "And what about D? Why not eliminate them? They sold information to demons, betraying humanity," Yun Xiao finally inquired.

"D's situation", Yue Molin sighed slightly, "is also tied to the ethos of the Primordial Academy. The academy's cultivators believe that ordinary folks are the weaker ones under the heavens, limited by their talents and realities, embodying naivety and ignorance. Cultivators should harbor compassion, understanding the hardships of all beings. If the common folk err, it calls for self-reflection among cultivators to shoulder the heavy responsibility of enlightening and truly benefiting the world. If we ensure the people are free from demonic harm, why would they harm cultivators?" he explained.

This answer caught Yun Xiao off guard.

"That's some high-minded thinking," Yun Xiao couldn't help but commend Yue Molin with a thumbs-up, smiling, "No wonder you scored high. You're a good kid."

"It's just following the path laid by the predecessors of the Primordial Academy. I'm just offering what little I have," Yue Molin said, scratching his head in modesty.

"The Primordial Academy is indeed great!" chimed in the other kids.

"I heard you chose to eliminate them all, no explanations given... After hearing Yue Molin's answer, would you still eliminate C and D?" one curious kid asked.

Yun Xiao's smile slowly faded. "I'd still choose to eliminate them all," he stated.

The kids, including Yue Molin, were stunned.

"Why? Eliminating C is overstepping, and D... goes against the Academy's principles," Yue Molin pointed out.

"It doesn't contradict. The Academy can continue to enlighten and benefit the world, and that doesn't conflict with my actions. I acknowledge that people have limitations, but if they commit evil acts, leading to heavy losses in the demon-slaying mission... Everyone must pay for their mistakes. Being weak is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. Not to eliminate them would be unfair to others who died because of it," Yun Xiao explained.

The kids exchanged looks, unsure of what to say in response to Yun Xiao's rationale.

To argue? The question already stated that the betrayal by the common folk led to heavy losses.

If one's own siblings or relatives died in such a mission, who could maintain such grand compassion and understand the plight of all beings?

From his personal and human perspective, Yun Xiao couldn't spare D.

"What about C?" Yue Molin, feeling the weight of the topic on D, shifted the conversation back to C.

"C?" Yun Xiao knew that the issue with C wasn't about being a liability but about overstepping authority.

Yun Xiao, with a hint of mischief in his smile, asked the kids, "So, you fancy taking out C?"

"Yeah, but we can't just go around playing judge and executioner," Yue Molin whispered back, almost as if he was revealing a secret he shouldn't.

"Well, let's cut the chatter and get to work. Demon-slaying waits for no one, especially not for us youngsters," Yun Xiao said, his smile broadening.

Nods all around. These kids, still so young, lived in a world governed by rules and innocence, believing there was always a right answer. But life wasn't a test with clear-cut answers. When faced with the gritty reality, that was when true understanding came.

"Let's move," Yun Xiao urged, not wanting to waste any more time. This chat had been enlightening, a step in his own journey of understanding the path of cultivation.

Descending into the fray was just another day for him, a mere formality in this third challenge.

But then, just as he was about to lead the way, something unexpected halted everyone in their tracks.

The crowd ahead, ready to charge, suddenly froze. In a swift motion, they turned, their gazes locking onto Yun Xiao with an intensity that was almost palpable.

A wave of fierce, almost demonic intent surged from them, their roars echoing like beasts unleashed.

Yun Xiao saw their transformation—skin darkening to a deep crimson, veins bulging, faces contorted with grotesque bumps, eyes bloodshot, their breathing heavy and labored.

Their hearts raced, blood pumping furiously, as if ignited, their inner energy boiling over in a frenzied outburst.

"Yun... Brother Yun..." came the strained voices of Yue Molin and the others from behind.

Whirling around, Yun Xiao saw the same monstrous change had overtaken the four kids. Their faces twisted with malice, yet their eyes betrayed a deep agony. Especially Yue Molin, whose skin was cracked and bleeding as if infested by writhing serpents. His hand, clutching his Sword Soul, trembled as he fought to restrain his own strike, his palm smeared with blood.

"Get out of here! Hurry..." Yue Molin's eyes were blood-red, his voice a guttural growl, urging Yun Xiao to flee.

This sudden turn of events was like a plunge from light into darkness, and Yun Xiao's heart sank with it.

"Bluey, what's happening here?" Yun Xiao asked, fury and confusion swirling in his gaze. He had taken quite a liking to the young Yue Molin during their brief exchange. But now, he watched in horror as the kid, along with the others, seemed to be on the brink, their bodies teetering towards collapse.

Blue Star stared blankly for a moment before coldly saying, "They've all been fed Life-Burning Gu! Damn it, these pests are too tiny to notice until they strike!"

The word Gu alone was enough to tell Yun Xiao that someone was using these newcomers as pawns in a deadly game against him. And sure enough, there were natives of the Primordial Ruins among them, willing to go to extreme lengths.

If all of them were to perish here, Lian Xi would be powerless, her protectors unable to shield them from this hidden menace.

"What do we do?" Yun Xiao asked, his anger simmering, but his mind clear.

"The Queen Gu must be outside. Kill it, and they might stand a chance," Blue Star responded coldly.

"Let's go!" Yun Xiao declared.

Just then, the horde of frenzied newcomers, their power unnaturally amplified, charged at him with a roar.

Yun Xiao knew they were just innocent victims caught in a cruel trap. Yue Molin, tears of blood streaming down his face, seemed to cling to a shred of consciousness despite being compelled to attack.

"Gate of the Demon Prison!"

With a surge of Sovereign Sword energy, Yun Xiao executed Myriad Swords Ocean Traversal, escaping the encirclement in a flash. He transformed into a gleaming azure light, wrapped in 300,000 layers of Sword Aura, and slammed into the iron gates of the Demon Prison.

The gate vibrated under the impact, its magical arrays activated, radiating light but remaining unyielding. Yun Xiao, despite using all his might, was left reeling from the force, thankful only that his Heaven Burial Sword Soul was durable enough to withstand the collision.

The solidity of the prison gate was undoubtedly something the culprit relied on.

"Dammit!" Yun Xiao cursed, glancing at the onrushing crowd. He turned to Blue Star and Red Moon, "Bust this gate open!"

"That's gonna cost a pretty penny," Blue Star grumbled, "Wiping out these 100 folks would be cheaper, and more cost-effective."

"Bust it!" Yun Xiao snapped, smacking Blue Star on the head in frustration.

"Fine, fine!" Blue Star retorted, before it and Red Moon transformed into an ancient bronze coffin, hurling themselves at the gate in a desperate attempt to break it open.

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