Book 7 Chapter 16

The Unstable Ban of the Gallows

Students from the Tianmu Academy are participating in a short-term intensive special reinforcement training.

When you're giving it your all, all you can think about is what's wrong with the

I was in so much trouble that I didn't have time to focus on anything else.

This unexpected turn of events drastically altered their plans. Not only was the most crucial move in the game not going to happen, but it turned out to be a defective piece that was going to cause some serious trouble.

"It's dead again."

"Again?"

The thousand-year-old's face contorted into a grimace. The complexion of the subordinate who came forward to report was as dark as a man who had fallen in and out of ink. He realized that his superior's mood was extremely hurt. At times like this, he always feels that his life is threatened at the same time. It was not a good position to be a messenger under such an eccentric, cruel, and murderous man who ate three meals a day. It wasn't a job for someone who didn't have the courage to risk their life for something so trivial. He had every right to be proud of his work.

This was the seventh report of the same type. There was no question that it was terribly bad news that would make the recipient's mood twelve times worse, especially since there was nothing good in the news, and his life had already been given away, and now he was just waiting for the day of sacrifice. His five organs had long since been burnt to ashes by his anxiety and nervousness.

Seventy-seven, a member of the Supernatural Sword Squadron, felt a shiver run up and down his spine. Every time he made a report like this, the nape of his neck would prickle with the life force that emanated from his body. These were the people who could cut down a subordinate in front of them with a single gulp for the simple, ignorant, and clear reason that they were offended.

The fear and dread they felt was not a disgrace to the warrior; it was a natural response to being a living creature! It was absurd to criticize a physiological phenomenon.

"Damn, this is the first time I've seen a guy like this since I learned the secret arts! Why is he so persistent……. It looks like he's going to run amok if I don't keep him in check by stacking jutsu from time to time……. Ying!"

Tian Shi grumbled and gave him an unpleasant look, but the good news was that he had no intention of decapitating him in anger anytime soon.

"If only it weren't for the blood jade plaque!"

Chunsal chewed and spat. Jisal nodded in agreement.

"We can't, we don't have the right to defy the authority of the Bloodclan!"

"Alas, I know, but who would have thought that that rat bastard Hana would come smirking right then and there and shove a blood jade plaque in our faces!"

If it wasn't for that, I would have kicked their asses right now. It's military, it's Nabal, it doesn't matter.

But… I dare not disobey the gratuitous authority of the Fellowship. As long as the order was given under their authority, I must obey it by any means necessary.

"Is that the only way to do it?"

Relying on medicinal energies was not my favorite option, but I had no choice but to use my secret elixir, the Demon Spirit Shrine. It was better than leaving it as it was and turning it into a pile of rubble. There was also a mysterious fellow wandering around. It was impossible to maintain the siege any longer, and soon the Shaman Sect would notice.

"I don't like it!"

Finally, he slipped his hand into his arms. In his hand, he found a medicine chest. He suddenly felt a sense of waste, but he pushed the feeling down. However, even this patience was only for three days.

Three days later!

Chen Xiaolian was forced to shed tears of sorrow for the Demon God Temple that had been blown into the air. Ten years of labor had gone into its creation… and it hadn't yielded a return.

Hyo Feng had gone on a rampage. Little did he know that his beloved Demon Spirit Shrine would be the catalyst.

It was an evening that marked a major milestone in the life of the Wu Gong Shenghu. Namgungsang went to see Bi Ryuyeon to get answers to his questions, to vent his frustrations, and to put his mind at ease.

However, no one can deny that if you were expecting an answer or advice to come from Bi Ryuyeon, it was definitely a mistake on the part of the Southern Palace.

"Cowards!"

Namgungsang was complaining incessantly about what was wrong in front of Bi Ryuyeon. He couldn't hide his impatience.

"Why? Because there are many enemies?"

"Yes!"

"So you call it absurd?"

"Yes! So cowardly. The majority trying to take down the minority! Big… cowards!"

"Are you an idiot?"

Idiot!

This was Bi's final conclusion about Namgungsang.

"So what are you going to do?"

"What can we do but fight, big brother!"

"But why are you asking me? Why do you need me to validate your decision when the outcome is already clear?"

"……."

Namgungsang was speechless and unable to reply. Bi Ryuyeon continued to drive her dagger into the heart of Namgungsang, whose mouth was sealed.

"The whole damned world is a beautifully woven fabric of absurdity and injustice, and it's the nature of the bad guys to be the majority against the minority. In fact, a general is supposed to use the majority to beat the minority in a war. That's what a proper general does. War is about winning and losing, and good and evil are secondary!

But are you going to give up here, just because they seemingly have more power than you? Are you willing to kneel before them and bow your head? If you're willing to do such a cowardly thing, then surrender is a good way to go, won't you?"

Bi Ryuyeon was relentless in her questioning. It was an eerie sensation, like being stabbed in the heart with a real sword.

"Oh… no, I'll fight to the end, even if it means I die."

"Puck!"

"Coo!"

Bi Ryuyeon's fist burned against the face of Namgung Sang, who was burning with passion and determination. In a moment of weakness, she accepted his fist. The price of acceptance was a tooth-chattering ache, a pain.

Namgung Sang stared at Bi Ryuyeon with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"You idiot, the purpose of fighting is ultimately to crush your enemy into dust and keep yourself alive, and alliteration is just an excuse for the weak!"

It was a radicalized opinion.

"The Thunderbolt Sword Dragon of the Zhu Clan Master, the Southern Palace Prize!"

"Yes!"

Namgungsang tensed up at Bi Ryuyeon's call and answered.

"Survive!"

"Yes!"

"All I can say is this: no amount of screaming about the absurdity of the world can change reality. It's up to you to break the absurdity, to rise above it, to survive it. Every absurdity has a chink in it. It's not as if the absurdity, the absurdity, is solid enough to withstand any impact! You must ask yourself, your own will, how to survive! Mr. Yin will show you the way. Never look to me for help; this is your trial, not mine!"

The Southern Emperor bowed his head deeply. It was a brutally cold statement. But Bi Ryuyeon seemed to take it for granted.

"Yes!"

Namgungsang replied in a deadpan voice.

"Gung Sang, the stars are bright!"

"I see."

What's the point of stars when it's so serious? His mind was racing. There was no time left for stargazing.

"It's like a shining piece of silver embedded in black silk!"

"That's… right."

Suddenly he was confused: why is this about valuation, why is this about money?

"Think of the young!"

At Bi Ryuyeon's words, Nan Gongsheng's entire body trembled as if struck by lightning. This was the decisive blow.

"It's good to have a single value to live by. A friend of Mr. Lim's, who goes by the name of Bandit, says there's no greater fool in the world than one who dies before the woman he likes, and you know who's a greater fool than that?"

"I don't know."

"That's a man's man who can't protect the woman he loves. A man's got to develop that kind of strength!"

"Yes, Big Brother!"

Namgungsang's body shuddered as he felt an arrow pierce his heart.

"Is any woman worth the death penalty?"

Bi Ryuyeon smiled wryly.

"Ho-ho-ho, well… I don't care if I do or don't, I'm not weak enough to let a woman dictate my life or death!"

Are you saying there is or isn't?

"Why?"

"I'm not going to die anyway."

A great pride, a sky-high pride that reaches the heights of an ego clown, Nan Gongsang thought, and then he looked at Bi Ryuyeon's face and saw that it was calm and relaxed.

Looking at his face, I had a strange feeling that everything was going to be okay. Namgungsang raised his head and looked up at the stars in the night sky. It was a mesmerizing, ethereal beauty. It was like looking at an ocean of stars. Hope welled up in his heart. He wasn't as pessimistic as he had been at first.

"I'll be busy again tomorrow."

"Yes!"

He never forgot the beauty of the stars that night. There are so many absurdities in the world. They constantly clutter our vision. What should we do in such a world?

The ocean of stars, deep as the abyss, left him no answer.