Chapter 205 Distinguishing Good from Evil:

"Why are you suddenly so scared?" Shen Bingsi comforted Rong Xie. "No matter how many times we do it again, you'll still choose me."

"...?" Rong Xie looked at Shen Bing Si blankly.

“Choose me, and I’ll take care of the rest.” Shen Bingsi took Rong Xie’s hand, squeezed it in her palm and rubbed it. “If I can’t solve it, it means it’s just a nightmare made up by the flower fairy and can’t be trusted.”

Rong Xie was both amused and exasperated: "You're not a god, how could you possibly solve everything?"

"I can, I can become your god." Shen Bingsi retorted sarcastically.

"Okay... I understand." Rong Xie's cheeks felt slightly warm.

"That's right." Shen Bingsi took Rong Xie's hand and kissed it.

"..."

The seven people sealed within the magic circle fell silent for a moment.

Sect Master Feng looked at Judge Jiang and asked, "Is this how you people of the Heartless Path usually act all lovey-dovey?"

Judge Jiang laughed and said, "He is not one of us from the Heartless Path."

"Oh, I meant the Mirror Palace."

"He is not a member of the Mirror Palace either."

"..."

Rong Xie's fear subsided somewhat. Perhaps he was just overthinking it. The world was so real at this moment; how could it be a nightmare fabricated by the flower fairy?

He began to notice the renowned monks meditating on the ground discussing him and Shen Bingsi, and immediately, embarrassment replaced everything else.

Rong Xie took a step back as if he had been electrocuted, pulled his hand away from Shen Bing Si's lips, and put it behind his back. His face was so hot that it could fry an egg on it.

"Ahem, I've finished explaining my plan," Judge Jiang said, changing the subject at the opportune moment. "Have you noticed any loopholes?"

Rong Xie's mind was in complete chaos; he couldn't think of anything.

“It’s still the same problem. I think the sacrifice is too great. I don’t know when the flower demon will weaken and die out,” Shen Bingsi said. “Moreover, sacrificing so much just to eliminate a flower demon is just not worth it.”

“Yes,” Sect Master Feng chimed in, “I also think it’s not worth it. We should think of another way.”

Ignoring Sect Leader Feng's words, Judge Jiang continued to speak to Shen Bingsi and Rong Xie: "Forget about anything else, just tell me, is there any flaw in this plan? Are there any oversights that might release the flower demon to wreak havoc on the human world?"

“…” Shen Bingsi fell silent.

“That’s it,” Judge Jiang said. “Proceed according to the original plan.”

"Brother Jiang—"

Shen Bingsi wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Judge Jiang: "I've said everything I can say. If you have any better ideas, please feel free to tell me. Until then, please leave. There's nothing here that needs your help, and talking to you is quite exhausting. I need to concentrate on maintaining the magic array."

"..." Shen Bingsi's words were stuck in her throat.

That's how Judge Jiang is; he breaks down the principles and analyzes them for you until you realize them yourself, because there's no point in continuing to argue.

“But…” Shen Bingsi felt a tightness in his chest. He felt his sleeve being tugged, and when he turned around, he saw Rong Xie winking at him, signaling him to leave first and then think of a solution.

This is the only option. Although it doesn't fit Shen Bingsi's personality of always charging forward when faced with difficulties, staying would not only be pointless but would also disrupt what was originally a flawless plan.

"Brother Jiang, take care." Shen Bingsi said in a deep voice, "I'm leaving."

He took Rong Xie's hand and turned to walk towards the back hall of Tianji Altar.

"Wait!" Sect Master Feng suddenly exclaimed, "Are you just leaving like this?"

The two stopped and turned around in confusion.

"Sect Master Feng!" Judge Jiang said impatiently, "What exactly do you want to do?"

"No, aren't you going to give it a try at all?" Sect Master Feng continued. "Giving up without even trying isn't like you, Shen Bingsi! Or has your courage also shattered after your Dao Heart was broken?"

Shen Bingsi didn't turn her head, and pulled Rong Xie: "Let's go."

Seeing that Shen Bingsi was no longer swayed by his provocation, Sect Master Feng shifted his gaze from Shen Bingsi to Rong Xie beside him: "Young Master Rong, didn't you say you would save Xiaozhi? Why are you saying it again now? Are you going to abandon Xiaozhi?"

"Sect Master Feng!" Judge Jiang finally snapped, "Shut up, don't say another word!"

This time, it was Rong Xie's turn to gain a foothold.

“He shouldn’t be the Wind Sect Master anymore,” Rong Xie said. “He’s been possessed by the flower demon since just now.”

"..." Judge Jiang said helplessly, "I found out, which is why I told Sect Master Feng to control his mouth."

“So that’s how it is…” Rong Xie turned around and looked at Sect Master Feng. “In that case, I do have some things I want to ask you in person.”

The sect leader of the Wind Sect wore a smile, the same eerie smile he had shown when he was possessed earlier.

Rong Xie stared intently at Sect Master Feng: "Is Xiao Zhi still conscious?"

Sect Master Feng laughed and said, "What answer do you want to hear? Is he here? Is he not here? That's right, of course you want to hear that he is here. That's right, Xiao Zhi's consciousness is still here. He's right here with me. Do you want to hear him speak? I can call him out to talk to you."

As she spoke, Sect Leader Feng changed her voice, sounding pitiful: "Young Master Rong, please save Xiaozhi. Xiaozhi doesn't want to die, Xiaozhi wants to live."

"..." Rong Xie's lips twitched slightly.

"Don't believe its nonsense. It'll say anything to lure you here!" Jiang Caijie warned, then urged, "Sect Leader Feng, please control yourself. You are the leader of a sect. Are you just going to let a monster possess you and deceive the younger generation?"

The sect leader's face contorted, as if two consciousnesses were struggling and fighting each other. His two eyes darted around wildly, making his face look extremely ferocious and terrifying.

A moment later, his eerie smile returned: "Don't believe me? Young Master Rong, think about it carefully. Why is it Wenxin Gorge in particular? Why did these people fall at the foot of Wenxin Gorge? Of course, it's because—this is Xiaozhi's will! These people bullied him and didn't take him seriously in life. After they died, he had the chance to take revenge. Of course, he should make them pay the same price. He was too merciful, only letting them die. In my opinion, they should pay ten times the price. They should be betrayed by the people they loved in their dreams and killed with their own hands. Parents, brothers, sisters, Daoist partners, and people they loved—each one with a knife, slowly tortured to death. Only then can I quell the hatred in my heart."

Rong Xie stared intently at Sect Master Feng.

Jiang Caijie sighed.

Shen Bingsi gripped Rong Xie's wrist tightly, as if afraid he would suddenly run away. They both knew what had happened at Wenxin Gorge, how Xiaozhi had been humiliated there, heard her own verdict, and had no room for resistance.

"You can ask the five elders here who these people are. Were they the ones who participated in the trial that day? Were they the ones who witnessed the enlightenment process? Were they the ones who cheered and laughed? They think they can judge others, but have they ever considered whether they themselves can withstand judgment?" Sect Master Feng said with a smile, becoming more and more smug. "They are all guilty, so I followed Xiaozhi's will and left them here. How about it? Isn't this place suitable for them? If it weren't for Xiaozhi, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to do all this. Who told him to be a part of me now? He is a part of me, yet he retains his own will. Now you can prove that what I said is true, right, Young Master Rong? Aren't we good friends who cherish each other? Save me! Get me out of this damned magic array!"

The sect leader of the Wind Sect revealed a fawning expression, a very strange feeling.

Shen Bingsi looked at Rong Xie nervously: "Rong'er, you must not believe his nonsense."

Rong Xie closed his eyes briefly and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Flower Fairy, are you finished? Is there anything else you want to say?"

"I'll confess whatever you want me to say," the Feng Sect Master said glibly. "Young Master Rong, Xiaozhi doesn't want to die, please save Xiaozhi."

"..." A look of sorrow appeared on Rong Xie's face. "I know. Xiao Zhi should be gone by now."

"What?" The "flower fairy" was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Rong Xie to react this way.

“You’ve forgotten, I also participated in that trial,” Rong Xie said calmly. “I know better than you who was there and how many people were there. I was standing right here at the time and I could clearly see that the sect leaders and elders who participated in the trial were no more than twenty people in total, plus a few high-level disciples. As for the disciples who were making a fuss in the front courtyard of the Ruthless Dao Palace, even if you include them all, there aren’t as many people as there are at the bottom of the cliff.”

"So what? Are those bystanders innocent? Just because they didn't jeer on the surface doesn't mean they weren't jeering in their hearts!" the "flower demon" sneered.

“Flower Fairy, you may not understand, but this is the difference between you and Xiaozhi. Xiaozhi would not kill someone just because they didn’t smile on the outside but smiled in their heart,” Rong Xie said calmly.

How do you know you won't?

"He is kind. Kind people are more likely to understand the suffering of others because he has experienced the same thing himself. He has also been neglected and stood in the corner watching things he did not approve of happen. He will not lay a hand on those novice disciples whose names are not even worth remembering. Even if they laugh, it is because they do not understand the facts. Ignorance is no excuse. They should not be abandoned at the bottom of the Questioning Heart Gorge and lose their lives forever for a moment of submission and a laugh that they do not understand."

"..." The usually eloquent "flower fairy" was speechless at this moment.

“If Xiaozhi really wants revenge, she should go find the culprit.” Rong Xie raised his arm, his fingertips pointing directly at the “flower demon,” “the sect leader who could clearly control everything, yet he listens to only one side.”

Then, he gestured to one side and pointed to the five elders one by one: "Elders who should have known the actual situation, provided the sect leader with the truth, and been responsible for the trial, but did nothing and only obeyed their superiors."

Rong Xie lowered his arm and looked at the "flower demon" with disappointment: "They are all sitting here, nothing has happened. Xiao Zhi would not take revenge like this. Only those demons who have ulterior motives and use revenge as an excuse to vent their cruel desires would do such a thing."

A deathly silence.

Rong Xie's words struck Jiang Caijie and Shen Bingsi like a thunderbolt, and they fell into deep thought for a moment.

The "flower fairy" forced a smile and said, "Do you think you know Xiaozhi well? You've only met him a few times. I've been paying attention to him ever since he entered the Ruthless Dao Palace. I've spent more time with him than Lu Yingqi has!"

Rong Xie looked at the "flower demon" with a cold smile.

The "flower demon" grew increasingly agitated: "Stop spouting those high-sounding words! How are humans any better than us demons? The cruelest things are done by you humans! The reason humans are kind is simply because they lack the power to do evil. Once they have power, they can easily crush those who once persecuted them. Would they do nothing? Would you do nothing? Young Master Rong, if you were given the power to wield the Heavenly Dao, you would only go even further!"

Rong Xie shook his head, seemingly losing interest in the topic of "flower fairies." He nudged Shen Bingsi and said, "Let's go."

Shen Bingsi gazed at Rong Xie, a hint of pride appearing on her face: "Okay."

They left hand in hand, and the wind carried the flower fairy's frantic screams: "Come back, come back to me—it's not what you said at all! Don't be so self-righteous! If you have the guts, come into my dream and see if you're as dignified as you claim!"

Zhilan Ridge, the Palace of Heartless Dao.

Rong Xie piloted the Yunmeng small boat, carrying Shen Bingsi back to the palace gate.

Qingfeng collapsed onto the steps in front of the palace gate. When he saw Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi return, he was overjoyed and quickly stood up.

“We have already met with Judge Jiang and the Sect Master. Now, please take us to see Elder Bai,” Rong Xie said.

"Good, good!" Qingfeng opened the palace gate and ran ahead to lead the way.