Published: January 22, 2025
“Because in the hearts of all disciples in the sect, how could a waste from a mountain village qualify to become the sect's heir and stand above them? Giving him the chance to join the sect and serve it is already the greatest mercy. This boy even wants to throw off his shackles and become the heir; how can that be allowed?”
“The previous youths made no mistakes, so they had no opportunity to kick him when he was down, they could only chase after him. But when they saw the chance for the boy to fall into the abyss, everyone rushed to step on him instead of helping him. It was best to watch him being cast into the abyss and then offer a few words of regret; that would be enough.”
The middle-aged man in black robes had a cold look in his eyes as he slowly closed them again: “Only the boy's sister…”
“She knelt before everyone, crying and pleading, believing her brother was wronged, hoping everyone would give him a chance, a chance to uncover the truth. But no one agreed because no one cared about the truth. What they wanted was for the boy to die, to be condemned and scorned, never to rise again. After all, how exciting is it to watch a genius fall? Those once-brothers and sisters had all turned into fierce beasts, ready to devour him.”
The middle-aged man in black paused for a moment as if to calm his emotions before continuing: “Seeing the boy about to be executed, his sister suddenly stood up, begging the sect to let her face the trial of the fire demon lair. That was an extremely cruel test within the sect, with no chance of survival; no one had ever come back alive. However, those who passed could make one reasonable request to the sect. The boy's sister's request was simply that they not execute her brother immediately, but give him a chance to seek the truth.”
“How could everyone be willing to give the boy a chance to turn things around? Almost everyone opposed this request. At that moment, the sect master, who was also the boy's master, stepped in to persuade them and agreed to the boy's sister's request. The boy cried; he would rather die himself than let his sister go to her death. But his sister smiled at him, firmly saying: ‘Brother, you must live well…’”
“Live well!”
Qin Chen glanced at the middle-aged man in black robes and murmured, “What happened next?”
“What happened next?”
The middle-aged man in black robes opened his eyes, and there were tears welling up in them: “After the boy's sister spoke, she jumped straight into the sect's trial ground, the fire demon lair, and was instantly turned to ashes.”
Qin Chen's heart sank heavily.
This story was too tragic. The boy lost someone he loved, was wronged, and lost his sister. How desperate and broken was he at that time?
The middle-aged man in black robes paused, staring into the distance, while Qin Chen stood silently beside him, listening quietly. After a long silence, the middle-aged man continued: “The boy looked at the ugly faces of the sect's brothers and sisters and felt the weight of despair in his heart. He wanted to die, to accompany his sister, but before dying, he remembered his sister’s words, ‘Live well,’ and ultimately gave up on death, gritting his teeth to survive.”
“Dying is too easy; wanting to live is difficult.” The middle-aged man in black robes slowly closed his eyes again. “After this incident, the boy became like a rat crossing the street in the sect, despised by everyone. Only his master silently supported him, allowing him to scrape by. In the boy's heart, his master was the last light in his darkness, the closest person to him, whom he regarded as a father. For the boy who survived, there was only one thought in his mind: to find the real culprit and prove his innocence.”
“Years went by, and the boy grew stronger and stronger, his strength reaching the pinnacle of that continent. However, he traveled low-key, always hiding his cultivation, because he knew that when one stands out, envy breeds many evils.”