CHAPTER 371: CHAPTER 371: DO NOT BLAME WITHOUT TEACHING

Noticing a hint of testing in the young man’s words, Liu Ruyan hesitated for a moment and shook her head.

"Whether it’s the White Path or the Black Path, essentially they are just frightened by the court, or rather your massacre, and are huddling together in a reactive manner for warmth."

"Even if they choose a titular Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch, it’s just to have someone to negotiate with you."

"But..."

Pausing in her words, Liu Ruyan looked at the black-clad young man with a faint smile and boldly said in a deep voice.

"I think you have no intention of negotiating at all, you just want them dead!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Haomiao pursed his lips and chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"You’re too extreme, I’m not some kind of crazed killer. As long as they obediently follow my... the court’s rules, I don’t mind sparing their sects."

At these words, Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at Zhu Haomiao in annoyance.

"How is that different from taking their lives?"

Confiscate all assets!

Submit all Secret Manuals!

Strip all privileges!

Disciples must pass the court’s entry-level examination and obtain identity permits!

If disciples from the sect commit any martial offenses, the punishment will be more severe and implicate the entire sect.

Just these five conditions are even more unreasonable than the policies during Da Zhen’s founding period.

Unless there’s really a knife to their throat, Liu Ruyan estimated that no one would agree to such harsh conditions.

On the other hand, Zhu Haomiao lazily smiled.

"The conditions I gave them at first are already the best they can get. If they fail to appreciate this courtesy, then they can only blame themselves for what follows."

Though his words were delivered with a light and breezy smile, Liu Ruyan could feel an overwhelming stench of blood assaulting her senses.

The ruthless chill in those words was like a divine judgment descending upon the world from on high!

Cold, vast, without a trace of mercy, like the eternally constant sun, granting prosperity to all equally, and equally granting decline!

In an instant, Liu Ruyan had a moment of epiphany.

The black-clad youth before her was not targeting her specifically; he saw everyone as mere straw dogs.

With a transcendent perspective beyond that of mortals, he watched the storms gather and dissipate, steering the world’s course with his will...

After a shiver that originated from her soul, Liu Ruyan quietly glanced at the mysterious black treasure sword hovering beside her, and any lingering schemes in her heart dissipated completely as she reluctantly accepted reality.

She knew that with Li Lin’s cold-hearted nature, the fact that she was spared must mean he saw some value in keeping her alive.

Having ruled out her physical allure, her greatest value lay in her identity as the Holy Maiden.

If she didn’t want to be arbitrarily killed once she lost her value, she had to prove her "loyalty."

...

Days later, in the towering mountains about dozens of miles away from Xiangdu, a solitary peak pierced straight into the clouds.

Even Zhu Haomiao, who had seen his fair share of famous mountains and rivers, couldn’t help but express his admiration at the sight of the majestic peak.

"It truly lives up to the name Heavenly Summit..."

Unfamiliar with the peak’s namesake in reality, Liu Ruyan glanced at the little girl holding the snow-white exotic beast, who was curiously peering around, and spoke softly.

"I know of a hidden passage that can take us directly to the summit’s venue."

Seeing the dense crowd of people on the mountain path, Zhu Haomiao was reminded of tourist spots during holidays and quickly nodded with determination.

"Not many people in the hidden passage, right?"

"No one knows except for the past Sect Hierarchs, Saint Heirs, and Holy Maidens."

"Alright, lead the way."

Carrying Zhao Nuo, Zhu Haomiao followed Liu Ruyan to a secluded corner at the mountain’s base.

Activating a mechanism on the rock, a dark tunnel appeared before the three of them.

Before Liu Ruyan could take the lead, Zhu Haomiao, holding Zhao Nuo, walked straight in, curiously looking around along the way.

Stunned for a moment, Liu Ruyan blinked in confusion.

Does he trust me so much?

Isn’t he afraid I’ll lead him into a trap?

But then, Liu Ruyan realized that it wasn’t trust but a bewildering self-confidence that he possessed.

To Li Lin, any trap or threat was probably just a joke.

Understanding this, Liu Ruyan sighed with emotion and quickly followed.

Meanwhile, walking through the passage, Zhu Haomiao looked around curiously, discovering that it was likely carved from a natural cave.

Every so often, a gem emitting a faint glow would illuminate the path, casting an eerie light that made the bizarre stalactites look like clawing demons, causing Zhao Nuo to hide her eyes in Zhu Haomiao’s embrace.

But after a while, she couldn’t resist peeking, squinting her eyes to take a sneaky look.

"Wait! That’s a trap over there!"

Catching up, Liu Ruyan stopped Zhu Haomiao and led them into a dark cave without gems or paths.

"Tsk, the person who designed this passage was quite sinister..."

With lanterns and man-made roads, unaware people would naturally walk forward, only to fall into a pit, never expecting to suddenly turn into a natural cave partway along the path.

If not for having Liu Ruyan as a guide, Zhu Haomiao would have had to use brute force to cut through the mountain and blast a direct path through.

"This passage was formed so long ago that whoever designed it is no longer known."

In the pitch-black darkness, Liu Ruyan raised a luminous pearl to light up the surroundings and led the way up a spiral staircase.

The complex and overlapping caves resembled a natural labyrinth, taking nearly an hour before the trio emerged from behind a wall moved from a woodshed.

However, as soon as they stepped out, they saw a hunched figure staring at them in confusion.

"Granny Hua, what are you doing here?"

"I’m here to get firewood. Lots of people have shown up today, and the kitchen’s used nearly all the stove’s wood."

With that, the wrinkled Granny Hua flashed a toothless grin at Liu Ruyan.

"Xiao Yan, who are these people?"

Tense at heart, Liu Ruyan caught a glance of the black-clad young man, nervously smiling.

"They... they’re my friends."

"Oh, are they here for the Heavenly Conference too?"

"Yes, they are."

"You’d better hurry then. The conference has already started, and the outside is in a huge uproar."

"Alright, we’re on our way."

After leaving the woodshed with the young man, Liu Ruyan quickly explained.

"Granny Hua is just a common worker handling chores at the Heavenly Summit’s Holy Hero Hall, not much of a threat."

"What? You’re afraid I’ll kill her to silence her?"

Seeing the black-clad young man’s faint smile, Liu Ruyan remained silent for a long time before honestly speaking.

"Granny Hua has taken care of me since childhood; she honestly cares for me... I beg you..."

"Heh, don’t worry. I’m not the Devil; I wouldn’t kill innocents indiscriminately."

Waving his hand to interrupt Liu Ruyan, Zhu Haomiao looked back in the direction of the woodshed, squinting deeply, and murmured in a voice as low as a whisper.

"Besides, she doesn’t seem as easy to kill as she looks..."