“The wine is poisoned!” Chen clan leader’s body shook as he looked at Fang Yuan angrily: “Vice clan leader Shan, this is your wine, what are you trying to do?!”
This was a sudden change of events, Fang Yuan was slightly dazed.
But before he said anything, the Gu Master beside him stood up and chuckled: “What are we doing? We are killing you, we are eliminating the Chen clan members. Throughout history, this mountain has belonged to Shan clan, be it Chen clan or Nie clan, you two were initially servants of my clan!”
“You are bullshitting! This was my Chen clan’s mountain to begin with, our ancestors were kind and took in both of your clans after you were forced to vacate your destroyed mountain.” Chen clan’s Gu Master rebuked in a loud voice.
The Shan clan Gu Master who spoke continued in a cold voice: “Shameless servant, there is no point in talking. It is too late now, your clan leader has already drunk this poisoned wine, we created this using woman’s heart Gu, it counters your clan leader’s justice Gu. Without your clan leader, how can you Chen clan members resist our Shan clan?”
Chen clan’s Gu Masters turned pale as they realized the problem now.
Fang Yuan was dazed again, he turned around and asked the Shan clan Gu Master beside him: “Who told you that woman’s heart Gu can create a poisonous wine that counters justice Gu?”
The Shan clan Gu Master was the vice clan leader’s aide, he was stunned as he asked in a stupefied tone: “What? Lord, didn’t you tell me that yourself?”
“What?!” Fang Yuan was speechless.
Boom!
Chen clan leader burst out with a blinding white light, the paleness and anger vanished on his face as his expression turned solemn.
He stared with furious eyes towards Fang Yuan, he shouted in a heroic tone: “Shan Xing! You unscrupulous scoundrel! You dared to use this vile scheme on me, I was wrong about you, I had misjudged your personality, I had actually thought that you were willing to sacrifice yourself for the big picture and hand the role of clan leader to me. So you were always afraid of justice Gu and my strength, which was why you chose to conceal your ambitions.”
Fang Yuan felt a sharp headache as he thought rapidly: “Chen clan’s leader has rank five cultivation level, I am only rank four now, my Gu worms are also weaker than him, if we fought, I will not be Chen clan leader’s match.”
The aide beside him screamed in fear: “What, what is going on? He drank the poisoned wine but justice Gu is still working! Lord Shan Xing, didn’t you say…”
Fang Yuan’s eyes shined brightly instantly, he thought of the solution to this.
Indeed, as long as justice Gu stopped working, Chen clan’s leader would be poisoned, his strength would fall, he would not be an impossible opponent.
“So that’s it.” Fang Yuan died from the attacks of Chen clan’s leader but he carried a faint smile.
The second attempt at the dream realm.
Within the hall, bright lights were shining. There were delicious food and wine on the table, dozens of Gu Masters were gathered here as they enjoyed a luxurious feast.
Chen clan leader drank a huge mouthful of wine as he placed down the empty wine cup, sighing: “We finally won! Brother, to speak the truth, I have finally relaxed only now. When I heard that Nie clan was planning to destroy the mountain, I could not sleep at all. They were unable to compete with the alliance of our two clans, so they created such a vicious plan, it was truly evil. Thankfully, heaven is not blind, they got what they deserved, these people died because of just deserts.”
Fang Yuan laughed coldly, saying lightly: “There is a reason behind this. Nie clan did not come up with such a vicious plan, I was the one who arranged it and deceived you. The people you killed were all innocent.”
“What?!” Chen clan leader was completely shocked, he looked at Fang Yuan in disbelief: “Brother Shan, did you drink too much? What nonsense are you spouting!”
Fang Yuan looked at Chen clan leader with an eerie gaze: “You are too naive, you were kept in the dark all along. You are a cold blooded murderer, how many innocent people have you killed? Your hands are filled with blood, your justice is just a facade. You are a brute and a fool, also, you drank too much.”
“What?! You poisoned the wine?” Chen clan’s leader held his stomach in shock as he fell to the ground.
Chen clan’s Gu Masters were shocked and fearful, while Shan clan’s Gu Masters were ready and attacked immediately.
Chen clan’s leader wanted to put up resistance but he could only watch helplessly.
Fang Yuan’s aide shouted excitedly: “The wine was effective after all, Chen clan leader’s justice Gu has been neutralized.”
Fang Yuan wanted to roll his eyes.
To activate justice Gu, other than primeval essence, the Gu Master also needed to believe that they were on the side of justice.
Fang Yuan’s words made Chen clan’s leader enter a chaotic state, he suspected himself and felt incredibly ashamed, he could not activate justice Gu anymore.
The battle erupted and ended quickly.
Shan clan came prepared, all of the Chen clan members, from clan leader to clan members, were all dealt with.
When the hall returned to quietness, Chen clan’s Gu Masters were either dead or injured, those who were alive were captured.
The second scene was passed.
During the third scene.
Fang Yuan was inside a cell, the only cell mate he had was that Chen clan leader.
He was covered in injuries, his vitality was weak, his face was pale, his eyes were dyed in a purple-dark color, he was deeply poisoned.
Fang Yuan looked at his injuries, he had obviously been interrogated and was on the verge of death.
Even so, the four limbs and neck of Chen clan’s leader were chained up, he was lying on the ground, barely breathing.
“What is this situation?” Fang Yuan looked at himself, speechless. He was also chained up, his body was old and weak, he was thin like a twig, he was in about the same state as Chen clan’s leader.
Even though he had a rank four aperture, it was already destroyed, he had no Gu worms either.
“What am I supposed to do? I am not the traitor vice clan leader but another person now. Hmm… right now, other than me, only this guy is in the cell. I guess I need to talk to him to find out.” Fang Yuan laughed to himself and wanted to speak but Chen clan’s leader spoke in advance: “No need to mock me, father.”
“Father?!” Fang Yuan was surprised, he was acting as the father of Chen clan’s leader? Then why was he locked up here? Looking at the situation, he had been kept here for a long time, he was not a new entrant like this Chen clan leader.
Chen clan’s leader continued: “Father, I was the one who defeated you and locked you in here. But I have never regretted it! You were corrupt, the evidence was clear, you were neither impartial nor fair, you were not fit to be Chen clan’s leader. According to the rules, you deserved this punishment.”
“So you are the snitch.” Fang Yuan quipped.
Chen clan leader added: “Similarly, I do not regret my current situation, I deserved this! I killed so many innocent people, my hands are stained with the blood of Nie clan’s members. I deserve death!”
“Hehehe.” Chen clan’s leader laughed pitifully: “Shan clan wants to force me to hand over justice Gu, but what can they do? Their screaming, the sound of their whipping, the sound of hot iron scalding my flesh, all these sounds are like the cries of anguish and injustice of Nie clan’s members.”
“I would rather they whip me more and let me suffer more pain! But this cannot atone for my sins! It cannot undo my mistakes! I want to die, just let me die! I deserve this.”
“Ah!”
Chen clan’s leader grunted as he shook, he had died.
His death alerted the guard, soon, Shan Xing who had taken his position arrived.
“Damn it! We can’t get justice Gu now.” Shan Xing was furious, he gritted his teeth.
Suddenly, he turned around and looked at Fang Yuan with rage: “Old timer, didn’t we agree that you would urge your son to hand it over! What did you do? You are useless, go join your son!”
Crack.
Shan Xing said this as he acted, chopping off Fang Yuan’s head.
The exploration failed, Fang Yuan’s desolate soul was chased out of the dream realm again.
This time, Fang Yuan rested for a long time.
The third scene was the final scene, Fang Yuan’s exploration failed, his desolate soul suffered huge injuries.
While recovering, he thought about it: “In the third scene, I am Chen clan leader’s father but I am crippled, there is no hope in escaping with my strength.”
“The key to this should be Chen clan’s leader.”
“Then, what is the condition for passing the third dream realm?”
Fang Yuan had a lot of experience in dream realms now, he was the number one person in the world. This question did not stump him for long, he soon understood.
“The first two dream realm scenes have different identities but the conditions were the same. That was to satisfy the needs of the character.”
“In the first scene, I was the Chen clan leader, I needed to obtain victory with my clansmen, and it needed to be a beautiful victory without much losses.”
“In the second scene, I was the vice clan leader Shan Xing, I needed to succeed in my scheme and suppress his justice Gu.”
“And now in the third scene, I am Chen clan leader’s father, my son locked me up in the prison cell for a long time, I want to regain freedom. Thus, I chose to work with Shan Xing to get my son to hand over justice Gu, so that I can be free.”
Fang Yuan entered the dream again.
Fang Yuan laughed coldly.
Chen clan leader spoke in advance: “No need to mock me, father.”
“You are my son, isn’t mocking you like mocking myself for failing to raise you well? I simply regret it, I sacrificed myself for your sake, I wanted your justice to lead Chen clan towards glory and prosperity, but to think that you would become a prisoner that does not even believe himself. I was wrong about you, had I known this, I would not have created fake evidence of my corruption.” Fang Yuan said.
Chen clan leader was dazed, he was curious: “Father, what do you mean?”
Fang Yuan laughed coldly but did not speak.
Chen clan leader shook his head: “No father, you were corrupt, the evidence was there, how could it be fake?”
Fang Yuan laughed coldly again: “You think it is real, so it has to be real? Then what about Nie clan’s matter?”
Chen clan leader was lost for words.
Fang Yuan continued: “I pretended to not care for you but I was secretly nurturing you with great effort. To use justice Gu, the Gu Master needs to believe firmly in his own justice. Because you were too young, and your understanding of justice was too superficial, I had to do this and sacrifice myself so that you would understand your justice.”
“Father, speak clearly, what was the truth back then?”
Fang Yuan chuckled: “Is the truth really that important?”
Chen clan’s leader did not hesitate, he answered immediately: “Of course! Without the truth, how can there be justice?”
“That is why I said your understanding was too superficial. Is justice closely related to the truth?” Fang Yuan said slowly: “Let me ask you, when you slaughtered Nie clan, was it an act of justice? Even if they really had a plan to destroy our mountain, from their perspective: You are a murderer trying to slaughter their whole clan, by resisting you and defending their homes and family, wasn’t that justice too?”
“This…” Chen clan’s leader pondered.
“The enemy of an enemy is a friend. From their perspective, the so-called plan to destroy the mountain was just a form of deterrence, they were afraid that our Chen clan and Shan clan would ally. But in the end, even though you wiped them out, they did not destroy the mountain, right?” Fang Yuan asked.
Chen clan’s leader was silent.
Fang Yuan smiled: “I see you realized their side of justice too. You triggered the battle, slaughtering the enemies and also causing deaths and injuries to our clansmen, you thought that it was an act of justice, was that wrong? You were afraid that they would destroy the mountain’s foundation, in that case, it would collapse as the spirit spring vanishes, lives would be lost and homes would be destroyed, you were thinking for your clan, you eliminated the problem in advance, that was not wrong. It was also a form of justice.”
“Now look, both sides had their own perspective of justice, right?”
Chen clan’s leader fell into deep thought.
He had never considered this problem before.
Fang Yuan observed his expression as he said: “Let me ask you, is it justice that a sheep eats grass?”
“This… how can that be a form of justice?” Chen clan’s leader was dazed.
“From the sheep’s perspective, without grass, there would be no food, it would starve to death, it had to eat grass. But from the perspective of the grass, it had worked so hard to stay alive, getting out of the soil and growing larger to get more rain and sunlight. It worked so hard but the sheep decided to eat it, even uprooting and devouring everything the grass had, without any hope for survival. Isn’t the grass an innocent victim? Isn’t it pitiful?
Chen clan’s leader shook his head: “Isn’t sheep eating grass just a natural thing? I have never pitied the grass because this is how the world is meant to be.”
“Precisely.” Fang Yuan nodded: “The truth of this world is the law of the jungle, big fish eats small fish, and small fish eats shrimp, this is what nature entails. What crime can there be? There is no such thing as justice here. Sheep eats grass, humans eat sheep, that has nothing to do with justice, it is just for survival.”
“There is no such thing as justice in heaven and earth, there is only justice made by humanity.”
“Since time immemorial, humans had to unite to gain strength for the sake of survival, in order to live in this cruel world!”
“Then, how can humans become united?”
“Through organizations, through law, and through morals.”
“We organize clans or sects, distributing work according to an individual’s ability. We use laws to restrain people, to tell people what they cannot do. We use morals to provide direction, to encourage people to do certain things. Mothers are doting and children are filial, neighbors live in harmony, they all follow the rule of justice and morals. Be it intentionally or unintentionally, from the start of time, any organization would always promote this, because organizations follow their own survival instincts.”
“Or rather, the organizations with comprehensive laws, realistic morals, and proper class systems find it easier to survive. After a long time passes, this becomes the norm of society for the future generations.”
Chen clan leader was tongue-tied, he was completely stunned by Fang Yuan’s words.
He had never considered this.
He knew that justice was good, but he did not know why.
He knew that morals were good, but he did not know why.
And now, Fang Yuan told him the answer, justice and morals were man-made creations. This could be either a conscious or a subconscious creation, people follow these guidelines and allow themselves to survive better in a hostile environment, they can stay united as a group for a long time.
Fang Yuan concluded: “When you understand the core meaning of justice, you will know — this so-called justice is like iron armor, it is a human tool. When you wear it, you need to use it like a tool. But look at you now, this iron armor has become your chain, it is binding you down.”
Chen clan leader looked at Fang Yuan in a daze, he did not speak.
Fang Yuan smiled lightly: “The truth and justice, are they really related? What is the truth behind Nie clan, what is the truth behind my corruption? What does this have to do with justice? Son, you must understand, your justice is just a tool, you must make use of it, do not get restrained by it.”
Chen clan’s leader was silent for a long time, after a while, he said in a hoarse voice: “Father, I understand now.”
Saying so, a white light burst out of his body, it was dazzling and bright, filling the entire surroundings.
This dream realm faded into nothingness amidst the sharp light.
Fang Yuan’s desolate soul returned to reality.
The dream realm exploration succeeded.
“I guessed correctly.”
“The father and son were both clan leaders of Chen clan, they hate Shan clan’s action. If I help Shan Xing and Chen clan’s leader hands over the Gu, even if I regain freedom, I would not pass the final scene. At most, I would be chased out without injuries.”
“Only by teaching Chen clan’s leader and resolving his guilt can I make him use justice Gu once more to break out of this prison. That is the condition to clearing the final scene.”
“This dream realm is quite interesting.”
“Oh? I advanced to human path grandmaster.” Fang Yuan inspected himself and smiled plainly.
