Chapter 378: The Ugliness of Society
"He's a rare gem, mastering both the sword and sigils, keep him in the celestial prison for now. I'll deal with him once I return from my world burning journey." Yuan Xianjun glanced at Yun Xiao, almost seeing him as an experimental mouse.
Clearly, for Yuan Xianjun, mastering both the sword and sigils was of great significance, second only to the Nian! An unexpected delight, indeed. That was precisely why Yun Xiao wasn't pierced through by a single strike!
From the get-go, Yuan Xianjun's inquiry about Yun Xiao's dual mastery hinted at his murderous intentions towards Zhang Qingwei.
Had Yun Xiao not been a dual cultivator, could he have met his demise just now? Would the reaction of Blue Star and Red Moon have been swift enough? For Yun Xiao, these questions no longer mattered.
What mattered was the vivid display by this group from the Sky Source Ruins, showcasing the cruelty, selfishness, and lawlessness of those at the higher echelons of cultivation.
Such was human nature! In their quest for ascension, they'd kill and burn worlds without a second thought, all in a day's work!
Though human, what Yun Xiao saw were hearts more twisted than any demon's. This wasn't to say all humanity was twisted, but compared to demons, the depths of human depravity could be far lower!
The casual banter of these people threw Yun Xiao into an abyss of sin and darkness.
After setting Yun Xiao's fate, Yuan Xianjun and his companions vanished in a flash, pressed for time. This left only Yun Xiao and Yuan Wu in the cold, golden hall.
"Heh" With a kick, Yuan Wu sent Zhang Qingwei's corpse flying, his laugh contorted into a grotesque snarl.
"I recall you saying, those halfway up the celestial ladder have no right to mock those at the base," Yun Xiao stated coldly, his eyes a dark red as he glared at Yuan Wu.
"Exactly," Yuan Wu shrugged, "What's there to mock? Not on the same level, just crush them. Wasting words only diminishes one's stature."
"..." Yun Xiao was left speechless.
"What, getting anxious because your loved ones and friends are about to be incinerated?" Yuan Wu sneered, "You had a smart way out, but you chose folly! Your survival till now, with such a dimwit brain in the vast cosmos, is a sheer fluke. In the Primordial Ruins, without any talent, you wouldn't last a day."
Yun Xiao muttered to himself, "Never thought humanity could sink this low."
It was a real eye-opener for him. The Primordial Ruins threw a harsh lesson his way right off the bata wake-up call that made him forget any goodness in the mundane world, confronting him with the bloody reality of human nature.
"Humanity's lowest?" Yuan Wu shrugged with a sneer. "You think cultivating is child's play? The heavenly ladder of cultivation is all about hierarchy. Climb one step, and you overshadow millions. Talent aside, resources and power dictate your fate. This is the natural order's battlegroundtriumph and you reach the heavens, lose and you're dust. The so-called righteous are long gone. Only in your world do naively pure souls like you still exist."
Yun Xiao's face frosted over. "I've learned my lesson," he said.
"Regrets? Too late," Yuan Wu scoffed. "Just behave, and let my great ancestor study your secrets. Who knows? You might just survive."
Yun Xiao remained silent, aware of what he truly needed to do amidst this catastrophe. He came to the Primordial Ruins seeking help. Little did he expect to bring a greater disaster upon the Nine Hells.
"Ironic, isn't it? The Nian hadn't yet brought the apocalyptic catastrophe, but those meant to save us have started the slaughter..."
Was this the Primordial Ruins? A holy land for cultivators? The guardian deity of myriad worlds?
Yun Xiao didn't know the entirety of the Primordial Ruins, but the Sky Source Ruins he saw were rife with sin, selfishness, darkness, and brutality.
"Still, one can't judge the whole by a part. I hope there's still some humanity left in the Primordial Ruins!" Yun Xiao clung to a fierce flame in his heart. The world might be dark, but there was always someone lighting a torch, guiding others, right?
He wanted to be that torchbearer!
"Move!" Yuan Wu barked, ushering him to follow.
Yun Xiao's last glance fell on Zhang Qingwei, lying there, her eyes wide open in death.
She, too, was a torchbearer. Perhaps too bright, for those lurking in the dark snuffed out her light in their frenzy. His acquaintance with her was brief, yet her death etched a deep mark on his heart, fueling an undying rage.
"I'm sorry," Yun Xiao whispered, eyes closed, turning to leave. "I'll seek justice for you!"
Stepping out of the golden hall into the shadows, they were greeted by a young man with silver eyes.
"Big Brother," Yuan Fu bowed. He'd also appeared in the Nine Hells and was the one who healed the Phoenix Empress. "About the Nia"
Yuan Wu shushed him before he could continue, "Not another word about that day."
"Understood!" Yuan Fu caught on quick, something big was afoot.
His gaze shifted to Yun Xiao, raising an eyebrow, "This one needs silencing?"
"Lock him in the celestial prison, keep him quiet." Yuan Wu chuckled.
"I can do quiet," Yuan Fu smirked, tapping his forehead, and a silver sigil sealed Yun Xiao's lips tight.
"Silenced," Yuan Wu grinned, as they chatted away, escorting Yun Xiao without a word on their lost brother, as if he was forgotten, devoured by the Nian.
Soon, Yun Xiao was confined in a golden cell, its bars and walls inscribed with talismans, impenetrable even to the Genesis Spirit Realm.
With the burning of the Nine Hells pending, the brothers didn't dare wander, opting instead for chess outside the cell.
"He's quite tame," Yuan Fu noted, placing a white piece, glancing at Yun Xiao, who stood motionless inside, bewildered by the harshness of society.
As Yuan Fu reached for another piece, his expression twisted in agony.
"Ahhh!" His scream echoed, writhing on the ground.
"What's wrong, brother?" Yuan Wu rushed to him, puzzled.
"The sigil!" Yuan Fu's face was contorted, his body convulsing.
"Sigil?" Yuan Wu paused, his gaze instinctively drawn towards Yun Xiao. To his astonishment, a nine-headed violet dragon sigil emerged on Yun Xiao's forehead, fiercely attacking the silver Life Sigil on his lips!
In just moments, the silver sigil bore nine gaping wounds, trembling in agony, on the verge of shattering. A whirlwind of 50,000 sigils, all devoured by that voracious violet dragon!
With the silver Life Sigil unguarded and directly on Yun Xiao, it was utterly overwhelmed, bursting at the seams!
"Yun Xiao!!" Yuan Wu roared, his face contorted in fury, transforming into a golden beam, hurtling towards Yun Xiao with murderous intent.
Yun Xiao, emotionless, watched him approach. Even as the Prison Warden Sigil tore open, it clung desperately to the silver sigil, gnawing ferociously, while the young man with silver eyes continued to roll on the ground, screaming in agony.
With a vicious tear, the silver sigil was ripped in half!
"AHHH!" Yuan Fu convulsed, foaming at the mouth, his eyes rolling back in torment, clueless of what was unfolding.
Normally, a shattered Life Sigil would simply disperse into runes, causing no severe damage, but Yun Xiao's assault through his Life Sigil was excruciating!
"You're courting death!" Enraged, Yuan Wu's golden eyes blazed with a fierce, cold light.
"I'll settle this score with you some other day," Yun Xiao declared, before suddenly collapsing backward. Behind him, a black copper coffin emerged out of thin air. With a buzz, he fell into the coffin, and the lid slammed shut.
BOOM! The coffin broke through the enchanted prison bars and vanished before Yuan Wu's eyes.
As Yuan Wu was about to give chase, his brother's screams of agony intensified behind him!
"Yun Xiao!!" His furious roar echoed, powerless to retain him.
A quarter-hour later, Yun Xiao, slightly pale, stood at a street corner in the Primordial Ruins, with Blue Star even paler in his arms.
"No more time." Taking a deep breath, Yun Xiao surveyed the bustling streets of the Primordial Ruins. "Let's find Lian Xi!"
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